The Times-Delphic

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER FOR DRAKE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

THE TIMES DELPHIC DES MOINES, IOWA | THURSDAY, FEB. 9, 2012 | VOL. 131, NO. 32 | WWW.TIMESDELPHIC.COM

Can Romney keep his momentum going?

‘Formidable contender’ needs to win over conservatives

by Erin McHenry

Staff Writer erin.mchenry@drake.edu

Mitt Romney is comfortably in first place for the Republican Presidential Nomination race. Having won over 100 delegates to the Republican National Convention, Romney must capitalize on his campaign in the next month to come out victorious on Super Tuesday, a win that would bring him even closer to the nomination.

Recently the media have focused on showcasing his mistakes, such as his comment about the poor in Minnesota last week and his inability to connect with conservatives. Yet Romney has seemed to maintain the top spot in voter popularity. He won 39 percent of primary voters in New Hampshire, 46 percent in Florida and 50 percent in Nevada just this past Saturday. He’s created momentum in his campaign, but whether or not he will gain enough support to secure the nomination is still uncertain.

“The media is in love with the idea that people don’t like Romney,” Rachel Paine Caufield said. “The big story right now is that Romney can’t connect with voters, but he’s getting 50 percent of primary and caucus wins. I don’t know how you really improve on that. Those are pretty strong results for him.”

Caufield, an associate professor of politics at Drake, predicts Romney will receive the Republican presidential bid, so long as he continues to campaign effectively.

“Romney’s best trait is that he’s got this slow and steady attitude towards the race,” she said. “It’s a campaign of calculated risk and calculated reward. He hit his stride at about just the right time.”

Caufield noted that Romney would need to maintain this momentum to receive the bid, however.

Politics and international relations

professor Dennis Goldford said winning over conservatives would be Romney’s biggest challenge.

“Any particular ways he has altered his positions from what they used to be have been in a conservative direction,” Goldford said. “Romney is the guy your mom wants you to marry. He’s good looking, has lots of money, a great resume, a great job, but you don’t love him, and you don’t trust him. That’s the way Republicans feel about Romney, particularly conservatives.”

That lack of trust divides voters amongst the other candidates. This split of the votes between Santorum and Gingrich, along with victories on Super Tuesday and in large delegate states, is what Romney needs to maintain a successful campaign.

“Romney’s been playing a divide and conquer strategy,” Goldford said.

“It’s in his interest for nobody to drop out just yet because it keeps fragmenting the field.”

Caufield warned Democrats to keep an eye on Romney, too. She said she sees many people taking the election for granted.

“I think among Democrats there’s this idea that Barack Obama is the same candidate that he was in 2008, and that same energy and excitement can be generated easily,” she said.

“Mitt Romney is a formidable contender and anyone who isn’t taking him seriously is making a mistake.”

Despite an excellent strategy, a wide base of supporters and several victories under his belt, Romney is far from winning the race. Rick Santorum won the Minnesota, Missouri, and Colorado primaries Tuesday, guaranteeing him over 40 delegates and moving him to second place, and Newt Gingrich is expected to triumph in the south. The campaign season has been fickle, and one wrong move could cost Romney the ticket.

AP PHOTO

State-by-State breakdown of the Republican Race Iowa: Santorum — 26.4% Romney —24.5% Paul — 21.4% Gingrich — 13.3%

New Hampshire: Romney — 39.3% Paul — 22.9% Huntsman — 16.9% Gingrich — 9.4%

Florida: Romney — 46.4% Gingrich — 31.9% Santorum — 13.4% Paul — 7.0%

South Carolina: Gingrich — 40.4% Romney — 27.8% Santorum — 17.0% Paul — 13.0%

Nevada: Romney — 50.1% Gingrich — 20.1% Paul — 18.8% Santorum — 10.0%

Colorado: Santorum — 40.2% Romney — 34.9% Gingrich — 12.8% Paul — 11.8%

Minnesota: Santorum — 44.8% Paul — 27.2% Romney — 16.9% Gingrich — 10.7%

Making tuition dollars count Facebook takes over

another aspect of users’ lives with an IPO Following the moves of other social media sites going public

by Megan Bannister

illustration by JOEY GALE

by Erin McHenry

Staff Writer erin.mchenry@drake.edu

Every day, junior Quincy Brown wonders how he will pay tuition.

He knows college is expensive. The cost of living is increasing, and most schools are raising prices as well, but Brown said he doesn’t see Drake’s costs supporting anything substantial.

“I don’t think school should cost this much,” he said. “It causes me not to focus on school. I think ‘Oh my God, if I fail this, I’ll have to pay $36,000 for another whole year.”

Brown worries about this because he saw his two best friends suffer through the same experience.

All three came to Drake together as first-years, but now in his junior year, Brown is the only one left. The other two left the school after the combination of maintaining academic standards and affording rising costs became too challenging for them.

“My Drake experience has been focused on money,” Brown said. “I go through traumatic experiences thinking about tuition on a semester basis.

It’s the worst feeling ever.”

Drake’s Board of Trustees recently announced that tuition costs would increase 4.1 percent for the 2012-2013 academic year. While the

increase aims towards improving students’ overall educational experience, many are upset with the changes.

First-year public relations and management major Taylor Rookaird said that she doesn’t understand why room and board is increasing. She said the residence halls are of high quality, but if the costs are growing, students should be able to see some improvements. She added that the dining services could benefit from some additional funding.

“Our food is fine, but it’s boring and repetitive,” she said. “Hubbell dining hours are very limited, too, so you get stuck eating at the Quad Creek Café.”

Brown is a biochemistry-molecular biology and computer science major, and he said that he isn’t impressed with the classes he has taken in those fields. He said that many of his professors don’t seem to care about helping him succeed.

Sophomore pre-pharmacy major Jared Netley said the tuition increase for second-year pharmacy students frustrates him most. Pharmacy students pay higher tuition to begin with, but tuition for the first three years of pharmacy school will increase by 4.1 percent, and in the fourth year the tuition increases by 4.4 percent for the 2012-2013 academic year. “(Fourth-year pharmacy students)

inside

don’t even go to school here,” he said.

“We pay $37,000 a year, and we’re just off doing rotations.”

While students may not support the allocation of funds, President David Maxwell and Vice President of Business and Finance Victoria Payseur stand by the Board of Trustees’ decision that the changes are in the school’s best interests.

“We try to strike a reasonable balance between keeping the cost to students as low as possible versus what additional funding is needed to provide a high quality education,” Payseur said.

The tuition increase for the upcoming year is actually less than it was the past two years, which was 5 percent. She said that including a J-term added 1 percent more to the price increase, which was only 3 percent on its own.

“The administration and the Board of Trustees certainly understand that paying for a college education represents a significant financial commitment and investment on the part of students and their families,” Payseur said.

She said that $50 million of Drake’s budget already goes towards student financial aid and makes up 37

SEE TUITION, PAGE 2

Staff Writer megan.bannister@drake.edu

From vacation photos to YouTube videos, Facebook users do a lot of sharing. Now the site is introducing a new type of sharing — stock sharing.

On Feb. 1, the company filed a $5 billion initial public offering (IPO) in the hopes of expanding its Silicon Valley success story.

