Opinions: Are we too dependant on social media?
Sports: Women's basketball prepares for Senior Day.
WesternCourier.com
Wednesday, February 19, 2020 - Vol. 120 Issue 57
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Donald Trump commutes sentence of former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich By Devon Greene editor-in-chief
Former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich had the remainder of his 14-year prison term commuted by President Donald Trump on Tuesday. Blagojevich has been in federal prison since March 15, 2012 after being convicted of 17 out of 20 charges by a federal jury. Those charges included 11 in relation to the senate seat which belonged to former president Barack Obama that was left vacant in 2008 which Blagojevich attempted to sell and the remaining six charges were in relation to fundraising shakedowns of executives from a children’s hospital and racetrack owner. The commutation of Blagojevich had long been on the agenda for Trump and started even before he took office. When the former Illinois governor reported to prison in 2012, Trump tweeted out his support for the politician. “It’s outrageous that Blagojevich goes to jail for 14 years when killers and sex offenders are out walking the streets,” the tweet read. “Is this jus-
tice… I don’t think so.” Trump said in August of 2019 that he was “strongly considering” community Blagojevich’s prison sentence and it was placed under review. Trump also said that he thought Blagojevich was treated “unbelievably unfairly” after he the sentence was struck down. On Tuesday, Trump announced his decision before flying out of Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. “We have commuted the sentence of Rod Blagojevich,” Trump said. “He served eight years in jail. That's a long time and I watched his wife on television. I don't know him very well, I met him a couple of times he was on for a short while on The Apprentice years ago, seemed like a very nice person, don't know him.” In the same interview, Trump also said that Blagojevich’s children were a large part in his decision to commute his sentence. He said the children “rarely get to see their father outside of an orange uniform” and that he wanted to give him the opportunity to
see them grow up. Blagojevich was one of 11 convicts that were granted clemency by Trump on Tuesday. Some of the biggest names include former New York police commissioner Bernie Kerk, who was convicted of tax fraud and lying to officials, Mike Milken, who was convicted of multiple felonies, including securities fraud and conspiracy and former owner of the San Francisco 49ers, Eddie DeBartolo Jr., who pleaded guilty in a failure to report a felony in a bribery case. Following the announcement, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker released a statement pushing back on the President’s decision. “Illinoisans have endured far too much corruption,” Pritzker said. “We must send a message to politicians that corrupt practices will no longer be tolerated. President Trump has abused his pardon power in inexplicable ways to reward his friends and condone corruption and I deeply believe this pardon sends the wrong message at the wrong time.”
Rod Blagojevich waves in a Cubs hat.
FLICKR.COM
Admissions holds first Discover Western of Spring semester By Bradley Piros sports editor
MACOMB, Ill. – Western Illinois University Admissions held the first of three Discover Western events scheduled for the spring semester on Monday and it was an absolute success. So much so that WIU Interim President Martin Abraham took to his personal Facebook to post about it. “It's always a great day to
be a #Leatherneck, but today was an especially great day as we hosted our first spring Discover Western. Thanks to all the students and families who came out for today's event, and to our faculty, staff, retirees, alumni and community members who gave everyone a wonderful Leatherneck welcome.” To anyone who might want to attend or has been thinking about attending one of these events, here is a ba-
sic rundown of what can be expected. The main program checkin and registration was held in the Student Recreation Center: Mac Gym as well as a continental breakfast being served. Right after that from about 8 to 9:30 a.m. incoming students had the opportunity to walk around the University Fair. Here, incoming students could meet with representatives from academic depart-
ments and other student services representatives. If they had spare time they could even get a tour of the rec center by one of its numerous workers on duty for the event. Starting right at 9:30 a.m. is the official start to the event and included a presentation by Abraham and Macomb Mayor Mike Inman as well as a current student panel Q&A. From here the big group separated into smaller ones
according to their majors and were walked to their respected academic buildings with an Admissions representative. Once in these smaller groups, the incoming students had the chance to meet with advisors and/ or professors, discuss their academic plans and tour academic facilities.
