Loyola Phoenix Vol. 46, Issue 15

NEWS | Loyola Medical Center’s world record| PAGE 3 OPINION | On Charlie Hebdo | PAGE 5 PHOTO| New year resolutions | PAGE 7

MIDSEASON RECAPS

GET COZY

Top places to escape the cold CLOSER LOOK | PAGE 8

Catch up on all the men’s and women’s basketball action SPORTS | PAGE 17

LOYOLA PHOENIX W E D N E S D A Y, J A N U A R Y 1 4 , 2 0 1 5

VO L U M E 4 6 | I S S U E 1 5 |

T H E AWA R D - W I N N I N G S T U D E N T N E W S P A P E R O F L O Y O L A U N I V E R S I T Y C H I C A G O

Business school dean resigns Interim Dean Pamela McCoy takes over after Kathleen Getz accepts position at Loyola University Maryland

BY SAMANTHA SARTORI ssartori@luc.edu Loyola’s Quinlan School of Business is searching for a new dean after Kathleen Getz, the previous dean, left Loyola at the end of the semester. Getz, who resigned, will be making the move from one Loyola to another, as Loyola University Maryland appointed her head of its Sellinger School of Business and Management.

John Pelissero, Loyola Chicago’s provost and chief academic officer, said he was aware Getz was looking for leadership opportunities elsewhere.

“She informed me in June of her plan to seek a position at another university, so I am pleased that she was able to fulfill her goal and secure the deanship,” said Pelissero.

Assistant Dean of Executive Degree Programs, Pamela McCoy, will serve as interim dean until the school finds a replacement for Getz. During this

transitional leadership period, McCoy said she plans to keep the school moving forward.

“We do not see anything that was on our agenda to do this year and any goals that were set coming off,” said McCoy. Getz served as Quinlan’s dean since 2011. During her term, Getz oversaw significant changes, including the renaming of the business school after alum Michael R. Quinlan donated $40 million. Getz also helped secure other large donations, such as the $10 million given to the school for the construction of a new facility, the John and Kathy Schreiber Center, which Loyola expects to complete by August.

Pelissero said fundraising skills will be important for the new dean.

“We just need to continue that momentum and continue to build an endowment that can support the school in the future,” he said.

He added that the ideal candidate for the new dean needs to be able to

Photo by Steve Becker // Flickr

Getz, who is leaving Loyola Chicago to take a similar position at Loyola Maryland’s School of Business, was Quinlan’s dean for almost four years.

position the Quinlan School of Business for success in Chicago, nationally and internationally.

“We want someone who can work effectively with the Chicago business community, with Quinlan School alums and with the university leadership to advance goals,” Pelissero said.

Until then, McCoy said it’s an honor to work in the position.

“Our faculty are incredibly supporting. We’re all working toward the same goal,” McCoy said. “I see myself as a shepherd being here to help us achieve those goals, so I’m happy to serve in this role.”

Photo by Natalie Battaglia // Flickr

Former dean Kathleen Getz helped raise the $10 million donation that made possible the construction of the John and Kathy Schreiber Center, future home to Loyola’s Quinlan School of Business.

Loyola alum catches Fire

The best of Former Rambler signs with Chicago MLS team Arts & Entertainment

BY JAKE MAZANKE for the new year jamazanke@luc.edu

Eric Gehrig was 8 years old when his family first purchased tickets for the Chicago Fire –– the city’s Major League Soccer (MLS) team. Gehrig attended many of the Fire’s games and would often sit in the stands and dream of the opportunity to put on the red and white jersey to represent the Fire.Twenty years later, he is making his dream a reality.

After a long and challenging road to get into MLS, Gehrig, who graduated from Loyola in 2009, has made the move from Ohio’s Columbus Crew back to Chicago after signing with the Fire on Dec. 16.

“It’s been crazy the last month and it’s probably going to get crazier when I get to wear the jersey in preseason here in the next three weeks, but I am beyond excited to be back home with family and friends,” said Gehrig. “It’s a dream. It’s honestly a home run.”

Signing with the Fire was an early birthday present for Gehrig, who was born on Christmas Day. Gehrig and his

Courtesy of Steve Woltmann

While Eric Gehrig played for the Loyola, the team won two Horizon League tournament titles.

twin brother Greg spent the early years of their childhood in Harvey, Illinois, before moving to Schererville, Indiana, when they were 6 years old.

Once the Gehrig brothers arrived in Schererville, the two boys quickly joined a local soccer program.

“My parents wanted to sign us –– me

and my brother –– up with some sports, so they signed us up with a local club in Schererville, Indiana, and we hit the ground running. My parents just wanted to get us involved with something, but little did they know how much it would change our lives,” Gehrig said.

SEE FIRE | PAGE 15

From the top restaurant openings to new comedy shows, the Arts & Entertainment section has all the must-see’s for the new year.

SEE A&E | PAGE 10

2 JANUARY 14, 2015 | LOYOLA PHOENIX

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Welcome, Ramblers, to another year of hard-hitting news, clever commentary and entertaining inside looks. We are glad to have you back and look forward to a great semester.

The new year has wasted no time in having newsrooms around the world bustling to catch up with the news, and The Phoenix is no exception. Everywhere, from Indonesia to Nigeria and Paris, 2015 promises to be another year full of commotion.

Last year we witnessed the unfolding of a war in Ukraine, which hit a tipping point with the annexation of Crimea into Russia. We saw a plane disappear, a passenger flight being shot out of the sky and a flight crash into the Java Sea. More than 200 girls were kidnapped and are still missing in Nigeria. We watched as people around the world challenged institution, protesting governments everywhere from the streets of Caracas to Hong Kong. Here in the United States, we saw hundreds of thousands across the nation walk with their hands up, protesting race-based violence, as well as a historic thaw in U.S.-Cuban relations.

Indeed, 2014 was a year of big stories developing in even the smallest of places. Here

at Loyola, we won a NCAA volleyball championship, saw a fraternity get suspended, completed Madonna della Strada chapel and got a new athletic director.

We ended the year in a sad note, saying goodbye and honoring a fellow student, killed in Chicago’s senseless violence.

We started 2015 shocked by the attacks in Paris, to which The Phoenix Editorial Board dedicates this week’s commentary. What struck us the most is not just the attacks per se, but the pernicious way in which extremism and radicalism is set in hurting the same culture and people they think they protect and avenge. Check out the Opinion pages for more on our position regarding the Charlie Hebdo attacks and why today we say “Nous ne sommes pas Charlie” –– we’re not Charlie.

The Phoenix is coming in full swing this semester, with stories ranging from the latest administration shifts in the university to look-aheads of our teams this season. In coming weeks, we’ll also be publishing hard-hitting investigations, including the latest on the murder of Loyola student Mutahir Rauf and the plans to complete a junior college at Loyola.

Pay attention to The Phoenix, wait for us as we come out Wednesday afternoons and check out our updates on Facebook, Twitter and our website, loyolaphoenix.com. This is a semester to consolidate our mission and build up from where we left off. This is a semester to create legacy through good journalism, and we’re not missing out any opportunities.

ESTHER D. CASTILLEJO

Editor-in-Chief @estherdcast

NEW 8-RIDE HOURS

6:30 p.m. - 4 a.m.

From 2:30 a.m. to 4 a.m., vans will be departing every 30 minutes from the southeast lobby of Cuneo Hall.

Calls from the IC will be picked up at the southeast lobby of Cuneo Hall.

SECURITY NOTEBOOK Compiled from Campus Safety Reports Times represent when incidents were reported, not necessarily when they occurred.

Dec. 16, 2:36 p.m.

1 Tuesday, A student reported that, as she walked off campus, a woman yelled and threatened to stab her.

Dec. 17, 6:07 p.m.

2 Wednesday, Campus Safety took possession of narcotics found by Residence Life staff in Bellarmine Hall.

3

Wednesday, Dec. 17, 3:58 p.m.

Campus Safety took possession of drug paraphernalia found by Residence Life staff in the Simpson Living and Learning Center.

4

Monday, Dec. 22, 2:37 p.m.

An Aramark employee reported a suspicious person wandering and opening boxes and envelopes in a restricted area in Baumhart Hall. The offender was caught on camera.

5

Saturday, Dec. 27 A suspicious person, reported by an Aramark employee on Dec. 22, was arrested and charged with criminal trespassing after entering Baumhart Hall.

6

Monday, Dec. 29, 3:54 p.m.

Graffiti was discovered on a fence within university property on Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus.

7

Monday, Dec. 29, 11:19 p.m.

A man was arrested after being reported to be harassing customers at the 7-11 near Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus.

8

Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2:05 a.m.

A person not affiliated with Loyola tried to break into Santa Clara Hall after getting locked out of a nearby building.

9

Sunday, Jan. 4, 5:53 p.m.

Three people were arrested and charged after being found drinking and smoking in the elevator lobby of the Morgan parking garage after having gotten trespassing warnings in the past. A fourth offender was let off.

10

Thursday, Jan. 8, 4:16 p.m.

A student was victim of check fraud after applying for a job on Craiglist.

11

Thursday, Jan. 8, 6:07 p.m.

Campus Safety found four individuals smoking marijuana in an off-campus parking garage in Rogers Park. Crack cocaine was also found upon inspection, which resulted in the arrest and charging of one of the offenders.

12

Thursday, Jan. 8, 6:54 p.m.

A suspicious person unaffiliated with the university was reported in Cuneo Hall.

The individual was transported back to his/her residence after Campus Safety officers determined he/she to be disoriented and unaware of the surrounding area.

13

Friday, Jan. 9, 9:07 a.m.

Several items were reported missing from Bellarmine Hall.

14

Sunday, Jan. 11, 2:10 p.m.

A student reported receiving harassing messages from a roommate.

LOYOLA PHOENIX STAFF Esther D. Castillejo Ashley Iannantone Robert Baurley Grace Runkel Sam Sartori Marissa Boulanger Ariahna Black Layne Hillesland Dominic Lynch

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NEWS | JANUARY 14,2015

3

PHOENIX 101 PEGIDA 101

Although the German political group PEGIDA was formed last year, it has received a steady amount of attention from the European press. However, after last week’s terrorist attacks in France, the group has made even more headlines.

What is PEGIDA? PEGIDA stands for “Patriotische Europäer gegen die Islamisierung des Abendlandes” –– a German phrase that translates to “Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West.”

The group is based out of Dresden, Germany.

It was founded in October 2014 by German activist Lutz Bachmann. The opinions of PEGIDA are outlined in its 19-point manifesto, but the group’s primary concern is stopping “Islamization.” Supporters of PEGIDA claim that too many Muslim refugees are immigrating to Germany in search of jobs and safety and that the country’s Judeo-Christian culture needs to be preserved through stricter immigration controls.

How are they protesting?

PEGIDA supporters have rallied in the streets of Dresden almost every Monday since Oct. 20, with a record 25,000 in attendance at their most recent protest on Jan. 12, according to BBC News. Supporting rallies have also begun in other German cities including Berlin, Cologne and Stuttgart. Demonstrators often chant, “We are the

people” –– a slogan adopted from the pro-democracy protests that took place in East Germany during the 1980s.

