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Vol. LXXI, Issue 18
www.daily49er.com
Monday, January 27, 2020
His Final Wish Inside the
Niner
Page 6
NEWS Student reported missing
SPORTS Leading Big West blocks
PAGE 5
PAGE 11
2
MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | STAFF@DAILY49ER.COM ON THE COVER
The CSULB chapter of the Hospice DreamCatcher Foundation grants terminally ill Donald Webb (right) his dying wish to marry his girlfriend of 22 years, Alva Riley Friday, Jan. 24. Photo by AUSTIN BRUMBLAY
1250 Bellflower Blvd., LA4-203 Long Beach, CA, 90840
Weekly Calendar Monday 1/27
Tuesday 1/28
SPORTS MGOLF vs Arizona Intercollegiate (First and Second Rounds) Tucson, Arizona p SPORTS WGOLF vs Las Vegas Four-Way Las Vegas, Nevada
SPORTS MGOLF vs Arizona Intercollegiate (Final Round) Tucson, Arizona
Wednesday 1/29
Thursday 1/30 SPORTS WBB vs UCR Walter Pyramind 7:00 PM p SPORTS MBB at UCR Riverside, California 7:00 PM
Friday 1/31
Saturday 2/1
SPORTS SPORTS ITRACK vs ITRACK vs UW UW Invitational Invitational Seattle, Seattle, Washington Washington p SPORTS TRACK vs Husker Invite Lincoln, NE
p SPORTS ITRACK vs Husker Invite Lincoln, NE p SPORTS WWPOLO vs LMU vs SJS at UCLA 9:00 a.m. p SPORTS WTEN at USC Los Angeles 3:30 P.M. p
ASI WEEK OF WELCOME Central Quad 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
SPORTS MVB vs UCLA Walter Pyramid 7:30 p.m.
Daily Forty-Niner
Sunday 2/2 SPORTS WTEN vs UC Davis Rhodes Tennis Center 11 A.M.
Saturday 2/1 SPORTS MBB vs UC Santa Barbara Walter Pyramid 4 p.m. p SPORTS WBB at Hawaii Honolulu, Hawaii 8:30 PM
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MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | NEWS@DAILY49ER.COM
NEWS 3
A student started a petition on change.org to contest the SRWC’s rule against wearing sports bras without attire over them.
CSULB student challenges university sports bra policy The current SRWC dress code doesn’t allow clothing which exposes the midriff.
By Madalyn Amato News Editor
L
ydia Mok went to the Student Recreation and Wellness Center to deadlift. She was wearing a sports bra and shorts like she always does. That’s when she was approached by a staff member who asked her to change. “A male member of staff told me to put a shirt on,” Mok said. “It made me feel very uncomfortable that he was trying to control what I was wearing in the gym, a space that was my comfort zone, and I didn’t want any other girls to be made to feel the same way.” Mok, a sport and exercise psychology graduate student and SRWC employee, started a change. org petition challenging the SRWC’s policy. Titled “CSULB: Allow womxn to wear sports bras without tops at the SRWC,” the petition has reached about half of its goal of 100 in three days. “On the petition page I mention how in a time where there is plentiful evidence that what a woman wears does not affect the occurrence of sexual harassment, we would like to think that CSULB, a forward-thinking university, would stand against the policing of women’s bodies,” Mok said. The policy on the SRWC’s page states that “appropriate athletic attire must be worn at all times. Inappropriate clothing includes jeans, khakis, modified clothing, clothing which exposes the midriff and sandals.” Mok argued that sports bras and anything anyone is comfortable wearing is appropriate clothing. “Not everyone feels comfortable enough to wear a sports bra without an additional top in the gym, but for those who have gone through their own personal journeys to be confident enough to do so, should be able to have the choice to do just that,” Mok said. “For some, an additional top can feel uncomfortable and restricting due to sweating and the body becoming too warm.” Matthew Sauceda, administrative and facility coordinator at the SRWC, said the policy is in
place for a good reason. “Our current policy is enforced amongst all members as the SRWC does not permit modified clothing or clothing which exposes the midriff,” Sauceda said. “This is to limit the amount of skin contact on the equipment, and is in place for health and safety reasons.” In the petition, Mok stated that “when asking management as to why this rule was in place they stated it was because of too much visible skin showing. Not hygiene, but because skin was showing.” Maureen McRae, associate director at the SRWC, said the policy isn’t meant to single women out, and it applies to both men and women. “If a male were to have an exposed midriff, we’d ask him to change too,” McRae said. “Any modified clothing, like those open side shirts.” As an employee, Mok said she recognizes the need for a dress code but maintains that a sports bra on its own is appropriate attire. “The SRWC trying to enforce appropriate gym attire, like any other gym, is definitely needed and fair,” Mok said. “However, wearing a sports bra without a top, which is also considered appropriate gym attire, should be an option.” She said the policy disproportionately affects womxn, a term she uses in her petition to include all women and non-binary people. “The SRWC dress code, although unintentional, is reinforcing the gender biases that exist on a larger scale,” Mok said. McRae said the staff is open to conversations about changing the policy. “We’re doing our part to keep our facility clean while being fair to everyone,” McRae said. “But we’re always open to listen to what students on campus want.” Mok said she hopes that others will be inspired by her challenge. “Ultimately it’s about freedom of choice, freedom to choose and for the bodies of womxn to stop being policed, especially in the sport and fitness world where it unfortunately happens a lot,” Mok said in an email. “We are not the first group of students to speak up on this issue and it is refreshing to see that others are also doing the same.”
