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MONDAY, NOV. 11, 2019 VOLUME 94 ■ ISSUE 23

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LA VIDA

SPORTS

Charter member of Eloquent Raiders returns to mentor, share story.

TCU eliminates Tech from Big 12 Tournament.

PG 5

PG 6

OPINIONS

ONLINE

A ‘thank you’ to our Veterans.

Follow The Daily Toreador on social media to keep up with the latest news and stories from the Texas Tech community.

PG 4

MEN’S BASKETBALL

INDEX

ONLINE

LA VIDA SPORTS OPINIONS CROSSWORD CLASSIFIEDS SUDOKU

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FOOTBALL

Holyfield serves as leader for young Tech team Wells leads Tech to first road win

AUDREY KERR/The Daily Toreador

MADELINE DIFFEE/The Daily Toreador

Senior forward TJ Holyfield talks with head coach Chris Beard during the Texas Tech men’s basketball game against BethuneCookman University on Saturday, Nov. 9, in the United Supermarkets Arena. The Red Raiders defeated the Wildcats 79-44.

By JAY STRADER Staff Writer

Texas Tech men’s basketball graduate transfer from Stephen F. Austin, TJ Holyfield has made an immediate impact on the court for the Red Raiders as he is one of the oldest players on the team.

After sitting out all last season with an injury, Holyfield transferred from the Lumberjacks’ team and chose Tech over other schools in the Big 12 Conference. With so much youth on the roster, head coach Chris Beard said that he and fellow graduate transfer Chris Clarke are going to be a big part of this year’s squad both on the stat sheet and in the locker room.

Freshman Jahmi’us Ramsey said he has enjoyed playing with Holyfield so far. He said his versatility helps energize the team and pushes the whole team to be better.

“Holyfield’s great. I’m amazed every time I’m out on the floor with him. He brings so much to the team. Everything he brings to the table just energizes us and makes

us play better,” Ramsey said.

“Versatility, he can do everything, rebound, shoot, assist. He’s just very versatile.”

Holyfield recorded 20 points in Tech’s last outing against BethuneCookman on Saturday night. He shot 8-11, and in the game prior against Eastern Illinois, he shot 7-9 and scored 15 points.

Beard said he is not surprised

by Holyfield’s success and it is why he recruited him. After two games, he said he has been impressed with the way Holyfield has played and contributed to the team.

“Again, just impressed with Holyfield. Not surprised, I’m not hugging him and kumbaya-ing with him in the locker room. I’m not asking for his autograph,” Beard said.

“This is what we recruited him to do, is to make plays on both ends.

I’m enjoying coaching him because he takes hard coaching, he’s a grown man out there. He’s not gonna go 8-11 or 7-9 every night, but I like his aggressiveness.”

As Beard recognized Holyfield will not shoot at as high of a rate

he has in his first two games every night, he said he will still support the graduate transfer he brought in.

“I’m gonna be the same guy who’s sitting here on a night when he goes 3-11, no problem, that’s basketball,” Beard said. “I like him being aggressive. There’s a relationship between Holyfield playing well, and Holyfield being aggressive.”

After two games, Holyfield averaged 17.5 points and six rebounds while shooting 78.9 percent from the field, according to Tech Athletics. Beard acknowledged how good Holyfield has been at putting up points, but said his leadership is just as important as the numbers.

“Holyfield has had two impressive games in terms of the stat sheet but, equally important is the leadership he’s bringing,” Beard said. “Those two seniors are off to great starts for us. We’re not 2-0 without those guys.”

Holyfield and the rest of the Red Raiders will travel to Midland to take on Houston Baptist on Wednesday at 7 p.m. @JayStraderDT

HEALTH

Experts expects approach of severe flu season

By AKHILA REDDY Copy Editor

With a severe flu season in the southern hemisphere foretelling a potentially similar season in the United States, Texas Tech students can benefit from taking preemptive steps to stay healthy during the coming months.

“It’s impossible to predict how severe this year’s flu season is going to be,” Crockett Tidwell, clinical services manger and vaccine specialist at United Supermarkets Pharmacy, said. “But we did have a very severe season in the southern hemisphere according to the World Health Organization, and some years, a lot of years, when it’s bad in the southern hemisphere, that’s what we’re going to expect to see in the northern hemisphere.”

The flu season in the southern hemisphere is often indicative of the flu season in the United States because its winter and summer seasons are opposite, Dr. Gilbert Berdine, associate professor of internal medicine at the Tech Health Sciences Center, said. The recent flu seasons in Australia provides some idea of what will happen here, despite differences in infrastructure between the two places.

“They’re kind of the beta test for us, they’re the beta test for the vaccine and, so far, they had a severe season,” he said. “And it means the flu was either more virulent or the vaccines are less effective or a combination of the two.”

SEE FLU, PG. 3

Junior wide receiver T.J. Vasher celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the game against Oklahoma State on Oct. 5, 2019 at Jones AT&T Stadium. Tech picked up its first road win of the season in Morgantown against West Virginia, 38-17, on Saturday.

By MAX HENGST Sports Editor

The Texas Tech football team recorded its first win on the road this season and under head coach Matt Wells after defeating the West Virginia Mountaineers 38-17 in Morgantown, West Virginia on Saturday.

“They practiced really hard. I think they gave us a chance before we even got on the plane for victory.

Really proud of that,” Wells said.

“These guys just continue to fight, and I respect that locker room. They fight, they’re a bunch of fighters.

Their backs have been against the wall and they responded.”

For the first time this season, the Red Raiders recorded a touchdown on their first five drives of the game.

