The Oracle THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2014 I VOL. 52 NO. 46
Inside this Issue
N E W S
“Christmas creep” turns off shoppers. Page 4
Montage
S P ORTS Cousins looks to step out of brother’s shadow at USF. BACK
Opinion.......................................................4 Classifieds..............................................8
Crossword.......................................8 sports.........................................................12
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
Student brings the metal to St. Pete Staff union, USF find common ground
By Wesley Higgins
O P I NIO N
www.usforacle.com
The Index
E D I T O R
It’s not often that metalheads use the power of metal for charity, but one USF student is summoning bands from all over Florida to St. Petersburg on Saturday in support of epilepsy research. USF student Lucille Volpe, a production assistant at State Theatre, put together Destroyer Fest to satisfy the demand for metal music. “Every band at the festival is producing something that is organic and raw,” she said. “They’re not using freaking autotune or a synthesizer. They’re using beefy Orange amps, heavy guitars and big drums that create a huge live experience.” The proceeds from the event will go to the Epilepsy Services Foundation in honor of epilepsy awareness month. “It’s a disease that needs a bit more awareness,” Volpe
said. “I want my festival to be a nonprofit festival that gives back to the community.” The prospect of a mosh pit or a blown eardrum is unfavorable to some newcomers, but Volpe said it’s a shared experience everyone needs to try once. “People look out for each other. If you fall on the floor, someone is going to pick you right back up,” she said. “Everyone is there to have a good time, not beat the crap of each other.” The rush of head banging while throwing up devil horns was lost to ages with bands such as Black Sabbath, but Volpe said that feeling is coming back to a new generation of metalheads. “It’s addicting and intoxicating,” she said. “I just wanted more of it and it’s why I decided to work in music. I wanted to help build that community.” Volpe said bringing talented bands might help proliferate the metal scene in the Tampa
area, which used to be considered the death metal capital of the world. “I don’t know what happened,” she said. “For some reason, it just diminished it over the years. Instead indie music and electronica became more popular.” Though the live metal scene in Florida has been slow to resurrect, it’s gained traction in other parts of the country since the 1990s. “Right now, huge bands are getting booked everywhere but Florida,” Volpe said. “I want to bring them down here and show them that Florida is worth their time.” Some metal subgenres, with bands such as Electric Wizard and Sleep, feature a laid-back groove and lower pitch than early metal bands, such as Iron Maiden or Megadeth. “I love metal and I love sludge metal, doom metal and stoner metal,” Volpe said. “When there’s a metal
n See METAL on PAGE 2
Yik Yak engages colleges with anonymity The growing app that all the kids are using these days.
n
By Alex Rosenthal E D I T O R
I N
C H I E F
“We should have our squirrels fight the squirrels from other universities to prove we are the best,” one Yik Yak post from Virginia Tech said. “I think I did better on my midterms than the democratic party …,” posted another student at the College of William & Mary. “You know what makes your 4 year degree useless? A neck tattoo,” said another post from Michigan State.
If a USF student were to use the Yik Yak app on campus, they’d likely see jokes about the value of a UCF degree, a reference to a quirky professor or something weird someone saw in the dining hall on campus. Yik Yak has become one of the latest trends in social media wherein people can anonymously post to users around them. According to Cam Mullen, lead community developer at Yik Yak, people are posting to the app every 60 seconds and an estimated 11 to 15 percent of students at USF use it. “We call it a local, anonymous Twitter,” Mullen said. “We show you the 100 most recent posts within a few mile radius, and you don’t have to friend or follow each other. It’s
an open network – like a bulletin board in your area.” What makes Yik Yak unique among smartphone apps, Mullen said, was the “intersection of location and anonymity.” In the early days of apps and smartphones, he said there was a lot of anonymous activity and people began to feel sketched out and thus shifted to requiring usernames to show identities. While the location aspect of the app allows users to only see what’s posted in a two-mile radius and feel a sense of community, Mullen said there is a trend for apps to cycle back to more anonymity. “I find it cool because everything is anonymous,” said Taylre Loyster, a junior major-
n See YIK YAK on PAGE 3
By Wesley Higgins N E W S
E D I T O R
