TNR 2.17.11

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131 years in print Vol. CXXXI Issue XXXVIIi

THURSDAY | FEB. 17 | 2011

RESUME BOOST

Bearcats 63 Cardinals 54

sports | 4

EGYPT

UC student witnesses Egyptian revolution

spotlight | 3

Stroke victims increasing drug use Scott Winfield | Senior reporter Two professors from the University of Cincinnati’s department of neurology presented their findings to the American Stroke Association at the International Stroke Conference 2011 Feb. 9 in Los Angeles.

Street drug use has increased 4 percent among stroke victims since the UC College of Medicine study began in 1993, according to Dr. Felipe De los Rios of the Greater Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Stroke Study The National Institute of Health-funded study showed an increase in street drug use in stroke victims from 0.5 percent in 1993-94 to 1.5 percent in 1999 and 4.6 percent in 2005, the latest year

for which complete statistics are available.

Street drug use information was gathered from patients’ medical charts or positive blood/urine samples.

“The number of stroke subjects with street drug use is not trivial,” De los Rios said.

De los Rios also added that the heaviest usage was among patients younger than 35 at 21 percent.

“We know that stroke incidence in younger age groups has increased over time in our region,” De los Rios said, referring to UC research presented at last year’s conference. “With street drug use more prevalent at younger ages, this could help explain that phenomenon.”

Dr. Pooja Khatri, who also helped

conduct the study, found that treating mild strokes with the clot-busting drug intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) could reduce the number of disabled patients and save $200 million per year in disability.

An associate professor in UC’s department of neurology, Khatri — along with other UC researchers — analyzed hospital records from 437 patients at 16 sites in the study’s region in 2005.

Of those 437 patients, only 247 were diagnosed with mild ischemic stroke — the most common type of stroke caused by an interruption of blood flow to the brain — on a stroke severity scale and only four of the mild stroke patients received tPA. Of the 243 remaining mild stroke

patients, 150 were considered likely candidates for tPA and researchers assumed that 8 percent to 13 percent would fully recover post-stroke if tPA was effective.

“Currently there is no standard of treatment for patients with the mildest of strokes,” Khatri said. “These findings raise the question of whether the mildest strokes should be treated with intravenous tPA.” On a national scale, researchers concluded that if tPA proves effective for mild stroke, the number of patients — estimated to spend $100,000 in treatment — disabled by stroke each year would decrease by 2,000. As a result, at least $200 million in disability expenditures could be saved.

HULA HOOPLA PHOTOs BY COULTER LOEB | CHIEF Photographer

SHAKING OFF WINTER Students enjoyed the early springtime weather Wednesday, hula hooping and talking walks throughout Sigma Sigma Commons.

Warmer weather is expected to stay in Cincinnati at least throughout the rest of the week.

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Bishop receives sentence james sprague | News Editor

Former UC provost returns from Egypt james Sprague | News Editor

Former University of Cincinnati provost Anthony Perzigian has safely returned from Egypt, where he was on an academic mission when the revolution began.

Perzigian — who retired as UC’s provost last year — was in Egypt as a co-adviser with the Future University of Cairo, assisting the university with modeling their bylaws and quality assurance guidelines when protests sparked the revolution that ousted former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.

Perzigian had been assisting the Future University of Cairo since Jan. 1 and had made “a fair amount of progress until events of last couple of weeks interrupted,” he said.

Perzigian returned to Cincinnati from Egypt with his wife around midnight Feb. 6, and said he had never experienced anything resembling the protests before.

“We are literally watching something unfold of historic proportions,” Perzigian said.

“The closest analogy would be the fall of the Berlin Wall.”

IN BRIEF

Graduate Student Elections The University of Cincinnati Graduate Student Government Association is taking nominations for its next president, vice president and treasurer.

GSGA will hold elections for the 2011-12 academic year positions Wednesday, March 2.

INSIDE

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Perzigian currently has no timetable for when he may be able to return to his duties in Cairo.

“The university is closed, so it’s hard to predict what’s going to happen,” Perzigian said. “I’ll carefully monitor the situation here in Cincinnati and stay in touch with the university.”

Despite leaving a country in the midst of a nationwide uprising, Perzigian said that he learned about the life and circumstances of the Egyptian people during his time there, specifically their frustration with the former government.

“There was a lot of corruption,” Perzigian said. “It wasn’t so much what you do but who you knew [in Egypt].”

He said he was not surprised by the events.

“We knew Jan. 25 was a national holiday — Police Day — and with the university File Art | The News Record was closed that a lot of people would Former UC provost be gathered at the square to protest the IN THE MIDDLE regime,” Perzigian said. “People said ‘enough Anthony Perzigian had been in Egypt assisting the Future University of Cairo. is enough.’ ”

A former University of Cincinnati professor was sentenced Wednesday for stalking a Hyde Park woman last summer.

George Bishop, 68, who taught in UC’s political science department, was sentenced to six months in the Talbert House halfway house, a year of house arrest and five years probation for stalking Laurie Russo of Hyde Park last August.

Bishop pleaded no contest to charges that he stalked Russo, called her from pay phones at a Shell gas station and a United Dairy Farmers store in Hyde Park, threatened to burn her house down and said she could not hide from him.

“I think that it’s fair justice that he would get some prison time for the time I spent in [torment],” Russo said during a Feb. 16 press conference. “And probation after that, so that I feel safe and that he hopefully gets the treatment that he needs.”

Bishop told the court Wednesday that he picked Russo due to believing her sister had rejected him romantically and blamed his behavior on side effects from medication he takes for restless leg syndrome. Bishop’s attorney previously said that Bishop’s behavior was caused by acute alcoholism.

