2011.11.30

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Volume X LIIIII, Is LIII ssue 59 XLIII, Issue

Wednesday, November 30, 2011 We

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NEWS

| BASKETBALL

Challenge accepted

| AWARENESS

Two campus orgs and a community group joined forces Tuesday to bring light to the UW campus on the AIDS epidemic. | 2

Wisconsin travels to North Carolina for the annual Big Ten/ACC n/ACC Challenge to face the No. 5 Tar Heels. | 16

Grad up for seat held by Baldwin Former UW student welcomed in race against Pocan, Roys to lock down US Congress position Leah Linscheid Deputy State Editor A fresh face has decided to enter the race for Wisconsin’s second congressional district, while new endorsements may even the playing field in the race for Wisconsin’s open U.S. Senate seat.

Matt Silverman, a University of Wisconsin graduate and decorated Army veteran, will formally announce his intention to run against Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Madison, and Rep. Kelda Helen Roys, D-Madison, for a Wisconsin seat in the House of Representatives currently held

by Democrat Tammy Baldwin.

Silverman said he believes he can bring a new perspective to Washington to change a “broken system.”

“I’m not a politician, and because of that, I don’t have political ties or ties to fundraisers or organizations,” Silverman said. “I can bring an open mind and a willingness to work toward actual solutions to our problems, which I don’t think Congress today is doing.”

After graduating from UW with a degree in political science in 2004, Silverman spent four years as an officer in the U.S. Army and was deployed in Iraq in 2007 as a part of the airborne division, according to his campaign website.

Silverman said that his campaign will differ from others’ in that he will only accept individual donations.

“I think that there’s too much money in politics, and I don’t believe it’s necessary,” Silverman said. “I don’t believe money buys votes, and I’m going to prove it [with my campaign].”

Roys said she welcomed Silverman

ARTS | REVIEW Going batty University Theater’s cast takes on a novel ‘90s-era musical about Weekly World News’ brainchild “Bat Boy.” | 12

THE BADGER HERALD PRESENTS an artsetc. spot on

STUDENT S LONGBOARD START-UP

rolls on

Locals share gift of designing, building customized boards Joe Nistler ArtsEtc. Staff Writer

Longboarding is on the rise in Madison and across the nation.

Most have likely seen swarms of longboarders meeting at Capitol Square, tearing down the hill on Observatory Drive or at least a few solitary riders around town.

But the boards they are riding don’t come cheap. A typical longboard, complete with wheels, bearing, trucks and so on will set you back at least $100, with the higherend setups costing upward of $200300. That isn’t exactly pocket change in a college student’s budget.

So it’s no surprise that some students, like Alex Ruff, have taken the board-making process into their own hands. Ruff has even helped others to learn some longboard tricks of design.

Ruff said he started longboarding last summer, and the need to build came shortly after — maybe too shortly.

“I bought a board, and five days

Megan McCormick The Badger Herald

UW student Alex Ruff began manufacturing his own longboards out of serendipity, when his store-bought model was run over by a car. He now teaches others his skill at Memorial Union’s Craftshop. UW Junior Nick Ambur utilizes a DIY vacuum press to make his unique boards. after I bought it, it got run over by a car,” he said. “So I chopped it down and I rode it like a short one for a while, but I couldn’t really afford to buy another one, so I decided to experiment with building them.”

Just like that, an artist was born. Ruff, a fifth-year student of geology and geophysics, works in the Craftshop at Memorial Union, which gave him access to the tools and facilities necessary for

experimentation.

Like a scientist in the lab or a sculptor in the studio, Ruff tested different board shapes, lengths and concave designs until he felt satisfied with his ride. A stack of worn decks tucked in the back of a closet in the woodshop testifies to the amount of time he put in.

“My philosophy has kind of

LONGBOARD, page 11

CONGRESS, page 3

Ohm! Madison community members John and Madelyn Christopherson meditate at Union South Tuesday afternoon as part of their weekly sessions with a group of other individuals from the area.

Matt Hintz The Badger Herald

MFD road-side charity work receives approval Despite safety concerns, council says firefighters’ efforts worth risk Samuel Schmitt City Reporter After numerous complaints regarding public safety, the Madison City Council voted Tuesday to allow firefighters to participate in the annual “Fill the Boot” fundraiser along the streets of Madison for at least the next two years.

Firefighters in Madison participated in the nationwide nonprofit campaign for the first time this September in support of the Muscular Dystrophy Association, a city of Madison statement said.

Several concerns about public safety had been raised regarding the campaign, the statement added, which involves firefighters located on the corners near their fire stations collecting money in a boot from drivers traveling through the intersections.

The fundraiser had

© 2011 BADGER HERALD

initially been allowed to proceed as an “experiment,” which is still slated for review after three years.

Kevin Sherry, a spokesperson for the firefighters, said they raised $27,000 in donations without any incidents. He dismissed the complaints they had received, saying they were due to inexperience on their first day of collecting funds.

A handful of community members took the opportunity to speak in support of the firefighters’ fundraiser, praising the benefits of the firefighter involvement and the aid it offers to the MDA. Elizabeth Armaza, whose child has muscular dystrophy and was not expected to live longer than two years, stressed the safety of the event and the enormous impact it has on families, including her own.

Chelsey Emmett, a spokesperson for MDA, asked for the council to allow the firefighters to contribute to their research and funding.

“The firefighters

are our number one funder and supporter,” she said, explaining that every guideline was followed in the fundrasier. “Funding will be cut without them.”

Mayor Paul Soglin voiced his issues with the event, particularly regarding the safety of pedestrians and vehicles as well as the prospect of other public employees asking for donations.

Soglin spoke of how he had seen a firefighter nearly hit by a vehicle while collecting funds in Madison and recounted incidents in several other states where accidents had happened because of the fundraiser.

“I think we have a very serious problem here. Firefighters may know how to respond, but we don’t necessarily have drivers that know how to respond,” he said.

Ald. Shiva BidarSielaff, District 5, supported the continuation of the roadside fundraiser.

“Here is a group that

MFD, page 3

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The Badger Herald | News | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Events today 10 a.m. #WIFightHunger Food Drive Welcome desk Union South

1 p.m.

DoIT Class: Working with Google Docs 2121 Health Sciences Learning Center

TODAY

TOMORROW

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mostly sunny

rain/snow showers

mostly sunny

rain/snow showers

snow showers

Workshop hosts AIDS questions

Events tomorrow

Danielle Miller

1:15 p.m.

Effective Cover Letters Workshop

A series of campus groups joined forces Tuesday to sponsor a campus-wide workshop aimed at promoting awareness for the upcoming World AIDS Day this Thursday.

Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment and Sex Out Loud hosted the Feminization of HIV/ AIDS workshop, which was led by PAVE Peer Facilitators Samantha Johnson and Jayne Jones and included activities demonstrating factors contributing to the spread of the HIV virus.

The workshop focused on ways to support sexual violence victims and included a discussion of the feminization of HIV/ AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa.

“The workshop is a bit of a more global focus, but we’re bringing it back home with sexy, causal ways to promote barrier use with a partner and sexy, casual ways to talk about getting tested,” Jones said.

Workshop participant and University of Wisconsin senior Matt Wyller said the workshop was informative and that he believes others could benefit from being more aware of HIV/AIDS on a global perspective.

“I was really surprised about how much I got wrong in the true/ false activity,” Wyller said. “I felt like I should know more, [and] I was surprised by a lot of the information.”

According to Johnson, the workshop not only honors World AIDS Day, but also complements the recent trend of feminization in global issues as well, specifically the feminization of poverty.

The number of females living with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan African countries has risen to roughly half of the population, she said. “[The feminization of HIV/AIDS] is referring to the global trend in the

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past couple decades of the number of females living with HIV and AIDS,” Johnson said.

“The feminization of HIV/AIDS is about looking at the reason why this happened and why there was such an astronomical burst in rates.” Jones also presented statistics showing that for every male infected with HIV, five or six females are infected.

“The fact that their prevalence has increased at such an alarming rate is something to be concerned about.

We need to explore the reason for the gender gap in HIV and why it’s more prevalent in more areas of the world.”

Jones said a possible contributing factor is the disparity in education.

Fewer women attend school in these counties and may therefore be less informed, she said.

The two student organizations collaborated to put together the workshop as part of their week-long campaign supporting World AIDS Day, which extends from Nov. 28 through Dec. 2. The group is hosting three events during the week to highlight the biological, sociological, cultural and political aspects of HIV/ AIDS on a global level.

Sex Out Loud’s main event will be a presentation entitled “Risky Business” by School of Journalism professor Shawnika Hull to discuss her research on the epidemic and to encourage sexually transmitted infection testing on Dec. 1.

Wyller advocated the events the two organizations planned for the week.

“People have this idea that PAVE and Sex Out Loud are about rape and sexual violence survivors, but [the workshop] was really informative,” Wyller said. “I think it’s information that everyone should have because you don’t know who in your life could be a victim.”

Megan McCormick The Badger Herald

Despite opponents’ claims that the Walker administration has done little to stimulate job growth in Wisconsin, Walker says his Transportation to Jobs program will help foster better economic conditions by widening the options low-income workers have for commuting to work throughout the state.

Walker approves $3.6M transportation program Grant put in place to sponsor greater transit options for low-wage workers Ilona Argirion State Reporter A program that plans to improve the transportation options of low-income workers will receive more than $3 million in funding following approval from the governor Tuesday.

The $3,676,667 grant for the “Transportation to Jobs” program is meant to connect lowincome workers with jobs through enhanced local transit services. The Wisconsin Employment Transportation Assistance Program plans to combine federal, state and local funds to assist transportation-provider groups in all parts of the state.

“WETAP’S Transportation to Jobs program helps Wisconsinites get back on their feet by helping them get to work,” Gov. Scott

Walker said in a statement.

“These grants will enable local communities to provide essential transportation services to their local workforce.”

Andrew Welhouse, spokesperson for Majority Leader Sen. Scott Fitzgerald, R-Juneau, said Walker’s grant approval addresses the primary issue currently facing Wisconsin: job creation and getting people back to work.

Welhouse said he believes although some people are rooting against the economy and instead focus only on politics, Walker and the Republicans within the state of Wisconsin are taking solid steps in order to help people get back to work and improve the economy as a whole, “just like we promised we would.”

Still, not everyone is convinced that this plan and the general accomplishments of the Republican Party have proven to be beneficial for the people of Wisconsin.

Rep. Kelda Helen Roys, D-Madison, pointed out

earlier this month that data was released that showed that Wisconsin lost an estimated 9,300 private-sector jobs and 1,900 county, municipal and school district jobs in October alone. These statistics marks the fourth straight month Wisconsin has lost jobs.

“Walker and the Republicans have demonstrated that their focus is not on job creation, but rather on forwarding their conservative social agenda,” Roys said.

“Wisconsin’s families continue to struggle, while Walker and legislative Republicans continue to focus their attention on more special interest giveaways.”

Roys said although Republicans claim the new budget is meant to connect low-income workers with jobs through enhanced local transit services, the governor is simultaneously allowing low-income people to lose their cars, for many their only means of transportation to and from work, by reinstating auto title lending.

County to bring prestigious award abroad to artists Local artisans set to go head-to-head in competition to gain funded spot at European art camp with worldly reps “I’m pleased to and representatives from Dane County announce a once-in-aNews Reporter and other areas of the lifetime opportunity for U.S., a Cultural Affairs some artist from Dane In an effort to preserve to showcase Commission statement County and further the quality their skills as an artist,” said. of the artistic culture The event is being McDonell said. in Madison and enrich Scott Foss, Cultural held in conjunction the community and city, Commission with Documenta 13, a Affairs Dane County officials celebrated exhibition chair, said the focus have created what they of modern and of the Cultural Affairs are calling a unique and contemporary art that Commission at this point prestigious opportunity occurs only once every is to establish a special for a Madison artist to five years, the statement commission to do an study his or her craft initial review of all the said. abroad.

The selected artist applications, which are At a press conference will take up residency in due Feb. 1.

The application itself Espenau, Germany, from July 6-20, 2012, with a includes a four-point including host artist’s family. All process, expenses will be paid for, information regarding the including transportation, applicant’s background, art experience, why they housing and materials.

According to a are interested in being a statement from the part of this event and their idea for an Board of artistic project Supervisors, that will the entire cost “This is an speak to the of this trip for community in the selected amazing some way. artist will be opportunity for While at covered by any artist. ... ” Eurarca, the Landkreis participating Kassel, Dane Martha Glowacki artists will County’s Director of James suffer no sister county Watrous Gallery limitations to since 2007. their creative This year ’s participating artists hail ability, and no materials from Great Britain, Italy, will be denied at their Hungary, the Netherlands, expense, McDonell said.

