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Monday, April 4, 2022
Vol. 138, No. 18
News
A2
UMaine updates mask mandate policy
Opinion
A5
Two years later, UMaine returns to a new normal
Culture
A8
LGBTQ+ Learning & Affirming Challenge launches on April 4
Sports
A12
Logan Martin: UMaine football player profile
UMaine updates mask mandate policy
Photo by Brinley Martell.
Maddy Gernhard News Editor On March 26, the University of Maine issued a statement regarding an update to its masking policy. The statement declared that masks are now optional in indoor and outdoor spaces for students, staff, faculty and visitors, effective March 26. This policy also declared that masks were optional for everyone, regardless of vaccination status. Masks are still required in classrooms, research spaces and instructional areas, unless faculty members have given explicit permission otherwise. Masks are also required for UMS events which host over 75 people, unless it is an event which requires
4/4 The 2022 Cohen Lecture “The Importance of American Leadership in a Dangerous World” will take place at 11 a.m. at the Collins Center for the Arts. To RSVP for the event call 207-5811755.
proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test results. This update to UMaine’s masking policies comes after a number of other universities in the region waived their requirements. Institutions including Husson University and Colby College waived their masking requirements earlier this March in accordance with the updated Center for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines. While faculty have been given the ability to choose whether or not to uphold the old masking policy, students have expressed mixed feelings toward the update. Many students still wear masks in public spaces to limit the risks of spreading the virus. Teddy Fegly, a fourth-year psycholo-
gy and history student, spoke to the reasons why he chooses to wear masks in public spaces. “I usually wear a mask everywhere I go anyways,” Fegly said. “I have made it this far without getting COVID[-19] and I would like to continue ensuring that I don’t get that. I also don’t want to risk getting anyone else sick.” Jordan Bessette, a fourth-year mechanical engineering technology student, also expressed concern for the lifted mandate. “All of my professors have lifted it. I understand the want for normalcy. It’s all anyone has ever wanted for the past two years,” Bessette said. “However, I am still incredibly wary because the statistic used to
determine the change was that only 1% of students tested positive before leaving for break. That data only reflects tests that have been taken, and not all of the students on campus have tested, so we can’t definitively know what the rates actually are.” Other students have had mixed emotions on the issue. Kaitlyn Sutton, a fourth-year nursing student, spoke about her experiences with the new mask policy. “I don’t really know how I feel about the no masks in public areas. It still feels weird, but it was kind of nice seeing everyone’s face again that I’ve been studying with since freshman year,” Sutton said about the updated policy. She also spoke
about the fact that there are still a comfortable level of restrictions. “I only have one teacher this year that lifted the mandate. I felt pretty safe because I know that everyone is vaccinated because they have to be to work at the hospital,” Sutton said. “I am still required to wear a mask at the hospital.” While the masking policy has been lifted across the state in accordance with the CDC’s guidelines, there has been an increase in COVID-19 cases in several counties within Maine. According to data collected by the Maine Division of Disease Surveillance, in Penobscot county alone there were 282 positive cases in the last 14 days. This data makes up for two of
the 11 outbreaks which have occurred in the state over the past two weeks. In the past 28 days, Penobscot county has seen 502 total cases of COVID-19 reported, meaning that well over half of these recent cases have occurred within the past 14 days. UMaine is closely monitoring the situation in the state, and will adjust their mask policies as they see fit depending upon how cases of COVID-19 continue to trend. Students still maintain the right to wear a mask if they see fit to do so.
4/5 As a continuation of the Human Dimensions of Climate Change film series, the University of Maine will be showing Climate Change: Ade on the Frontline in Bangladesh and Bhutan at 6 p.m. online.
4/6 Today is the last day to withdraw from classes and receive a “W” grade.
4/7 The Center for Student Involvement is hosting their Murder Mystery Night at 8 p.m. in the North Pod.
4/8 The Center for Student Involvement is hosting a game of Man Hunt at 9 p.m. on the Mall, weather permitting.
4/9 The Center for Student Involvement will be hosting a watch party for the movie “Scoob!” at 9 p.m.
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News
A2• News
Monday, April 4, 2022
The Maine Campus
Nordic Aquafarms land acquisition faces backlash from conservation easement
Anika Chamberlain Contributor
Nordic Aquafarms has plans to build a salmon farm in Belfast, Maine, but a conservation easement already in place in the area may halt their plans. Nordic Aquafarms has been planning to open a salmon farm in Belfast since 2018. The company proposed a land-based aquaculture facility with a seawater access system, several buildings for fish production, a water treatment plant, an administrative office and other associated structures. The farmed salmon industry has grown significantly in recent years. According to the Global Salmon Initiative, more than 50% of seafood eaten worldwide currently comes from aquaculture systems. An “aquaculture system” is the farming of fish, shellfish or mollusks. Currently,
aquaculture is the fastest growing global production sector. Nordic Aquafarms already has three landbased fish farms in operation in the United States. Nordic Aquafarms planned to install a discharge pipe in Belfast Bay. Last August, the City of Belfast condemned by eminent domain the strip of intertidal property the company needed for their pipe, created its own easement and gave the land to Nordic Aquafarms. Eminent domain allows the government to take private property and convert it to public use. The Fifth Amendment asserts that the government must justly compensate private property owners for any property they take. Although giving the land to Nordic Aquafarms does not technically qualify as “public use,” the Supreme Court held a
ruling in 2005 in Kelo v. City of New London, Connecticut 545 U.S. 469, that benefits a community would enjoy from the furthering of economic development are sufficient to qualify as “public use.” Citizens of Belfast, as well as local activists, have taken issue with Nordic Aquafarms’ acquisition of the land. Opponents argue that a conservation easement in place should prohibit Nordic Aquafarms from installing their discharge pipe there. In late December, Maine’s Attorney General Aaron M. Frey argued in a complaint filed with Waldo Superior Court that a pre-existing conservation easement that prohibits commercial or industrial use of the area was still in effect. The owners of the intertidal property the city took by eminent domain had indeed placed a conservation
easement on the land to protect it from industrialization. The City of Belfast was aware of this conservation easement and had sent a letter to the state’s Attorney General’s office requesting to terminate the conservation easement. The request was denied, but the city acquired the land anyway and gave it to Nordic Aquafarms. In an October issue of The Working Waterfront Newspaper, John Krueger openly criticized Nordic Aquafarms. Krueger holds two chemical engineering degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and is a retired division director of licensing and enforcement at the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. “Recently acquired documents from Gov. Mills’ office requested through freedom of information laws illus-
trate strong corporate lobbying on Nordic’s behalf and government contacts with regulators,” Krueger writes in his op-ed piece. Krueger also asserts that Nordic Aquafarms’ business plan was to raise 33,000 metric tons of fish per year. Raising this amount of fish would create 7.7 million gallons of liquid waste per day that contains 1,600 pounds of nitrogen would use large amounts of groundwater and would require approximately 28 megawatts of electricity from the region’s power grid. Krueger argues that Nordic Aquafarms’ plans are not environmentally friendly and that the regulations for this kind of project are basically nonexistent. The president of Nordic Aquafarms, Erik Heim, wrote a rebuttal to Kreuger’s op-ed in the same newspaper a few weeks later. Heim accused Krueger
of having an “activist agenda” and of distorting the facts. Heim says that Nordic Aquafarms’ environmental and ocean protection standard far surpasses existing operations on an international scale, which has been vetted by the Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Marine Resources, the Conservation Law Foundation and the Atlantic Salmon Federation. The discourse between Krueger and Heim is exemplary of the disagreements between proponents and opponents of Nordic Aquafarms’s salmon farm. Whether Nordic Aquafarms can begin to build their discharge pipe or not will depend on who is ultimately granted ownership of the intertidal land that Belfast gave to them.