4 NEWS
MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | NEWS@DAILY49ER.COM
ORCA,
a robot with a ‘porpoise’ Towering at four-stories high, the machine retrieves, sorts and organizes a collection of 380,000 University Library items in less than 15 minutes. By Anna Karkalik Staff Writer
B
ehind the University Library’s circulation desk lies a hidden gem swiftly sorting, organizing and retrieving books. Students who listen closely might hear its mechanical whir. For students who have ever rented an academic journal from the CSULB library’s online service OneSearch, it was retrieved by a four-story robotic system called ORCA, or the Online Remote Collections Access. Installed in 2008, the system was part of the library’s remodel to meet the demand for more study space on the building’s fifth floor. “The [Academic Services] building used to be part of the library,” said circulation desk employee Gilbert Parra. “We were told that we were giving up space for students but would gain some with ORCA. It was a hard concept to grasp but it ended up working out.” The operation starts at home where students can request materials on OneSearch with a click of a button, activating one of three mechanical cranes miles away at the University Library. The mechanical system then follows a designated track leading down a long, dark corridor lined with metal bins, extending its crane to retrieve the bin containing the requested material. Around 5,100 bins, ranging in size, store library materials that are requested less often such as audio and video cassettes, thesis journals and CDs. ORCA currently stores around 380,000 items and keeps them organized and stored according to their size rather than subject. “We initially stored them like sardines then we realized we need[ed] some wiggle room so we could actually pull the books out,” Access Service Coordinator Vicky Munda said. Each item is scanned before being removed from the box. This action alerts the system that the container has free space available. “The bins stay in their designated area but the content in the bin will change from time to time, especially because a lot of our bound academic journals are becoming more digitized,” Munda said. The entire operation can take up to 15 minutes depending on how many requests are made to one of the retrieval system’s six computers. Library staff finishes processing the request by pulling out the requested item from the bin retrieved by ORCA and reserving it at the circulation desk for students to pick up with their university I.D.
PAULA KILEY | Daily Forty-Niner
(Top) ORCA accesses 5,100 metal bins, thesis journals, audio tapes and video tapes at the University Library.
NEWS 5
MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | NEWS@DAILY49ER.COM
CSULB student Abiel Tseggi reported missing The 21-year-old has been missing since Jan.16 and LBPD is asking the community for help. LBPD
Long Beach State student Abiel Tseggi was last seen near Downtown Long Beach and in parks near Jordan High School.
By Madalyn Amato News Editor
L
ong Beach State student Abiel Tseggi, 21, was reported missing Jan. 16. Yasmin Mousa, a graduate student in the applied mathematics program, is friends with Tseggi and described him as a caring individual. “Abiel is a sweet, kind, and energetic guy,” Mousa said. “He is always nice to those he meets and truly cares about everyone. He is the type of guy to try and encour-
age positivity into everything and push his friends to do better.” Mousa said she and a group of friends have been actively searching for Tseggi. “A few of my friends and I walked around asking locals of Long Beach including homeless people,” Mousa said. “Some say they have seen him but also in the beginning of the week. The sightings have been near Downtown Long Beach-area and in parks near Jordan High School, I believe.” Tseggi was initially reported missing after coming into contact with staff at a homeless shelter in Dana Point, according to the Long Beach Police Department.
