The Leader April 15, 2014

THE LEADER THE AWARD-WINNING STUDENT NEWSPAPER AT ELMHURST COLLEGE.

What student-athlete unionization means for the NCAA SEE PAGE 16

Historical Museum tells the story of Carl Sandburg in Chicago SEE PAGE 10

The Name Game: EC considers changing to Elmhurst University patrick erwin news editor

When The Leader spoke to President Ray last summer, during our annual “Day with Ray” interview, we asked him whether the idea of Elmhurst University was still in play. Ray told the assembled writers that the idea was a no go. But at March’s Board of Trustees meeting, it was announced that a study will be commissioned to take a second look at the renaming idea. What would that change look like? The Leader took a look at another institution, Otterbein University, that did the same just a few years ago. O is for Otterbein Like EC, Otterbein a suburban campus near an urban city (Columbus). In researching articles from the Columbus Dispatch and Otterbein’s own Otterbein360. com student newspaper, the parallels and similarities to EC kept stacking up. Both schools have similar histories, including connections to religious institutions. They also share the 4-1-4 J-term academic calendar, too. That wasn’t the only thing the two schools shared. A few years ago, Otterbein faced a deficit of over $1 million. In January 2010, it held several

budget summits to discuss financial issues. In previous summits, the school had announced a three percent cut to pension contributions and additional cuts to discretionary spending. They’d also sought to increase enrollment, especially with minority students, in the hopes of bridging the gap.

“One of the reasons discussed as a motivation for switching was international recruiting.” Lois Szudy Strategic Planning Committee member, Otterbein Univ. Making a plan Lois Szudy, the director of Otterbein’s library and an associate professor, was part of the strategic planning committee that researched renaming Otterbein as a university. In an email to The Leader, Szudy said several factors played a role in the decision.

“One of the reasons discussed as a motivation for switching was international recruiting,” Szudy said. “In many [foreign] cultures, the word ‘college’ implies high school or prep school. [Admissions] no longer gets questions from prospective international students, and recruiters in other countries, [asking] whether we are a prep school.” Szudy also said that the change allowed Otterbein to reorganize how it was structured. “We now have three schools,” Szudy explained. “[We have] the School of Arts and Sciences, the School of Professional Studies, and the Graduate School. We added [positions of] deans of these schools, which didn’t exist prior to [the change].” Szudy listed some of the costs involved including changing signage and updating marketing materials. While she didn’t have exact figures, Szudy said that the planning committee had estimated costs of about $200,000 to $250,000 to enact all those changes. Students and alumni, perhaps not surprisingly, were most interested in more tangible representations of the change: apparel with the school’s logo and diplomas and transcripts were near the top of the list. Ducks in a row Signage and logos weren’t

the only things for Otterbeing to consider. The school had to look at legal requirements. “Legally, we had to amend Otterbein’s articles of incorporation,” Szudy said. “[We also had to] notify the Ohio Board of Regents of the change. We needed to verify with the appropriate legislative bodies regarding any other legal requirements.” Before any such change was undertaken at EC, the College’s legal counsel and trustees would need to look at a checklist of impacts and necessary actions. “There wouldn’t be any implications in terms of accreditation for Elmhurst for something like this,” said John Hausaman, a spokesperson for the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. Was it worth it? So did the change make a difference? While it’s too early to make a definitive statement, early numbers suggest it’s had a positive impact. Szudy says that international enrollment numbers are up. “Not all of that increase can be attributed to the switch,” she said. “But doing so helped.” According to Otterbein’s Form 990 report, it bridged the deficit and posted a surplus for See ELMHURST UNIVERSITY on page 5

VOL. 48 APRIL 15, 2014

April 15, 2014

l Loose Stomach l

NEWS

ecleader.org

News from home Clayton Dunlap

Home. It’s really quite an interesting concept to pin down. When I was still in elementary school, I remember my idea changed distinctly. I watched the latest George Carlin comedy specials quietly in my room. His brand of the sometimes abrasive, though always entertaining humor, was drenched in cynicism, and had my eyes and ears stuck for hours. Home was an abstract idea for George, and shortly following, my idea of home became a little less tangible, but more comfortably situated within me. Still, no one knows “home” the same as me. And to “live outdoors,” that is, having no one to take you in, and no home to go to, is a centerpiece of sadness in “The Bluest Eye” (Holt, Reinhart and Winston, 1970) by Toni Morrison. It seems obvious this would be the case, but still, my idea of home is changed from this, if only slightly. I was speaking with a friend recently about what home really means, and especially for us, since we’re both away from it. This is a common theme in our rusty college years. Everyone’s bound to have a different relationship with their home, but many of us are away. The relationship I have to mine has slowly evolved from the primordial soup of my birth, to the more infrequent pass-throughs and shortterm stays. I suppose it’s partially understanding that, if I don’t live there, or even in my home town, the relationship I have with my family will be more periodic and less accessible. I used to be a part of my family’s daily routine, and now I only hear news about them, and rarely experience it. Less dependence, I guess, is the direction of pursuit, and I can’t say I’m not this way, at least in a sense. The conversation I’m having with my friend inevitably turns to the often stinging question: how do you receive bad news when it comes from home? News that something terrible has happened will have some foreign chain of messengers, through which the news is brought to me. And often, the most frustrating part may be that certain things are not sent my way, because I’m at school, and “we didn’t want to upset you.” It’s an odd sense of alienation, and most likely rings its tunes on my family’s end as well. But it seems this is the period—my perpetual formative years—where I’m finally able notice how different, and sometimes foreign my “home” feels. I say this knowing, whether it’s escaping an unwelcoming presence, or parting with some of the most enduring warmth ever known, being away from whatever home is, carries the weight of everything I’ve grown up with, and is veiled with a certain aversion to return. Our conversation will never quite finish because my friend will leave. But, honestly, we could never possibly finish, since “home” never stays the same. It’s fleeting on my memory’s periphery, and is evolved in the focus of what I have now. I’ve got a home, but I still don’t quite know what that means. For some, it may not be such a feeble grasp on the understanding. But always find that “home” is shrouded in confusion when it’s considered separately from the physical house where it dwells. opinions editor

The award-winning student newspaper at Elmhurst College

the

Leader

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: NEWS & ONLINE EDITOR: ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR: OPINIONS EDITOR: BEAT EDITOR: SPORTS EDITOR: GRAPHICS EDITOR: PHOTO EDITOR COPY EDITOR: BUSINESS MANAGER: ADVISER:

Haleema Shah Patrick Erwin Chrissy Croft Clayton Dunlap Ian Walker Charlie Roumeliotis Nikki Smith Kim McElheny Paul Roumeliotis Teresa Guidara Eric Lutz

Internet photo An injured man is taken from the scene of a bombing in Eastern India that killed at least 12.

haleema shah Sources: BBC, CBS, Al Jazeera, CNN

Shootings at Kansas-area Jewish centers kill 3 A gunman opened fire and killed three people at a the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City and Village Shalom Retirement Center on Sunday. A CNN affiliate captured the suspected shooter shouting “Heil Hitler” from the back of a car. Police say the suspect is a 73-year-old man and potentially a member of white supremacist organizations and was involved in previous incidents.

Bomb blasts kill 12 during Indian election As general elections in India continue, two bombs by suspected Maoist rebels killed at least 12 people in the Eastern Indian state of Chhattisgarh. According to police, the first attack was on a bus carrying election officials and killed seven people and the second attack, which took place a half hour later, killed five police in an ambulance. India, which began its five-week general election polling last Monday, has seen attacks from Maoist rebels over the last several decades, calling for the poor to have greater access to the India’s natural resources.

PRODUCTION STAFF Zachary Bishop Sean Buckley Ellen Curtin Peter Flockencier Kevin Garcia Kailey Hansen Kathryn Kuszynski

Tyler Kerr Joseph Kok Brett Peto Brandon Porter Andy Prignano Luke Tanaka

190 Prospect Ave., Elmhurst, IL 60126 Phone: 630.617.3320 leadernewsec@gmail.com

Poison gas attacks suspected in Syria The Syrian government and opposition forces have both accused each other of using poison gas attacks on a village last Friday. According to State TV, the jihadist Nusra Front group perpetrated the attack, which killed two people and injured several others in the Hama province. Opposition groups, however, have said that attacks from pro-Assad regime planes led to suffocation and poisoning. As of Saturday, no independent sources have confirmed either side’s claims.

Six high school stabbing victims remain hospitalized Six of the 21 students injured in an April 9 mass stabbing at Franklin Regional High School in Murrysville, Pa. remain in hospitals, with four in critical condition. Alex Hribal, 16, allegedly went on a stabbing spree shortly before the start of the day’s classes. Hribal, currently in custody at a juvenile detention center, faces four counts of attempted homicide, and 21 other counts. Authorities are still trying to determine the motive of Hribal.

NSA and White House deny knowledge of Heartbleed bug Following reports from Bloomberg News alleging that the NSA used a massive inter-

ABOUT US The Leader is the studentrun newspaper speaking to the students, faculty and administrators of Elmhurst College. The Leader is not submitted to any person or organization for prior approval. The contents are the decision of the editor in agreement with the editorial board. Opinions expressed in The Leader do not necessarily reflect those of the paper or its staff, and are not intended to represent those of the College at large. No text, photos, or art can be reproduced without direct permission of The Leader.

net security flaw to access data, the White House and the NSA have both denied any knowledge or exploitation of the flaw in OpenSSL. OpenSSL is software used by about two-thirds of websites, and scrambles data online to protect information such as online passwords. The bug in the software can allow hackers to take chunks of data that OpenSSL protects and was revealed by researchers working for Google and the small Finnish security firm Codenomicon. The allegations that the White House had prior knowledge of the glitch follow Edward Snowden’s claims last year that the NSA intentionally exploited weaknesses in online security software.

