Western Courier | January 17th, 2020

Sports: Women's basketball looks to take down rival Oral Roberts.

WesternCourier.com

Opinions: Dirty politics doesn't help Democratic candidates.

Friday, January 17, 2020 - Vol. 120 Issue 46

@WesternCourier

24th annual Macomb MLK march and service set for Monday

By Devin Brooks NEWS3 reporter

MACOMB, Ill. (NEWS3) — Local leaders will gather Monday as the Mount Calvary Church of God in Christ hosts its 24th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. celebrations in Macomb.

The day kicks off with a march at 9:30 a.m. from the eastside of the McDonough County Courthouse to Mt. Calvary Church of God in Christ, located at 1500 E. Pierce St.

Following the march, a day of remembrance program will start at 11 a.m. The guest speaker for this year ’s event is former Western Illinois University Associate Vice President for Student Services Earl Bracey, Esq. Bracey, known for his local activism and advocacy for Western students.

“We are grateful for the nearly 25 years that Mt. Calvary Church of God in Christ has been the sponsor for bringing this community-wide event together,” Macomb Mayor Mike Inman said. “This annual event gives the Macomb area a great opportunity to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy, his profound belief in non-violent activism, and to remind ourselves and our community of the need to be a diverse and inclusive community.”

The Dr. King Day Celebration is free and open to the public. Organizers said GoWest will provide transportation for community members

DEVON GREENE/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The MLK march will begin on the eastside of the McDonough County Courthouse. who are unable to walk during the march.

Organizers said Mayor Mike Inman, Illinois State

Representative Norine Hammond, McDonough County NAACP President Byron Oden-Shabazz, Macomb Po-

Sports on Page 6: Looking ahead to the showdown at Arrowhead in the AFC Championship

lice Chief Donough Pettigout, Fire Chief

Curt Barker, McCo. Sheriff Nick Macomb Interim Rick Driskell, and

a representative for WIU Interim President Dr. Martin Abraham are planning to attend.

Opinions on Page 4: Stay prepared for the second coming of winter

2

Friday, January 17, 2020

NEWS

WesternCourier.com

Burlington man arrested in connection with string of burglaries

By Devon Greene editor-in-chief

The McDonough County Sheriff's Department arrested a man who allegedly burglurized multiple locations in McDonough and Warren Counties.

According to the McDonough County Sheriff’s office, deputies responded to a burglary in progress at a 21654 East 200th St. building in the Blandinsville Township on Jan. 11. The owner of the property called 911 as he watched the burglar in the act through security cameras. The alleged perpetrator, Tom Harman, of Burlington, Ia., got away with $14,000 of tools.

Harman was not captured until Jan. 14, when a Warren County deputy captured him while he was burglarizing another machine in Swann Creek.

Multiple departments from around the area including, the McDonough County Sheriff’s office, detectives from the Macomb Police Department, the Warren County Sheriff’s Office, Burlington Police Department and Henderson County Sheriff’s Office worked in conjunction to recover as much of the stolen merchandise as possible.

The McDonough County Sheriff's Department said a second suspect has been named in connection with the burglaries and more charges MCDONOUGH COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT are pending.

Suspect in connection with multiple burglaries, Tom Harman.

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

FIND US ON @westerncourier THE WESTERN COURIER

STAFF MEMBERS PUBLISHING AND CIRCULATION editor-in-chief Devon Greene DJ-Greene@wiu.edu

proofreader Mary Kilbourne

news editor Marc Ramirez

MC-Kilbourne@wiu.edu

MA-Ramirez3@wiu.edu

photo editor Becca Langys

opinions editor Allison Young

RE-Langys@wiu.edu

AN-Young@wiu.edu

assistant photo editor Sara Remar

sports editor Bradley Piros

SE-Remar@wiu.edu

BJ-Piros@wiu.edu

production manager Brandon Trost

assistant sports editor Chris Bean

BL-Trost@wiu.edu

CR-Bean@wiu.edu

business manager Janiya Haynes

edge editor Rachel Greene

J-Haynes2@wiu.edu

R-Greene2@wiu.edu

assistant business manager Nash Miller

copy editor Amanda Wandachowicz

NK-Miller@wiu.edu

A-Wandachowicz@wiu.edu

advertising manager Tyler Hoffman

proofreader Alexis Lowe

TE-Hoffman@wiu.edu

AL-Lowe@wiu.edu

adviser Will Buss WJ-Buss@wiu.edu

The Western Courier is published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the regular school year, excluding holidays, finals week and semester breaks. The WC updates the website weekly during the summer. All content reflects the editorial discretion of the students operating the newspaper and must be interpreted as unofficial university communication. While every attempt is made to determine the validity of advertising contained herein, the advertising in the WC is not to be construed as endorsements of any specific products or services. The WC assumes no responsibility or liability resulting from the content of paid advertisements. Subscription price is $36 per year mailed third-class bulk rate from Macomb.

