Loyola Phoenix, Volume 49, Issue 18 by Loyola Phoenix

PHOTO

A&E

In honor of Black History Month, the BCC hosted a performance event pages 8 & 9

AUDITORIUM THEATRE Tours available to learn the history of the well-known theater page 12

BLACK CULTURAL CENTER

Volume 49

Issue 18

February 7, 2018

LOYOLA PHOENIX LOYOLAPHOENIX.COM | @PHOENIXLUC

Armed robbery, sexual assault reported near LSC The Takeaway An armed robbery was reported Sunday on Magnolia Avenue and a sexual assault was reported Friday on Sheridan Road MARY NORKOL AND CHRISTOPHER HACKER mnorkol@luc.edu chacker@luc.edu

Two violent crimes were reported near Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus (LSC) over the weekend. An armed robbery was reported to Loyola Campus Safety one block from Lake Shore Campus Sunday night. At approximately 10:10 p.m. on North Magnolia Avenue near Lake Shore Campus, the offender grabbed the victim — a 24-year-old female not

affiliated with Loyola — by the arm and displayed a handgun before taking the victim’s property, according to the Chicago Police Department’s (CPD) report of the incident. The offender was described as a Hispanic male between the ages of 18 and 25 and escaped in a light colored sedan. No one is in custody for the incident at this time, according

Loyola announces new facility

Courtesy of Christian Anderson

This rendering depicts the Alfie Norville Practice Facility, Loyola plans to begin building the $18.5 million center in April.

to CPD News Affairs Officer Christine Calace. Even though the offender got away, Loyola students and staff didn’t receive an email notification from Campus Safety, which are generally sent if Campus Safety determines the incident represents an ongoing threat. When asked why students and staff

weren’t notified of the incident, Loyola Campus Safety Sgt. Tim Cunningham said “it was not Clery required and is a CPD investigation,” referring to the Clery Act, a federal law that sets guidelines for how colleges handle crimes on or near their campuses. CRIME 4

Loyola revealed plans Monday to build a new $18.5 million practice facility next to Mertz Hall HENRY REDMAN hredman@luc.edu

Loyola plans to break ground on a new $18.5 million practice facility in April for the Loyola basketball and volleyball teams. The two-story building will sit between Mertz Residence Hall and Norville Center for Intercollegiate Athletics. Each floor will have a NCAA regulation-size basketball court running north to south and two volleyball courts running east to west. Most of the facility’s $18.5 million cost will be funded by a donation from Al Norville. At a community meeting in December, Kana Henning, Loyola’s associate vice president for facilities, said the rest of the cost will be covered by $1-2 million of university capital. The facility will be named the Alfie Norville Practice Facility, after Norville’s wife. Norville graduated from

Loyola in 1960 and played for the men’s basketball team. He was named to the 1950s All-Decade team. At the December community meeting, Henning said the donation would be around $16 million. Norville also donated $26 million to Loyola athletics to build the Norville Center in 2011. Loyola president Jo Ann Rooney said the facility will continue to improve Loyola’s campus and thanked Norville for his donation. “We are deeply grateful to Al Norville for his generous support,” Rooney said in a press release announcing the new facility. “Al and Alfie’s commitment to the university and to our students continues Loyola’s leadership in athletics and academics and furthers our goal to create a vibrant, sustainable campus environment that fosters an engaged and well-rounded educational experience.” PRACTICE 14

Sister Jean returns to campus as basketball chaplain after accident MARY CHAPPELL mchappell@luc.edu

Alanna Demetrius The PHOENIX

Sister Jean, the men’s basketball chaplain, is back at Loyola after she fell and broke her hip bone and femur.

Loyola’s beloved 98-year-old men’s basketball chaplain returned to the men’s game against Missouri State University Feb. 3 for the first time since her accident about three months ago. On Nov. 14, Sister Jean Dolores-Schmidt was catching an Uber back to Loyola from a doctor’s appointment when she fell off the curb and broke her hip bone and femur. The next day, Sister Jean underwent surgery at Illinois Masonic Medical Center. She had two pins put into her leg as well as a titanium rod. Shortly after the surgery and recovery, Sister Jean was taken to live at The Clare, a senior independent living facility adjacent to Loyola’s Water Tower Campus, where she began rehabilitation. Sister Jean chose to stay at The Clare because of her close connection through the Students Moving Into Lives of Elderly Program, a partnership she runs between Loyola students and residents of The Clare. On Jan. 27, she was cleared to re-

turn to her residence in Regis Hall, where she has home health care and is undergoing physical and occupational therapy. She’s been using a wheelchair to get around, but she said she’s beginning to make progress while using a walker. “It’s amazing to me how the fall has impacted my life. I have to learn how to walk again,” Sister Jean said. “I have never had any pain with this surgery, so I am very fortunate there.” She acknowledged how her age has also affected her recovery. “It’s taking me a long time [to recover] but I have to remember that I’m 98, not 65,” Sister Jean said. “It makes me feel so good to be back here.” Sister Jean was greatly missed by many, including the student body and the athletics department. Sarah Yun, a first-year student, said, “I’m extremely excited to have her back on campus because she just emits this positive energy whenever she walks into a room.”

SISTER JEAN 3

Courtesy of Evan Hanover

Aila Peck and Joseph Wiens star in Shattered Globe Theatre’s “Five Mile Lake.”

Chicago Theatre Week back for its sixth year running JAMILYN HISKES jhiskes@luc.edu

Participating theaters around Chicago will be offering special productions at discounted prices to expose a larger audience to the richness and diversity of Chicago’s theater scene as part of the sixth annual Chicago Theatre Week. Beginning Feb. 8, more than 120 productions will be offered by roughly 20 theaters during the 10 day event, according to the event’s sponsors, the

League of Chicago Theatres and travel guide organization Choose Chicago. A number of participating theaters, such as the Goodman Theatre (170 N. Dearborn St.) and Theater Wit (1229 W. Belmont Ave.), are easily accessible for Loyola students due to their proximity to the Red Line. In particular, the Goodman Theatre, which is in walking distance from the Belmont Red Line stop, will be catering specifically to college students. THEATRE 11

2 LOYOLA PHOENIX

FEBRUARY 7, 2018

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK EDITORIAL Editor-in-Chief Julie Whitehair Managing Editor Michen Dewey General Manager Jill Berndtson News Editor Michael McDevitt Assistant News Editor Mary Norkol Assistant News Editor Christopher Hacker A&E Editor Luke Hyland Assistant A&E Editor Jamilyn Hiskes Opinion Editor Gabriela Valencia Sports Editor Henry Redman Assistant Sports Editor Nick Schultz Copy Editor Maggie Yarnold Copy Editor Sadie Lipe

ART

Julie Whitehair, Editor-in-Chief jwhitehair1@luc.edu

This week, The Phoenix has several stories depicting the unique characteristics of people and places in the community. There was recently a joyful reunion between one of Loyola’s most prominent figures and the student body. After 98-year-old Sister Jean had a fall and broke her hip bone and femur in November, she was busy recovering in rehabilitation. She’s now back at Loyola and made an appearance at a recent men’s basketball game. Read more about the student response Sister Jean was met with upon her return on pages 1 and 3. While students frequent college bars Bulldog and Bar 63, there’s a more quiet but still beloved bar tucked close by in Rogers Park.

The bar, called Cuneen’s, has been a community staple for decades thanks to its cozy, laid back appeal. Read more about the history of the local hangout on page 3. And in A&E, The Phoenix got a private tour of Roosevelt University’s Auditorium Theatre. Some Loyola students know the theater as host to “The Nutcracker” during the holidays, but the theater has a long and rich history of holding events, from ballets to rock shows. Turn to page 12 to learn about the design and history of Auditorium Theatre. Meanwhile, The Phoenix is starting a new online feature called “Indie Spotlight” in which local artists are profiled. This week, we’re highlighting Iris Temple, a local duo making music in the Chicago

CONTENTS

Photo Editor Hanako Maki Design Editor Alexandra Runnion

ONLINE Content Manager McKeever Spruck Web Editor Demetrios Bairaktaris

ADVISING Faculty Advisor Robert Herguth Media Manager Ralph Braseth

CONTACT Editor-in-Chief eic@loyolaphoenix.com News Desk news@loyolaphoenix.com

NEWS

Preview: a new season of softball with an experienced team

3 Low key, local bar has Loyola ties 4 Some students unhappy with new dining hall food 5 Gubernatorial candidate pays a visit to Rogers Park

OPINION 6 Sexual abuse in sports exposed by USA Gymnastics

A&E 10 Local indie band shining as new talent 11 Sixth annual Chicago Theatre Week returns

Sports Desk sports@loyolaphoenix.com Arts and Entertainment Desk arts@loyolaphoenix.com

SPORTS

Letters to the Editor opinion@loyolaphoenix.com

13 Loyola track athlete leaving a mark on the program

Advertising advertising@loyolaphoenix.com Photo Desk photo@loyolaphoenix.com

16 Redman’s Ramblings

SECURITY NOTEBOOK

Monday, Jan. 29 | 5:28 p.m.

Chicago CTA Red Line Station A Loyola student reported a pick pocket theft to Campus Safety. The incident happened off campus at a CTA Red Line station.

Times represent when incidents were reported, not necessarily when they occurred.

Friday, Feb. 2 | 2:20 p.m.

Mertz Hall A contracted Loyola employee was arrested by Campus Safety for making threats via phone and electronic communication.

Tuesday, Jan. 30 | 4:02 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 2 | 11:52 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 1 | 8:06 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 3 | 10:49 a.m.

1700 block of North Clark Street A Loyola faculty member reported a theft to Campus Safety. The incident happened off campus in a business on North Clark Street. Fairfield Hall Residence Life staff in Fairfield Hall submitted suspected cannabis and drug paraphernalia to Campus Safety.

Website loyolaphoenix.com

scene. Go to page 10 to read about how the pair got started and go to loyolaphoenix.com to watch the accompanying video. And in Sports, senior Stephen Hubona is making a name for himself both on the field and in the classroom. Hubona is a premed student looking to break the school record in weight throw while balancing a lengthy list of extracurriculars. Learn more about Hubona on page 13. In women’s basketball, first-year Ellie Rice is also showing promise and pulling in numbers for the team. Hear what head coach Kate Achter has to say about Rice on page 15.

4 5

6500 block of North Glenwood Avenue CPD notified Campus Safety that an underage Loyola student was in possession of alcohol in public, and was given a notice of ordinance violation. Off Campus Campus Safety was notified of a criminal sexual assault by CPD. The assault happened off campus.

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FEBRUARY 7, 2018

News

PAGE 3

Cunneen’s brings students, locals together CARLY BEHM cbehm@luc.edu

When Bill Savage, a literature professor at Northwestern University, was an undergraduate student at Loyola University, he frequented Cunneen’s, a small bar located at 1424 W. Devon Ave. Savage, who used to write for The Phoenix, worked as a bartender at Cunneen’s for 27 years through 2015 and said the place has since remained a quiet neighborhood bar. “Cunneen’s has changed in a lot of ways but it’s been the same in more ways,” Savage, 55, said. “It’s still the kind of mellow, laid back [place]. No one yells at each other. There’s no fights; there’s no nonsense.” The bar’s been a staple in Rogers Park for more than 40 years. It was founded by owner Stephen Cunneen, now 83, in 1972. Cunneen can be found at the bar each day around 1 p.m., solving his crossword puzzle — a ritual he’s done for nearly a decade. Since then, Cunneen’s has several residential regulars that still stay loyal to it. Some Loyola students also choose the bar over closer options, such as Bar 63 on North Broadway Street and Bulldog Ale House on North Sheridan Road. Loyola senior Mary Anne Lurquin said she prefers Cunneen’s for its mix of clientele. “I think it’s really cool because it’s a mixture of much older Rogers Park residents, and then you have Loyola students,” the 21-year-old sociology major said. “It’s a nice mesh to see how such a typical neighborhood place with college kids still come to as well.” The bar is softly lit with string lights lining the walls and ceiling. A pool table sits toward the back, and customers can play a game for 50 cents. Classic rock and jazz music serves as a backdrop to customers’ conversations, but it isn’t too loud. In one corner by the window, cozy chairs offer a soft seat for customers

Carly Behm The PHOENIX

Stephen Cunneen opened his namesake bar on Devon Avenue in Rogers Park in 1972, more than 40 years ago. Some of its original customers still frequent the bar.