Pope Francis asks for abuse scandal forgiveness, promises sanctions In one of the strongest condemnations of sexual abuse in the Catholic church, Pope Francis pledged penalize “men of the church” who harm children and also asked for their forgiveness. The Survivor’s Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAP), a U.S.-based organization, said it was the first time a pope has said he would sanction “complicit bishops.” Still, some members of SNAP were skeptical of the Pope’s words, saying they hoped that the Pope’s deeds would reflect the remarks he made on Vatican Radio.

PUBLISHING INFO The Leader is funded by the student activities fund and advertising revenue. The paper has a press run of 1,500. It can be picked up in all campus buildings and certain offcampus sites.

ADVERTISING Teresa Guidara c/o Leader Advertising 190 Prospect Ave. Elmhurst, IL 60126 Advertising: 630.617.3321 theleaderadvertising@gmail.com

NEWS

ecleader.org

April 15, 2014

Campus Shortz

Campus Shortz: Hard news (usually) in 500 words or less Jay, is an EC student and an ATO member. Donation jars will be at the Student Activities office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. that day, and will also be stationed at registers in the Cafe during lunch. The event also encourages people to “step out of your normal routine, and share a random act-of-kindness inspired by a fellow Bluejay.”

Extravaganza recycles, shreds for sustainability

Photo courtesy Sabrina Balch EC students Colin Clark, Lexi Fell, Danielle Tipples, Jeanette Campbell, Rebecca Hufnus, Checka Di Valerio, and David Brambert at the Habitat for Humanity site in Birmingham, Ala.

patrick erwin news editor

EC students help Habitat for Humanity Three groups of EC students spent their spring break building homes for Habitat for Humanity. 22 EC students partnered with Habitat’s Birmingham,

Ala. chapter. Habitat has a national alternative spring break program, Collegiate Challenge. In a press release, Habitat Birmingham CEO Charles Moore recognized the work of EC students. “We are excited to have student volunteers again this year,” Moore said. “This is our 10th year hosting students during break, and we are ap-

preciative of their efforts.” In addition to the Birmingham contingent, EC students also headed to Louisiana and sent a team to Starksville, Miss.

Tree to be dedicated for Gibson An upcoming event this week honors a late Elmhurst College student on her birth-

day. The fundraiser on April 16 will honor Rachel Gibson, who died on Oct. 25 after battling leukemia. EC Greek organizations Sigma Kappa and Alpha Tau Omega are hosts of the fundraiser, and hope to raise enough money so that an evergreen tree on campus can be dedicated in Gibson’s name. Rachel Gibson’s brother,

EC students dodged the rain on April 12, and collected several tons of electronics and household items at the annual Recycling Extravaganza. In addition to recycling, the event also offered an environmentally friendly way to dispose of important documents. Two Cintas trucks were collecting and shredding documents onsite at the event. The event was first held in 2011, and gained attention the following year when state law banned residents from disposing of electronics in trash or sending it to landfills. The Extravaganza is one of several recycling events happening in and around the city of Elmhurst. Last November, the city sponsored an event where residents could drop off used cooking oil, so it could be converted into biofuel.

EC Board of Trustees makes few changes patrick erwin news editor

EC’s Board of Trustees spring meeting, held March 13-15, had EC faculty and employees on the edge of their seats in anticipation. But surprisingly, few of the anticipated changes were put into play. The Board announced it would not change the tuition remission benefit, and did not anticipate further changes to medical plans. It also indicated it would waive the requirement for a balanced budget by 2016, looking instead to a more long-range plan to balance the budget. But it’s unclear whether additional changes could be considered or implemented at the Board’s next meeting in June, when students and staff are away from campus. In a joint March 17 email sent from EC President S. Alan Ray and Board of Trustees chairperson Barbara J. Lucks, the Board acknowledged the conflict of the past year.

“The Board is aware that this has been a difficult year for all parties,” it said. For employees, the Board announced there would be no change to the employee pension plan in the short term, but indicated a “rebalancing” of the plan will happen in the long term, and likely reduce benefits for employees with more years of service. That action is different from original projections that the plan’s benefits would be cut. The Financial Working Group (FWG) report, which revealed that EC employees at the low end of the years served scale were already below the median benefit range, may have precipitated the decision to table changes to the Plan for now. But the Board was clear that changes were likely in years to come. “The Board wishes to be perfectly clear,” Lucks said in the email. ”When we rebalance our pension benefit sometime in the next three to five years, longerserving employees will no longer receive contributions at the

current (high) rates. Employees who expect to be affected by this change are strongly encouraged to plan now for this eventuality.” In a surprising move, the email announced intentions to proceed with a study to change Elmhurst College to Elmhurst University (see front page for story). “Please understand this is just a study,” the email said. The Board remarked on the recommendations of several other task forces, and indicated it supports a “culture of innovation” that the Innovation Task Force launched on campus. The email announced that FWG chair Denise Jones, who briefly came out of retirement to head the FWG, is stepping down from her role as chair, and will be replaced by current Vice President of Financial Affairs Jim Cunningham. It also announced that the FWG will be disbanded at the end of the financial year, on June 30. Note: Portions of this article appeared in an earlier form as part of The Leader’s online coverage.

NEWS

April 15, 2014

ecleader.org

A Look Back: Budget woes nothing new for EC patrick erwin news editor

It’s been a year full of financial news about EC, and the school’s struggle to balance budgets has been splashed across the pages of The Leader for several issues. But a look back in the EC archives reveals that rocky financial times for EC are nothing new. EC has a history of balancing its books (literally, in some cases) on a wing and a prayer. A 1971 EC magazine marking the College’s centenary. “The First One Hundred Years,” contained some notable points about EC’s long history - both rich and poor. The magazine, written by former EC President Robert Stanger, notes that even before EC was officially reorganized as a junior college in the early 1920s, its predecessor (the proseminary) had been hobbled by “poor financial support.” When the College’s first board of trustees was convened in 1925, it made what the magazine called “modest efforts…. towards a pension plan.” President H. Richard Niebuhr, worked with the Board to set a goal of a $400,000 endowment, but that goal wasn’t met, and, as the magazine explains, “the

budget struggled in the face of deficits.” Finances were bleak, and there was “a financial crisis to be faced….there was no endowment, and the school lacked accreditation.” As a result, enrollment numbers took a hit. Financial woes were compounded by the 1929 stock market crash and subsequent Great Depression. Ultimately, the College got $100,000 of that goal to establish an endowment. “It is the basis of our present endowment fund,” the magazine explained, “[which is] still markedly inadequate.” EC suffered through another sharp drop in enrollment during World War II, and had to make sharp budget cuts to staff salaries to keep going. But when the war ended, EC experienced a huge surge of students, many of them servicemen returning home from war and using their G.I. Bill to earn a degree. Expansion of EC’s facilities became a necessity, but the College was still running on financial fumes, so EC President Henry Dinkmeyer employed a “Field Of Dreams” concept: if you build it - or at least, if you break ground for it - they will come. Holes were dug, and signs

The 1971 commemorative magazine had images of EC’s past and plans for the future.

were posted reading “A Hole To Be Filled By Faith.” Eventually, subsequent fundraising efforts yielded enough funds to build Lehmann Hall (then a dormitory), then Dinkmeyer Hall, and finally Hammerschmidt Chapel, funded in part by a single donor, Louis Hammerschmidt. Finances for EC seemed to stabilize in the early 1960s, after a decade of sustained growth and enrollment. The magazine’s narrative ends with the rise of the “excellent modern science ADVERTISEMENT

building” Schaible Hall (now slated for replacement) and the groundbreaking for A.C. Buehler Library, which was completed later that year. It also displays plans, never built, for a fine arts center, including a connected building where the present Daniels and Circle Hall stand with a raised walkway deck, and a large multilevel building that appears to be a prototype for what eventually became the Frick Center. And it mentions a Second

Internet photo

Century Fund to raise money from then-current 1971 readers in what the magazine referred to as “a very difficult time.” It appears that fundraising is a challenge in any era. This year’s budget woes shows that when it comes to many of our current issues - infrastructure needs and the need for a new science building, struggles over employee pensions and compensation, the college’s endowment - everything old is new again.

NEWS

ecleader.org

April 15, 2014

Toibin weaves story, history at EC lecture

Photo by Joseph Kok Writer Colm Toibin captivates an audience at an April 10 lecture in EC’s Founders Lounge.

zachary bishop staff writer

ELMHURST UNIVERSITY from the front page

Graphic by Kathryn Kuszynski A number of similarities exist between EC and Otterbein University, such as annual tuition that is over $31,000 and having birds as mascots.

the fiscal year ending June 2012 (the most recent data available). In 2013, Otterbein was able to purchase additional land to expand the footprint of its campus. Otterbein University still raised tuition for its 2013-14 ac-

ademic year, and implemented a $400 fee for its J-term classes. Last year, it announced plans to increase faculty compensation in 2015. With EC’s financial struggles, a chance to rebrand Elmhurst and make it more marketable

to students may be an attractive option for administrators and trustees. It remains to be seen whether such a change would make sense for EC, and whether the EC community at large will have input on such a decision.