“I believe one year, Austria, France and now a participant asked for Dane County and the U.S. Scott McDonell, boulders for his project.

Dane County Board of They take materials very Supervisors chair, said this seriously there, and it will year ’s theme is based on all be covered,” McDonell the Seven Years’ War and said.

Matt Hintz The Badger Herald that the work of art should The artist will be Dane County Board of Supervisors Chair Scott McDonnell highlights the opportunities the European experience could bring to a local artist. He said revolve around the use of selected at the end of March. this year’s theme will revolve around the Seven Years’ War, and as such, applicants should submit work that demonstrates power and responsibility. power and responsibility.

Caroline Wittenberg

Thursday afternoon, the Dane County Cultural Affairs Commission, in conjunction with the county Board of Supervisors, announced that one Dane County artist will be selected as one of a total of eight artists from around the world to attend Eurarca, a European art camp.

Also at the press conference were other local art leaders, including Martha

Glowacki, director of the James Watrous Gallery, who celebrated the announcement.

“This is an amazing opportunity for any artist, and my hope is that various artists and various media apply because it sounds like this is open to anyone,” Glowacki said.

Eurarca will be held during the summer of 2012 and will include both international artists

The Badger Herald | News | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

3

State, UW researchers present biomass guidelines As Wis. leads in crop planting, groups formulate energy usage procedures Adriana Viswannatha State Reporter Several state agencies have unveiled guidelines created in congruence with University of Wisconsin researchers to promote the continued use of biomass energy in Wisconsin, despite the state’s current categorization as a leader in the field of biomass crop planting.

A statement released Tuesday by the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection and the Department of Natural Resources outlined a system

CONGRESS, from 1 to the race and said the addition will create an “exciting” opportunity for Wisconsin’s second district to discuss important issues facing Wisconsin and the nation.

Roys also expressed her respect for Silverman as a potential competitor for the seat.

“As a state legislator, I have tremendous respect for anyone who decides to put his or her name on a ballot and serve the public,” Roys said.

of guidelines put in place to assist in the implementation of biomass energy.

The “Wisconsin Sustainable Planting and Harvesting Guidelines for Nonforest Biomass” document is the result of a two-year joint effort by the DATCP, DNR and a tech team at UW to establish the guidelines.

Sara Walling, DATCP bioenergy policy advisor, said Wisconsin is the first state that has looked at the process of creating guidelines for biomass crop planting.

“Wisconsin wanted to make sure that when markets developed for biomass crop planting, we had guidelines set up in voluntary fashion so that landowners can make informed decisions about when and how to plant

Silverman also stressed the importance of primary elections and said the changes needed in Congress start with individuals showing up and voting at these primaries.

In another race for a congressional seat, former congressman Mark Neumann, a candidate for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, was recently endorsed by prominent Republican Sen. Jim DeMint of South Carolina.

Matt Hintz The Badger Herald

MFD representative Kevin Sherry said the firefighters have already raised $27K for the Muscular Dystrophy Association without any significant safety issues.

MFD, from 1 wants to help,” she said.

“We decided it was worth the risk before. We take risks every day. I think we should support [the event].”

Still, Ald. Jill Johnson, District 16, echoed Soglin’s concerns, calling the fundraiser an “unnecessary risk.”

She was also concerned that the council was giving special attention to the fundraiser.

“How are we going to decide that this is the worthiest charity?” she

asked.

A motion was made and subsequently passed requesting the amendment be filed without prejudice, meaning it will be dismissed and reviewed at its previously intended time in two years.

Where the debate leads in the next two years depends on the continued safety of the event and the interest that other groups may have in similar fundraisers.

For now, the fundraiser will continue to fill its boots to the brim with

more yield per acre, and we these crops,” Walling said.

Walling said the can’t figure that out until we guidelines are multi- start planning it out,” said Troy Runge, disciplinary assistant and are professor of intended biosystems to provide “Wisconsin wanted engineering at guidance to make sure that UW. at the field when markets Runge said level for increasing farmers and developed for biomass crop biomass crop landowners harvesting for not only planting, we had brings many how to plant the crops, but guidelines set up. ... ” ecological benefits to the also on how Sara Walling environment. to remove DATCP Bioenergy He said them.

Policy Advisor choosing more Biomass diverse crops, crop like those in a harvesting mixed prairie involves system, is better growing crops that are not meant than having a monoculture crop like corn, which gives primarily for food.

“To have cheap biomass, less back ecologically.

“Wisconsin has a lot which is a necessary catalyst, you have to have of biomass, good soil for

growing and lots of water,” Runge said.

He added that Wisconsin has a lot of land unsuitable for crops like corn that could be used instead to grow biomass crops.

Walling said the guidelines are also meant to speak to policy makers and landscape managers to better inform them about the trade options created when biomass crops enter the market.

“DATCP is promoting and encouraging biomass energy in the state because it offers diversity to agriculture systems,” Walling said.

She said biomass energy would open new income streams for farms and other agricultural facilities, which are prevalent in Wisconsin.

Still, Walling said the markets for biomass energy

are not much established.

“There is renewable energy focus on solar and wind, but the economy and markets have not established themselves for biomass production yet,” Walling said.

The research for the guidelines utilized the expertise of a tech team from the DATCP, DNR and UW, according to Walling.

She said UW has already been doing this kind of research on biomass production, and the DATCP and the DNR worked with the university to effectively combine their information into the set of guidelines.

“We’re trying to be more proactive than anything in providing these voluntary guidelines. We’re putting them in place for when and if biomass energy takes off in the U.S.,” Walling said.

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The Badger Herald | News | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Edgewater pushes back, aims for Dec. deadline Developers vow to fight against city’s funding road block on large renovation Ally Boutelle City Editor Despite funding being shot down at city budget meetings earlier this month, Edgewater Hotel developers are determined to pull out all the stops to secure city funding for the proposed $98 million renovation.

Ald. Mark Clear, District 19, one of Edgewater ’s leading advocates, said developer Robert Dunn will pursue the requested $16 million of tax incremental financing funding by taking the project through the city process this week.

As of now, the city has only approved $3.3 million in funding, a sum Dunn has said is not nearly enough to complete the

project.

The funding process, however, must be completed by the end of the year for the project to be eligible for city money.

Clear said Dunn will have to reach at least two agreements with the city, one of which is an official TIF agreement.

“What the [City] Council does is authorize the creation and signing of the TIF agreement and all the parameters of that, but doesn’t get into the details of the legal agreement,” he said. “Attorneys on both sides will hammer that out.”

Mayor Paul Soglin said the city has received no paperwork from Dunn or any others involved in the development process.

“All we’ve got is the letter they delivered to City Council meetings two weeks ago, and even that is not complete in terms of financing,” he said.

Dunn has acknowledged that the end-of-year deadline is

extremely tight, and City Attorney Michael May said earlier this month that it would be nearly impossible to receive all necessary approvals by year’s end.

Clear, however, has not given up hope.

“Never say never, and if Bob [Dunn] says he’s going to do his part, then that certainly does increase the odds,” he said. “He’s highly motivated, and that may mean that the agreements are easier to reach because he won’t negotiate additional details. There isn’t time.”

Clear added that Dunn’s time limit puts the city in a solid position to negotiate the project.

Soglin said that if the paperwork is completed by the year ’s end, he will support it.

“All city officials will sign all necessary paperwork if it can be Courtesy of Hammes Company done by the end of the year, but it’s a considerable After the Madison City Council turned away a proposal to provide additional funding to the controversial Edgewater project earlier this month, the developers amount of work,” he said. refuse to allow the project to die. Mayor Paul Soglin said the developers have not yet submitted necessary paperwork, but the city would sign off on the project.

MEDLIFE group aims to educate on health disparities Jackie Allen Campus Reporter As part of a nationwide effort to improve health care services in Latin America, members of a new University of Wisconsin

Medicine, Education, and Development for Low-Income Families Everywhere chapter will travel to Quito, Ecuador, to work with local doctors and nurses in medical mobile clinics.

MEDLIFE is an

organization that hosts full-time staff based in Latin America, plus 47 chapters at universities throughout the United States.

Christopher McCarthy, founder and current president of MEDLIFE’s

UW chapter, said the organization is looking to educate the university and Madison community about global health issues and increase student involvement.

Last summer, 10 students traveled to Lima, Peru, to help build projects and assist doctors and nurses with general tasks. For many members, McCarthy said the experience was life-changing.

“There were 20,000 people who had two doctors who had to care for them in this tiny, little community,” McCarthy said. “Even though we don’t live down there, it’s still a big problem, and we’re trying to help them in any way we can.”

McCarthy added the trips focus primarily on medical mobile clinics that hire local doctors and nurses who are more knowledgeable about the local diseases and language. Members also work with local schools and various doctors and nurses.

UW MEDLIFE Vice President Kim Kempen added the students working in Lima last summer helped doctors in taking vitals as well as building stairs in the

mountainside to allow for easier access for the young and the elderly.

“I was very happy that I went,” Kempen said. “It was really beneficial to see the differences between our country and the health care in South America. … I think it’s a good way to open your eyes to different experiences, … and it helps the people who need it the most.”

MEDLIFE offices in the various regions of

“It was really beneficial to see the differences between our country and the health care in South America.”

Kim Kempen

UW MEDLIFE Vice President South America ask local communities where they need help then inform student organizations where they will work shortly before departing for the program.

Kempen added these projects change depending on the area of South America various

student groups work.

The trips are open to any UW student, regardless of major, who attends the organization’s general meetings. Students who then choose to travel to South America must attend group meetings where they learn local Spanish dialects and medical terminology.

“For the most part, we just want to get them ready and want to get them comfortable working with patients and doctors,” McCarthy said. “The cool part is we offer Spanish classes if someone has no Spanish ability, so someone can really pick up on their Spanish.”

There is a $650 participation fee in the program, which covers payment to local doctors, their stay in the hospital, meals and transportation.

Because of the handson interaction alongside doctors, McCarthy said other similar programs can cost up to $2,000.

“We’re just trying to get people educated.

We’re not trying to save the world,” McCarthy said. “We’re trying to show kids that we’ve been given a lot, … but that’s not the same situation for everyone.”

The Badger Herald | News | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

5

UW Library to remove historical card catalog Jane Milne News Reporter The era of the card catalog is coming to a close at the University of Wisconsin.

The 6,700 drawers used for decades to house Memorial Library’s public card catalog will be removed in the coming months in order to allow space for additional projects, a UW statement announced Tuesday.

The space will instead be used to support digital humanities research, according to General Library Systems Deputy Director Edward Van Gemert. He added this will not detract from the library experience or usefulness of the library staff.

“Many of the resources acquired today are in electronic format, offering convenient [and] easy access to needed

research tools,” Van Gemert said. “Librarians continue to provide top notch professional services.”

The card catalog in Memorial Library has not been maintained in the last 25 years, according to the statement.

Van Gemert said representatives from within the library feel the space should be re-purposed and used more efficiently. This efficiency stems from the digitization of the catalog, which began in 1986, according to the statement, as researchers can now find the cards representing books, journals and other resources in the library online.

“Scholars travel from all over the world to use the amazing collections stored here,” Van Gemert said. “Today, scholars learn of and discover

these resources using electronic catalogs available to them anywhere and anytime.”

The General Library Systems’ current project is the Humanities Research Bridge — a partnership between UW’s libraries, DoIT and the College of Letters and Science, according to the statement. The project’s goal is to create new facilities for digital research, workshops and collaborations.

While millions of the cards will be recycled, many of the card cases will be donated to Surplus with a Purpose, a university store, to be sold individually, the statement said. Anyone interested in obtaining a keepsake from the store will be able do so.

Memorial Library will also be keeping several Matt Hintz The Badger Herald of the cards and cases for itself, the statement said. After years of preservation, thousands of library catalog cards will be donated to local stores to be sold as memorable keepsakes.

Student reveals County Board run Olivia Raedeke News Reporter A student government representative and University of Wisconsin student unveiled plans to fight for the Dane County Board District 5 seat during a Tuesday press conference.

Student Council Rep. Leland Pan said a progressive third party student has historically held the position, and he hopes to keep this tradition alive by pushing forward issues he feels are relevant to the study body. “[I will be an] organizer and activist first,” Pan said in an interview with The Badger Herald.