Bill Savage (left) graduated from Loyola and wrote for The Phoenix. He went to Cunneen’s during college and served as a bartender there for almost three decades.

to relax or study. A full bar offers an array of beers and liquors. The cash-only bar sells bottles of beer starting as low as $2.50, and the most expensive drinks cost $4.75. Drinks at other nearby bars and restaurants start at $4 and cost as much as $7. There are also records behind the bar to play music off of. Dogs are allowed in the bar except after 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays, according to the bar’s website. When The Phoenix spoke with Cunneen, he was seated at the bar with his glasses, a notepad and a copy of the Chicago Sun-Times. A green crew neck shirt sat comfortably on his body, and his left ring finger was in a splint. He has a welcoming gaze and a warm smile. Cunneen said he conceived the idea to buy a bar with his friends back when he was a graduate student. However, Cunneen was the only one of the group to seek a location and buy it. The space was previously a bar called Down the Street. “I went back to my pals and one of them was married, and his wife said no,” Cunneen said. “Another guy was engaged, and his girlfriend said no. So I came up here and negotiated with

the guy [and] paid $5,750 to take over.” In its first years, Cunneen dedicated his time to the bar. He refurbished it with a new ceiling and new tiling in the bathroom. Cunneen said he’s a woodworker and made the tables and lamps in the bar himself. Most of the bar’s furnishings are original, except for the ceiling and one wall, according to Cunneen. Cunneen said the bar’s ceiling caved in 2013 when the tenants living above had their water overflow, with the bar having to close for two months. Cunneen said he was at the bar with the bartender and a customer when it happened. “We heard a noise. The girl behind the bar, she ducked down. Me and another guy were near the door so nobody got hurt, but it was a mess,” Cunneen said. Sunni Lindahl, 68, said she’s been going to Cunneen’s since its opening in 1972. Lindahl said she met her late husband, Leo, at Cunneen’s and has also made many friends there. “I came here when I was single, met the love of my life here and it became a thing with us,” Lindahl said. “[I’ve] been coming here forever. [Leo] passed away a few years ago, and these are my friends, these are

my people, this is my place and it’s always going to be my place.” John Elkin, a bartender at Cunneen’s, said he started going there in the 1990s and began working there eight years ago. He said he likes the crowd and he has the freedom to confront any unruly customers. “I like that I’m the only person back here,” Elkin, 46, said. “I like the crowd we draw. I like my boss a lot. I like that it’s independent … if someone speaks to me improperly, I can respond properly.” The bar has a reputation for being a quiet bar with little trouble, according to Cunneen. He said he makes a point of kicking out anyone who becomes too loud, drunk or unruly. Cunneen’s has also attracted some local celebrities, including newspaper columnists, a coach from Northwestern University and singer Steve Goodman’s mother, according to Cunneen. Lindhal said there’s a rumor that Beat Generation writer Allen Ginsberg stopped in once, but Cunneen can’t confirm it. During the day, the bar is usually frequented by neighborhood residents, with students beginning to come in later in the evening. Cunneen said he could never figure out

why Loyola students like the bar, but he thinks the affordable drinks play a factor. Many customers at Cunneen’s said they value the bar, and Cunneen knows this. He said he doesn’t know what he plans to do with the bar in the future, but he knows he doesn’t want to sell it. Cunneen said he might pass it on to his fiance. Loyola senior Michael Needham, a physics major who lives above Cunneen’s, said he likes that the bar is still standing despite new developments emerging in Rogers Park. New businesses, such as a university building and a Target, are expected to open near campus in the near future. “It’s nice to have a place that even though all the different stuff is changing, there’s something constant in the area,” Needham, 22, said. “I think the people in the neighborhood really enjoy that.” Loyola junior Jana Richter, 21, said she prefers Cunneen’s for its quiet atmosphere. “I don’t need [Bar] 63 and the big bars,” the environmental science major said. “I just want to chill and be able to talk to people, and this is a nice place to go. This is the gem of Rogers Park.”

SISTER JEAN: Beloved Loyola icon triumphantly returns continued from page 1 Sister Jean also missed being around Loyola’s campus. “Of course I was thinking about all the students here, and how much I missed all of you and I was thinking of all the fans at the basketball game, and of course thinking of the team too,” Sister Jean said. Sister Jean began teaching at Mundelein College in 1961 and worked there for 30 years until Mundelein’s affiliation with Loyola in 1991. Since then, she’s had academic advising and campus ministry roles, in addition to most recently becoming a chaplain to Regis Hall residents and the men’s basketball team. Sister Jean was inducted into the athletics department’s Hall of Fame last year. She’s vital to every pregame ritual, where she says two separate prayers: one with the team, and one with fans to protect both teams. While she was absent during recovery, the athletics department recorded Sister Jean’s prayers and used an audio recording before each game. Steve Watson, the director of

athletics at Loyola, described the impact Sister Jean’s absence has on the department. “When she’s not around, there is definitely a void,” Watson said. “The past few months have been difficult for our coaches, and athletes and all of us.” In her time away from campus, Sister Jean watched the play-by-play of every men’s basketball game on her iPad while making sure to keep a close following on the team’s progress this season. “I’m so proud of our young men and what they are doing,” Sister Jean said. “I hope our fellas keep it up.” Clayton Custer, a redshirt junior guard, said Sister Jean is part of what gets the team fired up. The team was thrilled to see her back at Gentile Arena on Saturday. “She’s our rock,” Custer said. “To see her in the crowd [on Saturday], I think it gave us a little extra energy.” Although Sister Jean spends a lot of time supporting the basketball team, she’s a mentor for all 220 athletes, in addition to a friend many in the athletics department can confide in.

“It’s not just men’s basketball … [She’s] someone that our coaches and athletes and all of athletics can really count on and lean on. She’s great with advice for all of us,” Watson said. “She has her presence at our department meetings, she opens all of our meetings with a prayer.” While extremely passionate and knowledgeable about sports, Sister Jean’s involvement and love for the Loyola community extends beyond Norville Athletic Center. “She has developed relationships with people here on campus that you wouldn’t believe,” Watson said. Her office is centrally located in the Damen Student Center, which enables her to be fully immersed in student life. “Damen is such a hub of activity all the time. It’s a really nice place to be, to see students coming and going,” Sister Jean said. The students described how she makes a huge impact around campus. On Tuesday nights, Sister Jean hosts a prayer group in her residence for students. She also does things for students like passing out prayer

cards during finals week. Sister Jean can be spotted around campus wearing a red blazer and personalized running shoes that read “Sister Jean” on the back. “She brings life into the student center and the campus.” Nick Morales, a senior student employee at the Damen Desk said. Sister Jean said she hopes she can make it to the Damen Student Center to interact with students once again, if the weather permits her to use her walker or to be wheeled in her wheelchair. Marissa Morton, a junior student employee at the Damen Desk, said Sister Jean spends plenty time at the Damen Desk engaging with the student employees. “She always comes by the desk and is so excited to hear about our lives,” Morton said. “She really talks to us and gets a feel for what us students are going through.” Tom Hitcho, senior associate athletic director and personal friend of Sister Jean, has worked with Loyola Athletics for more than 40 years and described how Sister Jean’s positive attitude has been re-

flected in her recovery. “She’s always had a positive mental attitude to work hard and she never gave up,” Hitcho said. “She had a goal, and her goal was to get back to campus and be involved in campus life and support the students, staff and faculty.” Sister Jean said the immense support she’s received from the student body has helped motivate her to work hard in rehab. Many members of the Loyola community sent flowers and cards while she was in the hospital. “At Illinois Masonic I had so many plants and so many bouquets of flowers [the medical team] said they liked to come into my room because it smelled so good all the time,” Sister Jean said. “People gave me candy, students sent me cards.” She said she’s grateful for all the support she’s received from the community. “I appreciate people’s concern and their prayers and their good wishes all the time,” Sister Jean said. “It just made me so happy to be part of the Loyola community, in such a loving and caring community. I’m overwhelmed with all of it.”

4 NEWS

FEBRUARY 7, 2018

Students wary of Simpson dining changes CEARA HUNSAKER chunsaker@luc.edu

The revamped Simpson Dining Hall has received mixed reactions since it was renovated to accommodate students with dietary restrictions. In October, Aramark announced it would add an allergy-friendly zone, a gluten-free zone and a vegan zone in order to give those with dietary restrictions more options for dining on campus. The changes to Simpson Dining were implemented over winter break and include new plates and utensils, in addition to a replacement of dairy milk with lactose-free milk. In an email to The Phoenix, Monique Bonanno, the marketing manager for Loyola Dining, said Simpson Dining Hall was converted to accommodate those with various dietary restrictions. “These new food stations are aimed at providing equal opportunity to enjoy dining services regardless of their food allergy, sensitivity or preference,” Bonanno said. However, some students said they haven’t been fans of the change. Nick Boyle, 18, a first-year majoring in political science, said the lack of options concerns him. “I’ve gone to Simpson a few times this past semester, and they only have ... maybe three pots [of food] ... over the whole space, and that just doesn’t make sense,” Boyle said. “They are catering to those with allergies, but at the same time they don’t serve that much food anymore. It leads me to wonder, is this really a good use of the area?” Jack Brinker, 18, a first-year majoring in information systems who’s a vegetarian, said he doesn’t eat at

Simpson Dining since the changes were implemented. “Last semester, I went to Simpson way more than any other dining hall,” Brinker said. “The phrase that is going around with my friends is that we’re ‘fed up with not being fed,’ and we’re saying this because we really only have two dining halls to choose from now.” Other students enjoy having a dining hall they know will be accessible for their needs. Elaina Richards, 18, a first-year sociology and communication studies double major, is a vegetarian and has been trying to go vegan. She said she was excited when she learned there would be vegan options in Simpson. “Like everybody else, the first week of school I was kind of skeptical because comments [from other students] have said breakfast is entirely changed,” Richards said. “They don’t have the omelette station anymore, mainly. But that was never important to me.” She says she enjoys the bean, chickpea and vegetable options Simpson offers. Still, like many students, Richards said she was disappointed that Simpson didn’t have milk, ice cream machines or coffee creamer. “I think they could have things that … people who aren’t trying to eat in a super-restricted way have a little bit more option,” Richards said. Mary Elloye, 19, a first-year student majoring in health systems management on a pre-med track, has a similar view. She said she eats at Simpson almost every day with friends who have dietary restrictions. “I think that the changes in general are good in theory, but as far as the actual food goes, it lacks a lot of vari-

Carly Behm The PHOENIX

Loyola students wait in line at Simpson Dining Hall, which recently saw its menu revamped to accomodate people with specific dietary restrictions. Not all students are happy with the changes, however, with many expressing mixed feelings.

ety,” Elloye said. “I’ve gone to lunch … every single day for two weeks now, and the lunches are pretty much the same.” According to Bonanno, Loyola’s dining service Aramark has received positive feedback regarding the changes as well as feedback on food options students would like to see. “Eggs will be added to breakfast, milk will be available daily, a made to order pasta bar and made to order stir fry will be added to the menu ro-

CRIME: No email for armed robbery

Christopher Hacker The PHOENIX

Two violent crimes were reported near campus over the weekend within a block of each other. A Loyola contracted employee was reportedly arrested for making threats over the phone and online Friday night near Mertz Hall.

continued from page 1 Under the law, university campus security departments are required to warn students and staff of any ongoing threat, but the determination of whether an incident represents such a threat is left up to individual police forces. This isn’t the only recent violent crime near campus that students weren’t notified of, however. Campus safety reported another armed robbery with a gun Dec. 7, and a strong arm robbery Dec. 19. On Friday night, a sexual assault occurred about a block from Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus. Between approximately midnight

and 2:30 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 2, an 18-year-old female was the victim of a criminal sexual assault in the 6400 block of North Sheridan Road. It wasn’t immediately clear if either the victim or the offender were Loyola students, but Cunningham said the incident was being dealt with by Loyola’s Title IX office, which is in charge of handling allegations of sexual assault involving Loyola students and provides resources for survivors of gender-based crimes. CPD News Affairs Officer Jose Jara said the offender was unknown at this time and detectives are investigating the incident. Also on Friday, a Loyola employ-

ee was arrested for making threats via phone and electronic communications. At about 10:30 p.m., police arrested an individual described as “a contracted Loyola employee” near Mertz Hall, according to police records sent to The Phoenix. The content or target of the threats wasn’t immediately clear, and Cunningham refused to comment on the incident, citing confidentiality concerns. Under Illinois law, making a threat via telephone or electronic communications is classified as disorderly conduct and can be classified as a class C misdemeanor and can carry a penalty of up to 30 days in jail.

tation and chicken wings will be featured on Fridays,” Bonanno said. On Feb. 2, signs appeared at dining areas around Lakeshore Campus announcing that starting at 7 a.m. Feb. 5 Simpson Dining would again be serving eggs and milk. Bonanno also noted that the number of people utilizing Simpson Dining hasn’t lowered drastically since these changes. “The changes to Simpson Dining Hall were a direct response to

student needs and provides parents with peace of mind when their student is away at school,” Bonanno said in an email to The Phoenix. “It supports the living and learning environment on campus by ensuring residential dining offerings meet the needs of all students regardless of specific menu or ingredients needs and requests.” Aramark declined to comment for this story and directed The Phoenix to Bonanno.