With the absence of senior running back Armand Shyne due to broken ribs, redshirt freshman SaRodorick Thompson and sophomore Ta’Zhawn Henry led the run game with two touchdowns each. Although Thompson helped lead the run game, Henry took over towards the end of the game after an apparent injury at the end of the second half.

“They tried to bring (Thompson) back after halftime, and he just couldn’t go. He sure tried,” Wells said. “He’s a tough kid, so I know that he’s hurting.”

Along with Shyne missing the game due to an injury, Tech’s leading receiver junior T. J. Vasher also missed the game against the Mountaineers due to a violation of team rules. With Vasher out, redshirt freshman Erik Ezukanma and sophomore Dalton Rigdon stepped up to lead Tech’s passing game.

Ezukanma recorded 70 receiving yards on five catches while Rigdon led the team with 106 yards on three catches. Rigdon was the only receiver to record a touchdown after he outran West Virginia’s defense for a 81-yard touchdown in the first quarter.

With nine players recording a reception and eight of them recording double-digit receiving yards, junior quarterback Jett Duffey orchestrated the offense without throwing an interception. Duffey threw for 354 yards, completing 24 of his 34 passes while recording 205 passing yards in the first quarter of the game.

“Again, there’s another good game

by Jett Duffey,” Wells said. “I’m really proud of Jett. He just continues to keep us in the game and put the balls in catchable spots. We had a couple of drops, but we really made some competitive catches.”

Wells also credited the coaching staff and offensive linemen when speaking about Duffey’s performance

to help the Red Raiders pick up their first road win of the season.

“Our o-line did a great job of IDing their backers because they moved their backers around quite a bit, and our guys did a nice job,” Wells said.

“I think the credit also goes to coach (David) Yost and coach (Steve) Farmer and the game plan this week.”

On the opposite side of the ball, Tech’s defense shut West Virginia’s offense down. The team recorded four takeaways with two forced fumbles by junior linebacker Riko Jeffers, an interception by senior defensive back Douglas Coleman III and an interception by junior defensive back DaMarcus Fields. Coleman’s interception marked his eighth of the season, leading the FBS in the category. With eight picked off passes, Coleman is tied for second in Tech’s record book for single-season interceptions.

Senior linebacker Jordyn Brooks also led Tech’s defense with 11 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and recovered a fumble for 20 yards. Jeffers also helped lead the Red Raiders’ defense with two tackles for loss, a sack and a pass break up, aside from his two forced fumbles.

As a team, the Red Raiders’ defense stopped West Virginia’s run game, recording nine tackles for loss as a team. With the help from the tackles for lost yardage, the Red Raiders held the Mountaineers to 51 rushing yards. After the game, Wells said he wants to put an emphasis on both running the ball and stopping the run in the month of November as the Red Raiders fight for bowl eligibility.

“Our backs are against the wall,” Wells said. “We know exactly where we’re at, and we’re fighting to become bowl eligible and that’s the goal. Now because of the circumstances in October, that’s now the goal. It’ll be backs against the wall for the rest of the way.”

With Tech’s first win on the road, the Red Raiders are now 4-5 this season, two wins away from being eligible for a bowl game. The Red Raiders will continue its season at 11 a.m. on Saturday against Texas Christian.

With the home game approaching, Tech has posted a 3-1 record at Jones AT&T Stadium.

“I’m learning more about (the team) every week. I respect them.

Their backs have been against the wall,” Wells said. “A lot of people are counting us out, a little underdog mentality right now and I think they feel like they’re earning it during the week, and we’re going to continue to push that in them. I like this group, they’re led by some good seniors.” @MaxHengstDT

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NOV. 11, 2019

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CAMPUS

eXplore Advising provides avenues for students

By ELIZABETH HERBERT Staff Writer

Formerly known as the Discovery Program, Texas Tech eXplore Advising takes a different approach to choosing one’s major.

Housed in Drane Hall Room 347, eXplore could be helpful for students who are undeclared, dissatisfied with their current major or entering a competitive area such as engineering, according to the University Advising website.

Connie Watson, assistant director of University Advising, said eXplore differs from other advising programs in the framework of how they guide students.

“We don’t course advise, we don’t tell them exactly what courses to take; we show them the resources that we have here on campus for them to make good decisions,” she said. “We also use the catalog along with degree audit, and we have them go do the assessments at the Career Center.”

Students are encouraged to visit the advising departments of areas of interest and to take the Strong Interest Inventory Assessment from the Career Center,

Watson said, to help them understand their values, interests and strengths.

Deciding students can use eXplore as a way of maximizing their time and money spent at Tech, Watson said, while still taking classes to move forward with their degrees. She said walk-ins are accepted daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. until the end of the semester for students who have questions.

“We want to build on that curiosity of the things that are available to them here, while at the same time making sure that the coursework they’re taking will apply to a multitude, or more than one major,” Watson said.

Two Senate bills guide Tech’s eXplore program, Watson said, although a new bill states students should be in their majors after two semesters, or 30 hours. Issues with this guideline may arise when students enter Tech with hours already logged, such as transfer students or those who enter with dual credit. A third transfer semester is often helpful in such cases.

“A student comes in with maybe 24 hours, so then we have one semester to work on that, to get them to where

they can make a good decision and moving forward,” she said. “So, it’s learning to meet a student where they are; it’s very individualized.”

Senior Academic Adviser Abed Monawar said eXplore serves students who do not know what they want to do, and students who know what they want to major in, but who need to complete more steps to get there.