The WC is printed by The Galesburg Register-Mail in Galesburg, Ill.

COPYRIGHT 2017

No reproduction or reuse of material is permitted without written consent of the WC. All rights reserved. To request permission to reprint any material from this publication, please contact Will Buss at 309-298-1876.

ADVERTISING POLICY

The WC does not knowingly accept advertisements that discriminate on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, handicapped status, veteran or sexual orientation, nor does it knowingly print ads that violate any local, state or federal laws.

One copy of the Western Courier is free.

Additional copies $1.

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS The WC needs your help to maintain accuracy. If you find a factual error, call the WC office at 309-298-1876 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Please ask to speak to an editor to ensure the inaccurate information can be corrected as quickly as possible.

Friday, January 17, 2020

@WesternCourier

NEWS 3

Leathernecks baseball team holds annual Lead Off Dinner

By Bradley Piros sports editor

MACOMB, Ill. – On Jan. 25 the Western Illinois University baseball team will host the eighth annual Lead Off Dinner at The Forum. The building can be found at 124 N. Lafayette St. in Macomb.

This will be first-year head coach Andy Pascoe’s first formal event with the team. This annual preseason tradition gives attendees the first introduction of the 2020 roster.

It will also include an auction fundraiser, prime rib dinner and the opportunity to meet

the coaches and team staff.

The event will begin at 3 p.m. and the silent auction fundraiser will start as soon as the doors open. Dinner will be held at approximately 4:30 p.m. followed by the main program at 5 p.m. The event will conclude with the live auction.

Single ticket prices for the event are $70 for adults and $40 for children eighth grade and under. Guests can save a little money by reserving a table for eight which is $460 ($57.50 per person). There will also be VIP tables for $600 that include two free drink tickets,

VIP seating and a meet-andgreet with the staff.

To get up to date information on the event, anyone interested can continue to check goleathernecks. com or the team’s Twitter account @WIUBaseball.

Guests can reserve their spot online at LeathernecksTickets.com or mail in the completed registration form that can also be found on goleathernecks.com.

Anyone with further questions may contact Assistant Director of Ticketing, Events and Annual Fund, Shelby Borchardt at 309-298-1190.

Editorial Policy

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.

Letters & Local Forum Policies

E-mail letters to the Editor and Local Forum messages to micour@wiu.edu.

Letters should not be more than 350 words in length. The author’s name and phone number must be included for verification purposes. Failure to include such information will lead to the letter being discarded. The WC staff will edit letters in cases of timeliness, obscenity length and grammar, and we do not guarantee publication of all letters.

2019 Fall Semester Editorial Board

Edge Editor - Rachel Greene Editor-in-Chief - Devon Greene Opinions Editor - Allison Young

5 Day Weather Forecast sourced by FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SNOW

MOSTLY CLOUDY

H 28 / L 26 H 36 / L 1

SUNDAY

MOSTLY SUNNY

H 8 / L -2

MONDAY

PARTLY CLOUDY

TUESDAY MAINLY CLEAR

H 13 / L -1 H 25 / L 19

4

OPINIONS

Friday, January 17, 2020

WesternCourier.com

BRANDON TROST /PRODUCTION MANAGER

Both Democratic presidential candidates Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders are currently embroiled in a “feud” over Sanders allegedly telling Warren that a woman could not be elected president in late 2018.

I, for one, think this so called “feud” is very unproductive given the fact that both candidates have very similar policy proposals and would be formidable opponents towards Don-

ald Trump, but these nasty politics are just shameful.

Earlier this week, a story reported by CNN claimed that Sanders told Warren that a woman could not win in 2020.

Warren further escalated tensions by claiming that Sanders’ campaign was “trashing” her behind the scenes. Sanders only responded by claiming that such remarks were never said and considered Warren to be his friend.

I don’t believe Warren because the thought of Sanders saying such a thing just doesn’t make sense. Sanders himself encouraged Warren to run for president in the 2016 election, only for her to decline allowing him to run himself. There’s even footage of Sanders from the late 1980s claiming that he thought a woman could be elected president. I think what Warren is doing is dirty and very vidicative; portraying someone like Sanders in such a manner is just wrong.

The most shady part of this whole feud is the fact that after the CNN debate on Tuesday, where Sanders again denied ever telling Warren he said such remarks, Sanders offered a

handshake but Warren refuted the gesture and accused him of calling her a liar on national TV. Sanders being non-confrontational just walked away. In all honesty, this action right here really left a sour taste in my mouth for Warren.