FEBRUARY 7, 2018

NEWS 5

Gubernatorial candidate Daniel Biss stops at Heartland Cafe on college tour, campaigns for support in primary MARY NORKOL mnorkol@luc.edu

Illinois gubernatorial candidate Daniel Biss spoke just a few blocks north of campus at the Heartland Cafe (7000 N. Glenwood Ave.) Saturday afternoon in an attempt to gain support from the Rogers Park community, specifically Loyola students, in his run for governor. Biss wants to gain the Democratic nomination in the March 20 primary election. The other confirmed Democratic candidates are Bob Daiber, Tio Hardiman, Chris Kennedy, Robert Marshall and J.B. Pritzker. Republican candidates include Gov. Bruce Rauner and Jeanne Ives. The event was just one part of a larger campaign to encourage college students to vote for Biss in the primary election. A crowd of approximately 250 people came to the Heartland in support of Biss, according to campaign manager Nico Probst. Biss has been a vocal advocate of tuition-free public higher education and the legalization of marijuana. During his speech, Biss emphasized his background in the middle class and said Illinois doesn’t need another millionaire in office, apparently referring to billionaires Rauner and Pritzker. “This is a campaign about changing what’s possible,” Biss said. “And you don’t change what’s possible by just writing a bigger check … You

change what’s possible by building a movement. You change what’s possible by organizing people. You change what’s possible by building a movement that exists in every corner of every neighborhood in this state and in this country.” Biss said he campaigned on college campuses because the college-aged generation is most affected by the current political climate in the state. “We have a state that … is working for few and not for most of us, and the generation that will be most hurt by that is the generation currently in college,” Biss said. “We need to transform our society if we want to have an economy that will work for most students and that’s what this campaign is about.” One of the most prominent components of Biss’ campaign is the notion of tuition-free public universities. “Tuition is unbelievably important,” Biss said. “Obviously, the student debt crisis is vicious and harmful.” Preceding Biss’ speech, supporters took part in door knocking and called local voters to campaign in hopes of gaining votes for Biss. Before Biss addressed the crowd, speakers from MoveOn.org, Our Revolution Illinois and Reclaim Chicago took the stage endorsing Biss as a gubernatorial candidate. Probst said similar events were planned at DePaul University, University of Illinois at Chicago and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Biss attended Northwestern Universi-

Mary Norkol The PHOENIX

Gubernatorial candidate Biss addressed a crowd of around 250 people at the Heartland Cafe Saturday afternoon, emphasizing certain campaign elements, such as tuition-free in-state public education and the political power of the middle class.

ty earlier Saturday morning. Loyola student Mo Fowler, a senior English major who works on Biss’ campaign, said she agrees with Biss’ progressive views, especially for the school system. “He’s reaching out to people who don’t get a lot of their voice heard in politics these days,” Fowler said. “He’s very invested in changing the way the school systems are run and funding more Chicago Public Schools.” Alex Ponder, a Loyola junior major-

ing in political science, said Loyola students should support Biss because his values “align nicely with Jesuit values.” Ponder, who also works on the campaign, said Biss is willing to compromise more across the aisle than other candidates. “[Biss’] history of trying to work across the aisle with Republicans in order to negotiate and compromise is the only way we’re going to get out of the situation that we’re currently in,” Ponder said.

Loyola senior Ugochukwu Okere, who’s running for alderman of the 40th Ward in 2019, attended the event in support of Biss. Okere, along with other Biss supporters, criticized billionaire politicians. “We are in a situation in this primary where [Biss has] often said ‘Do we want this to be an election or an auction?’” Okere said. “It’s very clear that people in Rogers Park and in the state of Illinois are done with having billionaires … run our state.”

Jesuit universities join together in support of Dreamers JANE MILLER jmiller41@luc.edu

Disclaimer: The author of this story briefly participated in Loyola’s Dream Act campaign. Loyola recently launched a campaign to support “Dreamers” — people brought to the United States illegally as children. On Thursday, students and faculty called their members of Congress either at campaign sites or during the day to advocate for the DREAM Act. The phone campaign spanned three of Loyola’s campuses with locations at Lake Shore, Water Tower and the Health Sciences campus located in Maywood. Volunteers distributed scripts to students and faculty and helped participants identify the contact information of their congressional members. Phillip Hale, Loyola’s vice president of Government Affairs, headed the campaign. The campaign extended beyond Loyola to encompass nearly 20 universities within the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU), Hale said. Loyola is one of the 28 Jesuit universities involved in the AJCU. The DREAM Act, originally introduced in 2001 by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill), is aimed at determining a pathway to citizenship for undocumented individuals who came to the United States as minors. The campaign was launched in anticipation of the upcoming March 5 expiration of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. DACA was designed to give Dreamers protection from deportation and was rescinded by the Trump administration Sept. 5. “We are doing [the campaign] now because it’s very timely … we wanted to create a sense of urgency,” Hale said. Approximately 140 students at Loyola are undocumented, and about half are under DACA, according to Joe Saucedo, assistant director of Student Diversity and Multicultural Affairs. A portion of

roughly 241,000 students eligible for DACA status enrolled in a university in 2014, according to the Migration Policy Institute. Loyola’s Stritch School of Medicine is home to nearly half of the nation’s undocumented medical students. Durbin has actively been involving members of Loyola’s undocumented community in recent weeks. Stritch student Alejandra Duran Arreola joined the senator in Washington, D.C. to advocate for Dreamers Jan.16. Cesar Montelongo, also a student at Stritch, accompanied Durbin to the State of the Union last week to advocate for an immigration solution that would protect him and his peers. This isn’t the first time AJCU schools have come together in support for undocumented students. In November, Loyola President Jo Ann Rooney signed an AJCU-released statement in support of advocating for undocumented students. Participating AJCU institutions in last week’s phone campaign include Georgetown University, Boston College, Santa Clara University and Marquette University. Hale credited the work of the Student Government of Loyola Chicago (SGLC) in its collaboration with the student governments of other AJCU institutions ahead of the campaign. Anusha Mannam, vice president of SGLC, said she hopes the campaign is the beginning of a continued partnership with other university student governments. Mannam said she would like the phone campaign to show Loyola’s care for its undocumented students regardless of their U.S. citizenship status. “I have friends and peers who are [undocumented] and it is so important they are given the same opportunities as myself,” Mannam said. “It is so important to advocate for others, especially when it comes to such young, educated, bright future leaders and future members of our society.” Solomon Collins, a senior jour-

Jane Miller The PHOENIX

Students in Damen Student Center provided representatives’ contact information to others Thursday in support of the DREAM Act, in a Loyola initiative headed by Hale to urge Congress to provide undocumented students a path to citizenship.

nalism, economics and international studies major, was one student who participated in the campaign. “Historically, I haven’t reached out to Congress in this manner, but given the upcoming deadline and given that now I have more friends that are deeply impacted by the current changes, now is the appropriate time in my opinion,” Collins said. Collins said his time working in Student Diversity and Multicultural Affairs (SDMA) as a multimedia intern facilitated his interaction with students of many different backgrounds. He said he’s encouraged by this campaign and by Loyola’s continued support for Dreamers, while acknowledging Loyola still has room to improve. “Whether it be additional scholarships for undocumented students or students from different nationalities and different backgrounds, I’d like to see more awareness raised about the topic in general in terms of the difficulties that these students have to face,” Collins said.

Since 2014, Loyola has provided the Magis Scholarship for undocumented undergraduate students who don’t qualify for Federal Financial Aid. Since 2015, Loyola undergraduate students pay a $2.50 fee in their tuition to fund the Magis Scholarship. Katherine Kaufka Walts, director of Loyola’s Center for the Human Rights of Children, an institution which seeks to further the rights of children through student and faculty engagement as well as research and other programs, volunteered at the Water Tower Campus campaign site. Kaufka Walts is also a member of Loyola’s Dreamer Committee, a university-wide committee that guides the university in addressing undocumented students’ needs. The committee is comprised of students and faculty from a number of Loyola’s schools. Kaufka Walts said she sees the issue of a clean DREAM Act — meaning an act that wouldn’t allow for funding for a border wall, interior enforcement or detention centers —

as one of both children’s rights and human rights, paralleling the university’s political advocacy. “The human rights framework is really in line with the social justice and Catholic framework in terms of dignity for all, so there is a lot of synergy there,” Kaufka Walts said. Kaufka Walts also said Loyola’s involvement with political advocacy for Dreamers is positive. “I think this particular call to action, as well as the last [campaign in October], are pretty bold and public statements in terms of where Loyola, as well as the other AJCU institutions, are and I think that’s a positive thing,” Kaufka Walts said. Following the campaign, Hale said he hopes students can learn the importance of advocacy for themselves and their peers. “This is just as much a part of our system and process of democracy as the voting booths, and we hope that people learn to appreciate it and learn to exercise their voice in a positive and very constructive way,” Hale said.

Opinion

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FEBRUARY 7, 2018

Loyola athletics lacks total transparency Photo courtesy of Loyola Flickr

THE PHOENIX EDITORIAL BOARD

Julie Whitehair

Michen Dewey Michael McDevitt

Henry Redman

Luke Hyland

Any organization has a responsibility to someone. A government has a responsibility to its taxpayers, and a company has a responsibility to its shareholders. Who does Loyola have a responsibility to? Loyola should be responsible to its students, because its students’ tuition helps fund many of Loyola’s expenses. The students’ role at Loyola is similar to a taxpayer’s role to the government, as students pay tuition in exchange for services, such as police protection and infrastructure. An important part of this relationship is being able to hold the organization accountable. Taxpayers can request public records or call their senator. But at Loyola, a student can’t do this because Loyola is a private university. Loyola’s lack of transparency is noticeable in the athletics department, both with students and The Phoenix. In November, Loyola announced it would be updating Gentile Arena with brand new video boards, TVs in the concourse, a new scorers’ table and press table. A Phoenix editor asked the athletics department how much the updates had cost and was told athletics didn’t have to give an answer because “Loyola is a private school.” The $1.4 million cost of the updates

to Gentile Arena was eventually released when men’s basketball coach Porter Moser revealed the price in a radio interview with ESPN. The renovations weren’t paid for by a donation, which means the money could have come from Loyola’s capital fund, which includes students’ tuition money. But not enough student input is taken into consideration when it comes to deciding how that tuition money is spent. The school announced Feb. 5 it would be starting another project partially funded through tuition. Loyola announced it would be building a brand new practice facility for the basketball and volleyball teams on the Lake Shore Campus. The press release announcing the project includes who made the donation that’ll fund most of the project but doesn’t include the total cost of the project — $18.5 million — or that some money from the capital fund will be used to build the facility. Loyola athletics deflecting the cost of such projects from press releases and The Phoenix only hurts students. The Phoenix is the voice of students, held responsible by its audience of mostly students. Failing to provide information to The Phoenix leaves the Loyola community uninformed and creates an unnecessary roadblock to

informing students. The new practice facility’s only public student input came during a community meeting in December that was attended by a small group of students. The school didn’t advertise the meeting or ask for any other student voices during the planning process. The Phoenix, however, did ask for input on the practice facility in an unscientific online survey with 184 responses. While there were some negative reactions to the project, a majority of respondents supported it. Most respondents believe the athletics department needs a new practice facility, that it’s okay for the school to use tuition money to build it, that Loyola investing in athletics programs positively increases their opinion of the teams and that Loyola’s athletics presence impacts their opinion of the school. The reaction to the new facility was generally positive. If Loyola had asked for students’ opinions, they’d have had negative feedback but not enough to stop the project. Any decision the university makes affects the students, so Loyola must look for their feedback. Issues with how the athletics department spends its money isn’t its only transparency problem. As Loyola men’s basketball is

Sasha Vassilyeva avassilyeva@luc.edu When parents put their child in a sport, they put their full trust in the coaches, trainers, physical therapists, administrators and older athletes to support their child. Just like school teachers, they’re expected not only to teach those children and improve their athletic skill, but also to foster an environment in which the children feel safe and comfortable. This environment should be a place where kids grow both physically and mentally, learn, develop new skills and make friends. The adults of the sport are meant to be role models, leaders and figures of support — not someone athletes should fear. When I was 7 years old, I started doing rhythmic gymnastics. Although this sport certainly wasn’t my forte and none of the skills it required came naturally, I fell in love with it and continued training for the next nine years. When my career as an athlete came to an end, I began coaching and have been doing so for the past three years.