“These guys are admitted to Texas Tech as our students, and they stay with us for about three semesters until they figure out their best fit major; that was the undecided [students]. The undeclared, those are students who know what they want to do, but they need to work on their GPA or prerequisites to get there,” Monawar said.

Most of the students who fall into the latter category do so because they need to pass calculus with a 3.0 GPA or higher to move on, Monawar said. eXplore students may fall into three additional categories, Monawar said.

There are those who want to add an extra minor or major, those who have changed their minds and want to switch majors and college

dismissals, or students whose GPAs or foundational class grades were unsatisfactory for the college in which they were enrolled. “eXplore works not only for undecided, undeclared, but for students who want to know what other options they have at Texas Tech,” he said.

The experience teaches students about more than choosing a major, Monawar said, as students learn practical life skills such as how to be resourceful and make informative decisions.

“Part of the education that we provide through our advising is how to approach important decisions in your life, especially in academia,” he said. “What do you need to know, who are the people who can help you go there, do you know what to ask them, do you know what kind of information they can provide for you?”

Perri Jenkins, a junior creative media industries transfer student from Houston, said she would have taken advantage of eXplore if it had been offered at Lone Star College when she first declared her major. She said eXplore is a useful tool for students who are having

trouble settling on one path.

“A lot of times, peo ple come in when they’re maybe freshmen or sophomores,” she said. “They come and do their basics and they realize, ‘Oh, I actually don’t know what

I wan to do,’ so they don’t know what they value and sometimes they realize that the path they’re going down doesn’t exactly line up with what they want for their future.” @EHerbertDT

ASSOCIATED PRESS

NRA turmoil creates rift, causes loss of some big donors, supporters Joe Olson was once such a passionate supporter of the National Rifle Association that he pledged to bequeath several million dollars from

his estate to the gun organization upon his death.

But the steady drip of investigations and misspending allegations and a

shakeup at the top ranks of the NRA compelled him to alter his will. The NRA will no longer get his money.

“The rot had gotten worse

and I simply decided: No, I’m not giving those people my money,” Olson said.

Olson reflects what has become a new challenge for

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the NRA as its legal and financial issues stack up: the loss of big donors.

The NRA attributes much of its success and power to rank-and-file members who contribute a few dollars here and there throughout the year, but it’s the big-ticket donors who fuel the organization’s finances. They also play a role in who serves on the board of directors and are active on the NRA social and fundraising scene, whether it’s at galas or hunting trips.

And there are signs

that some of them are growing uneasy over the NRA’s troubles.

One of them went so far to as to file a lawsuit against the NRA claiming misuse of funds and started a website that seeks changes to the NRA — from the ouster of longtime CEO Wayne LaPierre, to halving the size of the 76-member board of directors.

T h e d o n o r, D a v i d Dell’Aquila, also claims that he has gotten others like him to withhold millions of dollars.

NEWS

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NOV. 11, 2019

HEALTH

Experts discuss blood, plasma donation side effects

By GRACIELA VASQUEZ Staff Writer

Before walking into a blood or plasma donation facility, people may not consider the procedure and its consequences.

Whether it be to make cash through donating plasma or donating blood to make a positive impact on one’s life, there are different reasons why one would go to these facilities on multiple occasions.

Regardless of why a person chooses to donate blood or plasma, there may be certain health risks the donors and medical professionals drawing the substance work to avoid.

Stephanie Pointer, donor recruitment supervisor for Vitalant, formerly United Blood Services, said the process of donating blood or plasma is safe, as phlebotomists take measures to make sure the donor’s blood is

FLU

CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 In the United States, as of Nov. 2, seasonal influenza activity remains low but is increasing, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Weekly U.S. Influenza Surveillance Report.

Flu activity generally increases between the months of October and November and peaks in December and February.

It is difficult to predict the onset of the flu season, Tidwell said, making the most important step an individual can take is getting the flu vaccine beforehand. The earlier one can get the vaccine, the better.

Everyone six months of age and older is recommended to get a yearly flu vaccine, according to the CDC. If one has not already received a flu vaccine, now is the time, Katherine Wells, director of Public Health for the City of Lubbock, said. After getting the vaccine, it takes time for it to become effective.

“It takes about two weeks for your body, for your immune system to respond to the vaccine,” Wells said.

The flu vaccine is developed based on the previous year’s strains of flu and predicted characteristics of the flu in the current season, Berdine said. There is a lot of guesswork in developing the vaccines and sometimes the guesses are wrong.

“The reports from the CDC are that this year’s flu vaccine may not be terribly effective.

I’ve heard numbers as low as 20 percent,” he said. “Of course, we won’t know until we actually see what happens.”

The flu vaccine cannot be evaluated until the United States has high enough levels of the flu to test the effectiveness of the shot, Tidwell said. But, no vaccine is 100 percent effective.

However, the flu vaccine is not only designed to prevent the flu but also to lessen the severity in case one does catch the flu, Tidwell said.

“So, it could be the difference between having a couple of sick days and having five terrible sick days or the difference between five terrible sick days

and going to the hospital, or unfortunately some people die from the flu,” he said.

Furthermore, the benefits of getting the flu vaccine extend past an individual to everyone around them, Tidwell said. In babies, this is called cocooning.

Before babies turn 6 months, they are too young to get vaccinated, so those babies are protected by everybody else in their life getting the vaccine, Tidwell said. The same thing can be said for adults.

“Everybody around you should get a flu shot, and that decreases your chances of getting the flu even more,” he said.

Outside of the flu vaccine, there are additional steps individuals can take to avoid and manage the flu.