The group has also increased its presence online. During last week’s terrorist attacks in France, PEGIDA’s Facebook page gained more than 31,000 likes, bringing the page’s total likes to more than 128,000.

What has the response been like?

Counter demonstrations have emerged in response to the “anti-Islamization” rallies, and supporters of the protests against PEGIDA have typically outnumbered PEGIDA’s demonstrators. German chancellor Angela Merkel has criticized the group and urged Germans not to join PEGIDA’s movement.

“I say to all those who go to such demonstrations: do not follow those who have called the rallies because all too often they have prejudice, coldness, even hatred in their hearts,” Merkel said in her New Year’s address. “Worldwide, there are more refugees than we have seen since the Second World War. Many literally escaped death.

It goes without saying that we help them and take in people who seek refuge with us.”

Photo by Kalispera Dell // Wikimedia Commons

A record-breaking 25,000 PEGIDA supporters marched during the Jan. 12 protests in Dresden. The demonstration caused even more controversy when PEGIDA asked its supporters to wear black armbands in memorial of the Paris terrorist attack victims.

Photo by Gilly Berlin // Flickr

Protesters opposing PEGIDA gather in the streets of Berlin on Jan. 5 and outnumbered the PEGIDA supporters, according to The Telegraph.

Loyola Medical Center tops own world record

BY MARK SELLIN msellin@luc.edu The Loyola University Medical Center is birthing babies and breaking records.

The medical center will be featured in the 2015 edition of the Guinness Book of World Records for caring for the world’s smallest known baby.

Loyola has held the record for 26 years, first earning it in 1989 when Madeline Mann was born, weighing just 9.9 ounces, at the medical center in Maywood, Illinois. In 2004 Loyola topped its own record when it cared for Rumaisa Rahman, who weighed just 9.2 ounces.

Loyola’s neonatal unit has cared for more than 3,000 newborns that have weighed less than two pounds at birth. The medical center provides some of the most advanced technology for sick or premature infants, including 50 beds reserved for small babies.

In addition, many of the nurses who work in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) have been a part of Loyola’s staff for 20 years

or more and are trained in caring for premature infants, according to Dr. Jonathan K. Muraskas, head of the NICU. “The most important part of the center is the nurses who are at the bedsides of the infants 24/7,” said Muraskas. “The doctors, nurses and respiratory therapists are all taking care of babies. One reason Loyola has been successful is because of everybody working together.”

Muraskas first became part of Loyola University Medical Center in 1979. Since then, he has cared for around 20,000 sick or premature newborns.

Babies born at 37 weeks or before Photo courtesy of Loyola University Medical Center are a small percentage of infant births, Loyola University Medical Center, located in Maywood, Illinois, will be recognized in the 2015 edition of the Guiness Book of World Records yet they account for a large proportion for caring for two of the world’s smallest known babies. The center’s neonatal unit is specially equipped to care for premature infants. of infant deaths in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease freshman nursing/pre-med student Ivy Yip, 18. “This gives me some- as respiratory and visual issues.

Control and Prevention. Loyola’s Alexandra Gueli, 19. “I’m proud that thing to brag about with my friends Loyola’s NICU offers developmenNICU currently holds a 98 percent I chose Loyola to get my background, at other schools.” tal screening as well as referral care overall survival rate for all infants. and I’m even more excited to get to The medical center continues to throughout each patient’s first three The NICU’s work is inspiring for do clinical at hospitals that are making update its technology and innovative years of life. many Loyola students studying in the these leaps in health care.” research in the neonatal field. De“Everyday is a different experinursing field or planning on attendOther students share a similar spite Loyola’s record in premature ence,” Muraskas said. “We do our ing medical school. pride for Loyola’s medical center. infant survival, every baby born at a best to be compassionate to help “It’s fantastic that we are in a place “I’m honored to be a part of small size still has a large risk of de- the family and the baby so that the in health care that we can save the Loyola, especially the nursing veloping various symptoms during newborn can go home and live a lives of people big and small,” said school,” said freshman nursing major the following years after birth, such normal life.”

4 JANUARY 14, 2015 | NEWS

New businesses to open soon on Loyola-owned properties

Photo by Grace Runkel // The Phoenix

Loyola’s Montserrat, located just north of the Loyola Red Line stop, will soon be home to BMO Harris Bank and Pita Pit. Pita Pit is currently hiring employees for lunch, dinner and late night shifts. No experience is necessary and applications can be found at pitapitusa.com.

BY LAUREN SMITH lsmith16@luc.edu Students returning to Loyola for the spring semester may notice several new retail businesses scheduled to open around the Lake Shore Campus.

These businesses include Go Grocer, a small north side grocery store chain, scheduled to open Feb. 1 at the Granada Center Retail on Sheridan Road, which also houses the Loyola bookstore.

BMO Harris Bank is scheduled to relocate its Rogers Park site from the Granada Center to Loyola’s newly opened Montser-

rat location which is next to the Loyola Red Line stop on Sheridan Road and Loyola Avenue. This move is expected to happen sometime in the third week of March, according to Jose Garcia, bank manager at the BMO Harris Rogers Park branch.

Pita Pit, a Mediterranean restaurant specializing in pita wraps and sandwiches, will also open its doors at Loyola’s Montserrat. This new location is only the second Pita Pit in Chicago. The first is located near DePaul University on North Lincoln Avenue.

There are additional plans for four more retail or foodservice

businesses to move into Loyola’s Montserrat and Granada locations within the year, but due to the incoming companies’ terms, the names of these businesses have not yet been released to the public.

However, Brian O’Leary, the senior asset manager of Loyola’s real estate portfolio, did say these businesses may include two additional food services at Loyola’s Montserrat location, one phone carrier service and a possible 24-hour restaurant at the Granada Center.

Although O’Leary acknowledged that a 24-hour restaurant would be beneficial for Loyola students, he recognized the impor-

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tance of also meeting the needs of Rogers Park residents, which includes having local grocery stores and phone carrier locations. He described these essential needs of the community as a driving force behind bringing new businesses to the area.

“The best thing to do is to understand the needs of the community, to find out what we can use that is not there, then work with the retailers to educate them that there is a need and work to fill that,” said O’Leary.

He described the process of bringing commercial businesses to Loyola-owned properties as a twoway inquiry between the retailers and asset managers. This means that Loyola’s asset management and the prospective business tenants make the collective decision to move into a space owned by the university.

Once a retailer is interested in renting out a space owed by Loyola, the retailer and asset management will draw up a letter of intent, which serves as a foundation for a lease agreement between the retailer and the real estate management.

All revenue gained by Loyola’s retail leasing agreements contributes to Loyola’s total budget, some of which is used to finance other projects sponsored by the university.

“Some rental revenue or a portion of them –– for example, a million dollars of the Lewis Towers revenue is earmarked to support the Loyola Museum of Art –– are university-committed toward a particular university initiatives,” O’Leary said.

Currently Loyola owns several properties, including the Morgan at Loyola Station, Granada Center and the Montserrat in Rogers Park. Near the Water Tower Campus, Loyola owns Lewis Towers and various properties on State Street and Chicago Avenue, according to Loyola’s Department of Community Relations.

While there are many businesses scheduled to open in the near future, a Dunkin’ Donuts near State Street and Chicago Avenue and a Potbelly’s in the Morgan at Loyola Station opened for business in the past few months.

“We love Loyola; we are excited to get to know the community better,” said Chris Obedoza, Potbelly’s general manager at the Morgan location. “We are another place for students to come, hang out, to eat and study. It’s also nice to have more of a food variety for the [Rogers Park] community.”

Within the year students can expect to see more economic development around campus. A proposal is currently being negotiated

by Loyola’s capital planning and Atira Hotels –– a hotel development company –– to build a six-story Hampton Inn on Albion Avenue, according to DNAinfo Chicago.

The start date for this hotel project has not yet been determined, but is expected to begin within the year, according to O’Leary.

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CREATE CHANGE ON CAMPUS ON CAMPUS

Student Government of Loyola Chicago

Internal Elections for Senate positions are on January 20th!

Join us in Damen MPR South at 4 PM Contact sglc@luc.edu for more information!

Appointed positions are open as well!

Find more information about our applications to be a Student Government Associate Justice, a University Senate Senator, or a Student Government Communication’s Officer by visiting our Facebook page at Facebook.com/SGLoyolaChicago!

Applications due January 17th at 5 PM.

We’re hiring

OPEN POSITIONS: Design Editor copy editor webmaster Interested?

Contact Esther Castillejo at estherdcast@gmail.com

OPINION | JANUARY 14, 2015

5

OPINION

Ben Ledbetter// Flickr

Demonstrators in Paris march in unity against terrorist violence. Twelve people were killed Jan. 5 when the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo was attacked by radical Islamists.

Freedom under fire: We stand with France STAFF EDITORIAL Stephane Charbonnier. Georges Wolinski. Jean Cabut. Bernard Verlhac.

When the world rang in the new year just two weeks ago, these names were the pens behind sharp, critical and, to some, offensive cartoons printed in the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. They were journalists, cartoonists, critics and, to many, blasphemers for portraying religious figures — in particular the Muslim prophet Muhammad — in satirical light.

Today, Charbonnier (Charb), Wolinski, Cabut (Cabu), Verlhac (Tignous) and eight other journalists, contributors and policemen are widely known for something else –– their deaths. A mere week ago they were gunned down in the newspaper’s Paris headquarters by three men claiming to be members of al-Qaida in Yemen. Their crime: exercising the freedom of expression (and the freedom to offend) that is fundamental to democracy. The liberte of one of France’s most controversial newspapers is now ridden with bullets.

“Je suis Charlie” (“I am Charlie”) has become a worldwide cry of solidarity to the writers and a way to stand up to this attack on freedom of speech, on freedom itself. This week’s cover of Charlie Hebdo –– of which 3 million copies were printed instead of its usual 60,000 –– even depicts the prophet Muhammad with the now-fa-

mous sign. Tens of world leaders, including some from countries that are known for lack of freedom of speech, such as Turkey, gathered with hundreds of thousands of demonstrators to reject violence. They too said, “Je suis Charlie.”

Although we at The Phoenix cannot call ourselves Charlie Hebdo, since we would never have published the kind of commentary the magazine did, which we consider offensive, we unquestionably condemn such an attack on journalism. We are not Charlie, but we stand with Charlie Hebdo and freedom.

Charlie Hebdo cannot be sugarcoated, and the cartoonists there, those who died and those who remain, don’t want it to be.

Charlie Hebdo has for years been blatantly racist and intolerant toward religion, imposing its laicite in the world and mocking everything else.

But no one deserves to die for publishing an opinion. No one deserves to die for exercising the freedom of making fun of something, even if offensively.

But as news organizations around the world continue to grapple with the choice of publishing Charlie Hebdo’s cartoons, fearing that retributions similar to what happened last week could now take place in their own newsrooms, The Phoenix cannot help but think of what has really been hurt by the bullets shot in Paris on Jan. 7.