Collective bargaining for the 2014-15 contract came to a close between university and staff union officials who represent 700 custodians, maintenance and non-administrative staff on campus. Though negotiations began with a rough start in September, both sides reconciled many issues and left Wednesday’s bargaining meeting grinning and shaking hands. “You met us midway on some stuff, we met you midway on stuff,” University Chief Negotiator John Dickinson said. “This is our best proposal of the year.” Once the contract is ratified, all university staff will receive a 3 percent increase to base salary starting in 2015. This settlement followed a series of counter proposals. The staff union originally demanded a 5 percent base salary increase, while the university proposed an acrossthe-board 2 percent increase with a bonus for merit. “Our board is extremely adamant in their position that performance should be a critical factor in how we pay people at this university,” Dickinson said. “For purposes of getting an agreement … at least this first year, we will retreat from that notion.” Hector Ramos, chief negotiator for the staff union, said a base salary increase was needed to compensate for reces-
n See UNION on PAGE 2
2
METAL
Continued from PAGE 1
show, everybody comes out. It doesn’t matter who it is or what kind of metal it is, people just love it.” Destroyer Fest will feature the slower, heavier kind of metal with fuzzy guitar riffs and bonesaw bass lines. Ten Florida bands, such as Ulcer and Orbweaver, will open for Weedeater. Formed in 1998 in North Carolina, Weedeater is a household name in the stoner metal scene. They’ve released four albums and toured the world with sold-out shows. “For Weedeater to put their faith in some new kid on the block, that’s a pretty rewarding feeling,” Volpe said. After getting permission from her boss at State Theatre almost a year ago, Volpe said she called every metal band she could think of to convince them to play. “I contacted big time agents who had been agents for Black
T H U R S DAY, N O V E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 4
Sabbath and Metallica,” she said. ““After Weedeater signed on, it all went from there.” Volpe said she got the idea for using metal to raise donations after raising $3,000 at a smaller concert in New Port Richey three years ago. “That was just from local bands and a few donations,” she said. “Now I want to use my resources to do something bigger … and I was tired of indie festivals all the time while the metal bands were left out.” Volpe said State Theatre would give the opening acts a chance to play a bigger venue than they normally could. After the festival, there will also be an after-party across the street at The Local 662, which will have free entry and Jagermeister with festival tickets. “The after-party will highlight some up-and-coming metal that are on the cusp of hitting it big,” she said. The festival is all-ages and doors open at 3 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $15 advance and $18 at the box-office.
UNION
Continued from PAGE 1
sion years in which the staff received little or no increase. “We don’t blame the university for that,” he said. “We’re trying to make up some of that lost ground.” The university also agreed to provide the staff union a list of newly hired staff, including their names, job titles, departments and on-campus mailing addresses. This arrangement satisfies the union’s demand to increase its access to staff employees and their awareness of the union’s existence. Ramos originally proposed the university hand out a letter from the union president and a copy of their contract to new staff hires. Outlining the extent and definition of practical discipline was central to the final discussions as well. Ramos asked the university in previous meetings to explicitly express how supervisors may handle reprimanding
employees. The contract will now state that supervisors must discipline respectfully and in a private manner to avoid embarrassment. In earlier negotiations, Ramos said the staff union received reports of unjust treatment. Dickinson said Wednesday that the university would remind managers and supervisors to treat their employees fairly. “It’s not just because (the staff union) proposed it,” Dickinson said. “It’s because it’s the right thing to do.” Dickinson further said public disciplinary actions, such as yelling at an employee whose mistake creates an imminent danger, would be reviewed by Human Resources and resolved internally. For reprimanded employees, the university agreed to define progressive discipline as a process for dealing with job-related behavior that doesn’t meet the university’s performance standards. “It’s the notion of the employee being given the
●
T H E O R AC L E
chance to improve their behavior before immediate termination,” Dickinson said. The university also signed off on a new grievance procedure. If a staff employee’s grievance got to the point of arbitration, each party would split the cost of the arbitrator. Before this, the cost of arbitration fell to the party that lost in court, which was a jeopardy Ramos had complained the faculty union didn’t have to risk, unlike the staff union. The university also agreed to revise the contract’s layoff policy to better protect permanent status staff employees. If layoffs would be necessary, nonpermanent employees in comparable positions will be laid off instead. Though the staff union members at Wednesday’s meetings said they approved of the university’s final proposal, they would nonetheless meet with union members Nov. 21 before ratifying the contract. “Thank you, for what I consider a very fruitful negotiation,” Ramos said.