The two biggest things for people to be aware of during flu season are the state of their own health and the health of those around them, Berdine said.

In terms of the health of those around them, people need to be aware if they are in a public space, a person in the space ten minutes ago might have been

in good standing.

“We have people that come and look at our facilities all the time to make sure we’re meeting all the standards and restrictions that are asked of us,” she said regarding precautions.

The biggest health risk is not having enough blood on the shelf, Pointer said. Before the blooddrawing process starts, the professionals ask a lot of questions, check blood pressure, make sure heart rate is not abnormal and check if cholesterol levels are good to make sure there is no risk to the donor or the receiver.

Donors are told they are going to feel better if they drink a lot of water the day before the donation, and not have alcohol or caffeinated drinks, Pointer said. If donors follow these rules along with eating a low-fat, hearty meal an hour before donating, they should not have issues when

sick, Berdine said. It is prudent, particularly for those with chronic disease or severe respiratory ailment, to avoid public places to a possible extent.

“Public places, restaurants, even churches, you have no control over who is in the space you’re sitting in an hour ago,” he said. “These people cough, expel particles.”

The flu primarily spreads via air particles, Tidwell said, so if somebody sneezes, breathes or coughs, and makes contact with mucous membranes such as in the eyes, nose and mouth. Secondarily it can pass from a surface, though that is less common.

In the summer, the heat kills the particles very quickly, Berdine said. In winter, however, the particles remain viable for longer periods of time due to the cooler temperature.

Washing hands can help limit the spread of the flu, Wells said.

Additionally, people should stay home when they suspect they may have the flu.

“Be good to all your friends and family, and stay home and

donating blood or plasma.

“We do have a fast track on the website where they can answer the questions ahead of time, pull up a barcode when they come in, and then, all we have to do is check their iron levels, blood pressure and so on,” she said regarding preparations. “It speeds up the process.”

Aleese Handley, lab manager at Texas Tech Student Health Services and former employee of Vitalant, said when one donates, phlebotomists open the packets of needle in front of the donor, so there is no way they will ever use the same needles.

In addition to this precaution, donors may be deferred from donating blood or plasma due to getting recent tattoos, traveling to other countries or after donating blood that is tested for hepatitis and HIV, Handley said.

The draw tubes along with the

don’t infect others,” she said.

In terms of personal health, people need to ensure they are following a good diet with lots of Vitamin C and getting a proper amount of sleep, Berdine said.

They are the two most important factors in maintaining a healthy immune system.

“Vitamin C is something that is beneficial, and so, fruit, vegetables are a good idea for everybody,” he said. “I think the other thing that is neglected is sleep.

You really should try to get the correct amount of sleep, for most people the average is around eight hours. If you’re chronically not getting a full night’s sleep, that’s when your body does a lot of its self repair and it makes you more prone to illness if you don’t get proper sleep.”

In the event one does get the flu, he or she should reach out to a physician or medical professional immediately, Tidwell said.

Certain treatments can decrease the severity and duration of the flu, but they are not effective unless used within the first 48 hours of symptoms.

Symptoms of the flu include

high fever, muscle aches, headaches, cough and congestion, Tidwell said. While some of these symptoms overlap with those of a cold, the flu is not the same as a cold and is generally more severe.

“The feeling, how sick it makes you, is pretty sick, so not the same as a cold,” he said.

Looking to future flu seasons, Berdine said so far the public has been pretty lucky in that the worst case fatality rates tend to occur in strains that are not easily transmissible by air borne

donations get sent to a laboratory in Dallas that does testing for all the donations across the country.

Rebecca Ruiz, a senior journalism major from Plainview, said she has been donating through Vitalant for four years.

“My first time I was a little worried, but the employees were really nice and explained the process and asked a lot of questions beforehand,” Ruiz said.

Donating is a great experience and knowing it helps other people fulfills her heart and makes her happy, Ruiz said despite the precautions that need to be taken.

“I’m not sure if they do it anymore, but I once received a letter thanking me for donating blood to them,” Ruiz said. “My blood donation helped a 4-year old with leukemia, and the letter included his story.” @GvasquezDT

particles. The H5N5 virus, for example, has a case fatality rate of 60 percent but only spreads from close contact with bodily fluids.

However, there is no predicting how the flu may evolve in the future.

“Fortunately we haven’t had a situation where we have a virus that’s very virulent and also can spread by the airborne route,” Berdine said. “We hope we never do have that combination, but, you know, nature has a way of playing tricks on us.” @AkhilaReddyDT

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OPINIONS

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COLUMN

A ‘thank you’ to our Veterans

A

s Veterans Day approaches, we want to thank and remember all those who have served and who are continuing to serve. From everyday demands, training and deployments, veterans have sacrificed so much to protect our freedom, keep us and others safe and to give to their country.

For some, serving in the military has been a family tradition, passed down with each generation. For others, they may be the first to have ever served in their family. Whatever the case is, there is a sense of pride in their heart and a certain level to which they hold their head high.

The military is a diverse place where people of all nationalities, ages and different cultural backgrounds step up to serve. There are some

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EDITORIAL BOARD Editor-in-Chief Austin Watts (806) 742-3395 editor@dailytoreador.com Managing Editor Chase Seabolt managing@dailytoreador.com News Editor Adán Rubio news@dailytoreador.com La Vida Editor features@dailytoreador.com Sports Editor Max Hengst sports@dailytoreador.com Opinions Editor Gloria Matheson opinions@dailytoreador.com Multimedia Editor Ikechukwu Dike photo@dailytoreador.com Digital Content Manager Mallory Rosetta online@dailytoreador.com Copy Editor Akhila Reddy Emma Sipple online@dailytoreador.com

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CORRECTIONS The DailyToreador strives for accuracy and fairness in the reporting of news.