The Charlie Hebdo attack was more than an attack on a magazine. It was an attack on the freedom of expression and the

THE PHOENIX EDITORIAL BOARD

freedom of speech –– two fundamental liberties that are paramount in countries around the world, and ones that lie at the heart of American democracy.

Committing to freedom of expression means defending expression across the board, even when it is vulgar, offensive, useless or — in Charlie Hebdo’s case — considered blasphemous by people of faith.

Let us make the distinction clear: We do not support offensive satire, but we unequivocally support the right to publish it.

But we cannot turn a blind eye and say the attack at the magazine and those that followed it, which resulted in the loss of five more innocent lives, is just about freedom of speech. We cannot say that journalism has been the only victim. Even if the event has added an extra coat of fear to the daily anxieties of journalists around the world, and newsrooms have become more tense, journalism itself is far from the only victim of last week’s attacks.

Indeed, there are more than 12 victims in this massacre. Journalism has been unquestionably hurt, but 1.6 billion Muslims — 23 percent of the world’s total population — have also been hurt.

Last week’s killings put Islam in a widely undeserved shadow, lumping together an entire group of faithful into a category that only represents a minority of Muslims: radicals. In particular, European Muslims are now in a dire situation as they face a rising tide of anti-Islam sentiments across

the continent. Recent protests in Germany, France and the United Kingdom have underscored growing xenophobia against Muslim immigrants and refugees, who already faced discrimination.

The Charlie Hebdo attack will now also serve as a galvanizing event for a large and growing movement against Europe’s Muslims. The radicals who conducted the attack felt they were protecting Islam. To the contrary, their attack will unfortunately play into the fears of European xenophobes and hurt an Islamic community that was already under scrutiny.

This is the paradox, the irony with all forms of radicalism that lead to violence: In the end, radicals end up hurting the same institutions and people they think they are avenging or protecting.

Democracy thrives because we are free to disagree with and criticize, even sharply so, our leaders and fellow citizens. At no other point in history were people as free as we are now to criticize their government without fear of reprisal. The best and worst element of free speech is that even if we don’t have to enjoy or agree with everything that is published, we have the liberty to publish and engage in what we choose. Last week’s attack in Paris was an attempt to silence with force what should have been argued with words. The French have rightly rejected this violence and have recommitted themselves to freedom of expression and freedom of speech.

We at The Phoenix do the same.

Black Grace Runkel Esther Castillejo Dominic Lynch Ariahna

Joaquin Carrig Marissa Boulanger Ashley Iannantone Nader Issa

6

JANUARY 14, 2015 | OPINION

Meet the new Osama bin Laden

BY ZACH SNYDER zsnyder@luc.edu President Barack Obama has labeled the Islamic State, known as ISIS, as one of the greatest threats to the national security of the United States and the world, which is why he decided to launch an air campaign last November in Iraq and Syria to dismantle the terrorist organization. In 2015, however, there should be a more specific objective: capture or kill the head of the Islamic State.

Forget about al-Qaida’s Ayman Al-Zawahiri or the Taliban’s Mullah Omar. I would like to introduce you to Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, the United States’ new target on the universal black list of terrorist scum.

Al-Baghdadi, the so-called “Caliph,” which is a label for a successor to the Muslim prophet Muhammad, is the head of ISIS, the terrorist and militant organization that has

been deemed too extreme even by al-Qaida.

Al-Baghdadi is referred to as the “new Osama bin Laden,” but his successes in Iraq and Syria are far superior as a terrorist to what bin Laden could even have even dreamed to aspire to.

Prior to his awakening in Camp Bucca, a military prison camp for jihadists during the Iraq War, Al-Baghdadi was Ibrahim Awwad Ibrahim Ali al-Badri. After the 2003 invasion in Iraq, U.S forces captured him because of his affiliation with Iraq’s al-Qaida cell, which was at the time under the leadership of Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, who American forces later eliminated.

Al Baghdadi’s brand of extremism brings genocide and persecution to anyone under its rule, including minorities, women, children and Iraqi Christians. The Islamic State rules as a cold-blooded murdering and brutal regime. Al-Baghdadi’s strategy has been effective, and if he is not stopped now, then it may be too late to ever stop him. Last summer, for instance, ISIS revealed chilling plans to conquer the Middle East, North Africa, Turkey, Greece and even Spain in an attempt to establish an “Islamic State” in lands that at one time or another were ruled by Muslims.

Fortunately, the chances of this happening are very slim.

ISIS’ success in Iraq can lead to the assumption that Al-Baghdadi is organized and extremely disciplined. He could very well capture Syria and Iraq if the U.S. airstrike campaigns prove to be a failure. There is a real potential that Al-Baghdadi could muscle out the Assad Regime in Syria. However, the Russians, Iranians and Hezbollah — the Iranian-funded terrorist group — will not let that happen, which would make a coup difficult. Additionally, under Al-Baghdadi’s leadership, ISIS has acquired swaths of territory in both Iraq and Syria with 35,000 or more estimated militants. It also possesses sophisticated American weaponry, which was stolen from the Iraqi military.

Uniquely, ISIS’ financial income comes from oil, rather than donations. Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida network was never able to mobilize with any of the tactics like ISIS has, which makes Al-Baghdadi even more threatening.

So what do we do? We take him out.

While there is no guarantee a predator drone missile strike will permanently disrupt ISIS’ network, I am willing to bet that it

could split ISIS into multiple factions, which may unfortunately stir Syria and Iraq into deeper chaos. Al-Baghdadi’s sophistication and leadership are the driving forces behind the momentum of ISIS’ success. A drone strike would be the most realistic option.

Sending in the Special Operations such as the Navy SEALS, specifically SEAL Team Six, would be extraordinarily difficult and chances of success would be low due to the lack of American or allied military presence in the ISIS-controlled regions around Mosul, Iraq, and Raqqa, Syria. We have to rely on tradecraft and intelligence resources from the CIA to identify his location. Then, we send in a drone to finish the job. ISIS is not only a threat to the United States, but to the world, and there is no room for its existence in the 21st century.

I was at Ground Zero three weeks ago and it was a very chilling experience. I do not want another 9/11 here in the United States. If the United States is able to eliminate Al-Baghdadi, then we may be able to stop ISIS. Zach Snyder is a contributing columnist

American drilling means cheaper gas

Fracking in the United States and tar sand extraction in Canada is beginning to challenge OPEC dominance

BY MANUEL FERNANDEZ mfernandez6@luc.edu In the past few months, drivers have enjoyed low gas prices at the pump. The average price for a gallon of gasoline in the Unites States at the close of 2014 was $2.29- a level unseen since 2009. GasBuddy. com, which publishes a yearly forecast for gasoline prices, predicts that consumers will pay an average of $2.64 for a gallon of gas in 2015. This represents the lowest yearly average since 2009.

Low gas prices are a direct result of the tumbling value of a barrel of crude oil. In July of 2014, a barrel of crude oil cost an average of $102 on the commodities market. As of press time, crude oil is trading for $48.69. Why is oil so cheap now and getting cheaper? Has the United States finally outdone other oil-producing countries?

The dramatic drop over the second half of 2014 can be broadly attributed to both an increase in the supply of oil, on account of booming production in North America, and to a decision by OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) member states to maintain their own levels of output. OPEC is an intergovernmental organization that brings petroleum-producing nations together to shape the oil markets in their joint interests. Their recent decision to maintain output levels, even as oil prices fall, was opposed by Venezuela and seven other member states. However, since an action by OPEC requires unani-

mous consent, Saudi Arabia and three other member states were able to block proposed reductions in output.

North American production is driven by two methods that until recently haven’t been feasible or cost efficient.

The first method, hydraulic fracturing, also known as fracking, is a process whereby previously inaccessible oil and natural gas reserves locked in shale formations deep underground are released by drilling vertically and horizontally into the ground and injecting a mixture of water, sand and chemicals at high pressure. This process releases the oil and gas from the formations and makes them available for further refinement and consumption.

The other method is used primarily in the oil sands of northeastern Alberta, Canada. There, oil is locked in bitumen deposits. Bitumen can be compared to a form of tar that cannot be used, or even efficiently transported, without refinement. In order to extract crude oil from these deposits, the bitumen must be purified in two stages. First, it is mixed with approximately 12 barrels of water to separate it from the sands. It is then subjected to heat and pressure, after which it can be transported as crude oil.

These two methods of oil extraction have made available enormous amounts of previously inaccessible oil that is now flooding the market. Greater supply coupled with no change in demand will necessarily result in falling prices.

The decision by OPEC to not reduce its output ensures for the time being that the supply of oil on the market will remain elevated, and that the price of oil will remain low. The OPEC member states that wished to reduce output wanted stabilize the amount of oil on the market by countering increased North American supply by scaling back their own supply. By doing so, they

would have prevented the price of oil from falling as much as it has.

The drop in the value of a barrel of crude is not without its costs. If the prices fall too much, companies that produce shale oil will cease to be profitable. Stephen Chazen, the CEO of Occidental Petroleum, speaking to The Economist, a London-based financial newsmagazine, noted that the shale oil industry is “not healthy” when crude oil trades for less that $70 a barrel. Another shale oil executive, Harold Hamm, was quoted in the same article saying that he thinks his company can remain solvent as long as the price per barrel remains above $50.

Oil extracted from tar sands is less vulnerable to falling prices. Carl Evans, an oil analyst at Genscape, speaking to the magazine Bloomberg Businessweek, estimates that bitumen oil projects can break even with traditional crude oil trading for as little as $10-$20 a barrel. High fixed costs in these projects, however, could mean that investors could be less likely to provide the initial capital these companies require if the opportunities for profit are diminished by low oil prices.

Thus the decision by OPEC can be understood as a long-term play for more market share. By sacrificing short-term profit margins by not restricting supply, and therefore pushing the price of oil up, it is making its North American competitors less profitable and limiting the potential for growth in a still-developing market.

Over time, if it succeeds in inducing North American production to peak, OPEC could begin to restrict supply in order to raise oil prices and achieve greater profits. Should the productive capacity of North America continue to grow, however, OPEC may no longer be able to manipulate the price of oil to its benefit.

Manuel Fernandez is a contributing columnist

The fall in g oil prices

$2.29 Average price of gasoline at the end of 2014

$2.64 The predicted 2015 average for a gallon of gasoline

$102 Price of a barrel of crude oil in July of 2014

$48.69 Price of a barrel of crude oil at press time

The reason?

There is more oil because of different extraction methods, such as fracking

PHOTO BRIEFS | JANUARY 14, 2015

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PHOTO BRIEFS cut down on the booze Let’s be honest, a little less alcohol consumption can mean less weight gain and/or a smaller dent in your wallet. Plus it’s much easier to get schoolwork done on the weekend when you aren’t waking up with a throbbing headache.

Go to some games

Visit halas

Why not get the most out of your college experience and cheer on your school’s various athletic teams? Admission to games and events is always free with your LUC ID, and you can usually count on Sister Jean or Lu Wolf making an appearance.