George Mitchell Center hosts ‘The Maine Forest Tick Survey’ Samantha Sudol Contributor On March 28, Allison Gardner, an assistant professor in the school of biology and ecology at the University of Maine, led the next segment of the Sustainability Series. This week the talk was called, “The Maine Forest Tick Survey: Cross-disciplinary and community-engaged science for public health” and discussed how the management of forests could lead to higher risk of exposure to tick-borne disease. Moreover, the high usage of forested land in Maine creates a socio-ecological need to investigate how forest management affects disease transmission. “We know that global travel and trade, for instance, have facilitated the movement of disease vectors and pathogens. They transmit to new locations over the past few decades. We also see that a combination of
land use, change and climate change have facilitated the establishment of these factors and pathogens within their introduced ranges over reliance on conventional insecticides, has facilitated the evolution of insecticide resistance,” Gardner said. “One of our major goals is to actually translate our findings to devise effective and sustainable disease control strategies that are, you know, ideally grounded in an ecological theory.” Gardner explained the increase in cases over the course of the past five years, which she has been tracking. “We’re up to about 43,000 reported cases per year by 2017, and I do want to emphasize that this is likely a ten-fold underestimate of the true number of cases that occurred in the U.S. during this time. We also see this dramatic increase in the number of cases in two particular focal
areas of Tick-borne disease transmission, one of them here in the Northeast and the other in the upper Midwest,” Gardner said regarding the transmission of tick-borne diseases. Gardner elaborated on the scientific research themes and goals for the study. The first of these is to investigate the interacting ecological and social conditions that enhance arthropod-borne disease transmission. Next they would like to explain and predict the spread of emerging and re-emerging arthropod-borne infectious diseases in the landscape. Lastly they want to be able to translate their findings to devise effective, sustainable disease control strategies that are grounded in ecological theory. “I really want to emphasize that other pathogens like human babesiosis, human granules, cytic, ana-
plasmosis and poison virus also are emerging and are transmitted by the black legged tick,” Gardner explained. “Even if we had, for instance, a lyme disease vaccine, which we currently don’t have, there are numerous other pathogens that the black-legged tick is carrying as well.” Gardner stressed ecologically-based management could broadly offer a solutions to multiple pathogens simultaneously. By using this strategy, pathogens themselves may be mitigated, or at least, their interactions with host bodies. In 2018, Gardner, Jessica Leahy, Carly Sponarski and Laura Kenefic established the Maine Forest Tick Survey, which aimed to help pinpoint the specific forest management practices that restrict the transmission of tick-borne diseases, as well as management tactics that work with the economic interests of landowners
while practicing conservation tactics by preserving biodiversity and helping the ecosystem. “Incidence is highest in southern and coastal Maine. Over 80% of the forest land actually is privately owned by small family forest landowners that own, in all likelihood, somewhere between five and and maybe 10,000 acres,” Gardner said. “It’s really critical to understand how these landowners’ decisions impact transmission, and whether certain management decisions could potentially help to mitigate the problem of lyme disease transmission in Maine.” This cross-disciplinary study focused on natural science by working with the Maine Woodland Owners Land Trust to understand the impacts of silviculture treatments on entomological risk of exposure to tickborne pathogens, offhost tick survival, wild-
life communities, small mammal behavior, entomological risk of exposure to tick-borne pathogens and tick encounter frequencies. The study investigated social science by looking at the factors that manage decisions by landowners and if this increased knowledge of Lyme disease and the environment context would help motivate the private landowners to be a part of the healthy practices to sustain the entire forest ecosystem. “Social science elements of this project were designed to measure exactly this. Can exposure to tick-borne disease alter landowner perceptions around forest management and around tick-borne disease potentially affecting landowner decision-making and feeding back on transmission of tick-borne pathogens in the biophysical system?” Gardner said.
Weekly Updates Monday, April 4, 2022
The Maine Campus
News • A3
This Week in Student Government
Weekly recap of decisions made by the UMaine Student Government General Student Senate Grace Blanchard Contributor On Tuesday, March 29, the University of Maine General Student Senate (GSS) met in Neville 100 for their weekly meeting in which they recognized multiple clubs and sparked a debate over funding. The meeting opened with Connor Bray’s official appointment to the position of Vice President of UMaine Student Government (UMSG) and the President of the GSS after being elected by the student body. Bray will be taking on this role starting next fall for the 2022-2023 academic year. A representative from the Black Student Union (BSU) was present at the senate meeting as the club is seeking to be recognized again as a university organization. “We are not just looking for one specific type of person to come,” the Vice President of BSU said. “Everyone is welcome, it’s just a place where people of color can feel safe, recognized and speak on their struggles.” The club is among many groups that was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the club is now trying to make its official return to campus. “I remember BSU from my freshman year… Like
many clubs and organizations, [COVID-19] really took a toll on it, so I’m very excited to see it back up here for preliminary recognition,” Zachary Wyles said, the president of UMSG.
new climbing equipment from the request. “I think the senate should be hesitant about funding the climbing gear aspect of the resolution, given that we have a pre-existing climbing club,” Kelly said.
After a majority vote, BSU was approved for preliminary recognition. The club meets on Tuesdays in the Multicultural Center and welcomes all who want to make UMaine a more inclusive campus. A representative from the Permaculture and Gardening Club was also present as the club was seeking final recognition. “It is a space for getting hands-on practice with gardening and permaculture techniques,” the club’s representative said. According to the club representative, the word permaculture is a play on “permanent agriculture,” and they are working toward learning how best to work with the Earth. They host events at the Terrell House, which is a university building that was converted into a space for students to practice and learn permaculture in 2010. “I think the Permaculture and Gardening Club is a great way to extend our green thumb and show our sustainability as a university and student
Tune Into This!
According to Kelly, it is a policy of the senate to not have clubs that accomplish the same tasks.
body,” senator Ciro Falanga said. After a brief period for discussion, GSS approved the club’s request for final recognition. Senator Falanga also highlighted in his report as chair of the Residence Hall Association that the Spring Festival is going to be on Sunday, April 10, from noon to 8 p.m. According to Falanga, there are going to be activities geared toward on-campus residents to welcome the spring season. Off-campus residents are also allowed to participate in any of the activities and events. The festival is being hosted on the University Mall with activities and raffles happening all day. From 4 to 8 p.m. there is also going to be ax throwing. “It’s going to be a fun day of spring festivals so please come and join us,”
senator Falanga said. The senate concluded their meeting with a funding request from the Backcountry Squatters club. Backcountry Squatters is an outdoor club for women and gender-nonbinary students with a mission to create a space that represents these students and encourages them to get outdoors. “We want to increase the availability of outdoor recreation to people who may not necessarily have that naturally to them or have access to the resources on their own,” Meave Merkle-Scotland said, the vice president of Backcountry Squatters. One aspect of the funding request sparked a large debate within the senate, after Vice President of Financial Affairs, Frank Kelly, suggested removing the funding for
“Although the two clubs accomplish different things, purchasing the same gear for both organizations does not fall into an effective use of the student activity fee, in my opinion,” Kelly said. Multiple senators weighed in their opinions on this recommendation, some in support of Kelly’s suggestion and others opposed.
Lauri Sidelko, the advisor to student government, raised a point that they also have to consider who is responsible for maintaining the upkeep of equipment and the long term safety of having multiple groups utilizing the same gear. After a very close vote, the senate did approve the removal of the climbing gear and approved the rest of the funding request. President Wyles was happy to see many student senators passionate and involved in Tuesday’s meeting. “Everybody put their two cents in and I love that so I’m really proud of you guys for getting involved in the process,” Wyles said.
“I do think that VP Kelly does have a point on being redundant with budget items, however I do think that the fact that Backcountry Squatters is more specifically geared toward female and nonbinary persons we should treat them as a separate thing and look at it from that perspective,” senator Falanga said. There were concerns raised about how the clubs would go about sharing climbing gear and where the line is drawn when it comes to asking clubs to share gear with one another.
What’s happening this week at UMaine & Beyond
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Today is the birthday of Dorothea Dix, who is best known for advocating on behalf of the indigent mentally ill. Dix was born in Hampden, Maine, and helped to create the first generation of humane mental asylums in the United States.
The long awaited release of LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga comes out today. The game comes out approximately two years after the release of “Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker,” and today the LEGO adaptation of the full Star Wars series will be hitting the shelves. The game will feature a vast open-world for players to explore and immerse themselves in, and the most cutting edge gameplay in LEGO history.
On this day in 1974, the Swedish pop group ABBA secured their win at the Eurovision Song Contest with their hit “Waterloo,” thus launching the band to stardom.
Thursday On this day in 2018, the world’s largest ice carousel at the time was created in Long Lake in Sinclair. It was 427 feet in diameter, and involved the use of augurs to drill more than 1300 holes and cut the sheet of ice.
Friday “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” hits theaters today. The film stars comedian Ben Schwartz, reprising his role as the fan favorite blue hedgehog, and Idris Elba makes his debut as Knuckles the Echidna.