If a report is wrong or misleading, a request for a correction or clarification may be made by calling (806) 742-3393 or emailing dailytoreador@ttu.edu.

COPYRIGHT INFORMATION © Copyright 2019TexasTech University Student Media/The Daily Toreador. All DT articles, photographs and artwork are the property of The DT and Student Media and may not be reproduced or published without permission. The DailyToreador is a designated public forum. Student editors have the authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval.

Angela Contreras is a senior public relations major from Sabinal.

who have fled their countries to serve ours, and some who knew from a young age that this is what they wanted to do.

Every man and woman who has worn the uniform in the face of sacrifice deserves a special thank you on this day.

Many have seen the deserts, the mountains and the jungles in a way that most of us never will—face-to-face with combat and risk. These are those we remember and honor. These are the people we thank.

When you’re driving down the freeway and see the American flag flying h i g h i n t h e s k y, w h e n you hear your favorite patriotic song on the radio, when you drink a

cold one after a long hard work day or barbecue on a football Sunday, these are the little reminders and glimpses of our freedom.

Our freedom which is constantly being defended, a fight for freedom which has been the top priority of everyone who has ever sworn to protect it.

From everyday demands, training and deployments, veterans have sacrificed so much to protect our freedom.

The sacrifices these men and women make go beyond what anyone could imagine. Being away from home months at a time with deployment rotation after rotation, and the hardships some of these veterans endure after

being in combat is a serious matter. What affects our military personnel, can affect their families too. Many veterans can remain forever changed from the impacts their service has had on them.

Whether that’s physically, emotionally or mentally, the impact is there.

Veterans Day isn’t just a day to say thank you and honor all our servicemen and women, it is also a day to give back to those who have given so much to us. While this day serves as a reminder and special honor for our veterans, our thankfulness goes beyond the scope of these 24 hours.

To our veterans and active duty, we cannot begin to understand the true depth of your sacrifice, but we can express our gratitude and let you know the true depth of our thankfulness.

To o u r c o m m u n i t y, there are many ways in which you can give back to veterans throughout the

year. You can begin by researching local non-profit organizations that work to provide housing and food for many veterans who don’t have the resources.

Donating even the smallest of your time to these organizations can make a lasting impact.

While this day serves as a reminder and special honor for our veterans, our thankfulness goes beyond the scope of these 24 hours.

Another way is to continue to write and send care packages to our soldiers deployed overseas.

While soldiers do not expect these types of things, the love that comes with it is a great way to boost morale in our men and women who are so far

from home. Let’s not allow anyone to walk away empty handed from a mail call. If you do not know where to start or where to send one, “Operation Gratitude” is an organization that can help coordinate where to send your letters or care packages to.

One last way is to simply “greenlight a vet.”

This movement has been sparked all over the country since it first began in 2016. This is the act of simply exchanging a light bulb on your porch with a green one. This shows you are in constant support of veterans all over the globe. Visit greenlightavet.com for more information on this movement.

However, it is that you like to show your thankfulness to the service of our veterans, please continue to do so. Remember, “all gave some, and some gave all.” @AngContrerasDT

COLUMN

“Doctor Sleep” is an example of the perfect adaptation

I

n January 2013, Stephen King fans erupted in excitement over the release of King’s unexpected sequel to his 1977 classic novel, “The Shining.” This sequel was well-reviewed by critics and loved by avid King readers so it was only a matter of time before it would be adapted into a film much like its predecessor, “The Shining,” directed by Stanley Kubrick.

This evident adaptation was announced in June 2019 and was going to open in theaters this month. So, grab a fire axe and prepare to face the ultimate evils that await the viewers in Mike Flanagan’s film, “Doctor Sleep.”

This film was written and directed by Flanagan and stars Ewan McGregor as a 39-year-old Daniel Torrance trying to stop a group of supernatural vampires known as the True Knot, led by their queen, played by Rebecca Ferguson, as they try to capture a child who possesses psychic abilities. Danny’s fight against the True Knot

Marcus Gutierrez is a sophomore creative media industries major from Houston.

leads him to address his PTSD of the events that took place at the Overlook Hotel all those years ago.

So far, “Doctor Sleep” has earned $14.1 million globally and is slated to make back its budget and surpass its predecessor which sits at $45.7 million. Though it has a 74% on Rotten Tomatoes, this film is said to be one of the best Stephen King adaptations on the big screen.

To start with the pros of the movie, this film has a great story of a man trying to face a great evil with an internal look at how he must also struggle through addiction and overcome his fears of the ghosts he had faced in the past. This is an excellent example of how redemption/ revival stories should be portrayed in cinema; establish

a character and the problem he must face while, at the same time, have him or her face a past event or overcome some sort of turmoil that has left them broken. This type of story is rarely seen in today’s cinema but whenever it is seen, it blows audiences away. “Doctor Sleep” does just that.

Another great part of this film is the performances, most prominently in McGregor, Ferguson and Kyliegh Curran, as Abara, in her feature film debut.

Each of the actors goes above and beyond with how they are present their lines while also adding subtext of their past events.

McGregor has been around the block of Hollywood with amazing performances, but the way he is able to portray this broken man coming back to the light and helping someone whom he has never met. Ferguson goes in the opposite direction with her performance of a power-hungry villain who will stop at nothing to

get what she wants. Also, something to note is that every scene with her and the True Knot will make any viewer squirm in their chair and strike the fear of the unknown that waits for them on their way home. Curran also did an amazing job in her performance of a child who is scared of her abilities but uses them for the good of those she cares about.