Bishop retired from UC effective Feb. 1, said Greg Hand, UC spokesperson.

CEAS restructuring computer science Lack of funding leads to program’s planned dissolution ARIEL CHEUNG | MANAGING EDITOR

As the University of Cincinnati prepares for possible budget cuts, the College of Engineering and Applied Science is taking the opportunity to restructure its curriculum.

In a town hall meeting Feb. 3, CEAS Dean Carlo Montemagno presented his plan for the college, including suspending admission to the computer science program and consolidating several programs into a single school.

While UC’s 2012 semester conversion and a possible $4.9 million budget cut were the driving force for Montemagno’s plan, the changes were necessary regardless, Montemagno said. “[The budget cuts are] a kind of crisis,” Montemagno said. “And sometimes, a crisis gives you an opportunity to really look at what you’re doing and become better and stronger as a result of that.”

Montemagno focused his plan on improving core engineering programs — mechanical, chemical, electric, civil and aerospace — and improving the quality of courses offered to students. His overall goal is to create a worldclass college.

“Even if the budget was remaining flat, I need to do something to restore the quality that we want the programs to have,” Montemagno said. “It’s not about whether or not an individual program makes money. It’s about whether the money I’m investing in that program can be better utilized to support something that is more important to the overall delivery.”

The announcement that admission to the computer science program would be suspended in 2012 was met with resistance from many computer science students.

“It doesn’t make sense that [Montemagno] wants to become like all the other more prestigious engineering programs at other colleges … and yet they all have a [computer science] program,” said Peter Burke, a thirdyear computer science student.

In order for the computer science program to remain sustainable, it would need a large increase in funding, which was not going to be possible in the near future, Montemagno said.

While national funding for computer science programs is available, it historically has not gone to UC, he said.

Montemagno has organized a committee to evaluate the computer science program.

Some of the computer science courses will be shifted into the computer engineering program and could eventually be offered as a minor, Montemagno said.

“I wish I didn’t have to make a decision with regards to computer science. [The other changes to CEAS are] absolutely the right thing to do,” Montemagno said. But without the resources to expand the computer science program and faculty, it’s no longer a viable option, he said.

While Montemagno continues to communicate with concerned students and faculty through his Wiki page and by hosting meetings, his plan for CEAS will not be altered or adjusted, he said.

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“Because of the financial circumstances we have, I can’t be as broad and offer everything,” Montemagno said. “But I can offer the core of engineering and offer it at a quality with our co-op program that makes it some place that everyone wants to go to.”

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FUTURE OF CHANGE The suspension of the computer science program is one of many measures planned for CEAS.

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Weekend Edition Feb. 17 | 2011 NEWSRECORD.ORG

SLACKER

SOLUTIONS sean peters

Live band improves karaoke events As if you needed another excuse to get drunk and yell at strangers during the workweek, Northside Tavern hosts live band karaoke Tuesday nights.

They’re called Sexy Time, which is exactly how things get once the music starts up.

As an occasional karaoke enthusiast, I see a wide spectrum of talent that graces the stage — from those who need to drink up the nerve to get in front of an audience, to born performers who can’t get on stage soon enough.

Something that’s always missing in conventional karaoke is the feel of a live band. The feeling, if you’re close enough, of a bass drum sonically kicking into your chest, the comfortable piercing buzz of electric guitar feedback— this is a part of the live experience.

Karaoke will never be the same for me again.

Sexy Time has made it a point to make you feel famous.

Having a live band behind you while singing instills a firmer confidence that can’t be felt from robotic karaoke jukeboxes.

There’s soul and, finally, you’re actually performing instead of just reciting in front of a glowing box.

Cutting to the chase, yes, I was pretty drunk when I performed. It was a slow night, so I got to indulge in several songs this evening. Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid” and The Misfits’“Where Eagles Dare,” along with The Ramones’ “Blitzkrieg Bop” were my choices. Sexy Time’s set-list is massive, with more than 100 songs available. From Urge Overkill’s “Girl, You’ll Be a Woman Soon” to The Flaming Lips’“Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots,” these guys know a shitload of songs.

And they’re patient. So, so patient. Imagine the strain of playing the same cover songs while a good portion of the sloppy singers completely butcher the songs they’ve worked so hard to pull off. If the singer isn’t doing well, it makes the rest of the band look bad. How they can endure such variety puzzles me.

Some of the highlights of the evening definitely include one dude doing a mightily impressive version of Prince’s “Kiss.” It’s not often the audience will dance along with a karaoke performance, but this was one of those rare moments when it actually happened.

As far as the band goes, there’s Dwight Dyer and Scotty Wood on guitar, Paul Brumm on bass and keys and Dave Cahill on drums. From this simple quartet comes a flurry of rock and roll classics.

Elvis fan? You can sing “Hound Dog” (or “Pump it Up” for you Elvis Costello fans). Beatles fan? You can sing “Back In The USSR,”“Birthday,”“Come Together,”“Helter Skelter,” “Revolution” and “Something.”

Yes, they seem to favor The Beatles over Elvis. No problem in my book.

Sexy Time has fun onstage, no doubt. With a presumably open bar tab, they’re living the sweet life Tuesday nights.

If you want to stick with conventional karaoke, Northside Tavern offers that Thursday nights, but I’ve got to recommend checking out Sexy Time Tuesday nights.

Northside Tavern doesn’t charge a cover fee for this event, which in itself rules.

Their drink prices are reasonable with a good selection, the staff is beautiful and friendly and there’s a small pit where they light fires outside when the weather demands supplemental warmth. I’m assuming they wouldn’t stop you if you wanted to light a fire on a warm night, but you try that at your own risk.