Discover Western page 2
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Wednesday, February 19, 2020
NEWS
WesternCourier.com
Discover Western from front page
Around noon the groups could go back to a dining center for lunch and tour a residence hall room. After lunch, families get a complete tour of the university campus. At 1:30 and 2 p.m. brief financial aid presentations were held back in the rec center where incoming students and their families learned about FAFSA and other student aid opportunities. From 1:30 to 3 p.m. incoming students could go back to the rec to meet with an Admissions counselor to individually ask questions. Transfer students could speak with transfer coordinators and everyone could complete an admissions application, housing contract or sign up for Summer Orientation and Registration (SOAR). On their way out students could help themselves to a complimentary Western Illinois University t-shirt. Western will hold two more of these events, one for each campus. The next event is scheduled for Feb. 29 at the Quad Cities campus while the next Macomb campus tour is on April 4.
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Potential students and their parents gather in the WIU Recreational Center for a speech.
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The editorial views of the Western Courier shall be confined to this editorial and are to be separate from news coverage otherwise noted. The editorial presented is based on the ideas and views of the WC editorial board.Columns are the opinions of the columnists alone and should not be construed as the opinions and beliefs of the WC staff as a whole.
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2020 Spring Semester Editorial Board
Edge Editor - Rachel Greene Editor-in-Chief - Devon Greene Opinions Editor - Allison Young
WC Located on the third floor of the Heating Plant Annex on the south end of campus across from Sherman Hall. Mail: 1 University Circle, WIU, Macomb, IL 61455 Phone: 309-298-1876 Fax: 309-298-2309 Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays E-mail: micour@wiu.edu Member: Illinois College Press Association, National Association College Press
STAFF MEMBERS editor-in-chief Devon Greene
proofreader Mary Kilbourne
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MC-Kilbourne@wiu.edu
news editor Devon Greene
photo editor Becca Langys
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opinions editor Allison Young
assistant photo editor Sara Remar
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sports editor Bradley Piros
production manager Brandon Trost
BJ-Piros@wiu.edu
BL-Trost@wiu.edu
assistant sports editor Chris Bean
business manager Janiya Haynes
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edge editor Rachel Greene
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TE-Hoffman@wiu.edu adviser Will Buss WJ-Buss@wiu.edu
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Wednesday, February 19, 2020
NEWS 3
Police arrest Macomb man for soliciting a minor
By Devin Brooks NEWS3 reporter
MACOMB, Ill. (NEWS3) — A 63-year-old Macomb man was arrested following an investigation into his attempt to solicit and meet with a minor. Chief Curt Barker said David Lafary, of 315 N. Ward St. in Macomb, was arrested Thursday for soliciting to have sexual relations with a person he believed to be 15 years old. Barker said this arrest is part of an undercover online investigation targeting people who use the internet to prey on and exploit children.
Authorities staged a meet-up with Lafary at a public place, then pulled him over at Jefferson and Randolph streets shortly after he left the location, according to officials. Lafary was charged with indecent solicitation of a minor over the Internet and solicitation to meet a minor. Since being arrested, he’s been released from the McDonough Co. Jail after posting a $7, 530 bond. Barker said the Macomb Police Department takes child safety seriously and this is one of many investigations in which the department will be conducting to keep area children safe from predators.
David Lafary.
MACOMB POLICE DEPARTMENT
NOTICE OF EXAMINATION MACOMB FIRE DEPARTMENT
The Board of Fire & Police Commissioners of the City of Macomb, Illinois hereby gives notice that examinations will be offered to all eligible applicants to create an Eligibility List for hiring for positions with the Macomb Fire Department. All applicants must be at least 20 years of age, and under 35 years of age as of the date of testing in order to apply for employment with the Macomb Fire Department. Exceptions: The age limitation does not apply to any person previously employed as a full-time firefighter in a regularly constituted fire department of any municipality or fire protection district located in Illinois. Any person who turned 35 while serving as a member of the active or reserve components of any of the branches of the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard of any state, whose service was characterized as honorable or under honorable, if separated from the military, and is under the age of 40 as of the date of testing may apply for employment with the Macomb Fire Department. All applicants must possess a high school diploma or equivalent; must possess a valid driver’s license, must pass physical and written examinations; must have visual acuity of 20/20 in each eye corrected (minimum) with normal color vision and depth perception; and must have good habits and be of moral character. To be considered for appointment, the candidate must pass medical and psychological evaluation, must pass a background investigation and either be licensed as an EMT or be eligible for licensing as an EMT. If hired, McDonough County residency is required within 90 days after completion of the probationary period. STARTING SALARY $47,152.83 per year Application 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://cityofmacomb.com/employment-listings/ . All applications and attachments must be completed, signed, and on file by 5:00 p.m., on Thursday, April 30, 2020. If submitting 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 Saturday, May 16, 2020. Physical agility test will begin at 8:00 a.m. and take place at the Macomb Fire Department, 219 West Jackson Street, Macomb, Illinois; written test location is to be determined. The City of Macomb is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer Minorities and women are encouraged to apply