He is described as 6 feet tall, 175 pounds with black hair and black eyes. Tseggi was last seen wearing a black, white and gold #9 Saints jersey, black sweatpants and no shoes. Mousa, along with many others, have posted LBPD’s Public Information Bulletin on social media. “In moments like these, sharing the posts on Instagram and Twitter are extremely helpful as some information we have received [has] come through those sources,” Mousa said. “Or when we see people on the streets they mentioned how they saw a friend share the post and that they have been keeping a lookout.”
University Police Department Chief Fernando M. Solorzano sent an email to all staff briefing them on the situation, and the Long Beach Police Department is asking for help finding Tseggi. Anyone with information regarding this missing person is urged to call the Missing Person Detail at 562-570-7246 or Police Dispatch at 562-435-6711. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may submit a tip through “LA Crime Stoppers” by calling 1-800-TIPS (8477), downloading the “P3 Tips” app to your smartphone , or visiting www.lacrimestoppers.org.
Rape report, marijuana complaint and a citizen arrest Citizen Arrest UPD assisted in a citizen arrest at approximately 5:28 p.m. on Jan. 21 in response to an assault that was reported off-campus. Officers said the victim was given information on how to file a restraining order.
By Madalyn Amato News Editor
Marijuana Complaint The University Police Department received a complaint at approximately 12:05 a.m. on Jan. 20 regarding two Parkside College residents suspected of using marijuana. When UPD arrived on the scene, officers made contact with two residents outside the “M” building of the dormitory. No enforcement action was taken and housing staff is expected to follow up with the individuals.
Suspicious Person A person matching the description of a suspect who had stolen a package off of someone’s porch on Jan. 22, was stopped in parking Lot E1 and later admitted to the theft on Jan. 23 at approximately 7:38 p.m. The suspect was cited and released. Medical Response UPD responded to a medical call at Parkside College Dormitory on Jan. 23 at 9:23 a.m. The individual reported suffering from non-life threatening symptoms and was transported to a local hospital.
Reported Rape A non-student individual reported being raped on campus at approximately 10:34 a.m. on Jan. 20. The UPD has identified the subject and at this time there is no apparent threat to campus, officials said. The case is currently under investigation. Graphic by MIGUEL MARTINEZ
6 ARTS & LIFE
MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | ARTS@DAILY49ER.COM
A dream come true The Long Beach State chapter of the Hospice DreamCatcher Foundation organizes a wedding to fulfill a man’s dying wish. By Rachel Barnes Managing Editor
T
ucked in the middle of a Carson trailer park, Donald Webb, a United States Navy veteran, had his dying wish granted by a group of Long Beach State students. Three years ago, Donald, or Don to his family and friends, was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer and wasn’t given a lot of time left to live. After his diagnosis, he spoke to the Veterans Administration and was told there was nothing else that anybody could do for him. Through his hospice, he learned about the Hospice DreamCatcher Foundation, an organization whose mission is to “grant end of life dreams” to those in hospice care. He and his partner, Alva Riley, reached out to the CSULB chapter of DreamCatchers to ask them to organize a wedding that was 22 years in the making. “I wondered if it was really true if there is someone who could grant dreams,” Alva said. The couple came into contact with Amanda Jane Paiz, the president of the CSULB chapter and gerontology graduate student, who agreed to organize a wedding for the two. The day before the spring semester started, Paiz began the frantic journey that is planning a wedding while juggling her last semester at CSULB. She reached out to many local companies and managed to acquire the coffee, the wedding cake and even the officiant free of charge. “I’m married too, so I feel like it’s a special thing,” Paiz said. “I wanted to make it special for them.” Don and Alva arrived at the community center exclaiming “wow” as they took in the room filled with balloons, flowers and pictures from the last 22 years of their relationship. Paiz and Sarah Olson, who is also part of the DreamCatchers at CSULB, arrived early in the morning of Jan. 24 to set up the room and finalize the plans for the first “dream” of their chapter. “This semester I wanted to start it off right,” Paiz said, “so during the break, I made sure to have everything in order … and so our hospice agency told me about this right away.” As guests trickled in, it was apparent that the unfortunate truth of Don’s diagnosis would not stop anyone from celebrating to the fullest. Don joked with family as Alva doted on him, adjusting his breathing tube and “lid.” Despite the looming reality, there was not a somber face in the community center.