He may have been standing in front of a simple blue curtain on a stage in Founders Lounge, but writer Colm Tóibín took the audience on a trip around the world at his April 10 EC lecture. Tóibín, described as a “singular mind” by EC English Department chairperson Ann Frank Wake, told the story of the Irish cultural renaissance through larger than life characters like William Butler Yeats, Lady Augusta Gregory, and James Joyce, and how those people played key roles in revitalizing their country’s ancient literary tradition that had virtually disappeared after years of English rule. “They were working on a culture that would come into place after home rule [was achieved in Ireland],” Tóibín said. Tóibín explained tensions between western Irish writers (Yeats and Gregory), who believed their culture should be revived from the Irish-speaking rural poor, and the Eastern ones (Joyce), who believed it should be revived from the Englishspeaking working class. The author of several novels, essays, and a Tony-nominated Broadway play, Tóibín upholds the belief that the writer’s vocation is one of selflessness and personal sacrifice. In a pre-lecture discussion, an EC professor asked Tóibín how he develops stories and what drives him in the process. “The person I’m worried about is you. I want the reader to believe my story,” he said. “You have to be constantly thinking about the reader… I almost don’t exist.” However, Tóibín doesn’t believe writers should reveal every detail about their stories. “I put in enough imagery so that when the reader puts it down they can imagine the aftermath,” the writer said. One student asked what his

ideal creative environment was. “It doesn’t matter at all… You should be able to work anywhere,” Tóibín said. But it’s not all sunshine and blue skies, he quickly emphasized. “[Writing] requires work, dedication, concentration, but you can make a fetish of it. You can make an awful fuss about yourself and make everyone’s lives around you a living hell.” At the request of the students and faculty present, he discussed his novel-turned-play The Testament of Mary (Scribner, 2014), an imagined account of the Virgin Mary’s life told from her perspective. “Religion is something you have to be careful with. It’s not just personal; it’s public as well,” he said. “The novel itself is a secular space… I was being serious. I was trying to explore something.” At the guest dinner, which included English Department chairperson Dr. Ann Frank Wake, Tóibín talked about why he avoids developing an agenda for his narratives. “[One of] the most interesting thing[s] he said was if you have a message you have to get across, you’re not writing something someone wants to read,” she said. Frank Wake said she has a newfound perspective on teaching Irish writers in her classes. “I’ve taught Joyce and Yeats in Advanced Literary Study,” FrankWake said. “[But now,] I’m going to be able to explain the tension between [them]. I’m excited about that.” While the audience fully realized Tóibín’s talent as a writer and scholar, they also recognized his place among the Irish literary giants he spoke of so fondly. “In the middle of the lecture, I began to realize that I am witnessing not only an amazingly creative mind, but also an Irish literary legend,” said student Katherine Sciacca.

{ 6

April 15, 2014

}

opinions

ecleader.org

l Editorial l

Don’t hate the player, hate the game

Illustration by Tyler Kerr

The news in college sports isn’t quite what we would have imagined at this time of year. March Madness has finally come to a close, though not with the panache of some impressive ticker-tape parade celebrating the victor’s triumph. It came with the resurfacing of whether college athletes are employees of their school and are entitled to some form of compensation, beyond scholarships. The messenger was Shabazz Napier, after he led Univ. of Connecticut Huskies basketball to a NCAA Division I championship victory. Napier told reporters following the game that some nights he goes hungry. He was directly referencing his lacking financial strength—that his scholarships, and so forth—“do not cover everything,” implying that, perhaps, they should. This is the same distinction which was, and still is, being examined by the curious, and somewhat bewildered, eyes of the NCAA. But no matter how fatigued the NCAA becomes, players have already openly demonstrated their greater unrest. This conversation largely came into media fruition when an enduring Chicago winter brought with it a Northwestern Univ. (Evanston, Ill.) football team opting to unionize this past January. Backed by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), the recently formed College Athletics Players Association (CAPA), founded by Northwestern football players, is pushing to unionize Division I players, arguing they are employees of the university. Northwestern appealed regarding the move to unionize, deeming the players as strictly “student-athletes,” not employees entitled to compensation. But really, no matter what side of the debate is ultimately favored, it’s likely to be a messy ride from here. Putting aside an attempt to clearly define “work” itself, and how it will need to be redefined, or actually held to, regarding the relationship of the athlete and the college, none of this would even be in question, if this relationship was clearly defined in the first place. It seems like the murky waters this is in only get deeper with the implications.

Only the Division I basketball and football players are eligible to join CAPA to support unionization of college athletes, because they reportedly are the only ones able to make the best case they are employees. The reason being; the popularity of these sports, and the revenue brought to colleges through the athletes’ work at their sport. This is the case with Northwestern. So, we may as well consider the lowrevenue producing sports excluded from the ability to have the work they do as athletes recognized as work. These sports are largely women’s athletics, and won’t have the same rights as some athletes, if they are excluded. A great amount of time is spent by athletes on their sports, regardless of how much revenue the sport generates. Where to begin our definition for “work,” or what truly constitutes a college employee, is difficult to render as is. Attempting to unionize is not a final solution for college athletic concerns. It is only the first glimpse of what is to inevitably become more complicated, and further reaching into collegiate activities as a whole. There appears to be an issue of exclusion regarding some college sports, and this already seems unfair to some student-athletes who do work for their school. The line becomes increasingly difficult to draw, because some college organizations, including non-athletic, put exhaustive work into representing colleges, also cutting in on possible study time, or time spent at a job (yeah, we are talking about some of the indentured servants at The Leader working for “leadership experience” and resume brownie points.) If students can opt on tax forms that they are “full-time” students, as an option under their status of employment, this leaves even more in question for approaching what a college employee is. This will be the process. The current debate will be constantly deferred to another, deeper distinction to be made. The implications that come with unionized football teams, any student athletes being recognized as employees, or the implications of things remaining the same after this, all seem to suggest a blanket application, or none at all. Wherever the debate goes, it won’t progress much of anywhere if the implications are not understood at the outset.

opinions

ecleader.org

l Under the Microscope l

April 15, 2014

l Convergence l

What’s so normal Bringing life into balance with “that one kid”

BRETT PETO

staff writer

We all know “that one kid.” He stands apart on the playground, twisting a curl of hair around his finger, eyeing his outgoing classmates joyfully playing softball from afar. She is nonverbal, and her parents cling to any shred of warmth they believe she shows, because they need to believe she loves them, even if she can rarely express it. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can be a pernicious affliction to outsiders. Especially since many of us do judge others by their appearance—no matter how indignantly we swear we don’t—and autistic people typically don’t “look” like anything’s wrong with them. In truth, some “normal” people are afraid of “that one kid.” And now U.S. autism rates have soared up to 1 in 68 children, according to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The study was conducted on 2010 health and special education records of eight-year-old children across 11 states. This rate is compared to the CDC’s own estimate two years ago of 1 in 88, signifying a 30 percent increase. People with ASD have a mileslong list of possible symptoms, with the common theme of underdeveloped social skills, impaired communication, and behavioral routines that seem strange to “normal” people. ASD is not synonymous, though, with stupidity. Indeed, the CDC report found 46 percent of its participants’ IQs were at or above 85, close to or above average. It also found an intriguing prevalence of diagnoses amongst boys; 1 in 42 boys and just 1 in 189 girls were diagnosed with ASD in the sample. In fact, diagnosis may be the engine of these higher numbers. It’s prudent to consider that more comprehensive diagnosis protocols, not a sudden surge of new cases, are the culprit. Perhaps more autistic children are being “caught” by a tighter screening system than a generation ago. But another detail in the report indirectly casts doubt on this. State to state, ASD rates varied significantly, with Alabama the low ebb (1 in 175 children) and New Jersey the high tide (1 in 45 children). These regional disparities ap-

pear to highlight genetic differences, environmental differences, or most likely both. Preliminary research into causes of ASD has aimed blame at everything from brain structure irregularities to unusual levels of serotonin. However, The View co-host Jenny McCarthy’s popular assertion that the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine provoked autism in her son, Evan, breathlessly covered by much of the media as indisputable fact, is far from it. McCarthy’s one piece of cited scientific literature, a 1998 paper published in The Lancet by British medical researcher Dr. Andrew Wakefield, did gather evidence for the MMR vaccine causing ASD, as well as gastrointestinal disease. But other researchers couldn’t replicate the same results from Wakefield’s procedure, suggesting data tampering and eventually snowballing into a ban on his practicing medicine in the U.K. Oh, and The Lancet retracted his paper, something a medical journal does only in cases of data falsification or seriously flawed methodology. Yet I understand McCarthy’s

“They question our definition of ‘normal,’ whether there can be a definition of ‘normal’.”

PATRICK ERWIN

news & online editor I’ve been tackling some intense subject matter in this column lately. I keep joking that at some point, I’m going to fill this space with pictures of fluffy puppies, or talk about something silly. But as I get closer to graduation—closer to another transition in my life—those ‘big picture’ themes keep coming to the surface. I’m meeting this transition with a mixture of emotions: pride, joy, relief, and a little sadness. It’s been an interesting couple of years, to be sure. We’re often conditioned by TV shows and movies—bad ones, anyway—to think that life should happen in these convenient little pockets, where pain is neatly

tucked between big fields of joy. But sometimes, the high highs and low lows arrive at oddly synchronized moments. Meeting my partner—quite literally, the best thing to ever happen to me—happened not long after my mother’s death. My mom’s goodbye, while deeply sad, wasn’t unexpected. But life is often peppered with moments that surprise us, devastate us and knock us off balance. It was this week three years ago that I woke up, on a sunny Sunday morning, to learn that my sister Shelle had taken her own life. There was no mistaking her intent; she’d put a gun into her mouth and pulled the trigger. It stunned all of us who loved her, and left behind a mystery that still challenges us, but can never really be reconciled by any of us. Her death happened within a few weeks of my decision to return to college, and enrollment in my first classes. Joy and anticipation, loss and anger. Yin and yang, I guess. Last week was the anniversary of Roger Ebert’s death. The Leader wrote about his passing, and covered the panel discussion that honored his work here at EC last November. There’s a video clip that I’ve held very dear since I first watched it last year, and it resur-

faced in those recent remembrances of Ebert. It’s from Ebertfest, a film festival in Urbana held every spring. Last year Chaz Ebert, Roger’s widow, was there, along with Academy Award-winning actress Tilda Swinton. Swinton had, just weeks before, lost her mother, Chaz her husband and soul mate. And in the midst of all this loss, all this sadness.....these two women, and a roomful of spectators, dance. With abandon. With joy. A Barry White song booms over the loudspeakers, and these two, and hundreds others, throw their hands in the air, shake their asses, and get in touch with unquestionable, unfiltered joy. It’s beautiful to see. Most of our lives will be a balance of riding the waves between joy and agony, love and loss, life and death. And it’s up to us to grab those glimmers of joy, those moments where the business of living seems a little brighter, a little funnier, a little clearer—and hold tight. Those moments could be anything—graduation, a job offer, marriage. There may even be magic in a simple walk in the park with that big fluffy dog.