When the IndyStar first released its investigations of the USA Gymnastics sexual assault scandals, I was shocked to hear the organization I had grown to trust had allowed something like this to occur. Not only had many gymnastics coaches been accused of sexually abusing underage girls, but the USA Gymnastics administration never reported the misconduct to authorities. About a month later, the IndyStar released another article detailing allegations against Larry Nassar, former USA Gymnastics team physician and former doctor at Michigan State University (MSU). Since then, more than 250 victims and counting have come forward saying they were also victims of Nassar’s abuse. As of Feb. 6, Nassar has been sentenced to at least 100 years in prison for those crimes. Seeing this scandal grow and unfold has made me question the organization I had been part of for more than half of my life. But this isn’t just an issue within USA Gymnastics or MSU. Sexual abuse, unfortunately, occurs among both female and male athletes in other sports, too. In 2012, Jerry Sandusky, former Pennsylvania State University assistant football coach, was convicted of 45 counts of sexual abuse, according to the PennLive. Sandusky was accused of abusing 10 boys over

15 years whom he had come in contact with through his charity, the Second Mile, a group foster home established to help troubled boys. About a year ago, reports of sexual abuse were brought forth involving many United Kingdom soccer clubs, totaling more than 500 victims. This scandal began to rise when Andy Woodward, a former lower league player, broke his silence and told The Guardian about being abused as a child by his soccer coach. Many other players followed him, sharing their own stories. While these examples may seem distant, sexual abuse both in our country and abroad arises out of the same culture and can happen anywhere, at any time and when we least expect it. This is a fact I faced for the first time two years ago. The club I coach at occasionally brought in different dance instructors as supplemental trainers to improve gymnasts’ choreography. For many years, even while I was still training, Ariel Cisneros, a ballet teacher and former dancer at the Joffrey Ballet, came as one of those instructors to work on our ballet technique. To me, he seemed to be a kind and helpful instructor whenever he came to work with us. Two summers ago, after noticing he hadn’t been hired to teach at the summer training camp like he usually did, I found out

Gabriela Valencia

getting the most media attention it’s received in the 21st century, The Phoenix has been pushed out. Local media outlets were given access to a practice after the team’s seventh straight win Jan. 28. The Phoenix had asked to be included when this happens, and its request was ignored. When an athletics department official was asked why The Phoenix had been left out, he said it was because “you get more access.” Except, this isn’t exactly true. Scheduling interviews with Moser can be difficult, and The Phoenix hasn’t talked to him one-on-one since Nov. 29. The Phoenix does have a relationship with the players and gets weekly access to them that other outlets don’t get, but if the voice of the team’s leader isn’t accessible, a complete picture of the team is harder to find. The Phoenix has been pushed out in favor of the local and national media outlets such as the Chicago Tribune, ABC7 and The Athletic. This makes some sense — the athletics department wants more visibility and can get that from bigger publications and TV stations. However, The Phoenix has been covering the men’s basketball team since long before the team found success, only to now be moved aside.

Lack of transparency is something that students at other universities have to deal with. Students at Michigan State University (MSU) have protested how the school has dealt with the fallout from former MSU doctor Larry Nassar’s trial for allegedly abusing 265 women. MSU’s student paper, The State News, has continued to cover the upheaval on MSU’s campus and the national effect of the Nassar case. As Loyola’s newspaper and student voice, The Phoenix will continue to push for answers on how Loyola spends its money and continue to cover the men’s basketball team’s run at an MVC championship, as well as all of Loyola’s sports, with or without the administration’s support. The Phoenix has pointed out transparency issues with Loyola in the past. In October, the paper wrote a staff editorial pointing out problems with the Campus Safety department. Since then, communication with the department has improved. Loyola is making an effort to get better with its accountability; athletics is just one area where it’s lagged. The attempts at correcting this problem show Loyola knows it needs to get better. Whether it’s private or not, accountability and transparency are important for any institution.

What USA Gymnastics culture reveals about sexual violence

Fernando Frazão Agência Brasil

Simone Biles, senior member of the USA Women’s Gymnastics team, is one of more than 250 women to accuse Larry Nassar, the team doctor, of sexual abuse.

Cisneros pleaded guilty to repeated sexual assault of a 15-year-old girl — one of the dancers at a ballet school in Wisconsin where he taught— and was sentenced on those charges in the Walworth County court. I began to think of all the girls from our club that Cisneros had worked with in the past — my friends, my current students, even me. He was trusted by the coaches in our gym and the gymnasts that he worked with. I never would have thought I would be reading these articles about someone I knew and once trusted. Parents put their children into sports thinking it will be a safe place where they can grow up. Unfortunately, that often isn’t the case. At first, I thought something was wrong about the culture within USA

Gymnastics, then of sports as a whole. What allows for so much wrongdoing to slip through the cracks in any kind of sport? Is it the hierarchy that exists between coaches and athletes that is to blame? Truth is, there likely isn’t just one cause to place the blame on, but discovering that an organization I had trusted or a person I once knew had been a part of this horrible, widespread misconduct serves as a reminder that these causes must be found and ceased. We must remember this is a very real and immediate danger that could be a lot closer than we think. Sexual assault and abuse has recently been a widespread discussion in media and online, but we must realize that this is not a distant issue that we can ignore by separating ourselves from it.

OPINION 7

FEBRUARY 7, 2018

Acknowledging and deconstructing rape culture

Mia Ambroiggio mambroiggio@luc.edu This past year brought a plethora of unsettling realizations about the treatment of women in America. In this social climate, it’s easy to lose hope in our patriotism and view of humanity; however, perseverance and activism in the face of what torments us is a celebratory event nonetheless. The first month of 2018 has caused a societal uproar, spotlighting controversial issues and, as a result, showcasing strength against sexist normalities. Rape culture has been kept in the dark for decades, but with the newfound urgency to speak up, 2018 could be the year that begins to end it. The term “rape culture” was coined in the 1970s by second wave U.S. feminists to show the norm of sexual assault — that sexual violence against women was so common and “justified” that it was more often accepted by both men and women rather than punished. Rape culture promotes sexual violence as normal, as a fact of life women have to deal with and avoid if they can. Women experience rape culture and take measures to fend it off on a day-to-day basis, whether it’s purposefully wearing headphones while walking down the street to drown out catcalling or being informed on how to prevent

sexual assault rather than telling possible perpetrators not to do it in the first place. Rape culture is overwhelmingly prominent in media and entertainment, too. In advertising, television, movies and comedy, the unnecessary over-sexualization of women has been used for a good laugh or as a marketing ploy to sell everything from airfare to men’s deodorant. The outrage concerning sexual assault in the entertainment industry has made the concept of rape culture mainstream. Beginning in October with accusations of sexual misconduct against Harvey Weinstein, the era of calling out men conforming to and acting upon rape culture commenced. From Woody Allen to James Franco, a multitude of directors, producers, actors and other celebrities have been accused of abusing their power over their female coworkers and acquaintances. In response, the women of Hollywood began a campaign titled “Times Up,” which is described as “a unified call for change from women in entertainment for women everywhere,” according to the movement’s website. It strives to eliminate sexual assault and abuse in the workplace, where the mistreatment of women has been brushed under the rug for far too long. Celebrities such as Reese Witherspoon, Shonda Rhimes and Eva Longoria are speaking out on behalf of this campaign, which has many initiatives, including penalizing companies that silence victims who have faced sexual violence and forming a legal fund to defend women with lack of privilege

Photo courtesy of Richard Potts

Rather than see addressed the social climate that makes rape common, women are often lectured on how to avoid rape.

or resources to stand and testify against their attackers. Although rape culture is being brought to light in the media, how do we as individuals approach rape culture? There are obvious ways to fight back, via donation to Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund or other organizations that promote equality in leadership and education, nationally or globally. But there are additional ways to fight rape culture in our everyday lives. 1) Acknowledge that rape culture, while focused primarily on men assaulting women, doesn’t only impact women. Accusations

recently came out against James Levine, a music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, saying he had repeatedly molested a 15-year-old male orchestra member. In addition, rape culture highly affects transgender and gender nonconforming individuals. 2) Also acknowledge that many women who are victims of sexual assault don’t always have the power to speak up — whether they fear being harassed or ridiculed for speaking up or lack the financial means to seek legal help. Support those who speak up as well as those who don’t.

3) Don’t support art or entertainment from artists who are perpetrators of sexual assault. Cut them out from media, belittle their platform, tell friends and family members to boycott movies from directors who take advantage of their female counterparts. Continuing to view their content and contribute to their success will only benefit the oppressor and perpetuate their actions. Regardless of the scale, any contribution you can make against rape culture and its effects is a helpful one. Share your voice, and speak out against those who have silenced victims for decades.

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‘Black Voices: Uninterrupted’ begins Black History Month ALANNA DEMETRIUS ademetrius@luc.edu

Loyola’s Black Cultural Center (BCC) kicked off Black History Month with its event “Black Voices: Uninterrupted” last week. The event featured 12 former and current BCC members performing songs, original poems and stand-up comedy. “Last year we had an African dance group come and perform and do a teaching piece and this time it’s all about our members that want to share their talents,” Robin Branton, Loyola senior and BCC president, said. “We basically just wanted to give a platform for any black artist that wanted to share their talents and their excellence with the rest of the community, Loyola and beyond.” Loyola’s BCC promotes the presence of a safe space on campus for black students, according to BCC members. “BCC creates somewhere we can have people to relate to and to talk about things that we go through together,” Branton said. All BCC members were welcome and encouraged to express themselves in the Black History Month celebration. “It’s a safe space for us to speak what’s in our minds, in our hearts and in our souls, and be supported and

be affirmed in that,” Joshua Webb, Loyola senior and BCC treasurer, said. He read an original poem earlier in the night. Performances included a stand-up act by Ariana Allen, who had the crowd roaring with laughter. She recounted the days after the election of former President Barack Obama in 2008 and told stories of her childhood growing up in a black household. “You are here for a reason, remember that,” Allen said in closing. Graduate student Sydney Curtis performed an original piece titled “The Kingdom.” She began by reading Chicago-born poet Gwendolyn Brooks’ “We Real Cool.” Before performing, Curtis commended the BCC for all they have done at Loyola: “Your impact is felt across the university.” Other members of the organization also spoke highly of the BCC. The group creates a community, according to members. “BCC is one of the most important things to me on this campus. It’s my anchor in a sense, it’s what keeps me grounded,” Webb said. “I don’t know where I would be, I don’t know where a lot of black students would be without the BCC.” SEE LOYOLAPHOENIX.COM FOR THE FULL STORY

Briefs

PAGE 9

Hanako Maki

The PHOENIX

PAGE 10

A&E

FEBRUARY 7, 2018

Courtesy of Brandon Lavender

Iris Temple recently returned from its first tour, “Pink Lightning Tour,” with rapper Xavier Omär. The two artists share the same manager, which led to Omär asking the duo to open for him on his first tour.

Iris Temple rising in Chicago music scene LUKE HYLAND

lhyland1@luc.edu

Hot off its first tour opening for Xavier Omär, Chicago-based hip-hop/ soul duo Iris Temple is quickly making a name for itself as one of the city’s brightest new talents. The up-and-coming group consists of Kansas City, Missouri natives Quinn Cochran, 22, and Quinn Regan, 21, who goes by the stage name Quinn Barlow. The Phoenix sat down with the pair to talk about Iris Temple’s history, unique sound, recent tour and future. Cochran and Regan met at Lincoln College Preparatory Academy in Kansas City where they shared multiple classes their junior year. “We weren’t really friends but slowly got to know each other through [the classes],” Regan said. “We had band class together, so we knew pretty soon on that we both did music. We kind of became friends because we were bad students. We sat in the back, didn’t really pay attention, sang a lot of songs and were generally disruptive. But it worked out.” Regan and Cochran’s friendship continued through graduation when they decided to move to Chicago for school. Cochran went to Columbia for music, and Regan went to DePaul but soon dropped out and moved back to Kansas City. Cochran said he’ll graduate from Columbia this spring. While the two were separated, Cochran said they often sent musical ideas back and forth to each other. Cochran went home briefly while on summer break from school, and he and Regan decided to set up a small studio in an empty warehouse Cochran’s dad owned for his electronic design company. “At night [the warehouse] was totally vacant, so we ended up writing all night every night,” Cochran said. “We hit the ground running quick and made our first project in two months.” The two said they quickly realized they could make something special together, so they decided to officially team up and get to work. They moved back to Chicago, and the name Iris Temple came soon after. “The name pretty much came out of nowhere,” Cochran said. “It was just two cool words I thought of, but the meaning stemmed out from that. ‘Iris Temple’ means eyes and mind, so like how you perceive the information you take in … or it could be some mystical place.”