Don and Alva, despite this not being the first wedding for either of them, said they were nervous but excited to be going through with the marriage after being together for so long. They’ve been together since they met at work years ago. “She was stalking me at work,” Don said with a smile as Alva rolled her eyes, “and then it was my turn to stalk her.” He said that they’d been through so much during their 22 years that they just forgot to get married. However, he expressed his happiness that they were finally getting around to it. He said he felt blessed that he was able to get in contact with the DreamCatchers and Amanda. The couple thanked them many times throughout the celebration. The officiant led them through their vows, keeping it lighthearted by singing “if you like it then you should put a ring on it,” and cracking jokes. After many laughs and heartfelt moments, the couple was officially declared married, making Don’s last wish a reality. “We woke up this morning and I looked at her and she looked at me and we said, ‘At least we know what we’ve got,’” Don said.
AUSTIN BRUMBLAY | Daily Forty-Niner
(From top to above) Don Webb (left) laughs with his wife Alva Webb before reciting their vows Friday, Jan. 25. Alva Webb shows her ring after saying “I do” to terminally ill Don Webb. Gerontology graduate student and CSULB DreamCatcher president Amanda Paiz (right) laughs with Alva Webb prior to the wedding ceremony.
MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | ARTS@DAILY49ER.COM
ARTS & LIFE 7
PAULA KILEY | Daily Forty-Niner
Third-year animation major Katerina Coronado (left) and third-year illustration major Nathan Xa pose in the painting room in the Fine Arts building. Coronado and Xa started the Animated Film Production Association, a newly recognized club that aims to produce a short student animated film by the end of the semester.
Bringing animation to life Animation major Katerina Coronado and studio art major Nathan Xa establish the Animated Film Production Association, a club centered around producing short, animated films.
By Paula Kiley Arts & Life Editor
O
n the first day of classes, third-year animation major Katerina Coronado and her peers were prompted to introduce themselves by sharing their dream jobs with the class. Several big-name animation studios flew around the room. Pixar. Disney. Dreamworks. This collective interest in working within the animated film industry got Coronado’s gears turning. “I thought, ‘If everyone’s interested in film and television, why don’t have a club centered around creating something that aims toward that goal of working at Disney or Pixar?’” Coronado said. Students seeking a Bachelor of Fine Arts with an option in animation must apply with a “portfolio of 10 to 15 images representing your best past or current work in illustration or animation,” according to the Long Beach State School of Art website.
However, according to Coronado, many students apply for the program around their third year with little experience producing animated films or building a portfolio. This prompted Coronado to join forces with third-year studio arts major Nathan Xa to create a club that focused on producing a short student animated film over the course of a semester. “I remember Nathan mentioning that [he] was creating a video game and thinking, ‘Why isn’t there something like that for animation?’” Coronado said. Xa, who worked as a producer for the Video Game Development Association, saw the value of learning by creating and wanted a similar experience for animated filmmaking. “[VGDA] kind of changed their format to more of an educational setting,” Xa said. “Personally, I think it’s more helpful to learn by doing, so I wanted something similar to the format [VGDA] had when I joined as a freshman.” With an idea in mind and a strong desire to make it happen, Coronado and Xa took to student life and development in spring 2019 to propose the Animated Film
Production Association, a club centered around the production of animated short films for students. “Our goal is to have an animated film around three to five minutes that we can showcase at the end [of the semester] that everyone they can say they contributed to,” Coronado said. After a year of organizing paperwork with student life and development, establishing constitution bylaws, finding club officers and spreading the word to other students within the school of art, Coronado and Xa had garnered interest from a significant number of art students. “I think when people started expressing that this is something they’re interested in..., I was starting to think, ‘OK maybe [it’s] not just something I can think about in my mind. I can make this reality,’” Coronado said. And the two made it a reality. The Animated Film Production Association became an officially recognized club in spring 2020, with Coronado serving as president and Xa as vice president. The organization is centered on producing at least one short, student animated film roughly
three to five minutes in length and offering members the opportunity to experience working a full pipeline from pre-production to post-production work that mimics the animation industry. Coronado and Xa structured the club so members can have the opportunity to refine skills and experience all aspects of the animated filmmaking process, from storyboarding and character design to animation and editing. “[The animation industry] deals with a lot of teamwork and we wanted to simulate that,” Coronado said. “So by allowing [students] to join this club, then they’ll have that opportunity to actually work in a setting that actually mimics that.” According to Xa, the club has a following of roughly 50 art students, but the duo is looking to collaborate with several departments across the university from music students to creative writing. However, Coronado stresses the fact that the club is open to students regardless of their major. The Animated Film Production Association meets Fridays at 4 p.m. in FA4-311 and will table at Week of Welcome Wednesday, Jan. 29 and Thursday, Jan. 30.