Interested in writing
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4
OPINIONS
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
BRANDON TROST/PRODUCTION MANAGER
BRANDON TROST/PRODUCTION MANAGER
Kids under the age of 15 have never lived in a world without social media. Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok are a few of the most popular social media websites and apps that kids today utilize every day. Social media has become such a necessity in most people’s dayto-day lives, but the scary part is that there is a generation that will grow up entirely dependent on the Internet and social media. This will undoubtedly affect them, but the question is how? Around seven out of 10 Americans use social networking sites. On social media sites, users may develop profiles, communicate with friends and strangers and share thoughts, photos, music, links and more. Those in full support of social networking sites claim that the online communities promote increased interaction with friends and family, teachers and students value access to educational support and materials, social and political change and spreads useful information rapidly. These are all extremely positive ways to utilize social media, however there are some negatives to note. The population that is opposed to social networking says that the sites prevent face-to-face communication, waste time on a frivolous activity, alter children’s brains and behavior making them more prone to ADHD, expose users to predators like pedophiles and burglars, and spread false and potentially dangerous information. As much as I use social media and have grown dependent on social networking sites, I think that it has done more harm than good.
Social media distracts people from their jobs, from school and from day-to-day conversations. Personally, I can't count the numerous times I have had to ask someone to repeat information they said to me because I was on my phone. Social media is good for keeping in contact with friends and family we do not see as often, but when someone is snapchatting a person across the table from them, the concept of social media seems to be ridiculous. When I was in high school, we used iPads as a way to incorporate technology into learning. It is good for saving trees I guess, but I feel like I did not get as much out of my high school education as I could have because of the iPads. Imagine trying to do homework on a giant cell phone. That’s what it was like. We were able to download apps, use social media and even text all from our classroom. The opportunity to be distracted was extremely high. Schooling is not the only place where technology has negatively impacted the environment. Even in social environments like parties, concerts or even just dinner; technology has invaded our lives. The next time you are at a party just look around the room, I can almost guarantee you that at least one out of four people there will be on their phone. We use our phones as well as social media as a social crutch. When we don't know someone at a function or the conversation has died out we just pull out our phones instead of just talking to someone else. It is ironic; social media is making our population increasingly less social.
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When many people think of college, they typically think of the academics as well as the night life. This was my only understanding of what happened at a college until I came to one. The media tends to leave out the importance of getting involved on your campus, and only highlights nightlife and the academics involved with going to university. But, as many of you all as college students know, going to a university is so much more than nightlife and classes, and it should be more than that. There are so many different things to get involved with when one goes to a university, such as organizations relating to sports, student government and other interests one may hold. There is truly an organization on campus for everyone, which is one thing that makes our campus here at Western so unique. Personally, during my freshman year, my RA encouraged me to get involved with Hall Government, and I ran for the executive board. It was the connections that I made in Hall Government that made me feel most at home here at Western, and so I continued to get more involved with student leadership through joining the National Residence Hall Honorary and Inter-Hall Council in the following semesters. I found my passion and what I love to do through these organizations, and that is what I hope every student here at Western does, no matter
what that passion is. For some, it may be sports and for others, it may be the arts, but these passions are important to our collegiate experience and success, too. If you live in the residence halls then you have probably seen the fliers outlining the importance of involvement on campus, primarily within the first year of attendance. Something that the fliers touch on is retention rates and GPA. They state that 70 percent of students that did not return for the spring semester were identified by week seven of their time here at Western as not connected to the University. Additionally, students who were connected by week seven had an average GPA of 3.02, whereas not connected students received an average GPA of 2.31. The facts included on these fliers are based on real data and statistics from the University and demonstrate the importance of involvement on campus. Involvement and connection to the university, be it through organizations, jobs or just having social connections with friends, is so important. From personal experience, I know that it has made my time here much more enjoyable, and based on the statistics above, it also helps with your GPA. I highly encourage anyone who is not involved already to find an organization that focuses on something they enjoy and try it. The activities fair as well as campus labs are great resources to find organizations and events to join and attend.