“I think it’s a good business move because it will make it easier for (the company) to raise capital if they need to,” said Rick Long, assistant professor of practice and finance at Drake.

Since the announcement last week, the tech community has been abuzz with user excitement and analyst opinions.

“I think it’s a great idea for them to be going public,” said Jameson Riddick, a Drake senior finance major.

Though Facebook claimed $3.71 billion in revenue in 2011, Long believes that it will be difficult to predict where the social media site could be headed.

“It’s hard to know what the price of Facebook is just because it’s so different from how a lot of old-school stock analysts know how to look at companies,” he said. “It’s harder to know what a fair price is.”

Despite Facebook’s roughly 845 million monthly active users, the site makes the majority of its revenue through advertising, according to the

company’s S-1 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Facebook was not originally created as a company,” said Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in a letter included in the site’s S-1 registration statement. “It was built to accomplish a social mission — to make the world more open and connected.”

Though even with 2.7 billion likes and comments per day generating traffic, Facebook’s mobile and tablet apps do not currently display ads, a flaw that the company states as a risk factor in future ventures.

But some users, like Riddick, believe that it will not be advertisers but the users themselves who will help to keep the site alive.

“If I invest my money in Facebook, I can make sure that Facebook doesn’t die,” Riddick said. “It almost ensures that Facebook will still be going 20 years from now.”

For a company that is almost entirely dependent on the interest of its users to exist, the introduction of an IPO can cause corporate changes, Long said.

“The one thing I think that is a concern of theirs at Facebook is that when you go public it can sometimes change your company culture because your shareholders are looking for more results,” Long said.

Other social media sites, like Groupon, Zynga and LinkedIn, have

SEE FBIPO, PAGE 2

NEWS

OPINIONS

FEATURES

SPORTS

Drake Security has been really active this week

Breaking up for Valentine’s Day? We got you covered

Get your groove on with a Drake U playlist

Making up for the loss of Simons to Mono

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NEWS

news 2:31 a.m. Jan. 27 Security personnel was advised by a Drake employee that there was a non-Drake affiliated male that entered Stalnaker Residence Hall, and that he was not supposed to be there. Upon arrival, security contacted the resident advisor who advised them that a female Drake student brought an unidentified non-Drake affiliated male into her room without following the guest procedures. Security contacted the female Drake student, who was intoxicated and denied having the male in her room. Upon inspection of the room, the non-Drake affiliated male was located underneath the bed and was advised to leave the residence hall, in which he complied. The female Drake student became agitated and started to shout obscenities and threats at security and professional staff. The Des Moines Police Department was eventually contacted and the female Drake student was arrested for public intoxication. The dean of students was notified. both drivers. The driver of the first vehicle was a male Drake student. The driver of the second vehicle was a non-Drake affiliated female.

1:10 p.m. Jan. 25 Security personnel responded to Jewett Residence Hall on a report of a no contact order violation. Upon arrival, security contacted the reporting party, who was a female Drake student. She informed officers that she had a no contact advisement, which stated she was not to have contact with her former roommate, who was also a female Drake student. The reporting party stated that her former roommate approached her while working at the Olmsted Center and asked for an employment application. The student was advised to contact Des Moines Police Department if she wished to pursue legal action. The dean of students was notified about this incident.

8:14 p.m. Jan. 25 While on routine patrol, security personnel observed a vehicle exiting parking lot No. 4 located at 25th and Clark Streets. The driver of the first vehicle failed to yield the right of way to the second vehicle and was struck on the rear passenger door. The Des Moines Police Department responded to the scene and issued a citation to

6:43 a.m. Jan. 25 Security personnel were notified by a Drake staff member that there was a male juvenile who was walking up and down 27th Street and Carpenter Avenue peering into vehicles.

Security responded and saw the subject lift up several door handles of the vehicles that were parked on the roadway. Security, along with Des Moines Police Department officers, contacted the juvenile, who gave several different names to officers when asked to identify himself. While the subject was being taken into custody, he began to resist arrest. Officers affected the arrest without further incident.

11:04 p.m. Jan. 26 Security personnel was notified by a resident advisor of Crawford Residence Hall that it appeared as though a non-Drake affiliated male subject was attempting to enter the building.

Security arrived on scene and contacted the subject that the resident advisor described. The subject was intoxicated, agitated and began to speak incoherently. The Des Moines Police Department was contacted and arrived on scene shortly after. DMPD officers placed the subject

Longitudinal Tuition Comparison

2002 03 2003 04 2004 05 2005 06 2006 07 2007 08 2008 09 2009 10 2010 11 2011 12** 2012 13

Private 4 yr National* % change $18,060 3.9% $18,950 4.9% $20,045 5.8% $20,980 4.7% $22,308 6.3% $23,745 6.4% $25,177 6.0% $26,129 3.8% $27,265 4.3% $28,500 4.5% n/a n/a

THURSDAY, FEB. 9, 2012 | PAGE 2

quote of the

day

UNWANTED BOGEYMAN

Drake $18,190 $19,100 $20,200 $21,100 $22,270 $23,280 $24,430 $25,160 $26,400 $28,250 $29,410

% change 3.47% 5.00% 5.76% 4.50% 5.50% 4.54% 4.94% 2.99% 4.90% 5.19% 4.11%

*Source: Trends in College Pricing 2011, College Board. TABLE 4a: Average Published Tuition and Fees in Current Dollars, 1981 82 to 2011 12 **Drake University tuition for 2011 12 increased only 5% but the technology fee of $428 increased to $480 and was rolled into tuition. In addition, $50 of the tuition increase was added in order to eliminate all separate course and lab supply fees.

Compiled by Rachel Boon, Dir. Of Institutional Research & Academic Compliance

“

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

“

It is what it is. You just have to move forward, understanding that other guys are going to have to step up.

—MARK PHELPS, HEAD COACH MENS BASKETBALL | PAGE 7

into custody for public intoxication. While the subject was being placed into custody, he began to resist arrest. Officers affected the arrest without further incident. The subject was also advised that he would be arrested for trespass if he returned to campus.

1:54 a.m. Jan. 28 Security personnel responded to the 2300 block of University Avenue on a medical call regarding an unconscious male. Upon arrival, security found a male Drake student who was unresponsive. According to his companion, a non-Drake female, he had been drinking earlier that evening. Medics arrived on scene and transported the student to a local hospital for treatment.

The dean of students was notified about this incident.

3: 07 a.m. Jan. 28 Drake Security personnel responded to the 2300 block of University Avenue when they were advised that the Des Moines Police Department was in route to investigate a reported vandalism in progress. Upon arrival, officers observed the male suspect that was described peering into a vehicle with a flashlight and walking away. Officers approached the vehicle and noticed that the front passenger window had been shattered.

DMPD detained the suspect, and he was identified by the vehicle’s owner and reporting party as the suspect who broke the window of her vehicle. The suspect, who was not Drake affiliated, was arrested without further incident.

12:55 p.m. Jan. 28 While on routine patrol, security personnel observed that the retaining wall located in the 1400 block of 25th Street had been damaged. There were several bricks missing and scattered several feet away from the retaining wall. Facilities have been notified about the damaged property.

The subject was a non-Drake affiliated male. He was informed that he was not allowed on Drake University property and was given a trespass advisement.

