04012020

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Volume 138, Issue 26 Wednesday, April 1 2020 utdailybeacon.com @utkdailybeacon

Letter from the Editor: In the midst of coronavirus and climate change

GABRIELA SZYMANOWSKA Editor-in-Chief

When I stepped into the role of Editorin-Chief back in December, I could never have imagined what this semester would bring with it. Of course, I’m sure no one could have imagined the situation we are all in now as the coronavirus pandemic continues to grow in the U.S. and across the globe. Each day, we find ourselves faced with

new challenges and hardships. Around the country, many are still grieving their loss of normality — seniors who have worked so hard for years won’t be able to walk at graduation, those laid off from work don’t know how they will make ends meet, doctors and nurses struggle daily to help their patients and the list goes on. And while there is a lot of negative to focus on during this time, I also see hope and inspiration. I am inspired daily by the doctors, nurses and other health care workers who tirelessly work to help patients. I am inspired by other student journalists across the country who are learning how to balance online classes and reporting while finding a new normal in their lives. I am inspired by the small victories that come with each new day. I am also inspired daily by my own staff at the Daily Beacon. Right before spring break, we made the decision to move completely online, forgoing our print edition of the paper. And over the break, as updates were coming out about the coronavirus,

editors and staff writers stepped up to write about what was going on to keep the UT community informed. This last week and a half have had many challenges. We’ve had content cut down in all sections. We are all learning to work remotely. We are all learning better ways at communicating digitally. But, we are — and will continue — to update the Volunteer community with information and content daily on the Beacon’s website and through our social media platforms. In addition, we will continue with our plan to make this month’s content a little more special than usual. On Wednesday, April 22, we will be digitally releasing our last special issue for this semester: Climate Change and Crisis. Leading up to this special issue starting today, we will have content coming out weekly that pertains to the issue. This past year, climate change has been a forefront in discussions across the globe with many international climate change protests bringing people together. From climate activist Greta Thunbergleading the

younger generation in raising their voices, to celebrities like Jane Fonda being arrested during a climate change protest in California, to Democratic candidate _Bernie Sanders rising to the top of the polls because of his stance on the topic, it is time that we focus on the growing crisis. Over the next month, we will have stories about how the environment is impacted by COVID-19, features on environmental organizations, combatting fast fashion, Earth Day and so much more. While there is still so much uncertainty that lies in front of us in the upcoming months as the world deals and hopefully eventually heals from the impact of the coronavirus, the Daily Beacon will remain a constant bringing the news to light.

Prorated fee refunds issued for students no longer on campus NATASHA MCKAMEY Contributor

OneStop released an email on Tuesday stating that student accounts would reflect the issuing of prorated fee refunds beginning the week of April 6. These refunds would apply to students who are no longer on campus. This email outlined the fees which qualified to be refunded, when refunds were expected and that each prorated amount would be calculated from March 23 to May 9, 2020. Additionally, the email outlined steps that students should take to receive their refunds in a timely fashion. The decision to generate prorated refunds was made after an influx of emails from students with questions about future fees after UT decided to move its classes online for the remainder of the semester. According to Chris Cimino, senior vice chancellor for finance and administration, and Frank Cuevas, interim vice chancellor for student life, this choice was made by UT’s leadership team led by Chancellor Donde

Plowman. Prior to the release, the team had been working on a plan to address refunds because for students no longer living on campus, funds for housing and dining didn’t apply anymore nor could they be used. “There was never a question of whether to offer prorated refunds for certain services,” Cimino and Cuevas said. They stated that their team and Plowman worked with the United States Department of Education to ensure these refunds would not create issues for students who receive financial aid. Additionally, those who receive financial aid will not be impacted differently than students who do not receive aid. “One of our main goals was to develop a refund plan that would not cause long-term harm for students who receive financial aid,” Cimino and Cuevas said. Students no longer living on campus should expect to receive a refund based on funds charged for on-campus housing, meal plans, study abroad fees, transportation fees and parking permits. Cimino and Cuevas did clarify that the refunds apply to on-campus housing, which includes fraternity and sorority houses lo-

cated on university-owned property that charge semester housing fees through the university Additionally, all meal plans will be honored as well. One Stop stated that Vol Dining will send an email out for instructions on Flex Plan Dollar refunds. Selection for rollover plans and refunds for Flex dollars ended Friday. For students who didn’t select a plan, the funds will automatically roll over to their VolCard account by April 2, and they will be able to request a refund from the VolCard account then. In respect to parking permits, refunds will be generated for all student passes for those no longer on campus. However, staff members must request stop charges for parking but would need to request a new permit once normal operations resume. Therefore, the decision for staff members has been left up to them on an individual basis. The email from One Stop urged students to setup their e-Refund account by Friday March 27, 2020 to ensure an expedited process. If no e-Refund is setup, a check will be mailed to the students’ address on file. This process may be completed through MyUTK

by selecting “Pay Fees/Account Balances” under “My Resources,” then selecting “Refunds” to set up your account. For students who continue to reside on campus with an exemption, no refunds will be generated as they continue to use services for housing, meals, transportation and parking. One Stop Student Services has counselors standing by to answer any questions or concerns students might have. They may be reached at 865-9741111 or via email at onestop@utk.edu.


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CAMPUS NEWS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, April 1, 2020

DAILY BEACON STAFF AND POLICY INFORMATION EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Gabriela Szymanowska

MANAGING EDITOR: Caroline Jordan

Peyton Manning surprises online class on Zoom in first VFL Class Crash ALEXANDRA DEMARCO Campus News Editor

COPY CHIEF: Calista Boyd OPERATIONS MANAGER: Natalie Widmer CAMPUS NEWS EDITOR: Alexandra DeMarco