Police Beat Maddy Gernhard News Editor 3/24 UMPD responded to an incident of property damage in Stevens Lot behind the Memorial Union. Minor vehicular damage was sustained. 3/25 UMPD
respond-
ed to a noise complaint in Knox Hall and found students pounding on their heater with tools in an attempt to ‘fix’ the heating pipes. Students were referred to conduct services and advised against future maintenance projects.
3/25 UMPD and UVAC responded to a student falling at Aubert Hall. The student was treated by EMS on scene and refused transport to EMMC. 3/25 UMPD and UVAC responded to a call at the New Balance Recreation Center,
where a student fell and injured their right arm during a game of dodgeball. They received a non-ambulance transport. 3/26 A student in Somerset Hall was issued a disorderly conduct warning for having loud music playing after quiet hours.
3/26 UMPD investigated an incident of criminal mischief and vandalism in Knox Hall after a student was seen damaging an exit sign. The student confessed to the vandalism and was referred to conduct. 3/28 UMPD
responded
to an incident of disorderly conduct at the New Balance Recreation Center after three male students verbally harassed an employee. The students admitted to the verbal altercation and were referred to conduct.
Opinion A4• Culture
Emma Vannorsdall Opinion Editor For the first time in two years, the University of Maine commenced its first round of Accepted Student Days on April 1. Throughout April, prospective students for the fall will attend their respective programs to learn more about their academic future. The COVID-19 pandemic halted these activities starting in the spring of 2020, and their return marks a new transition back to normalcy here at UMaine. In March of 2020, students were sent home and required
Monday, April 4, 2022
The Maine Campus
Two years later, UMaine returns to a new normal
to complete their semesters via remote learning. Upon returning in the fall of 2021, mask mandates and COVID-19 restrictions were implemented, social gatherings restricted and many aspects of the typical college experience were put indefinitely on hold. Now, two years since the beginning, we’re finally beginning to see a return to normalcy as cases drop and vaccination levels increase. The mask mandate was lifted on April 26, with students and faculty no longer required to wear masks in UMaine facilities except for in classroom settings.
Nearly all students and faculty are vaccinated, and the immense efforts taken by all have allowed the school to ease the COVID-19 safety measures. Removing the mask mandate may seem miniscule, but for students and faculty it means seeing smiling faces again, breathing more easily when working out and more audible conversations with peers. These small things are just reminders of the days before the pandemic, but slowly, even more rewarding experiences are returning as well. Large gatherings were banned for much
of the pandemic, suspending events like the Maine Day Parade, the Maine Event concert and even in-person commencement ceremonies. These important college events are thankfully scheduled to occur this year, bringing delight to many of those who missed out on these integral college experiences. The Maine Day parade will take place on April 27 at 8:15 a.m., and the Maine Event, a concert sponsored by the UMaine Student Government, is scheduled for April 26 at 6:00 p.m. at Hilltop. While UMaine has remained focused
on looking ahead to a positive future, the community has not forgotten about those affected in the past by the COVID-19 pandemic. There will be graduation ceremonies held this year not only for the class of 2022, but also the classes of 2021 and 2020. Commencement ceremonies for undergraduate and graduate classes of 2022, 2021 and 2020 will take place on Friday, May 6, Saturday, May 7 and Sunday, May 8 in the Alfond Arena. More information about dates, tickets and COVID-19 guidelines can be found on the UMaine
website. Many aspects of the university experience have changed drastically over the past two years, but finally UMaine is gradually entering into a new normal. The student body and administration worked incredibly hard throughout the past two years to ensure everyone’s safety and to preserve UMaine’s educational standards. Moving forward, we’re all relieved to safely transition to no masks, larger gatherings and less COVID-19 restrictions and to provide graduation ceremonies for those who lost them to the pandemic.
‘People disappear’: Conspiracies and partisanship distract from terrifying sexual abuse in Maine Nick Tiner Contributor Editor Former Maine gubernatorial hopeful and prominent lawyer, Eliot Cutler, was arrested on four counts of felony child pornography possession charges on Friday, March 25. The man, who was only 1.8% of the vote away from serving as Maine’s governor in 2010, posted a $50,000 bail after a single night in jail. Besides the unassertive vacillations of Senator Susan Collins and the actions of Cutler’s opponent former Gov. Paul Lepage, news of Maine politics rarely reaches the national level. This time, that was not the case. Perhaps the most gross and ignorant tweet about the arrest came from U.S. Representative Lauren Boebert. The tweet read: “A well known Democrat mega donor in Maine was arrested on...You guessed it! Child pornography charges! The reason KJB [sic] was picked becomes more and more obvious as the days go on.” Cutler is not a Democrat. He ran as an Independent in both of his gubernatorial runs and has made numerous donations to Republicans as well as Democrats and Independents. Nor is Cutler in any way a “megadonor.” The Bangor Daily News reported: “Since 2014, more than 100 individual contributors have given more toward state-level races in Maine than Cutler. Donations to major Democrats such as Governor Janet Mills have been donated to charities that fight abuse.” Yet, despite the
brashness with which Rep. Boebert stated those lies, the most concerning part of that tweet is the ham-fisted attempt to connect the actions of Eliot Cutler, a state-level Independent in Maine, to the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court of the United States. Even for those who often don the tin-foil hat, the connection remains tenuous to say the least. What Rep. Boebert is fallaciously attempting to infer relates to a claim that Senator Josh Hawley brought up in recent weeks that Judge Jackson is weak on crimes relating to child porn. This claim has been proven to be blatantly false, but Hawley knew that when he said it. What Sen. Hawley and Rep. Boebert are doing is blowing the Q-Anon dog whistle to rally their base against a qualified Black woman. Erroneous, unbacked accusations that Democrats (and apparently any official even tangentially related to the party) are part of a child-abusing cabal have become disturbingly normalized in recent years. Rep. Boebert was not alone in her political perfidy. The Maine GOP tweeted out something similar, attempting to draw a connection between Cutler’s horrific actions and the Democratic politicians he had made donations to. What the Maine GOP and Rep. Boebert didn’t tweet about was the victims of the crime. No condolences were given, no concrete proposals to support our most vulnerable were given, there was not even a
half-hearted “thoughts and prayers.” This is because for this group, protecting children is simply not the goal. Much like the “Satanic Panic” decades ago, politicians and political groups like Rep. Boebert and the Maine GOP use children as pawns for their own nefarious endgame. The bitter irony here is that these conspiratorial conversations about the sexual abuse of minors only hurt those victims. Lost underneath the demagoguery and “what-about-isms” are real victims of abuse. Like the victims of the child pornography Eliot Cutler had in his possession. Also lost amongst this intentional chaos are meaningful and important conversations about the way these rich abusers are given a pass. For years the University of Maine system has served as a hub for unqualified, influential Mainers looking for cushy, high-paying positions. Cutler was named the CEO of the University of Maine System’s Professional and Graduate Center Initiative in 2015, a move that caught the attention of many with actual backgrounds in education. Now former Professor Susan Feiner stated at the time of the hire that every member of the faculty she spoke to felt the same way about the appointment. “It’s cronyism and that it’s probably LePage’s payoff to Cutler for helping LePage get re-elected,” Feiner said. “Leadership positions in the (University of Maine System) appear to be a jobs program for the state’s 1 percent.”
It is unclear to what degree Lepage was involved in the hiring of Eliot Cutler, but the hire nonetheless presents a near-worst case scenario of when unqualified individuals are put in power with vulnerable populations. There is currently no evidence that the disgusting actions of Cutler, who was also involved with the highschool student-focused Lerner Foundation, were directly related to the minors in these programs. The connection remains incredibly concerning nonetheless. Especially given the fact Cutler is the second major Maine political figure tied to the UMaine system to be connected to sexual abuse of minors. Furthermore, Cutler is an important lesson in how incredibly concerning it is that, if an individual is wealthy enough, they can purchase their way out of punishment. Bail, the monumental obstacle for oppressed BIPOC arrestees, is just a procedural hurdle for the privileged like Cutler. If the punishment is a fee, it is only a crime for the poor. Eliot Cutler will be brought to court and hopefully face justice, but for now the man facing four counts of child pornogrpahy possession is walking free. Even with the promise of justice later, historical examples in this state indicate that due to his wealth and influence, Cutler will likely not face nearly the level of consequences that he should. Let it be clear: sexual abuse, whether it be of minors or otherwise, is committed across every single part of the political spectrum.