Warren has been known for lying or being disingenuous about the stories she has told.

This was very prominent when she claimed to be Native American only to be proven wrong when she took a DNA test that showed her to be very white, even though she wrote she was an American Indian when she filled for the State Bar of Texas in the 1980s. Another story by Warren is when she claimed to be fired from her job as a teacher

at 22 years old because she was pregnant, but an interview with her from 2007 has her claiming that she wanted to stay at home and be with her new family.

The inconsistencies with Warrens’ stories just don’t add up, and with this information in mind, I’m less likely to believe her over someone who is as consistent and honest as Sanders has been.

The fact that Warren’s campaigned leaked a conversion that took place more than a year ago just weeks before the Iowa caucus just seems very suspicious to me. Dirty politics like this doesn’t help the Democratic candidates but in all honestly just hurts them in the long run.

cold temperatures (like the -30° F temperatures of the polar vortex of 2019)? During these instances, being prepared with the right gear and knowledge can be the difference between life and death, especially for students who have to commute long distances for classes. But just how does one go about preparing an emergency kit for the winter months and what types of things would be beneficial to have?

The United States Department of Homeland Security provides guidance on their website (https://www.ready.gov/kit) to address these many questions.

Some of the key items suggested include water (gallon per day for three days), food (nonperishable), cellphone charger, battery-powered radio, flashlight, first aid kit, sleeping bag or warm blanket, extra clothes and sturdy shoes. Other suggested items are not as obvious, but could provide some benefits when used appropriately. These items include a whistle (to help people find you), duct tape, cat litter (to give your car traction if you are stuck) and a can opener (have to open your canned food somehow). For commuters, these supplies can all be stored in a duffel bag or plastic bin in the trunk of the car. For on-campus students, it would be wise to keep a smaller portion of these items in your backpack (e.g. snacks, water, cellphone charger, extra gloves and hats). You never know when you might

need something!

Preparing an emergency kit is a great first step to preparing for extreme winter weather. A second important step is knowing what to do when caught in a winter storm. According to the National Weather Service, if you are ever caught in a winter storm you should stay inside your vehicle (unless there is safe, visible shelter nearby). Abandoning your vehicle puts you at risk for getting disoriented in the storm or hit by another driver.

You should also only run the vehicle for around 10 minutes every hour in order to add heat to the vehicle. This will ensure you don’t run out of fuel before you are rescued. It is also important to periodically clear the exhaust pipe of any snow to ensure carbon monoxide is able to leave the car effectively.

Finally, look for ways to in-

crease your visibility to other drivers and rescue personnel.

This could include turning on the dome light when running the car at night or tying a bright cloth or tape to your antenna or door.

Although the onset of extreme winter weather can be a terrifying experience for those who have to travel in it, having the right supplies and a plan can help you overcome the emergency. Of course, if you can avoid going out in winter storms in the first place you should do so, even if it means missing a class (as long as you let the professor know).

So, as you get back into the swing of things this semester, make sure you take the time to prepare yourself to handle any extreme winter weather that may come our way because you never know when you’ll need it!

Brace yourself, winter is coming

The beginning of the year brings with it many new and exciting classes and opportunities for returning Western Illinois students. However, the start of the spring semester also comes with one not so exciting aspect: the brutally cold Illinois winter.

Yes, with January comes the beginning of the coldest time of the year in west-central Illinois.

With an average high of 35 degrees fahrenheit and an average low of 18 degrees, students can expect the need to bundle up as they travel from class to class.

But what about the cases of extreme winter weather, such as heavy snowstorms or extremely

OPINIONS 5

Friday, January 17, 2020

@WesternCourier

What makes you an adult?

We are told our whole lives that turning 18 years old makes us a real adult.

So, as a child we look forward to our 18th birthday so we can celebrate adulthood.

Well, I don’t know about you, but I certainly don’t feel like an adult even though I am almost 21 years old. So, I ask the question: at what age do you actually feel like an adult? In my personal opinion, it varies from person to person and there is not one specific thing that makes one an adult.

Everyone comes from a different path of life, whether that is going to college after school or straight to the workforce, and in today’s world, not everyone

needs to be attending college.

We are in desperate need of people to work in the trades and I believe that those people tend to become adults faster than people who choose to go to college. Since they are going and working every single day and tend to move out of their homes and start paying bills, I would consider them more of an adult than someone who is going and still sitting in a classroom every day. But, I am not saying that people who are in college are not adults, they just might have a smoother lifestyle than those working an everyday job.

In college, most students go and sit in a classroom for at

least two to three hours a day.

They are considered a “fulltime student.” Now, there are some people who go to school, then still manage to work a full time job. I find it incredibly impressive because I cannot even imagine having a job, doing my homework and being involved in my social activities.