On Thursday, UT alumnus and former professional football player Peyton Manning surprised UT students with a visit to an onDIGITAL PRODUCER: Austin Orr line Communications Studies Senior Capstone OPINIONS EDITOR: Evan Newell Zoom course, a led by Professor John Haas. PHOTO EDITOR: Sophia Liberatore The surprise visit is the first of several DESIGN EDITOR: Michael Bloodworth planned class drop-ins entitled VFL Class DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND PROMOTIONS: Crash, which will feature other Vols for Life, James Perlow well-known alumni and other friends of UT. PRODUCTION ARTISTS: Jeremiah Pham, Catherine Fei, The program was created in order to spread Hannah Isanhert, Peter Kramar positivity and light during the difficult situADVERTISING/PRODUCTION ation that people across the world are facing amid the coronavirus outbreak. ADVERTISING MANAGER: Hailie Hensley The idea for Manning’s visit came from UT’s MEDIA SALES REPRESENTATIVES: Parker Korpak, Emelia Media Relations team, specifically Tyra Haag Sandreuter and Russ Hollingsworth, who reached out to ADVERTISING PRODUCTION ARTISTS: Anna House, Elizabeth Ledoux, Carlos Padron, Hailey Morash, Victoria Haas the night before his Thursday class to tell him about their plan to ask Manning to join the Wheelock Zoom session. Haas was Manning’s academic CONTACTS advisor and taught Manning in several of his courses during the football player’s time at UT TO REPORT A NEWS ITEM, please email as a communications studies student, so the editor.news@utdailybeacon.com or two had a connection dating back to the early call (865) 974-2348 TO SUBMIT A PRESS RELEASE, please email pressreleases@ 1990s. After hearing the proposal, Manning quickly utdailybeacon.com agreed to participate in the class. Haas exTO PLACE AN AD, please email plained that Manning was great to work with beaconads@utdailybeacon.com or and excited about the opportunity to encourcall (865) 974-5206 age students. ADVERTISING: (865) 974-5206 “He was incredibly gracious with his time. beaconads@utk.edu He is a true Volunteer because a Volunteer EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: (865) 974-3226 steps forward when people need assistance, editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com and the students need assistance right now,” MAIN NEWSROOM: (865) 974-3226 Haas said. editorinchief@utdailybeacon.com In order to surprise students with his presence, Manning joined the Zoom call under an alias with his audio and his video features LETTERS POLICY: Letters to the Editor must be exclusive to The Daily Beacon and cannot have been submitted to or published by other media. turned off. Much of the class also had these eleLetters should not exceed 400 words and can be edited or shortened for ments disabled, and when Haas asked his class space. Letters can also be edited for grammar and typographical errors, to turn them on in order to read their nonverbal and Letters that contain excessive grammatical errors can be rejected for responses to his lecture, Manning did not enthis reason. Anonymous Letters will not be published. Authors should include their full name, mailing address, city of residence, phone number able his. Subsequently, Haas called out Manning for and e-mail address for verification purposes. Letters submitted without this information will not be published. The preferred method to submit a “being late” to class, and when he enabled his Letter to the Editor is to email the Editor-in-Chief. video and audio and began speaking, the class CORRECTIONS POLICY:It is the Daily Beacon’s policy to quickly correct slowly released who was in their presence. The interaction between Manning and Haas was any factual errors and clarify any potentially misleading information. Errors brought to our attention by readers or staff members will be not scripted; the two created the act in the mocorrected and printed on page two of our publication. To report an error ment. please send as much information as possible about where and when Manning gave a cheeky response to Haas’ the error occurred to managingeditor@utdailybeacon.com, or call our joke about his tardiness. newsroom at (865) 974-5206. “I’m sorry Dr. Haas, it’s been a while — it’s The Daily Beacon is published by students at The University of Tennessee been at least since 1996, ‘97 since I’ve been in a on Monday and Thursday during the fall and spring semesters. The class,” Manning said. offices are located at 1345 Circle Park Drive, 11 Communications Building, He then shared several words of advice perKnoxville, TN 37996-0314. The newspaper is free on campus and is taining to the students’ current circumstances. available via mail subscription for $200/year or $100/semester. It is also available online at: www.utdailybeacon.com “I just wanted to drop in and say hello to all of the fellow communication students there CITY NEWS EDITOR: Jake Yoder

SPORTS EDITOR: Ryan Schumpert, Ryan Crews

The Daily Beacon is printed using soy based ink on newsprint containing recycled content, utilizing renewable sources and produced in a sustainable, environmentally responsible manner.

Daily Beacon / File and realize this is a unique time and probably not the ideal way you guys expected to spend your senior year, but I just encourage you to keep a positive attitude, keep working like you’re doing,” Manning said. Manning encouraged students to use their extra time to be grateful for what they have and help out someone else who is in need. “Try to take advantage of the little bit of the extra time that you have to accomplish something else or help out somebody in need, a lot of people [are] hurting out there during this time,” Manning said. “Be thankful for what you have and just know, University of Tennessee is proud of you and is gonna support you every way you can, and you know Dr. Haas and his department [are] gonna do the same thing.” The video of Manning visiting the virtual class, which can be viewed here, went viral online and was shared by ESPN, CNN, CBS Sports, Yahoo! Sports and “People” magazine. Students from the class also posted the video on many social media pages. Haas explained that he hopes that the students in his class, and those in the classes that will later by surprised by other guest drop-ins, are able to gain a positive memory from this program, especially considering the disappointing way that these circumstances have impacted graduating students.

“The idea behind this campaign is what we’re going to do is try to leave you with some memorable experiences so that you can carry those away, just like graduation would’ve been a memorable experience,” Haas said. For one particular student who had often expressed to Haas her love for Manning, the experience was certainly something that she won’t soon forget. Senior Hailey Manus explained that she and her family have always been huge fans of the Tennessee Vols and of Manning in particular, especially because of his contributions to the Communication Studies program. Manus explained how surprised and excited she was when Manning appeared in her virtual class. “We all were mostly in shock, and I know I couldn’t even form words! He was so kind as he always is and very encouraging,” Manus said. She expressed her gratitude toward Haas and Manning for making the drop-in possible and explained that the visit was especially important as a senior whose plans for her final semester at UT were recently deterred. “As seniors we have all been a bit down about graduation being cancelled and not being able to be with our friends and professors in classes during our last semester,” Manus said. “Peyton most definitely gave us the pep talk we needed to write that proposal and


SPORTS

Wednesday, April 1, 2020 • The Daily Beacon

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Looking back at a truncated 2020 Lady Vols softball season ANDREW WATERS Contributor

