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Students who switch majors could influence university funding SARAH GARDNER | DAILY EGYPTIAN
LAUREN DUNCAN Daily Egyptian
CHRISTMAS CAST PREPARES FOR PERFORMANCE
The amount of time a student spends at the university may affect the amount of funding the university receives from the state in the future. Because of legislation signed into law in August, state funding will be based on university performance after July 1 and Illinois Board of Higher Education Steering Committee members have started to consider ways to judge a university's performance. One measure the committee has considered is the number of credit hours a student has acquired before graduation, which academic advisers say is often impacted by students changing majors. Jim Allen, associate provost for academic programs, is a member of the SIUC Advisory Committee that provided input to the steering committee about measuring university performance. Based on records both from SIU and other schools, he said the average undergraduate student will change their major five times before they receive a degree. The university can help reduce the number of credit hours a student completes before graduating by looking at academic advisement and how it influences a students' choice in major, Allen said. If a student changes majors five times, their undergraduate career can be prolonged, he said. "You change to another college and guess what, the selection of core courses has changed," he said. Because of this, some students graduate with more credit hours than needed. While most degrees at SIU require 120 credit hours for graduation, Allen said based on records from the university, the average undergraduate student graduates with 137 hours. The steering committee members have discussed the possibility of awarding schools for graduating students with fewer than 144 credit hours. Allen said the frequency of major changes can be reduced with a focus on advisement. By focusing on what students are more interested in earlier on in their academic career, he said, they may be less likely to change their minds. "It saves a lot of students some grief because they've had better academic advisement earlier on," he said. "We know the better the advisement, the more it will help reduce the number of hours." Rebecca Jo Reed, an academic adviser for the College of Science, said students cite many reasons for changing majors. "In general, they either have taken the first few courses within a major and found they didn't want it to be their major, or it can be that their parents picked their major, or it could have to do with the workload," she said.
œœI
t saves a lot of students some grief because they've had better academic advisement earlier on. — Jim Allen associate provost for academic programs Please see MAJORS | 3
Cast members of “White Christmas� perform the musical number “Snow� Monday during a dress rehearsal at McLeod Theater. The department of
theater and School of Music will present Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas� at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at McLeod Theater. The musical runs through Sunday, with a final show at 2 p.m.
Green fee may lead to sustainability hire JACQUELINE MUHAMMAD Daily Egyptian The SIUC Sustainability Council is close to creating a position for a campus sustainability coordinator, after nearly a year of plans. Erin Seekamp, vice chair of the Sustainability Council and assistant professor of forestry, said since the council was established in 2008, members have wanted a permanent administrative position for someone to propose initiatives that will affect campus-wide sustainability. The position will be created after approval from the Affirmative Action Advisory Committee, a committee that advises the recruitment, hiring and retention of university employees. The candidate will collaborate with university officials to develop environmental policies for the campus. Jonathan Gray, chair of the Sustainability Council and associate professor of speech communication, said sustainability is about efficiency at SIU. "We need to make sure our practices
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e see this as the beginning for what sustainability at the university can be. We want to see sustainability fueled by students. — Erin Seekamp vice chair of the Sustainability Council assistant professor of foresty
... are operating in a way that will allow them to continue working tomorrow, but (also) well into the future," he said. The Sustainability Council, a council that focuses on on-campus renewable energy and energy efficiency, was formed after Undergraduate Student Government implemented a green fee, a $10 student fee for on-campus sustainability projects and research. The council is responsible for managing and distributing funds from the fee for sustainability and research at the university. Gray said students have supported the Sustainability Council and the need for a sustainability coordinator since the proposal of the green fee.