l Like You Even Care l

desire to pin the tail on any somewhat reasonable donkey that lopes across her path. I can’t claim to know her motivations, but it’s an educated guess that she wants her son to just be “normal.” By now, you probably noticed how many quotation marks I’m using. I “normally” dislike writers who qualify their words as such, but it’s fitting here. ASD, and other things we call “developmental disabilities,” might illuminate the diagnosers more than the diagnosed. They question our definition of “normal,” whether there can be a definition of “normal.” There’s a concept in population genetics which might apply: the wild-type, referring to a species’ most common traits in nature. ASD, even accounting for these increased figures, isn’t wild-type. Still, I’m hesitant to call wildtype “normal.” I’m hesitant to call anything “normal.” Really, we’re all not “normal” from time to time. And I’m thoroughly unconvinced that we should be afraid of “that one kid” we all know. Op-ed cartoon by Tyler Kerr

April 15, 2014

the Beat

Ian walker & Andy Prignano

beat editor & staff writer Nate Aye stands at the end of a ladder, ready to climb. Except there’s one slight problem: the ladder doesn’t have any rungs. Instead, a series of inclined blocks run up its side. So how does Aye manage to climb it? He stares towards the top, a metal bar in hand and jumps, resting the bar on the first set of blocks. One by one, he propels himself by swinging his upper body, hands gripped firmly on the bar, through each set of blocks until he reaches the top. It’s a feat of strength and agility that makes Aye seem like a ninja straight out of feudal Japan, and that’s exactly the point. Aye encountered that obstacle, called the salmon ladder, and many others as a contestant on NBC’s “American Ninja Warrior.” Sort of a “Wipeout” for professionals, the show sees athletes from all over the country compete on insanely tough and tricky obstacles. After first competing on the show in 2012, Aye took what he saw and brought it back to his home base, the Golden Age Strength Club in Lombard, a gym he’s owned that’s celebrating five years in business this month. Building his own salmon ladder and several other obstacles, Aye has outfitted his gym as the only one in the Midwest to specialize in “Ninja Warrior” training. “It’s pretty cool to show people what we can do,” said

Beat

ecleader.org

Local gym owner offers training to “Ninja Warrior” hopefuls Aye. “What we try to focus on is a handful of real basic skills and train people to get good at adapting to them to the specific obstacle that’s in front of them. My whole philosophy behind this kind of training is that something like ‘Ninja Warrior’ is such a challenge and a surprise that you don’t know what obstacles are going to be there. So we try to train people to make

sure they are ready for anything.” Aye’s facilities have brought people from all over the Midwest including Wisconsin, Iowa, and Missouri. Ten of Aye’s clients have even gone on to try out for “American Ninja Warrior.” Going on the show wasn’t initially on Aye’s radar though. After getting contacted by the casting company in 2012, Aye sent in a tape and would soon travel to Las Vegas for the qualifying rounds. After being eliminated in the first round of the finals, he returned in 2013, where he barely missed on qualifying, and is now setting his sights on this year’s competition. Being around all of the competitors and the obstacles is what inspired Aye to bring the ninja warrior training to his own gym. “After going out the first time, I was like ‘this is a lot harder than it looks on TV. If I’m going to be any good at this stuff, I gotta train on some of these obstacles.’ I remember thinking in my head over and over again ‘if only there was a place to go where I could try some of that stuff.’ Even if you have no ambition to get on TV, just to be able to see it up close and put your hands on it and try it out,” he said. However, honing and training Ninja Warriors is not the sole purpose of the Golden Age Strength Club. Aye started the gym because he feels that fitness and diet have been way overthought and overcomplicated today. “There really isn’t anything new in terms of fitness these days. No new fancy machines or workouts, not in even in terms of scientific research that tells us anything new. We’ve known what makes people in shape, makes people healthy or unhealthy for hundreds of years and it hasn’t changed,” he said. We get distracted by flashy marketing and bogus claims. That’s where we come in. What works is what always worked

and what always will work. The drawback is that it’s fucking hard. That attracts a certain mentality, and that’s what I look for in people who want to train here.” This focus on bare essentials is obvious upon entering the Golden Age Strength Club. It looks like the type of gym Apollo Creed would take Rocky to in an attempt to help him regain the Eye of the Tiger. “Basically, I wanted a no frills atmosphere,” he said. “Everything you see in the gym has a purpose. It’s not the bright shiny objects of the corporate gym setting where i t ’s like a casino meant to di vert your attention rather than actually focus o n doing stuff that works.” That no frills atmosphere is apparent w a l k ing through the front door; the place looks like a warehouse that someone just happened to put a ton of exercise equipment in. Including that salmon ladder. Watching Aye tackle that obstacle is exhausting enough for the people on the sidelines, but Aye makes it look easy. Creating all of these different obstacles, and bringing on potential ninja warriors from all over the Midwest, has brought an unexpected but exciting niche to the Golden Age Strength Club that Aye is proud of. “The cool part about it is that you get people who more and more [are], since it’s getting so popular, specifically training for it,” he said. “What you can do is focus on a handful of really bas i c skills and get good a t adapting them to

the specific obstacle in front of you. It’s turning into something really cool and the more people come to train, the more people put their videos to get on the show. We’ll see where it takes us, but it’s grown a lot.”

“After going out the first time, I was like ‘this is a lot harder than it looks on TV. If I’m going to be any good at this stuff, I gotta train on some of these obstacles.’ I remember thinking in my head over and over again ‘if only there was a place to go where I could try some of that stuff.’ Even if you have no ambition to get on TV, just to be able to see it up close and put your hands on it and try it out.”

(Top left) Nate Aye tackles the climbing ropes. (Bottom left) Aye goes one-handed on a weight. (Right) Aye climbs his home made salmon ladder, modeled after the ones seen on “American Ninja Warrior.” All Photos by Peter Flockencier

Beat

ecleader.org

April 15, 2014

‘Divergent’ film proves faithful to book kailey Hansen staff writer

Popular book-to-movie franchises are all the rage right now, and “Divergent” is just the latest in a long line to embrace this trend. Veronica Roth’s dystopian society young adult novel has been adapted to the silver screen, with an obvious aim of capturing the kind of success books like “The Hunger Games” series has enjoyed. Director Neil Burger adapts the first installment of the trilogy in a movie packed with with action from start to finish. 16-year-old Tris has universal issues that every teenager faces, pondering pressing questions like “What is my identity?” and “Where do I fit in?” But Tris is living in a futuristic society that’s split into five factions, with those groups forced to select, and live, one of five values: honesty, knowledge, selflessness, peacefulness, and courage. When members of the factions come of age they are given a serum and put in a mind-simulation that helps them see where they belong. The narrative of the story is Tris, and the problem that arise after her test reveals she does not fit in one specific faction. She’s classifying as something dangerous and transgressive, called a ‘divergent.’ The movie, for the most part,

VERDICT: 4 PEANUTS stays true to the book. It’s great for readers of the series, who can now see those fictional characters and places coming to life. It makes seeing the postdestruction version of Chicago (where much of the story takes place) even more sinister. However, the movie can be a little problematic for those who haven’t read the books. The exposition that explains how the factions are organized is very rushed at the beginning. It’s not impossible for the non-readers to follow, but it would’ve helped the story if that plot detail had been more fully explored. The cast is surprisingly delightful with Shailene Woodley (“Secret Life of the American Teenager,” “The Descendants”) as Tris, Theo James as her handsome love interest, and Ansel Elgort as her brother (who also, ironically, nabbed the role playing her love interest in the upcoming movie “The Fault in our Stars”). Woodley’s Tris is a likeable heroine that is both tough-skinned and insecure, a mix not often seen in the young women of cinema. Kate Winslet also makes an appearance as the evil mastermind attempting to achieve perfection through

destruction, which is a pleasant change from her usual roles. “Divergent” combines the suspense of a thriller and fast-

paced adventure movie with a unique twist. The end ties things up together nicely but keeps the audience hoping they’ll invest

in a sequel that is hopefully up to par.

Four (Theo James) and Tris (Shailene Woodley) look on a futuristic Chicago in “Divergent.”