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OPINIONS 5
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Learning how to avoid procrastination As usual, this week as I was working on this article, I found myself constantly doing everything but writing. Like many college students, I tend to struggle with bouts of procrastination, or “a habitual or intentional delay of starting or finishing a task despite knowing it might have negative consequences.” Whether it’s getting lost in Wikipedia, watching pointless cat videos or scrolling through social media, around 80-95 percent of college students find themselves procrastinating on their school work. With procrastination playing such a prominent
role in the lives of today’s students, the phenomenon leaves multiple questions to be answered. These questions include why we are so inclined to procrastinate, and more importantly, how we can overcome the temptation to procrastinate. Psychologists have identified a variety of reasons as to why students, and people in general, choose to procrastinate instead of getting work done. Some of the most commonly cited reasons include an overestimate of how much time the person has left to perform the task, an underestimate of how long certain tasks will
take, a misconception that the person works best under pressure, a desire for perfection when completing tasks and self-doubt on one’s ability to complete the task satisfactorily. Each of these different motivating factors will have different strategies for overcoming them. Therefore, it is important to identify the reason behind your own procrastination before attempting to overcome it. With so many different reasons behind choosing to procrastinate, there are equally as many different strategies we can use to beat it. For those who struggle with time-management of tasks, you can try making it a habit to start tasks earlier than you think you need. That way, when the task starts to take longer than originally anticipated, you have extra time to compen-
sate for the discrepancy. For those who believe that they work best under pressure, it might help to remind yourself of instances where procrastination led to the submission of work that didn’t meet your expectations or caused heightened stress and anxiety. Reminding ourselves of the negative connections between procrastination and stress may help provide the motivation we need to avoid the action again in the future. For those who let the desire for perfection impede their work, taking time to remind yourself that perfection isn’t needed for success may help you to focus more on simply getting the task done. Often times being efficient is more important than being perfect. Finally, for those who procrastinate out of self-doubt of their ability to perform the
Write for Opinions
task, taking the time to ask questions and build the skills needed to be successful can help to eliminate the anxiety around starting a difficult assignment. Another effective strategy is to break down daunting tasks into smaller, more manageable ones. Although procrastination can be a normal part of everyone’s life, chronic procrastination can have detrimental impacts on the academic, social and mental health of college students. Therefore, the need to identify the source of procrastination and develop effective strategies to overcome it cannot be overstated. In doing so, students will find that the combined satisfaction of completing a goal early and elimination of undue stress will result in a happier and more successful life.
Contact Allison Young
AN-Young@wiu.edu
6
Wednesday, February 19, 2020
SPORTS
WesternCourier.com
WIU swimming Track and field wraps up gets ready for regular season at GVSU Big Meet Summit League By Jacob VanZuiden Championships courier staff
By David Koier courier staff
It’s a big week for the Western Illinois men's and women's swimming and diving teams as they travel to Sioux Falls, S.D. for The Summit League Championships. The event will be hosted on the campus of South Dakota State University at the Midco Aquatic Center Feb. 19-22. The Western Illinois swimming and diving teams finished their dual competition slate at Iowa this past Friday. The men’s swim team took home some podium finishes in several events at Iowa. Sophomore Tyler Cunningham placed third in the 200-free with a time of 1:47.08. Cunningham was also able to secure a podium spot with his second place finish in the 50-fly. Junior Austin Martin and sophomore Adam Peterson each earned silver at the event in the 50-breast and 100-free, respectively. The women reached success on Friday as well with senior Miranda Mathus placing second in the 50-fly and the 50-breast. Senior Casey Roberts secured a pair of second place finishes in the 50-free as well as the 100-free. The Leathernecks enter the tournament as underdogs as the Denver Pioneers men and women’s teams enter this year's championship having each won the last six team titles. A year ago, the Pioneers won 18 of the 19 swimming races on the men's side while on the women's side, Denver won all 19 races. The Leathernecks men’s team is looking for a strong performance from Peterson entering with the 15th best time in The Summit League in the 50 freestyle at 20.87. Peterson has had a successful season this year, even earning himself a Summit League Swimmer of the Week honors back in November. The first session of the Championships begins this Wednesday with prelims beginning at 2:30 p.m.