7:50 p.m. Jan. 28 Security personnel were notified that a nonDrake affiliated female had fallen on the sidewalk behind the Knapp Center and had injured her knee. Security and medics arrived on scene and spoke to the victim. The victim denied medical transport and treatment.

2:10 p.m. Jan. 29 While on routine patrol in the 2400 block of University Avenue, security personnel observed a male subject push another male and chase him across the street. The Des Moines Police Department was contacted and responded to the scene. After obtaining the involved parties statement, the victim of the assault informed officers he did not wish to press charges against the suspect. The suspect was found in possession of a fake identification card, which DMPD took possession of. The involved parties are both male Drake University students.

12:27 a.m. Jan. 29 Security personnel were advised that the Des Moines Police Department was responding to the 2300 block of University Avenue for an intoxicated male subject engaged in a verbal altercation with a female. Upon arrival, security was advised by DMPD that a Drake male student was being placed under arrest for public intoxication. The dean of students was notified about this incident.

5:06 p.m. Jan. 31 Security personnel were notified that there was a chemical spill in Olin Hall. The room was secured and facilities were contacted, and an outside cleaning agency came to clean the area.

8:41 p.m. Jan. 28 While on routine patrol, security personnel observed a large group gathering by the west side stairwell leading to Stalnaker Residence Hall.

As security approached the group, they noticed a male subject urinating on the retaining wall.

Changing the realm of social media

Talking about tables, numbers and constant dollars In the Feb. 6 edition of The Times-Delphic, there was some confusion concerning the numbers in the table comparing Drake’s tuition to that of Creighton’s and the national average. The table used the national average in “constant” dollars instead of “current” dollars, which allows for inflation.

“A dollar today is not the same as a dollar five years ago,” said Rachel Boon, director of institutional research and academic compliance. “Displaying financial figures in constant dollars shows the change in cost irrespective of inflation.”

The new table takes into account the “current” dollars to fully understand the change in tuition prices over the past 10 years. The numbers for Creighton have been left off because of how the rate of tuition changes for students based upon their year in school.

Looking at the two comparisons, one can see that the national average changed by 57.8 percent, compared to Drake’s, which changed by 55.3 percent.

FROM FBIPO, PAGE 1

6 Feb 12

FROM TUITION, PAGE 1 percent of the total tuition and fees.

Payseur also noted that faculty and staff compensation and financial aid would be the primary applications of the additional funding.

Many students feel that increasing tuition prices should correlate with increased scholarships as well. Brown said that he thinks he should be able to apply for more aid, whether it is merit- or need-based, throughout his years at Drake.

“If we increased financial aid every year with our tuition increases, we would never have any additional net revenue,” said Susan Ladd, director of financial aid. “Those meritaid costs are very important costs of the budget to remain fixed. Then we know how much we’re going to spend for those pieces.”

Not all students are upset by the changes, however. Sophomore law, politics and society and rhetoric major Lara Henderson said that she understands why tuition increases, and if it can enhance her education, it is definitely worth the additional costs.

“I think people freak out because they don’t put things into perspective,” she said. “They don’t compare our costs to other schools.”

Henderson transferred before the second semester of her first year from the University of St. Thomas, a private university in St. Paul, Minn.

Henderson said that she was more accepting of Drake’s costs because St. Thomas was more expensive.

“I had an experience where tuition was significantly higher,” she said. “It cost $42,000 my freshman year.”

Compared to several other private colleges and universities in the Mid-

west, Drake is reasonably priced.

Maxwell said in an email to students that Drake ranked high in academic quality by U.S. News and World Report and Kiplinger’s while only ranking 12th in cost. Rival schools like Creighton and Butler charge students over $30,000 a year for tuition, a price tag Drake has managed to avoid.

“I wouldn’t expect students and their parents to be pleased by tuition increases, of course,” Maxwell said, “but we go to great lengths to keep the increases at a minimum, and we communicate very clearly why the increase is necessary and what the increased revenue will be used for. We hope that students and their parents do at least understand its importance in continuing to provide an exceptional learning environment.”

Though some of the financial burden will fall on students’ shoul-

ders, Ladd said that giving up isn’t their only option.

“They need to call us,” she said.

“We want to retain students. We understand that not only has the student made an investment in us, but we’ve made an investment in them as well.

So we want to find a solution. That’s not to say there is a solution for every person. Sometimes the amount that needs to be covered just is not available.”

Students seeking financial help can contact Drake’s Office of Student Financial Planning at 515-271-2905 or stop by Carnegie Hall. The office is open on Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Groupon, Zynga and LinkedIn, have already taken the plunge into public trading though it seems uncertain whether public trading will become a trend in social media.

“I think it really depends on the company,” Long said. “Facebook is making a profit and so it’s easier for them to go public to an IPO.” If the social media site’s announcement hype will indeed translate into sizeable profits for investors remains to be seen. Facebook hopes to begin trading as early as April or May. “I think it’s just been historically, that when people offer an IPO originally that the company loses value,” Riddick said. “But I don’t foresee them losing that much.”

Though for college-aged investors, both Riddick and Long agree that investing in Facebook might not be the best decision.

“I recommend when you start investing, that you should do it in mutual funds,” Long said. “You get more diversification that way.”

Regardless of market value, for an organization like Facebook that is quickly becoming a technology staple, the IPO announcement is a step in a new direction for social media.

“It’s different than other products,” Long said of Facebook. “It’s more a part of your life than the tires on your car.”

>> CAMPUS CALENDAR >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> WHAT: Blood Drive, sponsored by Colleges Against Cancer

WHAT: Stalking Awareness and the Law

WHAT: Black on Black Banquet

WHAT: Synergy Jazz Foundation Jam Session

WHERE: Parents Hall WHERE: Morehouse Ballroom

WHERE: Bulldog Theatre

WHERE: Turner Jazz Center WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m.

WHEN: Friday, Feb. 10, 10 a.m. 3:30 p.m.

WHEN: Friday, Feb. 10, 3 p.m.

SEND YOUR STORY IDEAS TO TDNEWSED@GMAIL.COM

WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 11, 7:30 p.m., admission charged at the door

FOR BREAKING DRAKE NEWS, CHECK OUT WWW.TWITTER.COM/TIMESDELPHIC

OPINIONS & EDITORIALS

PAGE 3 | THURSDAY, FEB. 9, 2012

opinions&editorials

THE TIMES-DELPHIC Remember that DSM foursquare badge from our last issue? Drake’s Social Media Strategies class was successful in getting the foursquare badge, so now all of you foursquare lovers can check in as you enter DSM.

Greatest hits of Ronald Reagan, celebrating 101 that he had. Whether you love him or not, one thing is certain — Reagan had wit. That’s what scored him the nickname, “The Great Communicator.” Here are his greatest moments: • After being shot in 1981 in an attempted assassination attempt, as he was rushed into an emergency room, Reagan looked at the surgeons and quipped, “I hope you’re all Republicans.”

Ronald Reagan’s 101st birthday would have been on Monday. Reagan will always be a controversial president in American history, but he will also likely continue to be one of the most popular. In a recent Gallup poll, when asked who is the greatest president in American history, 19 percent of respondents answered Reagan.