There was also a lot of great cinematography and music used in the film, all working together to establish scenes in a very beautiful way. This is all thanks to the partnership of Michael Fimognari, the cinematographer, and The Newton Brothers, (Andy Grush and Taylor Stewart), the composers. When there was a scene of the True Knot and their camp, the music established the dread that comes with it. When there was a scene of the Overlook or the land surrounding it, the score played in the familiar song, “Dies Irae,” heard in “The Shining.” The main point is

that without the cinematography, the score cannot work and vice versa.

The only negative thing that can be said about the film is there were not enough scenes with the characters having more dialogue with each other. Danny and Abra had great amount of scenes together but there were not enough scenes with the two of them having individual scenes with Rose the Hat. If there were more scenes with them and their excellent acting, this film would be perfect.

Overall, this film is a great piece of cinema that introduces a new generation of moviegoers to the stories of Stephen King while also standing as it’s own independent film. It is also a great example of how an adaptation of a previous piece of work should be done. With a movie like this, the reader becomes the watcher and is presented with a new story altogether. @MGutierrezDT

ASSOCIATED PRESS

In memoir, Haley alleges some on Trump team urged resistance

P

resident Donald Trump's former U.N. ambassador, Nikki Haley , alleges in her upcoming memoir that two administration officials who were ultimately pushed out

by Trump once tried to get her to join them in opposing some of his policies.

In "With All Due Respect," Haley said then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and

LETTERS The Daily Toreador welcomes letters from readers. Letters must be no longer than 300 words and must include the author’s name,

then-White House chief of staff John Kelly told her that they were trying to "save the country." Haley writes that she was "shocked" by the request, made during a closed-door meeting, and thought they were only trying to put their own imprint on his policies.

"Kelly and Tillerson confided in me that when they resisted the president, they

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weren't being insubordinate, they were trying to save the country," Haley wrote. "It was their decisions, not the president's, that were in the best interests of America, they said.

The president didn't know what he was doing. ... Tillerson went on to tell me the reason he resisted the president's decisions was because, if he didn't, people

would die."

The former South Carolina governor said the meeting lasted more than an hour and that they never raised the issue to her again.

Haley's book comes out Tuesday. The Associated Press purchased an early copy.

"Instead of saying that to me, they should've been saying that to the president, not asking me to

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join them on their sidebar plan," Haley wrote. "It should've been, 'Go tell the president what your differences are, and quit if you don't like what he's doing.'

But to undermine a president is really a very dangerous thing. And it goes against the Constitution, and it goes against what the American people want.

And it was offensive."

EDITORIALS Unsigned editorials appearing on this page represent the opinion of The DailyToreador. All other columns, letters and artwork represent the opinions of their authors and are not necessarily representative of the editorial board, Texas Tech University, its employees, its student body or the Board of Regents. The DailyToreador is independent of the College of Media and Communication. Responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies with the student editors.

LA VIDA

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NOV. 11, 2019

5

PROFILE

Charter member of Eloquent Raiders returns to mentor, share his story

By RYANN RAEL Staff Writer

Growing up, Lubbock n a t i v e B e n M e r c a d o ’s childhood home was located very close to the Texas Tech Jones AT&T football stadium, so he often heard the Goin’ Band from Raiderland as they performed at football games.

A s h e g o t o l d e r, h e regularly worked concessions at Tech games with church groups, he said.

He received his associates degree from South Plains, and despite growing up so close to Tech, it wasn’t until after he earned his associates that he contemplated going to Tech.

“I just knew it was a big part of my life but it wasn’t until after I got my associates that I decided I did want to go to university, and why not Tech?”

Mercado said. “It’s right in my backyard, all my family is here, I grew up listening to the Goin’ Band.”

Like so many other students, Mercado was unsure of the path his life would take. However, his grandparents helped him find his calling, he said.

As his grandparents got older, minor debts became a concern. Mercado had read some books on personal finance. He put his knowledge to use, and worked with his grandparents to establish a budget, get debts settled or eliminated. Within a few months, his grandparents were able to begin saving.

He remembers a conversation with his grandmother when she expressed how proud she was that her grandson was the one who had helped them.

“And one of the things she told me that had a high impact was that she knew even though she was getting sicker, she knew my grandpa was going to be OK,” he said. “Their finances were settled. She wouldn’t have to worry about him like she would have if they hadn’t had that taken care of. So that meant a lot to me and that had a big impact.”

Upon arriving at Tech, Mercado said he changed majors several times from university studies, to business, to accounting, finally

landing on personal finance. He now has his own personal financial planning firm, Foundations Keep.

“When I got into the major, or the studies of it, it was a little different than I expected, but at the core of it, there’s a service to it, and I really enjoy that service,” he said. “And I get to do that for clients, like I did with my grandparents and my parents, now I get to replicate that over and over, and it’s such a joy.”

Part of the personal financial planning curriculum is interning with financial firms. Mercado secured a position with a firm in Lubbock which turned into a job that he maintained after graduation in 2014 until he opened his own firm, he said.

“And the intent, we had the understanding from the very beginning was that I would eventually set up my own firm,” Mercado said. “And so they really helped mentor me throughout that.”

Mercado also has a government contract that he secured, in part, with the help of an organization he chartered in his time at Tech, he said.

