Western Courier | March 27th, 2019

Opinions: Do we need to cut back on technology use?

Sports: Western prepares for matchup against the Hawkeyes.

WesternCourier.com

By Steven Barnum news editor

Tammie Leigh Brown-Edwards is hoping that Macomb voters are ready for a new voice at Alderman-atLarge.

A native of Aurora, Ill., Brown-Edwards has been a Macomb resident since 2002.

She worked as an editor in The Macomb Journal and worked as a reporter for 10 years. The Eastern Illinois University graduate is proud of her background, which she believes is helpful in public service.

“One thing that frustrates me about the city is their lack of transparency and communication,” she said. “Facebook and their website are the best ways for the community to know what’s going on, and I think my journalism background can help improve that. The Macomb Police Department provides

Wednesday, March 27, 2019 - Vol. 119 Issue 69

more information for the city of Macomb and that has to change.”

In addition to making sure that the city has a stronger online presence, she said that she would also encourage city officials to put pictures of themselves on the website. This would provide the public with a feeling of more familiarity and make them more approachable.

Currently, she works as an office manager and legal assistant in a law office. She said that her job doesn’t prevent her from being active at the local level. She belongs to several organizations and is active in community service, cementing her as a helpful voice in Macomb.

Not only is Brown-Edwards the first woman to run for Alderman-at-Large in Macomb, but she also thinks that she offers a fresh perspective.

“I think that people are always looking for new voices,” she said. “I do a lot of

research and I look at other towns of the same size to see what they’re doing right.”

If elected, Brown-Edwards plans to be very accessible to members of the public. In addition to being active on all social media platforms, she is also available on the phone or through email. She can be seen at events throughout the community, which she thinks is an important aspect of being a city official.

When it comes to being able to come up with ideas and accomplishing things at the local level, she is proud to have initiated a safe space exchange spot. This spot allows residents to meet at the Macomb Police Department to exchange items they bought or sold online, as well as drop off children in situations with joint custody. She said that the experience with pitching an idea and working with the mayor and chief of police is helpful in politics.

The city of Macomb has a

lot more to offer than people realize, according to BrownEdwards. One of her priorities will be to help promote the easy access and convenience of Amtrak.

“People overlook the ability to come and go on Amtrak,” she said. “We can attract people here to arrive here at 11 and be back to their destination by 6. That sets us apart from a lot of communities because Macomb isn’t far if you get on the train.”

She’s also working on an idea to put together a mural with paintings of famous people, which she believes would attract more people to that spot when passing through the city.

Brown-Edwards knows that strengthening the city’s tourism appeal will bring more tax money to Macomb during a time when the population is decreasing. She mentions that her son’s field trips are always outside of McDonough County, which is a

Sports: “Ionescu’s game can speak for itself, but I’m beyond happy that she’s shining a light on the disrespect that is continuously shown towards women’s basketball. Hopefully, in the years to come, the females will have as big of a stage as the men do every year.”

Read more on Page 6

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mistake.

“Macomb is the largest city in the county,” she said.

“Why are they leaving for other towns just as small or smaller with nothing more than we have? We should be encouraging them to stay here.”

Brown-Edwards believes that Macomb is still an affordable and enjoyable place to live so she remains invested in coming up with ideas to attract more people. By talking with ordinary people within the community, she is able to have more of an understanding of what change residents want to see.

While she would be willing to join committees in addition to serving on the city council, she said that the scheduling structure is not convenient for Macomb residents.

Brown-Edwards page 3

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NEWS

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

WesternCourier.com

City Council discusses infrastructure improvements

FELICIA SELMON/ COURIER STAFF

FELICIA SELMON/ COURIER STAFF

By Steven Barnum news editor

SARA REMAR/ ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR

Mayor Mike Inman (top left) and City Administrator Dean Torreson (top right) discuss making improvements to Macomb roads. For example, fixing the condition of Dudley Street (above).

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Macomb aldermen are uncertain if the proposed infrastructurefunding plan is the best way to move forward.

The severity of the winter weather took a major toll on Macomb’s roads. One of those roads, Dudley Street, could undergo an overlay this summer. According to examiners, the worst ends of the street are the first block, the stretch from Jackson to Washington and the south end from Walker to Grant.

It could cost $310,000 to make the improvements.

“Dudley Street has really unraveled this spring,” City Administrator Dean Torreson said.

The city is planning a cape sealing project to improve several major streets, but there has been some disagreement as to which roads are in the worst shape.

“Throughout the last six to eight weeks I haven’t seen a big difference in Dudley Street,” Alderman-at-large Dennis Moon said. “That argument should have been made in the beginning of this budget process.”

Moon pointed out that the budget involves spending money for street improvement projects that the city has yet to collect.

“We have anticipated funds but we’re not sure if we’ll get them in time to pay the bills,” Moon said.

Mayor Mike Inman said that the diminishing quality of Dudley Street has sparked an increase in calls from Macomb residents. The result from the winter ’s freeze

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thaw has many wondering if the city will address their concerns.

The budget will potentially total $27.1 million with a revenue of about $26.6 million. Torreson said that the city could find the rest of the money from the general fund and from the water fund. Recently, Macomb improved the efficiency of the water plant and sand filters, which is expected to save $150,000 or more on operating costs alone.

“That’ll certainly help us for years to come,” Torreson said.