• Describing in a humorous manner the impact of President AP PHOTO Jimmy Carter and the 1980 election, Reagan The Reagan votes were five percentannounced, “Recession age points higher than the next most is when your neighbor loses his job. common answer — Abraham Lin- Depression is when you lose yours. coln.

And recovery is when Jimmy Carter Putting aside the controversy over loses his.” whether or not Reagan was a great president, which I certainly have an • During a 1984 debate, when opinion on, I think it is appropriate to questioned on how his age will affect remember the undoubted charisma his presidency, Reagan simply replied,

“I want you to know that…I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit — for political purposes — my opponent’s youth and inexperience.”

• When a debate moderator asked during the 1984 election if any of the blame for the recession rested on his shoulders, Reagan stated, “Yes, because for many years I was a Democrat.”

• As he walked out to a press conference, Reagan cleverly asserted, “Before I refuse to take your questions, I have an opening statement.”

• Reagan was known for his jokes about communism and the USSR’s economic inefficiencies: “The fella in charge (of the automobile industry in the Soviet Union) said to (a buyer), ‘OK, come back in 10 years and get your car.’ And he asked, ‘Morning or afternoon?’ The fella behind the counter said, ‘Well, 10 years from now, what difference does it make?’

The other man replied, ‘Well, the plumber is coming in the morning.”

many of his jokes as well: “It is said that (Fidel) Castro was making a speech to a large assembly, and he was going on at great length, and then a voice out in the crowd said, ‘Peanuts, popcorn, crackerjack!’ And he went on speaking. Again the voice said, ‘Peanuts, popcorn, crackerjack!’

About the fourth time this happened, he stopped in his regular speech and said, ‘The next time he says that I’m going to find out who it is and kick him all the way to Miami.’ And everybody in the crowd said, “’PEANUTS! POPCORN! CRACKERJACK!’”

BENJAMIN LEVINE | COLUMNIST

Levine is a sophomore politics major and • Another communist country, can be contacted at Cuba, ended up as the subject of benjamin.levine@drake.edu

Breaking up for Valentine’s Day Well, Bulldogs, I’m sure you’re wondering what salacious topic I’m going to be writing about this week.

I honestly had no idea what to write about until I sat down at my computer and started typing. I’m here to answer your questions regarding sex, sexual health or really anything you’re too shy to ask your parents, friends, doctor or that guy on the street corner.

But, apparently, you won’t even ask some unknown face that totally won’t judge you for your kinks.

Since I still have yet to receive any questions, I’ll have to go with the flow.

This week, I’m touching on something that is always on the mind of many college-aged men and women — ending a relationship.

Relationships aren’t all sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes, they just downright suck.

Circumstances change, and the person you may have been in love with in December is no longer the person you’re in love with in February (and I’m using the term “love” very lightly here, kind of like how I “love” that guy in my class that sits two rows in front of me).

That personality trait that you found charming in the booth at Peggy’s last week can turn into your pet peeve the next.

So, how do you break it off ?

There are a few ways to go about it, but sometimes, you’re just going

to have to be straight up honest with your significant other.

Don’t play those stupid, “It’s not you, it’s me” games; usually it is the other person so don’t lie about it. Being direct takes a lot of guts, but it’ll be so much more worth it.

Guys, if you’re planning on breaking up with someone, just don’t stop talking to him or her. That’s not OK. That’s the biggest dick move since, well, ever. That just shows that you weren’t able to handle a relationship in the first place, and the gossip circulating will be worse than the hateful glances the other person will throw you in Hubbell (I’m talking worse then the crazy-eyed “I’m mentally throwing daggers in your chest” stare…You know what I’m talking about).

Ladies, please keep the tears to a minimum. I know I’ve shed a few tears during a break-up or two, but that made the situation worse. No man or woman wants to be the person who is sobbing uncontrollably during that situation. It’s not pretty, and the mascara stained look only looks good on Ke$ha after a night drinking with unicorns.

Crying is a natural defense, but, honey, there is nothing natural about breaking up with someone. You have to do it. You should do it fast and without looking back. I could use a metaphor comparing a break-up with

a Band-Aid, but that’s too cliché for us Drake students. Instead, it’s like scrubbing the paint out of your hair after Street Painting. You’re going to have to do it right away, and fast, otherwise things are going to get messy and carry on for months after the fact.

You’re not meant for everyone.

There are going to be those people who seem like an awesome partner, but guess what? In the morning, they’re going to be just like the other people you’ve dumped for whatever reason. His hair might not part the right way. She might walk like a penguin. And all I can tell you is that if you don’t want to be with that person anymore, then just break up. There is nothing worse than holding onto a relationship in fear of hurting the other person. Someone is going to get hurt no matter what. You’re going to have to suck it up and take one for the team.

Plus, being single has its benefits, and it’s called the Dublin dance floor.

So, Bulldogs, break up, get down and email me your questions. You never know when your kink could be the next big thing.

JANE HOE | COLUMNIST

Hoe is the TD’s anonymous sex columnist.

She is a student at Drake and can be reached at janehoe.drake@gmail.com JOEY GALE | photo editor

Our Two Cents STAFF EDITORIAL

•

It’s that time of year again! Thin Mints are out and about, but they’re not doing their part to keep us thin.

•

A March seasonal favorite, Shamrock Shakes, have appeared once again at McDonalds, much earlier than they are usually released.

Unfortunately, McDonalds stops serving them after midnight which means your weekend activities will be Shamrock Shake-less.

•

Madonna at the Super Bowl – 20 years too late.

•

Hubbell just announced when we can start converting meals and flex points. The dates are pretty late.

THE TIMES-DELPHIC THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER FOR DRAKE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884 LAUREN HORSCH, Editor-in-Chief

tdeditorinchief@gmail.com

ELIZABETH ROBINSON, Managing Editor

tdfeatsopsed@gmail.com

ETHAN CLEVENGER, News Editor tdnewsed@gmail.com EDUARDO ZAMARRIPA, Sports Editor

tdsportsed@gmail.com

JOEY GALE, Photo Editor tdphotoed@gmail.com MATT MORAN, Copy Editor

tdcopyed@gmail.com

KAILA SWAIN, Business Manager kaila.swain@drake.edu

•

To those of you who say ‘um,’ ‘like,’ or ‘you know’ every other word, stop and think about what you’re saying. We can’t even focus on what you’re trying to say because we’re too busy counting how many times you said ‘um’ in the last sentence.

•

We were blessed with nice weather in January, but then February hit us hard. But you know what hit us even harder? Revenge of the Ugg Boots.

•

Valentine’s Day. Love it? Hate it? It’s still an obsession.

The Times-Delphic is a student newspaper published semi-weekly during the regular academic year and is produced by undergraduate students at Drake University. The opinions of staff editorials reflect the institutional opinion of the newspaper based on current staff opinions and the newspaper’s traditions. These opinions do not necessarily reflect those of individual employees of the paper, Drake University or members of the student body. All other opinions appearing throughout the paper are those of the author or artist named within the column or cartoon. The newsroom and business office of The Times-Delphic are located in Meredith Hall, Room 124. The TimesDelphic is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press. The editor-in-chief sits on the Board of Student Communications.