8 OPINIONS
MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | OPINIONS@DAILY49ER.COM
Clipboard-wielding petitioners have flooded CSULB.
Graphic by RACHEL BARNES | Daily Forty-Niner
CamPAINers Workers seeking signatures in support of legislation are being too aggressive with students on campus.
By Perry Continente Opinions Editor
W
alking to class today I saw just under 20 different clipboard-wielding groups soliciting students for signatures. Yesterday there were five. They wanted signatures for legislation that they said would support causes like rent reform and environmental issues. I just wanted to go to class. I wouldn’t take offense to this if it wasn’t for the sheer persistence of some of these people. It doesn’t matter if you’re hurrying along, if you didn’t make eye contact, if you’re wearing headphones or even if you’ve already politely declined, they soldier on. Although many are benign and polite, even offering voter registration, which is a fantastic thing, a few were aggressively unpleasant. One said about a coworker of mine when she ignored him, “I guess this bitch can’t hear.” I get that we can’t simply eject political activists from campus, but I’d be much more receptive to someone’s
message and would be more likely to read up on a law if I didn’t have to scurry around like prey to avoid someone. They have taken root at almost major thoroughfare on campus. The majority have clustered around the Go Beach sign, but several were haunting the stairs between upper and lower campus, and one even set up shop at CSULB’s famous Gap, violating our holiest of sites. This is a job for many of these people. They are paid by the signature, even more in an election year. Although no one would say exactly how much they were paid, their being so numerous suggests that the pay is good this year. A democracy is only as strong as its populace is informed, and everyone should take an active role in the legislative process. There are many ways to do this, but maybe the worst is to approach students with all the grace and tact of a Hollywood Boulevard Spider-Man photobombing a tourist and demanding to be paid for it. Few of these workers hand out political literature, nothing to really inform me. It’s only the hard sell. I’m not signing something that nebulously supports whales at the behest of some guy in a sweat-stained Green-
peace hat, even though I am pro-sealife. Second-year psychology major Michael Ukattah signed a petition and when asked about it he said, “Probably irresponsibly I signed it just to help the guys out.” Ukattah was certainly not alone in this as none of the students I saw signing petitions asked any questions. I get wanting to be politically active and socially conscious, or even just wanting to help someone out who has to stand in the sun all day trying to get people to sign a piece of paper, but by signing these papers it is making harassment of students a lucrative business. And although the majority of people seeking petitions have been courteous, the few that are belligerent make it so that the only way I can get to class is by ignoring people accosting me about vague political causes. I’ve been reduced to sneaking through back alleys in hopes of avoiding them. Seeing parts of campus I never would have is the small silver lining. Hopefully, in the coming days and weeks, the numbers and ferocity of the clipboard-wielders will abate, but until then I will be walking with my head down and my headphones blaring.
OPINIONS 9
MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | OPINIONS@DAILY49ER.COM
Spill the Tea is a weekly section for students to share their opinions and make their voices heard. Long Beach State students answer a question that can range from the silly to the political. We at the Daily Forty-Niner value the diverse opinions of the CSULB student body and look forward to you sharing them with us.
What is one hope you have for this semester, and one thing you are worried about? By Perry Continente
Edwardo Martinez
Romiro Granados
Claire Naz
Kameron Stout
Second-year computer science major
Second-year electrical engineering major
Second-year fashion design major
First-year psychology major
“I’m honestly excited to learn. I have a real passion for my major. It seems like the intro courses are kinda just an idea of what I’m going to learn, but going into my sophomore year I’m getting into the nitty-gritty. [I’m worried about] not being able to perform [at] my best, there’s a lot on my plate right now.”
“I’m hopeful to get started on more of my major engineering courses, [and] put more [effort] into my work. [I’m worried about] being lazy procrastinating… slacking off, that kind of stuff.”
“I’m taking a bowling class, so I’m really hoping it actually teaches me to be like a professional. One fear… usually, I do this thing where I’m doing really good at the beginning of the semester but then I fall out… so I’m really hoping I don’t do that.”
“I’m really excited for all the fun times and the races that I’m going to share with my rowing mates. I’m worried about maintaining a high GPA… I’m taking 15 units, it’s a solid amount.”
Week of Welcome By Enacio Diaz
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RISING FROM THE DIRT
Blocks per game @ UCLA 3 San Diego 1 @ Stanford 3 @ Saint Mary’s 2 Fresno Pacific 1 Arizona 0
It will take some time for the Dirtbags to recover from a disastrous 2019 season, but under new head coach Eric Valenzuela, the team is already showing positive signs.