Where do you prefer to go for the karaoke experience? E-mail Sean recommendations for his next drunken sing-along outing at slacker.solutions@gmail.com.

ENTERTAINMENT

Marvel, Capcom step up game nick grever | senior reporter Fighting video games are fickle beasts. To sell well, they must be accessible, or the casual player will get frustrated and give up, leaving only a small cluster of hardcore fans.

The “Guilty Gear” series, for example, is the domain of players that spend countless hours practicing one character to learn all of the intricacies. On the other end of the spectrum are extremely accessible games, but not always balanced ones. The “Super Smash” series typifies this game style. The game is great for parties, because

anyone can jump in. Bring it into a tournament, however, and only three overpowered characters will be used.

For game developers, the balance between accessibility and depth is a hard line to walk.

Capcom’s highly anticipated release, “Marvel vs. Capcom 3,” has taken several steps toward that line. But more importantly, it’s just ridiculously fun, regardless of skill level.

The game’s plot involves the universes of Marvel and Capcom merging, due to Dr. Doom’s and Wesker’s ( from “Resident Evil”) shenanigans. Galactus is also

courtesy of mct campus

COMIC BOOK COLOR Even the most serious gamers can’t ignore the brilliantly vibrant color scheme in the new “Marvel vs. Capcom 3.”

involved somehow. All the story really does, however, is provide an excuse to team up Dante from “Devil May Cry” with Wolverine.

Which drums up the next point.

The game’s biggest draw is the varied character list. The 36-character roster (with more to come as DLC) has old favorites like Iron Man and Ryu, and newcomers like Deadpool and C. Viper from “Street Fighter 4.”

Every style is covered. Whether you prefer speed, heavy-hitters, keep-away or even defensive trap-oriented, there’s a team you can assemble that plays to your strength. The three-character teams add a layer of depth for hardcore players, giving them the ability to pick a character for every situation. Of course, newbies can just pick three X-Men and be done with it.

Even the control scheme can be tailored to new players or old hands. The default gives experienced players more options, but new players can pick the “Simple Play” control scheme, allowing for one-button combos, specials and hyper combos. They won’t have as many options available to them, but the easy use can’t be argued against.

All of the moves, no matter how they’re activated, look amazing.

The game has a cel-shaded feel to it, making the matches look like

a mix of anime and comic books.

Fights are frenetic and lush with color. No fighting game available today is as visually pleasing.

It’s a credit to Capcom that they were able to create such a vibrant, visually busy game, but still make it easy to distinguish characters and their movements onscreen.

Mode selection is a bit sparse, though, with multiplayer being the main draw, either local or online. The single player is limited to Arcade, Training and Mission (basically a guided tour of characters’ high-end combos).

Essentially, single player mode is there to teach you how to be competitive in multiplayer mode.

Almost everything players do in the game earns points, which, in turn, unlock movies, artwork and the like. It’s nothing too exciting, but it’s a nice perk to see some concept art just for pounding your friend’s face in.

Overall, “MvC3” is the epitome of fun. Whether you’re a hardcore tournament player or just picking up a pad, it has something to offer.

Only time will tell if the balance is as strong as it initially seems, but that only matters to the upper echelon of players. But, if you’re looking for a game to bring to your friend’s house, this is the one.

Just make sure you’re stocked up on Mountain Dew and pizza — it’s going to be a long night.

Fiddler on the Roof Theatrical classic lacks luster during Aronoff performance

courtesy of broadaway across america

HOLD YOUR APPLAUSE While several actors in the Broadway production of “Fiddler on the Roof” stood out with high energy and overwhelming talent, the cast lacked the expected amount of energy and passion while performing the classic.

ariel cheung | managing editor

W

ith Broadway productions constantly getting bigger, flashier and more expensive, it’s a treat to return to the classics and “Tradition” with “Fiddler on the Roof,” playing at the Aronoff Center for the Arts Feb. 15-27.

But it seemed that for tradition, “Fiddler” was willing to sacrifice the sparkle and polish that usually accompanies national touring productions.

While lines were spoken clearly and every note was hit, there was a lack of energy that was needed throughout the show. The dancing was a little slow, the comedic timing was a off and the characters were a little dull.

The lack of polish was disappointing, because “Fiddler” has such heart. It’s the story of a little Russian town, Anatevka, in 1905. The Jewish townspeople work hard and reap few rewards, and none more so than Tevye, a milkman with five daughters. Tevye’s faith and traditional principles are challenged as his three eldest daughters each fall in love with men they aren’t supposed to fall in love with.

John Preece takes the stage as Tevye in his ninth national tour of “Fiddler.” He’s clearly had plenty of practice in the role, and the time has paid off. Tevye is captivating and sentimental, while still coming across as the gruff Papa he expects himself to be.

The rest of the cast, however, muddled the performance

with awkward outbursts of misplaced passion and muted delivery of lines that sounded rehearsed. The audience couldn’t connect with these characters because the cast simply felt like actors playing a part.

A few characters did break out of their shells, though.

Tevye’s youngest daughter, Chava (Chelsey Lebel) has a heart-wrenching moment when she pleads with her father for acceptance. This moment is made even more tragic with Tevye’s reflection in “Chava Sequence.”

And yet, even with the heartwarming moments, the oddities raged on. When Motel, the soft-spoken tailor played by Andrew Boza, is trying to convince Tevye that he is worthy of Tevye’s oldest daughter, he shouts in the father’s face, a move that would not impress most fathers. When Tevye’s second daughter, Hodel (Julianne Katz) agrees to marry the radical scholar Perchik (Kevin Strangler), his song “Now I Have Everything” was wooden at best.