T H U R S DAY, N O V E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 4
●
SigDelt hosts benefit to prevent child abuse By Brandon Shaik A S S T .
N E W S
E D I T O R
The Gamma Eta chapter of the Sigma Delta Tau sorority is hosting its annual Putting on the Hits philanthropy event to benefit Prevent Child Abuse America, a nonprofit organization. Putting on the Hits, an event that has been hosted by SigDelt for the last 24 years, is a lip-syncing and dancing competition in which different Greek organizations on campus compete against each other. All of the money raised from admission to the event goes to Prevent Child Abuse America, and the event has given over $100,000 to the organization over the last five years, according to the sorority. This year SigDelt aims to raise $50,000 for the organization through the event. Prevent Child Abuse America, founded in 1972, works with 600 families across all 50 states to promote healthy
3
T H E O R AC L E
childhood development and advocate for a national framework to prevent instances of abuse and neglect. SigDelt works with the organization on a national level and each chapter is responsible for a philanthropy event to raise funds. According to the SigDelt national website, the sorority as a whole raised $254,925 for Prevent Child Abuse America, and the USF Gamma Eta chapter raised a total of $45,000 during the 2013-2014 academic year. Leading up to the event, SigDelt completed several service projects to raise awareness for the organization and the event itself included a donation car wash, which was held on Veteran’s Day. The 25th Annual Putting on the Hits event will take place in the Marshall Student Center Ballroom at 6:30 p.m. this evening. Ballroom seats are $10 each and are first come, first serve. The event will also be screened in the Oval Theater for $7 each.
YIK YAK
Continued from PAGE 1
ing in integrated animal biology. “When I use it, I usually am on the sixth floor of the Library, calling out people that are being loud.” When the app was launched in November 2013 at Furman University, Mullen said the creators saw the growing popularity of certain Twitter accounts. “They saw a bunch of these anonymous Twitter accounts on campus that I’m sure you have at USF, like maybe ‘USF Confessions’ or ‘Overheard at USF,’ and they had tons of followers on campus, but (the accounts were run) by only a few anonymous people … so they wanted to give this ability to post to everyone,” Mullen said. Anonymity proved problematic for the app earlier this year when numerous articles criticized it for allowing cyberbullying at high schools
and middle schools across the country, according to articles by Forbes and Business Insider. Mullen said the app has since been reworked so that users cannot post on the property of high schools or middle schools because “they weren’t mature enough” and has been geared more toward the college-age demographic. To him, the location and anonymity can level the playing field between, for example, someone familiar with campus and a freshman on campus in the first few days. Posts from both kinds of users would theoretically be treated the same in the same location. “(The anonymity) lets you talk about conversations you might not otherwise be able to have … so you’re more comfortable because you won’t feel judged,” he said. The hazards of anonymity are countered in various ways, Mullen said. “Anonymity in general can sometimes breed not the best
behavior online, and at Yik Yak, we err on the side of take stuff down as quickly as possible,” Mullen said. He said the first obstacle for negative content is the voting process on the app, with which users can promote, or “up vote,” liked content and “down vote” poor content. Once any particular post reaches a score of negative five, the post is removed automatically. Mullen also said the app has a feature in which users can report posts, and the app has a team of moderators who look at posts for specific names, phone numbers and anything else like cyberbullying, racist or homophobic slurs, and other inappropriate content. Within the last year, the app has grown worldwide and is now used on over 1,000 college campuses. — Additional reporting by Sebastian Contento
Opinion
4
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
●
T H U R S D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 4