Jarid Perrin, a junior from Lindenwood studying forestry, said a sustainability coordinator could save money by combining existing campus resources. “We are a research institution, and right now we have several people scattered all over campus working within housing, dining and at the Physical Plant focusing on sustainability. They’re all doing their own thing, but a coordinator could bring them together,� he said. Gray said the council expects the position to be approved in the upcoming weeks, and he wants to hire someone as early as spring 2012. Please see POSITION | 3
Routine council meeting to address tax levies ELI MILEUR Daily Egyptian The Carbondale City Council will deal with tax levy issues at its regular meeting tonight at the Civic Center. “That’s not real sexy ‌ but without it the city doesn’t function,â€? councilwoman Jane Adams said. The three general business items on the council’s agenda are related to tax levies. The first ordinance abates the city’s property tax levy to refund general obligation bond debt service. The ordinance would replace tax levy funds with money from the city’s general fund. Councilman Don Monty said the city pledged to pay for the bonds with property taxes to give investors a sense of security because property taxes are
a dependable source of income. However, the plan from the beginning was to abate the property taxes and cover the expenses with the city’s other income sources, Monty said. Traditionally, the city has not levied property taxes, he said. The second ordinance would actually approve a property tax levy to pay for the public safety pension funds as well as the city’s library. The two combine for a total of about $1,700,000 in property taxes. The tax had not been levied for years, but it was instated in 2010. Monty said it was a result of the economic downturn. Like many personal portfolios, the pension fund portfolios took a heavy hit in the recession, and extra funds were needed to keep them solvent, he said. Monty said he foresees the property
tax being levied into the near future until the economy turns around. “But right now, anyone who’s got a crystal ball trying to look forward doesn’t see any big improvement in the economy over the next few years,� Monty said. He said he has not heard any complaints from residents specifically regarding this tax. The third ordinance establishes a tax levy for the Downtown Special Services Area Number One. The zone covers a swath of the central part of the city along Illinois Avenue. The levy pays for Carbondale Main Street, Adams said. She said the vote should be routine, and she doesn’t see any complications in the tax levies. Please see COUNCIL | 3
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Daily Egyptian
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Tuesday, December 6, 2011
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About Us The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of Southern Illinois University Carbondale 50 weeks per year, with an average daily circulation of 20,000. Fall and spring semester editions run Monday through Friday. Summer editions run Tuesday through Thursday. All intersession editions will run on Wednesdays. Spring break and Thanksgiving editions are distributed on Mondays of the pertaining weeks. Free copies are distributed in the Carbondale, Murphysboro and Carterville communities. The Daily Egyptian online publication can be found at www.dailyegyptian.com.
Mission Statement The Daily Egyptian, the student-run newspaper of Southern Illinois University Carbondale, is committed to being a trusted source of news, information, commentary and public discourse, while helping readers understand the issues affecting their lives.
Copyright Information © 2011 Daily Egyptian. All rights reserved. All content is property of the Daily Egyptian and may not be reproduced or transmitted without consent. The Daily Egyptian is a member of the Illinois College Press Association, Associated Collegiate Press and College Media Advisers Inc.
Publishing Information The Daily Egyptian is published by the students of Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Offices are in the Communications Building, Room 1259, at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Carbondale, IL 62901. Bill Freivogel, fiscal officer.
Corrections In Monday’s edition of the Daily Egyptian, the headline “‘Anamalice’ challenges reality of humanness” should have read “‘Animalice’ challenges reality of humanness.” The Daily Egyptian regrets this error.
Corrections In Monday’s edition of the Daily Egyptian, the headline “’Anamalice' challenges reality of humanness” should have read "'Animalice' challenges reality of humanness." The Daily Egyptian regrets the error.