Tennessee’s 2020 softball season was an unusual one, to say the least. The Lady Vols finished the pandemic-shortened year with a 14-9 record. Now, here is a look back at a season that was marked by ups and downs for Tennessee. The Lady Vols started off the year hot, going 6-2 in their first eight games at the Kajikawa Classic and the Puerto Vallarata College Challenge. Tennessee then hit a cold streak at the Tampa Tournament, losing four straight games to Central Florida and South Florida after a victory in the Florida International to start the weekend. Coming into their first home game at Sherri Parker Lee Stadium with just one game over .500 and a record of 7-6, it was time for the Lady Vols to defend their home turf. They did just that, walking it off in a 3-2 nail-biter to advance to 8-6 before hitting the road once again. After the first two games of the ETSU Tournament were cancelled, Tennessee split the last two against ETSU and Bowling Green. After the short trip, the Lady Vols came back home for what would end up being the last seven games of the year. They went 5-2 in these games, including winning four of five in the Tennessee Invitational. The last game of the season would be a hardfought loss to North Carolina, where the Lady Vols fell 3-2. The year would end right before

SEC play, with Tennessee set to play against Texas A&M in College Station only days after all SEC athletics were cancelled due to concerns of coronavirus. That’s how the season went — so what can be taken away from it? While the Lady Vols showed flashes of excellence, they also showed that they have room for improvement. While it’s hard to fully analyze a short season, there are still a few things that stand out. A major key that Tennessee lacked this year was consistency. This is evident in its hot and cold streaks throughout the year. The Lady Vols played great softball at some points, looking like an elite team. At other times, quiet bats and fielding errors plagued the team. It seemed as though they might have been firing on all cylinders right before the season was cancelled. Unfortunately, fans will never know for sure. An encouraging takeaway from this season was the major contributions from young players. Sophomore Ally Shipman finished tied for the team lead in batting average, doubles and triples. Shipman also tied for the fewest number of strikeouts on the team. In the circle, freshman Callie Turner led the team pitching 91.2 innings, more than double anyone else. She would finish the year with a 2.67 ERA and 72 strikeouts. On any night of the season, Tennessee had multiple freshmen in the starting lineup. This experience will be a huge benefit in the coming years. The NCAA granting seniors an extra year of eligibility will also be a great help to the Lady Vols. For starters, they could get back Chelsea Seggern, who led the team in home runs, total bases and runs scored. In addition, Seggern

Lady Vols Softball vs Stanford. Kenneth Richmond / Daily Beacon tied Shipman for team-high batting average, doubles and triples. Seniors Tianna Batts, Cailin Hannon, Jenna Holcomb and Treasuary Poindexter will all also receive the extra year of eligibility. Hannon and Holcomb were key contributors in the outfield in the 2020 season. How many of this year’s

seniors will take advantage of the extra year is yet to be seen, however. With an extra-long offseason to grow together and sharpen skills, Tennessee could be a top team in 2021 thanks to the experience of young players and an extra year of eligibility for the team’s senior leaders.

Tennessee tennis exceeds expectations in shortened season JOSH LANE Contributor

Last week the SEC announced the cancellation of all regular season conference and nonconference competitions and the remaining SEC championships for the 2019-2020 athletic year due to the coronavirus pandemic With no tennis to be played in the near future, now is a good time to look back and see how the Vols’ season went. Though Tennessee’s campaign was cut short, it can only be described as a successful one. A year removed from a 22-8 record and an appearance in the SEC championship, many people expected the Vols to take a step back, especially with the loss of two former All-Americans Preston Touliatos and Timo Stodder. However, the Vols got off to a hot start and never looked back. They rattled off six straight wins to start their season, including a win

against No. 22 Oklahoma. Over that stretch of matches, the Vols shut out their opponents five times — four times by a perfect score of 7-0. After a loss to No. 18 Colombia, Tennessee won five straight matches heading into SEC play. Tennessee dropped its first SEC match, a 2-4 loss, to No. 35 Georgia. The Vols won their next three matches, including two SEC matches, to finish the shortened season at 14-2 and 2-1 in the SEC. Perhaps the biggest reason for Tennessee’s success this season was junior Adam Walton. The Home Hill, Australia native earned All-SEC honors last season and played just as well this season. Walton was the Vols’ best player in singles play. He ranked as high as No. 13, and he won his first 10 singles matches of the season. Walton finished the shortened season with a 22-5 overall record, as the No. 31 ranked player in the nation and as the Vols’ leader on the court. Sophomore Pat Harper was another big

contributor for the Vols. He had a breakout season and played especially well towards the latter portion of the year. Harper won four of his last five singles matches playing on court six. In doubles, paired with junior Mark Wallner, Harper won four matches in a row before going unfinished in what turned out to be the last match against Austin Peay. Harper will be a junior next year and looks to have an increased role for the Vols as an upperclassman. The Vols were solid in doubles play this season. They won 11 of their 16 doubles sets, getting ahead early and often. It did help that Tennessee boasted one of the better doubles pairs in the nation, graduate student Giles Hussey and junior Andrew Rogers. Ranked as high as No. 50, Hussey and Rogers led Tennessee in effective doubles play that more often than not put the Vols up 1-0 heading into singles play. Another strong doubles pairings included Walton and sophomore Martim Prata, who had

a 7-3 record together, and senior Scott Jones and Hussey who had a 5-0 record in doubles together. Senior Luca Wiedenmann also turned in a strong performance for Tennessee. Though he did not play in any doubles matches, he was a force to be reckoned with in singles — finishing with a 14-3 record. Wiedenmann and Jones, the Volunteers’ two seniors, could both benefit from the extra year of eligibility the NCAA is granting to seniors in spring sports. Neither player has decided anything yet, but the Vols would improve tremendously if the pair stayed for another year. Regardless of the abrupt end to the season, Tennessee impressed this year on the court. The team entered the pre-season ranked at No. 18 and blew past all expectations. The Vols were ranked as high as No. 10 at one point in what was supposed to be a rebuilding season. Even in the midst of the long break from tennis, there is much for Tennessee fans to be excited about heading into the new season.