‘Christmas creep’ pushes consumers away from stores retailers Walmart, Target and J.C. Penney followed the lead of Sam’s Club and Costco by offering Christmas products such as ornaments, giftwrap and cards to shoppers as early as September. Kmart took a cheeky approach to starting Christmas in September with a recent commercial that danced around the subject of starting shopping early, advertising a hypothetical “merry” celebration in late December. Santa hats, nutcrackers and strings of lights were shelved next to scary masks, fake pumpkins and oversized bags of candy. William Cody, managing director of the Baker Retailing Initiative at the University of Pennsylvania, said he believes retailers begin selling holiday merchandise early to avoid selling anything on a promotion, increasing the number of full-price sales. Not every customer is buying in to the Christmas creep, though. In a survey of 1,000 people, 71 percent felt “annoyed” or “very annoyed” to see holiday products in stores before Halloween and 42 percent said
Brandon Shaik COLU M N I ST
“For every Christmas tree lit before thanksgiving, an elf drowns a baby reindeer,” tweeted comedian Zach Galifianakis. While his message is brash, it’s serious: Christmas is happening far too soon and it’s everywhere. What was once carols playing softly in the department store and a lit tree here and there is now a holiday movie on every TV channel, garland and lights on anything without a pulse, and let’s not forget the psychopathy that is gift shopping. The premature arrival of the holidays in retail stores, coined the “Christmas creep,” seems to start earlier every year. Beginning in the early 2000s,
the Oracle
they were deterred from buying from them as a result, according to RichRelevance, a software retailer. It wouldn’t be Christmas in the U.S. unless everyone went into debt, prompting retailers to open stores earlier for postThanksgiving deals. Business Insider reported sales of $12.3 billion in bricks-and-mortar store sales last Black Friday, a 2.3 percent increase from the previous year. Consumers can expect Thanksgiving openings to be the new normal at shopping malls, with some opening as early as 8 p.m., according to CNNMoney. And who cares if workers have to cut their holiday short, because retail slaves don’t have families, right? If the obsession with finding deals on TVs and iPads doesn’t kill Halloween and Thanksgiving in the coming years, all of the tinsel, fake snow and Michael Buble playing on every single speaker in the nation will surely put these holidays in a merry grave.
●
T H E O R AC L E
What you said Assistant multimedia editor Sebastian Contento asked students if they use the Yik Yak app, and their opinions on what they have posted or seen in the app.
“I think the app isn’t that popular anymore; it’s just irrelevant now, and honestly, I just don’t have time to use it.” — Jessica Lombao, a senior majoring in communications “I don’t use it – I think it’s very negative – and the fact that it’s anonymous makes it even worse. People hide behind their phones and lack accountability for what they say or think.” — Tedi Raphael, a freshman majoring in theater “I like the app because sometimes people are afraid to post their views, but posting anonymously encourages this. Unfortunately, I have seen very insulting comments toward students and even teachers.”
Brandon Shaik is a senior majoring in psychology.
the University of South Florida’s student newspaper since 1966
Editor in Chief: Alex Rosenthal ............................ oracleeditor@gmail.com Managing Editor: Roberto Roldan .................. oraclemeditor@gmail.com News Editor: Wesley Higgins ......................... oraclenewsteam@gmail.com Sports Editor: Vinnie Portell ........................ oraclesportseditor@gmail.com Lifestyle Editor: Courtney Combs .......... oraclelifestyleeditor@gmail.com Copy Editor: Grace Hoyte Multimedia Editor: Adam Mathieu Copy Editor: Sebastian Contento, Jacob Hoag, Brandon Shaik Graphic Arts Manager: Chelsea Stulen
The Oracle is published Monday through Thursday during the fall and spring semesters, and twice weekly, Monday and Thursday, during the summer.
— Maharshi Shah, a freshman majoring in computer engineering
The Oracle allocates one free issue to each student. Additional copies are $.50 each and available at the Oracle office (SVC 0002).
BY PHONE Main . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . News . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sports ................ Lifestyle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Website: Facebook: Twitter:
974-6242 974-5190 974-1888 974-2842 974-2398 974-2620 974-6242
usforacle.com facebook.com/usforacle @USFOracle
CORRECTIONS The Oracle will correct or clarify factual errors. Contact Editor in Chief Alex Rosenthal at 974-5190.