There are no plans to raise rates or fees in the proposal. Torreson said that the city is expecting less revenue with fewer students attending Western Illinois University. With the 2020 census approaching, a decline in population from the student body living off campus would result in a loss of funding.

“That’s something that the council would have to deal with,” Torreson said.

The proposal essentially delays future construction and improvement projects so that the city is able to be fiscally responsible for this budget. One of those projects is replacing the Burlington Road Bridge, which connects residents to the River Run Apartment complex.

Another project that would be delayed if the council approves the budget proposal is the improvements to Johnson Street. With the middle school expected to be completed by the fall of 2021, city officials argue that it would be best to fix the street in 2022.

Since the city’s cape sealing project will cost less than expected, the

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proposal plans to put additional money toward fixing Dudley Street. Torreson said that putting the bare minimum amount in the police and fire pensions and nothing in the storm sewer fund for one year is also on the table. Even if a storm sewer collapses next year, Torreson believes that it’s a risk worth taking since it would give them $50,000 to spend.

“This would leave us with a positive balance,” he said. “We’re pretty conservative on our cost estimates so we’ll probably end up better than that.”

Torreson said that expenditures are starting to outpace revenue.

One way to ensure that the city can collect more money is through a utility tax, according to Torreson, which would require heavy users of electrical and natural gas to pay more. He thinks that this would be an easier and more appropriate approach than reducing the workforce.

“It’s hard to see how we can cut more employees and still operate the city government effectively,” Torreson said.

Moon said that the city won’t have a lot of money to spend on projects with this proposal, which is why he is hesitant to support it.

Although the proposal appeared to have a lack of support, Inman said that aldermen can mull it over and discuss it more next week.

“Basically what we’re doing is shoving projects down the road and reducing our ending balance as far down as I would care to see it go,” Moon said. “I’m not crazy about this plan.”

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Brown-Edwards from page 1

“I would like to see that changed so that residents of Macomb can be more engaged in the process and know what’s going on,” she said.

Disagreement is common in politics and she is prepared to stand up for the causes she believes in, but is more focused

Wednesday, March 27, 2019 on working together.

“I’ve worked with groups and organizations and it’s a lot about compromise,” she said, “although sometimes you have to be the only person to vote against something so that your voice is heard.”

She is reminded of a quote from President Barack Obama.

“If the people cannot trust the government to do the job for

NEWS 3

which it exists, then all is lost,” she quotes.

“I think that people should want to trust their elected officials. I hope I can bring new ideas to the table to make Macomb a more accessible and trusted city to its residents,” Brown-Edwards said.

Brown-Edwards will challenge Don Wynn for the Alderman-atLarge position next week.

NOTICE OF EXAMINATION MACOMB POLICE DEPARTMENT

The Board of Fire & Police Commissioners of the City of Macomb, Illinois hereby gives notice that examinations will offered to all eligible applicants to create an Eligibility List for hiring for positions with the Macomb Police Department.

At time of application, applicants must be at least 21 years of age and no more than 35 years of age. Military veterans may extend the age limit one year for every year if active duty, not to exceed ten years. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent; must have completed 60 semesters or 90 quarters hours from an accredited academic institution; must posses valid driver’s license. To move forward in hiring processes, applicants must have physical and written exams, medical and psychological evalutions and background investigations; must have visual acuity 20/20 each eye corrected (minimum) with normal color vision and depth perception; must have good habits and be of moral character. Proof of U.S. Citzenship and if hired; McDonough County residency is required.

STARTING SALARY as of 05/01/18, $47,078.76 per year.

Forty-hour work week with time and a half for all overtime.

Applications packets may be obtained at the Mayor’s Office, City Hall, 232 E. Jackson St., Macomb, Illinois 61455, Phone (309) 833-2558, or on-line at: https://www.macombpolice.com/application-requirements/ All applications and attachments must be completed, signed and on file by 4:30 P.M., Tuesday, March 12, 2019. If sumbitting the application packet by mail, it must be postmarked on or before the application deadline date AND received at the Mayor’s Office within five (5) calendar days of the deadline. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Testing date is March 30, 2019. Applicants should report to Brophy Hall, on the Western University campus at 7:30 A.M.

The City reserves the right to require reimbursement of training expenses on a pro-rata basis if an officer resigns within the first two years of employment.

The City of Macomb is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer Minorities and women are encouraged to apply.

4

OPINIONS

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

WesternCourier.com

JIMMY PIERSON/PRODUCTION MANAGER

Is our access to technology detrimental to us? If so, should there be less technology usage?

What would that look like? The battle between technology and society is constant, which is why all these questions will be answered in this article.

There is almost no way to avoid technology nowadays whether it is our phones, computers, TVs or projectors. What have we sacrificed for the ease and portability of technology?

Some things we have sacrificed

are physical while others are more mental.

Our eyesight is one of them.

The constant usage of technology exposes us to blue light.

This light is bad on our eyes and causes strain, resulting in slow damage and eventually the loss of some eyesight.

This happens because the screens seem like they are solid and unified, but the tiny pixels are constantly sending light to the screen too fast for the eye to notice. This means

that the straining goes unnoticed, which is why it is easy for people to spend hours using technology.

If you ever try taking a picture with your phone of a TV or laptop, the closer you get, the more you can see this happen. Usually the camera will start to separate the pixels into boxes and the better the camera, the more you can see this separation. If you do this and then film in super slow motion, you may be able to catch the light flickering.

