Times-Delphic

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER FOR DRAKE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

THE TIMES-DELPHIC WHAT’S

INSIDE

DES MOINES, IOWA • Thursday, October 29, 2009 • VOL. 128, NO. 13 • www.timesdelphic.com

MEN’S BASKETBALL

STAFF EDITORIAL

HALLOWEEN

VOLLEYBALL

The Bulldogs look to rebound from a disappointing 2009 season.

Senate: keep your transparency promises through open hearings.

The TD’s last-minute Halloween costume ideas for Drake students.

The Bulldogs are dominating the Valley with a sevengame win streak.

PAGE 7 SPORTS

PAGE 3 OPINIONS

PAGE 4 FEATURES

PAGE 6 SPORTS

THE ORIGINAL MOTION

RHA looks to bring in ice machines, free printing

by JACKIE WALLENTIN

Staff Writer jaclyn.wallentin@drake.edu

photo by SARAH ANDREWS | Photo Editor

STUDENT SENATE will know soon what approach Senate Judicial Committee will take with Vice President of Student Life Ben Cooper.

Oct. 15 motion outlines four main allegations against Cooper

by ERIN HOGAN News Editor tdnews@drake.edu

In the coming weeks, President Ben Olson (AS4) will refer Vice President of Student Life Ben Cooper (AS3) to the Senate Judicial Committee through a written statement to the committee for his failure to submit a report required by the by-laws.

At 5 a.m. on Oct. 15, Olson sent the proposed agenda for that day’s Senate meeting to the roster of senators. The agenda included previous notice of Motion [091022], “Removal of Vice President of Student Life.” When a motion is filed as previous notice, it is placed on the agenda to notify senators that it will be debated and voted on at a future meeting.

The motion was removed before the official agenda was printed for the meeting. The agenda is flexible and susceptible to changes until the meeting begins at 9 p.m. on Thursday.

The Times-Delphic has obtained a copy of the motion. It outlines four major unconfirmed allegations against the vice president of student life.

Cooper allegedly failed to file a report on Senate’s status at the beginning of October, vio-

lating Senate By-law II.01.3. According to the bylaw, “The Vice President shall make a report to the Student Senate at the first meeting in October certifying the status of the standing committees and shall furnish each Student Senator a list of meeting times and locations of each committee and subcommittee.”

According to the motion, this information was not included in the Student Body President’s report to the Board of Trustees because Cooper had not filed the report.

The motion also alleged that Cooper used his influence as the vice president of student life to convince a Student Life Center worker to give him “lost and found” Drake ID cards. Cooper then allegedly used the cards to access Cline Hall after the building was closed.

These actions violate three sections of the Drake University Student Handbook, including misuse of student identification card, theft and trespass, according to the motion.

The motion also states that, “interviewed applicants for Student Senate committees were severely mishandled,” and criticizes Cooper’s organization of standing committees, a duty outlined in By-law II.01.3.1.

DOWNLOAD THE ACTUAL MOTION AT WWW.TIMESDELPHIC.COM !

We, the members of Drake University Student Senate, in an effort to uphold the integrity of Student Senate, do hereby move to remove the current Vice President of Student Life.

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SEE SENATE, PAGE 2

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Major General discusses Guantanamo Bay

by ANN SCHNOEBELEN

Staff Writer ann.schnoebelen@drake.edu

photo by STEPHANIE SANYOUR | Staff Photographer

MAJ. GEN. PAUL EASTON spoke in Bulldog Theatre Monday night.

“You cannot buff Guantanamo enough to make it shine again,” said retired Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton in a speech Monday night in Bulldog Theater. The event was part of a series sponsored by the Center for Global citizenship and the National Security Network.

Addressing the audience of around 70 people, the former commanding general of the Coalition Military Assistance Training Team in Iraq shared his stories and opinions and answered audience questions. He spoke about the Afghanistan and Iraq wars, Guantanamo Bay Prison and the don’t ask don’t tell policy.

Since retiring from the Army in 2006, Eaton has appeared as a guest on several media outlets,

criticizing the Bush administration’s handling of the Iraq war and former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

His speech Monday was no different.

“Gen. Franks failed the nation, failed the Army, failed the Marine Corp when he decided to go in with the force level that he went in with to execute combat operations in Iraq,” Eaton said.

“I join his name with Gen. Richard Myers and Gen. Peter Pace because they are equally culpable in the failure of Mr. Rumsfeld to do the right thing.”