But a tale so endearing could not be completely spoiled by poor acting. Tevye and wife Golde, played by Nancy Evans, have a sweet duet at the beginning of Act 2. As partners in an arranged marriage, the couple considers if 25 years together has helped them learn to love each other.

A final redeeming moment for the show is when we see the townspeople’s devotion to Anatevka. When political unrest threatens to force the citizens out of their lifelong home, the company’s “Anatevka” is a reminder that even if home isn’t perfect, it’s still the place you want to be.

“Illusionist” astounds beyond words adam kuhn | tnr contributor Every year, it seems one animated film materializes to snatch up one of the treasured Academy Awards nominations for Best Animated Feature.

Last year, it was “The Secret of Kells,” which was deserved. This year, it was “The Illusionist,” which comes from France — and the great minds of Sylvain Chomet and Jacques Tati.

“The Illusionist” crashed the party, overcoming films like “Despicable Me” and “Tangled.” Chomet is familiar with stirring up the Oscars, earning a nod in 2004 for “The Triplets of Belleville.” Likewise, Tati might be a familiar name to movie buffs. Although he died in 1982, he remains a treasured filmmaker known for such films as “Mr. Hulot’s Holiday,” “Playtime” and “Mon Oncle.”

Chomet dusted off an old Tati screenplay to create “The Illusionist” and made a film worthy of its nomination.

The movie follows a particular aging illusionist working in Paris in the late 1950s and struggling to find work. To make some money, he travels to London, then Scotland in search of a job.

Once in Scotland, he becomes a hit in a small fishing village, but must, once again, move on to other potential jobs. A little girl secretly follows the illusionist from the village.

Together, the two travel to Edinburgh, where the illusionist finds some work and a side job.

With the extra money, the illusionist treats the little girl to a lifestyle she dreamed of: nice shoes, pretty dresses, overcoats and life in a big city.

Surprisingly, this film has no subtitles. There is no need for them. The only dialogue in

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the film is either inaudible or in English.

Characters mumble and speak in French, but Chomet does the speaking with his animation.

In essence, “The Illusionist” is a silent film. The story is told visually and done so in a brilliant manner with unique and breathtaking hand-drawn animation.

The musical score, also composed by Chomet, is equally inspired at expressing things words do not.

The story is fairly simple and easy to follow, with a short run time at 80 minutes. These petty factors, however, do not detract from Chomet’s masterpiece.

The magic is not real — it is created by Sylvain Chomet in a manner that harkens back to the time when film made dreamers of us all.

The time has returned, and we have Chomet and Tati to thank for that.

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Weekend Edition Feb.17 | 2011 NEWSRECORD.ORG

SPOTLIGHT

David arrives in Cairo, Egypt.

JANUARY

STUCK IN EGYPT While passing through a military checkpoint on his way out of Alexandria, Watkins saw a shopping mall lined with tanks.

Photos provided by David Watkins

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

David and his three roommates awake to find police have abandoned the city. Phone lines are reinstated. While service is patchy, David does manage to contact his parents in the evening. David and his roommates barricade themselves in their apartment and neighbors promise to protect them through the night.

David and his roommates receive word that they have 10 minutes to pack before they leave Kafr Abdou. A 3 p.m. curfew is enforced as David and the 12 other students arrive at a military base airport around 1:30 p.m. The first plane Butler University scheduled does not arrive.

The group of students spends a total of 36 hours stranded in the airport.

The state department scheduled a flight to Athens doesn’t arrive. Finally, Butler University enlists Global Rescues to help and that night, David boards a 737 with 30 other students bound for Prague.

The 737 arrives in Prague at 3 a.m., where David spends the next two hours talking to his family on Skype.

The students are stuck in Prague due to a snowstorm in Chicago. Internet services in Cairo are partially restored.

David finally arrives in Chicago, but his return is further delayed when American Airlines cancels four flights.

David arrives in Dayton, Ohio, early Friday and is greeted by his family.

Protests continue in Egypt as David visits with family and friends in Cincinnati and Sidney, Ohio, and prepares for his next trip.

David packs for his study abroad trip to Morocco.

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A national holiday honoring the police force sparks protests as Egyptians take to the streets for a “day of rage.” Police fire tear gas and water cannons in Cairo’s main Tahrir Square.

The protestors call for the resignation of 30-year President Hosni Mubarak.

Facebook and, later, the Internet, are disrupted.

Protestors and police in northern Sheikh Zuweid exchange live gunfire, killing one 17-year-old man.

Phone lines are disrupted and the Egyptian military is deployed onto the streets of Cairo, Suez and Alexandria, but do not interfere with the protests. A 6 p.m. curfew is enacted and a cloud of tear gas consumes Alexandria.

Mubarak dismisses his government, but refuses to step down.

A 4 p.m. curfew is enacted as Al Jazeera reports 4,000 prisoners have been set loose in Alexandria.

Approximately 250,000 people gather in Cairo’s Tahrir Square and hundreds march through Alexandria.

Mubarak announces he will not run for re-election and promises to reform the constitution, but refuses to step down.

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Up to 1,500 people are injured in Tahrir Square and at least three deaths are reported.

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At least five more people die in Tahrir Square due to bursts of heavy gunfire.

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David leaves for Morocco

Photos provided by MCT CAMPUS Source: Al Jazeera

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UC student reflects on history in the making

EGYPT EVENTS

FEBRUARY

David and his group leave Cairo on schedule for Alexandria. David is rooming with three students from other universities in Kafr Abdou.