So, you can imagine how bad prolonged usage is for your eyes. Unfortunately, this is not the only problem we are encountering. For a while now it has been said that technol-

ogy, more notably social media, is deterring our real-life social skills.

This should not come as a surprise to most people since social media encourages the users to stay on the application and watch other people do things and comment under a digital wall of protection. This means that when a person must interact with someone in the realworld, conversations are short and abrupt.

When people act like this, it is perceived as standoffish to others. At the college level this is a horrible trait to have because college is a place to learn and connect with others. If a person cannot do this, they will be at a comparative disadvantage.

Some ways that technology has, of course, helped us is remembering deadlines and events, saving documents and keeping in contact with people.

If technology adapts, we will need to adapt as well so that we are not left behind. A good trait to have in general is to be flexible; someone that is not flexible will bend to the will of others and let anyone or anything control them, and technology is no different.

Now, technology in no way should be abolished on campus or anything, but as responsible people, we should know when to stop. This is another way in which being in college teaches us how to behave and establish some balance in the real world.

Joe Biden for President in 2020

The Democratic field for president for the 2020 election cycle has gotten full with characters across the political spectrum from far left Democratic Socialists like Bernie Sanders to more moderate Democrats like Corey Booker. Yet, there is one possible candidate that, at least to pollsters, has a better approval rate and a higher chance of winning the general election against Donald Trump than any other candidate that has announced they are running.

The curious part is that this person is yet to announce their intentions for running for president and yet, ex-Vice President Joe Biden appears to be moving in that direction and he appears to have a large array of support at home and abroad.

For example, a recent article was published where it was discussed that Biden had been approached by numer-

ous world nation leaders and had been urged to run for the presidency, being told that he would be a “welcomed familiar face” in a time that is all but familiar. Also, many if not all of Obama’s heavy-hitting donors and fundraisers have, in the past few weeks, been shown to support Biden and have in some instances been referenced to have urged him as well to launch a possible presidential run. With these two factors in place, world leaders are asking him to run because they believe he would bring stability and strong support at home from powerful donors, it would appear that Biden is not only the most experienced in regards to foreign relations, but is also one of the most popular characters in American politics today.

So, what would a Biden 2020 election run look like and who would he pick as his running mate if he does decide to run?

The answer to those question

are up in the air because Biden has simply not indicated anything and if he’s waiting for a last minute entrance, he’s not going to disappoint. Yet, there is at least one option that has been on everyone’s mind. Although it has never been done before, an ex-president can, in theory, run as the vice president of a new political campaign. That’s right, there are growing whispers of a Biden and Obama presidential ticket with Biden as president and Obama as vice president! There is no precedent for this, and it might turn off potential voters, but it might turn them on! It really is a coin toss. If successful, it would set a precedent unbeknownst before; if a failure it will be drowned out in the ash heap of history.

Yet, just as there are those who push for Biden to run, there are also those who push for him not to. Although Biden has portrayed himself, and indeed social media as well, as the people’s champion and as a dedicated civil servant, there are those who point out his flaws. One of the things that sticks out on his record like a sore thumb and that is an easy

target for other Democrats who are already running is the fact that Biden has a history with voting against students in cases of student loans and student debt. For example, it was Biden that helped push and is credited with creating the current student loan crisis because he pushed to have bankruptcies not cover student loans and student debt. Before this, a graduating student could file for bankruptcy right out of college and not have to pay back the tens of thousands of dollars in student debt. This was before the bubble of student debt ballooned to the point where it is now the largest debt per capita in the country and is larger than any other debt, including credit card and medical expenses.

The reason behind Biden’s choice on student debt is that, at least according to sources close to him, he feared that if people did that, filing bankruptcies after graduating, then it would create a debt balloon where all those who don’t file bankruptcy would have to pick up the slack on behalf of those who did. In other words, Biden believed it was unfair for those

who do try and pay back what they owed when others didn’t even try and just filed bankruptcy. Although this point of view might be valid, it does not curtail the fact that even though they did do that, and prevented student debt from being cleared via bankruptcy, it did nothing to actually stop the rising tide of student loan debt. As a matter of fact, some even argue that it exacerbated the debt.

Whether or not Joe Biden chooses to run is still up for debate. What is not up for debate is that he would be a huge competitor for his Democratic peers in the primary election and that he would be more than a fair match for Trump or any other Republican candidate. Also, no other Democratic candidate boasts of such strong foreign relations connections and experience as he does, but he is also susceptible to attack from both sides of the isle for his role in the student debt problem that the country as a whole now faces. Overall, a 2020 presidential run by Joe Biden would be a welcome to sore eyes and an opportunity to return to normalcy and decency.

OPINIONS 5

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

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Talking to your family all the time is healthy

Growing up, it was embarrassing when your mom or dad kissed you before you went off to middle school. Some people didn’t even acknowledge their parents when they started becoming of high school age. When kids were in kindergarten, it was hard to be away from their parents, and that can be the same for some people who are in college. Sometimes people can’t wait to get away from their parents. After all, it is most likely some people’s first time away from rules

and parents. Some kids had more strict parent than others. Some had to be home at a much earlier time than their friends and that could potentially have been annoying to deal with. Some people weren’t ever allowed to have sleepovers while some were never home every weekend because they were out having a good time with their friends. Whatever the case may be, coming to a university and being away from that type of environment can be super hard for

some people.