News
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
MAJORS CONTINUED FROM
1
In the College of Science, specifically, courses often include labs or a minor that may require extra classes, Reed said. At the university as a whole, she said changing majors is one factor that can affect how many credits a student completes. Reed said career counseling for students can be beneficial, as it includes advisement about job availability and possible salary in a chosen field. Michelle Weeks, a sophomore studying psychology, said she changed her major in hopes of finding a job easier. Weeks said she originally majored in psychology, but switched to speech communication during
COUNCIL CONTINUED FROM
1
Adams said many governmental bodies are going through the same process this month, with public hearings concerning tax levies. Monty said one advantage the city has over agencies such as the school districts or the Park District is that it can levy a variety of taxes, such as sales tax, while school or park districts can only levy property taxes. He said this is why
her freshman year and then back to psychology. "My mom told me I would probably find a job more easily in the future if I majored in psychology," she said. Weeks said she plans to graduate on time because she changed majors within her freshmen year. Raul Contreras, a senior from Cicero studying criminal justice, said he first changed his major from aviation to aviation technologies after he passed out on a plane his freshman year. He then switched to criminal justice because he decided it had good job potential, he said. "The nice thing was my first semester I dropped those classes soon enough to change majors that semester," he said. "So I
should graduate on time." Angela Cummings-Hunter, an academic adviser in the College of Education and Human Services, said advisers try to direct students considering a major change toward other majors within their current college, where many of their credits will qualify for core curriculum requirements. Hunter said she makes sure to ask students why they've chosen a major when they first decide to declare it as their major. She said a common response begins with "My parents …" This isn't the way to choose a major, Hunter said. "It's not about your parents, it's about you," she said. She said students' who've chosen possible careers based solely on their parents'
the city has rarely had to levy property taxes in the past. Adams said while the meeting’s agenda may not arouse much interest from the public, it is still an essential part of governance. “What we’re dealing with now are the real guts of city government,” she said.
Eli Mileur can be reached at emileur@dailyegyptian.com or 536-3311 ext. 266.
POSITION CONTINUED FROM
Daily Egyptian encouragement often realize their parents aren't the ones who will have to live with that choice. The IBHE Steering Committee also looked at the amount of credits students earned at community college. Allen said many of the students who graduated last spring transferred to SIUC from community college. Some students had more credit hours than needed because they transferred and couldn't use all of the credits they earned, he said. "A whole lot of students spend too much time in community college, and they can only use a certain amount of those credits," she said. Cummings-Hunter said she works with community college counselors to determine what
1
He said the chosen candidate will be responsible for assessing campus sustainability as well as overseeing and coordinating the distribution of the green fee. He said the responsibilities require more time and energy than a volunteer council member can offer because most are full-time employees. Chancellor Rita Cheng said the
council will be responsible to fund the position for 18 months if it is approved. She said the university will then assess the position's necessity and the impact it has on the university. "Specific funding for the position is not available and neither are funds to expand staff at the university," Cheng said. "We will evaluate the outcomes and look for ways to ensure funding in the future.” Seekamp said she thinks a
3
classes students should take based on what they plan to study after transferring. While university advisers may not play a large role in students' advisement before they transfer, Allen said enhanced career counseling, which begins as soon as a student gets to a university, can help students decide what to study and finish their degrees with less than 144 credits. He said advisement and career counseling is not just the adviser's responsibility. "We're not blaming our advisers for this, we're actually asking our students to pay more attention," he said.
Lauren Duncan can be reached at lduncan@dailyegyptian.com or 536-3311 ext. 259. sustainability coordinator will bring more structured opportunities for students by offering jobs, research and better sustainability education on campus. “We see this as the beginning for what sustainability at the university can be," she said. "We want to see sustainability fueled by students."
Jacqueline Muhammad can be reached at 536-331 ext. 259 or jmuhammad@dailyegyptian.com.
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Daily Egyptian
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
LOCKOUT CONTINUED FROM
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Many NBA players are no longer overwhelmed by the situation and have responded as if a huge weight has lifted from their shoulders. They’re ready to begin the moment they’ve waited for all year — to play ball. “All I feel right now is ‘finally’,” Dwyane Wade said to the Associated Press. Paul Chancey, a senior studying radio-television and a Chicago Bulls fan, said he appreciates the
agreement coming to an end. “I’m glad it’s over, since we don’t have to deal with the drama anymore,” Chancey said. Similarly, Brandon Rosenbloom, a junior from Chicago studying journalism, said it’s absurd how long it took for professionals to reach an agreement, but he’s glad they finally did. “The lockout has ended for one reason only: So Derrick Rose can win back-to-back MVP awards,” Rosenbloom said. Miranda Gurley, a sophomore
Sports from Chicago studying rehabilitation services, said she’s an avid basketball watcher and TV has missed something during the lockout. “I’m usually trying to either catch a game or reality TV show,” Gurley said. “My favorite team is the Bulls because I think they had a really good season last year, and I was hoping to see them have an even better season this year.” While Wade and other players wait for Christmas day, there are players who won’t be returning to the league.