Providence 3 Wake Forest 4 Penn. 1 Pacific 1 @ USC 4 Southern Utah 0 Utah Valley 4
By Robert Hollar Staff Writer
@ Seattle U 3
T
@ Florida 0 Cal State LA 2
he Dirtbags finished last season with the worst record in Long Beach State history at (14-41), but the hiring of new head coach Eric Valenzuela begs the question of how much improvement fans can expect in 2020. “I don’t think [last season’s struggles] were physical, I really don’t,” Valenzuela said. “The talent is there.” Valenzuela prioritizes moving forward with a “fresh start” mentality. That mentality, in addition to tangible improvements by his players, should translate to noticeable improvements on the field in 2020.
@ CSUN 1 @ UCSB 2 UC Davis 3 *CSUF 8 UC Irvine 2 *CSULB RECORD
AUSTIN BRUMBLAY | Daily Forty-Niner
Freshman center Joshua Morgan claps after a called foul against UCLA, Nov. 6, 2019. Morgan leads the Big West Conference in blocked shots with 48.
PYRAMID PAINT PROTECTOR Throughout 21 games, freshman center Joshua Morgan has broken school records while establishing himself as the best rim protector in the Big West. By Ralston Dacanay Assistant sports editor @ RalstonDacanay
I
n the Big West Conference, there is only one stat in which a men’s basketball player is in a league of his own—blocks. Leading the Big West with 48 blocked shots, freshman center Joshua Morgan has not only shattered expectations but also Long Beach State Athletics’ records set over 26 years ago. Against Cal State Fullerton on Jan. 18, Morgan broke Terrance O’Kelley’s single-game block record with eight rejections. Through 21 games, Morgan sits sixth on Long Beach’s list for the single-season blocks record. With at least 11 more tip-offs for Morgan to jump for this season, he is already on pace to crack the Beach’s top-10 in career blocks. Ranked 32nd in the nation, with an average of 2.3 blocks per game, Morgan has surpassed head coach Dan Monson’s preseason assessment of him having an immediate impact as a dynamic rim protector. “We haven’t had anybody like him because his timing and length is such a presence behind your defense,” Monson told the Daily Forty-Niner in October. “He helps protect the rim as good as anybody I’ve seen for his age since I’ve been here. It’s really exciting for us because other guys can make mistakes and somebody like that can clean that up by just being able to protect the rim as well as he does.” However, before Morgan had anyone’s back on the hardwood, he competed on the gridiron after failing to make it past basketball tryouts in middle school. Growing up in Sacramento, Morgan’s initial breakthrough in his hoops career took place when he was a freshman at Pleasant Grove High School. By his senior year, however, Morgan’s aspiration of simply making
SPORTS 11
a team elevated to attracting college scouts, sparking his decision to transfer to Sheldon High School’s renowned basketball program. “I felt if I wanted to improve my game and take it to the next level, I had to go to a platform where I was going to have more visibility,” Morgan said. “Where they’re going to really work with me and help me develop my game … The program, they always expect to be top-tier. Not even in Sacramento, just all of NorCal.” Averaging 9.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and over four blocks per game in the high-pressure environment, Morgan helped bring Sheldon to a 24-11 record. Fellow Sactown native and Sheldon alumnus, junior guard Drew Cobb said he’s been impressed by more than just Morgan’s shot-blocking ability this season. “This dude’s been in the weight room at least twice a day every day throughout the week, so he’s working hard, handling his business in school and overall being a good kid,” Cobb said. “I’m proud of him, he’s made huge steps and he’s much more advanced than anybody thought he was gonna be coming in here.” Coming into training camp with a thin 195-pound, 6-foot-11-inch frame, Morgan said adding more weight had been one of his top-two goals throughout the past eight months he’s been a member of the Beach. “I know it’s gonna take time,” Morgan said. “There’s gonna be a little bit of frustration, but I’m always going to put a lot of effort into it because I know it’s going to be the next step in elevating my game.” On the court, Morgan said he doesn’t know what motivates him to have the high motor and intensity he brings to basketball but enjoys the idea of playing faster than most others in the frontcourt. Off the court, he wants people to know he’s an ordinary freshman college student. “I’m goofy,” Morgan said, smiling from ear to ear. “Honestly, not many people know that. They always think I’m a serious guy, but nah. Once you get to know me, I’m real goofy. Probably the funniest person on the team, I’m not going to be modest about that.”