It would seem nearly impossible. The people who are fully supporting themselves, in my opinion, are considered adults.

So, if you are like me and you feel like you are stuck between being a child and an adult, do not worry. I am sure the day will come where we are standing on our own two feet, paying our bills and going to work for 40+ hours. It is a weird place to be stuck in, but I am just trying to enjoy it for as long as I can because as soon as I become a real adult, I will not get as many fun experiences as I do now.

Write for Opinions Add us on Snapchat:

westerncourier

NeedPix.com

Sometimes people who work in the trades do not need to go to college beforehand.

Contact Allison Young

AN-Young@wiu.edu

6

SPORTS

Track and field takes to Missouri

By Jake VanZuiden

Friday, January 17, 2020

Taking a closer look at the AFC Championship

courier staff Early Friday morning, the Western Illinois Track and Field team will load up the bus and head to their destination of Columbia, Missouri, where they’ll compete in their second meet of the new year at the Missouri Intercollegiate. Events will kick off at 10:30 a.m. with the Leathernecks looking to continue building on their recent success dating back to last weekend at the Hawkeye Invitational.

In their very first meet after returning from winter break, the event held at Carver-Hawkeye arena saw a plethora of Leathernecks bettering their competition.

The women led the way for the Purple and Gold, as Bo Brasseur and Carissa Tinsley, both of whom have grown accustomed to success in the collegiate careers, picked up individual titles. However, the fun didn’t stop there, as the team also notched six total podium finishes and two new all-time marks.

After wrapping up their competition this weekend at Mizzou, they’ll have just over a week to prepare for their next meet. This time, they’ll stay in the state of Illinois and head to Champaign where the Purple and Gold will compete in the Illini Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 25 – an event hosted by the University of Illinois.

BECCA LANGYS / PHOTOT EDITOR

Bo Brasseur warms up before practice.

WesternCourier.com

Christopher bean assistant sports editor @cre_bean

The No. 2 seed Kansas City Chiefs host the No. 6 seed Tennessee Titans on Sunday at Arrowhead. Both teams are coming off very emotional wins over the weekend, and are now one win away from the Super Bowl.

The Titans almost didn’t even make the playoffs, but after the Pittsburgh Steelers lost their last two games and the Titans defeated the Houston Texans on the last week of the season to sneak in at 9-7. Second year head coach Mike Vrabel has turned around this organization onto Super Bowl contenders. The Titans have gone 9-7 for the fourth straight season and it is the second time in three years they have made the playoffs. After they lost in the Divisional Round to the Patriots 35-14, the Titans’ front office decided to fire head coach Mike Mularkey and bring in Vrabel. Vrabel played linebacker in the league for 14 years, spent eight years with the New England Patriots and won three Super Bowls.

Now, he’s turned into one of the NFL’s best coaches. In his first year, the Titans were the last team eliminated from the playoffs after their loss at home to the Indianapolis Colts for the division title.

In the beginning of the season, the Titans got off to a 2-4 start and named Ryan Tannehill the starter in week 7 after their 16-0 loss to the

Denver Broncos. Tannehill replaced former first round pick Marcus Mariota who was very inconsistent in the beginning of the year, hurt throughout the 2018 season and unable to help the team in their week 17 loss against the Colts that ended their season. During the offseason, the Titans traded for Tannehill from the Dolphins.

They acquired him for the exact reason that if Mariota couldn’t stay healthy or perform to the level the Titans expected him to play at, they would replace him with a very capable veteran in Tannehill.

Since Tannehill took over the starting role, the Titans have gone 9-3, including two playoff wins and winning six of his first seven games as a starter.

Another big factor for the Titans is the NFL leading rusher, Derrick Henry. Henry has been one of the NFL’s brightest stars in the second half of the season, and has been the best player in the playoffs so far. Henry has rushed for 377 yards on 64 carries in the playoffs so far.

Helping them beat the Patriots by seven and being the first team since 2010 to defeat the New England before the AFC Championship. He was a huge factor in last weeks 28-12 win over the best team in the NFL (record wise), the Baltimore Ravens. Henry rushed for 195 yards on 30 carries. With a very good offensive line, and

the Titans playing the seventh worst rushing defense in the NFL, and giving up five yards per carry. Another huge part for the Titans is their defense.

During the regular season, the Titans only had the 12th best defense in the league; however, they have outplayed the two of the top three defenses in the playoffs against the Patriots and the Ravens.