BY ELLEN BAUCH | ebauch@luc.edu

The new renovations presented bigger and better spaces for both cardio machines and weightlifting equipment, which means the rooms are not as packed as most gyms are at the beginning of January. If working out solo isn’t your thing, you can always attend one of the many group fitness classes.

When Jan. 1 rolls around, many people take the start of a new year as a prime opportunity to initiate some sort of positive change in their lives. Whether they succeed the entire year and beyond or fall behind in only three days, new year’s resolutions can still be a motivating force for people to try new things or improve bad habits. Whether you are into the cliche of resolutions or not, here are some small ways you can improve your life at Loyola in 2015.

A little less coffee, a little more sleep

Compromising sleep for schoolwork and trying to conceal the bags under your eyes with a cup of coffee can only work for so long before disaster strikes. The best thing you can do for your body (and your sanity!) is set a certain number of hours of sleep for yourself each night. Even if you have to start at six and work your way up, it’ll still beat constantly pulling all-nighters .

Attend Class, make friends

While Loyola’s lakeside location is ideal in warm weather, it makes for one of the coldest and windiest winters, and seems to be a good enough reason for many students to skip classes and stay warm.

Do your best to brave the cold.

And while you’re in class, resolve to befriend a classmate or two.

Besides adding a new person to your friend circle, you also have a great resource for homework help and study groups.

where to warm up this winter

8 JANUARY 14, 2015 | CLOSER LOOK

BY ELIZABETH GREIWE egreiwe@luc.edu

Bitter winds that blow you off course. Snow that seeps through your definitely-not-winter-appropriate boots. Black ice that skillfully hides under unshoveled sidewalks. Ankle-length overpriced North Face jackets. Home Alone ski masks.

Yes, it’s winter in Chicago. And while December let the city off relatively easy, January is back with a vengeance. It’s hard for most students to stay holed-up in their dorms or apartments for three months. Rather than tramping across the city through bone-chilling cold to beat your cabin fever, though, curl up at one of these cozy spots in Loyola’s very own Rogers Park. Between books, coffee and comics, you’re going to make it until spring. We promise.

Armadillo’s Pillow

6753 N. Sheridan Road Open daily.

This used bookstore gives off a vibe somewhere between Dumbledore’s office and your hippy aunt’s living room. Books spill over every surface, and with well-worn chairs nestled into most corners, it’s easy to pass a few hours perusing the budget-friendly collection. Most books cost from $1 to $5, but some hardcovers or rare finds will be pricier. You can even find a box of free books from time to time. But be careful: If you stay too long, you may never be able to scrub off the smell of incense.

Photos by Ellen Bauch // The PHOENIX

Ellipsis 1259 W. Devon Ave. Open daily.

Ellipsis has only been around since last spring, but the shop has already earned itself a good reputation thanks to its strong coffee and tidy, exposed-brick look. The corner window overlooking Devon Avenue doesn’t hurt, either. It’s the kind of place where customers can experiment with their brews. Occasionally, when it’s quiet, the baristas will let customers try a taste of exotic espresso or other new wares. Owners Chris and Meghan Zimmerman are always striving for the perfect cup and only use coffee beans that are fair trade certified, which means the farmers that grew the beans were paid a fair wage for their work.

Photos by Joe Bosch // The PHOENIX

CLOSER LOOK | JANUARY 14, 2015

1445 W. Devon Ave. Open daily except Mondays.

A self-proclaimed “mom ‘n’ pop cupcake shop,” Maddiebird is a great place to satisfy a sweet tooth.

Cupcakes are available in-store every day for $3.50 each, but students can call ahead to order more than a dozen. The bakery is small, bright and comfy — a great place to munch on a cupcake while catching up on class reading. Baked goods are also available for those who are vegan or gluten-free. The real centerpiece at Maddiebird, though, is the cake.

With whimsical designs, owner Michele McAtee can create a masterpiece out of fondant and batter. But you pay a price for such decadence — cakes start at $35 and serve at least 14 people.

Photos by Joe Bosch // The PHOENIX

Maddiebird Bakery

Growling Rabbit 6981 N. Sheridan Road Open daily except Mondays.

Catering to vegans, vegetarians and meat-lovers alike, the Growling Rabbit is a cornerstone of the Rogers Park cafe scene. Together with Sweet Atilla’s bakery, the cafe tries to keep all its food as local and as fresh as possible. Set just below street level with big bay windows, Growling Rabbit is the perfect place to order a big, highly caffeinated cappuccino and hammer out an essay. Some of the most popular menu items include the vegan breakfast sandwich, mac and cheese and the turkey Gouda chutney sandwich.

Photos by Ellen Bauch // The PHOENIX

Third Coast Comics 6234 N. Broadway Open daily except Mondays.

Third Coast Comics is more than just a comic book store: It’s a community. Offering events such as a comic book tea party, a Doctor Who meetup and an outing to see The Hobbit, Third Coast has made itself not only the place to buy comics in Edgewater, but also the place to embrace them. The small store is lined with black wire racks filled with comics and other “geeky” gifts, and customers are encouraged to sit and read as well as shop. The staff is usually more than ready to answer any questions, and the store carries more than just the well-known comics; Third Coast also supports a few independent creators. With its jarring red and blue walls, walking into the store almost feels like stepping into a panel of a comic strip.

Photos by Marissa Boulanger // The PHOENIX

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10 JANUARY 14, 2015 |A&E

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Pick up the remote for spring TV

BY LAYNE HILLESLAND lhillesland@luc.edu As students trudge through the dirty slush of the city’s streets, one of the few things to look forward to are the distant sounds of summer (and with Chicago’s weather, that won’t come until after we’re long done with school). In the mean time, the returns and premieres of our favorite TV shows are what can keep spirits up while huddled inside dorm rooms and apartments.

Here are some shows that are returning or premiering this spring season and kicking up some hype (beware of spoilers):

The Walking Dead: Returning to AMC Feb. 8 (Sundays at 8 p.m.)

Courtesy of American Movie Classics

Season five of The Walking Dead continues Feb. 8 on AMC.

Zombie-thriller The Walking Dead is picking up the second half of its fifth season this February. The show began when small-town sheriff Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) wakes up in an empty hospital and

soon realizes the world has been overtaken by “walkers” (the term characters use in the show to refer to zombies). Since then, The Walking Dead has featured four and a half seasons of bloody zombie slaying from a variety of characters in different locations.

One such destination was the Atlanta hospital the characters left off at in season five’s mid-season finale (aired Nov. 30, 2014). The first half of the season introduced a group of policemen who forced people to stay and work in the hospital. Beth (Emily Kinney) was one such character captured by the policemen. Rick and the rest of the gang worked to retrieve Beth, but the encounter with the policemen left Beth suddenly dead.

Over winter break, Walking Dead fans had the chance to digest the shocking loss of a major character, and maybe we’ve stopped crying ourselves to sleep. Now fans are ready to find out what is in store for the rest of the main characters.

Where will they go next? The show keeps featuring a mysterious character who is following the main group. When will we find out what he wants...that is, if he ever catches up? Will Carl (Chandler Riggs) ever take off his hat? Rick gave him his sheriff’s hat back in season two and Carl has yet to be featured in an episode without it. He probably has lice by now.

Downton Abbey: Returned to PBS Jan. 4 (Sundays at 8 p.m.)

Season five of the award-winning drama Downton Abbey returned

to PBS shortly after the new year.

The first season took viewers back to 1912 when the Titanic sank.

Following the prestigious Crawley family in England, the series has given viewers an inside look

Courtesy of Masterpiece Theatre

Joanne Froggat (who plays Anna Bates) recently won the 2015 Golden Globe award for Best Supporting Actress in a Dramatic TV Series.

at the secrets and manners of the many characters living in the mansion named Downton Abbey. When season three left off with the death of lead character Matthew Crawley (Dan Stevens), his wife, Lady Mary Crawley (Michelle Dockery), spent the majority of season four in mourning. Toward the end, Mary becomes wooed by two different bachelors, forcing her to make the heavy decision of if she wishes to marry again and to whom.

Season five picks up with this sub-plot, along with others such as Lady Edith’s (Laura Carmichael) secret child and Thomas’ (Rob James-Collier) attempts to be the most loved of the Crawley’s servants while hiding his feelings for his fellow servant James (Ed Speleers). The season opener fea-

tured a fire at the Downton mansion, and with the new character, Lady Rose McClaren, season five is looking to spur as much drama as previous seasons.

The Celebrity Apprentice: Returned to NBC Jan. 12 (Mondays at 7 p.m.)

This spring Donald Trump returns with his 14th season of the reality show The Celebrity Apprentice.

The show is known for grouping together a wide range of celebrities to duke it out over various business ventures (e.g. running a pizza place, filming a car commercial).

Each episode features catfights between contestants and Trump ending each episode with telling one contestant “you’re fired.” The overall goal for the contestants is to stay in the game and win money for their chosen charity.

This season’s contestants include former Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson, teen pop star Kevin Jonas and football wide receiver Terrell Owens. In a recent interview with the New York Post, Trump commented that compared to previous seasons, this group of contestants “is the meanest, by far.”

big news for the show’s main character (Knope), who landed a job to run the National Parks office and also found out she’s pregnant with triplets.

The show has brought in a lot of success from previous years: In 2014 Poehler won a Golden Globe for Best Comedy Actress in a TV show and the show has been nominated several times for Best Comedy TV show at the Golden Globe and Emmy awards. Yet the show has fizzled out over the past couple of seasons since all of the characters have reached their ideal goals in the show (Tom has opened a restaurant, Ron is happily married with a family, Andy is becoming a local success as the children’s singer Johnny Karate, etc.).

Parks and Recreation: Returned to NBC Jan. 13 (Tuesdays at 7 p.m.)

Amy Poehler won the 2014 Golden Globe for Best Actress in a TV Comedy.

Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler), Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) and all the other characters who brought you humor from Pawnee, Indiana, are finally saying goodbye.

Parks and Recreation originally kicked off in 2009 and is now on its final season, which premiered Jan. 13. The previous season ended with

With little conflict for the characters, the show has lost humor from other episodes that featured loads of small town government happenings.

This last season will wrap up any loose ends and give fans closure, but writers will have to bring in the zest that has been fizzling out in order for the show to end with a bang.

Courtesy of Universal Media Studios

Move aside Muppets: Momentos Mori comes to Neeson Theater

BY EMMA HARLEY eharley@luc.edu Social media, death and…puppets? At first glance, Mementos Mori may seem like it’s in over its head.

The production promises a fully immersive multimedia experience combining cinematic-quality puppetry, music from a live chamber ensemble and three stories dealing with the mystery of death — all within an 80-minute program. Combating the mystery of death while addressing the quirks of living in a digital world, pupeteer troupe Manual Cinema introduces Mementos Mori, the largest puppet show of its five-year career.

The debut of this darkly humorous production is part of the brand new Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival. The festival runs from Jan. 14-25 in some of the most well-known performing arts venues in the city, including the Art Institute, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Second City and the Museum of Contemporary Art. Mementos Mori aims to bring emotional complexity and creative ingenuity to three

Photo courtesy of Jerry Shulman

Manual Cinema’s Momentos Mori will be at the Edlis Neeson Theater Jan. 15 - 17.

stories centered on the relationship between technology and death in the modern world.