“I really don’t use it, and wouldn’t use it. I just don’t have the time. But I do think people are free to say what they want.” — Peter Lennox, a junior majoring in biomedical sciences
T H U R S DAY, N O V E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 4
●
5
T H E O R AC L E
Men’s Basketball
Bulls ready to get season rolling By Vinnie Portell S P O R T S
E D I T O R
The USF men’s basketball team has only played one exhibition game together thus far. The only returning players to see time on court last season are sophomore forward Chris Perry, senior guard Corey Allen Jr. and junior guard Anthony Collins. Coaching a young team that has seven new players can present challenges, but coach Orlando Antigua said the team showed promise in its win against IUP. “I thought we competed well, moved the ball well,” Antigua said. “I think one of the things that was key for us is we got a lead in the second half and then IUP made a nice little run. I wanted to see how we responded and how we dealt with adversity.” The Bulls’ first run in with adversity will be Friday, when USF hosts Flagler for the first regular season game. Antigua said even though he is worried about how the team will deal with rough stretches, they’re
ready to compete. “(Adversity) is always a concern, but the only way you get experience is by going through it,” Antigua said. “You try to prepare them as much as possible and then you brace yourself and you start going through the games and dealing with the adversity and you teach them how to walk through some of that stuff. A lot of it is sticking to your principles, communicating, helping one another and sacrificing.” While this game will be the first of many tests for the Bulls and Antigua, Collins is excited just to have another chance to play again. “It’s like a fresh start,” Collins said. “I like that the new guys just want to listen and go play hard, so that’s exciting.” The Saints finished 11-15 last season and haven’t had a winning season since 2007-08. This season, Flagler begins its schedule with exhibition games against UCF and the Bulls. The Saints were defeated 96-70 on Nov. 4. by the Knights. The game doesn’t count for the
regular season totals for Flagler, but it will count for the Bulls because USF is in Division I while Flagler is only Division II. Despite the Saints’ previous losing records, Antigua said the Bulls will have to watch out for their guards. “Flagler runs really well; they’re aggressive,” Antigua said. “They’ve got two really good guards who play free-spirited. They put up a lot of shots. We’re going to have to do a really good job in transition defense, getting back, locating shooters and making them move the ball around to play against our set defense.” Perry, who sat out USF’s exhibition game with a sore right knee, has been active in practice all week and is expected to play with no limitations Friday. “Chris has been doing great, he’s been practicing the last couple days and he’ll practice (Wednesday), so I anticipate him being ready to go for Friday,” Antigua said. Perry’s return will allow Antigua to have more size on the court
Junior guard Anthony Collins is the only Bull left from the team’s NCAA Tournament run in 2012 and hopes to provide leadership for the young team. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU compared to the small lineups he ran against IUP. Antigua said the small lineups he employed had success, but it’s not plan A for the first-year coach. “I think it gave us a little something different, being able to switch everything,” Antigua said. “It makes it a lot more difficult for teams to score when you’re doing that. When you have everyone that’s about the same size and are playing the same way, with the same kind of intensity and energy, that’s something we may look at for the future. But would I prefer
that? Probably not. We’d like to have the full roster available if we could.” The Bulls are facing one of the weakest opponents on their schedule Friday when they host Flagler in the Sun Dome at 7 p.m., but Collins isn’t taking the Saints lightly. “I think every game is important for us since we’re so young,” Collins said. “We have (seven) new guys and this is our first time playing together, so every game counts for us.”
6
T H U R S DAY, N O V E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 4
●
T H E O R AC L E
Bulls to play UConn in AAC semifinals By Vinnie Portell S P O R T S
E D I T O R
USF’s men’s soccer’s 4-2 victory over Memphis on Saturday has propelled them to the AAC semifinals. The Bulls will travel to Storrs, Connecticut to play UConn for the third time this season. The teams have split the contests so far. Last season, USF (10-7-1, 4-3-1) defeated UConn in the AAC championship game to
win the conference in its inaugural season. In their most recent matchup Nov. 1, UConn (10-6-2, 6-1-1) shutout USF for the 1-0 win at Corbett Stadium. If the Bulls can beat the Huskies, they will play in the AAC championship Sunday, for the second consecutive season. USF will play UConn for the right to advance Saturday at 8 p.m. The game will be broadcast on the American Digital Network.
Women’s soccer plays Illinois State in first round By Jacob Hoag A S S T .
S P O R T S
E D I T O R
After a narrow defeat 3-2 in penalty kicks in the AAC championship by UConn, USF women’s soccer was selected to play a home match against Illinois State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Bulls (13-6-2) controlled most of the game against UConn, taking 14 shots on goal, but failed to score. USF will need to score early as Illinois’ defense has had eight shutouts so far this
season. The Redbirds (15-5-0) have also out-shot their opponents 55-24 so far this season. Their leading scorer, Rachel Tejada, has scored 17 goals this season, averaging 2.32 goals per game. USF was able to shadow UConn leading scorer Rachel Hill during the conference championship game, keeping her from getting many chances on goal. The Bulls will host the Redbirds at Corbett Stadium on Saturday at 7 p.m.