ALLENDALE, Mich. — Over the weekend, the Western Illinois track and field team made their last stop of the regular season in Allendale, Mich., where they competed in the Grand Valley State Big Meet. The meet held on Friday and Saturday at the Kelly Family Sports Center was one in which several Leathernecks saw ample success. In fact, this weekend included three new all-time records along with a handful of other first-place finishes. One could even say that the success was contagious with this team, as each athlete elevated their games in route to one of the Leathernecks’ best, well-rounded efforts of the season. Juniors Allie Scott and Johnny Dickson and senior Bo Brasseur were the three Leathernecks who achieved all-time marks in the meet, with the first-place finish by Scott being her first of the season. One of three podium finishes, Scott asserted her dominance in the triple jump, where she placed above all other competitors with an 11.74-meter mark. Brasseur, who is no stranger to succeeding in the long jump, finished second overall in that competition, but it was her performance in the 200-meter run that was the eye-opener. Along 75 other competitors in the 200, Brasseur finished with a time of 25.42 seconds. Although it was just 39th amongst the field, her time was good fifth all-time in Western Illinois history. On the men’s side of things,
Dickson capped off a memorable day of his own on Friday in the 600-meter run. While he had fallen just short of making Western’s top 10 all-time rankings on several occasions throughout the season, this time he finally got into the prestigious club. A top-10 finish wasn’t the only thing that stood out, however. While his remarkable time of 1:22.66 placed him fifth all-time on the Leathernecks’ leaderboard, it was also good enough for third place in the event. On the second day of the meet, the spotlight was shone solely on sophomore Tia Dorshorst, whose continued excellence as a pole vaulter has her already knocking on the door to Western’s all-time greats list. On Saturday, she notched yet another win in the pole vault competition, her fourth of the season. Her mark of 3.71 meters bested all of 24 other competitors in the field. Another victory can be added to the long list of accolades for Dorshorst in the indoor season, with her most impressive mark earned being the second-best finish in Western Illinois history earlier this year. While it was undoubtedly a great meet to build off, there won’t be much time for celebration. Just over a week from now on Feb. 28, the Purple and Gold will compete in their most important meet of the indoor season: The Summit League Indoor Track & Field Championships. The competition will begin next Friday, held at the campus of Purdue Fort Wayne in Fort Wayne, Ind.
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LARGE STUDENT RENTALS 5 and 6 Bedroom Homes are still available!! Ask for our $1000.00 Discount program! First come first serve for the last large homes that are open for the fall.
Westen Investments has only two 4-Bedroom brich houses available. Call our office at 309-833-5995 to schedule a showing! We will show to 2-3 person groups as well!
Small 1BR apt near campus and downtown. All utilities included. (Electric, Water, DISH, Garbage) $500/month, $300 deposit. Available immediately. Also have 2BR, you pay electric. $600/month, $350 deposit available September 1st. Please contact 309-255-4367 for a showing.
STC Investments now leasing for the 18/19 school year. We have 1-6 bedroom apartments/houses ready for you to call home! Check out our selection at www.stcinvestments.com. You can also find us on Facebook to see daily posts!
Westen Investments has just one 3-Bedroom ALL UTILITIES INCLUDED (Water, Sewer, Trash, Gas, Electric, and Internet) Apartment left! That’s right you just pay for rent, and the rest of it is on us! Call our office at 309-833-5995 to check it out.
Available now: Close to campus, clean studio apartments, excellent condition, reasonable rent, and partly furnished. Ceiling fans and a/c. Professionally maintained. No pets. Semester leases offered. Call 309 837 4369 and leave your phone number if not there. Email: MandKhousing@gmail.com NEGOTIABLE RENT!!! NiCE, CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED 1-6 BEDROOM HOUSES FOR 2020-2021 Our houses have hardwood floors, central air, washer and dryer and lawn service. All are close to campus with plenty of parking. We offer a ten month lease. Please call 309-255-1959 for a showing.
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For Rent: Little Swan Lake, 30 min from campus. 2br, 2bth, heated double car garage with work area. $600 per mo. (309) 335-2206 after 6:00 pm, may leave message anytime. ALL APARTMENTS - ALL INCLUSIVE Get control of your budget. Know exactly what you are spending each month. Each apartment includes free a/c, free heat, free electricity, free water, free cable tv, free hi speed internet, and free off street parking. Laundry on site. No noise policy. Bus stop across the street. Close to campus. Well maintained. Studios are $460/mo, One bedrooms are $620/mo. Call Doug at 309-255-8179 for an appointment.
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Bo Brasseur takes off after the hand off.
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Tia Dorshorst gets a running start.