Internet Photo

‘Winter Soldier’ is best Captain film yet Kevin Garcia staff writer

Now that’s more like it, Marvel! While the first few Phase Two Marvel films failed to excite, “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” is the best one thus far. While the first “Captain America” film had an old school blockbuster feel, this sequel is an intelligent, finely tuned nonstop thrill ride. It’s Jason Bourne meets the comic book universe. Everything is bolder and better: the plot, the characters, and the most exhilaratingly, the combat. Everything comes together in superior fashion. “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” again features Steve Rogers, who, after spending 70 years in slumber, struggles to embrace his role in the modern world while battling a new threat known as the Winter Soldier. Now that plot may seem cut and dry but that’s not the case here. There is more lurking beneath the surface in this film and it’s fantastic to see the risk taken here and, for the most part, it’s executed with flying colors. While the director of the “Bourne” films, Paul Greengrass, would have done a tremendous “Cap” film, it’s noticeable that the directors, the Russo brothers, took his blueprint: quick camera action, intensity, and a spectacle of a climax, and incorporated that into this film. These brothers are

VERDICT: 4.5 PEANUTS known for their comedy, such as the show “Community,” so for them to pursue and execute a blockbuster like this is quite impressive. The best thing about this movie is the ethical questions the movie poses. Rogers comes from a simpler time, a more black and white generation. The world has become grayer since the 1940s and he is trying to fit in the best he can. However, what makes Cap an icon today is his ability to fight for the pure principles of the nation that are timeless and sending the message that even today the world can use a little old fashioned sensability. All of the values, ideologies, and morals of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Captain America are put to the test in the movie and it’s wonderful to see it played out. The Winter Soldier however is a different beast. He is a Soviet, which is scary enough, but he has a dangerous presence in this film that is ready to do damage. While he looks cool as hell, he is somewhat underutilized. He does not get much screen time and was sort of pushed off to the side until the end when he returned for the final battle. The acting in this movie is also very strong. Chris Evans makes the audience believe he

is a patriot willing to defend the red, white and blue. Scarlett Johansson is badass yet again and this incarnation as Black Widow is her best so far. Samuel L. Jackson does his job ok but nothing impressive. Robert Redford (“Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” “The Sting,” “All the President’s Men”) needs no introduction. Redford was a joy to watch, specifically because he doesn’t act much anymore and

was obviously enjoying himself here. It’s refreshing to see a living legend in the Marvel Universe like Tommy Lee Jones in the first “Captain America” film. The biggest shout out however goes to Anthony Mackie who plays Rogers’s sidekick Falcon. Mackie was a convincing hero that meshes well with Cap and they have great chemistry. Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a conspiracy thrill-

er that packs a monumental punch. In the true definition of the word, the film is a true “Marvel.” Cap is the most badass 95-year-old that the movies have and the film excels with the espionage factor. It’s edgier and it’s arguably the greatest Marvel film in terms of capturing the spirit of the individual heroes since the first “Iron Man.” See it. In fact see it twice.

Internet Photo Captain America (Chris Evans) and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) spend a lot of time together in “Winter Soldier.”

SAND

BURG

AT HI S

EXHIB

TORIC

When Carl Sandburg first settled into his Elmhurst home in 1919, he was just some guy looking for a house. He had a wife and three young daughters he was looking to support and raise, and while he had written some poetry (including one about The Windy City) he hadn’t met a whole lot of writing success. When he settled into 331 S. York Street, Sandburg had no idea how iconic his poetry would become. Since November, the Elmhurst Historical Museum has been running an exhibit on the life of Sandburg, one of the most widelyregarded American writers from the last century, covering the 10 years he lived in Elmhurst during the 1920s. The exhibit, which wraps up on April 18, allowed the museum a chance to look back on Sandburg and reflect on his successes while he lived in Elmhurst. “It was an incredibly prolific and transitional period for him,” said Elmhurst Historical Museum Curator Lance Tawzer. “He moved to Elmhurst because it was a nice place to live and had good schools. His story is emblematic of why people still move to Elmhurst. It’s a 10-year period of history that is uniquely ours. It’s a pretty good story to have.” Sandburg’s literary works during his Elmhurst years is indicative of his work ethic. Writing several books of poetry, three children’s books, and two biographies on Abraham Lincoln were just the beginning; he was also a writer for the Chicago Daily News and penned hundreds of movie reviews. A folk music aficionado, Sandburg put together his “American Songbag” collection of folksongs, something Tawzer believes is also part of his legacy. “The Songbag is a lasting accomplishment that he thought was really important. The American folkies that came after him see that as sort of their manifesto. He was around

IT LOO

KS BA

AL EL

MHUR

IAN W ALKER

before Woody Guthrie and all of those other guys,” Tawzer said. But Sandburg is most beloved and remembered for his poetry. His poem “Chicago,” first published in Poetry magazine in 1914, is one that natives of “the city of the big shoulders” continue to identify with. “Most would still view ‘Chicago’ as our quintessential poem of the urban Midwest. It has a Whitmanesque quality of the capturing and cataloging essences of what made and continues to makes Chicago a vital, energetic national city,” said EC English Department Chair Ann Frank Wake in an email to The Leader. Though ‘Chicago’ is certainly relevant to the midwest, the relatability of Sandburg’s work earned him the loyalty of the national literary community. His work, known to be gritty and sparse, still resonates in the with poetry fans, something that’s demonstrated in the exhibit. “The poetry community is very tight and reveres him. Sandburg didn’t want to be flowery, he wanted to be real. He was anti, the sort of traditional poetry that was present at the time,” Tawzer said. That realness is especially present in “Chicago,” which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. In an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Robert Polito, president of the Poetry Foundation, which publishes Poetry magazine, said Sandburg’s poetic technique was revolutionary for his time, but has become cliche today. “You show something like ‘Citizen Kane’ to a group of young students. The techniques of that film have been imitated so many times, they don’t see what was startling about it,” he said. “That’s a little bit true here.

ST ST AY

, BEAT

EDITO

It’s a little bit hard for us a hundred years later to recapture. It’s almost as if it’s a combination of the Book of Genesis and the national anthem for Chicago. It’s the founding myth and celebratory lyric.” The exhibit includes various memorabilia from Sandburg’s life, including his guitar and one of his typewriters, both of which were donated by Sandburg’s daughter Helga, who passed away in January. Several first editions of his published works are also on display; it’s all part of a collection that gives insight to Sandburg fans and novices alike, old and young. “Sandburg’s really not taught in schools anymore. He’s seen as more oldfashioned, but he really was edgy for his time, so that’s what we were hoping to show the younger people. The older group had already heard of him, but some of them didn’t know what he did during Elmhurst. He would get on the train to go down to Chicago to do his job like people still do today. I think the exhibit put him back in the discussion because he’s fallen through the cracks,” Tawzer said. As the exhibit winds down, Tawzer hopes all of the materials he put together captures the essence of Sandburg and all of the work he did during his historic Elmhurst stay. “I’m proud that we were able to tell his story comprehensively and tell it well and in depth. To be able to tell his story was a privilege.”

Graphics and Layout by Nikki Smith

Beat

April 15, 2014

ecleader.org

‘HIMYM’ finale leaves fans with sour taste sean buckley staff writer

When a long-running TV show comes to an end, there’s tremendous pressure to put on an innovative yet satisfying finale. Fans want their endings to give them a sense of closure and a feeling that their favorite characters will still exist beyond the confines of a TV set. But every once in a while, those last minutes of a show seem to exist only to piss off a very dedicated and loyal audience. On March 31, fans of the hit CBS show “How I Met Your Mother” were served a series finale that left many viewers with a bad aftertaste. (WARNING: full spoilers for the HIMYM finale follow.) Since 2005, the main narrative of the show has been about Ted Mosby (played by Josh Radnor) building to the moment where he tells his children how he met their mother. The plot twist unveiled at the end? Ted’s telling the kids about when he met their mother, Tracy McConnell Mosby (Cristin Milioti) because she’s dead; she’d died six years earlier. Since the pilot episode, Ted has been chasing Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders). At

different times in the show’s history, there were hints that Robin would end up being the mother, but even before Tracy was revealed as the mother, that possibility had seemingly been ruled out. Robin finds out in Season 7 that she is unable to bear children. When the finale reveals that Ted’s wife died six years earlier and the kids make it clear to the Ted fans that this entire story is about him asking for their approval to go after Robin, viewer’s reactions were understandably mixed. EC English professor Tina Kazan, a longtime HIMYM fan, says of the finale, “Ted ending up with Robin was a little disappointing for me.” For Kazan, it presented issues not only with Ted, but also with the Barney/Robin relationship, which had blossomed in recent years. “It was a disservice to both Barney and Robin. We watched them grow as characters and grow together toward marriage while still maintaining an edge as our favorite cigar-chomping, strip-club hopping, cynical couple,” Kazan said. ”Having Robin’s career success destroy their bond and then subjecting us to Barney’s degeneration provided a false and forced way

The cast of “How I Met Your Mother” shouldn’t be smiling after their finale.

of getting us to the final moments.” EC senior Melinda Hernandez was equally frustrated with the ending. “[The writers] essentially tossed three or four seasons of character development right out the window,” Hernandez said in an email to The Leader. She was also frustrated that Barney and Robin’s story suggested they were incomplete without a child. “There’s this myth in our culture that having children fixes you or your marriage,” she

said. “I can’t stand when writers chose to perpetuate it. Why couldn’t Robin and Barney have a fulfilling, meaningful childless marriage?” HIMYM joined the club of shows that have recently ended. Showtime’s “Dexter” left fans feeling that the conclusion was vague, and inconsistent with framework that had been set up in previous seasons. On the other hand, AMC’s “Breaking Bad” fans appeared to widely embrace that finale, and the closure it gave fans with characters like Walter White

Internet Photo

and Jesse Pinkman. In 2015, another show with an intricate narrative and dedicated fans, “Mad Men,” will end its run on AMC. It remains to be seen how fans will react, but Mad Men’s creator is Matthew Weiner. Weiner’s previous writing gig was with HBO’s “The Sopranos,” a show that ended with a simple dinner scene fading to black. Hopefully Don Draper and company won’t incite as much rage as Ted and the gang did when they exit the stage.

What is your favorite live album?

Ian Walker, Beat Editor, The Leader: Mine would have to be Foo Fighter’s “Skin and Bones.” Normally a loud, heavy rock band, this album demonstrates a softer side of the group, when they went on an acoustic tour in 2005. While the album is a bit lighter, the Foos still bring the high-energy that they are known for.

Internet Photo

Zach Bishop, Staff Writer, The Leader: My favorite live album was “Steve Miller Band Live!” because it had “Fly Like an Eagle” on it, which any awesome person will recognize from Seal’s cover of the song that was featured in “Space Jam.” I remember feeling incredibly cool downloading it onto my 2005 not-an-iPod MP3 player after I found it in my parents’ retro (80s) CD collection.