Spokesperson David Megan McCormick The Badger Herald Vines said he believes ASM Rep. Leland Pan says if elected to the Dane County Board, he would fight for Pan makes an excellent issues central to students like undocumented immigration, labor rights and the lakes. candidate for the position

Pan has a history of as he has a wealth of experience in activism activism stretching from high school to his current and activating change.

Vines also said Pan work with City Council brings “under the table” and on the Associated issues to the forefront for Students of Madison, he said. students He added who may these not be experiences aware of have allowed how these “He will fight for him to keep issues are change and fight up-to-date affecting for students to on current them. make change.” issues faced “Pan by students won’t take as well as a passive David Vines giving him an role,” Vines Pan for People inside view to said. “He Spokesperson politics on this will fight level. for change “While these and fight for students to make experiences have taught me the necessity of change.”

Issues Pan listed people power to engage included protection of the their governments, I state’s lakes, labor rights have found that it is also and undocumented useful to have people inside the system to worker rights.

channel this energy into policy change,” Pan said in a statement.

“I have the experience that makes me ready to be such a facilitator and a proactive, progressive leader on labor rights, immigrant rights, environmental protections and the funding of human services.”

ASM Chair Allie Gardner said Pan was a great example of students becoming involved on a larger level because, if he is elected, Pan will be representing students from more than just UW. “I think it’s great students are being involved in political processes,” Gardner said. “It’s a cool way for students to represent other students in the district.”

Cain reconsiders campaign after infidelity accusation Ray Henry Associated Press ATLANTA (AP) — Herman Cain told aides Tuesday he is assessing whether the latest allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior against him “create too much of a cloud” for his Republican presidential candidacy to go forward.

Acknowledging the “firestorm” arising from an accusation of infidelity, Cain only committed to keeping his campaign schedule for the next several days, in a conference call with his senior staff.

“If a decision is made, different than to plow ahead, you all will be the first to know,” he said, according to a transcript of the call made by the National Review, which listened to the conversation.

It was the first time doubts about Cain’s continued candidacy had surfaced from the candidate himself. As recently as Tuesday morning, a campaign spokesman had stated unequivocally that Cain would not quit.

Cain denied anew that he had an extramarital affair

with a Georgia woman who went public a day earlier with allegations they had been intimate for 13 years.

“It was just a friendship relationship,” he said on the call, according to the transcript. “That being said, obviously, this is a cause for reassessment.”

He went on: “With this latest one, we have to do an assessment as to whether or not this is going to create too much of a cloud, in some people’s minds, as to whether or not they would be able to support us going forth.”

Saying the episode had taken an emotional toll on him and his family, Cain told the aides that people will have to decide whether they believe him or the accuser. “That’s why we’re going to give it time, to see what type of response we get from our supporters.”

Ginger White’s accusation of an affair prompted New Hampshire state Rep. William Panek, who endorsed Cain at a news conference earlier this year, to pull his endorsement and instead support former House Speaker Newt Gingrich in the upcoming primary.

Panek said he rethought his position when White showed evidence that she traded 61 text messages and cell phone calls with the candidate.

“I felt like we were being lied to,” Panek said. “I’m putting my name in New Hampshire as a state rep behind him and I just didn’t like the way it was being played out.”

In Iowa, Cain’s campaign has lost some precinctlevel supporters in light of the new allegations, Steve Grubbs, Cain’s Iowa chairman, said during an interview with CNN. Cain was in Iowa for a day last week to film a new ad, but spending to air it was on hold pending the fundraising in the days to come, Grubbs said.

“If people make contributions, then we’ll keep the campaign doors open and be able to keep paying people,” Grubbs said. “Otherwise, Herman Cain will have to make a decision whether he can afford to keep moving forward.”

Cain has denied the affair as well as several other accusations of inappropriate sexual

behavior that have dogged his candidacy over the past month. He had been publicly resolute about pressing ahead even as his standing in public opinion polls and his fundraising started to slide.

But in the conference call, he pledged only to keep his imminent schedule, including a foreign policy speech at Hillsdale College in Michigan later Tuesday that he promised to deliver with “vim, vigor and enthusiasm.”

Speaking to nearly 1,000 people at Hillsdale, a conservative bastion, Cain didn’t address the affair allegation. He stuck to his plan to present his foreign policy vision, one in which the U.S. would stand by friendly nations such as Israel, quit giving money to countries he considered enemies, and spend more on defense.

“Rather than the current philosophy of cut, cut, cut, I believe our philosophy should be invest, invest, invest,” he said. “I happen to believe that we have allowed our military to get too weak.”

While Cain avoided reporters after the speech,

he would hardly be able to escape them at an event from which he withdrew earlier in the day: a party in New York on Sunday to meet with some of the city’s top journalists including NBC’s Matt Lauer and ABC’s Barbara Walters. Cindy Adams, the New York Post columnist hosting the dinner, told the AP she had received a call Tuesday from Cain adviser John Coale saying Cain had decided not to attend. Coale declined to comment.

Still, Cain was what one participant described as calm and deliberate as he addressed his staff on the conference call.

The participant, Florida state Rep. Scott Plakon, one of four chairmen for Cain’s Florida campaign, said he wanted to see more evidence from the accuser.

“If it is true that he didn’t do this, I think he should fight and kick and scratch and win,” Plakon said.

But if Cain did have the affair, Plakon said, it would be unacceptable to Republican voters.

“That would be very problematic,” he said.

“There’s the affair itself and then there’s the

truthful factor. He’s been so outspoken in these denials.”

After the conference call, Cain attorney Lin Wood told the AP: “Any report that Mr. Cain has decided to withdraw his candidacy is inaccurate.”

“I think they are assessing the situation, just as I would expect the campaign to do or any prudent business person to do,” said Wood. He added that he would hate to see what he described as false accusations drive Cain out of the race for the presidency.

On Monday, Ginger White said in an interview with Fox 5 Atlanta that her affair with Cain ended not long before the former businessman from Georgia announced his candidacy for the White House.

Associated Press writers Kathy Barks Hoffman in Hillsdale, Mich., Beth Fouhy in New York, Thomas Beaumont in Des Moines, Iowa, Steve Peoples in Amherst, N.H., Greg Bluestein in Dunwoody, Ga., and researcher Barbara Sambriski in New York contributed to this report.

6

The Badger Herald | News | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Defendant distressed after Sandusky disputes charges Mark Scolforo Associated Press HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A newly hired lawyer for a high school student described by prosecutors as a sexual abuse victim of former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky said Tuesday that he has been distressed to hear Sandusky’s attorney dispute the charges.

Slade McLaughlin said his client stands by the allegations and sees the strategy by defense attorney Joe Amendola as putting victims on trial instead of Sandusky.

The grand jury report, issued Nov. 5 when Sandusky was charged with 40 criminal counts, accused Sandusky of

fondling and repeated instances of oral sex after they met about five years ago through The Second Mile, a charity for disadvantaged youths Sandusky founded.

“I can only say it was emotionally devastating,” said McLaughlin, who also represents the boy’s mother. “It was someone he trusted. It was someone he believed had his best interests at heart. What’s even more distressing to him and his family is Sandusky’s lawyer is out there saying Victim No. 1 is a liar; he’s made all this up.”

Amendola, who did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment Tuesday, said last week that Sandusky has

maintained his innocence and that he has information leading him to conclude he may be innocent.

“We’re ready to refute all eight charges in the original presentment,” Amendola has said. “We have evidence to refute all of those.”

Sandusky is accused of sexually abusing eight boys over a period of 15 years and faces charges that include involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault and indecent assault. The case has also led to the departure under pressure of Penn State President Graham Spanier, and the firing of longtime head football coach Joe Paterno.

McLaughlin said

Amendola’s tactics reminded him of a defense lawyer in a rape case saying the woman “wanted it.”

“The proof is going to come out strong and hard, and these people are going to eat their words,” McLaughlin said.

He said that Amendola’s comments were not appropriate and that they may be an effort to influence potential jurors in favor of Sandusky.

“I frankly think a lot of his comments have been incendiary,” McLaughlin said. “I think they have been harmful and hurtful to a lot of the victims.”

The boy recently changed schools; at his previous high school he was bullied, received threats and did

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ASO to the men of Madison. Your lack of Novembeards and overall manliness is truly shameful SO to the girl in ingraham reading animals talking in all caps.

GLAD TO KNOW THERE ARE OTHER BADGERS WHO APPRECIATE IT. SO to learning how to eat an apple properly.

SO to the boy that works at Crossroads Cafe Tuesdays and Thursdays at 12:30.

Your soy lattes and beautiful blue eyes

always make my day better!:) SO to the handsome guy on second floor of college library rockin’ the Carolina shirt at 1 A.M. Tuesday morning. SO to me eyefucking you a majority of the time. If only I didn’t have to work on two papers I would have totally came over and talk to you. ASO to papers being vaginablockers.

SO to Christmas. Tis the season to get laid.

SO to my friend for saying the only action she has had in a long time came from her dog licking her mouth when she went home for break. ASO to that being more than I got.

not receive sufficient support, McLaughlin said.

The boy and his mother have been overwhelmed with calls from reporters and hired him and another attorney, in part, to help them cope with the media pressure. He declined to go into detail about the family’s home life.

The school was closed Tuesday and administrators did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment.

The grand jury report said Sandusky hosted the boy overnight at his home in State College, took him to restaurants, church and a pool, and gave him gifts that included golf clubs, a computer and cash.

Jurors said physical

contact began as “backcracking” and progressed to back rubs and kisses before Sandusky performed oral sex on him more than 20 times during 2007 and 2008.

Sandusky was a volunteer coach at the boy’s high school, jurors wrote, but he was banned from the district in 2009 after the boy’s mother reported sexual assault allegations.

School officials contacted authorities, and the state attorney general’s office got the case on referral from the Centre County district attorney at the time, who cited an apparent conflict of interest.

Associated Press writer Genaro Armas in State College contributed to this report.

Comics

Members Only Noah J. Yuenkel comics@badgerherald.com

7

The Badger Herald | Comics | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

WHAT IS THIS

SUDOKU

HERALD COMICS

PRESENTS

S

U

D

O

K

U WHITE BREAD & TOAST

toast@badgerherald.com

MIKE BERG

NONSENSE? Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.

What? You still don’t get it? Come, on, really? It’s not calculus or anything. Honestly, if you don’t know how to do a sudoku by now, you’ve probably got more issues than this newspaper.

TWENTY POUND BABY

DIFFICULTY RATING: You filled out the paperwork, right?

HERALD COMICS

PRESENTS

K

A

K

U

R

O

baby@badgerherald.com

STEPHEN TYLER CONRAD

YOURMOMETER

LAURA “HOBBES� LEGAULT

C’EST LA MORT

PARAGON

yourmom@badgerherald.com

HOW DO I

KAKURO?

I know, I know. Kakuro.

Looks crazy, right?

This ain’t no time to panic, friend, so keep it cool and I’ll walk you through. Here’s the low down: each clue tells you what the sum of the numbers to the right or down must add up to.

Repeating numbers?

Not in this part of town.

And that’s that, slick.

paragon@badgerherald.com

The Kakuro Unique Sum Chart Cells Clue 2 3 2 4 2 16 2 17

DIFFICULTY: If no one follows the rules than it’ll be chaos! C’mon!

REHABILITATING MR. WIGGLES

Possibilities { 1, 2 } { 1, 3 } { 7, 9 } { 8, 9 }

3 3 3 3

6 7 23 24

{ 1, 2, 3 } { 1, 2, 4 } { 6, 8, 9 } { 7, 8, 9 }

4 4 4 4

10 11 29 30

{ 1, 2, 3, 4 } { 1, 2, 3, 5 } { 5, 7, 8, 9 } { 6, 7, 8, 9 }

5 5 5 5

15 16 34 35

{ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 } { 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 } { 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 } { 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 }

6 6 6 6

21 22 38 39

{ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 } { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 } { 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 } { 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 }

7 7 7 7

28 29 41 42

{ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 } { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 } { 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 } { 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 }

8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8

36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44

{ 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 } { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9 } { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9 } { 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9 } { 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 } { 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 } { 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 } { 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 } { 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 }

www.neilswaab.com

NEIL SWAAB

MADCAPS

HERALD COMICS 1

2

3

madcaps@badgerherald.com

MOLLY MALONEY

4

PRESENTS 5

6

7

15

16

17

18

19

21 24 28

pascle@badgerherald.com

33

34

35

36

39

29

30

41

47

random@badgerherald.com

ERICA LOPPNOW

CROSSWORD

25

26

27

54

55

56

45

48

49 52

57 63

13

42

51

62

12

32

44

50

11

38

40

46

RANDOM DOODLES

31

37

43

61

10

22

23

RYAN PAGELOW

9

14

20

BUNI

8

58

59

53

60

64

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

Puzzle by Milo Beckman

PRIMAL URGES

primal@badgerherald.com

ANDREW MEGOW

MODERN CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT

THE SKY PIRATES

COLLIN LA FLEUR

DENIS HART

mcm@badgerherald.com

skypirate@badgerherald.com

Across 1 Hanging open 6 Cousin of an ax 10 Near Eastern V.I.P.’s 14 Doesn’t have a second to lose?