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SPORTS//BASEBALL

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Sydney Goodsell, Contributor

Baseball season grades BARRETT WALKER Staff Writer The 2020 college baseball season was cut short due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The Vols were only able to play about a month of baseball before the rest of the season was cancelled. During that time, they shattered all expectations. Tennessee went 15-2 and even reached as high as No. 11 in some polls. Here is how the Vols graded out over the season. Catchers Connor Pavolony and Landon Gray formed a dynamic duo behind the plate for the Vols. Pavolony entered the season with the starting job in hand but didn’t earn it because of his offensive production during his freshman year. Last season, his slash was .228/.391/.366, and he hit two home runs, six doubles and drove in 17 runs in 101 at bats. This season was very different. Pavolony finished the season slashing .342/.395/.737, while clubbing four home runs, three doubles and also drove in 12 RBI in just 38 at bats. He also finished fourth on the team in OPS (1.132). Gray had a turnaround that was equally impressive. In 2019, the then-junior hit .163 in 39 games and recorded just three home runs. Gray also struck out 25 times, while walking just eight times. This further attributed to his .245 OB%. In 2020, he was a different man. In just 22 at bats, Gray hit .318 while getting on base at a .483 clip. He also hit two homers in a quarter of the at-bats. Gray’s plate vision improved as well as he struck out six times to seven walks. Grade: A Infielders Luc Lipcius, Max Ferguson, Jake Rucker, Liam Spence and Pete Derkay helped to create one of the deepest lineups in the SEC. Lipcius is probably the most consistent hitter out of the group and definitely jolted the offense with every at-bat. The Vols’ first baseman slashed .326/.525/.674, along with two home runs, 15 RBI and seven doubles. He struck out eight times and took walks on 16 different occasions. Max Ferguson primarily hit lead-off for the Vols and caused havoc on the base paths any chance he got. The sophomore stole nine bases on 10 attempts, which easily led Tennessee but also put him tied for No. 23 in DI baseball. On top

of that, Ferguson hit .333 with a .462 on-base percentage. Jake Rucker fit perfectly in the three hole for Tennessee. In 62 at-bats, Rucker hit .339 with three home runs and 16 RBI. He also finished with a 1.006 OPS, good for sixth on the Vols. Liam Spence has made a great first impression for Tennessee fans. The junior transfer slashed .346/.490/.500 in 52 at-bats for the Vols. Spence also recorded a homer and three doubles, along with 12 RBI. Pete Derkay performed like one of the best bench bats in all of college baseball. In 24 atbats, Derkay hit .542 with one homer, two doubles, and 11 RBI. He also walked five times to just four strikeouts. Derkay’s OPS of 1.383, also ranks first on the Vols roster. Grade: A Outfielders Tennessee came into the 2020 campaign with a crowded outfield, and those battles remained tight in part from everyone’s stellar play. Alerick Soularie earned plenty of preseason accolades before the 2020 campaign kicked off. He earned Preseason All-SEC First Team. D1Baseball presented him with Preseason FirstTeam All-American. Both NCBWA and Baseball America put Soularie on their Preseason Second-Team All-American. Perfect Game slotted him on their Preseason Third Team AllAmerican. Finally, Soularie was rated as the No. 58 overall 2020 MLB Draft Prospect by Baseball America. Soularie didn’t start the season off too well. He went 0-13 in the opening series against Western Illinois and didn’t hit his first home run until February 26, against UNC Asheville. However, his fortunes began to change and he quickly began one of the Vols’ most productive hitters. Soularie finished with a .267 AVG, a team-high five homers and 17 RBI, which ranked second on Tennessee’s roster. Zach Daniels finally came into his own during the 2020 season. In 2019, he slashed just .200/.262/.417, with four homers and 10 RBI in 60 at-bats. He also struck out 29 times compared to just five walks. In 2020, however, the junior slashed .357/.478/.750, with four homers and 18 RBI in only 56 at-bats. He also greatly improved his discipline, striking out 14 times and walking 13 times. Daniels was named MVP of the Round Rock Classic as well. Jordan Beck played well during his freshman

year. He hit .275 with one homer and five doubles, as well as driving in nine runs. Beck showed good plate discipline as well; he struck out 11 times and walked in eight appearances. Beck also earned a place on the Round Rock Classic All-Tournament Team. Evan Russell was having a career year in 2020. The junior slashed .271/.393/.458, along with two home runs and 12 RBI. Russell was also one of the Vols best fielders. Drew Gilbert played all over for Tennessee, but really made his mark in the outfield. The freshman hit .350 in his 40 at-bats. He drove in eight runs, while also clubbing a homer and three doubles. Gilbert had a quality eye as well. He struck out just six times to seven walks. Grade: AStarting Pitching Tennessee entered this season with treasure trove of quality arms, and the starters proved that statement to be true. Chad Dallas was terrific as the team’s standin ace, as both Garrett Crochet and Camden Sewell started the season hurt. Dallas gave up just three runs in 17 innings of work during his first three starts. He struggled during his fourth start against Wright State, going 4.1 innings with surrendering three runs on seven hits. Overall, Dallas finished the season with a 3-0 record and a 2.53 ERA. He threw 21.1 innings, gave up 19 hits, six runs and struck out 21 batters while only walking six. Chase Wallace moved into the rotation for the first time in his career this season and had mixed results. He only went five innings on one occasion and had two starts where control became an early issue. Wallace surrendered three runs in two starts, which helped to inflate his ERA to 3.50. Wallace started four games for Tennessee, going 1-1 in the process and threw 18 innings. He surrendered 13 hits, eight runs (seven earned), walked seven batters and made 18 batters swing and miss. Jackson Leath started just two games for Tennessee out of five appearances, but he started the year in the weekend rotation so he just barely qualifies for being labeled a starter. On the year, Leath finished with a 4-0 record, with a 1.45 ERA in 18.2 innings. In those innings of work, he gave up 11 hits, five runs (three earned), walked five batters but struck out 29, including 12 in his first start of the year against Western Illinois. Crochet made just one start this year, after beginning the year on the DL. The Vols ace threw 3.1 innings, gave up two hits, zero runs and zero walks, while striking out six batters. Sewell made one start as well. The sophomore went 3.0 innings, gave up one hit, one run, walked a batter and struck out five against ETSU. Grade: B+ Bullpen Tennessee’s bullpen is deep and versatile, and played a big role in the team’s success from the very start. Elijah Pleasants appeared the most out of any pitcher for Tennessee, and he even made