Courtesy of Brandon Lavender

Quinn Cochran (left) and Quinn Regan (right) blend natural and synthetic sounds to create Iris Temple’s unique style.

Cochran and Regan admitted Iris Temple’s music is hard to describe. A blend of soul, hip-hop, jazz and rock, the duo’s music is something utterly unique and refreshing for Chicago’s indie music scene. When composing their songs, Regan said he and Cochran don’t follow any rules. “It’s basically what we think would sound good [at that point in the song] without discounting any genre,” Regan said. “Our sound really comes out of that spur of the moment flowing and feeling of the song and thinking critically about where it should go.” Iris Temple said it refuses to pin itself down to a genre with its blending of natural and synthetic sounds. From Cochran’s hard rock guitar solo on “Parade” off the EP “Vistas,” to the soft, muted trumpet on the single “Lemonade,” to the chatter of birds behind the beat of “Ferns” off the EP “Duality,” the duo always delivers interesting soundscapes for its listeners to envision. However, when it comes to live performances, Cochran argued nothing beats the sound of real instruments. “When we play live, I love the sound and energy of people playing these instruments,” he said. “Playing with a track is fun because people want to hear [the song] how they heard it in their headphones,

but the most fun shows are playing with musicians because the energy is so different.” Regan praised the group of friends he and Cochran often enlist to join them onstage, a group whom Cochran met in Columbia’s music department his freshman year. “Our friends we play with in the band are so, so talented,” he said. “[They’re] guys who grew up in the church and can play along with any chord change the first time they hear a song — just incredible musicians. It’s super cool to see [our] songs get reinterpreted.” Regan and Cochran said they love making music in Chicago because it’s an exciting time to be a musician in the city. With an attitude Cochran describes as creative freedom, where artists do whatever they want, Chicago is a fresh, exciting location to be making music in. “There’s some trailblazers in Chicago making music that nobody else is making,” Regan said. “It’s cool to call these people my contemporaries. There’s something special going on in Chicago right now. It’s very free and uplifting. Most musicians I’ve encountered are very uplifting of each other, and I think that’s really beautiful.” Cochran added that the door has been left open for up-and-coming tal-

ent like Iris Temple. “The state of Chicago music is so up in the air right now, because in 2013 Chance [the Rapper] is just blowing up, Vic [Mensa] is blowing up,” he said. “Their roots are still here, but they’re gone. Everything is kind of reforming now, like who’s going to blow up next?” The next household name may well be Iris Temple. Its modern spin on the soul genre should have fans across the country clambering for more, and one person who took special note of its talent was manager Mike Luna, who quickly signed the duo. Luna said he’s confident Iris Temple has a bright future. “I had been following Iris Temple on all the streaming platforms and social media for awhile, and I kept seeing organic growth in [its] fan base,” Luna said. “I was convinced it was a matter of when, not if, they were going to ‘pop,’ and I want to help them get there.” Another artist Luna manages is rapper Xavier Omär. After Cochran and Regan told Luna they’d happily go on a tour, Omär invited Cochran and Regan to open for him on his debut 15-city “Pink Lightning Tour.” At first, nothing particularly struck Omär about Iris Temple, but as Luna played Omär more of the group’s

music, he began to take notice of the duo’s talent. “Every time Mike would show me a new song of theirs, it was so much better than the last,” Omär said. “The instrumentation and attention to the nuances of the production and writing showed that these guys were real artists and not just a couple dudes who like to sing.” When Regan and Cochran were offered the gig, they were ecstatic. “I’m still in school at this point, but of course I’m going to say yes,” Cochran said. “Nothing’s getting in the way of this.” Regan said he promptly quit his job, and Iris Temple went on its first tour, which lasted a little under a month. The duo learned a lot from the experience, mainly how to take care of themselves on the road and play for larger crowds. “It’s crazy practice playing 16 or 17 shows in 20 days,” Cochran said. “You don’t get many chances to feel the energy of performing for hundreds of people every night. So getting that was a really big confidence boost because you realize, ‘Oh, I can do this, and people are going to like it,’ but it’s also like, ‘Man this s— is hard.” Omär said he was impressed by Regan and Cochran’s performances on his tour. “I was more than pleased [with Iris Temple’s performance],” Omär said. “They were ready every night, their stage presence grew with every performance and I feel like the guys from night one are not the same guys that performed on the final night. [They] really proved themselves.” Iris Temple’s future looks brighter than ever, and the duo has high hopes for 2018. Their most popular song, “Ferns,” recently surpassed 500,000 plays on Spotify, and their second most popular song, “Lemonade” isn’t far behind with roughly 450,000 plays as of Feb. 6. Because of the exposure they gained from the “Pink Lightning Tour,” Iris Temple’s fan base has been slowly growing despite its seemingly small numbers and Cochran said it’s up to him and Regan to execute their game plan. “We’d love to do a festival,” Regan said. “We’d love to do a music video … just doing all the things that encapsulate being an artist.” Iris Temple’s music is available to stream on Spotify, Apple Music and Soundcloud.

FEBRUARY 7, 2018

A&E 11

THEATRE: Get cheaper play tickets during Theatre Week continued from page 1 On Feb. 15, the theater will serve pizza at a “College Night” event before a performance of the 2017 Pulitzer Prize-nominated play “The Wolves” by Sara DeLappe. “We’re proud to participate in Chicago Theatre Week,” Jenny Gargaro, director of advertising at the Goodman Theatre, said in an email to The Phoenix. “It’s a great initiative … to celebrate the extraordinary theater community in Chicago and showcase all of our talented artists, playwrights and directors.” The Goodman Theatre will also be presenting “Blind Date,” a dramatic retelling of the 1985 Geneva Summit between then-President Ronald Reagan and the former head of Russia’s Communist Party, Mikhail Gorbachev. The play is written by Rogelio Martinez and directed by Robert Falls. Theater Wit, operated by Chicago’s Shattered Globe Theatre (SGT) company, will host the Chicago premiere of the critically acclaimed Rachel Bonds play, “Five Mile Lake.” The play follows the journey of a group of young adults in a small Pennsylvania town as they cope with expected reunions and the struggles of fully maturing out of childhood, according to SGT’s producing artistic director Sandy Shinner. “Shattered Globe is participating in

Courtesy of Evan Hanover Shattered Globe Theatre

Aila Peck (left), Joseph Wiens, Daniela Colucci and Steve Peebles will star in Shattered Globe Theatre’s Chicago premiere of Rachel Bond’s “Five Mile Lake” at Theatre Wit.

Theatre Week to add our voice [to] the Chicago theater community,” Shinner said in an email to The Phoenix. “[Our hope is] that by designating a week to focus on theater in the city, more people will take a chance on attending a theater they aren’t familiar with and, hopefully, begin a relationship with those artists.” Surprisingly, theaters aren’t the only institutions participating in Theatre Week. Just blocks away

from Loyola’s Water Tower Campus, Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art (220 E. Chicago Ave.) is also hosting the debut of a performance art piece titled, “The Way You Look (at me) Tonight.” The performance will include dancing, singing and interactive storytelling from activists and dancers Claire Cunningham and Jess Curtis, according to MCA’s website. Theatre Week has something for

everyone. From drama to dance, fans will undoubtedly be able to find a production that interests them among the 120 options available — and for a cheaper price, too. This gives Chicagoans who might not be able to see a production during the rest of the year a chance to dive into an important part of Chicago’s culture. “Chicago has a very diverse theater scene,” Gargaro said. “It’s just good

quality entertainment. You can’t call yourself a true Chicagoan until you experienced our theater.” Theatre Week will run Feb. 8-18. For a full schedule of Theatre Week productions and other events, visit ChooseChicago.com. Tickets for specific productions range from $15 to $30. Several participating theaters, including The Goodman Theatre, Theatre Wit and MCA have discounted student tickets available.

‘Nice Girl’ details journey toward happiness ONLINE A&E CONTENT THIS WEEK Video interviews with

Iris Temple

and the Auditorium Theatre’s

Lily Oberman Check it out on loyolaphoenix.com Courtesy of Michael Brosilow Raven Theatre

Lucy Carapetyan (left) and Benjamin Sprunger star in Raven Theatre’s Chicago premiere of ‘Nice Girl,’ written by Melissa Ross.

EMILY ROSCA erosca@luc.edu

Continuing the celebration of its 35th anniversary season, Edgewater’s Raven Theatre (6157 N. Clark St.) is hosting the premiere of playwright Melissa Ross’ “Nice Girl” Jan. 24. Directed by Lauren Shouse, this contemplative drama laced with subtle comedy will strike a chord with audience members. “Nice Girl” takes place in Boston in 1984, a time when men had an easier time dominating the workforce and women struggled to climb the corporate ladder. Lucy Carapetyan stars as Josephine Rosen, a 37-year-old unmarried secretary living at home with her mother. Determined to turn her life around, Jo, with the help of Sherri (Stella Martin), her new coworker-turned-friend, sets out to find happiness using one magical word: yes. Jo’s life didn’t turn out the way she planned. After a year of attending Radcliffe College on a scholarship, she returned home to care for her ill father and subsequently widowed mother, Francine (Lynne Baker). Jo never finished her degree, blaming her mother for the fall through. This mother-daughter relationship depicted in “Nice Girl” might be relatable for many. Francine’s needy habits impede on Jo’s ability to be an independent, self-sufficient adult as she has to direct and watch her mother’s every move with tasks such as making dinner and arranging doctor appointments. All her life, Jo is considered to be the “nice girl,” much to her chagrin. It only takes one night out on the town

with Sherri for Jo to loosen up and begin indulging in life’s pleasures. Although Sherri’s outgoing and assertive personality contrasts Jo’s reserved and timid one, they’re there to comfort and support each other. Setting aside her own struggles, many of which have risen from being in love with a “sorta” married man, Sherri is determined to help Jo find happiness. Sherri’s efforts are short-lived, as Jo reconnects with her former high school classmate, Donnie (Benjamin Sprunger), the handsome butcher. As fate would have it, the two continue to bump into each other and the affection only grows deeper. “Nice Girl” puts a heartfelt and comedic spin on the journey of discovering oneself. The vernacular is filled with sarcastic and snarky comments, such as Francine’s feelings about “putting out the good candy,” sparking sudden bursts of laughter every few minutes. Taking place in a smaller, 105-seat theater, the audience is in closer proximity to the stage in comparison to larger theaters, making the experience all the more special. The set — the Rosen household — transports the audience from modern day to 1984, adding to the nostalgic energy of the play. Music plays a significant role in any play, as it adds to the overall ambiance of the show. In “Nice Girl,” the ‘80s soundtrack is well curated. Serving as background music before the start of the show and during intermission, the pop-rock tunes, such as “Africa” by Toto, add just the right amount of pep to the show, making audience members want to jam to the melodies.

Amid the hardships of the plotline, the play radiates positivity, from the warm color scheme of the set to the attitudes of the actors. Each of the four acts flow seamlessly due to the production’s superb acting; it’s almost as if the actors were related and best friends in real life. “Nice Girl” transmits a strong and powerful message to anyone who’s struggling with finding themself on his or her path in life, and to not give up hope, no matter how desperate the situation might seem. Originally convinced she would be in a state of eternal unhappiness, Jo realizes she must create her own happiness, rather than expect and depend on a man to come sweep her off her feet and magically solve all her problems. As realization sets on Jo, she is left with hope gleaming in her eyes. Her newly-discovered ambitious sense of purpose radiates to the audience, who end up leaving the theater with a renewed sense of optimism for what’s to come. “Nice Girl” serves as a proper reminder that not all stories have fairytale happy endings. Things tend to happen for a reason, and it’s up to the individual to make the most of every situation. In the end, it’s about the relationships one creates that make life’s events bearable. “Nice Girl” will play at the Raven Theatre through Mar. 11. Tickets are available for purchase online at www.raventheatre.com or by calling 773-338-2177. Tickets cost $46. Discounted tickets are $43 for the general public if purchased online and $15 for students.