While he was earning his degree, Mercado became aware of the Toastmasters organization, from a professor, Robert Barnhill, who had won national competitions through Toastmasters and advocated for it, Mercado said.

“To have someone that distinguished in the Toastmasters organization, and he was a really well known professor, and a really well known professional, because he had his own CPA office here in Lubbock, that was really inspiring,” he said. “If I wanted to be successful as a financial planner, then of course I’m looking to replicate or see how other professionals have been successful.”

Toastmasters is an international non-profit organization that seeks to build communication skills and leadership, according to its website. There are currently more than 350,000 members worldwide.

At the time, the Texas Tech chapter had yet to be chartered; it was in its

infant stages when, on a whim, Mercado decided to attend some meetings his junior year.

“I went to a few meetings, super nervous, super quiet, just to myself, and it just really impressed me,” he said. “The eloquence they had when they were speaking. Some people went up there, and you could tell they were nervous, but the next time you could tell they weren’t as nervous.”

When what would soon be known as the Eloquent Raiders received its charter, Mercado was asked to be a chartering member, which he said was an honor. He spent the rest of his time as an undergraduate taking on many different roles in the organization, from the president to sergeant of arms, to officer of public relations and many more.

“It was something I really enjoyed, and what I really liked about it was not just that I was getting more comfortable giving speeches, but I also got a chance to meet other people from other colleges and majors and establish friendships,” he said. “But also have a competitive atmosphere. It was fun and all in good spirits.

And that left an impact with me.”

Mercado has maintained his relationship with the Eloquent Raiders, now an established Toastmasters chapter, becoming a mentor and role model for current students.

“He’s really confident,” Preston McDonald, a graduate student in biological sciences and the Vice President of Public Relations for the Eloquent Raiders, said. “He’s an amazing speaker. He makes the whole meeting flow more smoothly. He’s a role model. He’s epitomizing everything that everyone’s trying to develop here.”

Mercado has filled in at various positions as needed in his time acting as an unofficial mentor, and has been a great resource for the current members of Eloquent Raiders, McDonald said. Mercado’s expertise has been helpful, as he was a member and leader when the club was in its early days, so he

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knows how to organize and run meetings.

He also brings more than just his Toastmasters knowledge to the table; Mercado brings a new perspective and energy, Jill Davis, the faculty advisor for Eloquent Raiders, said.

This is good for students because they have the chance to gain perspective on the organization and the opportunities Eloquent Raiders provide from someone who has gone through it and is now a professional.

Part of the lesson students can get is that being apart of Toastmasters impacted Mercado in more ways than he thought, he said.

“I went to Toastmasters just to have a little more confidence,” Mercado said.

“Never in my life did I think I would be contracting with the government to just go up and speak in front of people. It’s just hard to imagine, I go to school to learn something and then get paid for that, Eloquent Raiders wasn’t even a course. It wasn’t even a public speaking class, it was just something I did for fun, and that ends up being something I actually get paid for.”

Gaining confidence and communication skills in front of an audience is one of the key learning objectives of Toastmasters, McDonald said, and is one of the reasons he joined Eloquent Raiders.

“I think this is a good place for controlled exposure and that’s how you extinguish fear,” he said.

“I think it’s mostly about providing a safe and supportive environment for everyone to work on what it is they came here to work on. No one is here to sabotage anyone or be overly critical. That’s the most important thing.”

Many students go into Toastmasters uncertain of themselves, or how they will benefit from the organization, Davis said. Once students jump in, they have been able to blossom and accomplish what they wanted to.

Students are responsible for their own experience, and Davis said one of her favorite parts about

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being a faculty advisor is watching students take initiative and put energy into the Eloquent Raiders and seeing how it is reflected back on them.

This trend is also one of Mercado’s favorite aspects of Toastmasters.

“The one that sticks with me, it’s an ongoing one, and it’s an experience that happens over and over,” he said. “You see somebody walk in the d o o r, a n d t h e y ’ r e v e r y nervous, very shy, very to themselves, and then the next semester, or even a year later, they’ve just blossomed. They look completely new. Their posture is different, the presence in their voice is louder.

They are able to voluntell people what to do.

Just seeing that personal growth in each individual has probably been one of the most exciting things that I’ve been apart of with toastmasters.”

Because of Eloquent Raiders, Mercado was able to leave his mark on the university. He was asked to speak at a graduation ceremony for his college, he said.

“Even being able to represent my fellow graduates, I thought that was a big honor, ” Mercado said. So that was one of my special moments for me at graduation because I got to apply what I had learned in Toastmasters in that ceremony, and I got to leave my mark on the program.” @RyannRael_DT

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6

SPORTS

NOV. 11, 2019

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SOCCER

TCU eliminates Tech from Big 12 Tournament

By ARIANNA FLORES Staff Writer

The No. 13 Texas Tech soccer team ended its run in the Big 12 Championships on Friday after a 2-1 loss to Texas Christian in the semifinal match.

During the regular season, Tech defeated Baylor 2-0 and then faced the Bears for the second time in the first round of the tournament, according to Tech Athletics. The Red Raiders eliminated the Bears 1-0, with a goal scored in the 27th minute of the match.

Freshman goalkeeper and the recently named Big 12 Freshman of the Year, Madison White, played a part in the shutout against the Bears with three recorded saves during the postseason match. White added three to the already ten saves she had against Baylor during the regular season match.

During the quarterfinal match, junior for-

ward and Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, Kirsten Davis, scored the lone goal against the Bears, according to Tech Athletics. Davis, the conference scoring leader finished her junior season with 16 goals for this season, with two of the 16 goals scored against Baylor.