For some people, the moment after their parents moved them in and went to go back on the road was super easy for them. They were happy and have been waiting for this day to come for a long time. Others might have been terrified and might have been super homesick right away. Going to a university and being away from home is a big deal. Being in college in general is a big deal. Not seeing your parents and loved ones every day can be very hard for some people. Luckily, most people have some type of cellular device or form of communication and are able to contact their loved ones. Some people only call their parents once a week whereas oth-

ers call their parents once a day.

Some people only talk to their family once a month while others freak out if they don’t contact their family every so often. Some people often make fun of others and call them childish because they talk to their families every day. Everyone’s situation is different and whatever relationship someone has with their family shouldn’t matter. It’s okay to talk to your parents every day, and it’s also okay not to talk to them every day. Everyone is different and doing one or the other does not make you more or less childish.

People should never feel ashamed for being close to their parents. It’s actually a good thing to be close with your parents. This doesn’t

only make someone feel good for talking to their loved ones, but also makes the loved ones feel welcomed too. It’s absolutely okay to call your parents every chance you get because one day, they might not be there for you. Everyone should live every moment like it’s their last, and part of that for some can be having a good relationship with their family. Just because you talk to your family every day, does not make you more or less independent than someone that doesn’t. Sometimes people have a bad day and just want to talk to their family just as much as you do. It is completely normal to talk to your family every day and they truly appreciate it at the end of the day.

Right Here at Home for Summer School Western’s 2019 Summer Session offers numerous classes to fit your schedule and your major!

Advance registration for currently enrolled students is April 1-19.

Open registration begins April 22.

Stay on track ... or get ahead ... through a variety of classes in general education and undergraduate and graduate degree programs, delivered in face-to-face, online or extension formats.

Additional summer opportunities include youth summer camps, internships and study abroad.

Visit wiu.edu/summer for more information.

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2019 Fall Semester Editorial Board

Edge Editor - Marc Ramirez Editor-in-Chief - Devon Greene Opinions Editor - Allison Young

6

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

SPORTS

WesternCourier.com

Breaking down the women's NCAA Tournament

By Devon Greene editor in chief

The women’s March Madness tournament has reached the Sweet 16 and the first two rounds of games have featured high intensity, close games that rival those of their more televised male counterparts.

At this point in the tournament, it’d be hard to pick anyone but the University of Baylor Bears to come out as the national champions. The Bears blew out the Abilene Christian University Wildcats by 57 in the first round. The Bears went on to drop 102 points on the head of the University of California Golden Bears in their 10263 point rout in the battle of the Bears.

The Bears have found productivity from almost every member of their roster. Sixfoot-seven-inch center Kalani Brown led the way against the Wildcats with 17 points and 11 rebounds, but she had a quiet game two. Junior guard Juicy Landrum took over game two with a 20 point 7 point performance. Baylor will face No. 4 seed South Carolina on Saturday.

Even with Baylor striving, it’s hard to talk about women’s college basketball without keeping the University of Connecticut Huskies in mind. To those who don’t watch women’s basketball, it may come as a surprise that the Huskies aren’t ranked as the No. 1 seed in the tournament this year.

The Huskies lost two games on the road this year for the first time in what feels like forever. They came out of the gate strong in the tournament though, with a 110-61 win over the University of Towson Tigers.

However, they found a bit of trouble in their second outing against the No. 10 seed University of Buffalo Bulls. Senior guard Cierra Dillard did all she could to put up a fight against the Huskies. Dillard recorded 29 points, seven assists and seven rebounds with a bum ankle that left her writhing in pain on the court. Dillard’s performance was reminiscent of Isiah Thomas’ performance in game six of the 1988 Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, where he scored a

NBA-record 25 points in the third quarter.

However, Dillard was unable to will her team to a win and UConn will advance to the Sweet 16, where they will face a No. 6 seeded UCLA Bruins team, who just upset the University of Maryland.

The male tournament has lacked one thing that bolsters excitement in the tournament every year, a Cinderella team.

The women’s bracket has found their Cinderella in the form of No. 11 seeded Missouri State University Bears. The Bears defeated No. 6 seeded DePaul in the first round and kept rolling with a 69-60 win over Iowa State University in the round of 32. Junior guard Alexa Willard has been a force to be reckoned with in the first two rounds with 20 and 17-point performances. The Bears are the lowest seed in either tournament still remaining and are hoping to continue their run when they take on the No. 2 seed University of Stanford Sycamores on Saturday.

The University of Iowa Hawkeyes have had a couple tough matchups to start the tournament and avoided a near upset in game one against No. 15 Mercer University.

The No. 2 seed Hawkeyes only pulled out a five-point win over Mercer, but cleaned up their act in the second round with a strong performance over the University of Missouri. Iowa has one of the best players in the nation, Megan Gustafson. Gustafson put together a monster performance against the Tigers with a 24-point, 19-rebound effort in game two. Gustafson will need to keep playing at this level if the Hawkeyes want a legitimate shot at the national championship. The Hawkeyes will play No. 3 seeded NC State on Saturday.

One of the matchups that will be the most fun to watch on Saturday is the battle that will take place between No. 1 seed Notre Dame and No. 4 seed Texas A&M. Senior guard Arike Ogunbowale had the shot of the season last year with her buzzer beater game winner over the Mississippi State Bulldogs in the national championship.