Manual Cinema’s artistic director, Julia Miller, explained in an interview with The Phoenix that the play’s plot revolves around three protagonists: a young girl confronting the idea of death for the first time when she is visited by visions of dying birds, a bike messenger exploring her own mortality through an iPhone and an elderly gentle-

man granted a second chance at life when he falls in love with a mysterious stranger.

Death is personified as a fourth character who uses a smartphone app, rather than the traditional scythe, to do her dirty work. But when Death loses her phone, it falls into the hands of the characters, who then hold the power of life and death in their pockets.

Miller cited the films The Seventh Seal (1957) and Magnolia (1999)

as inspirations for the production’s unique stories. Both films feature a personified death figure that lurks through the lives of its victims by influencing the events of their lives to ensure their eventual demise. The stories of Mementos Mori’s characters intertwine to create a narrative aimed at answering questions such as “What happens to our digital self when our physical self passes on?”

“This was the first time [the artists from the company] all came together into the writing room to create something completely original,” Miller said.

She also discussed how the collaboration of the company through writing, stage work and performing the show allowed for an abundance of creativity to come alive through the production. Miller emphasized that the production itself is as big as the subject matter.

“The story is important, but what it all comes down to is the technical work involved,” she said. “What really brings the stories alive are the performances of the puppeteers.”

The show requires seven overhead projectors, six puppeteers, three floor-to-ceiling projection screens and two live television feeds.

All of these features are combined with a soundtrack provided by sound effects and a live choir.

“We want the vocabulary of cinema to translate to our overhead projectors through the multimedia we use,” Miller said.

The production is being sponsored by the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA). By offering a parttime residency to Manual Cinema, the MCA has provided a platform for fine-tuning the show, an experience that Miller described as “invaluable.”

Miller said she hopes that the wealth of effort, imagination and special effects come together to create a truly unforgettable experience.

Mementos Mori run Jan. 15-17 at 7:30 p.m. and Jan. 18 at 3 p.m. in the Edlis Neeson Theater of the MCA (220 E. Chicago Ave.). Tickets are $28 and are available at the MCA Box Office (312.397.4010) or www. mcachicago.org.

What’s on your calendar?

A&E | JANUARY 14, 2015

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BY CLAIRE MILLER |cmiller8@luc.edu

Between being a productive student and being sad about winter, pencil the following concerts into your calendar, because shows in January and February are likely to remind you why living in Chicago is worth the potential frostbite.

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er st Photo courtesy of wearedelasoul.com

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Logic Friday, Jan. 30, 7:30 p.m. at Riviera Theatre (4746 N. Racine Ave), $24 After gaining recognition from years of free mixtapes and hip-hop blog commentary, Logic (Sir Robert Bryson Hall II) dropped his first album, Under

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Feburary

Photo courtesy of Vagrant Records

Bad Suns Monday, Feb. 9, 6:30 p.m. at Lincoln Hall (2424 N. Lincoln Ave.), $18 at the door Alternative rock band Bad Suns is adding its own fresh, modern twist to classic groups 15 such as The Cure.

While the band’s track “Cardiac Arrest,” a song about an electrifying but tumultuous relationship, has more than 11 million plays on Spotify, its other single “Salt” has gained recog-

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De La Soul Thursday, Jan. 15, 9 p.m. at The Promontory (5311 S. Lake Park Ave West), 20$2550

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Pressure, near the end of 2014 after signing with major record label Def Jam. He toured as an opening act on Kid Cudi’s Cud Life Tour in 2013 before he was signed.

The Maryland-born rapper first released the tape Young, Broke, and Infamous in 2010 and continued with three more tapes that increased in

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nition with its accompanying music video that explores themes of gender identity. The band’s album Language & Perspective was named one of the best releases of 2014 by the Huffington Post, and now the group 16 is set to play at Coachella in April.

Taking cues from eras before, the California-based band has created something entirely unique and refreshing. It could be the start of another classic.

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Theop h ilus Londo n Monda y, 7 p.m .@ B otto m Lo unge

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For those who were left wanting more after the trio's performance at the hip-hop showcase AAHH! Fest last September, De la Soul is back with more, performing at this intimate venue as part of Hypnotic Brass Ensemble’s 21 Southside Music Se-

ries. The trio of De La Soul proved that even past its ‘90s prime with iconic album 3 Feet and Rising, it still can move and energize a crowd.

In a nutshell, De La Soul puts out upbeat, bouncy sounds, heavy on instrumental22 beats, funky vibes and seam-

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popularity, ultimately landing him a record deal.

He calls himself “Young Sinatra” throughout his tapes in reference to the influence the Frank Sinatra films he watched growing up had on his character.

Logic’s alternative style experiments with many different instrumentals and discusses themes of his

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Ben Howard Wednesday 7:30 p.m. @ Riviera Theatre

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Sleater-Kinney Tuesday, Feb. 17, 7:30 p.m. at Riviera Theatre (4746 N. Racine Ave.), face-value tickets sold out (starting at $82 on Stubhub).

The music world is

hyped for the return of the feminist, all-women rock band after its long, unexplained nine-year hiatus. A leading punk rock group of the ‘90s and part of the riot grrrl scene (feminist hardcore punk movement),

Hozier Wednesday, Feb. 25, 7:30 p.m. at Riviera Theatre (4746 N. Racine Ave.), face-value tickets sold out (starting at $147 on Stubhub)

With a serious demeanor (only cracking the occasional smile) and a calm, confident stage presence, Irish musician and 24-yearold Hozier’s (Andrew Hozier-Byrne) crooning voice is the focal

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16 less transitions between each rapper.

Hypnotic Brass Ensemble is an eight-piece jazz band of brothers, all sons of jazz musician Philip Cohran, who made their living playing their music on the streets of Chicago.23 Since they started recording

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own identity and race.

His debut solo album Under Pressure addresses his difficult upbringing for the first time, which makes it a record with a full concept and narrative that is arguably his most mature and developed sound yet. His incredible flow and passion for his craft should produce an enjoyable performance.

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Thomas Jack Thursday, Feb. 5, 10 p.m.- 4 a.m. at The Mid (306 N. Halsted St.), $25 (21+) Australian DJ Thomas Jack will be coming through with uplifting energy and sound during his On and Off 12Jack tour this winter. remixes both popular songs and more obscure tracks (give “Atlas Hands” and “Gold” a listen). He has many popular sets posted on Soundcloud, coining the term “tropical

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Sleater-Kinney started as a side project of Corin Tucker and Carrie Brownstein, but became their focus in 1994 once they brought on drummer Laura Macfarlane (Janet Weiss is the current member).

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point to his increasingly popular presence in today’s music scene.

His slow, sultry sound, especially on the track “Take Me to Church,” makes it seems like it would not be a song made for radio by any means, yet

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house” to describe his music’s overall vibe.

His addictively upbeat yet chill sound that is meant to invoke feelings of summer should be able to melt away both stress and cold-weather woes. Previously, Jack toured with 13 on music producer Kygo his Endless Summer tour that just wrapped up in December. Two other up-and-coming DJs, Sam Feldt from the Netherlands and Redux from France, will also play.

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The group has been critically acclaimed and gained recognition for its bold statements concerning feminism and liberal politics. Its sound is heavy, passionate and unapologetic.

Sleater-Kinney’s re-

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has completely exploded into the mainstream.

Hozier is influenced by the blues and James Joyce, and writes songs about love, sexuality and religion. He also has great hair.

He performed at Met-

January 17

their own compositions, they have toured the world and performed with many well-known artists, especially hiphop artists.

Hypnotic Bass and De La Soul have performed together before, but this show should 24 be special nonetheless.

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Photo courtesy of Def Jam Records

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14 Valentine’s Day Cherub, 8 p.m. @ Concord Music Hall

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union album No Cities to Love is set to drop Jan. 20, but singles “Bury Our Friends” and “Surface Envy” were already released. Now you have the chance to catch the band at the beginning of its comeback tour.

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ro (3730 N. Clark St.) just a few months ago and appeared on SNL in October and the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show in December. Fair warning to possible attendees, though:You most likely will fall in love about seven notes in.

12 JANUARY 14, 2015 | A&E

New year, new eats

BY ALEXANDRA JONKER ajonker@luc.edu A new year in Chicago means a new year full of food tasting opportunities. If the transition from home-cooked meals to dining hall cuisine has proven to be tough, or even if you are just planning your first weekend back in the city, The Phoenix has your appetite covered. The following restaurants are all new to the Chicago area and eager to offer you fresh flavors and new dining experiences for the new year.

Andorka’s Sandwich Shop 2110 S. Halsted St. In August of 2014, restaurant owner Matt Andorka began funding for his dream through Kickstarter — sharing his love of sandwiches in his own business. Open since Jan. 8, Andorka aims to create good Chicago-style sandwiches, which to him means lots of toppings including turkey, tomatoes, cheese, zucchini, bell peppers, eggs, sausage and steak, just to name a few.

The shop boasts house-baked bread, locally sourced ingredients and potato chips that are fried to order, with all sandwiches priced $6-$8. If a cheaply priced, gigantic sandwich isn’t tempting enough as is, the shop also has a cozy fireplace and dark roast coffee brews. This shop is a little bit of a trek south though, located off of the Halsted stop on the Orange Line.

Cafe Monsivais 1637 W. 18th St. Just a block away from the National Museum of Mexican Art off the Paulina Pink Line stop in the Pilsen neighborhood, this

cafe is inspired by the great writer and human rights activist Carlos Monsivais. A diverse array of Parisian/Mexican cafe delights under $15 are offered for lunch and dinner.

An open-faced brie pita and chicken mole sound especially fresh from the menu, seasoned with truffle oil — something that isn’t typically found for such a cheap price.

The cafe also features plates such as charred octopus tartine with white bean spread ($11) and Parisian-style croque monsieur ($10). There are also Mexican classics such as tamales ($3 each) and Veracruz-style shrimp mole with braised plantains ($23). The restaurant also has a private reading room for a quieter cafe experience.

BarTucci 3426 N. Harlem Ave. The newest Chicago establishment from the Bartucci family (owners of Pasta Fresh — a pasta and sauce factory — and restaurant Nonna Carmela), this venture is all about healthy, homemade Italian food. With a focus on fresh pasta and focaccia, the menu offers eight different pasta dishes (all under $20) ranging from pumpkin-filled tortelli ($14) to Angus beef steak braciole ($15).

You can also conveniently order food and make reservations online. BarTucci also has the option of BYOB. To get there, simply get off the Addison Red Line stop and take the 152 bus west to Harlem.

GRUB Chicago 1230 W. Taylor St. Calling itself the “new breed

of soul food restaurants” on the frontpage of its website, GRUB offers classic American soul food that will not deplete your budget.

GRUB offers entrees such as Chilean sea bass with champagne butter sauce and caviar ($15), gumbo ($12), a “smothered” gravy chicken dish ($12) and whiskey braised Cornish hen ($13).