Three yellow cards were given during the game against Baylor with the Bears receiving all three in the second half of the match, according to Tech Athletics. Baylor recorded seven shots in the first half and one in the second with zero saved attempts.

The Bears were eliminated in the quarterfinals to put their record at 8-8-3 overall and 4-5 in conference play, according to Baylor Athletics.

The Red Raiders advanced to the semifinals of the tournament along with the Horned Frogs who defeated their quarterfinal opponent, Texas,

with three straight goals compared to Texas’ one score during the shootout, according to TCU Athletics.

In the regular season, TCU was the only conference team to defeat Tech and scored two goals during that match. In the semifinals, the Horned Frogs scored another two goals compared to the Red Raiders’ single, according to Texas Christian Athletics.

Tech’s lone goal was made by selected All-Big 12 First Team member and a redshirt junior midfielder, Jordie Harr. In the 53rd second of the first half, sophomore forward Charlotte Teeter kicked the ball from across the field to land near Harr who then took a shot while inside the Horned Frogs’ box to score the first goal of the night, according to Tech Athletics.

This was Harr’s third goal of the season and earned a record as the fastest score in Big 12 championship history, according to Tech Athletics.

The All-Big 12 First Team member and sophomore forward for the Horned Frogs, Messiah Bright scored on the Red Raiders once already during the regular season, according to TCU Athletics. During the semifinals, Bright scored twice, one in the first and one in the second half of the match to send the Horned Frogs to the championship game.

Tech allowed 12 goals to get into their net this season with three of the 12 scored by Bright from TCU, according to Tech Athletics.

After the loss in the semifinal, the Red Raiders now move on to the NCAA tournament. On Monday, Tech will learn where they fit in the tournament during the NCAA annual selection show. The show will be shown with the Red Raiders and head coach Tom Stone and is open to the public at the Texas Tech Club starting at 3 p.m. on Monday. @AriannaFloresDT

KINLEY ROBINSON/The Daily Toreador

TOP: Junior midfielder Jordie Harr moves the ball around an opponent at the Texas Tech vs. Kansas State soccer game on Oct. 31, 2019. Tech defeated the Wildcats 4-1. BOTTOM: The teams stand for the national anthem before the Texas Tech vs. Kansas State soccer game on Oct. 31, 2019. Tech defeated the Wildcats 4-1.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Practice squad reflects on experience with Lady Raiders

By ELEANOR GUINAN Staff Writer

The Texas Tech women’s basketball team has an all-male practice squad, created to improve the team. With less than a week until the start of the season, a member of the practice squad spoke of his experience with the Lady Raiders.

Jay Spencer, a junior sports management major from Frisco, said he first heard of the practice team from a flier his freshman year.

“It keeps me in shape for one,” Spencer said, “but even though I don’t play anymore it’s still cool to hear, you know, take calls from the coach’s state of mind and still be a student of the game. On top

of that the opportunities for after college, especially being a sports management major, you get a lot of connections.”

While the practice squad does not travel with the team, they still help the Lady Raiders on home games, Spencer said. The practice team helps the players warm-up before the game and then cheers them on from the stands.

Since the men on the practice team have to be in all the practices, Spencer said he and his members are allowed to register early.

“If you have a job, you really have to let your job know,” Spencer said. “It’s a commitment, the coaches want you there every day just like they want to girls there every day.”

Spencer said the practice team does not hold back on the women’s basketball team.

“We don’t take it easy at all,” Spencer said. “Even though we are biologically stronger, they’re still D1 athletes in the Big 12, and they have a great strength coach in Ralph Petrella. A lot of them are stronger than a lot of the guys on the practice team.

We’re not even as strong as some of the athletes in the Big 12, so we give them all we got.”

Even though the team had a 14-17 record and 4-14 conference record, Tech head coach Marlene Stollings earned the second-biggest turnaround in the Power Five, according to Tech Athletics. With the 14 wins, Stollings earned the best record by a first-year head coach since

the 2006-07 season.

“It’s a completely different coach between Coach Candi (Whitaker) and Coach Marlene (Stollings),” Spencer said. “Their mentality Coach M, she came in and built a rapport really quickly and let us know she was there to turn the program around. Her first year, last year we had the second-biggest turnaround in the nation. The way she came in and let it be known who she was and carried that out; she’s been doing a great job ever since.”

Spencer said interacting with college-level coaches is nothing like he has experienced. When he practices with the players and coaches, it is not what he was used to when he played in high school.

“It’s interesting because you learn a lot about basketball that you really can’t learn just through playing,” Spencer said.

“When you hear these college coaches talk, it’s completely different in the plays they run, it’s just the way they see basketball.”

In order to become a practice squad member, you have to go through a scrimmage with Stollings, Spencer said. Before the member does the try-out, they must have a physical done and have high school varsity basketball experience.

“I’ll always be a student of the game more than anything,” Spencer said, on why he does the practice squad. “We get gear and (early) registration but being in the atmosphere of college athletes and college coaches -- it’s

just stuff that can help you so much. Then the connections you can make personally and from a business aspect.”

Spencer said the hidden gem in being a member of the practice squad is a benefit a regular college student will not experience.

“Playing in the USA (United Supermarkets Arena) that’s really cool,” Spencer said.

“Even though we are just practicing, we’ll have scrimmages and stuff and you’ll see your score on the jumbotron and replays, it’s a pretty cool experience actually.”

The women’s basketball team will start the 2019-20 season at 6 p.m. on Nov. 14 against Sam Houston State in the United Supermarkets Arena. @EleanorGuinanDT