two starts. Overall, the sophomore finished with a 1-0 record and a 1.42 ERA in 12.2 innings of work. He gave up 13 hits and three runs (two earned). The righty battled with control a bit, as he walked five batters and struck out just nine. Sean Hunley was a workhorse in the Vols’ bullpen. He finished with a 0.54 ERA in 16.2 innings. The junior let one run score, while walking two batters and striking out 14 others. Hunley finished with a team-high three saves. Kody Davidson did not throw much this season, but when he did, he typically was striking out the opponent. In six appearances and 5.1 innings of work, Davidson finished with a 0.00 ERA, and gave up just three hits, zero walks but tallied eight strikeouts. He also finished with the lowest WHIP on the team (.59). Closer Redmond Walsh gave up just one unearned run in 11.2 innings of work. That lone run left him with a 1-1 record, but the rest of his numbers were dominant. He allowed just fives and walked just two batters, while punching out 10 others. Walsh’s opponent batting average was .125, a team-low. Christian Delashmit is one of Tennessee’s more underrated players. He finished with a 3-0 record, and a 0.77 ERA in 11.2 innings of work. He gave up 10 hits, one run, two walks and tallied 16 Ks. Mark McLaughlin made five appearances and worked 10.0 innings for a 1.80 ERA. The righty allowed five hits, two runs, one walk and punched out 12 batters. Kirby Connell started the year hurt and became one of Tennessee’s more reliable bullpen members, except for one awful appearance. Connell finished the year with a 6.35 ERA in 5.2 innings. During his appearances, he gave up five hits, four runs (all in one appearance that lasted 0.1 innings), walked just one batter and struck out seven others. Will Mabrey threw just 4.0 innings for Tennessee. During that time, he recorded a 2.25 ERA, gave up two hits, one run and a walk while striking out three batters. Ethan Anderson pitched only 3.0 innings. He recorded a 3.00 ERA, while surrendering three hits and one run, but struck out four players. Grade: AOverall Unfortunately for Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello, he won’t be able to see what his team would have further accomplished if the year had played out. There are plenty of great takeaways. First, Tennessee finished with a 15-2 record and remained undefeated until March 6 against Wright State. Second, the Vols swept Round Rock and defeated the then No. 1 and No. 25 teams in the nation, Texas Tech and Stanford, respectively. Finally, players like Daniels, Pavolony, Lipcius, Soulaire, Dallas and Hunley showed that they can carry this team to big places. While this season may be lost, what fans and staff saw out of this group during the season should send exciting chills throughout the entire Vol family for what may come next year. Grade: A


OPINIONS

Wednesday, April 1, 2020 • The Daily Beacon

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The Out Route: How do we live without sports?

MAX THOMPSON Columnist

David and Goliath were scheduled to fight one another. This was the final match before the tournament of champions began. Goliath had been absolutely perfect in his existence so far and was looking to solidify that before the tournament. David had struggled against inferior opponents, but was looking to end the regular season on a high note. In the long run, this typical match meant very little, considering the upcoming tournament. Nevertheless, David was incredibly nervous, as he was about to go up against the single most dominant opponent in modern history. Goliath always carried a somber tone of pure business, and this matchup was no different. The fight was intense, and midway through, there was no clear advantage for either opponent. By the end, Goliath had won the battle. Despite the loss, David was abso-

lutely shocked that he was able to compete with Goliath for a full match. Fast forward a month, and they meet again. This time, however, the stakes are infinitely higher. The winner of David vs. Goliath II will be the ultimate champion. David had lost to over a half dozen opponents beforehand, while Goliath was a perfect 18-0. That night, however, the audience witnessed history. As you were probably expecting, David shocked the world and beat Goliath, which earned him the highest honor: champion. From the comfort of my playroom floor, I was among the lucky audience that got to witness this version of David and Goliath. I was seven years old. It was the first ever Super Bowl I had ever witnessed, and there was no team I despised more than the 18-0 New England Patriots. When that modern day Goliath lost to the New York Giants in February of 2008, it changed my life forever. Sports are a unifying entity in an otherwise divided world. From the high school football player to the little kid that was forced on a youth soccer team to “build character,” we all have had some sort of experience with sports. You probably wouldn’t be reading this if you haven’t. The word sport is literally in the title. Cheesy aphorisms aside, sports are a real escape from the world. Sure, you may have failed that exam. Sure, you may be sinking

into debt. Sure, you may not feel like you have a future. But for a brief moment in time, whether watching or playing, the world and its pesky issues seem to move to the back seat of our consciousness. As a human being, it feels like those experiences are not just sought after, but vital. Is a world without sports really all that bad? I don’t know, is a world without an iPhone all that bad? The answer to both is probably no. We can live long, meaningful lives without ever taking a jump shot, without ever seeing a blue message. Does that mean we want that? Of course not. A life without your phone would feel just like we do now — like something is missing. I am not here to impersonate some coach going on about how “sports are like life.” I am here for the sole purpose of expressing my gratification for any and every sport. The heightened sense of missing something once it’s gone is the best way I can describe my relationship with sports at the moment. I am sure that I am not the only one. Countless individuals have built their entire existence around kicking, throwing or moving some object around an area. For the high school athletes who may never get to play again, for the collegiate players who have been training for months, for the casual fans and the diehards who are stuck with the wrong madness in March — I feel your pain.

I am not sure how to wrap this up. Sports are important, your feelings are important, and you probably feel a little off without a single game going on. I know I do. Nevertheless, you probably have more important things in your life at the moment. If I have provided even the slightest distraction to whatever issues are on your mind, I consider this piece a success. After all, someone has to try to replace the relief that sports typically provide. There are bigger issues in life, but sports still matter to so many of us. At some point, these meaningless games with made up rules and arbitrary teams will return. And we will embrace that return as if it was a long lost dog that made its way back home. Thank you for reading. Wash your hands, cover your cough and practice better social distancing than James Harden with his stepback. Max Thompson is a freshman majoring in business management and journalism and electronic media. He can be reached at sthomp92@ vols.utk.edu. Follow @The_Out_Route on Twitter for high-quality NFL analysis!

Columns and letters of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.