Now let’s take a look at the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs are led by super star and reigning MVP, Patrick Mahomes. Since taking over the quarterback position for the Chiefs in 2018, Mahomes has been nothing short of marvelous. In his first year as a starter, he led the Chiefs to a 12-4 record, landing them home field advantage in the AFC. The Chiefs defeated the Colts in the divisional round, before losing to the Patriots in overtime in a heartbreaking 37-31 loss. A year and many accomplishments later, Mahomes has led them to the same spot he did a year ago: a chance to go to the Super Bowl with home field advantage.

Head coach Andy Reid will enter his seventh Conference Championship game and his second with the Chiefs.

However, he is only 1-5 in Conference Championship games, after only going 1-4 with the Eagles. Reid is considered a genius, but the only thing missing is a Super Bowl win. Will this be the year he finally holds the Lombardi Trophy over his head?

The keys to the game for the Titans are simple. For the Titans, it’s to keep giving the

ball to Derrick Henry. As mentioned earlier, the Chiefs have one of the worst run defenses in the league, so don’t be surprised if Henry gets the ball 40 times on Sunday. On defense/special teams, there were no explosive plays. After the Chiefs found themselves down 24-0 against the Texans in the first half, they only needed a long kickoff return from rookie Mecole Hardman to get them going. After that, the Chiefs scored 41 straight points and 51 overall in their 20-point win. If the Titans can get more stops than giving up points, they will have a fantastic chance to win this ball game.

Keys for the Chiefs are also pretty simple. On offense, they need to score points. I know it sounds corny and it is, but they cannot get off to the start they did last week. If they get down big again, Tennessee will control the clock and run it with Henry. The Chiefs have an explosive offense, but if they never have the ball, we won’t see what we’re used to seeing from the reigning MVP. On defense, they need to stop the run. It’s pretty clear that the Titans offense is evolved around Henry, and you know he’s chomping at the bit to go against one of the worst rushing defenses in the league. Not only do they need to prevent him from continuing to have monster playoff games, but they also need to give their offense time to score the ball.

We have David vs Goliath this weekend, and the winner will play in Super Bowl 54, so relax and enjoy Championship Sunday.

CLASSIFIEDS

WC

For Rent

For Rent

For Rent

Spacious 2-5 bedroom homes for rent. 10 month lease available. Great locations, close to bus stops, plenty off street parking, all new windows, AC, energy efficient furnace, hardwood and ceramic tile floors, free washer/dryer. Well maintained (24 hrs.) by local landlord.

Call 309-255-1233.

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.

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

Submit a classifieds ad to Micour@wiu.edu

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.

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.

.

RATES $5.50 per issue (open rate) $4.00 per issue (campus rate)

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.

Friday, January 17, 2020

@WesternCourier

Sports 7

Luke Kueckly announces retirement at age 28 josh purnell courier staff

Luke Kuechly, the middle linebacker of the Carolina Panthers, announced Tuesday night that he’s retiring from the NFL. He shared the news in a video that was posted on Carolina's Twitter page. In the video, he did not give a specific reason why he’s retiring but said he isn’t able to play the game at the level he wanted to.

Kuechly went to Boston College University. His freshman year he led the team in tackles and almost broke the record for most tackles by a freshman. He went on to win the 2009 ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year award and was on the 2009 CFN All Freshmen Defensive Team.

For the next two years, he led the team in tackles and his last season in an Eagles

uniform, he was awarded the Butkus Award, Lott IMPACT Award, Lombardi Award, Bronko Nagurski Award, Jack Lambert Award and ACC Defensive Player of the Year award. Kuechly was a threetime First Team All-America and a three-time First Team All ACC. Considering all of that, Mel Kiper did not have Kuechly drafted a top 10 pick.

Kuechly was selected ninth pick by the Carolina Panthers in the 2012 NFL Draft.

Kuechly had an immediate impact on the team winning NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. The following year, the Panthers went 12-4, making it to the playoffs for the first time in five years. Carolina’s defense was ranked second in the league. During a game against their division rival

New Orleans Saints, Kuechly recorded 26 tackles, the most tackles in a single game.

Kuechly went on to win NFL Defensive Player of the Year joining Lawrence Taylor, Brian Urlacher, Charles Woodson, Terrell Suggs, Joe Greene, Jack Lambert and Dana Stubblefield to win both awards.

During the 2015 season, Kuechly signed a five-year $62 million contract. With a new contract comes a great season. The 2015 season was a special year for the Panthers as they finished the season 15-1. Cam Newton was having an MVP season and the Panther defense was ranked sixth best defense in the league. The Panthers went on a run through the playoff, making it to the Super Bowl. The Panthers have not been to the Super Bowl since 2003. The Panthers, unfortunately, came up short in the Super Bowl loss to the Denver Broncos 24-10.