12 A&E

FEBRUARY 7, 2018

Historic Auditorium Theatre now offering evening tours JAMILYN HISKES jhiskes@luc.edu

The lobby of Chicago’s grand Auditorium Theatre (50 E. Congress Parkway) isn’t overtly spectacular. The floors contain original mosaic tile and the staircases are tastefully embellished with a touch of architect Louis Sullivan’s signature ornate styling, but as a whole, the theater almost looks plain upon first glance. However, during one of the theater’s new evening tours, visitors will learn just how magnificent the theater really is. Evening tours are offered at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday nights, giving college students the chance to stop by and explore a piece of Chicago’s history after classes. To get a glimpse at what to expect from one of them, The Phoenix was given a private tour by the Auditorium Theatre’s associate director of communications, Lily Oberman. “[The theater’s founder] Ferdinand Peck wanted the Auditorium to be a place where anyone could come and enjoy a show,” Oberman said while standing in the understated lobby near a bust of Peck. “He wanted the people who built the theater to be able to come here.” When the Auditorium was built in 1889, working class Chicagoans didn’t have the money to attend an opera or a ballet at a fancy theater, according to Oberman. She said that’s why Peck and Sullivan — as well as Sullivan’s business partner, Dankmar Adler — purposefully designed the theater to be accessible to people from all classes, not just the wealthy opera connoisseurs. “There’s not a bad seat in the house,” Oberman said. “Except for the box seats, and that’s on purpose.” Upon entering the theater’s main performance space, which contains

Jamilyn Hiskes

The PHOENIX

The Auditorium Theatre, owned by Roosevelt University, is a Chicago landmark that holds over a century of history. The theater contains original seats, light bulbs, murals and carpet, in addition to beautiful gold-painted arches that stun visitors into silence.

original hardwood floors, more than 3,800 seats covered in gold fabric and an expandable stage, it becomes obvious it wasn’t designed to cater to the elite. The luxurious box seats are shoved against the walls while the floor seats fan out from the stage, perfectly positioned to take advantage of the theater’s stunning acoustics. Oberman said the Auditorium, owned by Roosevelt University, has been hosting daytime tours on Mondays and Thursdays for years, and offering a tour after 5 p.m. gives more people an opportunity to visit the theater and learn about its history. “If you’re a working professional or

you’re only in town for a few days … there really wasn’t an opportunity for you to come explore the theater unless you were coming to a show,” Oberman said. “We felt that we would be able to reach a new audience by starting these evening tours.” Floor level is where tour-goers get their first view of the historic building’s beauty, with its arched ceiling and gold-painted walls. The Auditorium still contains several original features — including carpeting, restored wall murals and several rows of seats on the sixth floor — in order to maintain its National Historic Landmark status, which it received in 1975.

During its 128-year lifespan, the Auditorium has hosted a variety of events besides plays and operas, such as baseball games and rock concerts. That seems surprising when looking at its grandeur, but Oberman said that’s part of what makes this theater so unique. Another unique characteristic of the theater is its lighting in the main performance space, provided by thousands of original 19th-century light bulbs. “One of the things that the theater’s really known for is its beautiful golden arches,” Oberman said. “People gasp when they walk in — they look

up and they see this beautiful golden glow. When the theater first opened, a lot of people hadn’t really seen light bulbs at all, so when they walked into the theater they were met with this blinding light. People were really in awe of that.” Even in 2018, the Auditorium Theatre is still awe-inspiring — especially from the sixth floor balcony, which is the final stop on the tour. It’s a dizzying view that might leave visitors breathless both from wonder and vertigo. If it’s silent enough, the acoustics will allow tour goers to hear conversations happening on the stage below even from this height, according to Oberman. Oberman said offering tours of places such as the Auditorium Theatre is important because Chicago has a rich cultural history that deserves to be honored and remembered. “When you’re going to a theater to see a show, you’re only really getting half of the experience,” she said. “When I see shows [at the Auditorium Theatre], I think it’s really cool to know that [performers] are on a stage that’s also hosted a circus and … speakers like [Supreme Court Justice] Ruth Bader Ginsburg have spoken from. I think it enriches the whole experience.” Oberman encouraged both frequent patrons of the theater and those who have never visited to stop by on a Tuesday night after work or class, as there’s something in it for everyone. “Come take a tour and see a show, and you’ll be an Auditorium expert,” she said. Tours of the Auditorium Theatre are offered Mondays at 10:30 a.m. and noon, Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. and Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. Tickets range from $12-$20 and can be purchased at auditoriumtheatre.org, or at the theater’s box office 30 minutes prior to start times.

JT’s ‘Man of the Woods’ Second City play challenges film industry explores his identity EMMA INGRASSIA eingrassia@luc.edu

Despite fronting one of the most popular boy bands of the ‘90s, NSYNC, Justin Timberlake has collected even more praise as a solo artist. There’s plenty of buzz around his fifth studio record “Man of the Woods,” which dropped Feb. 2 — as it’s his first album in four years. The evolution of Timberlake’s sound, from the pop of the late-1990s to a fusion of soul, funk and electric beats, had many wondering what this next album would sound like, especially after the first three singles showed very different sides to Timberlake. The album’s first single,“Filthy,” gives the impression that not much has changed in the singer’s world. With electric beats and sultry lyrics, listeners can tell the old Timberlake is still present. The second single, “Supplies,” shows less promise. Its sound, reminiscent of widely popular trap rappers like Desiigner and Migos, feels forced, with repetitive vocals and lyrics more appropriate for an artist in their mid20s. It makes one wonder which musical direction “Man of the Woods” is trying to take. The album’s third single, “Say Something,” had an early release and is an ode to Timberlake’s all-American roots, with the country sound of Chris Stapleton weaved into Timberlake’s lyrics. This collaboration creates the basis for the undertone of the rest of the album — a reversion back to Timberlake’s country roots as the title “Man of the Woods” references. Even the naturalistic album cover hints at this, with split images of Timberlake: one of him in a suit and another of

him in jeans and a flannel. On this album, the dichotomy of his celebrity persona and the man he argues he truly is fuse. With notes of funk, Spanish guitar and folk rhythms, “Man of the Woods” propels Timberlake into a new era of music. Tracks such as “Higher Higher” do an exceptional job of capturing the classic style fans love from Timberlake, while also conveying undertones of his new sound. The whole album attributes humanistic elements to Justin’s music, whether it’s the chatter of the band before the song “Waves,” or audio of his son saying “da-da” on the last track of the album, “Young Man.” The essence of the album is a wholesome look at the new ways Timberlake expresses his music after receiving backlash last year for the alleged appropriation of black culture in his past albums. Timberlake’s more polished, older albums make “Man of the Woods” feel like a counter to the persona he once portrayed to the public. The intimate details of his life as a man from Memphis, Tennessee, and the progression of his life as a father are a part of what makes this album special and unique for Timberlake. His transition from the pop heartthrob of years prior to a man of soul and innovation is refreshing to see from such a well-known artist. Even with a few songs that feel out of place to the core of the album’s message, Timberlake delivers a well-developed picture of how his life has changed from his musical past. “Man of the Woods” is available to stream on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music and is also available for digital download, CD and vinyl formats.

Miguel Ruiz The PHOENIX

Meghan Babbe and Bill Stern star in the Second City production “Identity Heist,” which looks at gender in the film industry.

MIGUEL RUIZ mruiz9@luc.edu

The Second City recently premiered one of its newest productions, “Identity Heist,” at Judy’s Beat Lounge (1609 N. Wells St.). Starring Meghan Babbe, the “Tonight Show” parody featured plenty of witty improv that had the small venue erupting in laughter. The aim of the performance was an attempt to flip the script on the highly male-dominated filmmaking industry of the ‘70s. The names of the guest stars were obvious parodies of popular ‘70s characters, such as James Bond and Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) from “The Godfather” (1972). This was made particularly apparent during “Alaina” Pacino’s (Lindsey Smith) bit where she talks about “Martina” Scorsese as an upand-coming movie director and the absurdity of having a man participate

in a woman’s industry. Using comedy and subtle quips to make a point rather than more outspoken methods, the show provided an interesting perspective on show business and the gender gap present in the industry. Another thing to note is the cast is predominantly female, giving the production a different and unique voice. Babbe and her fellow cast members knocked it out of the park with their expert timing. The show featured live music and many special guests, including Babbe’s assistant, Bill (Bill Stern) disguised as eight-year-old Tatum O’Neal from her role in “Paper Moons” (1973), “Jill” Bond (Allison Ringhand) and a twotoed sloth named Steve. Throughout the duration of the show, a special animal appearance was mentioned as Bill claimed to have a baby panther backstage. Instead, it was Steve the Sloth who appeared from the Flying Fox Conservation Fund, a

foundation dedicated to the rehabilitation of fruit bat populations around the world. His gentle and uninterested demeanor stole the show. He sat beside his trainer, clutching a plush sloth toy while munching mindlessly on baby carrots. A talented cast mixed with witty comedy and a sloth makes for one unique show. This was visible as the show’s audience, along with the performers, exited the Beat Lounge in a hurry, looking to get an Instagram-worthy selfie with Steve — all laughing on their way out the door. Visit Judy’s Beat Lounge these next few months as “Identity Heist” will be having shows Feb. 28, March 28 and April 25. Second City is also home to several other stages, including the Up Comedy Club and Mainstage Theater; Second City offers a wide range of content to match everyone’s comedic taste. Tickets to shows can be purchased online at www.secondcity.com.

Sports

FEBRUARY 7, 2018

RAMBLER RUNDOWN

PAGE 13

MVB: RAMBLERS MOVE UP IN POLL The Loyola men’s volleyball team jumped one spot in the AVCA poll to No. 6. The Ramblers have won five straight matches including a 3-1 victory over the University of Southern California Feb. 3. The team has beat five nationally ranked teams this year, already tied with last year’s total wins over ranked opponents.

MBB: DOYLE EARNS G-LEAGUE HONOR Former Loyola guard Milton D oy l e w a s n a m e d t o t h e midseason All-NBA G League Eastern Conference team. The award is the G league’s equivalent to making the All-Star game. Doyle, who is on a two-way contract with the Brooklyn Nets and their G League affiliate Long Island Nets, is averaging 21.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 3.8 apg and 1.7 stpg.

MBB: RAMBLERS IN MID-MAJOR TOP-25 The Loyola men’s basketball team came in at No. 8 in the Feb. 5 collegeinsider.com midmajor top 25. The Ramblers dropped two spots from No. 6 after going 1-1 during the week with a heartbreaking 69-67 loss to Bradley University Jan. 31 in Peoria and a 97-75 victory over Missouri State University Feb. 3.

T&F: BREWIS BREAKS SCHOOL RECORD Senior distance runner Lindsey Brewis broke a five-year-old Loyola record in the 3,000-meter run by more than three seconds at the Meyo Invitational in South Bend, Indiana. Brewis finished in fourth place with a time of 9:26.88. Gina Valgoi set the record in 2013 with a time of 9:30.05.

UPCOMING EVENTS MEN’S BASKETBALL FEB. 7 AT 7 P.M.

vs. FEB. 10 AT 1 P.M.

@ TRACK FEB. 9-10 ALL DAY

@ FEB. 10 ALL DAY

@ WOMEN’S BASKETBALL FEB. 11 AT 1 P.M.

vs. MEN’S VOLLEYBALL FEB. 9 AT 7 P.M.

vs. FEB. 10 AT 7 P.M.

vs.

Softball team aims to return to tourney Nick Schultz The PHOENIX

The softball team will attempt to return to the MVC tournament this season after sneaking into it last year by finishing in eighth place in MVC in the regular season.