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Employment Employment Opportunities For Early Childhood, Teaching and Education Majors - Part-Time or Full-Time Work. Monday though Friday 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Have your weekends and evenings free. Gain valuable experience with children 0-12 years for your resume. We are open year round. We are looking for mature, dependable adults that enjoy working with children between the ages of 0-12 years old. Must pass a physchical exam and an extensive background check. Preference given to those submitting transcript with 60 study hours of college education and 6 study hours of child development. Applications can be found on our website at www.CatchAStarLearningCenter.com
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Wednesday, February 19, 2020
Sports 7
Inside Chicago's NBA All-Star Weekend
NBA All-Star weekend will go down in history as one of the best All-Star weekends this century. I was lucky enough to be a part of the celebration early in the weekend to witness the Celebrity All-Star game and the NBA Legends Special Needs Unified Basketball Game. But it was the newly formatted all-star game that brought rejuvenated energy to the entire weekend. The All-Star Weekend started on Thursday with the rising-stars media day. All players from both the World team and the USA team had chances to talk with the media about their thoughts on the weekend and any other crazy questions they were asked. Most media surrounded big name stars like Zion Williamson and Luka Doncic, but it was the unnamed heroes that got my attention. Tyler Herro talked about his fit in Miami, “I never really thought that I would get to play with Jimmy Butler or Jae Crowder. People that I got to watch growing up in Milwaukee,” Herro said. “I think our whole roster brings something different. The edge that Jimmy, Bam [Adebayo], me all brings that edge and that’s a reason we have been successful.” Miles Bridges was excit-
ed to be playing in his second All-Star Weekend. “It will be great playing with them. We have good chemistry. Last year I was with Kemba Walker and now I am spending a lot of time with Devontae Graham and PJ Washington,” Bridges said. “I told them I am not passing to them. I pass to them every day. It’s been fun, but yeah, I’m not passing it.” Hawks star Trae Young enjoyed being selected for his first starting lineup on All-Star Weekend. He also talked about new NBA rules that have been discussed “I do not know if the NBA will add a four-point line, that’s a good question.” He continued, “I would really like it if they added it. It may happen it may not.” The rising stars played Friday night with Team USA, winning 151-131. After trailing at half-time 81-71, Team USA star Bridges tweeted out a photo of a person playing video games deciding to sit on the edge of their chair in competition. Essentially, Team USA decided to try and win and play competitively and outscored their opponents by 30 points in the second half. During the same time, the Celebrity AllStar Game was underway just two turns away at the
Wintrust Arena. Stephen A. Smith and Michael Wilbon were the two coaches for the teams. One team was captained by Chicago native Chance the Rapper and the other captain was Common, also from the windy city. The game is more for the stars. A-listers lined the courtside seats with former and current NBA players. Even NBA commissioner Adam Silver made a short appearance. Team Wilbon ended up winning 62-47, but not before Smith earned the first technical foul in Celebrity All-Star Game history. The weekend then started to turn its attention to the main events. Saturday events included the Dunk Contest, Three Point Contest and Skills Challenge. The Skills Challenge was first with bigs and guards going in competition. Reigning champion Jason Tatum went up against Bam Adebayo in the finale and missed two threes at the end to let the big guy bring home his first piece of hardware. During an event where NBA stars flexed on the world with their clothing, jewelry, shoes and more, Bam decided to go on a different route. He walked around the city in sweatshirts and sweatpants with his mother on his arm. He said he would give the trophy he earned to her for everything she has done for him. The Three Point Contest was a heated battle. Newly selected all-star Devin Booker, replacing Damian Lillard,
looked in control nearing the finale, but along came Kings guard Buddy Heild. The young star dominated his money rack and hit both shots from the Mountain Dew zone that allowed him to win 27-26. However, it was the dunk contest that stirred up controversy. Aaron Gordon entered the event in his second dunk contest but still looking for his first trophy. His most impressive dunk came when he launched himself over 7-foot-6 rookie Taco Fall. Once again, he jumped over one of the tallest guys in the NBA. The judges attempted to give him a score that would send the event into an overtime period where each Gordon and Derrick Jones Jr. However, the judges screwed up that process and Jones Jr. won the event for his just in front of the free-throw line windmill dunk attempting to showcase his inner Jordan. Maybe there was some hometown bias in the mix, but I believe that Gordon has deserved at least one if not two dunk contest trophies. Finally, the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday had a new format that inspired some dramatic action. In memory of Kobe Bryant the final quarter was untimed, and the winning team had to get to a target score that was 24 points added to the highest score at the end of the third quarter. All-star Kyle Lowry took two charges in the game which may just be the first player ever to take a charge
in an All-Star Game. Both teams livened up the energy in the final period, really trying to win the game for their team. Team Lebron won the game 157-155 and won $300,000 in what will go down as one of the most entertaining All-Star games of this century. The MVP for the game was none other than Kawhi Leonard who scored 30 points while making eight three pointers in the game. Overall, the weekend was a huge success. The entire world got a look at their favorite players while the city of Chicago did it’s best to entertain the whole league and raise money for several charities while doing so. President Obama even made an appearance at his home city and sparked a huge surprise from the young NBA stars. But the whole weekend had one cloud above it when they looked at the world remembered what was lost, Kobe Bryant. The tributes were everywhere. Before the celebrity game, Common rapped an old school style in remembrance of the great one. Magic Johnson spoke in remembrance of the Laker great and Adam Silver even renamed the All-Star NBA trophy the Kobe Bryant award. The entire league remembered Bryant this weekend during such an amazing event. Chicago should be proud of what they did for the NBA this weekend as it was a spectacle that I will remember for the rest of my life.