Notre Dame has one of the most complete

teams in the tournament with Ogunbowale leading the way, followed by senior Jessica Shepard and junior Jackie Young. However, the Fighting Irish is about to run into a buzz saw in the form of sophomore sensation Chennedy Carter. Carter is coming off a 30-point, nine- rebound and five-assist game against No. 5 seed Marquette. Carter was sixth in the nation this season with 22.9 points per game.

The No 1. Mississippi State Bulldogs have also had a relatively easy road so far, as they cruised through the first two rounds of the tournament with a 104-46 win in round one and an 85-61 win in round two. The Bulldogs shouldn’t have much to worry about on Friday if they keep playing at this level.

The final No. 1 comes in the form of the University of Louisville. The Cardinals have held their first two opponents to 50 points or below and will hope to do so again on Friday with their matchup against Oregon State.

The Summit League has been represented in this tournament by the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits. The Jackrabbits have performed strong so far in this tournament defeating the University of Quinnipiac by 11 in the first round.

They made their splash in the second round when they upset the No. 3 seed Syracuse Orange. This upset came to fruition through standout performances from senior guard Madison Guebert, sophomore guard Myah Selland and redshirt senior Macy Miller. The Jackrabbits have one of the toughest matchups coming up in the Sweet 16 as they prepare to face my pick to win the national championship, University of Oregon Ducks.

The Ducks are lead by my favorite player in women’s basketball, Sabrina Ionescu.

Ionescu has been on a tear all season, and broke the NCAA record for most tripledoubles in history with her 13th triple double earlier this season. Ionescu continued her triple-double tear when she posted another one in the Ducks’ second round

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matchup against the No. 10 seed University of Indiana Hoosiers. Ionescu recorded 29 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds in the 91-68 win over the Hoosiers. Ionescu tied Dwyane Wade for most points with a triple-double in NCAA history.

However, Ionescu’s game isn’t the only thing that makes her my favorite player in women’s basketball.

Following the Ducks’ win on Sunday, Ionescu called out the media for not placing the same spotlight on the women’s tournament as they do with the men’s.

“I mean it's awesome to get one in the tournament,” Ionescu said. “Probably still won't get recognized because ESPN never recognizes women's sports that are getting triple-doubles. But I'm just happy that I was able to do it.”

Ionescu hit the nail on the head when talking about the obvious lack of coverage of the women’s tournament every year. I was watching tournament games earlier this week and the male tournament had games on six different channels while the females only had games on two. Female athletes have worked just as hard as their male counterparts to get where they are and they aren’t receiving the same spotlight during the biggest time for college basketball in the year.

After Oregon’s win on Sunday, I was scrolling through my Twitter feed and saw a clip from Bleacher Report showing Ionescu’s highlights. The comments on the feed were disgusting. They ranged from outright sexism to the constant undermining of Ionescu’s accomplishment. Ionescu responded with an Instagram post.

“Comment section doesn’t phase me.

They’re talking about cooking?! Well I’ve been serving triple doubles lately” Ionescu’s post read.

Ionescu’s game can speak for itself, but I’m beyond happy that she’s shining a light on the disrespect that is continuously shown towards women’s basketball. Hopefully, in the years to come, the females will have as big of a stage as the men do every year.

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Spacious 3 Bedroom Upper in Duplex close to campus and Jackson St. All utilities furnished and appliances Includes cable and internet 18/19 school year $375.00 per Br Ph 309 255 8086 Please leave message Still have some nice large locations available at reasonable prices. Excellent service- 24 hour emergency maintenance. 1-8 bedrooms, locations on/off campus available ‘18-’19 school year. Pets at some locations. Check us out at rentcollegepads.com. If interested, please call F & H Rentals 309/837-1705.

Looking for 2 roommates to share a 3-bedroom furnished house beginning in August for 2018-19. 10- to 12-month contract. New carpet, air, garage w/ storage, laundry. $300 each per month, plus utilities. Call Sharon at 309-338-3888.

Sports 7

Wednesday, March 27, 2019

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Potential landing spots for Jordan Howard josh purnell courier staff

Jordan Howard was the playmaker for the Chicago Bears’ offense. During his first two seasons, he ran 2,435 yards and had 15 touchdowns. He also went to the Pro Bowl in his rookie year. Going into the 2018 season, the Bears hired Matt Nagy as the new head coach.

The Bears, for a long time, never had a legit offense or an offense that can attack the defense with the pass and run. The Bears traditionally ran the ball till the defense got tired. If they didn't get in the end zone, the special team would come out on the field and kick for three points or punt.

Nagy’s job was to come in and change the culture of the Bears' offense. Nagy worked under Andy Reid, the head coach for the Kansas City Chiefs, who has a great offen-

sive mind. The Bears needed Nagy to fill that void and give the fans something to cheer about. Nagy’s offense is created for players who are versatile, fast, quick and athletic. Given those descriptions, you might be thinking about Tarik Cohen. He had a great season, making it to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career. Nagy had Cohen doing almost everything: running, catching, returning punts and throwing.

Opponents’ game plans went from focusing on Howard, to focusing on Cohen.

Although Howard had a productive season running for 935 yards and nine touchdowns, his performance said something different. Based on the eye test, Howard didn’t look like he could fit in Nagy’s offense. You would’ve thought he slowed down because he

looked like he was running slowly, but he wasn’t. Nagy’s offense isn’t for a player like Howard. Howard is a downfor-down running back who can’t necessarily catch the ball in the backfield.

There have been some speculations about trading Howard.