Although the Panthers never made it back to the Super

Bowl, they remain playoff contenders. Kuechly remained a leader, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

Carolina defense was ranked top 10 five times in Kuechly’s eight-year career with the Panthers. Since his rookie year, Kuechly has recorded 100 tackles or more. Just this year, Kuechly has become the fifth player in NFL history to record 100 tackles or more in eight consecutive seasons.

During those eight consecutive 100 tackles, Kuechly led the league in tackles in 2012 and 2014.

Over Kuechly’s eight-year career, he has gone to the Pro Bowl seven times, First Team All-Pro five times and was awarded the Butkus Award three times. Kuechly is considered the best middle linebacker of this generation. What he has done for the game only real fans and players knows. This is why it sucked to see him leaving so soon, he is a prime example of a class act pro athlete.

I’ve never heard of him hav-

ing problems with the law, never heard of him having problems with his opponents, never heard of him having problems with his teammates and coaches. Kuechly, who did not like being in the spotlight, only wanted to play the game he loves. Teammates and opponents will tell you that Kuechly is one of the smartest players in the NFL. His ability to read an offense and know what they are going to do before they hike the ball. That comes from sitting in the film rooms for hours studying your opponents, dissecting every part of their offense.

Although Kuechly only played eight seasons, will he go to the Pro Football Hall of Fame? No question about it, Kuechly is going to the Hall of Fame. His numbers speak for themselves, but even his peers will say that Kuechly is a Hall of Famer because they know what a great player he was. No doubt about it, Kuechly is the greatest Carolina Panther of all time.

results in the second half of the season despite downgrading with their coach.

13. Vancouver Canucks: The Canucks are still young and are not quite a lock to make the playoffs but after a lengthy winning streak, they sit in a good spot. Elias Petterson has done the heavy lifting goal scoring wise and Jacob Markstrom needs to continue to be strong in net.

14. Calgary Flames: After firing Bill Peters, the Flames have improved mightily, going 13-61 under Geoff Ward. They are in that log jam in the Pacific division that could see them in first place by the end of the year or out of the playoffs.

15. Philadelphia Flyers: Losing Carter Hart for a few weeks is going to hurt despite the All-Star break giving them some cover. They have been inconsistent all year but will battle for a playoff spot down the stretch due to their depth at forward and young defensemen.

16. Edmonton Oilers: How far can patchy goaltending, no depth at forward and iffy defense take you? As far as the best player in the world can take them. Watch the goal Connor McDavid scored on the Maple Leafs and Morgan Reilly last week. It is insane that a person can do that.

17. Winnipeg Jets: The fact that this team is in the hunt at all speaks volumes to coaching and goaltending. They are among the worst teams in the league at giving up high quality shots and that doesn’t bode well for the second half.

18. Florida Panthers: If they could just get a save, this team would easily be in the playoffs. The offense is amazing, led by Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov and the defense is okay, led by Keith Yandle and Aaron Ekblad.

However, no team is going to be good when the goalie they gave a massive $10 million a year contract to is posting a .895 save percentage.

19. Nashville Predators:

After going all in and getting Matt Duchene in the offseason, the Preds have been highly inconsistent and fallen into that second tier of teams in the NHL. Some of their underlying numbers are pretty good, however, so don’t be shocked if they go on a run in the second half of the season.

20. Columbus Blue Jackets: After losing almost everything in terms of star power last offseason, the Blue Jackets sit just a couple points out of the playoffs in the brutal Metro. Give John Tortorella the Jack Adams if he gets the squad in.

21. New York Rangers: The Rangers won’t make the playoffs for a lengthy list of reasons, but Artemi Panarin has been worth every dollar he signed for. He has 67 points in 45 games and while the goaltending has been by no means bad, it hasn’t been enough to carry a leaky defense.

22. Buffalo Sabres: Is the Sabres make the playoffs, give Jack Eichel the MVP award. Without him they would be near the very bottom of this list. It is doubtful they do, but a good two or three weak stretch could put them back in talks.

23. Montreal Canadiens: A long losing streak killed this team.

They were right near the Leafs and Lightning but, due to injuries and bad goaltending, have fallen off completely. Watch any of their games and it’s clear they play extremely hard, so firing the coach is not an option. Once again, Montreal has no real superstars at forward and it is costing them.

24. Chicago Blackhawks: Not quite sure where this team is on the NHL pedestal right now. Some nights they look okay and could be competing for a wild card spot, and other nights they looks like a tire fire that should sell everything.

There is a world where this team as constructed could make the playoffs, but they need to go on a run after the break.

25. Minnesota Wild: The Wild were in the playoff hunt for longer

than most expected but have fallen off after a rough stretch. There just isn’t enough talent to be serious competitors over a full season and their front office has some tough decisions to make.