Daily Egyptian Players who anticipated an agreement not being reached with NBA owners considered the Chinese Basketball Association, and those confident of a nonexistent NBA season signed with the CBA. Some of the players are now unable to breach contracts they’ve signed that hold them until March, which is near the end of the NBA’s regular season. Gurley said she sympathizes for players such as Kenyon Martin, J.R. Smith, Yi Jianlian, Aaron Brooks, Patty Mills and others who agreed
5
to play in China. Now, their future is uncertain. “I’m sad that some players won’t be returning because the (veterans) are what make basketball interesting to watch,” Gurley said. But the countdown has begun as 20 days remain until the moment fans and players have been waiting for: tip-off.
Brandon Willingham can be reached at bwillingham@dailyegyptian.com or 536-3311 ext. 269.
Santo elected to Hall of Fame by veterans panel BEN WALKER Associated Press DALL A S — Ron Santo always kept rooting for the causes dearest to him — for his Chicago Cubs to win the World Series, for doctors to find a cure for diabetes and for him to reach the Hall of Fame. On Monday, Cooperstown finally came calling. The barrel-chested third baseman who clicked his heels in victory was elected to the Hall, overwhelmingly chosen by the Veterans Committee nearly a year to the day after he died hoping for this very honor. “It’s really exciting because so many years that we had parties over to his house in spring training saying this is the year, I’d tell him this is the year you’re going in,” said Hall of Fame teammate Billy Williams, a member of the voting panel.
“The one thing, of course, is he’s not here to enjoy it, but his family will. He long awaited this, and we’re all happy. I know I’m happy, his family is happy, the fans of Chicago are happy,” he said. Santo was a nine-time AllStar, hit 342 home runs and won five Gold Gloves. He was a Cubs broadcaster for two decades, beloved by the home crowd for the way he eagerly cheered for his favorite team on the air, hollering “Yes! Yes!” or “All right!” after good plays and groaning “Oh, no!” or “It’s bad” when things went wrong. Shortly after the announcement, Santo’s flag — white with blue pinstripes, plus his name and No. 10 — was flying from the center pole atop the scoreboard at Wrigley Field. “There was always kind of a missing piece of the puzzle of Cubs’ history,” team owner Tom Ricketts said.
Santo breezed in with 15 votes from the 16-member panel that met at baseball’s winter meetings. It took 75 percent — 12 votes — to get chosen. “I’ve got tears in my eyes writing this: congrats to the Santo family on Ron’s election to MLB Hall of Fame. A good day to be a Cub fan,” tweeted Chicago-area rocker Billy Corgan, frontman for the Smashing Pumpkins. Santo died Dec. 3, 2010, from complications of bladder cancer at age 70. He had diabetes, which eventually cost him both legs below the knees, and worked tirelessly to raise millions for research into the disease. Williams was on the line when Santo’s widow, Vicki, got the congratulatory phone call. “Ron has passed, but it was always his dream, to even have this come to him after his passing. It
just shows you can’t give up,” she said during a conference call from Arizona. “All he said (was) I hope I get in in my lifetime, that’s certainly a reasonable request for anybody who gets an honor as special as this one. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be,” she said. “With his lifetime every disappointment that came along, he was very disappointed.” Said daughter Linda Brown: “I know, even if my dad were here today, he would never reflect on any of the wrongdoings, so to speak. ... There would be no bitterness, it would just be him being happy, and I believe he is.” Santo joined former Cubs teammates Ernie Banks, Ferguson Jenkins and Williams in the Hall. That famed quartet did most everything at the Friendly Confines through the 1960s and early 1970s except bring a World Series to the
ivy-covered ballpark. “With Ernie, myself and Fergie, those players he played with ... to hear this kind of news today that he’s inducted in the baseball Hall of Fame is really gratifying because so many times that we talked about it, it’s a place he wanted to be,” Williams said. Santo will be inducted into Cooperstown on July 22, along with any players elected by members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America on Jan. 9. Bernie Williams joins Jack Morris, Barry Larkin and others on that ballot. “This is a great day for baseball and for Cubs fans everywhere,” Commissioner Bud Selig said in a statement. “Ron was a staple of the Cubs’ experience every single day for decades.” “I always admired Ron’s courage and loyalty, and I miss him very much,” he said.