15 Boutique ďŹ xture 17 Exhibited perfect braking 19 Native Nebraskan 20 Followers of nus 21 “For me? You shouldn’t have ‌â€?

22 Nicest room on a ship, probably 27 Toward the back 28 E.T.A.’s for red-eyes 29 Here, to Henri 32 Foofaraw 35 Aloe additive?

37 “Heavens to Betsy!�

38 Cashier’s error, as suggested by 17-, 22-, 47- and 58-Across?

41 Henry who made a Fortune?

42 Baby taking a bow?

43 Befuddled 44 Baton Rouge sch.

45 Peace grp. since 1948 46 “___ loves me ‌â€?

47 Certain loaf 54 Frigidaire competitor 56 Bumbler 57 RĂŠunion, e.g.

58 Being frugal 63 Strongly praised 64 Goose bumpsproducing, maybe 65 Funnywoman Martha 66 Actress Naldi of the silents 67 Kicko

Down 1 N.A.A.C.P. part: Abbr.

2 Must, slangily 3 Something to be thrown for 4 Top 40 fare 5 Medium capacity?

6 Contribute to the mix 7 Impurity 8 Eastern state?

9 That, in Tijuana 10 “___ there yet?�

11 Handy IDs in the hood?

12 Unwanted spots 13 Kind of terrier 16 Slows down traďŹƒc, say?

18 Sign by stairs, often 23 1,000-footdeep lake that straddles a state line 24 Many miles away

Get today’s puzzle solutions at badgerherald.com

25 Game with a maximum score of 180 26 Apple oering 30 Zoo keeper?

31 Noodle product?

32 Over the ___ 33 Burden 34 Number of people in a room 35 Numbered thing in the Bible 36 Friendly

introduction?

37 Faster’s opposite 39 Bring in 40 “Yeah, right�

45 Gerald Ford’s birthplace 46 Muslim mystic 48 Theodore Roosevelt, to Eleanor 49 Man of many words?

50 Press conference component, briey 51 Arena sections 52 Carl’s wife in “Upâ€?

53 Bowling alley button 54 On ___ with (equal to) 55 Sheet mineral 59 “There is no ___ team�

60 Name placeholder in govt. records 61 Many a Fortune proďŹ lee, for short 62 “Jeopardy!â€? whiz Jennings

Rocky the Herald Comics Raccoon™ , DP D UDFFRRQ , HQMR\ FDEHUQHWV PHUORWV DQG WKHP SHDQXW QRLUV ,›P UHDOO\ QRW DOO WKDW SLFN\ /HW LW EUHDWKH" ,W FDQ EUHDWKH LQ P\ VWRPDFK %RWWOH RU ER[ DV ORQJ DV LW SRXUV LW VFRUHV , VHHP WR KDYH VSLOOHG RQ \RXU Ă&#x;QH ZKLWH EHUEHU FDUSHW EXW GRQ›W ZRUU\ D OLWWOH FOXE VRGD ZLOO JHW WKDW RXW , DP WKH ZLQH SHUFHQW JOXJ

To place an ad in Classifieds: Roshni Nedungadi rnedungadi@badgerherald.com 257.4712 ext. 311

8

The Badger Herald | Classifieds | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Classifieds SO to cotton headed ninny muggins.

SO to my fellow californians spending their time on the west coast this weekend. I just ate a whole slab of bree cheese in one sitting. I obviously miss Wisconsin.

SO to being stoned with friends and spending an

www.BadgerHerald.com

THe Badger Herald: saving whales! (for real) . .since 1969

hour watching videos of fat women belly dance on youtube.

SO to the cute id checker that works the evening shift at the serf every Monday.

Wanna date? For real?

ASO to pigtails. Seriously? Aren’t you in college? You look like you’re ten. Not a good look.

SO to the guy who hooked up with that hottie brunette behind my apartment on the train tracks Saturday night. WAY TO CELEBRATE THE WISCONSIN VICTORY MY MAN! SO to guys sitting as far away from each other as possible with out falling to their death while double scooting... you still look hilarious/ awkward SO to the super cute boy at the Chazen. You were wearing plaid and checking out Andy Warhol. I wish you’d come back over to the window and sit by me. We could definitely strike up a conversation about some good art :) ASO to Wiscards. Making a card that has both your housing food money and your key to get into your dorm seems like a good idea until you lose it.

SO to TBS for showing Pretty Woman and The Wedding Date twice this

weekend. Apparently all I need to do to fall in love is to hire a prostitute for all of my business or family outings! It’s so clear now!

SO to changing my ex’s name in my phone to ‘piece of shit’. there is so much satisfaction in seeing that pop up on my screen HSO to the girl who gave me a wrap that she didn’t want to eat. I was just contemplating whether or not I wanted to buy dinner because I really don’t have the money to eat out right now. It’s like you’re in my head..GET OUT.. but seriously thanks you’re the shit.

SO to the girl and guy making cupcakes in the Ogg 6th floor kitchen for the sole reason of giving them away.

You made my day with a little Funfetti.

SO to thinking Facebook should just be called FaceTitties instead.

That’s really the matchup that’s taking place right now...Facebook sounds more like what I should be doing for chemistry.

ASO to that Regina George feeling I get whenever I get e-mailbombed by a professor on a weekend. Why are you so obsessed with me?

....... >>> MORE

The Badger Herald | Classifieds | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

SO to the kid in my Bio 151 class who sat through the entire lecture playing video games. Your tofu hunting game kept me entertained the entire lecture! You take gaming to a whole new level.

HASO to the girl who tried to parallel park her Daddy’s nice car on Henry Street last night. When you hit the car in front of you, you said, “Oh well, that’s an ugly ass car, anyway.” I kind of wish I would have walked up and slapped you and said, “Oh well, you’re an uglydumb broad, anyway.”

SO to 2000 piece puzzles. ASO to seeing little tiny pieces of said puzzle everytime I close my eyes.

They all look the same!

DASO to not being done after one day...this is

really cutting into my study time. Bummer ASO to Engineering Hall. I love you, but most would think that engineers could build a more logical building for themselves. I’m trying to get to class, not find Narnia.

SO to seeing a 500+ lb black bear while out hunting this week. DSO to seeing it again fifty yards away, just staring me down for a couple minutes before running off with an animal carcass. ASO to finding out that animal was a deer and me not getting a deer this year. I can only imagine what that attack looked like.

Black bears are the best bears.

ASO to me for accidently slapping a guy in the face while running on the track at the SERF. I’m so so so

9

sorry! I have a bad habit of being overly expressive with my hand motions while telling a story... you had to find that out the hard way! :( P(Poetic?)SO - Dear golden haired girl riding my bus: All fingers are pointing to you for causing the train wreck in my mind, and this day’s productivity; the identified first casualty. It was an accident.

The court waived the fine. So why do I feel you’ll be spending a lifetime in my mind?

SO to the guy riding his bike while making racecar noises. Thanks for making me smile :) SO to guy on a buffalo.

Awesome. That’s all.

....... >>> MORE

Opinion

Editorial Page Editor Allegra Dimperio oped@badgerherald.com

10

The Badger Herald | Opinion | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Voting the most effective, powerful form of protest Joe Timmerman Staff Writer

Protests of all shapes and sizes have been in the news quite a bit over the past year.

Between the Arab Spring, the Tea Party, the backlash against austerity in Europe and now the Occupy movement, it seems that not a day goes by without some coverage of a protest movement.

And for good reason — protest is a vital part of the democratic process.

Citizens need a way to express discontent with their government. This is a central tenant of democracy.

But what actually is a protest? Images of crowds marching and chanting, teenagers dressed in black throwing Molotov cocktails and lines of riot police come to mind. The actual definition of a protest is much simpler,

though: an action taken to show objection to something.

The aforementioned examples clearly fit that definition, but one type of protest, the simplest, and, in the United States, the most powerful, is missing: the act of voting.

We are blessed in this country to have elections that are regular and almost always fair. In the vast majority of our elections, there is no doubt that the winner is indeed the legitimate winner.

Not all countries are so lucky. In some, elections aren’t just irregular — they’re non-existent. And in others, the results of elections are decided well before any ballots are cast. When this is the case, non-voting forms of protests are clearly the best — and sometimes only — option. If the people’s voice cannot be heard

through the ballot box, they must make it heard somehow.

The power of the ballot is important to keep in mind as we see protest movements on both the right

Protest is a vital part of the democratic process — citizens need a way to express discontent with their government. and left sweep the country. General forms of protest, like demonstrations, are still powerful — just look at the civil rights movement.

But without pro-civil rights candidates being voted into office, the civil disobedience and mass demonstrations would have been much less effective. So by all means, go out and make noise, fight for what you believe in,

but don’t let voting get lost in all the ruckus.

Unfortunately, the right to vote, one of the most important rights in our country, is being curtailed by Gov. Scott Walker and his colleagues in the state legislature.

The voter ID law, which requires that people show a photo ID in order to vote, disproportionately affects minorities, students and the poor — groups that tend to vote against Republicans. It is simply immoral for anyone to play politics with the right to vote.

Luckily, the state’s universities have done what they can to counter this by issuing new IDs for students without some form of state ID. It’s worth noting the irony in the fact that, as a result of this law, the University of Wisconsin is paying around $100,000 over five years to help

its students comply with these new rules while at the same time facing massive budget cuts from the same lawmakers who passed them.

Students will need to be proactive in order to get these IDs, though.

Starting on the first day of next semester (Jan. 23), they can be picked up from Union South.

It’s crucial that any student who doesn’t have a valid photo ID (like out-of-state students) take just a few minutes out of

Thousands of students on campus have already taken the time to sign the recall petitions, but this will all be for naught if students get turned away at the polls. their day to protect their right to vote.

Thousands of students on campus have already taken the time to sign the recall petitions, but this will all be for naught if students get turned away at the polls because they didn’t take the couple of minutes necessary to get the proper ID. The next year will no doubt be a turbulent one. It will be full of protest and arguing.

People on both sides (or neither side) of the political spectrum will be protesting in the streets. But through it all, let’s try not to forget about our simplest, most powerful form of protest.

It would be a shame for voter apathy to win out over the will of the people.

Joe Timmerman (jptimmerman@wisc. edu) is a freshman intending to major in economics and math.

Lack of candidates big plus for Walker Alex Brousseau Editorial Board Chair Well, they are halfway there. Activists have already gathered 300,000 signatures to recall Gov. Scott Walker — an unbelievable rate of 1,040 signatures an hour.

However, despite their enormous success, liberals are still living on a prayer.

With no candidate in mind to pit against Walker in the imminent recall election, Democrats have little chance of succeeding.

Democrats have been focusing on gathering recall petitions instead of selecting a strong candidate who can not only win against Walker, but be a strong enough governor to overcome the Republicancontrolled houses and pass the reform for which the left has been campaigning.

All the while, Walker is campaigning, raising funds and gearing up for one of the most expensive

With no candidate in mind to pit against Walker in the imminent recall election, Democrats have little chance of succeeding. elections Wisconsin will see.

Because no candidate has yet to be selected, activists have been signing petitions and campaigning for Walker’s recall with this ideal notion of the perfect democratic governor in mind. However, as seen in the current pool, no ideal candidate exists.

Possible Democratic candidates include Kathleen Falk, Mahlon Mitchell, U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl, U.S. Rep. Dave Obey, U.S. Rep. Ron Kind, state Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-Middleton, Assembly Minority Leader Peter Barca, D-Kenosha and Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett.

As for Kohl and Obey, both are popular Democrats in Wisconsin, but they are way past their political prime. At the age of 76 and 73 respectively, both men are looking to retire instead of run an entire state on the brink of financial collapse.

Kind has shown zero interest in running for governor, refusing to give

comments to the press or campaign with the “Recall Walker” folks in Wisconsin.

Same goes for Barrett, who already lost to Walker in the 2010 gubernatorial race and has shown little interest in going at it again, especially so close to his defeat.