26. New Jersey Devils: After firing Hynes and getting rid of Taylor Hall, they have played better.

Their wins over the Capitals and Lightning prove that. I’m not quite sure what the plan is in New Jersey, but they do have two young centers to build around.

27. San Jose Sharks: Logan Couture is going to be out for a while and that may be the death knell for the Sharks’ season. They have a lot of money tied up to a lot of players long term and their first round pick belongs to Ottawa.

Martin Jones is no longer the starter but they are stuck with him for a long time.

28. Ottawa Senators: There is hope in Ottawa. They own two first round picks this year and are loaded up on picks in the coming drafts. Their young guys at the NHL level are starting to establish themselves and despite a terrible month Ottawa fans are starting to get some hope.

29. Los Angeles Kings: The Kings are another team in the midst of a long rebuild. They have some promising prospects on the way, but there isn’t much to say about this team other than they are pretty bad.

30. Anaheim Ducks: John Gibson can’t make every save and this team at times refuses to score goals.

Their leading scorer has 30 points and appear to be ready to sell some pieces. They know they are in tank mode as they have told people they will take on bad contracts for draft picks.

31. Detroit Red Wings: This team is on pace for less than 50 points.

There hasn’t been a lot of positives for this once proud franchise, but this is year one of what feels like a lengthy rebuild, so strap in Detroit fans.

Breaking down the NHL power rankings Zach Remelius courier staff

1. St. Louis Blues: The Blues have been dominant at home of recent and own the best record in the NHL. They will soon be getting back Colton Parayko and Sammy Blais while star forward Vladimir Tarasenko is still a couple months away. This team is the best in the west.

2. Washington Capitals: John Carlson is going to win a Norris with 56 points already in just 47 games as a defensemen. Ovechkin is on pace again for about 50 goals and Ilya Samsonov has a .925 save percentage, taking away the starting job from Braden Holtby 3. Pittsburgh Penguins: Despite no Crosby, Guentzel, Dumoulin Bjugstad Schultz and a litany of other injuries for large chunks of the season, the Penguins are still in the hunt for a tough Metro division title.

Tristan Jarry has been outstanding and will have to continue to be.

4. Tampa Bay Lightning: Finally, the Lightning put it all together and have catapulted toward the top of the NHL. The Devils ended their 10-game win streak but once again the Lightning are looking like contenders.

5. Boston Bruins: The Bruins falling to five is nothing of their own doing. The four teams above them have just been wrecking shop over their last couple months while they have treaded water after an incredible start.

6. Dallas Stars: A season sweep of the Colorado Avalanche is an impressive feat for any team. The two appear to be on a collision course for the first round of the playoffs and home ice advantage will be big for the Stars.

7. New York Islanders: The Islanders are in the same spot as they were last year. Awesome

defense, outstanding goaltending but questions about the offense. It was good enough to win one round in the playoffs last year, but can they go any further?

8. Colorado Avalanche: All season long they’ve been pegged as a top contender in the West and now people have questions. Their depth has been tested by injuries and goaltending has been questionable at times. With all the star power at the top of the roster, they are still a threat to win it all.

9. Arizona Coyotes: The Coyotes have slowed down a bit since acquiring Taylor Hall but they still sit in first place in the NHL’s Pacific Division. Hall has 13 points in 14 games. Part of the slide has to do with Darcy Kuemper’s injury and hopefully for the Coyotes he can remain Vezina caliber when he comes back.

10. Carolina Hurricanes: With how incredible the Metro division is, people forget about this team who just made the Eastern Conference Final. While Petr Mrazek has struggled in net, James Reimer has done a nice job as the backup. The top of their lineup can score like crazy but the depth is questionable.

11.

Toronto Maple Leafs: The Leafs have dealt with a lot this year and now their number one defensemen is out for two months.

They are clinging to a playoff spot at the moment but have played well under new coach Sheldon Keffe, and Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner are on pace for career best seasons.

12. Vegas Golden Knights: No idea why they fired their coach.

The Golden Knights have been struggling to get a save and have a low shooting percentage. They should be getting more positive

Women’s basketball seeks revenge against Oral Roberts

By Alex Staab courier staff

BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR

Danni Nichols jogs back into the play.

BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR

Elizabeth Lutz sprints up into the attack.

GOLEATHERNECKS.COM

Kyra Washington through the lane.

dribbles

Perhaps a revenge game is on the horizon, as the Golden Eagles of Oral Roberts University (7-10, 2-2) will make the trip to Western Hall on Saturday afternoon to take on the Western Illinois Leathernecks (9-9, 3-2).

It’s been 312 days since the Golden Eagles edged the Leathernecks in the Quarterfinal of The Summit League Tournament, but this is a new season, and Saturday provides an opportunity for Western Illinois to officially put the loss to Oral Roberts in the rearview mirror, having not met since then.