6
Daily Egyptian
Classifieds
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Study Break
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Daily Egyptian
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THE Daily Commuter Puzzle 1 5 10 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 22 24 25 26 29 30 34 35 36 37 38 40 41 43 44 45 46 47 48 50 51 54 58 59 61 62 63 64 65 66 67
ACROSS Money owed Loud kiss Up in __; angry Skunk’s defense Chocolate drink Mr. Diamond Four and five Rotating machine part __ place; occur Outstanding Played on small drum Cut off Mountaineer’s spike Jumble up again Stinging insect Lent a hand Raw minerals Broadcast Group of actors Actress/singer __-Margret Strenuous; requiring effort Flour container Take the weapons from Bro or sis Verifiable truth Fannies Chum Pure joy Faithful Squeezing snake Choose a jury Enchant Bodies of water Producer __ Spelling Hawaiian feast Frilly trim Burn Terminates BPOE members Looks after Short fast race
DOWN 1 Knotts and Ho 2 Correct a text 3 Tibia or ulna
by Jacqueline E. Mathews
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WCIET 0RQGD\œV $QVZHUV Monday’s Puzzle Solved 4 Latticework plant support 5 Leftover piece 6 Heath 7 Assume a role 8 Louse 9 Unit of fineness for gold 10 San __, Texas 11 Bring up, as children 12 Voice amplifier, for short 13 Toboggan 21 Cured salmon 23 Wild hogs 25 Close look 26 Streets 27 Golfer __ Els 28 High-IQ society 29 eBay offer 31 United Arab Emirates nation 32 Classic stories 33 Fender marks 35 Phonograph part 36 Bather’s place
Š2011 Tribune Media Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
BRELE GREEDD GLNIFY (c) 2011 Tribune Media Services, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
38 39 42 44
Firebug’s crime Syrian export Map books Waved the arms wildly 46 King’s home 47 Present topper 49 Bread ingredient
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Now arrange the circled letters to form the surprise answer, as suggested by the above cartoon.
Answer: 0RQGD\œV Yesterday’s $QVZHUV
(Answers tomorrow) Jumbles: THEFT DRILL THIRST CLASSY Answer: The Pennimans’ baby boy, born on 12-5-1932, would grow up to be — LITTLE RICHARD
Aries — Today is a 9 — It’s getting easier to step forward. Deep breathing defeats what’s overwhelming. Besides, what you have to say is important. Tap another income source.
Cancer — Today is a 7 — When your standards get challenged, find support with friends to stand your ground. You can also reconsider; do those standards still serve you?
Libra — Today is a 7 — Avoid distractions, and increase your productivity in private. Discover buried treasure. Get better organized, and handle a thorny obstacle.
Capricorn — Today is an 8 — Love and creativity are all around you for the next two days. Complete a contract or other document. Investigate new options. Far horizons beckon.
Taurus — Today is an 8 — Your experience helps you avoid a mistake earlier in the day. Reject a far-fetched scheme in favor of a practical solution. Give away something you don’t need.
Leo — Today is a 9 — Your career gets a boost for the next couple of days. Important folks watch. Handle your responsibilities and thrive. Dream big, or it could get boring. Shoot for the moon.
Scorpio — Today is an 8 — A person who could assist you in getting your house in order is closer than you think. A great partnership can help you see things from a different perspective.
Aquarius — Today is an 8 — Cutting corners could cost you. Clarify instructions before doing the work. Home and domesticity call to you, so get into decorating and coziness.