Erpenbach and Barca were in the thick of the collective bargaining debacle, with Erpenbach fleeing the state and Barca fighting the Republican Assemblymen. However, they are not well known around the state and have very little political experience outside their current roles. It would be very difficult for either of them to win against a political giant such as Walker.

Although Falk has previously run for attorney general and governor (both of which she lost), she is not well known outside of Dane County. Those who do know of Falk, especially in Madison, are not impressed.

Her last few years as Dane County executive were plagued with crises, including the failure of the 911 Center connected to a University of Wisconsin student’s murder. She has not proven she can take on the responsibility of running the state, let alone defeat Walker and take on the Republican legislators.

Finally, Mahlon Mitchell — a name only a few people in Madison and almost no one in the greater state know. The man is relatively young and a fresh face to politics, which will be a huge disadvantage in this race. He has not proven himself as a leader or a competent politician.

When faced with taking on a Republican giant and a hostile Legislature, is a newbie who you really want for the job?

There is no doubt a recall election will take place.

However, with no strong candidate for governor, Democrats still face an enormous hurdle.

It is one thing to be enraged at Walker and wish he had never been elected, but it is an entirely other thing to unseat him. The speed at which the recall petitions are flooding in show Wisconsinites agree with the former, but who can come to the rescue to do the latter?

With that question yet unanswered, Walker is destined to win re-election.

Alex Thomas

QUOTE OF THE DAY “I can’t comment on the legal advice we provided to our client,” -Erin McLeod, attorney with Michael Best & Friedrich LLP You can’t make this shit up. A law firm that helped the Legislature draft a law is now representing clients that are suing the Legislature over it. The law drew up the new legislative districts and dictated when the updated maps would take effect.

Law firms Michael Best & Friedrich and the Troupis Law Office advised the Government Accountability Board in drawing up maps that favored Republicans, but they apparently failed to choose a favorable date for implementation. The new maps aren’t set to go into effect until the fall of 2012, meaning all recalls before then will rely on the old maps. A group of Republicans have sued the GAB, stating that all new elections should be held in the new districts.

It is unclear why this law firm was selected, but the case itself has taught us an important lesson: If the law doesn’t fit, change it! It’s the American way.

Alex Brousseau (abrousseau@badgerherald. com) is a second year law student.

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NICK AND ALEX’S MATERIALS FOR ONE LONGBOARD COMPARABLE MANUFACTURER’S BOARD

UNION MINI CLASS Megan McCormick The Badger Herald

LONGBOARD, from 1 always been that you can build alw anything; you can make anything work, any if you just try,” he said. “At least try, y and an if I can’t make it, I guess I’ll resort to buying something.”

After mastering the art for himself, it was time to teach the craft to others. During the fall, Ruff led a Wisconsin Union mini course at the Craftshop, where he instructed students on how to design and build a longboard.

“That just came out of me working here at the Craftshop. …

One day, Jay [Eckleberry] from the mini course office asked me if I’d be interested in teaching a mini course,” Ruff said, “So we sat down and did the logistics of it, … and yeah, it worked out.”

After a five-week session that met once a week for three hours, Ruff said students were leaving with two to three decks each. At a cost to students of $149 for the course, the final products students walked away with paid for themselves. To get two or three decks for that price would be a deal anywhere. Additionally, the ability to design one’s own board, custom-fitted to the rider’s needs, is about much more than sheer discount.

“A lot of my students have never really worked with wood, so it’s just kind of cool to get something that they can apply and then ride,” Ruff said. “I think it’s so rewarding to be able to ride something that you built. That’s definitely one of my favorite aspects.”

Ruff has sold a few of his boards, although he said the goal has never been to make a profit. He is more concerned with people being able to ride on a quality product. Achieving this involved a lot of experimenting.

Most of his experimentation relies on a heavy, wooden construct about a meter long: his press. Another Ruff DIY project in itself, the press clamps around layers of Baltic birch plywood to hold them together while glue dries, resulting in a multi-layer longboard deck.

If you look closely at any longboard or skateboard, you will see several layers of wood.

The thickness of each layer, type of wood and shape of these layers is i what gives a board its unique characteristics.

A board’s strength, c flexibility, shape and size are all fl crucial to the type of riding one does, cr Ruff Ru said, whether it be slalom, sliding or just cruising.

When interviewed, Ruff was working W with wit concave patterns in a W-shape, which whi he said adds strength and stability at high speeds. The slight “W” is visible h when whe holding the board lengthwise, like a telescope. tele The press might be the most important Th tool iin the process, but for Ruff, it also limits what he can do.

“There are some drawbacks just with my simplistic press. It doesn’t allow me to get some of the shapes that companies are coming out with now,” he said. “A lot of those manufacturers are using vacuum pressing, and they’re just using a lot more sophisticated designs, a lot more pressure, and I’m just using wood clamps.”

Vacuum pressing isn’t strictly limited to big-name manufacturers, though, nor is it impossible to do for cheap. Ambur, a thirdyear student and member of the University of Wisconsin longboarding club, seals his boards into shape with a vacuum press he made in his garage. The materials he used to make it include an industrial shower curtain, sealant putty and a medical suction pump borrowed from his mother, a nurse.

The pump is the most recent evolution in an ongoing experiment.

“A buddy and I just decided to cut up some plywood and put skateboard trucks on it and go down a hill,” he said. “And it kind of evolved from there, I guess. I’ve never really bought a board; I’ve just kind of made them myself. That’s kind of how I got started.”

Although Ambur said he’s probably lost more boards to the vacuum pump than he’s gained, it’s all part of a process. You try something, see what works and what doesn’t, cut out what doesn’t, and move forward. Some would call this the scientific process.

For Ruff and Ambur, building longboards has saved hundreds of dollars and allowed them to progress further in a sport than they ever could have without building, they said.

Their experiments with hardware have led them to more experimentation on the streets as riders, where they both go as often as possible.

The fact that they’re riding homemade boards makes it all the more satisfying, as they put a new spin on an old adage: Give a man a longboard and he will ride until it breaks (for Ruff, that was five days); teach a man to make a longboard, and who knows where he will go with the knowledge. A good bet would be the nearest hill.

To see some of Alex Ruff’s longboards, check out his company’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/RuffLongboards. For more information about Wisconsin Union Mini Courses, visit www.union.wisc.edu/ minicourses.htm.

Eric Wiegmann The Badger Herald Design

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The Badger Herald | Arts | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

‘Bat Boy: The Musical’ brings to life tabloid’s familiar face Actors’ charm, talents help to propel oddball script toward success in UT’s initial shows Shelby Lewis ArtsEtc. Writer We all remember the bold, black-and-white cover pages of Weekly World News. It was the King Supreme of all supermarket tabloids, on par with The National Enquirer, dominating the checkout aisles with its fabricated and laughable claims about Jesus sightings at WalMart or redneck vampires attacking trailer parks.

Most of the time, we skimmed over all the tall tales and went straight for the latest issue of People or a Snickers bar for the road home.

This time, the University of Wisconsin wanted to give Weekly World News its moment in the spotlight with a triumphant and sensational comeback. The University Theatre’s latest production, “Bat Boy: The Musical,” chronicles the lonely and dreary life of the notorious half-bat, half-boy creature and the tabloid’s most wellknown headliner. For a musical based entirely

on an outlandish feature West Virginia. With a out of “The World’s Only population of 500, Hope Reliable News,” “Bat Boy” Falls was a quiet mountain proved to be a devilishly town with nothing to wild, dark and humorous excite but cattle — until treat for audiences and Bat Boy came along.

When three young, bat-lovers alike.

The 1992 Bat Boy cover country-bumpkin story evoked curiosity spelunkers — Rick, Ron and plenty of pity for the and Ruthie Taylor — unfortunate cave-dwelling discover the creature creature. According to while exploring a cave, the story, Bat Boy was a the small town goes batty with fear, bloodthirsty horror and humandisapproval. bat hybrid Huge pointed The only living deep underground ears, saucer-sized person willing to take him in in the caves eyeballs and a Meredith of West gaping black hole is (played by Virginia. His for a mouth. ...

Meghan bizarre and Randolph), the mutinous face Imagine Dracula showed off reproducing with kind-hearted wife of the town his best — or Amy Winehouse, veterinarian some would who sees Bat say worst — and you’ve got Boy’s inner features: huge Bat Boy. potential. pointed ears, Shortly after, saucer-sized eyeballs and a gaping she helps Bat Boy (played black hole for a mouth, by Joshua David Atkins) brimming with razor- in a marvelous transition sharp teeth.

Imagine from wretched freak to young Dracula reproducing with well-mannered Amy Winehouse, and man. She teaches him proper English, social you’ve got Bat Boy. “Bat Boy: The Musical” skills and even gives him was a classic spin-off of a dance lesson or two. this wonderfully weird Pretty soon, Bat Boy, now headliner with a few named Edgar, is speaking added twists that gave with a refined British Bat Boy his own unique accent and dressing as if appeal. In this rendition, he stepped out of a J. Crew the story begins in a catalog. He reemerges into town called Hope Falls, society as a whole new

man, pleading for another chance at acceptance.

Both Randolph and Atkins offer impressive performances as leading characters. Atkins’ ability to transition back and forth from blood-sucking animal to gentle human being was fun to watch.

Randolph’s majestic vocals were a powerful addition to the musical and set the stage for many of the campy and catchy tunes, like “Hold me Bat Boy,” “A Home for You” and “A Joyful Noise.” The veterinarian, played by Scott Harman, was also a strong voice among the chorus and added suspense to the performance with his character ’s jealous and insidious rages.

The talented cast and catchy musical selection made this 1997 production more than enjoyable to watch. However, the central theme of the musical was a bit cliché and overused.

“Bat Boy” told the story of an outsider trying to fit into society and find his own spot in the world, a reccurring situation we’ve seen time and time before.

The character portrayals were also pretty cheesy.

No matter where you turned to look, someone on stage either had a mullet, a trucker hat,

Photo by Brent Nicastro

Meghan Randolph and Joshua David Atkins star in UW’s production of “Bat Boy: The Musical,” which chronicles a fictional human-bat hybrid child — a legend in American exploitative journalism. shoulder pads or a scrunchie in their hair. The hillbillified performance was a big shout out to the good ol’ days of cow tippin,’ cattle ropin’ and banjo playin’ on the front porch with ma and pa, perhaps too much so.

Despite the occasional quirks, “Bat Boy: The Musical” was a comical

adventure and a great way to top off those occasional dull Saturday evenings.

It’s the perfect outing for people who enjoy watching things that are funny, weird and random all at the same time.

“Bat Boy: The Musical” plays through Dec. 10 at Vilas Hall’s Mitchell Theatre.

THE BADGER HERALD PRESENTS “HUMP DAY”

Answering feedback, feeding further curiosity on sex toys Sam Johnson Hump Day Columnist Happy early World AIDS Day! Remember to get yourself tested once every six months if you have multiple partners and once a year if you’re monogamous. The sixth floor of University Health Services will be offering free walk-in HIV tests all day long Dec. 1.

Y’all had some rad follow-up questions about sex toys, so let’s get to the good stuff!

Do tongue rings really make for better oral?

Depends on who you ask, but my informal anecdotal evidence suggests that tongue rings are more visually stimulating than anything else. Sure, it might add a little somethin’ extra, but if you want to give better head there are plenty of other tools and techniques

you could use without sticking a metal rod through your tongue.

Throw in a little hand or finger action, some sucking, some head swirling, some tongue flicking, etc. If you have a tongue ring and want to use it to its full potential, consider buying a tongue-tickler sleeve or a vibrating tongue ring.

Proceed cautiously, please, because some people find those irritating.

Can you talk about the Fleshlight?

Fo sho, yo! The Fleshlight is a male masturbatory aid, more informally known as a jerk-off toy. These are textured tubes of soft material that are enclosed within a hard plastic container — that resembles a flashlight — for easy grabbing and discreetness.

The sleeves can be removed from the canister for cleaning and come in mouth, pussy, butthole or plain-shaped openings.

You can jerk it up and down or wedge it in between couch cushions and hump away. Everyone seems to be familiar with the Fleshlight, but there’s actually way more variety

to “pocket pussies.” Here are some fun Google searches for you: Tenga, Sue Johanson’s Head Honcho and Fun Factory’s Cobra Libre.

Is it true that heterosexual men use anal toys?

The anus is filled with pleasurable nerve endings, and the prostate — or male g-spot — is located up there. When rubbed just the right way, prostate orgasms can induce the most earthshattering, full-body shivering cum sessions known to man.