The Bears just signed running back Mike Davis to a twoyear contract this offseason.

So, it seemed like Howard will be traded at some point.

Howard is a great young running back who has the potential to be one of the best in the league. He’s already proven that his first two seasons in the league. To continue his great career, where should the Bears trade Howard? I have three teams in mind.

The first could be to the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders had two running backs last season; Marshawn Lynch and Doug Martin. Together they ran for a total of 1,099 yards and seven touchdowns.

Neither of these guys have much left in the tank. If Gruden can get a power back like Howard who has proven

to be the best starting running back in the league, Gruden can be onto something on the offensive side of the ball.

Let’s not forget the Steelers traded Antonio Brown to the Raiders as well. With Derek Carr under center, Howard in the backfield and Brown out wide, defenses around the league better watch out.

The second is the Houston Texans. Although the Texans have Lamar Miller, Miller is a versatile running back that doesn't fit well in Bill O' Brien's offense. The Texans have yet to fix their offensive line. The Texans led the league with 62 sacks in the 2018 season. With a running back like Howard who can fight through contact, that would be very beneficial for the Texans' offense. Howard can also block in the backfield. That can save DeShaun Watson some time to throw the ball. The Texans have some key players on their offense like DeAndre Hopkins, Will Fuller and Watson. Adding Howard to the team not only can help them, but

also possibly get them back in the playoffs.

Last pick would be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Although the Buccaneers’ primary focus should be on a new quarterback, it looks like they’re going to stick with Jameis Winston. Howard would be a huge help for the Buccaneers offense, especially since the Buccaneers were in 12th place for total offensive points during the 2018 season. This is not bad at all, but with Howard on the team, the Buccaneers can easily be in the top-10 in total offensive points.

The Buccaneers struggled running the ball during the 2018 season. The Buccaneers were 29th in total rushing.

The Buccaneers don't have a legit running back they can utilize in their offense and Howard would be perfect.

The offense already have some pieces in place with players like Mike Evans and OJ Howard. Howard would definitely make their offense one of the top elite offenses in the league.

Top seeds dominate opening weekend Christopher bean assistant sports editor @cre_bean

Just because we didn’t see many upsets, doesn’t mean we haven’t seen madness. Fifteen of the top 16 teams are moving on to the Sweet 16, which is still incredible because it’s very rare to see that many top seeds moving on. However, No. 12 seed Oregon has moved on and is the biggest underdog left in the tourney. Let’s take a look at every matchup heading into the second weekend.

The West Region will start off the Sweet 16 on Thursday in Anaheim, Calif., when No. 1 seed Gonzaga Zags will go up against the No. 4 seed Florida State Seminoles. FSU defeated Gonzaga in last year’s Sweet 16, 75-60. Over a year later, both these teams will square up again to have a chance to play in the Elite Eight. The Zags have a record of 32-3 and their success has come from their deep lineup, including junior forward Killian Tillie, who’s only played 13 games due to injury. Tillie scored 17 points against Dickinson in only 18 minuets. The Seminoles come in with a 29-7 record. They are led by senior guard Terrance Mann who scored 18 in lasts year's win.

The second match up in the West will be between the No. 2 seed Michigan Wolverines and No. 3 seed Texas Tech Red Raiders.

Both of these teams will be playing for their second straight Elite Eight appearance. If you love defense, this will be your favorite game of the year. These are two of the best defensive teams that the tournament has to offer this

year, and they have been fun to watch. If both defenses are at their best and lack the inconsistency in their offense, this game could be in the 40's. However, just because they’re inconsistent doesn’t mean they don’t have any offensive firepower. The Red Raiders are led by sophomore Jarrett Culver who averages 18.8 points a game and is potentially a lottery pick in the NBA Draft.

The Wolverines have a freshman Ignas Brazdeikis who averages 14.8 points a game. I think the team that limits each team’s star player will come up on top.

The South Region will also start Thursday and will be held in Louisville, Ky. The first match up is between the No. 2 seed Tennessee Volunteers and No. 3 seed Purdue Boilermakers.

The Volunteers had great starts to both of their games to start the tourney but gave up double digit leads in the second half.

They escaped an upset from Colgate and won in OT to beat Iowa after blowing a 25-point lead. Head coach Rick Barnes has now taken three different teams to the Sweet 16 and is looking for his second Final Four, after he took Texas back in 2002-03. But, they will have to go through Matt Painter’s Boilermakers first. This is his fifth Sweet 16 appearance but is 0-4 in those games. If they want to win, they will need another big performance from Carsen Edwards who has been carrying them the whole year. Edwards scored 42 against Villanova, which is a tournament high in

2019. If Tennessee can slow him down and be able to play the full 40 minutes, I don’t see them losing this game.

The winner will be either the No. 1 seed Virgina Cavaliers or the No. 12 seed Oregon Ducks.

Like I said before, Oregon is the highest seed remaining, and they will try and continue to bust people’s brackets. But first, they have to go through Virgina, who is looking for their first Final Four appearance under Tony Bennett. They have had great teams under him but haven’t gotten over the hump.

The Cavaliers year in and year out have one of the best defenses, but their offense has disappointed them in their early exits.

This year Bennett has his offense playing at a high level to get them far in the tourney. On the other hand, the Ducks under Dana Altman have been to the Final Four and look to make it two out of three years. This year, they have played the role of the underdog. They had to win the Pac 12 conference to get here, but will certainly have their toughest test yet, when they go up against the hungry Cavaliers.