With power comes abuse and corruption and this is true regardless of whatever side of the aisle one votes from. Democrats, Republicans, Independents, etc. all harbor abusers in their midst and true accountability for any form of misconduct is exceedingly rare. Take for example the two legislators in Congress who we heard from earlier. Rep. Boebert’s husband exposed himself to minors in a Colorado bowling alley, an incident which Boebert was present for. Sen. Hawley came under fire during his tenure as Missouri Attorney General for failing to open child sexual abuse investigations against the archdiocese of the state. Sen. Hawley also orchestrated a plea deal for a former-sheriff who had sexually abused his partner, resulting in zero jail time for the terrible offense. The most valuable things Mainers can do is educate themselves and take action against sexual abuse and trafficking in their own state. Maine serves as one of the most prominent East Coast access points for sex trafficking. For years, the amount of teens and young women forced into the sex trade in Maine has been on the rise. Targeting minors is a terrifying and fundamental strategy of the sex trade. Victims, both minors and adults, are often targeted due to their socioeconomic status and vulnerability. This is especially prevalent in the Portland area, where victims are often dragged into drug debt bondage and are never seen again. Laurel
Coleman, a volunteer for International Justice Mission (a human rights group), spoke to the Bangor Daily News about the issues. “People disappear,” Coleman shared. “They drop out of school, they go off to New York ‘to find a job’ and you never hear of them again.” To make matters worse, there is a dangerous backlog of data in the Maine State Police’s Computer Crimes Unit. We need to shift existing police funding to more useful areas like pursuing sexual abusers to make Maine’s minors significantly safer. Additionally, we need significantly stronger public programs to address upstream issues of inequalities and poverty that are necessary to enact alongside strong direct action against traffickers. There are real evils in this world. Massive organizations trafficking minors and vulnerable victims do exist: but they are not ridiculous partisan organizations of the “deep state” being illuminated by ideologues like Rep. Boebert claims. They are dangerously quiet criminal groups who make profit off the despicable likes of Elliot Cutler. Destroying these organizations and protecting victims will require concerted public action on every level of society, not the counterproductive, racist tweets from members of congress. Maine must take this action until every individual like Eliot Cutler in this state is held accountable.
Culture
Monday, April 4, 2022
Opinion • A5
The Maine Campus
LGBTQ+ Learning & Affirming Challenge launches on April 4
Meaghan Bellavance
Culture Editor
On April 4, the LGBTQ+ Learning & Affirming Challenge begins online for University of Maine students. The challenge runs until April 8, making it a 5-day long online challenge intended for students to tackle and acknowledge topics related to the LGBTQ community. “Each day, for five days, participants will receive an email with brief tasks designed to learn, listen, share insights and take action around topics related to sexual ori-
entation, gender identity, intersectionality and LGBTQ affirming learning experiences,” Jen Bonnet, the social sciences and humanities librarian at Fogler Library, said. “The asynchronous structure allows people to work on their own time and at their own pace.” The LGBTQ+ Learning & Affirming Challenge was created by UMaine’s very own graduate students and faculty. “This program was designed by Tausif Karim, [a] master’s student in communication and journalism, Lily Herakova, [an] assis-
tant professor in communication and journalism, Jen Bonnet, [the] social sciences and humanities librarian and Nancy Lewis, [the] head of reference and information literacy, all at the University of Maine,” Bonnet said. According to Bonnet, the challenge was created to provide UMaine students with an accessible and supportive space that is engaging for them and helps spread LGBTQ awareness at the same time as creating allyship. “There are moments built into each
day that provide space for personal and public reflection,” Bonnet said. “Our intention is to have opportunities for us all to learn from one another’s experiences and insights. I hope that participants feel seen and heard, and equipped to nourish their understanding of and relationship to LGBTQ allyship. I also hope folx find our resources and strategies helpful for continuing to do this important work. I look forward to learning with everyone!” The Communication and Journalism Department at UMaine
collaborated with the Fogler Library to make this challenge possible and accessible to students. “Fogler Library was glad to partner with CMJ to work on this, as we want to connect students and faculty with the information needed for their academic work, and especially for groups that have historically been oppressed and misrepresented,” Lewis said. All UMaine students are encouraged to sign up and participate in the challenge regardless of whether or not they live on campus. To participate in
the LGBTQ+ Learning & Affirming Challenge, you can register here: https:// docs.google.com/ forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdi2JNYCtTqP-aKWx8CvbC3cKVSqTGav2_ ABKoQI-94fuQWtw/ viewform?usp=sf_link.
Foo Fighters Drummer suffers untimely death at 50 Emme Aylesworth Contributor On March 25, the Foo Fighters’ drummer Taylor Hawkins was reported dead in Bogotá, Colombia. The famous rock drummer was 50 years old. He complained of chest pains prior to the medics’ arrival, but the cause of his death is currently unknown to the public. However, a toxicology report indicated Hawkins was under the influence of several substances at or around the time of his death, including THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis, and opioids. The Foo Fighters announced Hawkins’
death an hour before they were to perform for their concert in Colombia. They are currently on their South American tour, and the band is due to tour North America in the summer. However, on March 29, the Foo Fighters announced that they will be canceling their remaining tour dates. Hawkins suffered with substance use disorder for years leading up to his tragic death. In 2001, he overdosed on heroin. Hawkins was born Oliver Taylor Hawkins in Fort Worth, Texas on Feb. 17, 1972. He spent most of his life in California. David Grohl, the lead singer
and guitarist of the Foo Fighters, came to Hawkins, who at the time was touring with Alanis Morsette, asking him for suggestions for a new drummer for his band. Hawkins suggested himself, and was the drummer for the Foo Fighters since 1997. Grohl created the Foo Fighters after the death of Nirvana’s lead singer and his best friend, Kurt Cobain. The Foo Fighters consist of lead singer Grohl, guitarists Pat Smear and Chris Shiflett, bassist Nate Mendel and keyboardist Rami Jaffee. Hawkins was their sixth member and drummer. The band has a
discography of ten albums and have won 12 Grammys, including Best Rock Album multiple times. In 2021, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Their first song to reach the Billboard Hot One Hundred list was the single “Learn to Fly” off of their third album “There is Nothing Left to Lose.” Accompanying the song is a very entertaining music video that sees the band attempting to save a flight from falling after the crew and other passengers, played by the band members, were mistakenly poisoned by none other than Jack Black. The Foo Fight-
ers’ music videos are something special, and it shows you their character while making the listener feel connected to these musicians. The Foo Fighters recently released their own horror comedy movie called “Studio 666” that is playing in select theaters. In addition to his work on drums, Hawkins provided backup vocals on a few Foo Fighters songs, as well as lead vocals on the band’s various covers of other popular songs. Hawkins also collaborated with drummer Roger Taylor from Queen and Chad Smith from the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Hawkins formed his own group
in 2006 called Taylor Hawkins and the Coattail Riders. Aside from music, Hawkins made a cameo in the 2013 film “CBGB” portraying musician Iggy Pop. He married his wife Allison in 2005 and together raised three children. Hawkins is remembered by musicians everywhere. Liam Gallagher made a tribute to him in his most recent performance in London and Miley Cyrus paid tribute to him at her Lollapalooza performance.