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WITNESSING REVOLUTION

photo courtesy of David Watkins

DAVID’S JOURNEY

Read the full version of this story online @

Protestors gather in Tahrir Square for the “Day of Departure,” the 11th day of unrest. The United Nations reports that 300 people may have been killed since the protests began.

ARIEL CHEUNG | MANAGING EDITOR

T

he apartment’s doorman assembled Molotov cocktails. The neighboring locals armed themselves with golf clubs and shotguns. University of Cincinnati student David Watkins realized his study abroad trip to Egypt had taken a terrifying and historic turn.

When he heard gunshots outside his building at 2 a.m. and impromptu broadcasts over the street’s public address system calling for Egyptians to protect their honor and their families, Watkins realized he would have to leave the country. It was no longer safe.

Watkins, 21, realized later that he probably owes LAUREN JUSTICE | MULTIMEDIA EDITOR his life to the Egyptian neighbors who promised to A SAFE RETURN After David Watkins returned protect him and his roommates through a night of safely to the United States and his family, he left looting and prison breakouts.

“We literally had to rely on ourselves and the for Morocco to continue studying abroad. random Egyptian men who were protecting us,” Watkins said. “The experience we went through “There was black smoke coming from the city bonded us beyond knowing each others’ names.” because every police station was being torched,” This was nothing like the five-month trip Watkins Watkins said. spent a year planning. As a fourth-year international Police officers with canisters of tear gas forced affairs and political science student, Watkins studied Watkins and his roommates to return to the apartment Arabic for two years before seeking assistance shortly after the military imposed a 6 p.m. curfew. from UC’s International Programs and getting “The tear gas was just horrible,” Watkins said. “It accepted into Butler University’s Institute for Study was just like a cloud of tear gas over the city.”

Abroad program.

By the next morning, the police had disappeared.

He planned to participate in an intensive Arabic Later Saturday, Jan. 29, Watkins heard reports language program at Alexandria University from from Al Jazeera that more than 4,000 prisoners had January through May. He sublet his Cincinnati been let loose in Alexandria due to a combination apartment, applied for scholarships, packed his of prison riots and a lack of police. The military bags and took off for Cairo Jan. 20. imposed a 4 p.m. curfew but, without police, Watkins spent the next few days sightseeing in the struggled to secure the city. city with 11 other students in the Butler University That night, all hell program. When protests broke loose. began Tuesday, Jan. 25, “The guys in our in response to a national neighborhood started arming holiday honoring the themselves,” Watkins said. police force, Watkins “Baseball bats, two-by-fours. didn’t think much of it.

They’re like, ‘We’re going to “We understood the protect you. Don’t worry, just Egyptian police forces stay in your apartment.’ ” are notoriously brutal Suddenly, Watkins was and typically crushed thrust into a world of video— david watkins any type of democratic game surrealism.The clusters fourth-year international affairs and demonstration,” Watkins of “bad guys” — looters, political science student said. “Even my Egyptian prisoners, secret police — resident directors — while they supported the roamed the streets, stalking their prey. Watkins didn’t protestors — they didn’t expect them to go very far.” know whether the gunfire outside his apartment Demonstrations continued for the next two days. came from the enemy or the neighbors holding them Watkins and his group left Cairo for Alexandria back. The apartment’s doorman enlisted the students Jan. 27. He and three other students were staying to barricade the stairwell as he prepared Molotov in an apartment in Kafr Abdou — one of the nicer cocktails — glass bottles filled with flammable liquid neighborhoods in Alexandria. to be set on fire and hurled at a target — to brandish While Watkins and his roommates unpacked, against anyone trying to break into the apartment. protests continued in Cairo and Alexandria.

“It was just four American students who had Soon, services like Facebook and Twitter became never been to Egypt before, who didn’t know the unavailable. Then, without notice, Internet service language, trying to fend for themselves as anarchy was disrupted. broke loose,” Watkins said. “We couldn’t call 9-1-1 But Watkins was able to use his cell phone to and say, ‘Oh my gosh, come help us.’ There were no communicate on Twitter. When phone lines were police. It really hit home that we were isolated.” disrupted early Friday, Jan. 28,Twitter became his only Throughout the night, Watkins and his roommates means of communication with the outside world. watched brawls and fire fights from their second-floor “Maybe that’s why I was able to cope so well with balcony. They packed emergency bags and gathered the danger and the pressure that was all around us,” mattresses, tables and potted plants to barricade the Watkins said. “As expensive as it is to Tweet on an front door. The phone service had been somewhat American SIM card in a foreign country, I almost restored, and Watkins managed to reach his parents needed it because it was a way to tell people what and tell them that things were escalating. was going on.”

The next morning, Watkins and his American And, quickly, what was going on became roommates received word they would be leaving increasingly dangerous. After the Internet and phone and had just 10 minutes to pack. As they left the lines were cut off, the protests took a more extreme apartment, they met the men who had spent the turn. During the Friday call to prayer, thousands of night guarding them. people arrived at a mosque in Alexandria and those “I think it hit us at the same time it hit them who couldn’t get inside lined the streets. that things were going downhill,” Watkins said. “We “All the phones were down, and that did create a were leaving. They had protected us all night, but backlash,”Watkins said. “A lot of people who weren’t we still had to leave. They were visibly upset. They necessarily involved in the protests — when you turn were crying because we were leaving.” The cluster off their cell phones, that gets them pretty angry.” of strangers had become so connected in that short The Egyptian military was deployed to protect night that even without knowing each other’s Cairo, Suez and Alexandria, according to the names, the separation was painful.