T H U R S DAY, N O V E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 4
●
T H E O R AC L E
7
8
Classifieds UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
To place a classified ad go to
We are now accepting applications for a part-time customer service position. $13.50/hr plus daily and weekly bonuses! Make your own schedule, make your own check! Call 813-988-5941 for more info!
Part time employment, Optometric technician, no experience necessary. Inside LensCrafters Citrus Park Mall Tampa. Health Science major preferred. 813-679-1092. Email drcancellari@gmail.com
T H U R S D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 4
http://www.usforacle.com/classifieds
HELP WANTED Looking for a part-time job? How about one that works with your schedule and pays $13.50/hr?
●
Gymnastics and Swim Instructors Needed Must love kids and be enthusiastic. Call: 813-264-5000
Crossword ●
T H E O R AC L E
T H U R S DAY, N O V E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 4
●
9
T H E O R AC L E
Men’s Basketball
USF gets NLI from 3-star By Jacob Hoag A S S T .
S P O R T S
E D I T O R
USF received a National Letter of Intent on Wednesday from Jahmal McMurray, a 6-foot, 175-pound guard from Sunrise Christian Academy in Wichita, Kansas. McMurray hasn’t been at Sunrise long, having spent Coach Orlando Antigua added another shooter in Jahmal three years at Highland Park McMurray on Wednesday. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU High School where he earned McMurray scored 17 points his position to become more three all-state selections. with six rebounds, four assists of a point guard,” USF coach “He’s a high-level shooter with pretty much unlimited and three steals in his last game Orlando Antigua said. “He is range,” Sunrise coach Luke during which Sunrise defeated someone we can depend on Barnwell said in a press release. No. 19 State Fair Community to learn from Anthony Collins and be able to step into those “He is dangerous beyond the College on Oct. 31. “He has the ability to score roles over the next few years. three-point line and he can get by you, too. He’s a blur to guard the ball really well. He did it He will have the ability to open in ball screens. He makes us go. a lot in high school, and now up the court due to his shooting in prep school he’s refining ability.” When he goes, we’re going.”
COUSINS
Continued from PAGE 12
to any other player. “I’m not the type of person to really idolize people that I’m probably never going to meet or know, so I’d probably say my brother is who I look up to because we came up through the same situations,” he said. As kids, Cousins said the duo lacked a strong father figure in their lives. Their mom was the one who kept them going strong and kept their minds set on succeeding in the sport. “My mother was my role model because I never really had that father figure, but she was always pushing me the same way my brother did,” Cousins said. “I used to complain about things being hard, but she would just keep pushing and say, ‘At the end of the day, it’s going to work out.’” Cousins knew his dad and stepdad growing up, but said neither stepped up to be a person he could rely on. “He didn’t really fit the role, so I kind of saw what a father shouldn’t be,” he said. “I look at my mom as my father because she was there through everything. I had nobody I could just run to in the father role, but I had my mom.” To make ends meet, Monique Cousins, a mother of six, had to work up to three jobs at a time, cutting into her time to spend
with her kids. This led Cousins to step up and help raise his three little sisters. He enjoyed being closer to his sisters and knew the experience would help him down the road. “It made me closer to my family,” he said. “I saw people working hard to get what they wanted and saw certain people not fit for the role of being a parent; it just taught me how to be a better father for when I have my kids.” When his brother was drafted fifth overall in the 2010 NBA draft to the Sacramento Kings, Cousins said he was beyond proud of his big brother. The two still keep in touch whenever they can. In the offseason, the brothers meet up in L.A. to work with trainers and other NBA players in the area to better their game. Cousins said they work on shooting and ball-handling drills, but also go to Impact Fitness and do circuit training to build endurance and get in better shape. During the season, Cousins said it’s harder to find the time to talk, but he tries to call whenever he has the chance. “(My brother and I) talk on the phone every so often, but every time we talk it’s like no time has passed; that’s the relationship we have, nothing’s ever going to change,” Cousins said. When Antigua was hired in March, Cousins knew he wanted to make the trip to Florida to play
under the coaches who made his brother what he is today. “I’m very family oriented,” Cousins said. “Like I said, I don’t trust many people, so me considering (Antigua) and (coach Strickland) and everybody as family, it made me more comfortable coming here. I knew that he would be sincere working with me and not just be using me to get closer to my brother because he doesn’t need that.” Cousins made a quick transition to the new environment. Veteran players like sophomore forward Chris Perry said his goofy and joking attitude fit right in with the team. His dominant play in practice made the transition even easier. “He brings an inside presence along with me, but his is on another level because he’s 6-foot-11 and I’m only 6-foot-6,” Perry said. “(When he first came in), he just had this look on his face like you don’t want to mess with him.” Cousins said his brother isn’t always there to help him progress, but he knows his brother is watching out for him one way or another. “We don’t talk as much because of both of our schedules, but just from me watching him and seeing some things that he does, he’s basically showing me if you work hard like I’m telling you, you can have all of this that I have and more,” he said.