Some men — gay and straight alike — also enjoy inserting anal beads before or during sex then slowly pulling them out one by one during climax. As the pelvic floor muscles contract, they squeeze around each bead, prolonging and intensifying the orgasm.

Now why should that joy be reserved just for gay guys? Good Vibrations, a well-known San Franciscobased sexuality boutique, polled its patrons who purchased harnesses and found that two-thirds of them were straight

women who intended to use them on their straight male partners — it’s called pegging.

I want a fancy, unique toy. Any suggestions?

Consider experimenting with a different material like glass, wood or metal instead of the traditional silicone, jelly or plastic.

Dildos made of these specialty materials tend to have a heavier, more solidfeeling weight to them and are beautifully handcrafted. I’d totally use them as decorative sculptures if my roomies would let me!

How do you clean sex toys?

If the toy doesn’t have any electronic parts and is made out of pure silicone, pyrex glass or metal, they can be boiled on the stove or put in the top rack of a dishwasher. Otherwise, there’s no real way to sterilize sex toys, only sanitize. Wash plastic toys, vibrating toys or toys made of porous materials with warm — not hot — water and non-irritating, antibacterial soap. There are also specialty toy cleaners

out there, but they tend to be expensive. A solution of 10 parts water to one part bleach followed by a rinse in clean water also works well. Using a condom over toys also makes for easy cleanup.

I want a cheap toy that packs a lot of punch.

What should I get?

Try a mini bullet, also known as a peanut vibrator. These little rascals range from about $5-10 and are the length of a pinkie — perfect for storing in a pocket or clutch purse.

They’re pretty strong but go through batteries fast. Luckily, the small, watch-sized batteries are pretty cheap: about a dollar a piece at sexuality boutiques. Peanut/bullet vibes can also be inserted into cock rings with a strap or dildos with a hole in the base.

I’m confused — am I supposed to stick a vibrator in me?

Most — eight of 10 — female-bodied people don’t; they just use vibrators for the vulva and the clit. Egg, bullet and

peanut vibrators should definitely be used for external purposes only. But longer shaft vibrators can be slid inside if you’re into that.

What would you recommend for someone who struggles to be pleasured manually and is maybe interested in a vibrator but is turned off by the look of sex toys?

Never fret! There are plenty of non-phallic looking vibrators. ‘Cause, ya know, not everyone is turned on by giant, dongshaped toys. Caterpillar, dolphin, flower, lipstick, cone and ball-shaped vibrators are available.

Big Teaze’s “Rub My Duckie” vibe is my personal fave. This rubber duckie makes bath time lots of fun! A plus, the duck bill is perfect for clitoral stimulation because it envelops the clit.

Keep the questions coming! Stay sexy and safe, everyone!

Sam and Amie love answering your questions, so hit them up at humpday@ badgerherald.com.

Film defines why ‘Muppets’ still worth our money, attention

Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures

Actors Jason Segel and Amy Adams show off their strong musical attributes as leads in “The Muppets,” while a new character named Walter finds his place among the reunited Muppet gang.

Felt puppets express complex emotions, transport viewers to blissfulness of youth Alexandra Claiborne ArtsEtc. Writer For the first time in seven years, I was denied admission to a movie because it was sold out. With the increase in ticket prices and decrease in audience attendance recently, I was understandably surprised. So I bought

tickets for the next show time of “The Muppets” and resisted George Clooney’s up-to-nogood grin and Oscar buzz surrounding “The Descendants.”

While standing in line for an hour, I witnessed grandparents, moms, dads and kids chattering incessantly about candy, puppies, and other pressing issues for the five to 11-year-old age group.

However, every minute spent waiting was worth it, as “The Muppets” was not only hilarious, but touching.

The sharp screenplay written by “How I Met Your Mother” star Jason Segel and “Get Him to the Greek” screenwriter Nicholas Stoller provided a strong backbone and structure for the film.

The movie starts with protagonist Walter, a puppet, and his human brother Gary (Segel) growing up in “Smalltown,” USA. Walter begins to feel disconnected from Gary because he is a puppet, until he sees his first episode of “The Muppet Show.”

He connects with the characters and becomes a super-huge fan.

The film embraces innocence, as even many years later Gary and Walter still live in their shared childhood bedroom. The audience is then introduced to Gary’s teacher girlfriend of 10 years, Mary (“Enchanted” star Amy Adams). Gary and Mary invite Walter to join them on their anniversary vacation to Los Angeles, Calif., so he can tour the old Muppet studios.

Upon finally arriving in LA, the three are

disappointed to find the Muppet studios dilapidated and longabandoned by its former stars. While on the tour, Walter overhears evil oil tycoon Tex Richman’s (Chris Cooper) plan to buy the studios and destroy them in order to drill for oil.

Walter, devastated, immediately tells Gary and Mary of Richman’s maniacal plans. They go on a quest to reunite the gang, including Kermit the Frog, who feels lonely (accompanied by the song “Pictures in My Head”), Fozzie Bear who is in a seedy Muppets cover band called “The Moopets,” Gonzo, Animal and, of course, the original diva Miss Piggy.

The gang must work together to organize a telethon performance to raise $10 million to save the studios. While still light-hearted, the film is not without its necessary drama. The evil Tex Richman proves a real threat to the group, and some relationship drama occurs between Gary and Mary as well as with Kermit and Miss Piggy.

Another overarching conflict is whether Walter can discover his true identity (“Man or Muppet”).

The film’s greatest accomplishment is that it plays perfectly to all audiences. Like the “Toy Story” series, Disney has succeeded again in creating a film that brings nostalgia to the forefront of each viewer ’s mind.

Cameo appearances

by Whoopi Goldberg, Neil Patrick Harris, Selena Gomez, Zach Galifianakis, Jim Parsons and more added hilarity and a break from the puppeteering. The best short cameo was by Emily Blunt, who reprised her role as a snooty fashion magazine assistant — a la “The Devil Wears Prada” — to Miss Piggy, who works at Vogue Paris as a plus size editor.

However, the humans ruling the film were Segel’s heartwarming Gary, Adams’ sweet Mary, Rashida Jones’ (“Our Idiot Brother”) portrayal as a tough TV exec and Jack Black (“Gulliver ’s Travels”) playing himself.

The musical numbers

included some classics like “Rainbow Connection” that brought down the house, as well as versions of “Forget You” and “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” The dialogue entertained both adults and kids while the plot addressed universal issues of identity.

Everyone can relate to Walter ’s struggle and journey as someone who does not quite know where he belongs.

His internal debate of whether he should stay in Smalltown, USA, or pursue his dream of being a successful performer on “The Muppet Show” will hit surprisingly close to home for some.

Movie-goers, even if they think they are too old, should see this film — and may even wish it were longer. At 19 years of age, I was not only amused throughout, but I do not regret spending a cent of the $10 it cost to see the show. To do so is to take an opportunity to be a kid again for 98 minutes.

‘THE MUPPETS’ James Bobin

The Badger Herald | Sports | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

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Ohio State routs Duke as pair of top 5 squads duel Sullinger posts 21 points, Buckeyes shoot 59 percent to bring down Devils COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski was asked about an Ohio State player and almost chuckled.

“I wasn’t focused on each of their guys,” he said. “I was trying not to lose by 30.”

It was that kind of night for the thirdranked Blue Devils.

Jared Sullinger scored 21 points and three teammates were close behind as No. 2 Ohio State roared out to an 11-0 lead and never looked back in rolling to an 85-63 victory Tuesday night in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

Buckeyes fans chanted “overrated” at the Blue Devils in the final minute.

NBA star LeBron James had a front-row seat for the rout, but he was booed loudly when he walked to his courtside seat with Miami Heat teammate Dwyane Wade.

That was about the only time the fans expressed any dissatisfaction with anything on the court.

“This basketball team is special,” Sullinger said.

The Buckeyes (7-0) never trailed, weathering a Duke rally in the first half and then leading by 20 for most of the second half.

“Sometimes you just get your butt kicked,” said Krzyzewski, who said his young team appeared tired.

Austin Rivers had 22 points and Mason Plumlee 16 for the Blue Devils (7-1), coming off wins over ranked opponents Michigan and Kansas in their previous two games.

William Buford scored 20, Deshaun Thomas 18 and Aaron Craft 17 for the Buckeyes, who gave the Big Ten a 4-2 edge in the conference matchups.

Craft also had eight assists and five rebounds

MCCUE, from 16 Ohio State Buckeyes, as the Badgers are shooting the lights out early on.

With a team 49.4 percent field goal percentage and an impressive 47.2 percentage from behind the three-point arc (third nationally), Wisconsin looks good on paper.

Toss in a 1.9 assistto-turnover ratio and it sounds like Taylor’s supporting cast has what it takes for a historic season. But when four of the first six wins come against the likes of Kennesaw State, Colgate, Wofford and the MissouriKansas City (not exactly perennial powerhouses), those numbers no longer fly off the stat sheet.

The scoring has been balanced with Taylor taking a backseat while he can and allowing the likes of Berggren, Brust and even forward Ryan Evans to step up, but don’t expect it to last.

Brust threw down an impressive 21 points against BYU and 17 in a blowout win over Colgate, but he won’t be the Badgers’ top scorer for long. Similarly, Berggren looked great in a 21-point, eight-for-nine shooting night against Colgate, but these are in no way Big Ten caliber defenses or players.

Brust is a great sixth man to provide some energy and give sophomore guard Josh

and was a terror on defense.

Few would have expected such a lopsided result. Duke came in with a record of 11-1 in ACC/Big Ten games and had beaten its last five Big Ten opponents -- including conference bullies Michigan State and Michigan already this season.

The Blue Devils had also won their last four games in which both teams were ranked in the top five.

The Buckeyes led by 24 with 15 minutes left after Craft banked in a 3 -- he laughed after it clanked in. The Blue Devils responded with a 7-0 run to get as close as 58-41 but Ohio State continued to control the paint.

Sullinger was fouled and hit two foul shots, then powered up a shot off the backboard for a 66-43 lead shortly before clock trouble allowed both teams to take a breather with 8:42 remaining.

On consecutive possessions, Ohio State got a dunk by Sullinger and a 3 by Craft thanks to around-the-horn passing that found an open player.

“We were taking great shots,” Craft said of the Buckeyes, who shot 59 percent from the field and made 8 of 14 3-pointers. “It all started with Jared inside. That just opens everything else up.”

It was a festive, rockconcert sort of a capacity crowd of 18,809 at Value City Arena for the game, which was billed as the biggest nonconference home game ever for Ohio State.

One female student held up a sign meant for Sullinger that said, “Jared, will you marry me?” When Rivers -- the son of Boston Celtics coach Doc Rivers -- had a turnover, the Ohio State student section chanted, “Daddy’s boy! Daddy’s boy!”

The first half was a shocker, with Ohio State setting the pace early, shrugging aside

a Duke comeback and then pulling away for a gaping 47-28 lead at the break as Buford and Thomas each had 13 points.

“I was sort of the X factor,” Thomas said with a grin.

The Buckeyes ran off the first 11 points -- five by Craft and four by Buford -- while Duke’s younger players appeared nervous and tentative.

“They just jumped on us from the beginning,” Plumlee said.

“We weren’t ready to play.”

After Plumlee ended the cold start with a shot over Sullinger 4 minutes in, the Blue Devils regained their balance as Rivers and Seth Curry took turns beating the Buckeyes off the dribble for layups.

Plumlee’s reverse dunk -- the crowd howled that he traveled -- cut Ohio State’s lead to 18-17 at the 9:50 mark.

But just that quickly, the Buckeyes -- who won their 29th in a row at home -- streaked away again.

After Buford made two foul shots, Sullinger hit a leaner off glass and Plumlee protested his second foul, with the Buckeyes sophomore completing the threepoint play. Substitute guard Jordan Sibert went high over the rim to tip in a miss before Buford scored in transition.

Thomas then tossed in a half-hook from the left baseline to cap a 10-0 run that made it 28-17.

During that spell and beyond, the Buckeyes scored on eight consecutive possessions.

When Craft hit a 14-foot jumper off a kickback pass from Sullinger at the 5:38 mark, it was 34-21.

The lead never dropped below double digits again.

The Buckeyes, typically a mildmannered team on the boards, won the rebound battle (33-27) and outscored the Blue Devils 15-0 at one point on second-chance points.

Gasser a rest, but his big numbers probably won’t last. Berggren, the Badgers’ most formidable inside threat, is still developing and will struggle to slow down inside powers like Ohio State’s Jared Sullinger. Though the 2011-12 edition of

field goal percentage.