Internet Photo

Patrick Erwin, News and Online Editor, The Leader: One of my favorite artists is Joni Mitchell, and my favorite live albums are probably her two live sets, “Miles of Aisles” and “Shadows and Light.” They were recorded about five years apart, but her music evolved so much in that time, and it’s fascinating to hear the before and after in those recordings.

Internet Photo

Kim McElheny, Photo Editor, The Leader: My favorite live album is Jack Johnson’s “En Concert.” It is a great combination of his best songs from a variety of unique venues.

Luke Tanaka, Staff Writer, The Leader: My favorite live album of all-time has to be the Red Hot Chili Peppers “Live from Hyde Park” (no, not that Hyde Park). “Californication,” “Under the Bridge,” “Zephyr,” “Can’t Stop,” “Scar Tissue,” “By The Way,” all the best. Plus, their own spin on Zeppelin, U2, and Queen, which may not have been as good as the originals, but were entertaining for the English crowd.

Internet Photo

Want to be part of the next Sound Roundup? Email us at leadernewsec@gmail.com.

Internet Photo

Beat

ecleader.org

Joseph Kok staff writer

MiddleGround l

Brew and View

Internet Photo

Head to Mariano’s for an evening visit to try out some of Revolution Brewery’s craft beer, and eat some pub food. The gourmet food will be prepared by Mariano’s resident chef. Find details and buy tickets online through Mariano’s website. Thursday, April 24, 6-9 p.m. $10 678 N. York St, Elmhurst, Ill.

Tuesday-Thursday, April. 15-17 $5 The Vic – 3145 N. Sheffield, Chicago

Internet Photo

Mid-Afternoon Movie

Craft Beer & Pub Grub

When the Vic Theatre doesn’t have a music acts playing, they offer a regular run of movie showings. For one low, low price, they show double or triple features over an afternoon/evening. As well, they have three bars open serving drinks during the film screenings. Through Thursday, they are showing The Wolf of Wall Street (5:30 p.m.), August: Osage County (7:30 p.m.), and Groundhog Day (10:30 p.m.).

The next movie that the College Union Board is showing is “Saving Mr. Banks.” This is based off the true story of the clash between Walt Disney and “Mary Poppins” author P. L. Travers as they adapt Travers’ magical nanny to the big screen. Snack and drink deals are available if you print a ticket off of Elmhurst’s Eventbrite site. Friday, April 25, 3 p.m. FREE Frick Center – Blume Board Room

Internet Photo

An Evening of Critical Thinking The Aspen Institute is sponsoring a panel discussion entitled “Principled Pluralism: The Challenges and Opportunities of America’s Religious Diversity.” The discussion will feature Elmhurst’s own president, Dr. S. Alan Ray, Wheaton College’s president, Dr. Philip Ryken, as well as the president of Intervarsity Christian Fellowship. Admission is free, and transportation is available to travel from campus — just call the Chaplain’s office at (630) 617-3360. Tuesday, April 29, 7 p.m. FREE Barrows Auditorium at Wheaton College – 500 College Ave., Wheaton

l cartoonist

Getting you through the dull days separating our bi-weekly issues... Because we care.

Internet Photo

Tyler Kerr

April 15, 2014

Off the Wire l

Politics boring you? Sick of hearing about #thirdworldproblems? Tired of seeming like an ignorant slob? Off The Wire compiles the worlds’s quirkiest news to help avoid that uncomfortable lull in conversation.

British Premiere of Noah Cancelled due to Flood The British premiere of “Noah” was set for 12:15 p.m. on April 4 at the Vue Cinema in England, however patrons were kindly turned away due to the theatre’s flooding. What seemed to be an ironic act of God was a simple ice machine mishap, fixed in time for the 2 p.m. showing. Moviegoers returned with valid tickets and two of every animal. Upon exiting the theatre, customers eyes were turned to the magnificent rainbow of ICEE flavors, which could easily be interpreted as God’s promise that he would never ruin a matinee again.

Battlestar Galactica to be Re-re-imagined The three “BSG” fans reading this will probably roll eyes at the news of the now third reincarnation of this beloved sci-fi (and SyFy) cult classic. However, this go round Universal studios is attempting a silver screen version of the long ass series that leaves people wondering, “How the frak you gonna cram all that in there?” The project was formerly spearheaded by director Bryan Singer (“Superman Returns”) and screenwriter John Orloff (“Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole”). Now, production passes on to screenwriter Jack Paglen, whose only credits really include the first draft of the “Prometheus” sequel. “Gods help us, so say we all” ring the words of “BSG” fans everywhere. The show makes it clear: all this has happened before, and all of it will happen again...and again...and again.

Red Hot Chili Peppers: The CIA’s Secret Weapon Last week, the U.S. Senate declassified the CIA’s “enhanced interrogation” report. The 6,600 pages (holy fuck) were reported details of CIA torture tactics, including methods such as binding and sleep deprivation. One inquisitor told Al Jazeera that (at least) one detainee was tortured by playing RHCP on a continuous loop. Unfortunately, the songs played were not listed, but it’s safe to assume that it was ALL OF THEM. The report also claims that prisoners were stripped and doused with water. This isn’t the first time U.S. assholes have used shitty music to ruin lives. Just this year, Canadian industrial metal bullshit “band” Skinny Puppy caught wind of their music being used to torture inmates at Guantanamo Bay. No word yet whether or not the CIA has used any Tom Jones faves, but 6,600 pages is a lot to get through, folks.

The Hoff Auctions Off Beach buff David Hasslehoff auctioned off numerous personal items last week at Julien’s Auctions, including a replica of his fucking sweet “Knight Rider” whip named KITT. The modified 1986 Firebird (inconsistent with the original 1982 Trans Am, but The Hoff ain’t persnickety) was estimated to stretch for 30k to 50k. This head turner rubber burner contains many features from “distinct exterior lighting” to “scissor doors” and even comes with over 4,000 sound bites from the original series (but rumor has it they just shoved voice actor William Daniels in the trunk). While the whole KITT and kaboodle [sic.] might be out of the price range of many, the German pop star is auctioning off a “Knight Rider” inspired golf cart and various smaller items from the Castlehoff.

Cartoon by Tyler Kerr

Beat

April 15, 2014

ecleader.org

THE FUN PAGE This week’s crossowrd is all about famous authors. For each novel or poem, list the corresponding author in the puzzle (last names only.)

Across

Down

3. The Hunger Games

1. The Road Not Taken

4. One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

2. O Captain! My Captain!

6. Lord of the Rings

5. The Catcher and the Rye

10. The Great Gatsby

7. The Old Man and the Sea

12. Fahrenheit 451

8. Harry Potter

13. The Jungle

9. Chicago

14. The Adventures of Tom Sayer

11. Game of Thrones

For answers to last issue’s crossword puzzle, go to ecleader.org

Leader Horoscopes Tyler Kerr

staff cartoonist

Helping you with the little things like what to have for lunch, and the more important things like your non-existent love life.

Try checking that baa’aaad attitude at the door, mister.

Leave the past behind. It’s water under the bridge, but you already know that.

Holy Mackerel! You’re off the hook this week.

For your cosmic prediction, just read the planets orbiting around that massive head of yours.

Wait, you read these? But aren’t you too grounded for this astrological drivel?

Live life like it’s Opposite Day. Ha. For you that’ll be fucking impossible.

Does anyone else smell melted butter?

Beware of tall people. They’ll block your light.

All blame you for this god awful weather.

1+1=3 (this bugs you, don’t it?).

The stars spell “ass” this week. Because, you know, you are one.

Your life just isn’t flat enough. Stir your soda and break out the sport bras.

Neebs enjoys his Easter candy just a bit too much.

Cartoon by Tyler

sports

ecleader.org

April 15, 2014

Will Jung overcomes serious back injury, now EC’s No. 1 in singles and doubles CHARLIE ROUMELIOTIS sports editor

There’s a saying that the hardest decision in life is to either walk away from something or try harder obtaining it. In his tennis career, Will Jung chose the latter, twice. But the first instance nearly led to a career-threatening injury. During his sophomore season in high school, Jung, EC senior men’s tennis player, injured his back over-training, which caused a stress fracture in his lowest lumbar. The problem was, Jung wasn’t aware of it until the season ended three months later when he asked for a doctor’s opinion. Jung spent the next six months in a back brace and stayed away from rigorous physical activity for twice as long. Surgery wasn’t necessary,

but the recovery process lasted about 14 months before Jung was at full health again. “I remember feeling like I was re-learning how to play tennis,” he said. “At that point, I had to decide if it was worth playing again.” Because Jung’s injury extended into his senior season, it affected his college search to the point that he wasn’t being recruited anywhere. That wasn’t until Jung’s high school friend, and former EC teammate, Dave Devaney, introduced Jung to Jays head coach Anthony McPherson. McPherson hasn’t looked back since, and regret certainly isn’t in Jung’s vocabulary when it comes to this topic. “Anthony showed me nothing but support and belief in my abilities,” Jung said. “At the time, that meant everything to me, and I’m still grateful that everything happened the way it did.” After contemplating hanging up his tennis racket, Jung chose to give a second crack at it, like he often did to tennis balls preinjury. How’d that work out? For three years, Jung has been one-half of the Jays’ No. 1 in doubles and No. 2 in singles. Now, Jung recently played his way into No. 1 singles, passing his doubles partner Alex Harbert. “Before I had gotten the green light to play again, I was itching to step back on the court,” Jung said. “I always viewed myself as a hard worker, but coming back to tennis made me work even harder, even off the court. “It came at the right time and

helped me get to the point I’m at today. I never really looked ahead to what spot on the team I thought I would be playing, but it’s very cool to be in this position considering how talented my teammates are.” But Jung admits his decision to return wasn’t easy. “To be honest, I was kind of burned out at the point of the injury,” he said. “Tennis took up a lot of time, I was missing out on a lot of stuff my friends from high school were getting to experience, and I considered quitting. I didn’t even look at it like something I had to overcome. “At the time, I thought it would be the end of tennis for me, by choice, but as time

went on, I realized how much I missed it.” And because Jung realized

tennis player Vince McPherson. “He’s always one of the first people on the team to put in the extra work when his body allows him to. “To be honest, I was kind “It seems it is a conof burned out at the point of the injury. ... I considered stant fight trying to find quitting ... but as time went the right balance of between when to push on, I realized how much I through it and when to missed it.” rest. Lately he’s been coming up big and Will Jung showing up when we EC senior men’s tennis player need him, and I think that’s a testament to his work ethic off the how much he missed ten- court.” nis, the Jays would’ve missed Choosing to try harder at tenhis presence had he not stuck nis may not have worked out through it. the first time. “Will is one of the hardest But it surely paid off the secworkers I know,” said EC senior ond.