On Friday the East Region starts and will take place at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C. No. 2 seed Michigan State Spartans will go up against the No. 3 seed LSU Tigers. MSU is led by the Big Ten Player of the Year and arguably the best player in the country, Cassius Winston. The Spartans are back to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2015, after losing in the first weekend three years in-a-row. LSU is back in the Sweet 16 for the first time since they went to the Final Four in 2006. LSU continues to be without Head Coach Will Wade after he allegedly told a player he would pay him if he came

to LSU. Both teams won their respective regular season conference, and MSU also won their tournament conference. MSU has been plagued with injuries, but that hasn’t stopped them from getting better. As long as Winston continues to carry his team, I don’t see them losing to LSU. In the other game from the East it is the No. 1 seed Duke Blue Devils playing conference rival the No. 4 seed Virgina Tech Hookies. There’s no doubt Duke is the favorite to win it all, it’s been that way since day one because of Zion Williamson.

Williamson is a sensational talent and there is no doubt he’ll be the number one overall player in the NBA Draft. However, that doesn’t mean Duke is unbeatable. They survived a 77-76 win against UCF in the best game of the tourney so far. Duke trailed by three in the final 20 seconds when Williamson went to the rim to get an And-One. RJ Barrett got the offensive rebound and put it back up to give Duke the lead with 11 seconds left. After UCF called a timeout, they had two great looks including the put back, but somehow someway it didn’t go in. Back on Feb. 26, the Hookies defeated Duke 77-72, but that was without Williamson. If the Hookies want to defeat them for the second time this year, they will need to find a way to slow down Williamson.

In the fourth and final region, we have the Midwest Region that will take place in Kansas City, Mo. In the first match up we will see the No. 1 seed North Carolina Tar Heels taking on the No. 5 seed Auburn Tigers. The Tigers barely survived their first game 78-77 after giving New Mexico State every opportunity

to beat them in the final seconds.

They took care of business in the next round, beating Kansas by 14 to move onto the Sweet 16. The Tar Heels cruised to the Sweet 16, winning both games by double digits. Expect this game to be high scoring. Auburn shoots a lot of threes and UNC loves pushing the ball down floor. At the end of the day, I like Carolina in this one because they have 6-7 players who can score a basket whenever they need to.

In the second matchup we have the No. 2 seed Kentucky Wildcats going up against the No. 3 seed Houston Cougars. If you love the underdog, Houston is also a good team to root for.

Yes, they are a No. 3 seed, but this is their first time back to the Sweet 16 since 1984, when they lost to Georgetown in the National Championship game.

Head coach Kelvin Sampson has now led four different schools to the Sweet 16. This could be his best team yet with a 33-3 record.

He will have to coach against John Calipari whose led the Wildcats to eight Sweet 16s in his tenure. They have come a long way since losing to Duke by 34 on opening night of the season.

A big reason for their success this year is forward PJ Washington.

He averages 14.8 points a game, shooting the ball over 51 percent. However, Washington is hurt and his return is unsure.

This game could come down to if he plays or not. If he plays I like Kentucky. If he doesn't give me Houston.

It’s the year of the top dog in college basketball, and we’re about to find out who’s the best in the country. Just because we don’t have many upsets, doesn’t mean we won’t see madness in the last two weeks of college hoops.

Baseball drops series against North Dakota State 2-1

By Christopher Gibson courier staff

Javin Drake winds up for a pitch.

Kevin Raisbeck walks up to the batter's box.

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JOSH PURNELL / COURIER STAFF

The Western Illinois University baseball team (7-14) went 1-2 against the North Dakota State Bison (4-12) this past weekend. The games were played at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium. The Leathernecks dropped the opener in the series, bounced back and won the second game, but unfortunately couldn’t pull the series win, losing the third game in seven innings.

Junior Javin Drake got the start on the mound for the Leathernecks. Drake performed well, allowing zero runs and only gave up six hits. Things got started early for the Leathernecks scoring four of their first five runs. Things started off with the two lead off men, Kevin Raisbeck and Deion Thompson, reaching base. After a sacrifice fly by Bailey Montgomery, Raisbeck scored and Thompson advanced to third. He would go on to score when the next batter, Trenton Bauer, also flied out. After a walk and some errors on the Bison, Steve McShane and CJ Schaeffer Jr. also scored, ending the scoring for the Leathernecks.

The Bison got their first run on the board in the top of the third inning. After a double from their second baseman, they got on the board with the score staying 4-1 until the top of the fifth inning. The Bison added another

run off of a sacrifice fly. They would go on to take the lead in the top of the sixth tacking on the game deciding runs and taking the lead 4-5.

The second game between these two teams saw a high scoring affair that ended up resulting in the Leathernecks seventh win on the season. This time it was the Bison who started out hot out of the gate, scoring two runs in the top of the first and another in the top of the third leading 0-3 until the bottom of the third. Starting the bottom of the third off, Nolan Ard got hit by a pitch followed by Thompson bunting for a hit. With two men on, Justin Fitzpatrick made a sacrifice bunt, allowing Ard and Thompson to each advance a base. Raisbeck would end up scoring off of a groundout to the shortstop and Thompson to a double by Montgomery.

The fifth inning was the next time either of the two teams would score. The Bison tacked two more runs on in the top of the inning, now leading 2-5.