Al Jazeera news. At that point, Watkins started to Watkins, his roommates and the other students realize what was happening wasn’t just a protest. left Kafr Abdou in an over-crowded mini bus, which “Before, there wasn’t necessarily an expectation headed toward the Borg Al-Arab airport. that the revolution was going to happen,” Watkins The following three days, Watkins, the other said.“And then Friday came … it just snowballed from students and the Butler University resident director there. We knew something historical was happening.” holed up on the second floor of the airport, joined Watkins and his three roommates wandered by students from Middlebury College in Vermont and the streets of Kafr Abdou and the surrounding surrounded by security guards armed with assault neighborhoods. What they saw was a country on see EGYPT | 5 the brink of revolution.

I realized I was taking tomorrow for granted and, that night, tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough. We really wondered what tomorrow would look like when it did come.

Massive strikes roll throughout the city. Human Rights Watch say the death toll reached 232 in Egypt, 52 in Alexandria and 18 in Suez.

A new wave of protests begins when Mubarak announces he will remain in power until September.

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak resigns.

People celebrate the fall of Mubarak in Tahrir Square as Egypt’s military rulers promise to provide free, fair elections.

Photo COURTESY OF DAVID WATKINS

ON THE STREETS David Watkins witnessed an armored personnel carrier broken down in Alexandria Saturday, Jan. 29. Watkins was studying Arabic at Alexandria University in Egypt when protests began.

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4

Weekend Edition Feb. 17 | 2011 NEWSRECORD.ORG

SPORTS

sprague’s

scribbles james sprague

Blame fans for state of pro sports Fans have no one to blame but themselves.

The deadline for the St. Louis Cardinals to finalize a contract agreement with Albert Pujols came and went Wednesday. No deal was made.

Now one of the best baseball players in the game will likely ride out his final year in St. Louis as a swan song before going to greener pastures in New York or Boston.

The Cardinals wouldn’t agree to roughly $300 million throughout a 10-year span.

Meanwhile, the National Football League Players Association canceled the second day of a bargaining session with NFL owners Sunday, making a lockout much more likely.

Why? The players want to maintain the 16-game season, improve benefits for retired players and are fighting a proposed rookie wage scale, while owners are scuffling about receiving $1 billion for operating expenses — on top of the $1 billion the owners already receive out of $9 billion in revenue.

Pujols might leave St. Louis, the NFL might have a lockout and the fans would blame greedy players and gluttonous owners for the disruptions in their sports lives.

Who do the fans need to blame? Themselves.

There was once a time in the sports world where ballplayers of all sorts would have to work a second job during the off-season. Players in the 1970s delivered heating oil, installed air conditioning, sold cars and life insurance to make ends meet.

Some joined the military during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. That is until the fans’ insatiable appetite for all sports, all the time, took over.

From purchasing Michael Jordan’s shoes to Johnny Bench’s throwback jersey and buying personal seat licenses for almost $200,000 at New Meadowlands Stadium — home of the NFL’s New York Giants and Jets — to watching ESPN on a 24-hour basis, the fans have been the ones to feed the ravenous hunger for more money of both players and owners.

The hunger has ballooned into average salaries of more than $3 million for baseball players, while football players average a yearly salary of $770,00.

The average American’s salary for 2009, meanwhile, was $43,362.

Is there a problem here, or am I just imagining things?

It is ludicrous to think that Albert Pujols — who made $14.6 million last year alone — merits $300 million to hit and field a baseball for 10 more years. Especially when it dwarfs the salary of the leader of the free world, Barack Obama: $400,000.

It’s even more ludicrous that NFL owners want $2 billion in operating revenue — more than the approximately $1 million gross domestic product of Samoa in 2009.

Can you justify The NFL having more money than an entire country? Really?

It’s even insane at the college level. University of Cincinnati football coach Butch Jones made a guaranteed $1.3 million in his first year. Meanwhile, UC professors average $102,300 to teach the leaders of tomorrow.

Despite all this, the fans keep feeding the beast. By attending games, purchasing memorabilia and worshiping at the altar of sports figures, fans have enabled the business of “sports” to clean out their pockets by stuffing the coffers of players, coaches and owners who continue to want more.

The fans continue to tithe and continue to blame everyone but themselves when the world of sports picks their pockets clean.

But it must be done, for the sake of fan entertainment.

So when the NFL locks out its athletes and baseball player salaries balloon to even more preposterous heights, fans must take a look in the mirror before assigning blame.

They’re the reason for all this now.

Cincy shocks Cardinals sam elliott | sports EDITOR

Cashmere Wright scored a game-high 20 points, Sean Kilpatrick added 18 off the bench and the Cincinnati Bearcats earned a resume boost with a 63-54 upset of No. 16 Louisville Wednesday at Fifth Third Arena.

“Cashmere Wright had probably his best game on both ends of the floor — running his team, scoring, diving on the floor — that he’s had since he’s been here,” said UC head coach Mick Cronin.

Cronin delivered his junior point guard simple instructions prior to tipoff Wednesday: a game plan that included less of an emphasis on structured play calling for running the offense.

“Coach Cronin just told me from the get-go just to reduce the play calling and just told me to be aggressive and just attack,”Wright said. “Just attack and attack and attack.”

Terrance Jennings cut Cincinnati’s lead to one point before the Bearcats used three steals and a block to spark an 11-0 run for an 18-6 advantage less than eight minutes in.

“I wanted to do everything I could do to keep my team on the attack on both ends,” Cronin said. “I didn’t want us thinking. I didn’t want us trying to be pretty or cute. I just wanted us to be aggressive on both ends of the floor.”

The Bearcats limited Louisville to 4-of-17 shooting from 3-point range and forced 11 total steals, scoring 18 points off turnovers.