National Holidays: April 4 through April 8 Meaghan Bellavance
Culture Editor
Monday: National Vitamin C Day As the seasons change and mask mandates are being lifted, the last thing you want to do is get sick! To prevent you from missing out on the warmer weather and social events with friends, eat some foods to bump up your Vitamin C intake to stay healthy and reap the benefits. Vitamin C is notorious for boosting your immune system, and there are foods that you can incorporate into your diet to help keep you protected. Here is a list of great Vitamin C-packed foods: citrus (oranges, lemons, grapefruit, kiwi), bell peppers, strawberries, tomatoes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and
more. April 4 is also National Cordon Bleu Day, National Hug a Newsperson Day and International Carrot Day. Tuesday: National Caramel Day April 5 is National Caramel Day. Nowadays, you can find caramel just about anywhere from an ice cream cone topping to a delectable additive into your morning latte. According to thespruceeats.com, caramel is just sugar that has been heated up to 340 degrees Fahrenheit. While it is a simple thing to make, caramel has become a popular appearance on menus across the U.S. Celebrate today by indulging in your favorite caramel treat. If you are unsure of which to pick from, some great options include salted
caramel brownies, an iced caramel coffee or even a caramel sundae from McDonald’s. April 5 is also National Deep Dish Pizza Day and National Library Workers Day. Wednesday: National Acai Bowl Day Today is National Acai Bowl Day! This national holiday is the perfect opportunity for all University of Maine students, as right in the center of Orono is Nest, whose acai bowls are well worth the trip. Featured on their menu are the following acai and smoothie bowls to choose from: Acai Bowl, Tropical Bowl, Avocado Bowl, Chocolate PB Banana Bowl and Black Bear-y Bowl. They are made with high-quality ingredients, and well-loved by the UMaine student body and Orono com-
munity. Incorporate a visit to Nest today to properly celebrate National Acai Bowl Day! If you are feeling creative, you can make your own at home, too. April 6 is also National Siamese Cat Day and National Student-Athlete Day. Thursday: National Beer Day Just like Wednesday’s national holiday, today’s holiday happens to have the perfect location for UMaine students to celebrate it! Today is National Beer Day, and there are numerous local places where you and your friends can indulge in a cold beer. In Orono, you can go to Marsh Island Brewing and Orono Brewing Company. In Bangor you can go to Mason’s Brewing Company and Sea Dog Brew-
ing Company. You can also simply celebrate by going out to just about any restaurant or cracking open a cold one at home in your favorite recliner. April 7 is also World Health Day and National Burrito Day. Friday: National All is Ours Day April 8 is National All is Ours Day. According to nationaltoday.com, National All is Ours Day is a day completely dedicated to admiring what is around you when it comes to the beauty of nature. With warmer weather among us, take advantage of the wonderful hiking trails that surround the UMaine campus. Take a trip with friends to Acadia National Park or Baxter State Park. The Bangor City Forest also offers great paths
winding through the woods. Wherever you decide to go, beauty can always be found in something around you. So take today to appreciate the outdoors and all Maine has to offer! April 8 is also National Empanada Day and National Zoo Lovers Day. All holidays were found on nationaltoday.com. Be sure to keep up to date with our regularly featured holidays featured both on our Instagram @ themainecampus and website.
A6• Culture
Monday, April 4, 2022
The Maine Campus
UMaine’s sociology department hosts ‘Living Unhoused: The Realities of Unhoused People in Bangor’ Emme Aylesworth Contributor On March 28, Assistant Professor Brian Pittman facilitated a panel hosted by the University of Maine sociology department over Zoom called, “Living Unhoused: The Realities of Unhoused People in Bangor.” The panel invited three individuals, Lock, Prophett and Blue from the Bangor area to share their experiences and information about being homeless. Many points made in the panel shed light on the conditions many homeless people live through and provided “housed” individuals with resources on how they can help. The most important point that they made helped diminish the stigma that surrounds the homeless population: The little things matter; if you can’t fund money, fund a smile. The panelists were first asked how they first became homeless. It began at a young age for all of them.
“I first became homeless when I got my car because it gave me a way out, away from home,” Blue said. Blue came from a very abusive family and has found that homelessness provided an escape from an environment of abuse. Lock also came from an abusive family, and started couch surfing at the age of nine. Lock is currently in housing that they describe as unsafe and suffers from disabilities that cause frequent hospital visits. They have no heating or cooling and their running water is unsafe to drink. They do have a bed, which they describe as “a privilege.” Prophett became homeless when their family was transitioning homes and it took longer than they expected. They have been homeless since 2020 after they dropped out of college and are currently living in their car. What kept all three of them homeless was this idea of mental-
ly not having a home. Sometimes living in a car or on the street, they each expressed, was better than being “trapped.” They also shared how inaccessible the system of welfare is to homeless people. They qualify for these programs but the means to receive the benefits serves as an additional barrier to entry. Individuals may be denied services or benefits like assistance for purchasing food, for instance, as they lack a stable address to which program-related documents can be mailed. Lock shared how just being in a shelter caused people to treat them differently. “People rejected me because I lived in a shelter,” Lock said. Blue says that the trauma they endured as a child, as well as their disabilities and mental illness, all played a huge factor in keeping them homeless. “I chose to live in a car because I didn’t want to be hurt,” Blue
said. The group expressed how they are just like everyone else, minus the house. They want to eliminate the stigma that homelessness equates to laziness when in actuality, their brains have trained them from a young age to function in crisis mode. They are constantly trying to survive. That is their day-to-day life. If they are resting, they are thinking about the next crisis or detoxing from the previous one. Prophett has to worry about their car since it is their home. If something goes wrong, they no longer have heating or power. “Small things will change my mind set so quickly,” Prophett said. “You wish people could understand but it is something you have to explain,” Blue said. Blue expresses how they continually live out of a backpack. Prophett agreed with what they had to say. “I’ve noticed across the time that I’ve been homeless I’ve gotten
accustomed to living out of bags,” Prophett said. They each expressed how being within four walls makes them feel claustrophobic because they’ve become “systemized” to being outside. Lock pointed out that four walls have “so much within.” Affordable housing could mean horrible landlords or no heating, something that Lock has experienced. “[You’re] holding out for something you’ve never experienced,” Lock said about the search for living in a house. Being homeless is a full-time job and it has taught them all how to be patient. All these skills could have been learned outside of being homeless, but it was being homeless that forced them to learn them. There is a connection that they all shared that is intimate. The community that they are a part of has kept them on their feet. “I am only alive be-
cause of my community,” Lock said. Blue has often become homesick “being at encampments or being at tent cities” because of that institutionalized state that they have been in. They are connected to those people and know the situation they are in. They use each other for resources if they need a ride to an appointment or community outreach. For support, they turn to social media where they ask for mutual aid. “Mutual aid is just another word for kindness,” Lock said. The trio ended by saying that for those that are interested in helping, it is important to know your resources. The little things matter to them and giving what you got, whether that be money or acknowledgement, helps them to see another day. For guiding resources you can also visit Greater Bangor Housing Community.
Spotify vs. Apple Music: Weighing the options Corin Proctor Contributor It’s a long standing debate, one that’s broken many couples up and ruined many friendships: which is the superior music streaming platform, Spotify or Apple Music? As a college student, you’ve got a lot on your plate, but the question of where you’re going to listen to your favorite jams shouldn’t keep you up at night. So, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of both Apple Music and Spotify. Although both of these streaming platforms come with an unlimited subscription for the price of $10 a month ($5 with
Bethany Rozzi Contributor 4/5 Stars Netflix found a way to play with time by releasing their new film “The Adam Project” on March 11. The light-hearted action and adventure film is currently at spot number three on Netflix’s list of Top 10 Movies in the U.S Today. With a runtime of 1 hour and 46 minutes, “The Adam Project” will pull its viewers into a witty reality that is not bound by time. Starring Ryan Reynolds as Adam Reed
a student account), Spotify does offer a free option. The only downside is that your listening session will be interrupted by ads every so often. Both Spotify and Apple Music allow the same amount of members to have profiles on the same billing account, and both streaming services give you three months for your free trial. One of the only differences between the two is that Apple Music has over 75 million songs in their roster, while Spotify has just about 70 million. What they lack in songs, they do make up for in podcasts, with over 2.6 million to choose from. This is significantly more than
Apple Music. When it comes to bluetooth speakers and accessibility, it’s still a draw. Apple connects to Airplay, iOS devices, Homepod, Apple Watches and TVs that are compatible with Siri. Spotify can hook up to a multitude of devices as well such as the Amazon Alexa and Echo speakers, and it is also available on the Xbox and Playstation. For tailoring your library to your own preferences, Apple Music gets the upper hand. Most people who go back and forth between the two express that it is easier to find new music and curate playlists through Apple Music. The genius
technology from Apple tracks your favorite songs and includes a mix of your preferred genres in their New Music playlists. Spotify’s comparable service is their Daily Mix, which adds music from artists you already know. There is no definitive answer to the burning question on everyone’s mind. The cost is the same and you get virtually the same experience from both streaming services. Apple Music and Spotify have very similar attributes that keep them the top tier music platforms on the market. It all comes down to where your loyalty lies, because at the end of the day there is
no changing the minds of avid Apple Music or Spotify listeners. Those with iPhones will be more inclined to utilize the software they’ve grown up on, with the exception of the people who prefer starting fresh with their music libraries on Spotify. Below is the comparison of the two, so you can decide for yourself which platform suits your needs the best: Spotify Free with ads $5 student subscription discount Up to 6 members on an account Free trial for three months Over 70 million songs and 2.6 million
‘The Adam Project’ takes viewers for a timeless adventure from 28 years in the future and Walker Scobell as 12-year-old Adam Reed, this pair creates a humorous dynamic that will have viewers wishing they could catch up with their younger selves in pursuit to save the world. This interesting relationship between two different versions of himself adds a new perspective that gives insight on the character development of Reed and why he is the way he is. Other notable actors in the film include Mark Ruffalo as Louis Reed, Jennifer Garner as Ellie Reed and
Zoe Salaña as Laura Shane. The film is about Reed, a man from a dystopian version of the year 2050 where time travel is possible. On a mission to find his missing wife, Reed steals a time jet to travel back to 2018, the year of his wife’s alleged death, but becomes injured and crash lands in the year 2022 where he meets his 12-year-old self who is still coping with the death of his father. 12-year-old Reed is also the key to powering the jet and assisting the future Reed in his journey.