LETTERS & SUBMISSION POLICY

JILL VAN WYKE, Faculty Advisor

jill.vanwyke@drake.edu

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features

FEATURES

THURSDAY, FEB. 9, 2012 | PAGE 4

don’tmissthis

Like Buffalo Wild Wings? On Wednesday, Feb. 15 and Monday Feb. 20 when you go to the Buffalo Wild Wings on Merle Hay Road, 10 percent of what you spend will go toward the American Cancer Society on behalf of Drake’s College Against Cancer.

Students’ favorite songs compiled to make Drake playlist

by Megan Berberich

Staff Writer megan.berberich@drake.edu

Ever hear a student singing or humming to him- or herself walking across campus? Drake students have a wide variety of musical tastes, which when brought together make one interesting, yet entertaining playlist. Listen to these songs to get a feel for what some fellow Drake students are listening to.

1. “Heartbeat” by The Fray Katie Unewen, sophomore, secondary education and English

9. “Lonely Boy” by The Black Keys Rachel Bachman, junior, psychology 10. “We Are Young” by Fun. ft. Janelle Moná Kayla Appleton, sophomore, English

2. “All of the Lights” by Kanye West Larry Shapiro, junior, marketing and management 3. “Gravity” by John Mayer Jeani Tamakloe, junior, marketing and management

11. “Barefoot Blue Jean Night” by Jake Owen Katie Kalmes, junior, English and secondary education

4. “Go Do” by Jonsi Austin Howes, junior, physics and math

12. “Every Teardrop is a Waterfall” by Coldplay Rob Smith, first-year, business

5. “Satellite Spy” by Rise Against Josh Krouze, junior, physics and math

13. “All the Pretty Girls” by Fun. Stephanie Vanchipurakal, sophomore, pre-pharmacy

6. “Help, I’m Alive” by Metric Alex Kramer, senior, physics and math

14. “What Makes You Beautiful” by One Direction Natalie Gadbois, sophomore, prepharmacy

7. “It Will Rain” by Bruno Mars Morgan Selsus, sophomore, business

ELIZABETH ROBINSON | managing editor

15. “Blink” by Revive Michelle Lippoli, senior, psychology

8. “Little Talks” by Of Monsters and Men Sam Baker, sophomore, magazines and English

This weekend in DSM West Side Story

Civic Center of Greater Des Moines Tuesday, Feb. 7 ­— Sunday, Feb. 12 Friday – 7:30 p.m., Saturday – 2 & 7:30 p.m., Sunday – 1 & 6:30 p.m.

Admission: $25 and up

DSM Buccaneers vs. Sioux Falls Stampede Friday @ 7:05 p.m.

Buccaneer Arena Admission: $14

11 12

10

1

9

2

8

3

7 6

5

4

Hawkeye State Cat Club Show Adventureland Park/Palace Theater Altoona, Iowa Saturday – 10 a.m., Sunday – 9 p.m.

Admission: Free for spectators

illustration by ELIZABETH ROBINSON

Skywalk Golf Tournament

Saturday @ 8 a.m.

Downtown Community Alliance Skywalk Admission: $25 and up

Iowa Energy vs. Idaho Saturday @ 7 p.m.

Wells Fargo Arena Admission: $8 – $20

Time Flies concert

Peoples Court Sunday @ 7 p.m.

Admission: $16.50 in advance, $20 at door

Local bands compete for a chance to play at the Wakarusa Music Festival.

The winner, decided by the audience, is invited to play Wakarusa, May 31st - June 3rd, at Mulberry Mountain in Ozark, Arkansas!

AQUAMARINE DREAM MACHINE - LICK IT TICKET JEFFERSON COUNTY GREEN BAND OLD ROAD RIOT - BRIGHT GIANT

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 9

VAUDEVILLE MEWS 212 4TH STREET IN DES MOINES

WWW.WAKARUSA.COM

PAGE 5 THURSDAY, FEB. 9, 2012

FEATURES

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

New show portrays Greek life in negative light

by Raeann Langes

Staff Writer raeann.langes@drake.edu

image from drakegreeklife.celect.org

How is Greek life at Drake?

“People’s attitudes and stereotypes of Greek life are that the guys are jerks who are full of themselves and girls are mean and catty. I don’t think that stereotype really exists here at Drake. I’m in a fraternity and I haven’t seen that, which is a big reason I decided to join in the first place.”

— Dan Pfeifle, first-year, math and physics major “There’s a stereotype that Greek life is about drinking, all wearing the same apparel, living in the house, stuff like that. I’m not in a house so I don’t know much about it, but I think it’s different here. They have meetings and stuff which I didn’t know.”

— Rebekah Schmidt, first-year, marketing major “I’m pretty uninformed about Greek life, and I never went through recruitment, so I came into Drake not having much knowledge of Greek life other than Animal House. As an RA, from what I’ve seen, people involved in Greek life aren’t super involved in halls, go partying, but I’ve also seen philanthropy and good things as well. The stereotype is pretty exaggerated for sure but some are false and some are true.”

— Nolan Scott, senior, business and management major

Many people would describe a sorority girl as: an upper middle class spoiled girl, usually a ditzy bleach blonde that spends her time shopping, partying or hanging on the arm of her baseball-capped, collarpopped frat boy boyfriend.

This sorority girl stereotype is due to the countless movies and TV shows that portray members of the Greek community in this manner.

The most recent of these shows is “Sorority Girls,” which premiered on TLC last Tuesday. The show follows five American women as they attempt to start Britain’s first sorority.

This show is making it even harder for members of the Greek community to change the negative image people have pinned on them. Greeks all over the U.S. are taking a stand against “Sorority Girls,” and over 12,000 people have signed a petition to cancel the show.

Many members of the Greek community here at Drake, are taking this issue seriously as they attempt to break the frat boy and sorority girl stereotypes. Nick Capellupo, president of Sigma Phi Epsilon at Drake, does not want members of his chapter being known as the classic frat boy.

“I want us to be seen as a fraternity that gives back to the community through our philanthropy work,” Capellupo said.

It is hard to break the perceptions people already have of members of the Greek community. “Don’t listen to everything you see or read, talk to people about it and they can give

you a better picture of what it is all about,” he said.

Members of the Greek community are extremely involved on Drake Campus, “We have girls that are orientation leaders, PMACs and members of the senate,” said Lindsay Crawford, vice president of programming for Delta Gamma. “The members of our chapter are quirky. We are not looking for the perfect girl, we want people who are dedicated to scholarship and service.”

What do members outside of the Greek system have to say about the show?

“After watching, I didn’t think it did justice to what a sorority is. While some girls may fit that stereotype, it was more of an artificial portrayal,” first-year Alessa Strelecki said. “I don’t know if the show should be canceled quite yet. Maybe the negative feedback they have received can help them turn the show in a more positive direction to accurately display what a sorority is truly about.”

First-year Grant Tesmer said, “I think when people join a house they feel like they need to fulfill the stereotype that people have placed on them.” Although, as a nonmember of the Greek system he does not always believe the stereotypes, “I do not view members of fraternities and sororities differently then anyone else on campus.”

Students at Drake make it a priority to positively portray the Greek community as a whole. Through scholarship, service and campus involvement they are attempting to trash the negative stereotypes and give fraternity and sorority life a positive image on campus.

“People posted statuses (about the show) and I saw the petition and what it was for so I signed it because the show emphasized the negative stereotype.