Peyton Siva and Preston Knowles —

the Cardinals’ top two scorers this season, combining for more than 25 points per game — finished with nine points apiece, while junior forward Terrance Jennings scored a team-high 14.

Kilpatrick made his first appearance six minutes into the game and provided seven- straight UC points within two minutes.

“He banged in a few shots that spread their zone out [and] allowed us to get the ball into Yancy [Gates], who had a great game,” Cronin said.

Gates played 30 minutes Wednesday, totaling eight points and six rebounds in his best outing since serving a one-game suspension Feb. 5 in UC’s loss to Pittsburgh.

“It feels like I haven’t played in so long,” Gates said. “It felt good to actually be out there in the mix of the game, helping my team with whatever I had to do to try to win.”

The Cardinals used an 8-0 run to shrink Cincinnati’s lead to five points with more than 13 minutes to play, but the Bearcats answered with a 7-0 following a timeout to stall the Louisville threat.

“At some point they were going to hit a few shots. We just needed to make sure we got back on the attack,” Cronin said. “Our goal is to make sure we’re the team on the attack all night.”

The win gave Cronin his first 20-win season in five years at Cincinnati and the first for the program since the 2005-06 season

sam greene | online editor

CATS CASH IN Cashmere Wright led UC to an upset of Louisville before 11,511 fans at Fifth Third Arena.

BATTER

UP:

Cats kick off season versus Ohio State scott winfield | senior reporter

W

ith a plethora of new talent and a large returning cast of veterans, the University of Cincinnati baseball team is set to begin its 2011 season.

The Bearcats added 15 players in the offseason and return 16 lettermen, including three upperclassmen in second baseman T.J. Jones, outfielder Justin Riddell and shortstop Chris Peters.

Jones finished his sophomore season with

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READY FOR 2011 The Bearcats return 16 players from last season’s squad, which finished 29-29 overall and 13-14 in Big East play.

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SWING BATTER BATTER Cincinnati begins its 2011 season Friday in Florida.

a .258 batting average, 31 RBIs and five home runs, while Riddell closed out last season with a .313 batting average, 29 RBIs and eight home runs.

Peters — a three-year starter at shortstop — returns after finishing last year with a .292 batting average, 27 RBIs and a teamhigh 64 hits. Peters also stole 15 bases on 19 attempts.

Pitcher Andrew Strenge returns after finishing his freshman season with seven wins and one loss as a starter. Strenge had a 1.93 era, 40 strikeouts and allowed only one home run during his freshman campaign.

Cincinnati’s most notable losses are catcher Jimmy Jacquot — who led the team with 50 RBIs and 13 home runs his senior year — and pitcher Andrew Burkett, who set a new single-season UC record with 14 saves.

“One of the issues I had with last year’s team is that I don’t think we had great leadership; it wasn’t awful leadership, but it certainly wasn’t great leadership,” said Cincinnati head coach Brian Cleary. “One of the things we set out to do is bring in some players who we thought could play hard and play with some energy.”

To fill the pitching void, the Bearcats added junior transfer Brad Mergen from Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa.

Mergen earned a save and a win during the Bearcats’ annual Red-Black intrasquad World Series Dec. 2, 2010.

“Mergen is older and a little bit more physically capable, so I think he’s got a chance to cover a whole lot of innings for us,” Cleary said. “He had a good offseason and we really like him and the opportunity he has to pitch for us.”

The Bearcats have high expectations for freshman Justin Glass, a slugger from Carroll High School in Fort Wayne, Ind. Glass finished his senior season with 53 hits, 16 home runs and a .510 batting average. “[Glass] is going to have to get his at-bats under his belt, but I certainly think he has a chance to be a very good player,” Cleary said.

Cincinnati finished last season with a 29-29 record and fell out of the Big East tournament following consecutive losses to Connecticut and Pittsburgh.

This season, the Bearcats were ranked No. 7 in the Big East preseason poll and aim to take their game to the next level.

“I like where we are and we’ve spent a lot of time on how to play and how to bring a great effort every day,” Cleary said. “If we can get a hang on doing that, I think we have a chance at being pretty good.”

Cincinnati will begin its season on the road Friday at the Big Ten/Big East Challenge in St. Petersburg, Fla., against in-state rival Ohio State.

In last season’s Big Ten/Big East Challenge, the Bearcats defeated the Buckeyes 12-4.

“We’re anxious to play them,” Cleary said.

“I’m looking forward to building that rivalry because we feel like us and Ohio State are the two elite schools in Ohio. We battle for recruits and it’s an important game for our fans as well.”

Following OSU, Cincinnati is slated to face Illinois and Michigan State to wind up its first weekend of play.

Cincinnati’s first home series is against Youngstown State, beginning at 4 p.m. March 4 at Marge Schott Stadium.

Davidson, High Point await Bearcats sam weinberg | sports EDITOR

file art | the news record

NORTH CAROLINA BOUND The UC lacrosse team will travel south to play Davidson and High Point Friday and Sunday, respectivley.

Following an 18-10 loss in its season opener Sunday, the University of Cincinnati lacrosse team will travel to North Carolina for a two-game weekend road trip.

The Bearcats begin their weekend slate at 5:30 p.m. Friday against Davidson College before facing High Point University at noon Sunday.

“We’ve worked on a lot of stuff that we needed to improve upon from last week, and we’ve had a couple good days of practice,” said UC head coach Lellie Swords. “We’re excited to get out and go against Davidson and High Point this weekend.”

The Bearcats had no problems tallying goals against the Jacksonville University Dolphins in their season-opening contest, with eight players finding the back of the net.