The restaurant also has a special Sunday “soul food brunch” menu complete with sweet tea and peach cobbler. All menu items including soul “wangs” ($9), crab cakes ($14) and (what I am most excited to taste) mac & cheese muffins ($4) are made fresh daily

by Chef Emanuel Washington. Located in Little Italy, it’s a short bus ride west of the Roosevelt Red Line stop.

Photo courtesy of beta.fritzpastry.com

Fritz Pastry features brunch menu specials such as the croissantwich ($8).

InfiniteUS 1644 W. North Ave.

Photo courtesy of grubchicago.com The folks at InfiniteUS have made it their goal to assist in GRUB Chicago has brunch menu items such as fried chicken’ and waffles. the application of metaphysics in people’s everyday lives. Al- teresting experience. down, so hopefully this means you though many of us may not know can’t tell they’re vegan.

Fritz Pastry what this even means, basically A menu with breakfast foods the restaurant aims to nourish 2233 N. Lincoln Ave. is available from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Fritz Pastry seems like a place Fritz Pastry is located close to visitors mentally with rocks and minerals, but also (and most im- where everyone can find some- DePaul’s campus in Lincoln Park, portantly to foodies) to nourish thing to enjoy. The restaurant which means it’s just a quick trip physically with its organic juices. boasts cheap vegetarian, vegan down the Red Line off of FullerThe restaurant has an exten- and soy-free menu options and ton for a Sunday brunch. sive menu where you can build it soon hopes to add options for your own juice for $10 or choose gluten-free eaters. The menu Whether you want to branch one of its own drink creations is bursting with pastries all out and try new foods and tastes such the “sunshine” ($10) — a made from scratch daily. Crois- or simply wish to enjoy the same juice packed with orange, car- sants, danishes, scones, muffins, old comfort foods in a new atrot, lemon, ginger and turmeric. Twinkies, cinnamon rolls, cup- mosphere, these are some great Even if you’re not into the new cakes and macarons range in locations to start. juicing fad, the location seems price from $1.50-$4.50.

Remember — these placThe shop’s vegan donuts have worth the trip, a short walk west es are new to the city, so be of the North/Clybourn Red Line even been winning awards on the sure to try them out before the station — if you are up for an in- Cooking Channel’s Donut Show- crowds gather.

Coming soon to a theater near you: Must-see movies of 2015

BY PHIL DAVIS idavis1@luc.edu Despite blockbuster hits Guardians of the Galaxy and Gone Girl, overall box office sales in 2014 took a dip compared to previous years. While domestic box office sales in 2013 set the record for an all-time high with $10.9 billion dollars, 2014’s total domestic box office sales slipped to $10.4 billion. But if there is any year of movies that could potentially rejuvenate the box office, it’s 2015. Here are just 10 movies that seem noteworthy for this upcoming year: Project Almanac (Jan. 30) Project Almanac (produced by Michael Bay, director of Transformers, Bad Boys) follows a group of teens (played by Jonny Weston, Sofia Black D’Elia and Amy Landecker) who discover the ability to time travel.

At first, they use their knowledge of the future to gain money and alter signifi-

Photo courtesy of MTV Films

cant moments in their lives.

However, they eventually realize they have caused a ripple in time that leads to catastrophic events. What comes next is a race against time to undo all the changes they made in the hopes that they can restore balance to the timeline.

The movie is filmed in a point-of-view/found-footage style much like Paranormal Activity and Cloverfield, which

should provide a unique perspective in this sci-fi adventure.

Kingsman: The Secret Service (Feb. 13) Based on a comic book series by Mark Millar (KickAss) and directed by Matthew Vaughn (X-Men: First Class, Kick-Ass), Kingsman: The Secret Service is a rags-to-riches tale about a young man who is recruited by a secret group of agents known as “the Kingsmen” after leading a mischievous life on the streets.

A new threat soon emerges, and it is up to the Kingsmen to save the planet from an evil tech genius. Starring Colin Firth (The King’s Speech), Michael Caine (The Dark Knight trilogy, Interstellar) and Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction, Snakes on a Plane), Kingsman: The Secret Service looks like it will be an entertaining blend of comedy and action, much like Kick-Ass (2010).

This movie will provide a

Photo courtesy of Colombia Pictures

good alternative for those who do not wish to see the erotic drama filled with sadomasochism (otherwise known as sexual bondage) Fifty Shades of Grey on Valentine’s Day. Chappie (March 6) From director Neill Blomkamp (Elysium, District 9), Chappie is about a robot who is kidnapped by two criminals.

Quickly, they learn he is not a normal robot. Instead, he is

incredibly gifted and, unlike other robots, acts like a child learning from the environments surrounding him. He has the ability to think and feel like a human being and can change the way the world views the relationship between humans and robots. The criminals and their friends must go to great lengths to keep him from the wrong people who wish to destroy him.

Chappie stars Yolandi & Ninja Visser (who make up the South African music duo Die Antwoord), as well as a cast consisting of Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire), Sigourney Weaver (Alien, Avatar) and Hugh Jackman (X-Men, Les Miserables).

More 2015 movie picks can be found at loyolaphoenix.com

A&E | JANUARY 14, 2015

13

Laugh away: upcoming comedy events

BY MATT BOEY mboey@luc.edu

With everything from poignant satire to outrageous improv, January marks the beginning of several new comedy events that can help ward off the winter blues.

Kicking off this month at Stage 773 (1225 W. Belmont Ave.), is the zany madness that is Chicago Sketch Festival. Self-proclaimed to be the largest sketch comedy festival in the nation, it features 168 comedy troupes from across the country, performing a total of 188 shows over two weekends.

Notable recommendations by Time Out Chicago include local talents On Theodora and the tim&micah project.The festival also features bigger names such as the Siblings of Doctors, which includes Danny Pudi, who plays Abed Nadir on the critically acclaimed sitcom Community.

However, if you’re still unsure on what shows to attend of the multiple going on throughout the days, descriptions will be posted of each troupe’s brand of comedy and staff members will be on-site to help

best answer to complete the black card can go onstage and submit it.

These answers are then used by the two competing teams of of actors, who act out the scenarios. The card czar awards points based on performance and awards a winner at the end. Audience members are also given prizes, such as a giant microbe doll, based on which cards generated the funniest skits. Tickets are $15, with showings every Friday at 10:30 p.m.

This next interactive show, makPhoto courtesy of chicagosketchfest.com ing its return from a holiday break, Comedy group Dead Broads Yapping (photographed above) talks about news may cause flashbacks of Catholic and trends in today’s world and will be featured in Chicago Sketch Festival. school: the long-running satire Late decide which show is best for you. and sometimes borderline offen- Nite Catechism.

Beginning its 20th year in ChicaThe first weekend of the festival sive, the show offers the audience has passed, but the second half runs a live performance of some of the go, the one-woman show turns the Jan. 15-18. Tickets for seeing indi- most ridiculous subjects and ideas, theater into an elementary school vidual acts cost $15 and an all-day such as poor people being banned classroom. Run by the strict and pass for the festival is $37. from airplanes, and a BDSM Magic straight-laced “Sister,” the actress instructs and chastises the audience, Jan. 8 also marked the opening School Bus. of Under The Gun Theater, (956 Comedy Against Humanity close- whom she addresses as her stuW. Newport Ave.), which offers ly follows the format of the game. dents. Over the course of the twoseveral intriguing twists on improv Everyone in the audience is given a hour show, the watchful instructor shows. The first of these, Comedy few white cards. The card czar (or rewards audience members with Against Humanity, brings to life the host), draws a black card that asks prizes for correct answers to her wildly inappropriate humor of the a question or is missing a word in questions, while naughty students comedy card game, Cards Against a sentence. Audience members on their phones, making snide Humanity. Outrageous, hysterical who think that their card is the comments or wearing revealing

clothing may find themselves being publicly ridiculed. Playing at the Royal George Theater (1641 N. Halsted St), tickets are $30.

Continuing with the theme of public humiliation is the comedy club Laugh Factory, with its hysterical performance The Social Takeover. Hosted by a rotating cast of comedians (which have yet to be listed on the website), this panel will choose willing audience members to come onstage, log into their Facebook account (which is projected on a giant screen) and let their page be taken over by the comedians for the next hour and a half.

Anything and everything is fair game, as the panel will roast their family and friends based on what is being posted. Shows are every Wednesday at 8 p.m. and tickets are $17.

Whether you’re into Saturday Night Live-style comedy, inappropriate card games, overbearing nuns, a social media overhaul or anything in between, comedy clubs and events around Chicago will keep your laugh box going in the cold months to come.

Jonny Craig returns to the limelight on new tour

BY KRISTEN TORRES ktorres1@luc.edu If you haven’t heard of Jonny Craig before, you probably will soon.

The 29-year-old Canadian singer-songwriter is embarking on a solo tour to promote his new collaborative album Blueprint For Going In Circles (2015) coming out Jan. 27. This tour hits Chicago on Feb. 7 at the Bottom Lounge (1375 W. Lake St.) Craig has become infamous for bad dealings in the past, including his Twitter MacBook scandal (when he attempted to sell non-existent Macbooks to his fans in order to fund his drug habit), his battle with drug addiction and a very nasty and public breakup with his ex-fiancee — remaining in the spotlight has clearly never been his issue.

But Craig is not only well-known for bad reasons: His gospel-like voice has revealed his impressive vocal range, and now Craig is renowned for his powerful and soulful-sounding music. Previous musical releases with his former hardcore rock band, Dance Gavin Dance, threw Craig into the spotlight early on.

The band’s first album Downtown Battle Mountain (released in 2007) was everything you’d expect a hardcore album to be in the late 2000s — a balance of both clean and unclean vocals supported by choppy guitars and sporadic drumming.

Tracks such as “Antlion” and “Lemon Meringue Tie” became what defined Craig as a deep and complex vocalist, and his impressive vocal disparity came to be the defining factor in the singer’s career. But Craig’s drug abuse soon proved to be too much for the up-and-coming band to handle, and the members

parted ways.

Craig’s work with his next band, Emarosa, began in November 2007 and garnered continued attention for the singer. Joining the band just two weeks after leaving Dance Gavin Dance, Craig’s vocals complemented rather than outshined the rest of his band members, which was a problem that clouded many of DGD’s albums featuring Craig.

Emarosa’s self-titled (and most famous) album, which dropped in 2010, was received with the highest acclaim among critics. The record became the band’s highest point musically, reaching No. 9 on the Billboard Independent Albums Chart and No. 69 on the Billboard 200.

The album’s drums were rapid and the guitars were prominent.

Tracks such as “A Toast To The Future Kids” continued to show what a dynamic singer and songwriter Craig was becoming. Known for using his life as a direct inspiration for his lyrics, Craig poured emotion into the tracks on this album that were until that time unprecedented in his work.

The track’s chorus more notably says, “Erasing all the stains, so here’s to starting over/ We could be the same, we’ll change it all together/ The future’s mine to claim.”