Who will have a better season? Sox or Cubs? COURIER STAFF
With baseball season right around the corner, many people are excited about the upcoming season. Especially Chicago fans, with both the city’s clubs expected to do big things this upcoming games. The Chicago Cubs have been the city’s most successful team over the last few seasons, making the playoffs four of the last five seasons, and winning the World Series back in 2016. The White Sox have been on the complete other side of the spectrum. The Southside team has missed the playoffs the last 11 seasons and haven’t sniffed success in quite some time. However, despite these two teams having different history the past few seasons, there is plenty of optimism heading into the 2020 season. The Cubs bring back the core that they won the World Series with back in 2016, and will have a new leading man in David Ross. The White Sox will look to build off an improved season from a year ago, and look to
develop their young core just as the Cubs did before them. So the question everyone is asking is, who will have the better season? Right now, the over/under win lines are set for 84.5 wins for the Sox and 86.5 for the Cubs. It’s a tough question to answer who will have more success this season, but let’s break down what we know in four parts. First, let’s talk about the manager position for both clubs. The White Sox bring back manager Rick Renteria, who has been with the team the last few seasons. It’s hard to judge his managerial style throughout his tenure with the White Sox due to the lack of talent he has worked with during the rebuild process. However, there are big question marks surrounding if he is the guy to lead the Sox to the promised land. For the Cubs, they bring in new manager Ross. The former catcher will be starting his first ever manager job with the team he helped win the World Series. Lots of excite-
ment is in the air with his return, but he also brings a lot of questions due to his lack of managerial experience. Both Renteria and Ross bring question marks, but also plenty of upsides. However, it is tough to decide which one has the advantage. So, for the purpose of debate, let’s just markup the manager position as a draw. The next category is going to be proven talent. The Cubs and White Sox both have their fair share of proven talent. The Cubs boast superstars Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Javier Baez where the White Sox have names like Jose Abreu, Yoan Moncada and Lucas Giolito. Right now, the Cubs own this category due to the amount of success they have had in the past. I expect the Cubs to continue to have this advantage over the Sox for at least the entirety of the upcoming season due to the Sox’s young roster. The third category is going to be young potential talent. The Cubs saw their potential turn into true star talent a few seasons ago, and the White Sox are going to try and follow that same model. Right now, the Cubs have prospect, Nico Hoerner, on the farm, but not much more elite talent. The
White Sox, on the other hand, are loaded with elite minor league talent knocking on the doors of the big leagues. With names like Luis Robert, Nick Madrigal, Michael Kopech and Andrew Vaughn looking to go with the likes of Tim Anderson and Eloy Jimenez. I think this category goes to the White Sox because of the amount of potential this team could possess. However, it could very well flop because we do not know how these prospects will develop. The last category is going to be the strength of the division. This is very important when it comes to winning total because the teams you play in your division are who you play the majority of your season against. The Cubs play in the NL Central, where the Sox play in the AL Central. The AL Central consists of the reigning division champs, the Twins, who only got better by adding Josh Donaldson and Kenta Maeda to the mix. The division also consists of the downward trending Indians, who just traded away Ace, Corey Kluber. Rounding out the division, you have the Tigers and Royals who are both rebuilding.