The duo finds Reed’s wife seeking refuge in the year 2022, where she warns them about a woman named Maya Sorian who is using time travel with evil intentions. With this in mind, they jump back to 2018, where the younger Reed gets to reunite with his father and save time travel— or rather, destroy it. Netflix brings its viewers a mix between reality and fantasy, taking life as we currently know it and placing it in a world with advanced technology where time travel exists and technology advances quickly. The cos-
tumes for the earlier years visited in the film are ordinary everyday clothes that stay true to the characters and their personal styles. The costumes worn by individuals from the year 2050 have a sleek, modern feel to them. The officers from 2050 are equipped with a futuristic space suit-style uniform and helmets that covers them from head to toe. “The Adam Project” provides an enjoyable viewing experience. The witty and humorous dynamic between 12-year-old Reed and his older self will have older audiences wish-
podcasts Available on bluetooth devices Apple Music $5 student subscription discount Up to 6 members on an account Free trial for three months Over 75 million songs Separate app for podcasts Available on Apple compatible bluetooth devices
ing they could hash it out with their younger selves while younger audiences wish they could take on the world with the person that they will one day become. Director Shawn Levy’s applaudable work strikes the perfect balance between action and humor, making it a movie that can please a variety of audiences. The film is worth your attention the next time you find yourself on Netflix scrolling through the Top 10 Movies in the U.S Today.
Monday, April 4, 2022
Reviews• A7
The Maine Campus
‘House’ is still a captivating and binge-worthy show years later MK Jones Contributor 4.5/5 Stars There are an endless number of medical television shows on the market, from “Grey’s Anatomy” to “Chicago Med,” “Scrubs” and “Private Practice.” However, “House” stands out from the crowd with its dark humor and Sherlock Holmes-level mystery diagnoses. Originally released
in 2004, the show follows master diagnostician Dr. Gregory House around the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey. He’s as prickly as they come, frequently described as a narcissistic, cynical who is also addicted to Vicodin. Hugh Laurie stars as Dr. House, and the British comedian quickly became a sensation after just one season. House doesn’t work alone, however.
He has three fellows, Drs. Chase, Cameron and Foreman. His best friend, Dr. Wilson, is an oncologist at the same hospital and is the Watson to his Holmes. The head of the hospital, Dr. Lisa Cuddy, is always trying to get him to be better morally or stopping his crazy plans to test or diagnose a patient. Laurie plays House beautifully. The British comedian balances House’s characteristic dark humor with
his brazen narcissistic personality to create a complex character whose story arc is truly fascinating to watch. He diagnoses the undiagnosable, from genetic conditions you’ve never heard of to diseases that inhabit only the most rural of places in the world. There are many things “House” has done that make the show stick out from the others. When it comes to personal story arcs,
the characters face quirky yet realistic problems and situations with the patients they treat. There’s the classic cancer story arc — as seen on “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Chicago Med” and even “Scrubs” — but with that classic narcissistic House twist that will drop your jaw. House and his team’s love lives are equally as complicated as their cases. Some couples pair up immediately, while others
wait out a slow-burn. However, no two couples are the same, and they will keep you on your seat to see if the pair will stick it out. Overall, “House” is worth 4.5 out of 5 stars. The interpersonal relationships and crazy diagnoses make for a perfect concoction for a truly addicting show. The only reason it isn’t 5 stars is because the eighth season loses a tiny bit of steam, but it is still highly enjoyable.
Sports A8• Sports
Monday, April 4, 2022
The Maine Campus
Frozen Four preview
Patrick Silvia News Editor On Thursday, April 7, the puck will drop in Boston’s TD Garden to kick off the 2022 Frozen Four of the NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament. The first game will see the University of Michigan take on the University of Denver at 5 p.m., followed by Minnesota State University, Mankato taking on the University of Minnesota at 8:30 p.m. The winner of both games will play on Saturday, April 9 in the National Championship game. Denver found their way into the Frozen Four by beating UMass Lowell in the first round and avenging their NCHC semifinals loss to Minnesota-Duluth to punch their ticket to Boston. In doing so, they ended Duluth’s four-year streak of making it to the Frozen Four. Denver comes in
with a 29-9-1 record overall and has been a top team in the nation for the whole season, sitting fourth in the pairwise rankings. Offensively, Denver is led by the nation’s leading scorer and Hobey Baker finalist, third-year forward Bobby Brink. In 39 games played, Brink totaled 56 points. Denver as a team scored the second-most goals in the nation and was the only team in the country to have four players over 40 points. Along with Brink, Fourth-year forward Brett Stapley, second-year forward Carter Savoie and fourthyear forward Cole Guttman all scored over the 40-mark. This well-rounded Denver team has what it takes to win it all. Facing Denver is arguably the most talented team in college hockey history, the University of Michigan Wolverines. Sec-
ond-year defenseman Owen Power went first overall in last year’s NHL draft, second-year forward Matty Beniers went second, first-year defenseman Luke Hughes went fourth, second-year forward Kent Johnson went fifth and firstyear forward Mackie Samoskevich went twenty-fourth. Four of the top five picks in the NHL draft play for Michigan. No team has ever had that many elite-level prospects at one time. Michigan has 13 NHL-drafted players on a deep squad that has a 31-9-1 record. They rank No. 1 in the pairwise, won the BIG10 tournament and convincingly dispatched American International College and Quinnipiac University in their regionals en route to Boston. Since postseason play has begun, Michigan has outscored their opponents 30-12 in
six games. They’re not a team to bet against, but if they do fall short, they will lose multiple key players to the NHL once this season is over, so it’s now or never for the Wolverines. The team with the best record in the country at 37-5 is Minnesota State. After reaching the final four for the first time in the school’s history last year, the Mavericks are back again. Finally shedding their choker label, they are now well respected and legitimate title contenders. Led by fourth-year goalie Dryden McKay, the Hobey Baker finalist shutdown the opposition, and as a team they boasted the second-best defense in the country, only allowing 54 goals in 42 games for 1.3 goalsagainst average. In addition to that stingy defense, Minnesota State also scored the most goals in the
country with 172. Although many will chalk it up to simply playing in an easier conference than the other Frozen Four teams, Minnesota State only lost two of their 16 out-of-conference games all year and beat a battle-tested Notre Dame team to get into the Frozen Four. Offensively, they are led by third-year forward Nathan Smith, who is second in the nation in scoring with 50 points. Could this be the year Minnesota State finally proves a lot of critics wrong? Staring them in the face are their in-state rivals, the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers. The sleeping giant has finally awoken, making the Frozen Four for the first time since 2014. Boasting a nation high 14 NHL-drafted players, the Gophers are loaded. With a 26-12 record, the Gopher’s resume doesn’t stand out compared to their
peers in the Frozen Four, but they have won 11 of their last 12 games, with the lone loss coming to Michigan in the BIG10 title game by one goal. The Gophers are led offensively by Hobey Baker finalist, third-year forward Ben Meyers. Meyers was a surprise to be in the final three for the award but has nonetheless been Minnesota’s best scorer with a teamhigh 17 goals and 41 points. First-year forward Matthew Knies is also an emerging star. In his first year of college hockey, he scored 32 points in 32 games. The Gophers are probably the biggest underdog here, but more than capable of winning it all. For my prediction, I am going to pick Minnesota State to win their school’s first-ever National Championship, going against the University of Michigan in the final.