A self-described “political agnostic,” Eaton is not a member of any political party. He voted for President George W. Bush twice, but worked with Hillary Clinton’s campaign during the

SEE GITMO, PAGE 2

Drake offers three study abroad summer seminars

by MARIAH MARCONI

Staff Writer mariah.marconi@drake.edu

The summer of 2010 offers many opportunities for students looking to broaden their education through international learning. Three study seminars will give Drake students the chance to learn another country’s culture and earn credits toward their degree.

The Uganda program for sustainable development in Africa will be offered for the fourth-consecutive year. Professors Jimmy Senteza, Tom Root, Deb Bishop and Glenn McKnight will guide

a group of 17 or more students through their project in Kampala.

Students will have the opportunity to interact with locals and Ugandan businesses.

Jess Hoffert (J3) studied in Uganda last summer. He described the experience as “unforgettable.” Drake students had the opportunity to travel with students from a Ugandan university.

“We traveled around the country with eight students from Makerere University Business School,” Hoffert said. “I became genuine friends with these students, and we are still in contact with each other through e-mail and Facebook. It

was pretty cool to hear perspectives on life from an African college student.”

Senteza, an associate professor of finance, said the program highlights how the country’s industrial capacity has been destroyed by colonialism. Senteza was born and raised in Uganda. He arranged for journalism students to meet with the government and local newspapers and learn about Ugandan media.

Hoffert said that one of his favorite parts of the trip was when the group toured a local farm.

“I was blown away by the resourcefulness of these farmers,

who are somehow able to make a profit from limited space and even more limited resources,” Hoffert said.

An informational meeting will be held tonight in Aliber Hall, room 108, at 4:30 p.m.

However, the trip to Uganda is not the only way Drake students can venture to Africa this summer.

Professors Melissa Klimaszewski and Jennifer Perrine will take 15 or more students to South Africa for the first time. The program

SEE ABROAD, PAGE 2

In the coming months, students may find themselves living in residence halls equipped with ice machines and free printing services.

Since the beginning of the school year, Residence Hall Association (RHA) and Campus Advancement Senate Committee have been working together to implement these new measures.

“RHA’s mission statement is ‘Making Halls into Homes,’” RHA president Ben Whitmer (B2) said. “The idea behind that is you will be living in the residence halls for two years while you are here at Drake, so we want to make this the best possible place for you.”

The initiative would install ice machines into each residence hall, giving students ice availability without having to go to Spikes or Sodexo.

All first-year halls, as well as Morehouse, have refrigerators that produce ice.

“It sounds simple but, of course, it is not as simple as it seems,” Campus Advancement Senator Greg Larson (B,J2) said. “Over the years, people have wished to get ice machines in the halls and they have hit road blocks.”

RHA met with Interim Director of Residence Life Lorissa Lieurance to discuss the installation; however, the initiative was not approved.

“The Business and Finance Office, Facility Services and the Office of Residence Life have discussed RHA’s idea of purchasing additional ice machines for the residence halls,” Lieurance said. “It has been determined that the purchase and addition of ice maker machines in the residence halls will not be implemented at this time.”

Lieurance said the initiative was not approved for many reasons including high installation costs, sanitary issues, safety hazards and the belief that it would be contradictory to the “Blue is Green” initiative.

“I feel that the measures that the university has been taking, in terms of the ‘Blue is Green’ initiative, are more of a cost-effective instead of an environmentally effective approach,” Whitmer said. “It has been a little frustrating from that aspect.”

Larson said he agrees with Whitmer and feels that the students’ best interests should be taken into account as well.

“Maybe it is not completely green, but it is what students want,” Larson said.

This week the Campus Advancement Committee will send out an online survey to ask students’ opinions on this matter to see whether or not there is enough support.

“We feel if we get enough student input and say on this, then we can get a pilot program,” Larson said.

Many students have voiced their approval of the supposed initiative.

“It would make it a lot easier for lazy people who do not want to walk all the way to Spikes,” Loren Pavel (B2) said. “Also, for people who need ice for hurt body parts, they would not have to walk all the way across campus with their injury.”

Along with the ice initiative, the RHA the and Campus Advancement committee would like to see campuswide free printing services available to all students in the residence halls, library and possibly Olmsted.

“For example, each student at the beginning of the year would be allotted 500 free copies of paper that would already be included in their tuition,” Larson said. “In theory, you would type in your ID and be able to print off papers, which would deduct from your balance remaining.”