The album quickly became known for its harmonious mix of hardcore rock music and refined and relatable lyrics.

But even an acclaimed vocal range like Craig’s couldn’t overcome an ongoing struggle with addiction.

Eventually, his habits would spark tension between whichever band members he was with at the time and they would split, leaving Craig with a rocky past riddled with aban-

doned projects.

But despite all the blows Craig has taken during his career, the tattooed ginger has resurfaced once again. Now maintaining that he’s been sober from drugs for more than a year, Craig has created what could arguably be his best work to date.

His newest band, Slaves, formed in March 2014 and released its debut album Through ArtWe Are All Equals in June with California independent label Artery Records.

This is the first work Craig has put out without depending on drugs to get him through the writing and recording, and shockingly showed that he could remain sober and still produce some of the best hardcore rock music in the industry.

The new post-hardcore group includes guitarists Alex Lyman and Christopher Kim, along with drummer Tai Wright. The Sacramento-based band played its first headliner tour around the country with rock bands Hands like Houses, Miss Fortune and Alive Like Me in May and June of 2014.

Craig seems to be continuing to push himself musically when it comes to the amount of music he creates. He continues to defy the odds of having been an artist and addict simultaneously, and maintains a steady stream of solo work on the side. Craig’s upcoming solo tour will feature emcees Kyle Lucas and Captain Midnight.

His latest solo album, Find What You Love And Let It Kill You (2013), continues to depict everything Craig established himself to be when he first emerged on the music scene all those years ago: a harmonious, lyrical

Photo courtesy of Lena Diamond Photography

expression of his past experiences — the tracks sound more like well-put-together pop singles than the hardcore rock songs he’s done with bands in the past.

The album features “I Still Feel Her Pt. 5” (another installment of a group of songs that fans have come to know and love), and will more than likely be featured on Craig’s upcoming tour. “I Still Feel Her Pt.1” came out on Emarosa’s Relativity (2008) and began the sung love story of his attempt at balancing drug addiction and his relationships.

Fans can only continue to believe in all that is Jonny Craig –– someone whose past dealings have made him reveal more truth about himself than he probably ever cared to do. Here’s to hoping the now-sober musician remains clean and continues to create the type of music that thrusted him into the limelight all those years ago.

General admission tickets for the Blueprint For Going In Circles tour at the Bottom Lounge (1375 W. Lake St.) are available online at ticketweb.com for $15. Doors open at 7 p.m.

14 JANUARY 14, 2015 | SPORTS

SPORTS

Depth and stars provide Ramblers with explosive combo

BY JOAQUIN CARRIG AND NICK MORENO jcarrig1@luc.edu, nmoreno2@luc.edu

feet 7 inches, to say that the Ramblers have gotten off to a solid start would be an enormous understatement. In its first 16 games, the team has posted a win-loss record of 124, six of these wins taking place on the home court at Joseph Gentile Arena. Of those home wins, the most impressive came in the conference opener when the team held the Bradley University Braves to under 50 points, winning 64-49.

However, it has not been solely the team’s defense that contributes to its success. The Ramblers are in

the top 50 in the nation in both field goal percentage and in points allowed. This shows the team’s ability to capitalize on scoring chances, You know that short kid who, while eliminating the chances of lacking both intimidation and a giftthe opponents. ed physique, shows up to the local The highlight of the early part of park and completely dominates the season came from a tournament, everyone on the basketball court? the Continental Las Vegas Classic.

Well, in the Missouri Valley ConAfter sweeping through early round ference, that kid is Loyola’s men’s foes Abilene Christian Universibasketball team. ty and the University of Southern With the tallest player on the Utah, the Ramblers defeated two roster listed at 6 feet 9 inches, and of the more solid mid-major teams their starting center being a mere 6 in the country, Texas Tech and Boise State. Again, defense played a large part in the tournament champion’s game plan, holding both teams under an impressive 45 points.

Although teamwork and a deeper depth chart is the reason for the Ramblers’ hot streak, there have been many noteworthy performances by individual players.

Standout Milton Doyle is showing no signs of a sophomore slump, averaging 12.4 points per game and a three-point percentage around .500.

Doyle also leads the team in assists and steals, and is second in blocks and third in rebounds per game.

While his scoring is down this season, possibly due to a nagging shoulder injury, he helps the Ramblers in so many other ways that he remains their most influential player.

Second to Doyle has to be senior forward Christian Thomas. He remains Loyola’s strongest force in the paint, despite being just 6 feet Courtesy of Steve Woltmann 5 inches. Thomas leads the team Christian Thomas has helped lead the Ramblers to their best start since 1965. in points per game (12.5) and re-

bounds (4.1). But it’s Thomas’ improved three-point shooting ability that has made his offensive game more lethal. The forward has hit 12 threes (third highest amount on the team) and is shooting 56 percent from behind the arc (highest on the team).

Thomas’ biggest bucket this season came against the University of Evansville on Jan. 7. The forward hit a game-winning layup that silenced the Purple Aces’ arena and gave the Ramblers a 71-70 victory.

But it’s Loyola’s added depth that has been the difference maker this season. Unlike last year when the Ramblers rarely went more than seven players deep in games, they now consistently play 10. In large part, this is thanks to the two Coffeyville Community College transfers Earl Peterson and Montel James.

Peterson has proven he can be a go-to scorer with his ability to drive the lane and shoot the three. He also is capable of locking up bigger guards on defense. Meanwhile, James gives Loyola some much-needed height underneath the basket.

In addition to the juco kids, freshman Donte Ingram, a Chicago native, has proven more than capable of scoring off the bench, both getting to the rim and from long distance. Freshman Jay Knuth is also playing well. The undersized forward possesses a solid midrange jump shot and has been effective in attacking the basket from the baseline.

It hasn’t been all positives, though.

While Loyola has a win count in the double digits, the Ramblers’ bad losses against Michigan State (87-52) and Tulane (83-70) were blown opportunities to show how legitimate of a conference threat they are. Maybe their most significant loss, however, came against Northern Iowa, a very skilled top-tier team in the Missouri Valley. Although the Ramblers stuck with the Panthers the whole game, they couldn’t seem to generate any offense against a stingy UNI defense. They also had 19 turnovers in the 67-58 loss.

However, even though the losses are impactful, the season has gotten off to a strong start for the undersized Ramblers.

Loyola will host Drake University Wednesday night at 7 p.m. in Gentile Arena before travelling to Carbondale, Illinois on Sunday to play the University of Southern Illinois.

BY MARK SELLIN msellin@luc.edu

move on without Johnson even though it is always tough to replace a player with the of ability to create opportunities on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court.

“It’s not one player that has to step up to replace Taylor Johnson,” Swoopes said. “You have to turn to maybe two or three players to step in and realize there is a void that needs to be filled. But it’s also an opportunity for players to do just that and get more playing time. The season goes on and we can’t continue to say ‘what if.’”

Some players have already stepped up and accepted the challenge, according to Swoopes. Freshman point guard Sam Lambrigtsen has impressed her coach in extended minutes on the floor in Johnson’s absence.

“Sam is playing with a lot of confidence right now, and she is developing into the type of point guard we need to run this team both offensively and defensively,” Swoopes said.

“She’s really stepped it up these past few games.”

Another notable player is Taylor Manuel, a transfer from Purdue. In addition to averaging 16 points per game, the redshirt sophomore currently collects a team-high 9.2 rebounds per game.

“There are a lot of things that Tay-

lor Manuel can do for us,” Swoopes said. “She can bump elbows on the floor and she really gives us a completely different look on the court.”

Loyola has surrendered many defensive rebound opportunities off of opponent misses this year.The Ramblers are in the bottom half in the MVC in both offensive and defensive rebounding; however, they have made improvements in the rebounding department from last season.

In addition to the team’s rebounding woes, Swoopes recognizes that the team has yet to put two consecutive halves of good basketball together for a complete 40-minute game. She is confident that a complete game is something the team is working on and has improved on since the beginning of the season.

For now, the Ramblers are simply hopeful going into the start of conference play.

“I think it is just a matter of time before we find that chemistry we are looking for,” Swoopes said. “And hopefully once we get that one win, we will get that confidence we need to play.”

The Ramblers will defend their home territory when they next take the court against MVC rival Missouri State on Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. in Gentile Arena.

Courtesy of Steve Woltmann

Earl Peterson has stepped up for Loyola.

Misfortune leads to MVC basement for Loyola Loyola’s women’s basketball team has experienced a disappointing start to its season.The Ramblers currently hold a 2-11 overall record and are 0-2 in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC).

Head Coach Sheryl Swoopes described the start of their season as “bumpy.”

“There’s always going to be some bumps in the road and you have to find a way to either go over those bumps or go around them,” she said. “[The players] believe and they are confident.”

Loyola started its season with an overwhelmingly difficult pre-conference schedule. The Ramblers played several teams from big conferences such as the Big Ten, the Atlantic Coast Conference and the Southeastern Conference.

In addition to this, Loyola has had to overcome other obstacles, including injuries to two key contributors.

Freshman forward Destiny Washington has battled a strained hamstring for the past two weeks, while senior forward Simone Law injured her right knee earlier this season.

Washington returned to action in limited minutes against Drake

Courtesy of Steve Woltmann

Sheryl Swoopes and the women’s basketball team will look to turn their season around as they move into conference play with key players returning from injury.

University on Jan. 2., but she is still not at full strength. Meanwhile, Law anticipates to be ready to play by mid-February.

Although both players expect full recoveries, redshirt sophomore guard Taylor Johnson will not return

for the remainder of the season due to what the team called an “unspecified absence.”

Johnson currently leads the Ramblers in scoring with 130 points this season.

Swoopes said that the team must

SPORTS | JANUARY 14, 2015

15

Courtesy of Steve Woltmann

FIRE: Gehrig overcomes long odds in MLS continued from page 1

Even as a child, Gehrig loved every opportunity to step on the soccer field.

“Right when I started kicking a ball and getting out on the field, it was something that felt good to me and it brought out the best in me. It really brought me most of my happiness,” Gehrig said.

Although Gehrig had quite a successful stretch at Lake Central High School in St. John, Indiana, winning three regional and sectional titles, the scrappy defender was not a highly touted college recruit. His college decision came between two vastly different schools, Loyola and Creighton University in Nebraska.

“It wasn’t as tough of a decision as people would think. Creighton is a very established soccer program and obviously it is a very attractive school for soccer players. But there was something about the challenge at Loyola and what was ahead for Loyola soccer I wanted to take it on. It turned out pretty well. It was a good four years,” he said.

Gehrig embraced the challenge of revitalizing the Loyola soccer program. During his freshman year, Loyola won its first ever Horizon League conference title and made its first ever appearance in the NCAA tournament.

“Obviously, coming in as a soccer player, the program wasn’t very respected nationally and that was something that I wanted to

change along with the other guys,” Gehrig said. “I thought Coach Eitz had some good pieces in place already and that recruiting class took us over the edge. It was a bunch of blue collar guys. They may have been under recruited but motivated and we gelled.”

During his four-year career, Gehrig played on a Loyola team that won two Horizon League tournament titles and one conference regular season championship.