Only the BYU Cougars, who average a stellar 51.1 percent from the field and slipped to 43 percent in their Chicago Invitational game with Wisconsin, presents a threatening offensive attack.

There is no question that the Badgers have looked surprisingly strong after losing their top scorer in Jon Leuer and key role players in Keaton Nankivil and Tim Jarmusz, but they are not the seventh-best team in the county. With two matchups against teams ranked in the top 20 looming in the next week, the numbers will slide and the weaknesses of this team will become clear.

Maybe Taylor will lead an Ohio Stateesque 35-point miracle to put head coach Roy Williams and the Carolina Blue to shame, but don’t count on it.

It’s nice to get the respect fans always covet for Ryan’s often overlooked squads, but the high hopes will fade, and soon.

[The Badgers] are not the seventh-best team in the country.

With two matchups against teams ranked in the top 20 looming in the next week, the numbers will slide and the weaknesses of this team will become clear.

Wisconsin basketball is deeper and more wellrounded than many expected, their lack of a dominant inside presence could have fans tuning into Badger games for a regular edition of the Jordan Taylor show.

UW hs held its own on the other side of the ball, limiting their opponents to 39.2 points per game and a 30.5 percent field goal percentage. However, five of the six offenses the Badgers have faced early on rank 160th or lower nationally in

Ian is a junior majoring in journalism. Think the Badgers’ deserve their lofty no. 7 ranking? Or will they show their true worth in Chapel Hill against the No. 5 Tar Heels Wednesday? Let him know by emailing imccue@ badgerherald.com or tweet him @imccue.

Associated Press

Ohio State forward Jared Sullinger takes on two Duke defenders Tuesday night in Columbus. Sullinger scored a team-high 21 points in the 85-63 win.

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The Badger Herald | Sports | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Decker key to Wisconsin’s domination on ice Standout forward leads Badgers in scoring, plays for U.S. national team Caroline Sage Women’s hockey writer

Megan McCormick The Badger Herald

Junior forward Brianna Decker is currently riding a 27-game streak in which she has registered a point for the Badgers, a school record.

With a 15-1-0 start, the Wisconsin women’s hockey team has basically been nothing but successful this season, and has done so with the help of a player who has only excelled in her time as a Badger.

Junior forward and assistant captain Brianna Decker has played a key role in UW’s achievements. With at least one point in each of the 16 games thus far, she has extended her scoring streak to 27 games, a program record.

With five points this past weekend on two goals and three assists, Decker helped lead the Badgers to a sweep over St. Cloud State at home.

“It speaks a lot about consistency, since she has been doing well for so long,” head coach Mark Johnson said. “I give her a lot of credit for working hard and putting herself in the position to be this successful and consistent, whether it is at practice or in games.”

Decker ’s success at Wisconsin hasn’t been a smooth ride, as she faced injury in the second game of her career as a Badger.

Missing nine games due to a broken wrist, Decker was forced to sit on the bench and watch her teammates compete and accomplish things she had set out to achieve herself.

“Unfortunately, I got injured the second game of the season and was out for a good chunk [of time]. It was tough,” Decker said. “But I persevered, and I think it is helping me now.”

After starting off on a low note, Decker took her time on the bench as further inspiration to

CHALLENGE, from 16 with Henson in the backcourt is the 7-foottall, 250-pound senior forward Tyler Zeller.

Zeller is third on the team with 13.5 points and second with 7.2 rebounds per game.

“They are so good with their bigs, and so long,” Ryan said. “It’s hard to keep the ball out of the post on them. And when you do and you’re trying to get in position, you do put yourself in position sometimes to foul. And they control fouls. They control fouls with the best of them.”

UNC’s backcourt consists of sophomore point guard Kendall Marshall (4.8 points, 10.8 assists per game) and junior guard Dexter Strickland (8.3 points,

most importantly in the big picture it helped her determination. ... Maybe a short-term loss for some long-term gains.”

The big picture of Decker ’s career relies on this determination. Her consistency on the ice is an instrumental aspect of Wisconsin’s high-scoring offense, which has racked up 83 goals thus far, compared to their opponents’ 23.

Decker leads Wisconsin and the nation with 18 goals on the season, as well as leading the team in points with 38. With 20 assists, she also has the second most assists for UW. These assists and goals have been a tremendous asset for Decker ’s teammates and linemates, who have seen their own success by feeding off her aggressive play and competitive attitude.

“She is really strong, aggressive, anticipates

well and is a great goal scorer, and she is very competitive,” senior forward and linemate Brooke Ammerman said. “I have a lot of fun playing with her, and we see each other well. She puts the puck in the net and gets me the puck.”

Decker ’s success as a Badger, which helped lead UW to a national championship last season, is not the only major accomplishment of her career. Playing at the national level for Team USA has elevated her level of play to become a quicker and an all-around better player.

Most recently, she represented the victorious Team USA in the Four Nations Cup two weeks ago. Decker was able translate her experiences at this next level into success and motivation for Wisconsin.

“At the national level, the pace is so much higher, so I bring it back here and I am able to skate and move quicker out there,” Decker said.

“I [also] think our team chemistry is great, which makes it easy to play.

We are moving the puck well, especially with my linemates, so I think that is where my success is coming from.”

Johnson also sees Decker learning from current and former Badgers who have also competed at the highest level. Current senior forward Hilary Knight, along with former Badger Meghan Duggan, are players Decker has been able to study both on and off the ice in order to take her game to the next level.

“For [Decker], the last few players she played with a year or two ago helped her and even made her want to be better than them,” Johnson said. “She knows the things she has to do during the summer, during training to get to that level because obviously they got to that level because they worked hard.”

3.0 rebounds per game) and has been largely responsible for powering the Tar Heel attack that ranks fifth in the nation with 88 points scored per game.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, has enjoyed a stunningly hot start to the season on the offensive end.

Buoyed by an impressive breakout performance from sophomore guard Ben Brust — the team’s leading scorer with 12.8 points per game — and the continued development of fellow sophomore guard Josh Gasser (fourth on the team with 10.2 points per game and first with .714 shooting from threepoint range), the Badgers rank 23rd in the nation with a .494 field goal percentage. From behind the arc, UW is second

with a .472 clip.

Star point guard Jordan Taylor, who garnered preseason AllAmerican honors after averaging 18.1 points per game last season, has focused on facilitating this offense thus far with a team-high 5.8 assists per game. Taylor is third with 11 points per game, and his willingness to set up opportunities for his teammates has played a significant role in allowing younger plays like Brust a chance to develop.

“We see it every day, so it hasn’t really surprised us,” Taylor said of Brust. “We know what he can bring to the table, so it’s not really eye-popping for us. He’s a good player; he can score. We’re used to that, we know.”

come back even stronger.

Since returning from her setback, Decker has done nothing but improve with each successive game.

Finishing her freshman year healthy, Decker came out hard as a sophomore and surpassed expectations with 80 points on the season, third most for Wisconsin and fourth nationally.

Her ability to come back after a difficult setback is something Johnson looks for in his top players.

“It was a tough way to start her career here.

Obviously, she was highly recruited, and we certainly had high expectations,” Johnson said. “[Decker] was able to finish the year off, and

“I give her a lot of credit for working hard and putting herself in the postition to be this successful. ... ”

Mark Johnson Head Coach

The Badger Herald | Sports | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Kelly Erickson

15

Mike Fiammetta

Associate Sports Editor

Sports Editor

POINTCounterpoint

NBA deal: Happy or sad?

American sports fans would be better off without over-glorified basketball players making headlines

After NFL labor talks, who wants NBA to create more? Besides, league is garnering more attention

Just when it seemed like the world would be free of professional basketball for a year, the NBA finally got its priorities in line — so to speak.

I really do like basketball, for the record. But I don’t like the NBA. Of all the pro sports, basketball annoys me the most. Players are treated like gods and praised to the ends of the earth for their talents.

Sure this happens in every sport, but when was the last time a player in any other sport took an hour of primetime to reveal if he was going to change teams or not?

Basically, the players don’t hide their arrogance, they flaunt it, especially on the court. And one player can make a team. In basketball, the team barely matters as long as players can effectively feed the ball to the star player.

Honestly, a season free of the NBA sounded so nice.

Highlight reels wouldn’t be dominated by shots and dunks.

Instead, the world, America specifically, would be exposed to new sports. Since the NBA season missed its scheduled start, I’ve seen more hockey and soccer highlights than ever before.

As the resident hockey expert in Herald Sports, the exposure hockey has attained due to the absence of the NBA this year is a dream. While Versus still has its grip on all hockey games, the NHL overall has gained more attention simply because it has finally had the chance to.

With one of the four major American sporting leagues out of commission, other sports have been given the chance to gain notoriety.

And bringing a little change in life is never a bad thing.

Basketball is a great sport. I personally played it for seven years of my life and loved it. But a year without the over-glorified NBA would have done the sports world some good.

I really can’t fathom why anyone wouldn’t want the NBA to return.

Sure, I’ve heard all the arguments for choosing the college game over the pros, and I think many of them are valid. Especially seeing how the Badgers have started with their huge matchup with North Carolina looming tonight, college basketball is primed for another outstanding season.

But you’re going to tell me that you’d rather it stay locked out after the renaissance season the NBA enjoyed last year?

Riveting as these labor struggles between the rich and the richer are, I thought we’d had enough from the NFL lockout this past summer. Peeved as you might’ve been by LeBron James, The Decision and the forming of the NBA’s Justice League in Miami with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh, didn’t you love rooting against them? When Dallas met Miami in the finals — several rounds after it was supposed to have been eliminated — weren’t you rooting tirelessly for Dirk Nowitzki to finally get his ring? What about Kevin Durant and the Thunder? The New York Knicks, both before and after finally getting their superstar in Carmelo Anthony?

No matter who you rooted for, there was an incredible draw that the league hadn’t seen in years. Television ratings were through the roof, higher than they have been in several seasons.

Even NBA apologists would tell you that the league endured a bit of a down period during the late 2000s, while LeBron was still rising to prominence as the league’s best (or one of, whatever) player.

So after all that momentum was stunted by the league’s prolonged lockout, you’d really rather prefer a longer “nuclear winter,” as commissioner David Stern termed the absence of games? Perhaps the college game is all you need, but to me, that’s just a Scrooge-like disdain for a league ready to enter an era of unprecedented excellence.

INDOORS, from 16 of noise), but it’s not like it’s their home stadium.

I think our guys will acclimate pretty quickly.”

The passing game is, of course, the main beneficiary of playing under a roof as there is nothing to influence the trajectory of a pass and no precipitation or cold temperatures to render a slick ball. That should feed into both teams’ gameplans well as both have moved the ball through the air well this season.

UW quarterback Russell Wilson leads the nation with a 192.9 pass efficiency rating, completing 72.69 percent of his passes for 2,692 yards. In the meantime, MSU’s Kirk Cousins is third in the conference with a rating of 149, completing 64.3 percent of his passes for 2,735 yards.

Both quarterbacks have targets big and fast, and in their October meeting, both threw for over 200 yards and at least two touchdowns.

Wilson, however, threw two interceptions to Cousins’ zero.

As much as Wisconsin wide receiver Nick Toon — who leads the

team with 52 receptions, 788 yards and nine touchdowns this season — sees the benefit of playing inside, a love for the traditional game of football precedes him.

“I think (outdoor) elements are part of the game of football, so I don’t know how I feel about it, but obviously we’re looking forward to playing Michigan State,” Toon said, later adding he would prefer playing on grass over turf.

But considering what will be up for grabs Saturday — a secondconsecutive conference championship and trip to the Rose Bowl — Toon can’t help but allow practicality to settle in for this game.

“With the championship game being the date that it is, it wouldn’t make sense to have the game outside,” he said. “You want to see all aspects of each team, I think, in a championship matchup. If you had it at an outdoor venue the weather could be a factor.”

Along with Toon, other players like offensive lineman Kevin Zeitler prefer to be indoors as well come Saturday.

But there still remain

others, like wide receiver Jared Abbrederis, who have no preference, weather or no weather.

“I don’t really care; it’s just a field we’re playing on,” Abbrederis said, who has caught 48 passes for 749 yards and six touchdowns. “You saw us play in the rain last week and it didn’t really affect us either, so it’s not all about the climate. It’s just your mindset if you’re going to attack the ball or not.”

But never mind the neutrality of the weather — what may be more important to these two teams may be the fact that neither has a home field advantage. Neither the Badgers nor Spartans have won a game on the other ’s field since Wisconsin did so in 2002.