The NL Central consists of the reigning division champs, Cardinals, who just lost one of their key contributors in Marcel Ozuna. Another team in the division is the Milwaukee Brewers, who also made the postseason a season ago as a wildcard team, and then you have the very improved Cincinnati Reds. Rounding out the NL Central is the rebuilding Pirates. As it stands right now, the White Sox have the advantage in this category because they play a significantly less challenging schedule. However, you never know what will happen, and what teams live up to the preseason hype. So, out of the four categories I analyzed, We had a draw for a manager, Cubs took the proven talent category, the Sox took the potential category and the easier schedule. It’s hard to pick which team will have more success, and for the purpose of the article, I am not going to predict who will have the better season because both teams could be great. If you’re a person who likes to take risks, take the White Sox to have a better season. However, if you like the safe bet on who will have the better season, hammer the Cubs.
Women’s basketball prepares for Omaha on Senior Day By Bradley Piros sports editor
BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR
Annabel Graettinger tries to block a shot.
Avery Hamm shoots a three.
GOLEATHERNECKS.COM
BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR
Danni Nichols looks to kick the ball outside.
The Western Illinois University women’s basketball team (14-12, 8-5) will play their last home game of the season Thursday night when they take on the University of Nebraska Omaha Mavericks (6-19, 1-11). The last time out for the Leathernecks was in a 91-74 win at home against the North Dakota University Fighting Hawks, whereas the Mavericks are coming into Macomb riding a 10-game losing streak, recently coming off an 86-80 overtime loss to the Denver University Pioneers. On top of that, Omaha is also yet to win on the road going 0-9 on the season. Needless to say, this game favors the Leathernecks, which is good news considering its Senior Day. Western will be saying goodbye to four Leathernecks, those being Annabel Graettinger, Olivia Kaufmann, Avery Hamm and Kyra Washington. Washington played in 27 games during the 2018-19 campaign, but only made one start. She still managed to average 17.6 minutes and six points per game. This season, she’s played in 11 games without making a start before getting sidelined with an injury. In total she’s scored 182 points over 555 minutes played during her two seasons as a Leatherneck. Hamm was also a transfer student here at Western. During the 18-19 season, she played in 30 games and made two starts while averaging 12.1 minutes per game. She’s logged 437 minutes over the span of this season and last, but still hasn’t reached tripledigit scoring numbers. She currently sits with 99 points as a Leatherneck. So, if she sees a little bit of time on the floor Thursday night, expect her to be searching for her 100th point wearing the Purple and Gold. Graettinger is the third and final transfer student who will be graduating from Western and making her final appearance inside Western Hall. The transfer coming out of South Dakota State University appeared in 10 games as a Jackrabbit, but really picked
up her game as a Leatherneck. She started all 27 games last year and snagged 337 points throughout 873 minutes. This season she played in and started the first 14 games of the season before getting injured. She averaged a career-high 13.1 points per game this year on her way to 184 points on the year. While only being part of the program for two seasons, her presence will still be missed. Last, but certainly not least, the four-year Leatherneck, Kaufmann. Taking it back to her freshman season during the 2016-17 campaign, she played in 25 games while making one start. She came off the bench and only played 166 minutes that year, picking up 57 points along the way to a Summit League Championship. Her sophomore year she played in 32 games, logging 606 minutes, but not making a start. She scored 206 points and was beginning to become a key part of the lineup. Her junior year and she finally was, starting all 30 games. She lit things up by averaging 16 points and a career high 5.4 rebounds a game. She continued to improve heading into her senior season, averaging a career high 16.3 points per game. Heading into this game against Omaha she currently has 1,168 career points. She’ll go down as one of Western’s best players of all-time and will definitely be missed. While Senior Day always brings out some emotions from players, coaches, families and fans, there’s still a game to be played and they can’t look past that. Western will have to keep track of Omaha’s leading scorer, sophomore Mariah Murdie. She averages 10.7 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. Omaha is eighth in The Summit League right now while Western sits in third. It’s going to take a miracle for Western to leapfrog SDSU for second place, but they are still fending off Oral Roberts University who are only a game behind in fifth. Every conference game is important down the stretch and this one is no different. The game against the Mavericks is tomorrow night at 7 p.m. inside Western Hall. Twitter: @bradjp08
BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR
Olivia Kaufmann takes the ball upcourt.
BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR
Kyra Washington keeps her eye on the ball.
BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR
Evan Zars gets back after scoring a basket.