Kansas vs North Carolina March Madness Championship preview
Graphic by Christiana Mosca.
Dalton Bartlett Contributor No. 1 seed Kansas Jayhawks and the No. 8 North Carolina Tar Heels will come together for the final National Championship matchup Monday evening. The Jayhawks defeated the Villanova Wildcats handedly 8165 to reach their first championship game since 2012. The Jayhawks jumped out to a 38-19 lead in the first half, but the Wildcats were able to make it a game. They got the deficit down to just six, but thanks to an 11 point run by the Jayhawks, Kansas advanced over Villanova,
avenging their 2018 loss against them. The Jayhawks are led by fourth-year guard Ochai Agbaji, who is projected to be a lottery pick in the upcoming draft. On the season, Agbaji averaged 18.9 points per game on 47.1% shooting from the field, 5.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 0.9 steals. He was terrific against Villanova, putting up 21 points along with two rebounds and one assist. Expect a big game out of him against UNC. Fourth-year forward David McCormack might not be the biggest name for Kansas, but he came through when it mattered most
and was simply terrific against the Wildcats. In the game, he had 25 points on 10-12 shooting and nine rebounds while dominating the inside of the paint. For a guy who only averaged 10 points per game this season, he put on his best performance in large part thanks to him that Kansas advanced so easily against Villanova. Expect him to have an important impact in the championship game with his consistent shooting and rebounding. In an all-time thriller, the University of North Carolina upset their arch-rivals, the No. 2 seeded Duke University Blue Dev-
ils, in legendary head coach Mike Krzyzewski’s final game 81-77. In a game that featured 18 lead changes, UNC squeaked it out thanks to a clutch three-pointer from star second-year guard Caleb Love that clinched the upset. Hubert Davis is in his first season as the head coach of the Tar Heels after replacing long-time coach Roy Williams, becoming only the fourth head coach ever to lead his team to a national championship game in his first year as a head coach. Love may have hit the dagger to seal the game in the end but that was far from the
only thing he contributed to the Tar Heel’s victory. In the game, he scored 28 points on 11-20 shooting and through his strong second half, he helped open the offense up and hit the shots when they mattered the most. UNC will need a big game out of him in order to win it all. Against Duke, very few players had as big of an impact as thirdyear big man Armando Bacot. One of the best rebounders in all of the nation, he proved just how dominant he was on the boards, earning the most rebounds in the game with 21 rebounds along with 11 points. While he rolled his ankle with five
minutes left, he still returned to the game and his performance is one of the biggest reasons why UNC is still fighting for a chance to win another title. With his ankle injury, he may not be at full strength for the championship game which undoubtedly would hurt the Tar Heels on both sides of the ball. The championship game is tonight at 9:20 p.m. Can Kansas finally win their elusive sixth title or will UNC be able to pull off a 1984 Villanova run and be the second eighth seed to ever win a title?
Monday, April 4, 2022
Sports• A9
The Maine Campus
Logan Martin: UMaine football player profile Erik Anderson Contributor Logan Martin from Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, is currently living the dream of thousands of Maine high school boys: playing football for the Black Bears at the University of Maine. The five-foot-eleveninch, 200-pound wide receiver is entering his second season with the team after having a dominant high school career. Maine did not have a high school football season in the fall of 2020 due to COVID-19, Martin’s senior year. However, his junior season was enough to get multiple Division I teams to notice him after putting up 1700 yards, 31 touchdowns and getting a touchdown every 4.8 times he touched the ball, a staggering stat. Being widely considered one of the best prospects in the state, he was given scholarships by D-1 Wagner College and D-2 Saint Anselm’s College but decided to stick to his home state and followed his heart, committing to Maine as a preferred walk-on. Martin’s first season was cut short in training camp after a torn ACL and meniscus. He had surgery in September and will have a clean-up procedure this upcoming week.
This will help Martin to get fully prepared to play in his first game in nearly three years. In addition to football, Martin played lots of other sports in high school. He starred in basketball, as well as baseball, golf and track and field. He had many 20+ point and 10+ rebound games while competing for the Foxcroft Academy Ponies. He is also a communications student at UMaine and is trying to get into sports media. Q&A Martin:
with
Logan
Q: When did you first fall in love with football? A: I first fell in love with the sport in kindergarten when I was playing during recess with older kids, and even back then I was balling out and scoring touchdowns. I just loved the feeling of having the ball in my hands. That’s when I fell in love with all my sports from my youthful days. Q: Tell me about when you were growing up. A: We basically grew up in the middle-of-nowhere in Dover-Foxcroft, so it was a pretty hard place to get noticed. I was raised the right way, I [have] two
loving parents and [a] sister, and they were always there for me and supporting me. Q: Tell me about your junior season on the gridiron and how it felt to dominate the competition? A: It’s been a while since I have played, that being the last year. There were a lot of great players in the Little 10 Conference, and we had a young team. We only had about 28 kids on the team and not many seniors or juniors, so I stepped into a leadership role when all the guys from the year before graduated. My mindset was that I am trying to play at the next level so I have to do what I have to do on and off the field to make my team better and for me to live up to my potential. I feel like if I had a senior season, then we could have made a run at a state title because this past year they won it and a lot of the leaders on that team were younger players, so I definitely feel like we could have done it. Q: How did it feel to not have your senior season [happen] due to Covid[-19]? A: That was a big part of how I ended up here. That was the point where I realized I can’t take anything for
granted, whether it’s practice or anything. Every chance I get to play is a blessing because just like that it can be gone, via injury or whatever, you have to cherish every second. Q: At what moment did you realize you could play at the collegiate level? A: When I was a freshman, I went to my first football camp at Wesleyan University and competed with a bunch of kids who were 14-18 years old and I was balling out. I did the 40-yard dash, 1v1 drills, cone drills and other stuff. At the time I didn’t know I was gonna play college ball, I was just trying to get noticed. You usually don’t see a ton of kids getting recruited out of this state, that’s why I was so pumped when Wesleyan invited me on a visit and to check out all of the facilities and campus. This was really the moment when I knew what I wanted to do. Q: What made you want to come to UMaine when you had other offers? A: I was offered a good amount of money from the other schools, but UMaine has been my dream school since I was a little kid, so
when they offered me the PWO I was so excited to be representing my state. Q: Who in your life has inspired your life the most? A: Definitely my father. If I am half the man that he is, I know I would be doing good. There would be times when he would be traveling all across the state for work and still come to every single game. So, he is definitely my inspiration. Q: Do you want to explain about the surgeries you have had from playing up here? A: Yeah, I tore my ACL and meniscus in the last play of a scrimmage towards the end of camp. I went to make a block and I got hit by a cornerback and was not [bracing] for contact and my knee buckled and made a popping sound. I can still remember that sound. I have been out for seven months now and I am recovering and doing physical therapy. So, I should be back within a month or so and I can’t wait. Q: What are your thoughts on the new head coach Jordan Stevens? A: I love coach. He played here and he is
from Maine so I can relate to that. He is so committed to the program through and through. He knows what it’s like to be a student-athlete here and represent the state of Maine and be a Black Bear. Q: What has been your favorite memory with the team so far? A: That’s a tough question, but if I had to pick one it would probably be the rap battle during camp. I was challenged to rap against Richie Carr. It was so fun, we were going at it in the locker room and on the field. One of the best times I have had. Q: What are your personal goals? A: I am a team-first player, as we all are. So for the team, I want us to win the CAA and beat UNH, and have the best possible season we can. Personally, I want to get healthy and contribute to the team. Q: What are your goals after college? A: I hope to one day get into sports media and broadcast, have my own podcast, and run an app that covers sports. That is always something I hope to do after I graduate.
This Week in Sports History: The Story of Jackie Robinson
Photo by Olivia Schanck.