Pitching Of all the areas of the game, pitching is the category where fans can expect to see the most improvement in 2020. But after last season’s performance, that’s not saying much. Last season, the Dirtbags’ pitching staff allowed a whopping 29 home runs. Opponents’ pitching surrendered just 12 round-trippers to the Dirtbags’ last season. The group tallied an unimpressive 4.79 ERA in 2019. On the bright side, two of the three Dirtbags’ 2020 weekend starters, junior Adam Seminaris and sophomore Alfredo Ruiz will return to the team, giving the starting rotation valuable experience. Seminaris was the ace of the staff last season despite being only a sophomore. He has already increased his fastball velocity 3 to 5 mph from last season. The increase in velocity not only makes his fastball harder to hit, but also improves Seminaris’ changeup. “He’s growing up, he’s more mature, he’s getting stronger,” Valenzuela said. Last season, Seminaris didn’t often throw his breaking ball, which is a mix of a curve and a slider, a “slurve” in baseball lingo. “Now he does,” Valenzuela said. “Now he has a breaking ball that he’s definitely confident with.” Offense Similar to its pitching, the Dirtbags’ batting order figures to feature many familiar faces in 2020, and therefore will be more experienced. Like most power hitters, redshirt senior catcher Cole Joy struggled with strikeouts last season, but he improved his discipline at the plate this fall. Joy also showed the ability to hit the ball to both sides of the field, forcing the defense to spread across the outfield. “I have faith in all these guys, every guy is scary,” Valenzuela said. “There’s not gonna be very many sacrifice bunts, we want to have a more offensive approach in driving balls into the gaps and over the fence.” Defense Last season, the Dirtbags’ infield featured almost entirely different personnel than the year prior. The lack of chemistry showed in the form of 71 errors in 55 games. However, this season the infield will consist of mostly the same players from 2019. The bullpen hasn’t shown substantial improvement during the offseason and it often takes at least a full season for a new offensive approach to be implemented to perfection. Still, this season is the first step in a rebuilding process that fans can and should trust. Expect the Dirtbags to finish third or fourth in the Big West Conference. “The test of it is how are we gonna deal with success and how are we gonna deal with failure,” Valenzuela said. “That’s what it comes down to.” The Dirtbags will open the 2020 season at home against Cal Feb. 14 at 6 p.m. at Bohl Diamond at Blair Field.
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MONDAY, JANUARY 27, 2020 | DAILY49ER.COM | @DAILY49ER | SPORTS@DAILY49ER.COM
A NICE GUY After struggling early with the Long Beach State Ice Hockey Club, now—team captain Adam Moroz takes it upon himself to change the club’s ideals. MARK LINDAHL | Daily Forty—Niner
Kobe Bryant, 41, died in a helicopter crash Sunday, Jan. 26.
MY HERO, FAR FROM PERFECT By James Chow Contributing Writer
I
f I were to tell you I wasn’t a Kobe Bryant fan, I’d be lying. Ever since I was a kid, I remember watching my late grandma hobble to her Saint John Paul shrine and pray to God for the Lakers to win. Witnessing her low hums of prayer was like my baptism as a second—generation Laker fan. I watched Kobe and Shaq send off the Portland Trail Blazers in 2000 with an alley—oop that reverberated the annals of NBA history. In 2006, I watched Kobe sizzle the Toronto Raptors in an 81—point feat, proud that he scored so much in the one and only game my parents would ever attend. That same year, I was startled to hear sports commentator Mike Breen yell “Bang!” underneath the oohs and ahs of a Kobe game winner against Phoenix Suns defender Boris Diaw. Kobe’s gonna do what Kobe’s gonna do. On a random Tuesday in 2016, I sat in a college classroom febrile with caffeinated energy and nothing to quell it. Back then I used to scroll through endless listings on eBay looking to find one more Champion jersey to add to my collection. No boxy V—necks, just old ‘90s round necks. I remember bidding on a “Kobe Bryant Lakers yellow jersey size small,” and winning it with a generous offer of $25.50. I was pumped. I spent the rest of the two hours of class watching Kobe game winners and highlights. I received my jersey days after I ordering. It was a gold classic jersey emblazoned with a ripe purple “8” swelled
across the chest. The screen print glistened. No cracks. But its white collar stained with an orange blemish. Today, I opened my Twitter feed and joined the universal shock of millions. Some tweeted prayers hoping that the headlines were fake. Others posted pictures of his legendary feats frozen in time, captioned with the endearing “G.O.A.T.” title. Among the headlines of his greatness — a laundry list of achievements including his five championship rings and his 18 All Star appearances — comes the resurfacing of his not—so—perfect scandals. Seventeen years ago, Kobe’s rape scandal permeated headlines, where at the time my family and I shared cognitive dissonance to the situation. We dismissed the situation because the accuser settled; we ignored the reports of potential non—consent, ignored the reports claiming he asked the police if he can pay up to quell the situation. But these stories continued to creep up. Articles of concern and boycotts were met with the basketball star’s Oscar nomination for animated short “Dear Basketball.” Once again, his rape allegations were reignited, with heavy support from the #MeToo and #TimesUp movements. Kobe Bryant isn’t perfect. He’s a man with great basketball prowess, exceeding most of the best players in NBA history. But his past personal decisions reflect those of a man far from perfect. Today, I look at my old yellow jersey fondly, remembering the greatness he brought to the court. I examine the stain on its white collar, staring at it longingly wishing it were never there. I will never forget Kobe Bryant, whose legacy of late game heroics cultivated my childhood. But I will remember him as a man with humanizing flaws.