Anime Tour Guide: AMVs are really cool

JACK SCHEIBELEIN Columnist

Welcome back, tourists. As many reading this are probably aware, escaping news of the ever-looming threat that is COVID-19 has become rather impossible, even for anime fans like myself. The deadly virus has already halted a number of upcoming anime productions, including one for the highly anticipated second season of “Re:Zero.” Funimation has also announced that it will be temporarily halting the simul-dubs of its upcoming seasonal shows in order to allow production members to work from home. Many people are already feeling the ef-

fects of extended boredom from the recommended social distancing, but that does not mean they have to stay bored. After all, the anime community is much more than the shows people enjoy. One of the more underrated, but no less fascinating, parts of the community is AMVs. For those uninitiated, AMV is an acronym that stands for anime music video, and it is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. People edit together clips from different anime, set it to music and create some pretty magical results. While their large presence on sites like YouTube might suggest that AMVs are a fairly recent phenomenon, their origin actually goes back as early as the 1980s. Originally, anime fans would use VCR editing decks to take individual scenes out and edit them together. Now, however, the process has become a lot more streamlined thanks to the advent of online video sharing sites and editing software. There are a lot of things that make AMVs cool, both directly and indirectly. For starters, good AMVs take advantage

of all of the wonders of modern editing. The purposeful transitions and the detailed masking of certain scenes and characters makes them incredibly addictive to watch. A good example of this is an AMV from 2014 titled “Hope of Morning,” named after the song that accompanies it. AMVs are also really good storytelling formats. The ability of AMV creators to manipulate footage so precisely combined with access to tons of different music allows for tons of different results. Creators can either re-contextualize different anime in relation to music or create entirely new stories depending on the level of editing done. On top of that, AMVs are also great for finding new music to listen to and new anime to watch. Despite anime’s reputation as a singularly focused medium, the reality is that there are tons of choices. This means that there are also tons of different AMVs to explore, and many of the creators in the community will leave the name of the song and anime used in the description of the video. AMVs are a wonderfully unique and incredibly fun part of the anime community.

For those on the outside looking in, there are definitely a lot of unexpected influences. And, while I would be lying if I said that every AMV is equally as exciting, there are still plenty of great ones worth watching. We are all bored by now, and there is no point in trying to deny it. Rather than worrying about ‘being productive,’ or whatever that means in modern society, try taking some time to relax. This is a community that is worth being a part of.

Jack Scheibelein is a sophomore majoring in English. He can be reached at sgx199@vols.utk.edu.

Columns and letters of The Daily Beacon are the views of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Beacon or the Beacon’s editorial staff.


6

CITY NEWS

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Filling out the Census amidst student displacement by the coronavirus CALISTA BOYD Copy Chief

Chancellor Donde Plowman announced on Monday, March 16 that classes will continue online through the end of the spring semester. With this, campus residents were asked to move out of their on-campus residencies for the rest of the semester as well. Since then, students living off campus have also been urged to return to their primary residencies during this public health crisis, leaving areas like Fort Sanders sparsely populated. As 2020 is a census year, questions have arisen about how to fill out the forms sent out to students including some confusion on where students should report their residency. The Census Bureau published the video, “2020 Census: What College Students Need to Know to Be Counted in the Right Place,” which is aimed at informing college students on how to properly fill out the Census.

Students who were living in on-campus residency don’t need to worry about their displacement affecting the population count. “If you normally live in a dorm or collegeowned Greek housing, don’t worry — your college is already working with us to count you,” the Census Bureau said in the video. Although students have moved out, the college will still count them as a resident of the university, so student don’t have to fill out anything for the census. They are already being counted. Students living off campus who have moved back to their areas of primary residence do need to participate in the 2020 Census on their own by responding through either phone, online or by mail. The Census asks that students respond for their entire household, using their normal address of where they live while going to school and include their roommates in the response. “We have tools to un-duplicate your responses, and we’d rather eliminate duplicates than miss you or your roommates entirely,”

the Census Bureau said. Nicholas Nagle, a professor of geography at UTK, works on projects that improve the reliability of data from the U.S. Census and emphasizes the importance of students filling out their roommate’s information. “Students who live off campus but are now at home are supposed to enter their school address. They should also enter their roommates,” Nagle said. “Don’t worry if you and your roommate both fill it out and list each other; the Census can figure all that out.” Duplicated responses are better for the Census than the risk of under counting the population, which could happen as the spread of the coronavirus pushes students away from their university residencies. “Knoxville’s population could drop by thousands of people because students are off campus right now,” Nagle said. If the census isn’t filled out correctly, Knoxville’s population could be reduced drastically leading to insufficient federal funding for the area in the future. Census data is used to deter-

mine funding for services that directly affect students living on and around campus. “The reason we want to make sure you’re counted where you normally live is because those responses impact how billions of dollars in federal funding will be distributed to your school’s community for services that affect you — like school safety, mental health services and Pell grants,” the Census Bureau said. Students continuing to live at their primary residences should be counted per usual. If you usually live with your parents or guardians, they should continue to include you in their responses. Filling out the census appropriately during this time of the coronavirus pandemic is important for the future of allocating federal funds for UTK and its surrounding community. Those looking to respond to the 2020 Census can go to the U.S. Census Bureau website to fill out the survey and learn more about how the Census works.

Ways to liven up your space while stuck inside PARKER CHADWELL Staff Writer

Now that the university has canceled inperson classes, we volunteers are getting used to life at home. While there are some things you can do outside, and there are video games to be played inside, the one place we are all going to get more familiar with is our rooms. In the interest of preventing cabin fever, here are five simple suggestions to help you freshen up your space. Clean your room While this may seem like a pretty basic housekeeping tip, we have all let things pile

up from time to time. With the stress of the semester hanging over our heads, it is not uncommon at all to have built up a bit of clutter. Turn the time that you will be spending at home into an excuse to do a bit of spring cleaning and watch as your space becomes more open and less claustrophobic. Buy some posters Whether they’re showcasing your favorite band or art piece, posters are a great way to put your personal stamp on your room. In addition to adding some color to your walls, they also provide something interesting to look at while you’re trapped inside. Once the outbreak has passed, posters also make good conversation pieces for when you throw a party or have friends over. Stir up interest by hanging a

unique or classic print on your wall. Get a house plant How better to change up your room than by literally adding some life to it? Some popular ideas include Aloe, spider and ZZ plants. These hardy plants are great for potentially forgetful owners as they will not punish you for suboptimal conditions. They also have the added benefit of purifying the air around you; aloe and spider plants both remove the toxic formaldehyde, while the Zamioculcas zamiifolia filters out toluene and xylene. Add a mirror Many of us are fine with just using our bathroom mirror, but bringing in another one to hang in your room can be an easy way to

fill some space on your wall with some added utility. In addition to being able to check your appearance, mirrors reflect natural light and brighten up your space. They also give the illusion of more space, making your room feel bigger and less cramped. Fill out your bookshelf If your room comes with a bookshelf — or you brought one in yourself — now is the time to fill it up. Local stores like McKay’s or Union Ave Books are a great resource for a book-lover in Knoxville, and you are bound to have plenty of time to read while stuck inside. Like posters, a full bookshelf is another great way to start conversation and display your personality when isolation season ends.