Photo courtesy of Steve Woltmann Photography Will Jung contemplated quitting tennis due to an injury, but now finds himself the motor of Jays tennis.

The Leader’s Stanley Cup playoff predictions Editor’s note: The 2014 Stanley Cup playoﬀs begin Wednesday, April 16. Check out The Leader’s first round predictions.

CHARLIE ROUMELIOTIS sports editor

PAUL ROUMELIOTIS staff writer

Atlantic Division in 6 games

in 5 games

in 7 games

1 Pittsburgh Penguins vs. 4 Columbus Blue Jackets

in 6 games

2 New York Rangers vs. 3 Philadelphia Flyers

in 5 games

in 7 games

1 Colorado Avalanche vs. 4 Minnesota Wild

in 6 games

2 St. Louis Blues vs. 3 Chicago Blackhawks

in 7 games

1 Anaheim Ducks vs. 4 Dallas Stars

in 7 games

in 6 games

2 San Jose Sharks vs. 3 Los Angeles Kings

in 6 games

1 Boston Bruins vs. 4 Detroit Red Wings 2 Tampa Bay Lightning vs. 3 Montreal Canadiens

Metropolitan Division

Central Division

Pacific Division

sports

April 15, 2014

ecleader.org

Student-athletes at Northwestern Univ. seek compensation, attempt to unionize LUKE TANAKA staff writer

Shabazz Napier created buzz on and off the court last week, when he led the Univ. of Connecticut Huskies to the NCAA Division I basketball national championship. On the court, Napier was named the Final Four’s most outstanding player, scoring 22 points on 8-of-16 shooting in the championship game. Off the court, he told reporters that he occasionally goes to bed “starving,” making the moment when NCAA President Mark Emmert handed his team the championship trophy noticeably awkward. “We are lucky to get scholarships to great universities, but, in the end, that doesn’t cover everything [financially],” Napi-

er told reporters in late March. “Sometimes there are hungry nights when I’m not able to eat.” Napier’s comments added fuel to the fire of the college athlete’s unionization movement, which took a big step forward last month when the Chicago district of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ruled that Northwestern football players on scholarship can unionize because they qualify as university employees. Although Northwestern’s movement, led by former quarterback Kain Colter, is only applicable to players at private institutions, this ruling has started a discussion that could extend to public and state schools like UConn. According to Colter, this movement is not about payfor-play, but instead focuses on

representation. “A lot of people will think this is all about money; it’s not,” Colter told the Chicago Tribune in January. “We’re asking for a seat at the table to get our voice heard.” Having that seat could help players like Napier. The UConn guard might be allowed to have a little extra money on his meal plan or some cash to get a fivedollar footlong at Subway. Northwestern aggressively appealed the NLRB’s ruling, calling it slanted. “Northwestern presented overwhelming evidence establishing that its athletic program is fully integrated with its academic mission, and that it treats its athletes as students first,” the university said in its appeal. “Based on the testimony of a single player, the regional direc-

tor described Northwestern’s football program in a way that is unrecognizable from the evidence actually presented at the hearing.” The College Athletes Players Association, representing the players, have until April 16 to file a brief in opposition of Northwestern’s appeal. Those in support of the unionization movement wonder how scholarship players are starving when the NCAA, a notfor-profit organization, signed a $10.8 billion television contract with Turner and CBS Sports in 2011 to broadcast the NCAA basketball tournament. Those who oppose the movement cite pay-for-play as an impossible proposition in college athletics. However, Colter and the Northwestern players are not currently lobbying for any

UConn guard Shabazz Napier told reporters in March that he sometimes goes to bed “starving” because he can’t afford food.

EC MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD

Internet Photo

sort of pay-for-play scenario. The players hope to bargain for rights such as health and scholarship protections. The players want full health coverage from the NCAA so they are not stuck paying their own sports-related medical bills. In 2009, the New York Times reported that Erin Knauer, a member of the Colgate University rowing team, was injured in training and the NCAA did not cover the injury. She ended up with $80,000 in medical bills, only a third of which was covered by insurance. Also, since scholarships must be renewed each year, college athletes can be left out in the cold if their coach decides not to renew his or her scholarship for the next year. Without a scholarship, many students could not afford the university they are attending, causing them to drop out or transfer. The union could also lobby for more lenient transfer rules and larger scholarship amounts so that players critical to the NCAA’s financial success, like Napier, have money for food. Assuming that the CAPA files an opposition to Northwestern’s appeal, the NLRB in Washington will take about three months to review the situation further. Meanwhile, Northwestern’s football players will hold a secret ballot election on whether to form a union. One-third, 26 of their 85 scholarship football players, will need to vote yes. Regardless of the ruling and the progress this individual case makes, Colter and the Northwestern players have started the discussion and the battle for scholarship athletes. In response to Napier’s comments, lawmakers in Connecticut are looking into how players at UConn, a state school, could unionize. And this is only the beginning.

EC SOFTBALL

Battered Jays place 8th at Softball games Benedictine Invitational postponed PAUL ROUMELIOTIS staff writer

Will Cross led the Bluejays after putting on a stellar performance in the 5,000 meters on Saturday at Benedictine Univ. Eagle Invitational. Cross, junior, finished the race in first place (15:16.64) and was about 32 seconds ahead of the second-place finisher. Cross acknowledged his personal improvement, but knows there’s more room for it. “The 5K was definitely a step in the right direction for me,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of work to

do still but I’m definitely satisfied with my effort on Saturday.” Although, the results say that the Jays placing eighth of 12 teams with 39 points, EC entered at a disadvantage due to injuries that forced head coach Jim Akita to rest some of his guys. “We’ve been battling a few injuries and didn’t race everyone,” he said, “but those that did compete had a great Track and Field meet.” In terms of improving, Cross knows exactly what the team should focus on for future events.

“We’ve been working hard the last month as a team so I’d say we just need to keep doing what we’re doing,” he said. “Keep putting in the hard workouts and the mileage and the times will keep improving.” Overall, Akita said he’s pleased with the performance despite battling windy conditions and a limited roster. “Despite the weather, everyone competed without complaint and I am very happy with that,” Akita said. “We need to keep working hard and get everyone ready for the end of the season.”

THE LEADER staff report

The Bluejays were scheduled to play in back-to-back doubleheaders last weekend, but all four games were postponed due to poor weather conditions. EC planned to square off with Carthage College for the first time this season on Saturday, but has instead been rescheduled for Thursday, April 17 at 3 p.m. A makeup date for EC’s game against Augustana Col-

lege, initially scheduled for Sunday, has yet to be determined. It’s the fourth time this season a series of games have been postponed for EC. The Jays, who own a 9-7 record (1-3 in conference play), will look to snap a three-game losing streak when they travel to Benedictine Univ. on Tuesday, April 15 at 3 p.m. Want more Elmhurst College sports updates? Follow us on Twitter @LeaderNewsEC.

sports

ecleader.org

April 15, 2014

EC LACROSSE

Westhaver, Wassenaar shine as Jays crush Mount St. Joe, snap three-game losing streak CHARLIE ROUMELIOTIS sports editor

The Bluejays entered Saturday’s contest against College of Mount St. Joseph on a cold streak, having lost their last three games. But they left hotter than the sun shining on Langhorst Field that afternoon. Jays freshman midfielder Drew Wassenaar extended his scoring streak to eight games with his three-goal performance, and team-leading 28th of the season. The defense allowed just five goals, their lowest in more than a month. And freshman attacker Matt Westhaver shined bright with a career-high four goals. But it was his second one that signified the way the game went for EC in their 15-5 win. With 10:55 left in the third quarter and the Jays leading by nine, Westhaver channeled his Canadian-skill with a nasty behind-the-back highlight reel goal that left his teammates in awe. “It was jaw-dropping,” said sophomore goaltender Tyler York, who picked up his fourth

victory of the season with seven saves. “I was in disbelief at the fact that he actually scored.” Westhaver said it’s not the first time he’s attempted that move. But it was the first in a game-type atmosphere. “I’ve pulled it off in practice before and it’s worked a few times,” he said, “so when the opportunity presented itself, I thought I’d try it. I was pretty

Eight different players recorded a multi-point game. EC improved their record to 5-7 (3-4 in the Midwest Lacrosse Conference) and regained some confidence following their 15-5 defeat over Mount St. Joseph. While a win like this is certainly a morale booster, the Jays admit they know there’s still aspects of the game they need to patch up.

“I think beating a team by 10, especially a team that beat us last year, is a good confidence boost. Everyone was feeling good about the win and it definitely gives us confidence going forward. But we also realize there is still work to be done and a couple things to clean up.” Drew Wassenaar EC redshirt freshman lacrosse player

happy it worked.” So were the Jays. They didn’t look back since. “It was great,” Wassenaar said. “Anytime someone hits a crazy shot in general, I think our team just gets up and feels the energy.”