Thompson would score the lone run for the Leathernecks in the inning after singling to get on.

After an error and a bunt by Fitzpatrick, Thompson would score. The bottom of the seventh was where the Leathernecks would take the lead. Ard started things off with a double followed

by Thompson drawing a walk to have two men on. Fitzpatrick would single through the left

side, loading the bases. After a pitching change by the Bison, Raisbeck would draw another walk allowing Ard to score.

Montgomery would then single through the left side as well allowing Thompson and Fitzpatrick to score. The Leathernecks now led the game 6-5.

The eighth inning was the last time that either team would score.

NDSU added a run in the top of the inning tying the game, but not for long. Bauer started off the bottom of the inning with a double and then advanced to third on a pass ball. After Ard drew a walk, Thompson would single through the left side, allowing Bauer to score and Ard to advance to second. Fitzpatrick then bunted for a hit loading the bases. Next up, Montgomery hit a double down the left field line, scoring Ard and Thompson and giving the Leathernecks the win 9-6.

The third game of the series was a rough one for the Leathernecks with a 1-11 loss in seven innings.

This series, while it may not look good from the final scores, was a productive series for our Leathernecks. They got the bats going, which was something that team had really been struggling with. Montgomery went 3-5 in the Leathernecks, with the only win of the series and he also had a career high of five RBIs. Looking to keep those bats hot, the Leathernecks will face St. Ambrose this Tuesday at 3 p.m.

Softball looks ahead to BIG 10 matchup against Iowa

By David Koier courier staff

Mentality. That was the word that Western Illinois head coach Beth Golitko repeated over and over heading into a three-game conference matchup against the South Dakota Coyotes this past weekend.

“Once again it is the mental, and just making sure we have the same consistency throughout the entire game,” Golitko said. “Sometimes we start off well, but then kind of go down in the middle of it, and pick it back up near the end, but then sometimes it is the exact opposite. So, I think our biggest fight is just keeping that same mentality throughout and not getting complacent.”

The Leathernecks had their mentality tested on Saturday, when they played a total of 20 innings of softball across two games of a doubleheader against the Coyotes.

Game one saw an early start by South Dakota, when center fielder Camille Fowler hit a leadoff triple in the top of the first off of Leatherneck ace Emily Ira. Fowler would later be driven in, when second baseman Alyssa Fernandez lined one straight back to Ira, who was struck by the ball, giving Fernandez an RBI infield single.

South Dakota starting pitcher Alexis Devers held the Leathernecks scoreless in the first two innings, but short stop Payton Abbott would see to it in the bottom of the third, which caused the Leathernecks to make a change.

Abbott drove a Devers pitch to deep left center field for a two-run shot to give the Purple and Gold a 2-1 lead. A pitcher’s duel for the rest of the game gave the impression that Western was going to take the first game of the day’s doubleheader.

In the top of the seventh, Coyotes third baseman Lauren Wobken hit a high fly ball to left field for what seemed to be an easy first out. Leatherneck left fielder Ashley Minyard shielded her eyes from the sun and lost track of the ball that

would eventually miss her glove and hit her in the face.

Wobken would reach second, and Minyard would not see the field for the rest of the weekend.

Wobken would eventually score to tie the game and send game one into extras. The pitcher’s duel was imminent until the top of the 12th when Jamie Holscher, one of the best power and overall hitters in The Summit League, drilled a two-run blast off of Ira to break the tie and eventually earn the win for the Coyotes. After the 12th full inning, the Coyotes topped the Leathernecks 4-3 in game one.

Game two was again a pitcher’s duel, but this time was between Coyotes pitcher Dustie Durham and Leathernecks sophomore Abby Carlin. Each team was able to find the scoreboard in the third inning to tie the game at one apiece.

South Dakota would break the tie in the fifth off of a Holscher double, but Carlin would tie the game up once again with a single in the sixth. Western tried to walk it off in the seventh but came up short leading to extra innings once again.

This didn’t last long when in the top of the eighth, Fowler earned her fourth hit and second RBI of the day to break the tie once again. Western couldn’t recover in the bottom of the inning and South Dakota made the doubleheader sweep complete with a 3-2 win.

Game two’s loss marked the ninth time out of Western’s 14 losses that Western had lost while within two runs of their opponents.

After a long Saturday and a rain delay Sunday morning, the two teams took the field once more Saturday afternoon to play game three. The Leatherneck bats were hot in game three, when a leadoff triple by center fielder Jasmine Lara and two hits immediately after that had Western take a 2-1 lead.

The Purple and Gold would hold onto that lead the rest of the game, preventing the South Dakota sweep with a 6-3 win.

Golitko had nothing but positive things to say

about how her team recovered from Saturday’s marathon to win Sunday.

“I think they were ready to play. They didn’t want to wait around for this team to potentially hit the way they hit.

They were confident when they came out and they were very loose today too. When our team is loose and relaxed good things happen.”

Western takes a 7-14 record to Iowa City this Wednesday to face Big Ten Conference foe the Iowa Hawkeyes. The Hawkeyes are 15-11 this season without having played at home yet this season. The Hawkeyes finished up against conference rival Purdue Boilermakers this past weekend in a two game to one losing effort.

Western upset Iowa last season, beating the Hawkeyes 2-1 in last year’s single game series.

First pitch from Iowa City is scheduled for Wednesday at 7 p.m.

GOLEATHERNECKS.COM

Payton Abbott stays ready to make a play.