PUZZLES & GAMES

THE DAILY BEACON

Wednesday, April 1, 2020 • The Daily Beacon

the daily beacon

crossword & sudoku

your morning coffee’s best friend.

New puzzles every Monday and Thursday.

No. 1398

Tough

Previous solution - Medium

5 6 3 2 4 7 8 5 6 6 8 7 2 3 1 4 3 4 7 1 2

6 9 9 5 5 2 6 2 © 2020 Syndicated Puzzles

5 6

3 1

You can find more help, tips and hints at www.str8ts.com

9 3 8 7 9 8 4 7 5 6 9 1 3 2 7 2 1 4 4 3 2 5 6 4 7 2 8 5 6 3 2 7 6 8 9 4 6 5

4 6 5 3 1 7 9 8

How to beat Str8ts – Like Sudoku, no single number can repeat in any row or column. But... rows and columns are divided by black squares into compartments. These need to be filled in with numbers that complete a ‘straight’. A straight is a set of numbers with no gaps but can be in any order, eg [4,2,3,5]. Clues in black cells remove that number as an option in that row and column, and are not part of any straight. Glance at the solution to see how ‘straights’ are formed.

SUDOKU No. 1398

Medium

9

8

4 2 1

Previous solution - Very Hard

7 9

3 5 2 8 9 7 4 6 1

1 5 6 8 7 1 3

8 9 9 6 8 2 4 9 2 6 7

8 2

The solutions will be published here in the next issue.

8 9 1 4 6 2 7 3 5

7 4 6 1 3 5 9 2 8

6 8 9 3 7 1 2 5 4

4 3 5 9 2 8 6 1 7

2 1 7 6 5 4 3 8 9

5 7 4 2 1 6 8 9 3

1 2 3 7 8 9 5 4 6

9 6 8 5 4 3 1 7 2

To complete Sudoku, fill the board by entering numbers 1 to 9 such that each row, column and 3x3 box contains every number uniquely. © 2020 Syndicated Puzzles

3

FOR RELEASE NOVEMBER 27, 2019

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle LOS ANGELES TIMESEdited CROSSWORD Edited byLewis Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis by Rich Norris• and Joyce

STR8TS

3

7

For many strategies, hints and tips, visit www.sudokuwiki.org If you like Str8ts, Sudoku and other puzzles, check out our books, iPhone/iPad Apps and much more on our store at www.str8ts.com

ACROSS 1 Roster entry 5 Opens, as a car hood 9 Letter-shaped opening 14 Foundry by-product 15 Army outfit 16 __ squash 17 Long tooth 18 Will of “The Waltons” 19 Vinaigrette holder 20 First, Lucky plays the lottery and buys the __ 23 “Price negotiable,” in ads 24 Soft drink choice 25 Then, Lucky goes to court and is awarded a __ 32 Put up, as preserves 33 “Winter Song” musician John 34 Post-quake rumbling 35 Bear up? 37 Pride youngster 39 “That’s that!” 40 Tennis great Graf 43 Goya subject 46 Second-largest U.S. state 47 Finally, Lucky joins March Madness and fills out a __ 50 Lascivious look 51 Letter after phi 52 What Lucky got, literally and figuratively, when his alarm clock put an end to a very pleasant dream 58 Geeky type 60 Unresponsive state 61 Like a cloudy London day 62 “Laughing” critter 63 Pre-event periods 64 Old-time teacher 65 Giant opening? 66 Rooms with TVs 67 Fades to black

11/27/19

By Bruce Venzke and Gail Grabowski

DOWN 1 “Careful where you open this link” shorthand 2 Jai __ 3 Grammy winner Aimee 4 Yuletide mugful 5 Doglike facial feature 6 Universal donor’s type, briefly 7 Artist Mondrian 8 Not at all lenient 9 Touchdown preventer, often 10 Reacted to a scare 11 Ill-mannered type 12 Tramcar filler 13 Source of blowups 21 “Fat chance” 22 Future stallion 25 “Tennessee’s Partner” story writer 26 Racing family name 27 PC abort key 28 Rule of __ 29 Put on quite an act 30 Large chamber group

Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved

©2019 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

31 Monopoly token since Mar., 2017 32 Transition point 36 Rolling in dough 38 MacLaren’s on “How I Met Your Mother,” e.g. 41 Holder of oats 42 Drink with a polar bear mascot 44 Jenny’s mate 45 Post-CrossFit woe

48 Tracked down 49 Checkers cry 52 Atoll barrier 53 Zigzagged 54 “When you’re right, you’re right!” 55 Caspian Sea land 56 Geeky type 57 Places with elliptical trainers 58 Dept. that includes the TSA 59 Old Faithful’s st.

the daily beacon

crossword & sudoku

your morning coffee’s best friend.

11/27/19

puzzles Wednesday. NewNew puzzles every every Monday and Thursday.