10
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
●
T H U R S D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 4
●
T H E O R AC L E
T H U R S DAY, N O V E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 4
PLAYOFFS
Continued from PAGE 12
Flowers’ potential and what he can add to the offense. “He’s definitely a great quarterback – he’s electric,” Davis said. “He can make plays with his feet and has a strong arm. He’s everything you look for in a football player.” Davis said he has been staying late to ensure that he is getting in work with all of the quarterbacks because he doesn’t know who will be starting any given Saturday, so he’s already comfortable playing with Flowers. “These past five or six weeks, I’ve been having all the quarterbacks after practice and just throwing with them,” Davis said. “We’ve been going through go routes, deep balls, everything, just in case because from week to week, we don’t know who’s going to be there.” In previous weeks, Taggart said Flowers wasn’t ready for more snaps because of his inexperience with the playbook, but Sanchez said he thinks Flowers has gotten a firm grasp of the offense. “You can just see his growth throughout this season,” Sanchez said. “He’s more comfortable in our offense, he’s quiet, he’s shy, but he also has this swagger about himself. He’s confident and he always thinks he can get the job done.” SMU is ranked last in the NCAA for total defense and its offense ranks 123rd out of 125 schools. But despite the Mustangs’ statistical shortcomings, the Bulls are wary. With a new quarterback and playing the Bulls during primetime for their homecoming game, the Mustangs will be playing with nothing to lose. “Records don’t mean anything right now,” Sanchez said. “They just put that new quarterback in, so they’re definitely feeling like his next game he’ll have more confidence and get the job done. And they’re looking at us as a W, so you can’t take them lightly at all.” USF (3-6, 2-3) will play SMU at 8 p.m. at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. The game will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network.
●
T H E O R AC L E
11
Sports
12
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
The Rundown
●
T H U R S D AY, N O V E M B E R 1 3 , 2 0 1 4
●
T H E O R AC L E
Men’s Basketball
Football
Center Jaleel Cousins is ready to prove he’s more than Demarcus’ little brother.
to Flowers to begin ‘playoffs’
Same name, different player Bulls turn n
Outside USF Undefeated Florida State dropped to No. 3 in national rankings behind No. 1 Mississippi State and No. 2 Oregon after Oregon defeated No. 17 Utah on Saturday.
Quick Facts •
•
•
Freshman Quinton Flowers is the fifth starter of coach Willie Taggart’s career at USF. USF women’s soccer is one win shy of tying the program record, which was set in 2010. USF added five recruits on early signing day, including two softball players, two volleyball players and one men’s basketball player.
What to watch for Cincinnati (5-3, 3-1) hosts East Carolina (6-2, 3-1) on Thursday at 7 p.m. in a matchup of two teams tied for second place in the AAC. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2. Tulane (3-6, 2-3) will attempt to upset AAC-best Memphis (6-3, 4-1) on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPNU. FOOTBALL
USF (3-6, 2-3) at SMU (0-8, 0-4)
When: Saturday, 8 p.m. Where: Gerald J. Ford Stadium TV/Radio: CBS Sports Network
IMG/USF Radio Network
By Jacob Hoag A S S T .