Erik Anderson Contributor On April 10, 1947, Jackie Robinson’s contract was purchased from the Montreal Royals by the Brooklyn Dodgers, making history by breaking baseball’s color barrier. Jack Roosevelt Robinson was born in Cairo, Georgia on January 31, 1919. The family moved to Pasadena, California when Robinson’s father left. Robinson showed athletic excellence at a young age and was a four-sport letterman at John Muir high school. He played shortstop in baseball, point guard in basketball, quar-
terback and safety on the football team and competed as a long jumper in track. After high school, he moved on to Pasadena Junior College where he continued to compete in those four sports. Robinson was also very outspoken about racial activism. He was arrested for trying to verbally defend his friend from being wrongfully incarcerated. Robinson enrolled in UCLA in 1939, becoming the first athlete in the school’s history to letter in four sports. Baseball was arguably his worst sport in college, believe it or not. His baseball season
was lackluster compared to his NCAA championship win in the long jump, West Coast Conference MVP award in basketball or leading the nation in punt return average along with leading UCLA’s football team in passing and rushing yards. Robinson left school just months before graduation and got a job as an assistant athletic director. He tried to play professional football, until he was drafted into the Army, where he eventually became a lieutenant. He was honorably discharged after he refused to sit on the back of a bus. He was
also charged with public drunkenness, even though he didn’t drink. His time in the Army led to an opportunity to play in the Negro Leagues. Robinson signed a contract with the Kansas City Monarchs and made the league’s AllStar game in the 1945 season. The next season, he was assigned to the team’s AAA affiliate, the Montreal Royals. He had an exceptional season and was named the league’s MVP. When Robinson had his contract purchased by the Dodgers in the 1947 season he officially broke the color barrier, he was met
with mixed reactions. Many of his fellow players and the media reacted positively to his addition to the team, but many fans and some players were opposed to baseball being integrated. Robinson got death threats from fans and some opposing players tried to intentionally injure him. Although this reception hurt him literally and figuratively, Robinson didn’t let it affect his play. Robinson went on to become a 6 time All-Star, the 1949 NL MVP, a 1955 World Series champion and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1962. After his career was
done, Robinson continued working as an activist as well as a part-time sports analyst. His time after baseball was cut short due to health problems, and he passed away in 1972. The MLB retired his number 42 across the whole league in 1997 and created Jackie Robinson Day. Every year on April 15, Jackie Robinson Day celebrates him for breaking the color barrier, and every player in the MLB wears 42 in the games played on that day.
A10• Sports
Monday, April 4, 2022
The Maine Campus
US Men’s National Team qualifies for the World Cup for the first time since 2014 Michael Corrado Contributor After an eight-year hiatus from the biggest spectacle in sports, the U.S. men’s national team has qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar this upcoming winter. Following their 2-0 loss to Costa Rica last Wednesday, the U.S. was able to qualify thanks to a hefty advantage in terms of goal differential. With one of the youngest groups in recent memory headlined by Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic, Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie and FC Barcelona right-back Sergino Dest, the talent to qualify was there. Wins against El Salvador and Honduras helped the U.S. establish a solid stand-
ing in the points. Their 0-0 stalemate against Mexico proved to be a pivotal result heading into the final week of World Cup Qualifying matches. Last Sunday, Berhalter’s side welcomed the Panama national team to Exploria Stadium in Orlando. While both sides showed up to take the kick-off, it was clear the U.S. was the only team that actually showed up to play. Panama’s Anibal Godoy foolishly pushed over USMNT defender Walker Zimmerman on a corner kick just over ten minutes into the match, and after a VAR review confirmed that the foul was worthy of a penalty, Pulisic prepared to take the chance. Calmly and cooly, Pulisic rifled the shot into the back of the
net to put his side up 1-0 only 17 minutes into the game. Panama caused trouble for keeper Zack Steffen and the U.S. defense, but frantic defensive work transitioned into a great counter-attack. Though Pulisic was fouled on the edge of the area he was able to get the ball to teammate Antonee Robinson, who swiftly sent in a cross that was met by the head of striker Paul Arriola, doubling the American’s lead just five minutes after the opening tally. The hits just kept coming for Panama, when four minutes later Arriola directed the ball into the area where forward Jesus Ferreira was waiting to slot home the third goal of the contest at pointblank range. Godoy again was called for
committing a foul in the area in extra time of the first half, sending U.S. defender Miles Robinson to the ground and earning a yellow card in the process. Pulisic’s penalty was less of a given, with Panama keeper Luis Mejia guessing the correct direction, but Pulisic’s strike powered through Mejia’s outstretched hand and put the U.S. up 4-0 at the half. The second half started off brilliantly for the U.S., inevitably resulting in a fifth and final goal on the night for the dominant side. Great link-up work from Luca De La Torre and Robinson lead to Pulisic receiving the ball in space in the area, taking a Dennis Bergkamp-esque touch, and confidently pushing the ball past Mejia to score his first
professional hat trick for the national team. While Godoy scored a late consolation goal, the 5-1 victory meant all Berhalter’s team had to do was not concede six goals to Costa Rica and they’d be in the World Cup. Heading into the final match of qualifying in Costa Rica, the team knew what a 6-0 loss would spell and fielded a practically first-choice lineup with the exceptions of the injured Dest, Weston McKennie and Matt Turner. The Costa Rican side, led by veteran goalkeeper Keylor Navas, knew they could somehow qualify, especially considering the U.S.’s recent history of qualifying where they lost to Trinidad and Tobago for the 2018 World Cup. The away side
Roughing the Passer penalty is unfair to the defense in football
Dalton Bartlett Contributor In any sport, there will always be controversial rules. Some have good reasoning for it, but bad execution can make some just plain awful. Roughing the Passer is one rule that has affected football more than ever since the rule was updated in 2018. Roughing the Passer is defined as “a foul in which a defensive player makes illegal contact with the quarterback after the latter has thrown a forward pass,” by the NFL rulebook. When this happens, it is a penalty of 15 yards and an automatic first down, and the player can be disqualified if it is deemed as a flagrant infraction.
Before 2018, the penalty was seen as fair, since it protected the quarterbacks. Then, the rule was updated to its current version in 2018, which has faced some backlash. The new rule states, “when tackling a passer who is in a defenseless posture (e.g., during or just after throwing a pass), a defensive player must not unnecessarily or violently throw him down or land on top of him with all or most of the defender’s weight.” The problem is when you try to define what is unnecessary or violent. This confusion has led to some questionable calls and players have gotten suspended. Outside linebacker Clay Matthews is one of the most notable
players to be affected by this rule change. During the first three weeks of the 2018 season, he was called for three Roughing the Passer penalties, which would not have been called before. Two of these penalties directly led to the opposing team winning the game. The NFL also said that they would be using Mattews’ hit on Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins as the standard to teach referees how to flag players. Just this past year, at the end of the first half, New Orleans Saints linebacker Kaden Ellis was called for Roughing the Passer after he hit Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill in the
back of the head. When the play was shown, it was clear he hit him on the nameplate, but because Roughing the Passer is not a reviewable play, it stood and cost the Saints an interception and eventually the game. Tannehill scored right after and the Titans won 23-21. In 2021, the New England Patriots almost lost to the Buffalo Bills due to one of the most egregious calls ever. Bills quarterback Josh Allen rolled right out of the pocket, past the first down marker, and was running forward when Patriots cornerback Myles Bryant pushed him out of bounds to prevent a first down on third down. However, he was called for Roughing the Passer even
though he was a runner. In spite of this call, the Patriots prevailed, thanks to Bryant redeeming himself and swatting down a pass on fourth down, but this could have gone very differently. These are just some of the many bad calls that were called against teams’ defenses. Looking back before the rule change, Roughing the Passer was only called over 100 times in three seasons since 2009 before the rule change. In 2017 it was called 107 times, the most pre rule change. Since the new rule was put into place, it has been called over 100 times every season. All four seasons eclipsing the mark of 107, with the high coming last sea-
came out swinging, after Miles Robinson’s near goal off of a volley in the area that Navas slowed before it was cleared off the line. Both teams played to a 0-0 draw at halftime, but Costa Rica got their chance to strike early in the second half. A corner was met by the head of Juan Pablo Vargas to give his side a 1-0 lead with 40 minutes left to play. Only eight minutes later, the Costa Ricans striked again by way of Anthony Contreras but were unable to score any further goals, winning the game 2-0. The result sent the U.S. to the World Cup and Costa Rica to a one-game playoff in June against New Zealand for one of the final three spots in the tournament.
son with 154 Roughing the Passer penalties called. If the NFL is going to continue with this rule staying the same, they have to update it to clarify what counts as “unnecessary and violent.” Roughing the Passer was made to protect the quarterback from dirty hits, but now it has become a rule to penalize defensive players for simply doing their job. The NFL needs to at least allow teams to challenge the penalty, otherwise, it will continue to cost teams games.
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