NICK SCHULTZ nschultz@luc.edu

After finishing 27-26 overall and 9-17 in Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) play last season, the Loyola softball team returns more experienced as it welcomes back 12 of its 15 scholarship players. The Ramblers finished with a winning record for the first time since 2013 and made the MVC tournament for the first time since 2014. Loyola lost three senior starters from last season to graduation — outfielder Erica Nagel and infielders Alyssa Mannucci and Jacquelyn Murphy. With five first-years joining the roster, head coach Jeff Tylka said his team has the talent to fill the voids left by the trio. “We lost those three seniors … so you’re obviously going to lose that experience,” Tylka said. “But [first-years] … are not like they were when I first started only seven [or] eight years ago where they need a year to kind of fig-

ure things out. They come in a little bit more prepared now.” The departures of Mannucci and Murphy leave two positions open for Loyola: second base and first base. Tylka said he’s not sure who’ll fill those spots when the season starts, but he’s been keeping an eye on how the team practices to determine who gets the nod in the starting lineup. The Ramblers return both of their pitchers from last season in juniors Kiley Jones and Keenan Dolezal, who led the MVC with a combined 2.40 ERA last season. Jones’ 19 wins ranked third in the MVC last season and put her in a tie with former Rambler and current assistant coach Brittany Gardner for second-most single-season wins in program history. Jones said she wants to continue the success this year and earn MVC recognition. “This year, the main goal is to make first team all-conference,” Jones said. “That’s my goal … I have the

team behind me to help me get not only to my personal goals, but I’m also very aware that my personal goals kind of mean nothing in the scheme of our team goals.” The team also brought on firstyear, left-handed pitcher Maddie Veres, who Jones said has a different way of pitching in the circle. “[Veres is] a gift to our team this year. She has been absolutely fantastic,” Jones said. “Her being a lefty and just having a different speed and different spin than the both of us adds something incredible to the team that we didn’t have before … also, it’s really comforting to know that there’s one more person in the dugout if we need that.” Sophomore outfielder Shannon McGee also returns to the lineup this season after leading the team with a .290 batting average as a first-year. She said instead of focusing on her own goals this season, she’s focusing more on the team. “This year, to improve, honestly

I’m just going to work more with my team rather than as an individual,” McGee said. “I feel like we have so much to grow as a team that working on that aspect will improve the individual more.” Loyola was picked seventh out of 10 teams in the MVC preseason poll Jan. 31. McGee said the players aren’t worried about the poll because the team was picked 10th last season and finished eighth, which was enough to get to the MVC tournament as the top eight teams earn a spot. “Seeing more people think we’re going to be better is kind of a good feeling,” McGee said. “But also being seventh is still lower [than we’d like], but that means [we’ve] got nothing to lose. So I do expect us to make the tournament and exceed being seventh.” Loyola is scheduled to kick off the 2018 season as it hosts the Total Control Invitational Feb. 9-11 at The Dome in Rosemont.

Hubona blends brawn with brain for Ramblers CONOR BERGIN cbergin@luc.edu

Senior thrower Stephen Hubona is one of the most accomplished throwers in Loyola track and field history. Hubona sits atop the school record board in discus with a throw of 51.93 meters and stands at third in school history in weight throw with a distance of 17.57 meters. Still, track and field head coach Bob Thurnhoffer is quick to point out that athletics is only one of the dimensions of this senior thrower. “He’s a very unique blend of brains and brawn because he’s built like a viking and he has the brains of a brain surgeon, so you just don’t really meet too many people like that,” Thurnhoffer said. Off the field, Hubona is a biochemistry major on a pre-med track and an honors student. Despite his busy academic and athletic schedule, he leaves ample room for extracurriculars that positively impact the community. Hubona is a member of Loyola’s premedical fraternity Phi Delta Epsilon, which has done work with hospitals including Lurie Children’s Hospital. He’s also a member of Loyola’s Maroon and Gold Society and Protect and Appreciate Animals-Loyola, a student service organization that spreads awareness for animal rights. Hubona also responds to on-campus emergency situations with LUC EMS, a team of students who respond to emergency calls on campus, organizes and instructs CPR classes at Loyola and occasionally works for a private ambulance off campus. Hubona was honored for his volunteer

work with the 2016-17 Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Good Neighbor Award, an award given to athletes in the MVC who make a difference in their communities. “Nothing I do I get paid for, except for the private ambulance every so often. I’m doing it because I enjoy doing it,” Hubona, a LaGrange native, said. Balancing athletics with academics can be hard for any student athlete, but Hubona’s dedication to others takes time management to another level. He said he’s able to navigate this high level of involvement because he didn’t take it on overnight. “I feel like if it just all came at me at once it would have been impossible, but I was just slowly stacking things up,” Hubona said. The track and field coaching staff has helped make Hubona’s schedule work. “As a staff, we’ve always made ourselves very flexible in terms of practice times,” Thurnhoffer said. “We’re not like a basketball team who has one uniform practice time, we probably have seven or eight practice times a day.” While there’s been no substantial conflict between the many dimensions in Hubona’s life, his diverse priorities have influenced him to take a less travelled path in his sport. After winning the Illinois 3A State title in discus with Benet Academy, he arrived at Loyola as a “lanky” freshman, ranked as the eighth-best discus recruit in the country. He said college throwing, however, is different than high school because the weights and implements increase. To give athletes time to bulk up and adjust their techniques for the increase in weights, most colleges redshirt their in-

coming throwers. Hubona’s competing interests couldn’t afford that extra year. “He didn’t want to sit around and stick around in college, he wanted to get his four years in and go off to medical school, so he’s had to play a little bit of catch up,” assistant coach Pat McGarry, who recruited Hubona, said. Hubona caught up fast: He broke the 35-year-old school discus record in his second year at Loyola and finished fourth out of 18 competitors in discus at the 2016 MVC Championship. The throw served as another sign of program progHubona ress for McGarry and big-time gratification for Hubona. He admitted the sport takes a special amount of dedication and patience. “[Breaking a record] is that moment when everything comes together and all the hard work pays off and you can feel good about where you’re at,” Hubona said. Coming into his final year, Hubona is looking for more payoff. This year, he’ll be competing exclusively in the weight throw during the indoor season and in discus during the outdoor season. McGarry said he believes things will be easier for Hubona this time around because he no longer has to study for his Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). He’s already off to a solid start in the early stages of the indoor season, tallying four top-five finishes in five meets, including a first place distance of 17.57m in weight throw at the John Tierney Classic Jan. 20.

Moving forward, Hubona’s goals for the season include making podium for discus and weight throw at the MVC Championships and making it to the National Championship first round meet in discus, all of which would be firsts for Hubona. “I think he can do it. He’s made some really good progress in his technique,” McGarry said. With the help of McGarry, Hubona is striving to chase down the school weight throw record. Both admit the top number, 19.81m, is an enormous throw. Michael Jarman, the Loyola athlete who set the record in 2010, happens to be a doctor. Hubona and Jarman are two representatives of a long line of pre-med throwers going through the program during McGarry’s tenure. McGarry said he believes the correlation is partly due to the fact that academically-motivated students are willing to dedicate their time and do the little things in training, a quality he seeks out in recruiting throwers. “I’ve actually had quite a few athletes who were very similar to Stephen … I can’t tell you how many doctors I’ve had that have thrown for us at Loyola’,” McGarry said. Next year, Hubona will follow the trend and attend medical school to pursue a future career in medicine, but he’s looking to continue serving others in more ways than just one. “I’m kind of planning on doing an Army scholarship with [medical school], so I’ll probably be serving after residency,” Hubona said. Hubona will compete next in the weight throw at the Grand Valley State University Big Meet in Allendale, Michigan Feb. 9.

FEBRUARY 7, 2018

14 SPORTS

PRACTICE: Construction on $18.5 million facility slated to begin in April continued from page 1 The athletics department has known for some time a new facility was needed, according to Henning, who oversees all construction projects on Loyola’s three Chicago campuses. Plans for the facility started when the athletics department received a donation to start a feasibility study — an assessment of how practical a new project is — for the facility. The teams have been practicing in Halas Recreation Center, according to Loyola officials. Halas is the fitness center used by the general Loyola community. “For many years, athletics has been appealing for a new practice facility,” Henning said. “However, in about the spring of 2016, they were able to find a donor to help fund the early conceptual design process.” After the initial feasibility study, Loyola began an architectural design competition for the project. The school reached out to seven design firms, with four architects submitting designs, according to Henning. Henry Redman

The PHOENIX

Loyola leads the MVC for the first time since joining the conference in 2013 and its nine conference wins are the most since winning 10 Horizon League games in 2006-07.

Men’s basketball MVC race still too close to call NICK SCHULTZ nschultz@luc.edu

With six games left before the conference tournament, the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) standings are slowly starting to take shape. Loyola leads the way with a 9-3 record, its best since joining the MVC in 2013, followed by Southern Illinois University in second at 8-4 and three teams tied for third at 7-4. Loyola was picked to finish third behind Missouri State University and the University of Northern Iowa in the MVC preseason poll. Now, Missouri State sits tied for sixth with a 6-7 record and Northern Iowa is tied for ninth at 3-9. The Ramblers lead the nation in home field goal percentage, shooting at a 55.1 percent clip at Gentile Arena so far this season with five players averaging double-digit ppg. After six players scored in double figures against Missouri State Feb. 3, head coach Porter Moser said he’s happy with how deep his team is, so the offense doesn’t run through one player. “I think depth is one of the strengths of our team … and the other strength is unselfishness,” Moser said. “The guys are sharing the ball, they’re moving the ball. They don’t really care who scores with that, and I think that just kind of naturally happens when you have those two things. When you’ve got depth and you’ve got guys willing to share it, I think that’s when you get multiple guys in double figures.” Southern Illinois — picked to finish fifth in the preseason poll — sits in sole possession of second place at 8-4, its highest place in the standings through 12 games since 2007. The Salukis are succeeding despite losing second team preseason All-MVC senior forward Thik Bol to a knee injury before the season began. Junior center Kavion Pippen and redshirt junior forward Armon Fletcher have picked up the slack so far. Pippen, the latest MVC Newcomer of the Week and nephew of former Bulls star Scottie Pippen, is averaging 12.2 ppg and 5.8 rpg currently, while Fletcher leads the team with 14.4 ppg. Head coach Barry Hinson said while his team has had success through 12 MVC games, it isn’t enough to create separation from the three thirdplace teams. “We’re second right now. I mean

we could easily be fifth [and] we could easily be seventh or ninth before this is over,” Hinson said. “The key is … you just play one game at a time … I’ve been in this league a long time and everybody wants to send a trophy at the halfway mark to somebody and it just doesn’t work that way. This has always been one of — if not the best — midmajor conferences in the country and you have to finish each game.” Bradley University, Illinois State University and Drake University sit tied for third place with a 7-5 record, with Bradley the biggest surprise of the three. The Braves were pegged to finish seventh in the league but have seen success in the MVC this season, including a 69-67 victory over Loyola at Carver Arena Jan. 31. Only two Braves — sophomore guard Darrell Brown and senior forward Donte Thomas — averaged double-digit points so far, but their ability to score quickly has given other teams headaches all season. Despite its 14-game home winning streak coming to an end Feb. 3, head coach Brian Wardle said his team’s growth is responsible for its success. “Experience helps. Bottom line,” Wardle said. “The more minutes you play, the more the game slows down for you … we just have a little bit more experience this year. Not enough yet, but a little bit more, so that’s helping us.” While there isn’t much separation between the teams — third place and seventh place are two games apart — the fact that Loyola and Southern Illinois have been able to jump ahead of the pack could be critical in getting a firstround bye at Arch Madness. Hinson said despite being in second place alone, things could change drastically in the next few weeks leading up to the big weekend in St. Louis. “I truly believe … the last Saturday game of this season will have a major impact on all of our seedings,” Hinson said. “That game that will be played on every venue that last Saturday will be close to being sold out because it will have so much impact on what goes on with the seedings and maybe a conference championship.” Drake and Loyola are scheduled to square off at Gentile Arena Feb. 7, while Bradley and Northern Iowa are scheduled to compete the same night. Southern Illinois and Illinois State are scheduled to play each other Feb. 8 in Normal.

“For many years, athletics has been appealing for a new practice facility.” KANA HENNING Facilities official

In fall 2016, Loyola selected RDG Planning and Design to lead the project. RDG referred all questions regarding the design of the facility back to Loyola administration.

The facility will be similarly designed to the Norville Center but will cut 40 feet from Sean Earl Field, a representative from RDG said at the December community meeting. The design will also include exposed brick serving as a tribute to Loyola’s Alumni Gym, which closed after the 1995-96 season.

“This facility will bring us closer to practice space parity with our fellow Missouri Valley Conference institutions … and [enhances] our athletics program.” STEVE WATSON Athletic Director

Since moving from the Horizon L eague to the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) in 2013, Loyola’s tried to continue competing against other schools in the conference. The facility is another step in remaining competitive in the MVC, according to athletics director Steve Watson. “This facility will bring us closer to practice space parity with our fellow Missouri Valley Conference institutions, increasing our competitiveness, improving our recruitment and enhancing our athletics program,” Watson said in the press release. Because the proposed facility site is within the Lakefront Protection zone, a strip of land which runs from Lake Michigan to the first alley

west of Sheridan Road, all potential construction projects within the zone must be approved to protect Chicago’s lakefront. Plans had to be approved by the Lakefront protection commission, in addition to the Chicago Plan Commission and City Council. After a year of finishing the design, Loyola submitted the plans to Alderman Joe Moore of the 49th ward and the Lakefront Protection Commission. “Loyola is like any other private property owner, we’re not allowed to do whatever we want,” Jennifer Clark, associate vice president of Capital Planning, said. “There are lots of checks on anyone who wants to build a building — Lakefront protection is one, zoning is another. The city approves all of those things.” Clark must navigate all moving pieces and help Henning and the architects meet all the necessary requirements. “My job is to negotiate all the different [approvals],” Clark said. “We aren’t going to get the plan commission’s support without Alderman Moore’s support, we aren’t going to get Alderman Moore’s support without community support.” The process of getting plans approved can take time and has no set timetable, but things are coming along well, according to Clark. “[It’s going] really well, the only real hurdle we’re going to have is Lakefront protection and the plan commission,” Clark said. “By hurdle I mean they haven’t happened yet and Alderman Moore hasn’t given his written support for the project yet.” The project is scheduled to start in April and is expected to be finished by July 2019.