I’m on IFC (Interfraternity Council) and “I haven’t watched it (the show) but I’ve heard a lot about it and just we try to do things to go against the seeing people’s reactions to it on social media I can see all the negative images it shows, like hazing, drinking, even rituals. Here, at Drake, we’ve stereotype. I think the show was doing a lot fo negative thinigs tried to give Greek life a positive image. I feel like this show just gives it a to ruin a lot of hard work people have done.

— Michael Riebel, junior, accounting and management major negative image.”

— Shannon Coughlon, sophomore, accounting and finance major

Students dance to raise money for education Second Belize Dance Marathon hopes to follow success of last year’s

by Margaret Moburg

Staff Writer margaret.moburg@drake.edu

Imagine living in a world where 20 cents will get you food for a day. Now imagine choosing to pay for an education, rather than food, with that 20 cents. This is an example of the decisions the children in Belize are faced with on a daily basis, and as a Drake student, you can help.

The second annual Belize Dance Marathon will take place on Feb. 18 from 6-10 p.m. in Upper Olmsted.

Last year, the event raised $30,000, enough money to build an elementary school and send 100 students to high school. The event leaders hope to raise $50,000 this year to continue to make an impact in Belize.

James Albert, a Drake law professor, started the Belize Dance Marathon last year.

“Drake students fighting for these Mayan children really matters,” Albert said. “We’re the only university in the country raising money to build grade schools and send students to high school in Belize. They’ve got nobody else fighting for them. We’re their only hope.”

The event will be jam-packed with food, games, music and dancing. Just $10 will allow you to enter this fourhour party and give you an automatic entry for a trip to Las Vegas — all expenses paid.

Kale Van Bruggen, dancer relations of the marathon and a Drake Law School graduate, said that he is happy to raise money for the children in Belize.

“I want students to understand that this year, this fundraiser is our lifeline,” Van Bruggen said. “This is a group of people nobody has tried to help before.”

Helping these students won’t be hard if the student body works together, though. Van Bruggen said that the event is designed to bring people from different “classes, athletic teams, Greek life and everyone else on campus together.” In hopes for high attendance, student leaders have been working with their respective teams, houses and organizations to raise money for the cause.

“The Belize Dance Marathon isn’t going to feel like a fundraiser. It’s going to feel like a celebration,” said Michael Sage, a junior group leader.

Sage has found support from his Sigma Chi brothers. The entire house is signed up to attend.

“It’s a way for students to have a direct impact on the world,” Sage said.

At a glance...

- Saturday, Feb. 18 - 6 – 10 p.m.

- Organized by the James Arthur Albert Foundation - $10 registration fee (includes a T-shirt)

photos courtesty of JON EDGETON STUDENTS TAKE A BREAK FROM DANCING long enough to watch the Isiserettes perform at last year’s Belize Dance Marathon.

DRAKE STUDENTS SPENT HOURS dancing as well as playing games, such as Guitar Hero, in an effort to raise money for children in Belize.

SPORTS

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

THURSDAY, FEB. 9, 2012 | PAGE 6

to freshman Alen Salibasic for being named Missouri Valley PLAYER OF Congratulations Conference Player of the Week this past Tuesday. Salibasic went a perfect 4-0 to the Bulldogs register a pair of wins over the weekend. The Bulldogs will host THE WEEK help East Tennessee State at the Roger Knapp Tennis Center today at 8 a.m.

sports WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Bulldogs must earn road wins after 1-3 home swing

by Taylor Soule

Staff Writer taylor.soule@drake.edu

Drake is looking for a lucky streak.

And with lucky No. 7 on their side, the Bulldogs are optimistic. Just seven regular season games remain, and Drake is eager to move forward following a disappointing four-game Knapp Center swing.

Last Saturday, Wichita State dismissed Drake 74-56 on the Ron Pearson Court, concluding the Bulldogs’ four-game home stand. The defeat dropped Drake to fifth place in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Bulldogs notched just one victory during the home stand.

On Sunday, Drake travels to Evansville, Ind., to take on the Purple Aces.

The Bulldogs take on Southern Illinois in Carbondale, Ill., tonight.

Despite a frustrating home streak, the Bulldogs’ competitive spirit endures.

“We just need to not always focus on the losses, but on how we competed and how we keep getting better going into the next few games,” said junior forward and center Stephanie Running.

With that mantra in mind, Drake looks to play with energy and consistency against a struggling Purple Aces squad.

At 4-18 overall and 1-10 in the MVC, Evansville sits in last place. Despite a difficult season, the Purple Aces boast two players averaging double figures in scoring.

Samantha Heck leads Evansville with 13.6 points per game. Briyana Blair averages 10.5 tallies per game alongside 9.7 rebounds.

The Purple Aces earned their sole conference victory on Jan. 8 against Bradley, a team that Drake routed 7762 on Jan. 27.

After Drake’s trip to Evansville, the team returns to the Knapp Center on Feb. 17 to pursue its second win this season over Indiana State. At 10-12 overall and 4-6 in MVC play, the Sycamores are just a game behind Drake in the conference standings. The Bulldogs are 11-11 overall and 5-6 in the MVC. Wichita State is the Valley’s frontrunner with a 9-2 MVC record. Missouri State and Northern Iowa are both one victory behind the Shockers at 8-3 in the league, followed by third place Illinois State at 7-3.

Despite a troublesome Knapp Center swing, senior forward Rachael Hackbarth said that she is confident entering the regular season’s home stretch.

“That’s part of the game of basketball,” Hackbarth said. “You’re going to go through slumps, and you’re going to

go through your highs and your lows, and you just can’t let games like this get you so far down that you can’t come back because there’s still plenty of the season left.”

For the Bulldogs, postseason aspirations remain forefront. Before the State Farm MVC Championship begins on March 8, though, Drake looks to finish the regular season on a lucky seven game winning streak.

“They’re all winnable games,” Drake head coach Amy Stephens said.

“It’s just, which team is going to show up? Which team is going to show up in practice? It becomes key for us.”

How the rest of the MVC is doing: Wichita State Missouri State Northern Iowa Illinois State Creighton

9-2 8-3 8-3 7-3 6-5

Drake Indiana State Bradley Southern Illinois Evansville

5-6 4-6 4-7 2-9 1-7

ON THE ROAD THURSDAY, FEB. 9 Southern Illinois 7:05 p.m.

Carbondale, Ill.

ALEX MASICA| staff photographer SENIOR BRITTNYE MCSPARRON tries to split the defense in a game against Bradley last month. McSparron is averaging 9.2 points, four rebounds and 1.8 assists per game this season. The Bulldogs will take on Southern Illinois on the road tonight.

SENIOR RACHAEL HACKBARTH goes up for a layup in a game against Bradley last month. Hackbarth is averaging 19.5 points and 10.8 rebounds per game.

Sophomore Diaries: Freshman Kyndal Clark Building a strong culture continues to flourish for Drake

I have finally come to terms with the fact that I will forever be an overthinker. I’d like to blame my dad for so generously passing down this trait to me.

But at the same time, it’s not always a bad thing. Sometimes, I catch myself wondering, “what if it were this way?” or “what if that happened?” Lately, though, it’s been the question, “what do I really want to get out of my experience here?”