AUSTIN BRUMBLAY| Daily Forty—Niner
Fifth—year Long Beach State Hockey Club goalie Adam Moroz leads the team onto the the ice against Fullerton Oct. 25, 2019. By Mark Lindahl Sports Editor
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s the black and gold jerseys fill the freshly surfaced ice, there’s one player who stands out above the rest. Not because of his towering pads or ability to crack a perfectly timed joke, but because of the way he carries himself through adversity. Adam Moroz, a fifth—year goalie and now one of the team’s captains, once started out as a wet—behind—the—ears prospect with plenty to learn, but now occupies the role of not only team leader, but off—the—ice role model and “social leader” for the Long Beach State Ice Hockey Club. “He has an unbelievable sense of humor, he can always crack a joke or be part of it,” fourth—year center and team captain Francis Lemay said. “He is one of the guys that the team rallies around because his energy is positive. But he’s also one of the guys that you can talk to if shit isn’t working well.” Moroz grew up in Long Beach and attended Wilson High School, and hoped to make a name in men’s indoor volleyball. His attention quickly shifted to ice hockey during his junior year when he attended his first game and remembered thinking to himself, “This is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.” Goaltending and the gear was what appealed to him most, seemingly towering over all of the others skating around the ice while rocking the flashiest helmet on the rink. “Just the idea of being the last line of defense and having the ability to have those stellar performances always attracted me,” Moroz recalled. “I thought that was badass.” Moroz wasn’t always the outspoken team leader for the defensive side. He began his career buried on the Beach’s “dysfunctional” bench behind two other goalies as a freshman. “His growth has been fantastic to watch,” fifth—year forward and team president Austin Stanovich said. “I think coming in as a freshman he struggled a
lot to take the jump from youth hockey to college, which is very common in goalies.” Making the jump from third—string to unquestioned starter takes a lot of internal growth, but it wouldn’t have been possible without the seismic shift the club underwent as a whole. “Coming in at the same time Adam did … the environment within the team wasn’t great,” Stanovich said. “Changing it took a massive, collective effort from everyone involved with this team.” Leadership is the key phrase, and “[Moroz] tells everyone a lot about how the team changed,” fourth—year winger Matthew Hoeksema said. “[Moroz, Lemay and Stanovich] were the leaders who turned it around.” It took a lot more than just talking about change for anything to happen. Moroz began to show the team what needed to be done on and off the ice. “Not many guys put in the hours to improve that Adam did, and his play time rose each year because of it,” Stanovich said. “It seems like it has a good effect on our younger goalies as well ... And I think we have a group of younger guys that will keep up that mentality.” As one of the few veterans on the ice, Moroz has an aura about him that can go unmatched. “He’s a fun guy to be around. He knows when to be serious, but he knows when to be fun,” Hoeksema said. “No one’s scared to be themselves around him, he’s someone you can talk to.” Hoeksema may know Moroz the best out of everyone on the team, having been alongside Moroz when he began his hockey career in high school. “We would go out and he would start buying drinks and be friendly about it, so a lot of the guys said we had an ‘unlimited card,’” Hoeksema recalled. “Is Moroz going? We need him to buy drinks.” Whether it’s the unlimited amount of beers he’s handing to teammates or countless hours spent bettering himself mentally and physically, on and off the ice, Moroz has left his stamp on the Long Beach State Ice Hockey Club for years to come. “I don’t think I’ve ever met someone like him,” Hoeksema said.