Gemini — Today is a 5 — You accomplish more in private. Defer to the budget, and stick tight to your list. There may be temptations! Pay the boring bills first. Consider travel and romance.
Virgo — Today is an 8 — You’ve got it all today. Conditions are good for travel and romance. There’s been a philosophical shift. Make a change for the better.
Sagittarius — Today is a 9 — Boost the action. Pay bills before you go shopping. Keep track of business expenses. Changes are happening in your career field. Read to stay current.
Pisces — Today is a 9 — Take care not to double book. Reconfirm appointments, and call if you’ll be late to dinner. It’s easy to get lost in your research since it’s so fascinating.
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It’s a very merry Christmas for NBA players, owners and fans
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e thought it was in both of our interests to try to reach a resolution and save the game, and to be able to provide the mind of superb entertainment the NBA historically has provided. We’re very pleased we’ve come this far. — Billy Hunter NBA Players Association executive director
BRANDON WILLINGHAM Daily Egyptian You better watch out, you better not cry, you better not pout, I’m telling you why: Santa Claus has come to town early with the key that will free the NBA’s 2011-12 lockout season. NBA owners and players reached a tentative agreement early Nov. 26 to end the 149-day lockout. Instead of its regular 88game season, the league planned a 66-game season and aims to open training camps Friday. This was the NBA’s second shortened lockout season since 1998-99 when the schedule was reduced to 50 games, according to an ESPN report. The season will begin Christmas Day when the Boston Celtics play the New York Knicks. Miami will play at Dallas before MVP Derrick Rose and Chicago climax the triple-header
against Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Oklahoma City Thunder will also face the Orlando Magic, and the Los Angeles Clippers will contend the Golden State Warriors. “We want to play basketball,� NBA Commissioner David Stern said in an ESPN report. NBA Players Association Executive Director Billy Hunter said that he is excited on behalf of owners, players and fans that an agreement was reached to ensure the NBA season jumpstarts, according to the NBA’s website. “We thought it was in both of our interests to try to reach a resolution and save the game and to be able to provide the mind of superb entertainment the NBA historically has provided,� Hunter said. “We’re very pleased we’ve come this far.� Please see LOCKOUT | 5
STEVE MATZKER | DAILY EGYPTIAN
Senior swimmer Justin Wolfe, left, and brother, freshman swimmer Shaun Wolfe, horse around Monday during a portrait at the Edward J. Shea
Natatorium. Shaun competes in the freestyle and butterfly, and Justin competes in the backstroke and butterfly.
Swim together, stay together AKEEM GLASPIE Daily Egyptian Freshman Shaun Wolfe looks to create his own footsteps instead of following in those of his brother senior swimmer Justin Wolfe. Shaun Wolfe is a freestyle swimmer who swims the 50 and 100 yard events for the Saluki swimming team. He had a strong performance Oct. 28, when he won against Missouri University of Science and Technology. Justin Wolfe is coming off a win at the Miami of Ohio Invitational in the 100 butterfly with a 48:61 final time, but the brothers’ strong relationship, both in and out of the pool, makes dealing with high expectations easier for the younger brother. “Having a brother on the team helps a lot because you have someone who you have a good bond with, and makes you feel more comfortable,� Shaun Wolfe said. Justin Wolfe said dealing with an older brother’s success created some unfair expectations at times for the younger Wolfe. As a senior at Bloomington High School, Justin was a two-time all-state selection and won the Illinois High School
Association state championship in the 100 fly. “My brother won state, and people would say, ‘you should win state too’,� Shaun Wolfe said. “But I didn’t.� Justin Wolfe is quick to say Shaun Wolfe is the more talented of the two, and he sees a lot of potential in his younger brother. Though Shaun Wolfe didn’t win state his senior year, Justin Wolfe said his brother actually swam better during the race his senior year. “He had so (many) expectations riding on him because I had won before him,� Justin Wolfe said. “His time compared to mine was so much faster, but he was beat by two onehundredths of a second. You couldn’t even tell by watching the race.� Fair or not, Justin Wolfe said he knows people will continue to compare the brothers. He said he has always been supportive of Shaun Wolfe as a captain, teammate and brother. Justin Wolfe said there will not be any hard feelings if his brother performs better than him because the team comes first. Assistant coach Scott Olson said the brothers’ lack of envy towards each other should not be seen as a lack of competitiveness but more as