I could answer this question a million different ways, mainly because a truly memorable experience should entail a lot of facets, right? Right, but let’s make a deal. In 600 words or less, you will have a good idea of what it is I want.

The average person in the United States lives to be 78 years old. Out of those hypothetical 78 years, I’m dedicating five of them to a) a college degree and b) my time as a collegiate athlete. Now think about that. I only get five years (four in other instances) in my entire lifetime to be part of something only a small percentage of people get to be a part of. I believe my experience playing basketball will be one of the hardest things I ever do. Whether it is the time commitment, the physical aspect or at times the mental toll on your body, college athletics (regardless of the sport) is a full-time job.

So how does a player relish in what could be the hardest four to five years of his or her life?

I think it starts with the culture of a team. Building a culture within a team means setting expectations of excellence that can be passed down from one generation to another. It’s kind of like branding. When a company wants to pitch a product, they first have to build its brand. This process may require anything from confirming its credibility to stating why consumers should buy the product.

The culture of a team can answer the questions of why spectators should

come to games, why we ought to be applauded for our efforts and why we deserve to be handed a nice big trophy.

To me, a strong culture would feel like passion — everyone wanting to get better. A strong culture would look like commitment — everyone in the gym doing extra. A strong culture would sound like accountability — constant communication between players. And a strong culture would taste like desire — all the blood, sweat and tears that ultimately go into winning a championship.

When a team sees beyond the hard portion of hard work, that is when a culture like I just described becomes possible. And aside from that, only 5 percent of my lifetime will be spent doing something most people don’t even have the opportunity to do.

When I first looked at it in this light, I found it pretty crazy.

Four years. That’s it!

I might as well make it count. I want to be a part of a player-driven culture where no one is afraid of a challenge; where my teammates are tough as nails, and we can see the rewards in the end together. And with that, this is what I want to be part of: a team with an identity that cannot be replaced.

CARLY GRENFELL | COLUMNIST Grenfell is a sophomore public relations and management double major and can be contacted at carly.grenfell@drake.edu

by Taylor Soule

Staff Writer taylor.soule@drake.edu

On Nov. 5, freshman Kyndal Clark stepped on Ron Pearson Court at the Knapp Center in her Drake uniform for the first women’s basketball game of her college career.

For Drake, the 73-49 exhibition win over Quincy signaled the beginning of a new season. For Clark, the victory signaled both a new season and longawaited NCAA dreams.

Fourteen years ago, long before she donned Drake Blue, a then 5-year-old Clark stepped onto the basketball court for the first time. The rest is history as Clark’s early love of the game translated into NCAA Division I dreams.

Her standout prep career was a stepping-stone to a college basketball career. At Webb City High School in Webb City, Mo., Clark led her team to a state championship and earned firstteam all-state honors.

Though Clark’s ever-expanding list of awards adds a dynamic dimension to her career, it’s her passion for the sport that keeps her on the court.

“I just really enjoy playing, and I have the mind for the game,” she said.

With that love for the game and a knack for basketball’s intangibles, Clark looks to bring energy and determination to the point guard position.

On the court, Clark aspires to “control the game, control the tempo and try to be as effective as possible for my team. Trying to be a complete player, offensively and defensively, as best I can.”

Clark also looks to grow as a leader on the Drake women’s basketball team.

“First of all, I just look to lead by example and truly understand what the team needs from me, and always step into that role,” she said. “Just letting it come naturally instead of forcing it.”

Clark looks to her favorite Division I players for guidance. Modeling her play after Connecticut’s Maya Moore and Notre Dame’s Skylar Diggins, Clark is

already turning heads in the Missouri Valley Conference.

Clark is Drake’s top 3-point shooter, drowning 42.5 percent of her shots from behind the arc. Besides her 3-point prowess, Clark is Drake’s second leading scorer, averaging 9.8 points per game alongside 3.0 rebounds.

On the defensive front, Clark is quick to snag the ball from her opponents. She boasts a whopping 24 steals in the 2011-12 campaign.

Drake head coach Amy Stephens expects Clark to improve both as a shooter and a defender in upcoming games.

“She’s playing big minutes for us,” Stephens said. “As a young player, you want her to continue to improve not just offensively, but defensively. We’re asking a lot of her. We’re asking her to play 35 minutes.”

With several MVC Newcomer of the Week nods already on Clark’s record, Stephens can’t wait to see her young player’s continued improvement.

“Kyndal has done a great job,” Stephens said. “I’m really happy with what she’s doing, and as a young player, we just want her to continue to work hard and continue to get better every day.”

Clark’s Drake career is only four months underway, but she said that she is eager to improve for her team, herself and the Bulldog faithful in upcoming seasons.

“Hopefully, I’ll continue to grow as a player and a person, and hopefully they (the fans) will enjoy watching that,” Clark said. “I hope to bring more energy next year and continue to build this program and most importantly have fun.”

TAYLOR SOULE | staff photographer FRESHMAN KYNDAL CLARK poses at the Knapp Center. Clark has been asked to be a major contributor for the Bulldogs this season. Clark is averaging 9.8 points per game to go along with three rebounds per game and 1.8 assists.

PAGE 7 | THURSDAY, FEB. 9, 2012

SPORTS

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Drake looking to rally at home after losing Simons

by Matt Moran

Copy Editor matthew.moran@drake.edu

Drake will aim to separate from the pack this weekend when it takes on Evansville at the Knapp Center on Sunday at 7 p.m.

Five teams in the Missouri Valley Conference had either a 7-6 or 6-7 record in league play heading into Tuesday’s action. The Bulldogs (1311, 6-7 MVC) are tied with Northern Iowa for fifth place, while Illinois State and Missouri State sit in third.

Wichita State is back atop the conference standings with an 11-2 record in league play after Tuesday’s upset.

The upset? Evansville defeated No. 15 Creighton 65-57 on its home court. The Purple Aces (12-12, 7-7) moved into fourth place. The Bluejays suffered their second-straight loss and are now in second place. They are one half-game behind the Shockers.

Drake took on Illinois State in Normal, Ill., last night. The Bulldogs defeated the Redbirds 77-60 on Jan. 15 at the Knapp Center.

The Bulldogs were without their second leading scorer for the second consecutive game. Junior Ben Simons sat out the last two contests due to being diagnosed with Mononucleosis.

The leading 3-point shooter in the MVC will be re-evaluated tomorrow before a decision is made about his status for Sunday’s game.

Simons missed his first game of

the season for Drake last Saturday.

The Bulldogs had one of their worst offensive showings of the season as they were blasted by Missouri State, 57-39.

“We missed Ben, but we didn’t miss him to the tune of 27 percent shooting,” Drake head coach Mark Phelps said after the loss to the Bears.

“Certainly his productivity alone would have been a different story tonight, but we were really out of sync and out of rhythm.”

Shooting percentage has been a strong indicator of the Bulldogs’ success this season. Drake is 7-0 when shooting 50 percent or better from the field, and they are 0-7 when opponents fire 50 percent or better from the floor. Drake has not allowed an opponent to shoot better than 50 percent in a game in its last nine outings. The Bulldogs are 5-4 during that stretch, but they have lost four of their last five. “(We had) two subpar offensive performances on the heels of the game against Wichita State, where we were really clicking on all cylinders on the offensive end and played great defense,” Phelps said. “We still, I think, have a tendency to allow our offense to affect our defense, and I think there was probably a measure of that (last Saturday night) as well.”