The Golden Eagles won that tournament meeting, 68-64. Western Illinois returns 49 of their 64 points (76.5 percent), while Oral Roberts returns 35 of their 68 points (51.5 percent).

The Leathernecks got off to a decent start, before falling behind in the second, scoring nine in the second quarter and going into halftime down, 32-20.

Western Illinois made a furious comeback in the second half, outscoring the Golden Eagles 44-36, but it wouldn’t be enough, falling by four.

Olivia Kaufmann led the Leathernecks with 16 points, a total that was second in the game as well.

Oral Roberts certainly has a quality strength of schedule, playing Power Five teams such as No. 23 Arkansas, Kansas State, Utah, Nebraska and Oklahoma State, going 0-5 in those games.

Yes, they went 0-5, but some of those games were quite close. Look at a 10-point loss to Nebraska, for example. The loss, in Lincoln, saw guard Keni Jo Lippe scoring a team-high 21 points on 3-8 from behind the arc, seven rebounds and three steals.

The Golden Eagles held the Huskers to just under 45 percent from the field, under 16 percent from three, but Nebraska did go 16-19 from the charity stripe, good for 84.2 percent.

It should be noted that Oral Roberts has played one other game after the deadline, that being a game at Purdue Fort Wayne on Thursday evening.

Western Illinois is coming off a win over a Denver team that may be the epitome of ignoring a team’s record. The Pioneers entered last Sunday’s contest with a 7-10 overall record and only one league win, but the losses in Summit play to this point of the season were to some good ones: North Dakota, South Dakota and South Dakota State. Ironically enough, those three were undefeated in league play as of the Western Illinois vs. Denver game.

Pre-game, senior guard Kaufmann was honored for having surpassed 1,000 career points in a home win over Purdue Fort Wayne.

The visiting Pioneers would get off to a hot start,

going 9-18 from the field in the opening 10 minutes. Western Illinois did make a push late in the frame but stayed behind at 21-15 after the break.

What followed was awfully impressive, as the Leathernecks poured it on for 28 second quarter points, paced by eight points from Kaufmann.

Western Illinois’ 10 made field goals that quarter was the only time that either side made double figures in shots the entirety of the game. Add a 19-point quarter to that, and Western Illinois was hanging on by a thread headed into the fourth quarter, 62-59.

Now, there was one other unique aspect of this game that you may have seen in a previous issue of the Western Courier. 46 fouls were called. Yep, you saw that right and it isn’t a typo, either. 23 fouls were called on the Leathernecks and 23 on the Golden Eagles. As one may imagine, free throws became a major factor. Both teams did well in that regard with Oral Roberts going 17-24 from the line, while Western Illinois went 14-20.

Kaufmann went 9-10 on her own. Perhaps even more notable than that is that all 10 free ones came in the fourth quarter. The perseverance of the Leathernecks allowed them to maintain the lead they had and leave Western Hall with a win, 82-75.

A fairly high-scoring battle could be on tap on Saturday, as the Leathernecks edge the Golden Eagles in points per game, 74.2-67.1.

The Golden Eagles are led by Lippe, a 5 foot 9 sophomore from Adair, Okla. Lippe is averaging team highs in both scoring and rebounding, totaling 18 points and seven rebounds.

Lippe is also one of three Golden Eagles having made 20 or more threes this season (25), joining teammates Rylie Torrey (47 threes) and Sarah Garvie (29 threes).

While Oral Roberts does seem like another quality opponent via statistics, they are currently (0-9) on the road. Their last road win was against these Leathernecks, on Feb. 23, 2019.

Western Illinois continues to be paced by Kaufmann in scoring, as she averages 16.6 points per game. Among active players, Danni Nichols follows her at 9.1 points per game.

The lone player on either roster averaging double figures in rebounding is Western Illinois’ Evan Zars. Zars enters Saturday’s game with 183 total rebounds, good for an average of 10.2 per game.

It should be an exciting one to bear the cold and overall weather for, as the athletic department asks fans to “Pack it Purple.” According to the game preview on the Athletics website, “fans are encouraged to wear purple Leatherneck gear” as the Leathernecks are looking to potentially sweep their three-game homestand, with wins over Purdue Fort Wayne and Denver to this point.

Saturday’s Oral Roberts game tips

BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR

Jinda Guidinger jumps to try and block a shot.

BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR

Annabel Graettinger tries to slow down the other team.

BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR

Grace Gilmore tracks back to try and intercept a pass.

BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR

Sam Pryor gets back to play defense after a made basket.

BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR

BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR

Olivia Kaufmann chases down the opposition.

BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR

Evan Zars guards the paint.

Carla Flores catches her breath during a stoppage.