“On the soccer side it was a group that wasn’t afraid of anyone and we were a group that wanted to change the perspective on Loyola soccer,” Gehrig said. “It was a tenacious group. We had some fighters. There were some games where we needed to stick in and battle. We might not have played the most attractive soccer at all times, but no one was going to outwork us on the practice fields or in the games for sure.”

After the conclusion of his senior season, Gehrig decided that he would try to pursue a career in professional soccer. He entered the Major League Soccer draft pool and became eligible to play at the next level. However, when the day of the draft came, Gehrig was not chosen by any team.

Gehrig almost gave up on his soccer career after not being drafted. But after being invited to Omaha, Nebraska, to participate in an MLS combine, a training session in front of professional scouts, he decided to give it one

Columbus Crew

Eric Gehrig (left) played four seasons with the Columbus Crew, appearing in 46 games and starting 32.

last shot.

“I ended up going to a combine in Omaha and I went out there to showcase, and to be honest it was one of those things where I wasn’t really fond of going,” Gehrig said. “But after talking to my family, they told me to go and take the opportunity to get in front of coaches.”

His performance at Omaha led to him being invited to another camp held by the Sporting Kansas City Soccer Club.

“I ended up going to the [camp] in KC and I ended up playing really well and I remember waiting after that combine and I knew it,” the defender said. “I knew I was the best player here and I just had a feeling that this was going to happen. Sure enough, the coach pulled me into his office and invited me to preseason.”

His time in Kansas City was short lived and he was cut in the preseason, but having a taste of what it was like to play in the MLS left Gehrig more motivated to make the pros than ever.

“Being cut, I had been there before. It was something that didn’t really phase me,” Gehrig said. “Yeah, I was really down and it hurt, but I think it helped me in the end. I am a grinder and that stuff really doesn’t phase me.”

When the next season rolled around, Gehrig was given another opportunity when the Columbus Crew, based in Ohio, claimed his rights and signed him to play in the 2011 season.

“I went to Columbus blind,” Gehrig said.

“And when I left Kansas City I knew a lot of those guys and I kind of got comfortable with those guys. I didn’t know what to expect from Columbus.”

Gehrig began his career with the Crew primarily as a reserve player, appearing in eight total games during his inaugural season.

A typical MLS season is around 34 games.

“First year, it was about learning and surviving and taking every opportunity and chance you could get,” Gehrig said. “I was lucky to play alongside some of the best players in league history like Chad Marshall, who was defender of the year three times now. It is about learning and not getting frustrated.”

Gehrig continued to improve while in Columbus, and through his hard work, he saw his role increase every year. In 2014, Gehrig

had the best season of his professional career, appearing in 25 games as pivotal player for the Crew team, which made the MLS playoff cup.

Wil Trapp, the current vice captain and starting midfielder for the Columbus Crew, said he looked up to Gehrig in the two seasons they spent together.

“Eric [Gehrig] is a guy who is the glue [that] keeps the team together,” said Trapp.

“He is always going to bring it every day in training. He is always going to give it 100 percent, whether it is in practice or in a game.

He is a guy who you can always rely on. For me, he was someone who I can always look to in tough situations for help and he is a great leader on and off the field.”

After the 2014 season, the MLS added two expansion teams. In the expansion draft, Gehrig was pulled away from Columbus and drafted to the newly created Orlando Soccer Club. Soon after being drafted, Gehrig was traded to the Chicago Fire.

The Fire struggled last season, missing the playoffs with a 6-18-10 record. Just like he did at Loyola, Gehrig revels the opportunity to revive his favorite childhood MLS team to their former glory.

“I am looking forward to getting this team back into the playoffs,” Gehrig said. “The Chicago Fire is traditionally a team that’s rich in trophies and wins. They have won the MLS Cup once and the Open Cup three times. It’s not a team that has never tasted victory. It’s just about the little things and working hard to get back to where we belong. I have already talked to my teammates and there is no reason why this team can’t get to the playoffs next year and contend for a trophy in the next few years.”

Gehrig credits his successes within the MLS to lessons that he learned during his time as a Rambler.

“I think coming from Loyola and the fact that I didn’t get drafted, I kind of had to slip through the cracks and fight through a couple combines and tryouts.That whole idea and aspect of coming from a small school definitely helped me,” Gehrig said. “When my opportunity came, and when my opportunity comes to this day, I don’t waste it. I take everything I can and run with it.”

16 JANUARY 14, 2015 | SPORTS

Make every game the Wichita St. game

BY JOAQUIN CARRIG jcarrig1@luc.edu We can stick with Wichita State.

Sunday’s 67-53 final score may indicate otherwise, but it is misleading.

We can stick with No. 15 Wichita State.

The 10-0 run to end the first half at an absolutely electric and almost entirely filled Joseph Gentile Arena proved the Ramblers can be effective against one of the best teams in the country.

To go into halftime with a 28-23 lead as young and undersized as we are is a testament to the improvement of the offense and the quality of recent recruiting classes.

Milton Doyle niftily penetrated the lane despite being constantly

double-teamed by larger defenders.

Getting past the first defender, he was hit by the second, but still made the layup for a three-point play. The next possession, Doyle spun by his defender, adjusted his shot mid-air and kissed it off the backboard for another layup.

Then it was Earl Peterson’s turn.

He hit a three from the corner off a Ben Richardson feed and then a tough, contested jump shot in transition to complete the 10-0 run.

Loyola fans were going nuts.

The student section was in a state of euphoria, jumping up and down as if they had just won a brand new kitchen set on the Price is Right.

It was as loud and crazy as I’ve ever seen the Joe. I actually felt like I was in a true college basketball atmosphere, and it was oh-so glorious.

I just hope all of you who showed up to see Wichita State realize that this could be every game here at Loyola.

Don’t you want that?

Some of you may be dismayed at the lackluster second half and might be questioning whether or not to come next game, but let me

tell you two things.

First, Wichita State is really good. We could have played a bit better in the second half, but it was always going to be incredibly tough to beat them. Despite the poor result, the Ramblers are playing strong basketball. They have a 13-4 overall record and Wichita State’s Head Coach Gregg Marshall’s eye. “[Loyola is] a good team,” Marshall said at the postgame press conference. “This is a team that could possibly finish in the top half [of the Missouri Valley Conference], maybe better.”

And second, it takes two to tango.

The Ramblers can only be so successful in an empty arena. Basketball is a game of momentum, and players can really feed off the crowds energy. A consistently packed arena filled with screaming fans is a shot of adrenaline for an upand-coming basketball program.

I challenge you to become the extra boost that sends Loyola to March Madness for the first time in three decades.

We can stick with Wichita State.

Shouldn’t that be enough for you to stick with the Ramblers?

Evan Wessel//Zimbio

Milton Doyle (left) had eight points and three assists in the loss to Wichita State.

The NCAA sits, watches and counts its money

BY NADER ISSA nissa1@luc.edu Like many Americans on Monday night, I sat on my couch eating a plate full of food while watching The Ohio State Buckeyes dismantle the Oregon Ducks’ explosive offense.

I sat and watched Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott run around, behind and through Oregon defenders. I sat and watched the “12 Gauge,” Ohio State’s third-string quarterback Cardale Jones, launch bullets into the arms of Buckeye wide receivers all night. I sat and watched Ohio State force the Ducks’ offense to go three-and-out for the first time in what seemed like years.

I sat and watched, die-hard Buckeyes and Ducks fans sat and watched, casual football fans sat and watched and, most importantly, the NCAA sat and watched. Instead of eating a plate full of food as many of us did –– although I’m sure the NCAA had its plate full –– the NCAA counted its money while it sat and watched, the same thing it does while it sits and watches student-athletes abandon their degrees in the hopes of becoming professional athletes.

In theory, the idea sounds great.You come out of high school straight into the national spotlight,

earn recognition in your sport for a year or two then leave school and make millions in the pros. What could go wrong?

According to a study conducted by the NCAA itself, only about 0.38 percent of college football players will be drafted into the NFL. If undrafted players are included, the odds don’t get much better, as only about 1.7 percent of college football players end up playing in the NFL. But football’s a tough sport to play. What about other major college sports? How many of those kids actually make it to the pros?

According to the same NCAA study, only 1.2 percent of college basketball players make it to the NBA, only 1.3 percent of

college hockey players make it to the NHL, only one percent of college soccer players make it to the MLS and only 0.9 percent of women’s basketball players make it to the WNBA. The NCAA uses the example of coming and going through college in only one or two short years before earning millions of dollars professionally as a way to convince high school students to add the “-athlete” part of student-athlete to their experience. As the study shows, however, a very minute slice of student-athletes –– the elite of the elite –– actually has the ability, good fortune and opportunity to follow that example.

Everyone else who tries and fails? They’re left searching for

Tom Pennington//AP Images

Ohio State defeated Oregon 42-20 in the National Championship at AT&T Stadium.

something to do with their lives with no college degree, often with limited financial resources and rarely with any support from the NCAA. According to the NFL Players Association, the average length of an NFL player’s career is about 3.3 years. The NFL, on the other hand, reports that an average career length in the NFL is six years for “a player who makes a club’s opening-day roster in his rookie season.”

In other words, the elite of the elite continue to rise in the NCAA’s currently advertised plan for student-athletes.

Of course, the NCAA doesn’t want to give the impression that it doesn’t care about its primary money-earners. So what does it do?

The NCAA’s website has a page titled “Student-Athlete Benefits” on which it lists financial support for certain achievements or setbacks. For example, the NCAA will provide additional scholarships, grants and internships to student-athletes who complete their degrees.

The website also lists drug testing as a benefit provided for student-athletes. This is the same drug testing that prevented Oregon’s star wide receiver Darren Carrington from playing in the national championship game against Ohio State.

The NCAA has an overly punitive policy on cannabis consumption in place when compared to other sports’ policies. According to an NCAA spokesperson who was referenced by Bleacher Report, the NFL’s threshold

for a positive marijuana test is 35 nanograms of THC, the main ingredient in marijuana. The MLB’s threshold is 50 nanograms and the World Anti-Doping Agency measures for 150 nanograms.

The NCAA’s minimum needed to return a positive drug test?

5 nanograms.

If the NCAA were to spend as much time setting policies about degrees for student-athletes as it does regulating a substance that is already legal for recreational use in two states and counting, would players stay and earn their degrees?

Well, why not?

As a student in 2015, I realize first-hand that people my age, myself included, don’t always take advice and do what we’re told. Student-athletes aren’t going to take the advice of staying in school, and the NCAA knows that. As long as millions of dollars are being dangled in front of 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds, they’re going to keep making the jump to the pros before earning a degree.

What the NCAA can do is set regulations about earning a degree before making an attempt to be a professional athlete. Instead of college football players being required to play two years before declaring for the draft, why can’t the NCAA require the players to earn a degree?

Not only will the student-athletes have degrees at their disposal should they fail to make it as a pro, but the players will also have more time to learn their sport.

Instead, what’s the NCAA doing? It’s sitting and watching, just like the rest of us.