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SPORTS 15

Men’s volleyball heads into MIVA schedule

Ariana Allen The PHOENIX

The men’s volleyball team has already beat five ranked opponents this season, matching last year’s total. The Ramblers are 5-2 against ranked teams so far this year, including a win against then-No. 3 BYU.

CLAIRE FILPI cfilpi1@luc.edu

No. 6 Loyola men’s volleyball team (7-2) is set to begin Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) play Feb. 9. After a 3-1 victory over No. 13 University of Southern California, the Ramblers will head into conference play with a five-game winning streak. The Ramblers have played six top15 teams in nine games, giving them a challenging schedule that doesn’t get any easier. As the Ramblers move into conference play, they’ll face more topranked teams. Senior middle blocker Jeff Jendryk said beginning the season against teams mainly from the West Coast helped the Ramblers build confidence. “If we can beat some of those West Coast teams, it is great for later on in the season,” Jendryk said. “It’s really good at the beginning of our season just to see how we compare against those teams. Knowing that we have the same capability as those teams, we can beat pretty much any team here.” Head coach Mark Hulse said teams from the West Coast play a different style of volleyball as they are used to playing on a beach. The West Coast

teams play a faster style which helps the Ramblers in conference play; according to Hulse, the Ramblers have picked up on that faster style and can use it against the slower MIVA teams. “We have played one of the toughest schedules in the country,” Hulse said. “We know there are some really good teams in our conference. If you aren’t seeing that early, then you’re maybe surprised by it later, and we saw that early for sure.” Although the ability to play the game well is important, scouting the other teams is something Hulse plans on doing, even more so with the conference teams. “A lot of it is introspective with watching video. There [are] a few things that we have to figure out about the other guy,” Hulse said. “There [are] some things stylistically we want to be aware of so we are prepared for it. What are we good at, how do we get better with that and are we deficient in some spots and can we bring up the bottom there.” Hulse said the team’s knowledge of the game is high this season because of its tough non-conference schedule and he credits that to the seniority of the players, in addition to the athletes they’ve brought in, such as first-year

setter Garrett Zolg. The experience against teams from California will help against teams in MIVA, according to Hulse. “That has translated really well early in the year, playing some teams from the West Coast, that sometimes have a higher IQ,” Hulse said. “I think it will translate really well within our league where we may be able to run a faster pace to play, which sometime is tough to keep up with.” When it comes to the toughest team in MIVA, Hulse said it’s a toss up between The Ohio State University, Ball State University, Lewis University and Loyola. With anywhere from four to five teams in the top 15, Hulse said he doesn’t think anybody is going to go 16-0. “It really is the cliche. ‘The next match is the most important one,’” Hulse said. “I don’t know how it is going to shake out at the end, but I know that if we aren’t ready every night it is going to be really tough to win.” Although the Ramblers are the holders of a five-game winning streak, they aren’t letting that affect their preparation. “I don’t think that [the win streak] is that present in our minds,” junior libero Avery Aylsworth said. “We are

just taking each game one game at a time. It is great that we have won [five] in a row, but we want to win the next one.” Ohio State is coming off back-toback championships and was ranked No. 1 going into the season. The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll released Feb. 5 has the Buckeyes ranked No. 5, and Aylsworth said he knows they’re going to be a tough team to face. “They are still one of the top teams in the country. It is still going to be a challenge playing them no matter what,” Aylsworth said. “They are still a super strong team returning a lot of starters. They have been really strong over the last couple years. I think it will be a good match up when we do play them. I think it will be a pretty evenly matched game with two pretty high level teams.” Loyola is set to play in-state rival No. 8 Lewis University Feb. 28. Jendryk said most of the players are looking forward to the match. “I would say [Lewis is] our biggest rival,” Jendryk said. “We always get really fired up when we play them. We usually go back and forth each year on them. It will be a good feeling when we beat them this year. That is

our goal.” While the Ramblers don’t plan to physically prepare any differently for their conference matchups, Hulse said since they’re more familiar with the teams they’re facing, the mental preparation could be a little different. “We haven’t played [University of California, Santa Barbara] in a few years, so none of these guys have played that team before,” Hulse said. “With the conference teams, some of these guys have been playing [members of MIVA teams] not just the four years they have been here but the couple years they have played them in high school as well. There is some familiarity.” Although it’s nice to be familiar with one’s opponent, Hulse said sometimes it makes playing those teams more challenging. “[Conference teams] know you as well so you have to do things a little different every now and again,” Hulse said. “Pick up what [they’re] doing recently rather than what you think you know. It could be tougher to find the trend because you can be blinded by what you think you know.” The Ramblers are scheduled to open MIVA play against Quincy University Feb. 9 at Gentile Arena.

Ellie Rice finding her groove for women’s basketball team ABIGAIL SCHNABLE aschnable@luc.edu

This season, the Loyola women’s basketball team (5-17, 3-8) recruited six new players, including five firstyears. First-year guard Ellie Rice is one of the new players and she’s been an asset to the team, averaging 7.0 ppg in the season, while averaging 9.5 ppg and 5.7 rpg over her last four games. Rice said she started playing organized basketball in third grade and attributes her love of the sport to her brothers. “My oldest brother played basketball for a while, so my mom would always take me to his tournaments,” Rice said. “I have four older brothers, so our family has always been pretty competitive. So we would go outside and play basketball on our outdoor hoop a lot.” Rice’s collegiate career started when head coach Kate Achter realized she would need more players to replace the graduating seniors. Achter said she saw Rice’s potential when she was averaging 20.7 ppg her senior year of high school at Regents School of Austin in Austin, Texas. “We needed a lot of things when I took over this program,” Achter said. “[Rice] ticked a lot of boxes for us. She’s a very, very bright kid. Academically, she’s just off the charts. She can score the basketball and she’s a great teammate and those are all things we needed to improve. Ellie was a no brainer for us.” Rice said she’s happy to be at Loyola and she’s excited to see how far she’ll go. She said she’s already met many of her goals, such as a strong

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Loyola Athletics

Rice has averaged 6.9 points per game and 3.6 rebounds per game, but over the past four games, she’s averaged 9.5 ppg.

rebound presence and playing aggressively, and she’s eager to keep pushing past boundaries. “We have a lot of young players that are developing and how much we’ve grown since the summer till now has really been great,” Rice said. “As we continue to grow we will continue to build our chemistry. I feel like by the end of our four years we could be a contender for the [Missouri Valley Conference] championship.” Rice is the second Texas recruit in program history, according to the athletics department. Grace Goodhart was a McDonald’s All-American from Texas and was on the 2015 MVC AllFreshman team before transferring to the University of North Texas. Rice said she chose Loyola because

she liked the chemistry between the coaches and players on the team. “The coaches are a really tightknit group, so I really liked the way they bring a lot of energy when they practice,” Rice said. “When I came on my visit here, I really liked all the girls and how they get along really well. They all wanted to be around me and wanted to hang out with me. We can make each other laugh in the locker room and we are always hanging out, which is fun.” Rice said she was nervous about the transition from high school to college, but she’s grateful for her teammates and the fact that she’s able to rely on them. “They really helped [with the transition], especially the upperclass-

men,” Rice said. “[When] I first got here in the summer, they showed me around, showed me where everything was. Anytime I have questions I know I can go to them and I know that they’re going to help me their best so I can succeed.” While she was excited to join the team, Rice said she was apprehensive about how the other players would react to her, but those worries were eased and she described the team as being like sisters. “I was a little nervous coming that I’d be that new freshman, but they were all super welcoming and they’ve become some of my best friends,” Rice said. Not only have her teammates helped with her transition, but Rice

said they make playing at this level more relaxing. In high school, Rice didn’t have a tough player down low to give the ball to. In college, having a player who can post up by the basket takes pressure off Rice and the other guards. “They make it really easy for me to be comfortable playing on the floor, especially our posts,” Rice said. “I didn’t play with a true post player in high school, so coming here and being able to throw it in and having them be able to score is really nice. It takes the pressure off of our guards, which is nice. Coming here and having everyone be able to contribute what they’re good at has been nice.” Sophomore forward Kat Nolan said she loves playing with Rice because she brings a light-heartedness to the team without losing focus from the game. “I think she brings a lot of energy and her ability to shoot and drive the basket is really important to us,” Nolan said. “She’s a selfless player who looks to do her best for the team.” Achter said Rice has been a great addition and her energy has been enjoyable to watch. She also said Rice is influential both on and off the court. “I think the way [Rice] interacts with her teammates is just fantastic,” Achter said. “Her ability on the floor impacts us in every game and you can see it. It’s hard to quantify that. You could do it statistically speaking, but [Rice] does so much more for us than that. She keeps the mood light and is a little bit of a goofball.” Rice and the Ramblers are scheduled to play Valparaiso University Feb. 11 at Gentile Arena.

16 SPORTS

FEBRUARY 7, 2018

It was time to get the Chief out of Cleveland Henry Redman | Sports Editor hredman@luc.edu

The Cleveland Indians and MLB announced last week that the 2018 season would be the last for Indians’ red-faced, grinning logo Chief Wahoo. For decades, there have been clashes between Chief Wahoo protesters and “Keep the Chief-ers,” the fans who want to keep the chief in Cleveland. Every opening day there are people protesting the logo in front of Progressive Field. As a Cleveland native, I understand where both sides of this argument are coming from, but the logo had to go. It’s 2018 — we can’t use racist caricatures as logos anymore. It was embarrassing to watch the 2016 World Series and have to see fans in full Native American dress on national television. Is that really what we as Clevelanders want to show the country we are? When all eyes are on us, that’s what we want to be? Really? I know we’ve grown up with Chief Wahoo; I, too, have a sentimental attachment to it, but my attachment is really to the team. To me, it doesn’t matter what the players are wearing on

Courtesy of Arturo Pardavila III

The Indians were named after former Native American player, Nap Lajoie, after he left the team in 1914. Chief Wahoo has been the team’s logo in some form since 1928.

their heads. The Indians will be my team no matter the logo, and frankly, I’m even more of a fan now that the team has finally made the right decision. The logo is racist and needed to be removed, but why did it take so long? Is it enough to fix the problems the logo has caused? Does continuing to sell Chief Wahoo merchandise ruin the point of changing the logo? Was this decision only made so the team could host the All-Star game in 2019? If fans still wear the old logo, does it help anything? If I still wear the logo, am I complicit with the racism it represents? These are all questions the team’s

decision begs to ask, and I’m not entirely sure I’m qualified to answer, but I do know supporting the decision by the team is a good first step, even if there is more to be done. Pitchers and catchers report to spring training in one week. I’m excited for baseball to come back no matter what the team is wearing. Personally, Chief Wahoo represents home and growing up and my love for baseball, but what I think of Chief Wahoo doesn’t really matter. The world has changed and a white kid from Cleveland doesn’t get to decide if a baseball team’s logo is racist or not just because he’s sentimentally attached to

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it. Who am I to decide what offends others? And if they are offended, I don’t have the right to say their feelings don’t matter. So there’s one more season of Indians baseball with Chief Wahoo — my admittedly very high expectations for the team this year aren’t connected to the logo at all — and I hope the rest of the team’s fans can get past losing their beloved caricature. The Indians are a young, fun team to watch. They play good baseball, and for the first time since the 1990s, they’re competitive. Indians fans can’t let this decision by the team ruin what might be the team’s first World Series

win since 1948 just because they’re mad about a logo. Chief Wahoo has been part of the team since 1928. When the team won its last championship 70 years ago, Chief Wahoo was there. However, maybe we should leave the logo in the past. It clearly hasn’t won us anything. Maybe changing the logo officially will also change our luck. It might be weird not having Chief Wahoo represented at Indians games, but that won’t change my love for the team or the way the team plays. Chief Wahoo is from a different time, so maybe it’s time the Indians logo moves past it, too.

by Margie E. Burke