Junior midfielder Laura Simanksi — Cincinnati’s leading scorer the past two seasons — netted one goal on three shots.

The team struggled defensively, however, allowing 18 goals on 34 shots.

“Honestly, we just didn’t play well,” Swords said. “We realized we just needed to make some changes, so we made those changes. I think they’re going to make a difference as we move forward.”

Despite allowing 18 goals against the Dolphins, the Bearcats will not change netminders and keep

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freshman goalie Jen Walsh between the pipes against Davidson and High Point.

Walsh is filling in for injured junior goalie Katherine Russo. “[Walsh] had a great game for us even though I know she gave up some goals, but we really didn’t help her,” Swords said. “We revamped the defense, so I expect her to do a lot better this weekend.”

The Bearcats — in their fourth season as a NCAA Division I program — have not faced Davidson since Cincinnati’s first year in the division, a contest the Wildcats won 11-5 at Nippert Stadium.

The Bearcats are more familiar with the High Point Panthers, who Cincinnati scrimmaged in the fall offseason.

“We actually don’t know much about Davidson,” Swords said.

“We’re kind of going in blind, which I actually think is probably good for us. High Point we scrimmaged this fall, so we definitely have a better grip on them.”

Sophomore attacker Grace Gaeng, who transferred from Maryland — 2010’s NCAA national champion — leads the Panthers.

In her High Point debut, Gaeng recorded five goals on six shots in the Panthers’ 13-18 loss to Virginia Tech. “[Gaeng] is one outstanding player,” Swords said. “If we take her out of the game, we should have a much easier time against them.”

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Weekend Edition Feb. 17 | 2011 NEWSRECORD.ORG

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From EGYPT | 3 rifles. They were scheduled to fly out of Egypt Jan. 30, but their plane never arrived.

Neither did the evacuation flight the State Department organized to take them to Athens, Greece, Jan. 31.

The students passed the time playing cheese-wheel-and-pillow baseball, hosting dance-offs and snacking on the only food available in the terminal: Mars bars and tuna-flavored potato chips.

While he was waiting, Watkins continued to communicate through Twitter, commenting on the horrifying events that occurred. The Tweets were picked up by

the Cincinnati Enquirer, UC students and professors and Watkins’s family. People back home posted messages of support on Watkins’s Facebook wall and responded to his Twitter account. The outpouring of support was just what he needed.

“That Saturday night, we couldn’t help but be faced with the reality that we were all alone,” Watkins said. “And to be able to finally see that while we may have been physically alone, we were on the minds of so many people praying, to know that in hindsight meant a lot.”

Finally, Butler University and

today like you’ll die tomorrow, but dream Middlebury College enlisted the help of Global Rescues, a Boston-based company like you’ll live forever.’ And in the midst that employs former special military of all that was going on Saturday night, personnel to rescue people around the that saying came up in my mind,” Watkins said. “I realized I was taking tomorrow world. Within three hours, Global Rescues for granted and, that night, tomorrow had chartered a Boeing 737 in Alexandria couldn’t come soon enough. And we really to pick up 30 students.

Watkins and other students arrived wondered what tomorrow would look like when it did come.” in Prague at 3 a.m. Feb. 1. The first thing For the Egyptians, the Feb. 11 dawn Watkins did was spend two hours talking brought the beginning of a new era when to his family on Skype, a live video President Hosni Mubarak resigned. And chat program.

“It was emotional just thinking about while Watkins recognizes that this was returning to the U.S.,”Watkins said.“There’s just Egypt’s first step toward democracy, he knows it was a momentous one. a point where you started to question “We went through something with whether or not you would get that regular Egyptians that is fairly unique in chance to see them.”

The danger was over, but Watkins’ history,”Watkins said. “This was something new and unheard of for them as much as wait to see his family in person took a little longer. Snow in Chicago forced it was for us.”

For Watkins, Feb. 12 marked the Watkins to delay his return to the United States until Feb. 3, and then four canceled beginning of another journey — this flights from Chicago to Dayton further time, to Morocco. Several study-abroad programs around the world announced postponed his homecoming. Finally, he they were accepting arrived home early students who were Feb. 4. forced to leave Egypt, Watkins had and he was eager for lived through riots the opportunity. and protesting and “I’m more nervous barricades and about going to Morocco disconnected phone than I was about going services and the to Egypt, but at the same Molotov cocktails. time, I feel like this isn’t But, in his view, it my first rodeo,” Watkins had all been worth it said. “This [wouldn’t be] because the Egyptians my first revolution, so who had risked so to say.” much protecting him —david watkins While the night had gained something fourth-year international in Kafr Abdou will incredibly important. affairs and political science undoubtedly stand out as “It had everything student one of the most horrific, to do with basic human rights,” yet inspirational times Watkins said. “The right to express of Watkins’s life, he remains thankful for yourself without worrying about the Egyptians who swore to protect four getting beat up or tortured. The right American strangers. to elect who governs you in a free and “They didn’t know who we were, and fair election.” it made you think: Reverse the situation,” Watkins gained something from the Watkins said. “Four young Arab guys experience as well. As much as he hated move into an apartment near you in the to leave the country without spending U.S. Would you protect them, not knowing his five months learning Arabic, he anything about them? Would you look out knew his experience was life changing for their safety?” in a different way.

Watkins arrived in Rabat, Morocco, “I have a poster back in my Feb. 13. Inside the city, a crowd of protestors apartment in Cincinnati that said, ‘Live was gearing up for another fight for freedom.

It was emotional just thinking about returning to the U.S. There’s a point where you started to question whether or not you would get that chance to see them.

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