a testament to amount of character the two bring to the team. “They’re great teammates and great family members,� Olson said. “They are competitive. But at the same time, they care for each other.� The brothers grill and relax with other team members in their free time, and the two seem to be in sync in the pool as well. They, along with senior Matt Parsons and sophomore Juan Arbelaez, set the 10th fastest time in the 200 freestyle in the NCAA during a tri-meet Nov. 6 against the Universities of Kentucky and Missouri. Shaun Wolfe credits his brother for helping ease his transition during his freshman year, and Olson said he is adjusting well. “With any freshman that comes in, you have some expectations,� Olson said. “Once you go into that new area of being at a university and a new environment, you learn a lot about who you are. I think Shaun (Wolfe) is learning to find out who Shaun (Wolfe) is, and that is a benefit to him.�
Akeem Glaspie can be reached at aglaspie@dailyegyptian.com or 536-331 ext. 269.
Lighting strikes twice at Chicago’s Soldier Field
CORY DOWNER Daily Egyptian The bearer of bad news didn’t disappear for long before another wrecking ball elegantly maimed the Chicago Bears’ season. The Bears’ leading rusher and receiver Matt Forte went down midway through the first quarter with a sprained knee after he took
a direct helmet shot, and safety Major Wright left the game with a shoulder injury. Neither player can be easily replaced, and there won’t be a future beyond the regular season if they can’t get patched up well enough to take the field in the near future. Wright was ranked fifth on the team with 36 tackles and had a team-leading three interceptions and one touchdown, while Forte led the NFL with 1,475 offensive yards and was ranked third with 985 rushing yards on 198 carries. It’s not always the top preseason pick that wins the five-month race to the coveted Super Bowl; it’s often the team that maintains health and avoids major injuries, and, the Bears have not been successful in those areas. While Chicago could have been
one of the top teams in the AFC, with possibly the exception of the flawless rival Green Bay Packers, depth issues and the lack of marquee players may have handcuffed their season. Quarterback Jay Cutler’s broken thumb was the first big blow to the team when he injured it Nov. 20 against the San Diego Chargers. Since then, the Bears have lost two consecutive games and dropped to a 7-5 record. Before his injury, Cutler established his role as a team leader, however, his good-but-belowaverage numbers shouldn’t have been enough to cause an immediate panic for fans. He ranked No. 19 in league quarterbacks with an average of 231.9 passing yards per game, had 13 touchdown passes and seven interceptions in the extremely pass-
driven offense throughout the NFL this season. While it isn’t necessarily his arm that the Bears lost on that Sunday afternoon, it was the presence of a passing threat that he brought to the field each game. With his absence, defenses were able to revise their game plans to shut down the only other option — the Bears’ strong rushing offense which is primarily made up of Forte, who is no longer an immediate concern. Forte is still being evaluated, but head coach Lovie Smith said he expected Forte to be back on the field before the end of the season; nothing is certain. Prior to Cutler’s season-ending injury, the Bears averaged 26.8 points per game in the first 10 games, and they have now averaged
11.5 points in the previous two. This includes a miniscule three points against Kansas City Chiefs’ defense that has averaged 24 points per game in 2011. The Chiefs had also lost four consecutive games coming into Soldier Field Sunday, which should have put the Bears in a cool comfort zone on the north side of Chicago. What’s next for the Bears is uncertain. They have four games remaining, one of which is against the Packers on Christmas Day. Chicago has now found itself in a battle to even make the playoffs. The Bears, Lions and Falcons are all 7-5, and it isn’t likely that all three of those teams will be playing Jan. 7.
Cory Downer can be reached at cdowner@dailyegyptian.com or 536-3311 ext. 256.