Drake defeated Wichita State 9386 in triple overtime on Jan. 28, arguably its best win of the season. The Shockers, along with Creighton, are expected to represent the MVC in the

NCAA Tournament, barring a massive collapse from either team in the final month of the season.

Without Simons, Drake will depend more heavily on its leading

scorer. Sophomore Rayvonte Rice is averaging 16.8 points per game, good for third in the MVC. “It is what it is. You just have to move forward understanding that

other guys are going to have to step up,” Phelps said about losing Simons.

“Now you’ve got to dig down, bear down and figure out a way.”

ALEX MASICA |staff photographer REDSHIRT FRESHMAN JEREMY JEFFERS drives against a defender in a game against Creighton last month. Jeffers will be asked to fill a bigger role with the absence of junior Ben Simons. Jeffers is averaging 6.2 points and 2.8 rebounds per game.

The annual Bulldogs basketball January “tease” It’s that time of year again. It’s time for the annual January tease of the Drake men’s basketball team under head coach Mark Phelps. Just when you think the Bulldogs have finally turned the corner and are headed for a spot in the top half of the Valley, they sink back to reality and seem destined for a fourth consecutive Thursday night game at Arch Madness.

I’m sure a lot of fans marked the triple-overtime win over Wichita State as a sign that better things were to come, but the reality is that the Shockers were just a victim to the usual one upset the Bulldogs have been able to pull off each year.

The loss of junior Ben Simons for an indefinite period of time due to mono is a big loss.

Losing your team’s second leading scorer is no easy blow to handle for any team, let alone one that has already played the entire season minus two other players. However, that provides no excuse for the debacle that was Saturday night’s “game” against Missouri State.

When you lose a player, the responsibility to adjust falls on the coaching staff. And it was painfully obvious on Saturday that they had no answer to the question of “What do we do without Ben?” Simply slotting junior Aaron Hawley into the same sets that they normally run for Simons is not going to cut it. The two players have different skill sets. While Simons can comfortably hit the jumper at the elbow coming off of a screen, Hawley cannot. They ran the already uninspiring set of “everybody stand around while one player continually runs off baseline screens” for Hawley against MSU, and the one time he caught the ball off the screen, he chucked up a leaning, off- balance jumper that missed horribly. Any regular follower of Drake basketball could tell you that Hawley would not be successful shooting the ball after coming off those screens, so why did Phelps think running that play was a good idea? One would hope that a head coach in his fourth year would be able to actually make some adjustments to overcome the loss of a key player, but failure to make adjustments has been a hallmark of Phelps’ tenure.

Under Phelps, the Bulldogs have a dismal record when they play Valley teams the second time around. The first time through the conference slate, Phelps has a record of 19-17. The

second time around, his career record at Drake is 8-23 (including 0-4 this year), a truly abysmal statistic. The significance of this statistic is that it shows the true ability of a coach and his staff. A good coach and his staff will make adjustments and learn from the experience of playing a team the first time around, and they will rectify the mistakes from the first meeting. This statistic points to the fact that Phelps is unable to make adjustments to his game-planning skills, which is already weak to begin with.

In the case of last Saturday’s game, one possible adjustment could be to push the tempo to get some transition baskets and open looks to make up for the loss of Simons. However, Phelps seemed insistent on his usual tactic of slowing it down and having no coherent offensive plan.

Many of the Bulldog faithful (including myself) will be calling (or renewing their calls) for Phelps’ firing based on this performance, and rightly so. He has failed so far in his career to show that he can build a winning program here at Drake. The reality, however, is that these injuries give him an excuse to fall back on to explain his failure to produce success this season, and, unfortunately, the administration will likely accept his excuses and grant him another year.

One can only hope that the decision makers of the athletic administration collectively pull their heads out of the sand and open their eyes to the reality that Phelps’ time needs to be at an end.

They can do a much better job in their search for Phelps’ successor.

RYAN HUNT | COLUMNIST Hunt is a senior history major and can be contacted at ryan.hunt@drake.edu

Why we should love the intramurals program at Drake With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, I want to utilize the few words I have each week to express the reasons for Drake University’s ubiquitous love for the intramurals program. The list goes on and on, but I have managed to round out the love into five definitive categories. So here you go, the top five reasons why Drake intramurals is what it is.

THE STAFF Behind every table, every blown whistle and every scheduled game stands a strong, authoritative, good-looking intramural staffer. For every season, the staff puts in extra hours of training and hard work to allow you, the athlete, to have fun. To each player who has ever had a complaint over an arguable call, we would like to let you know that Drake intramurals is not an exclusive bunch. If you ever believe you can do a better job, please come join the family. We would love to have you. This may be the proper

time to also give a shout out to the faces behind the scenes. The man responsible for giving you a spot to play even though you didn’t come to the meeting, or don’t really have anyone on your team yet, is Intramural Coordinator Matt Gasser, often seen overlooking all management on game night. And if you are ever lucky enough to spot Intramural Director Lisa Murphy, I suggest getting an autograph.

THE ENTERTAINMENT Most officials and supervisors would not come back year after year if not for the overwhelming amount of laughs and energy each season brings. For every minor altercation or aggravated fan, there is at least one player tripping over himself or team uniforms ridiculous enough to change the play of the game.

The belief behind intramurals is that it should provide authentic and enjoyable competition. At the end of the day, the only tangible reward is a cotton T-shirt.

Any other honor you walk away with is personal compensation. The fact that everyone still plays hard, and typically with good spirits, shows a genuine love for the intramural sports.

THE T-SHIRTS Let’s face it. Wearing an intramurals champion shirt on campus really says something about you. It means you still work out at least once a week, you have at least four other friends on campus (not counting if you won it from playing in the poker tournament) and you were, at one point, better than another Drake student at something. The shirts are comfortable, cheeky and a great top to wear to another intramural game to show how good you really are.

ing solo because the rest of the team didn’t show up. As much as most players bicker over seemingly petty rules, intramurals would not run as smoothly and as consistently without them. If we wait an extra 20 minutes for your last player to show up, we would have to do the same for the team that plays you the next time.

From previous experience, we do not tend to see the same type of generosity you previously asked for. The rules keep us from allowing our friends, or even an intramural staffer, to play without Drake IDs and from allowing hockey sticks to be used as baseball bats and goals to be used as chin-up bars. In review, if we didn’t have the rules, the well-educated minds of Drake University would easily just make their own.

THE RULES If it weren’t for the rules, we would have punches thrown, professional athletes competing and brave captains play-

YOU Even when the intramurals program is forced to begrudgingly fill out sportsmanship reports, our love for you, the

athlete, will never fade. Without you, we would not have one of the, per-bias, greatest programs on campus.

Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to appreciate everything Drake intramurals has to offer. And for those who loathe and condemn the Hallmark holiday, we are fortunately here all year long.

Until next time, please play by the rules.

HALEY BOSCO | COLUMNIST Bosco is a senior English and secondary education double major and can be contacted at haley.bosco@drake.edu

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

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THURSDAY, FEB. 9, 2012 | PAGE 8

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