That’s a neutrality nobody would pass up.

“Definitely, you know, neutral venue,” Toon said, on whether he’s glad to see the Spartans outside of Spartan Stadium.

“We’ll see, on Saturday, the better team. We just got to go out there and do what we do.”riety of sports, including swimming, speed skating, gymnastics, table tennis and curling, to name a few.

Zhao Lim The Badger Herald

Wisconsin post players like forward Cassie Rochel will be key to containing Boston College’s star center, Katie Zenevitch.

Badgers look to take flight against Eagles Wisconsin focused on slowing down Boston College’s strong inside game Ian McCue Associate Sports Editor While the Wisconsin men’s basketball squad will be facing off with North Carolina in a highly anticipated matchup, the women’s basketball team will be doing its part in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge as they face off with the Boston College Eagles.

After dropping two games to Brigham Young and Colorado and picking up a victory over Montana State over the Thanksgiving break, the Badgers (25) are hoping to regain some momentum with a victory over a talented Boston College (2-2) team.

Taking on the Eagles as part of a multiplegame challenge between the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Big Ten, the Badgers say they feel they can carry their conference’s reputation into the game.

“It’s always fun in a stage like this where you get to actually play a big, large conference and get that showdown and know that every team in the Big Ten gets to do the same thing,” sophomore guard Morgan Paige said. “You kind of want to pull your weight in a sense, so I think it’s really exciting.”

Along with the opportunity to help the conference keep its foothold as one of the best in the nation, Wisconsin players and coaches feel that facing off with Boston College can prepare them for Big Ten play. Although the uniforms may not be identical, the Badgers see many similarities between the Big Ten squads they will face later this year and the top-flight squads they are playing now.

Despite losing to Colorado 5848 Saturday, UW emerged from the game with a seasonlow 13 turnovers, a major step forward as they prepare for the

Eagles. Struggling with turnovers all year — including a Kohl Center record 31 against Oral Roberts earlier this season — the Badgers believe their focus on turnovers in practice is finally paying off.

After handling the Buffaloes’ tough press defense, Wisconsin is confident it can continue the lowturnover trend against the Boston College defense.

“I really think that we were patient, we really focused on taking care of the basketball. …

They don’t pressure as hard as Colorado did, so hopefully we can carry it on,” assistant coach Stacy Cantley said.

Although turnovers earlier in the season were often credited to the transition to firstyear head coach Bobbie Kelsey’s new triangle offense, the Badgers

“We really put an emphasis on using ball fakes before you pass and commanding your space and taking a minute to look at your options before you actually decide to do something.”

Morgan Paige Guard

seem to be gaining more confidence controlling the ball.

According to Paige, the Badgers have focused on limiting turnovers in practice and are working on techniques to limit handing over the ball to the opposing squad.

“We really put an emphasis on using ball fakes before you pass and commanding your space and taking a minute to look at your options before you actually decide to do something,” Paige said.

“Coach really likes to limit dribbles, because when you’re dribbling, and you don’t have a plan, then you’re more prone to a turnover.”

On the offensive side of the ball, Boston

College is led by 6-foot3 sophomore center Katie Zenevitch, who leads the team with 11 points and 5.8 boards per game. Coaches plan to try double-teaming the Eagles’ top inside threat and will rely on their taller forwards in Anya Covington, Ashley Thomas and Cassie Rochel to thwart Zenevitch’s inside attack.

“The biggest thing with her is we have to take away [Zenevitch’s] favorite move,” Cantley said. “Our post players can’t get stuck playing behind. Once she gets the ball in deep, it’s easy for her to score. So they really have to do their job … and keep her from getting the ball.”

Rounding out Boston College’s inside-out game in the backcourt are guards Kerri Shields and Tessah Holt, both averaging more than six points per game.

Although the Badgers plan to try putting two defenders on Zenevitch, they will have to be careful not to let the sharp-shooting Shields toss up three-pointers from the wing. With a team-high 26 attempts from beyond the threepoint arc on the season, the junior could bury the Badgers in a big lead if she finds her rhythm from outside.

Through their first seven games, Wisconsin is shooting just 38.1 percent from the field and 32 percent from three-point land, numbers they will be looking to improve on in their matchup with the Eagles.

Averaging 58.9 points per game thus far, players and coaches believe the shots will start to fall as Wisconsin gains confidence in Kelsey’s more triggerhappy system.

“A lot of us have been putting in the extra work in the gym, whether we’re coming in with coaches or working together, just shooting,” forward Cassie Rochel said. “But we’re trying to put up more shots, and coach is really emphasizing ‘If you’re open, take a shot.’ As far as the shots not going in, that’s something we just have to work on outside of games.”

S PORTS Tar Heels present real ‘Challenge’ Sports Editor

Mike Fiammetta sports@badgerherald.com

16

The Badger Herald | Sports | Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Wisconsin looks to contain Barnes, high-flying North Carolina offense Mike Fiammetta Sports Editor Through their first six games, the Wisconsin Badgers have been dominant.

Blowout wins against the likes of Kennesaw State, Bradley and other non-ranked teams have yielded a 33.8-point average margin of victory for Wisconsin.

But the Badgers’ schedule, however, is about to get significantly tougher.

Wednesday night, the No. 7/9 Badgers (6-0) will travel to Chapel Hill, N.C., to face the No. 5 North Carolina Tar Heels (5-1) at the Dean E. Smith Center.

One of the most talked about matchups of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, this contest has been hotly anticipated ever since the college basketball season was released. With UNC opening as the No. 1 team in the nation, the game quickly became one of the highlights of the early season schedule.

North Carolina cruised through its first five games, including the season-opening Nov. 11 win over Michigan State in the Carrier Classic, but stumbled Saturday night in a 90-80 loss to Nevada-Las Vegas in the championship game of the Las Vegas Invitational.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, wrapped up a Chicago Invitational Challenge title with a 73-56 win over Brigham Young Saturday night.

Regardless of the blemish now marking UNC’s record, UW recognizes Wednesday night’s game hasn’t become any easier.

“Carolina is still Carolina,” head coach Bo Ryan said. “They are still the same players,

“Harrison Barnes is a player, a great person, just really [has] a good family and [is] just an all-American guy that can play.”

Bo Ryan

Head Coach

and we’ve got them in the Dean Dome. So North Carolina isn’t any different than when they went out to Vegas.

[They’re] probably a little ornerier maybe now, but they were going to play hard against us no matter whether that game was on the left-hand side or the right-hand side [of the win column].”

Aside from the matchup of two top-10 teams, the biggest storyline entering Wednesday’s game is the availability of UNC forward Harrison Barnes.

Averaging 17.3 points per games, Barnes, a sophomore, is the Tar Heels’ leading scorer.

Against UNLV Saturday, he sprained his right ankle chasing after a loose ball and exited the game for several minutes. Barnes did eventually return and finished with 15 points, though he later exited Orleans Arena on crutches.

Tuesday evening, North Carolina officials said that after practicing fully Tuesday, Barnes is expected to play “barring unexpected setbacks,” according to ESPN.com.

Before committing to UNC, Barnes was recruited by Ryan at Wisconsin and actually received one of his first scholarship offers from the Badgers.

“Well, we were right, early on, [thinking] this kid could be pretty good,” Ryan said. “Harrison Barnes is a player, a great person, just really [has] a good family and [is] just an all-American guy that can play.”

Outside of Barnes, the Tar Heels are led by one of the nation’s most talented starting lineups.

Junior forward John Henson is second behind Barnes with 15.8 points per game and leads UNC with 9.8 rebounds and three blocks per game.

Henson, listed at 6-foot-11, 220 pounds, has recorded double-doubles in 12 of his last 16 games dating back to last season and has also pulled down 10 or more rebounds in 18 of his last 22 games. Paired

CHALLENGE, page 14

Zhao Lim The Badger Herald

Point guard Jordan Taylor has focused more on facilitating offense rather than scoring, averaging 5.8 assists and 11 points per game.

UW impressive, but still overrated Ian McCue Associate Sports Editor

Stephanie Moebius The Badger Herald

Despite steady rainfall against Penn State, Nick Toon caught five passes for 42 yards, including this 16-yard touchdown catch. Toon will not have to deal with any weather this Saturday.

Badgers ready to play indoors Conference title game offers rare opportunity for UW to play in confines of dome Elliot Hughes Sports Content Editor The Big Ten football conference is commonly romanticized as a “black and blue” league, where teams utilize traditional offenses and exude a physical nature while playing in the outdoors of the chilly Midwest.

But when competition in the Big Ten will reach its apex this Saturday when Wisconsin and Michigan State do battle in the conference’s inaugural title game, it’ll be settled inside the warm, cozy confines of Lucas Oil Stadium — a dome.

Only one team in the “black and blue” league, Minnesota, called a dome home up until the 2009

season when the Golden Gophers ditched the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome for the outdoor scene of TCF Bank Stadium.

Although it’s standard practice for teams to employ indoor practice facilities nowadays, catching any Big Ten team in a dome on gameday is still a bit of a rarity. The Gophers occupied the Metrodome from 1982-2008, and other than that, Big Ten teams have been playing outdoors in totality — rain or shine, warm or cold.

Wisconsin was last seen playing indoors back in November 2007, on the road against Minnesota. Other than the occasional trip to

its rivals’ dwellings, Wisconsin has only appeared in domes two other times in the last 18 years.

The Badgers visited the Alamodome in 2002 for the Alamo Bowl and, back in 1993, played Michigan State under a roof in Tokyo.

The Spartans have had limited opportunities to ball inside as of late, too.

Michigan State appeared in the same venue for the Alamo Bowl in 2010 and 2003 and last played Minnesota indoors in 2005.

Venturing inside obviously isn’t something teams need to frantically prepare for, but both teams can see their already established passing games take off

now that Mother Nature has no say in Saturday’s championship game.

The game comes just in time as temperatures really start to dip, not to mention the fact that it rained on the Badgers the last time they played.

And although a dome creates walls for crowd noise to reverberate off of, a neutral site should stymie that potential problem.

“Climate control,” offensive coordinator Paul Chryst said when asked of the benefits of playing inside. “Some of the variables … the temperature is going to be good; wind won’t be a problem. You don’t know what to expect (in terms

INDOORS, page 15

Just six games in, the Wisconsin basketball team is finally getting the national respect it usually lacks at this point in the year. There is only one problem: They are not that good.

Sure, the Badgers are 6-0 and have taken down each of their opponents by no less than 17 points, but they also have not faced any true contenders.

While Ben Brust and Jared Berggren lead Wisconsin in scoring (certainly a surprise for what was expected to be a one-man show featuring Jordan Taylor), analysts and the media are simply giving the Badgers too much credit for what they have achieved.

This team is definitely solid, with plenty of scoring options and a strong defense, but Bo Ryan’s squad is just now starting to play opponents that give them the chance to earn their No. 7/9 ranking. That stretch starts Wednesday when UW travels to North Carolina to take on the Tar Heels in their always challenging home environment. Though few expect the Badgers to pull off a stunning upset at the Dean Smith Center — excluding Doug Gottlieb, who boldly picked Wisconsin to win — this game could serve as a measuring stick for just how far this team can go come March.

Wisconsin has pulled off big upsets in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge before, including an unforgettable victory over No. 5 Duke in a

deafening Kohl Center in 2009, but don’t expect another statement win over the ACC from the Badgers this year.

The Tar Heels are on an entirely different level than the Badgers in terms of their depth and talent, and the fact that they are ranked just two spots ahead of the Badgers in the coaches’ poll shows that college basketball coaches are way too high on Wisconsin.

A convincing victory over Brigham Young Saturday was UW’s first impressive win of the year, but it did not justify the Badgers moving up four spots from their already favorable No. 11 rank.

With another tough in-state matchup with Marquette this weekend, it should be much clearer a week from now what the Grateful Red can expect out of their beloved team this year.

At this point in the year, UW fans are usually calling out ESPN for not giving Ryan’s team any respect and not praising a team bound for another NCAA Tournament, but for some reason, this season is different. Instead of whining about a lack of respect, most fans have come away with a sense of shock after glancing over the college basketball rankings every week. The tsunami of respect may be a product of Taylor’s rise to national prominence toward the end of the 2010-11 season and the preseason hype surrounding the senior point guard this year, but there is no clear reason why Wisconsin has suddenly jumped up the ranks.

It is understandable why the media and fans see Taylor and Co. as the second-best team in the Big Ten behind the Jared Sullinger-powered

MCCUE, page 13