“I think beating a team by 10, especially against a team that beat us last year, is a good confidence boost,” Wassenaar said. “Everyone was feeling good about the win and it definitely gives us confidence going forward. But we also re-

alize there is still work to be done and a couple things to clean up.” EC head coach Mark Morrell praised the way the Jays put together “a complete game on both sides of the ball,” and also noticed the progress of the second-year program. “It definitely helps us reset and realize what we a r e capable of doing when we believe in our system and each other,” Morrell said. “We lost two very close games and didn’t show up in the first quarter of our Carthage game. So, to put four quarters together against a program that has been around for a while is a good boost. I do feel we have gotten better little by little over the last few games, and this was a culmination of that progress.” The Jays will look to carry that momentum into their next game against Concordia Univ. on Wednesday, April 16 at 4 p.m.

EC WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD

Photo by Ellen Curtin Drew Wassenaar extended his scoring streak to nine games on Saturday.

Poremba places fifth at Chicagoland championships, EC struggles over weekend PAUL ROUMELIOTIS staff writer

Alyssa Poremba picked up right where she left off at indoors, placing fifth in the 10,000 meter race at the Chicagoland Outdoor championships on Friday. It was Poremba’s first 10,000 meter race in her career and crossed the finish line at

“This weekend was very good for us. The temperature was good, but it was very windy. We still had many personal best performances, which is all that matters to us.” Erik Guta EC’s head women’s track and ﬁeld coach

37:01.27, which is the fourthbest in EC history and currently ranks 19th in the country. “I was really happy with the results for my first time ever running it,” said Poremba, the lone Jays runner who competed at Lewis Univ. Poremba, senior, didn’t par-

ticipate at the Benedictine Univ. Eagle Invitational on Saturday, and they could’ve used her. Battling windy conditions, EC junior Alex Ried registered the team’s first two points with an eighth-place finish in the 800 meters. Ried scored a time of 2:26.32, which now ranks eighth-best in school history. Sophomore Caitlin O’Mara tacked on the team’s final four points after placing fifth in the steeplechase with a time of 13:09.68. Although the Jays finished last out of 14 teams, head coach Erik Guta is focusing on the positives. “This weekend was very good for us,” he said. “The temperature was good, but it was very windy. We still had many personal best performances, which is all that matters to us. We hope to continue improving in all events this Thursday at Concordia.” EC has two more events until the CCIW Outdoor Championships in three weeks. The first being at Concordia on Thursday, April 16 and the second being on Saturday, April 26 at the Univ. of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Photo courtesy of Kelsey Plefka Alyssa Poremba (No. 2) steps ahead of the competition in the 10,000 meter run at the Chicagoland Outdoor championships.

April 15, 2014

sports

ecleader.org

sports

ecleader.org

BASEBALL

from the back page In Friday’s opening game of the series, North Central jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, but EC exploded for a five-run third inning that secured the victory. Theisen struggled early, but was lights out after the fourth inning. He tossed a complete game allowing nine hits, four earned runs, and whiffed four to pick up his first win of the year. The Jays didn’t have much luck in the second game of the seriess, first of the doubleheader on Saturday, as senior Jordan Hanlon gave up 11 runs in 6 1/3 innings to suffer his fourth loss of the season. But in the rubber match, the Jays prevailed. Millan pitched his best game of the year, striking out seven batters in eight innings and only allowed four hits and two runs. Jays head coach Joel Southern hasn’t gotten much out of his pitching staff, but matched a North Central staff that’s difficult to hit against. “Certainly it was a good series win against a good team,” Southern said. “[North Central] rolls three good starting pitchers at you, and we matched up very well. “Ben Krusen [North Central’s starter] has been having a very good year, and we were able to swing the bats well against him. Justin Theisen and Ryan Millan both threw very good games for us. We’ve been able to use our

roster quite well in the past few games. Guys have been ready to play when called upon.” The Jays moved to 8-16 on the year, and improved their CCIW record to 3-9. But Southern knows the pitching and defense needs to improve if they want to redeem their shaky mid-season. “We have had our struggles on the mound so far. A lot of times it has just been guys being up in the strike zone with some pitches,” he said. “In our defense, it’s been good hitting weather for most of our games, but we still haven’t performed well overall. Our defense has been pretty shaky, and that never helps a pitching staff. Both the pitching and defense were much, much better this week.” The Jays went through a ninegame losing streak, but have since won four of their last six games. Southern hopes this will be a

springboard to a strong finish, and notes the return of senior Eric Stevenson, who missed a month with an ankle injury, will help, both at the plate and on the field. “Getting Eric Stevenson back this week was a huge plus,” Southern said. “Not only has he swung the bat well, but he’s stabilized the infield defense for us quite a bit [he’s played shortstop]. We’ve had some pitchers who have underperformed so far relative to what they’ve done in the past, and I think a number of them are due for a turnaround. “If we continue to play improved defense and our young guys get more comfortable as they gain experience, hopefully those things will lead to a strong finish.” Southern and Co. will look to build on their recent success when they welcome Augustana College to town Tuesday, April 15 at 3 p.m.

Photo by Peter Flockencier

EC MEN’S TENNIS

Jays groove halted, fall to UW-Whitewater staff writer

The Jays couldn’t muster any momentum from the start Saturday, falling to Univ. of Wisconsin-Whitewater 8-1. In a matchup of two regionally ranked teams, UW-Whitewater defeated EC in all three doubles contests and won five of the singles contests to dominate the Jays. The Jays have struggled lately,

Charlie’s Angles l

Photo by Peter Flockencier Teammates congratulate Justin Theisen on his first win of the year.

Ben Havel (No. 37) tags out Jake Rone, who was thrown out from left field.

BRANDON PORTER

April 15, 2014

dropping two of their last three matches, but senior Alex Harbert feels that overcoming these obstacles will benefit them in the long run. “Losing helps us learn and understand that we have room to grow, and with the last few weeks of the season, it will help keep us focused,” he said. EC’s only point of the contest came from Harbert, who won his singles match, 6-3, 0-6, and 10-3.

“I think we did as well as we could,” Harbert said. “We tried hard and gave a 120 perfect effort. A few points here and there and the match could have been even closer”. The Jays slipped to 11-4 and sit in first place in the CCIW with a 4-0 conference record. EC will take advantage of a long rest until they clash with conference rival Wheaton College on Tuesday, April 22 at 3:30 p.m.

Which sports tournament is the best? CHARLIE ROUMELIOTIS sports editor

I’m a sports junkie. From baseball to basketball, hockey to lacrosse, football to fútbol. I can watch anything. Heck, I even find myself engaged in the Indy 500 each year. Whether it be college or professional, every sport holds some sort of tournament to determine a champion. But which one’s the all-around best in terms of structure, quality, and excitement? I’ll start with March Madness. It’s easily the most exciting tournament in sports ... for all the wrong reasons. One winner-take-all game doesn’t work in basketball. Duke beats Mercer 99 times out of 100, and everybody knows it, but nobody cares because it made your adrenaline pump higher than Jabari Parker can jump. The NFL playoffs is certainly the best do-or-die tournament. It’s not possible to do it another way and the best team almost always wins. My one problem with it, however: It’s become a reoccurring theme that a wild card winner, whose record is significantly better than a division winner, hosts a first round playoff game (i.e., 9-7 Green Bay hosting 12-4 San Francisco). Clearly, something needs to be reevaluated. The NBA playoffs, sorry. There hasn’t been a seed lower than No. 4 to reach the Finals since 1999. The quality and excitement is there, but where’s the parity? I don’t need an 82-game season and an additional two months to know the Heat will reach the Finals again. The MLB playoffs is towards the top of my list. I just wish it happened sooner. Teams withstand a 162-game dragging season in warmer weather, yet most are forced to play the postseason in chilly conditions they’ve rarely experienced before. Condensing the regular season a month early would eliminate that issue, and would also enhance the quality (and quantity) of postseason baseball by playing three full series-of-7 games. I’ll never understand why the first round is cut short. How about international tournaments? The World Cup and Olympic hockey are some of my all-time favorites. It’s the only tounament that allows you to become teammates with rivals and rivals with teammates for a month once every four years representing your country. But any playoff structure whose team or country can be crowned champion by winning in penalty kicks or shootouts is disqualified from my list. Does the BCS technically count as a playoff system? Because college football has the best regular-season, essentially a 16-week playoff, in college or professional sports. You lose once, your chances at a national championship plummet. But the BCS is no more. I reserve to rank the Plus-One format, which goes into effect next season, until I witness it first. That leaves me with the Stanley Cup playoffs. It takes a gruesome two months to capture a historic trophy that rewards 16 wins with your name engraved on the same Holy Grail as legends, such as Wayne Gretzky. Talk about parity? The Penguins own the two best hockey players in the world, yet they haven’t been able to reach the Stanley Cup Final in five years. Better yet, not long ago, the Flyers hosted a Conference Final as a No. 7 seed. That doesn’t happen anywhere else. So while everybody has two eyes and ears dialed in on the NBA playoffs starting this weekend, I’ll already be emotionally invested in a Stanley Cup Final-like series between the Blackhawks and Blues ... in the first round. Want more Elmhurst College Sports angles? Follow Charlie on Twitter @CRoumeliotis.

ecleader.org

sports

April 15, 2014

Theisen, Millan help Jays take two of three from North Central CHARLIE ROUMELIOTIS sports editor

Starting pitching hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t quite been there for the Bluejays this year, but two strong outings by junior Justin Theisen and sophomore Ryan Millan helped EC take two of three from North Central last weekend. See BASEBALL on page 19

Photo by Peter Flockencier

Justin Theisen winds up during the ďŹ rst of a threegame series against North Central.