S P O R T S
By Vinnie Portell
E D I T O R
S P O R T S
USF junior center Jaleel Cousins and his brother Demarcus grew up together, but now that his brother has become a star in the NBA, Cousins is trying to create his own identity at USF without forgetting who made him the player he is today. Cousins played two seasons at Navarro College before transferring to USF to play under coach Orlando Antigua, who recruited his brother to play at Kentucky and said he can see the similarities. “Obviously, one is the physical similarity,” Antigua said. “They are just two big human beings and really good kids. A big difference is that Demarcus had more experience on the court, whereas Jaleel is just scratching the surface of what he can be.” The Alabama native comes in filling the void left by freshman John Egbunu, who transferred to UF following Stan Heath’s departure from USF. Antigua sees it as an opportunity to be successful rather than filling anyone’s shoes. “You can’t look at it as who he’s replacing,” Antigua said. “He has the opportunity to step in a role of a big that has size, skill and some experience. We’re going to need his rebounding and his physical presence. He’s a big boy and we’re going to be playing up against some big teams.” Starting out, Cousins said he didn’t take anything too seriously, but once he saw the success his brother was having, he knew he had to change. “As he progressed in basketball, he was like, ‘Hey look, growing up our bodies are the same and you can do some of the same things, but you have to take it as serious
Jaleel Cousins will officially debut for USF on Friday when the Bulls host Flagler College in the season opener. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/ADAM MATHIEU
as I am and work harder,’” Cousins said. “That’s what he still tells me to this day.” His brother has remained a prominent adviser because he knows he can trust what his brother tells him. “I really don’t trust too many people because I’ve dealt with a lot of coaches telling me stuff that never really happens,” Cousins said. “So, I just know coming from (my brother) it’s sincere. He tells me all the time I need to sit down and actually use my strength to move people instead of standing straight up. It stays with me.” Having an NBA player for a brother seems like a kid’s dream, but for Cousins, it’s had its share of obstacles. When Cousins began pursuing basketball as more than just recreation during his junior year of high school, he found that people saw his brother and expected him to have the same talent. Sometimes, he said, he was just thrown into the fire without being prepared for what he would experience, which led to poor play on the court. “It (puts a chip on my shoulder) because of how people write it up,” Cousins said. “They saw that I wasn’t that good, but in reality, I was never worked with. They
looked at (my brother) and expected the same out of me so they just threw me out there not knowing that I wasn’t quite prepared.” Cousins said once people started to work with him, they saw the difference in his play. “Coming to (USF), coach (Antigua) tells me every day that I’m doing good, doing a lot better and just keep working hard,” he said. “I didn’t start basketball the same time my brother did. I really didn’t start playing until about my 11th grade year, so I’ve just been trying to catch up.” With both brothers measuring in at 6-feet-11, the comparisons are inevitable, but as much as he looks up to his brother, Cousins said he wants to escape the shadow and become his own player. “It’s hard at times because a lot of people compare us, but we’re two different people,” he said. “He’s more of a big guard where I’m just a straightforward post player. It’s hard being compared to him all the time, but that’s just a part of it.” Even with trying to break away from his brother as a player, Cousins said he recognizes his talent and wouldn’t want to look up
n See COUSINS on PAGE 9
E D I T O R
USF has lost its past two games by a combined 41 points and is looking to not only get back on track with a win against SMU, but also start a three-game winning streak that would qualify the Bulls for a bowl game. “Coach (Willie Taggart) put it as a three-game playoff,” senior receiver Andre Davis said. “First game of the playoffs is beating SMU and that’s how we’re looking at it.” But beating a winless SMU (0-8, 0-4) team may not be as easy as the record suggests. The Mustangs have replaced former starting quarterback Garrett Krstich with sophomore Matt Davis. In his first start Saturday against Tulsa, the sophomore threw for 212 yards and ran for 181 more, leading the Mustangs to a season-high 28 points in the loss. USF redshirt freshman Auggie Sanchez said despite the lack of wins, the Mustangs can’t be taken lightly because of their new quarterback. “That kid is a dual-threat quarterback,” Sanchez said. “He can run, he can pass and he definitely adds another dimension to the game that you have to defend. From a defensive standpoint, it does make it harder to defend.” But the struggling Mustangs aren’t the only team to turn to a young, versatile quarterback to give the team a spark. Taggart announced Monday that freshman Quinton Flowers will start against SMU. Andre Davis said he is excited about
n See PLAYOFFS on PAGE 11