THE DAILY BEACON


8

CITY NEWS // REVIEW

The Daily Beacon • Wednesday, April 1, 2020

‘Doom: Eternal’ Review: Fun as Hell SETH CHAPMAN Contributor

“Doom” is one of the oldest and most active video game franchises in existence, with the series now over 25 years old. Four years ago, we received an excellent reboot that brought “Doom” back into the forefront for gamers. Now, players get to step back into the demonstomping boots of the Doom Slayer once again as he wages a one-man war against the invading armies of Hell. Without a shadow of a doubt, “Doom: Eternal” is a much tougher game than its 2016 predecessor. The forces of Hell have successfully taken control of Earth, making the Doom Slayer’s crusade against the demonic horde all the more difficult. Players will find old enemies such as Imps and Hell Knights are now smarter and more aggressive in “Doom: Eternal.” Along with returning forces, new demons join the ranks like the Hellwhip, a quick, snakelike monstrosity that possesses a vicious melee combo. Players will find themselves outnumbered, but certainly not outgunned. “Doom: Eternal” provides the player the edge they need by building upon the design philosophy of “Doom (2016).” In the previous game, speed was the key to avoiding imminent death, and brutal melee executions known as “Glory Kills” helped provide health in a pinch. The best strategy was an overwhelming offense, and that combat philosophy is further honed in the sequel. Glory Kills still net health, kills made with the chainsaw provide ammo, and enemies who are set on fire with the Flame Belch (yes, that is the game’s name for the flamethrower) provide armor. Although these many different options can seem dizzying at first, “Doom: Eternal” does a fine job of easing the player into these mechanics. Combat is not only intense and insanely fast, but it also has a tactical feel to it. Weapons from the previous “Doom” title return with their respective mods. However, they now come with extra nuance in effectively dispatching demons. Each demon has a specific weakness that the player can exploit using certain weapons and weapon mods. For example, the combat shotgun comes with a sticky bomb mod, and if you fire a sticky bomb into the gaping maw of a Cacodemon, it opens up for an easy Glory Kill. “Doom (2016)” suffered from an issue where players could rely on a handful of their favorite weapons to carry them to the end of the game. “Doom: Eternal” smartly subverts this by encouraging the player to switch weapons to fit the demon they are fighting, creating a logic to the maddening slaughter. When it comes to visuals, id Software has once again proven the power of their id Tech

engine. Gone are the texture pop-in issues from the previous “Doom,” and the results are pure eye candy. Cities overrun with hell spawn are colorful and rendered with fine detail. Particle effects and gore are rendered in surprising detail, and miraculously, the game still runs at a smooth 60 fps with nary a hiccup. If there is one criticism I would level at “Doom: Eternal,” it is the lighting and atmosphere. While neither are bad, “Doom: Eternal” has opted for more color and brighter lighting, and this stands as a sharp contrast to the moodiness of “Doom (2016).” The dimly lit, claustrophobic hallways of the Mars facility are absent here, and with it, the sense of horror that the previous game managed to create. However, even here we find another positive of “Doom: Eternal.” There is a far greater variety of levels compared to “Doom (2016).” From a high-tech cultist base in the Arctic to the overgrown ruins of the Night Sentinels home world, “Doom: Eternal” is a hellish, dimension-hopping odyssey. It should also be noted that these levels are huge and packed with little secrets to uncover. The Doom Slayer’s home base, the Fortress of Doom, is loaded with fun secrets and Easter eggs that references both the long history of the “Doom” franchise as well as other games. Levels also place a greater emphasis on platforming. While first-person platforming may be a turn off to players, I actually found these jumping puzzles to be fun and thoughtful in their execution, providing a fun breather from all of the demon carnage. So there is a story in “Doom: Eternal,” believe it or not. The truth is, most players of “Doom” are here for demon splattering action, not a deep story, and id Software understands this perfectly. The story mostly sits on the back-burner as background noise for all of the action, but for players who are actually invested into the world and lore of “Doom,” there is an extensive codex for them to comb through. Thankfully, “Doom: Eternal” doesn’t take itself seriously at all, and the story largely serves as a way to escalate the Doom Slayer’s antics to absurd levels. Is it dumb? Absolutely, but “Doom: Eternal” revels in its absurdity, and that alone is an accomplishment. Outside the excellent single-player campaign is the game’s multiplayer mode: Battlemode. Battlemode is an interesting sort of beast. Instead of a traditional, team-based affair, Battlemode is a 1v2 mode where a lone player takes the control of the Doom Slayer, and the duo of players control the demons. The objective is simple: win the round by eliminating the opposition. Win 3 rounds, you win the game. Things get a bit more complex once you get into the different play styles of the Doom Slayer and the demons. The Doom Slayer himself is fully upgraded and carries a maxed-out arsenal. On the other side, players can control some of the demons

Courtesy of Bethesda Softworks from the single player like the grotesque Mancubus or the axe-wielding Marauder. While the demons lack the choice of weapons that the Doom Slayer has, they make up for it through their unique abilities. The Mancubus can use its large health pool to tank damage and deal some of his own through his dual cannons and flamethrowers. Meanwhile, the Marauder focuses on using his sawed off shotgun and axe to deal quick burst damage against the Doom Slayer. Matches feel intimate like a fighting game where a Slayer tries to use their speed and skill to win whereas demons are forced to use a mix of strategy and their own summoned, AI-controlled demons to overwhelm the Slayer. Overall, I found Battlemode to be unique but flawed experience. As of right now, I personally feel that the mode leans more in the favor of the demons. Certain demon compositions can feel downright unfair in the right hands. Besides some cosmetics, there also isn’t much available in terms of progression for Battlemode. Also, it’s disappointing to see lag so prominent in this game where speed and positioning are so crucial. I have seen heartbreaking ends to matches for both demons and Slayer alike due to a terrible lag spike. There is potential in Battlemode’s uniqueness, but it remains to be seen how the mode will fare in the future. Finally, I cannot, in good conscience, com-

plete this review without providing some well-deserved praise towards Mick Gordon, the composer of “Doom: Eternal.” The man infamous for using an actual chainsaw as part of the score of the 2016 reboot has once again outdone himself. A mix of heavy synthesizers and a healthy dose of demonic chanting creates a bombastic metal soundtrack that punctuates each meaty punch and shotgun blast. It is a soundtrack that is as violent and unrelenting as the Doom Slayer himself and will hype any player to take on the legions of Hell. “Doom: Eternal” is one of those magical kinds of sequels where it manages to deliver more of what was available in the original without turnings its back on that original vision. Where “Doom: Eternal” succeeds as a sequel is not just allowing players to indulge even further in the power fantasy of the Doom Slayer, but it is at its best when it pushes its player out of their comfort zone to make them a better demon hunter. “Doom: Eternal” is that perfect balance between unhinged power fantasy and challenge, creating an experience that feels simultaneously empowering and fresh. If you’re looking for a hell of a time, you can’t go wrong with “Doom.” Game reviewed on an Xbox One X. 4.5/5 Torches


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