The schools of Pharmacy and Health Sciences already provide their students 500 sheets of paper each semester. These schools would have to adopt the new initiative in order for it to be approved.

“We feel that students need this,” Whitmer said. “The Student Life Center and the library close at 1 a.m. With the college lifestyle, where are students supposed to get their printing done if they do not have their own printer?”

This printing initiative is still being discussed after originally being halted for consideration.

“We have been put on the back burners, but we are not going to take no for an answer,” Whitmer said. “I think this is something that we can get done this year if we push the right buttons, ask the right questions and do the right things.”

Larson said he remains positive that, with time, students will be able to see their suggestions put into action.

“There are a lot of things that we want to do and a lot of things that students want done, but you have to realize that it takes time with everything. It is just the nature of the system,” Larson said. “Patience is key.”

NEWS

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

“

PAGETWO

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2009 QUOTE OF THE DAY

PAGE 2

”

“You cannot buff Guantanamo Bay enough to make it shine again.”

– Retired Maj. Gen. Paul Eaton. SEE PAGE 1

SECURITY REPORTS 4:55 p.m. October 26 A female staff member reported her wallet was stolen from her office in Olin Hall on Oct. 21 between 11 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. The wallet was found near 20th Street and Forest Avenue in a trash container. The person who found it drove to her residence and placed it in her mailbox.

7:30 p.m. Oct. 13 A security officer observed two kittens playing at the southwest stairs of the Knapp Center. The officer rounded them up and took them to the security office.

Animal control was called.

In the meantime, a student came into the office and

took possession of one of the kittens. Animal control arrived shortly after and took the second.

5:18 a.m. Oct. 15 A resident assistant of Goodwin-Kirk Residence Hall reported damage and theft in the hall. Four wall-

mounted restroom mirrors were missing, as were two soap dispensers and one fire extinguisher. A paper towel dispenser was broken open and the towels were stolen. A fire extinguisher was also found in a toilet. It is believed the actions took place between 11 p.m. on Oct. 14 and 5:18 a.m. on Oct. 15.

9 a.m. Oct. 20 A Sodexo staff member reported a tent had been moved from one location to another in the stadium and there were holes in it, as if someone had tried to throw it over one of the fences.

He also reported that he thought someone had tried to siphon gas out of a golf cart.

2:19 p.m. Oct. 18 A female student reported that a male, about 5 feet 6 inches tall and 19 years old, wearing a dark blue zipup sweater and holding a blue Drake ID holder had opened the door to her room in GK at about 3 a.m. on Oct. 18. He then walked into the room and made comments about “having fun.” The female pushed him out of her room and locked it up.

5:32 p.m. Oct. 20 A male adult who was not associated with Drake University was advised on trespass for Spike’s, as he had been yelling at one of the Sodexo employees during a dispute.

8:50 a.m. Oct. 21 A female student reported she was parked at her real estate parking area and received a note on her vehicle regarding how she

had parked her vehicle.

8 a.m. Oct. 23 A female staff member reported that there were writings on the second floor men’s restroom in Cowles Library. The writings were of sexual nature.

4:30 p.m. Oct. 23 A security officer observed a raccoon thrashing its head and legs at the southwest corner of Drake Stadium.

Animal control was called and the animal was contained and removed.

2:38 a.m. Oct. 24 Security responded to Herriott Residence Hall based on a report of a male passed out in a second floor restroom. An underage-fordrinking male student was found snoring in a locked restroom stall. An officer

went into an adjacent stall, reached over and unlocked the stall. The student was found lying on his side with his trousers down and breathing noisily. He staggered to his feet and urinated all over the wall.

Fire/rescue was called and the student was placed on a stretcher and transported to a local hospital.

12:55 a.m. Oct. 26 Security responded to Crawford Residence Hall based on report of an injury.

A female student stated she fell off her bed and scraped her back. There was about a three-inch minor cut on her back, and the victim stated she did not want rescue called. Minor firstaid was administered.

Senate proceeds in handling complex allegations FROM SENATE, PAGE 1

photo courtesy of KELSEY ANDERSON

Students visited CHILDREN at the Mbarara MIxed School in Uganda last summer.

FROM ABROAD, PAGE 1 will focus on studying the history and modern culture of the country.

Students will visit some of South Africa’s popular historical sites, including the Hector Pieterson Memorial, the Apartheid Museum, Constitution Hill, the Cradle of Humankind, Robben Island and the District Six Museum.

Students will also volunteer and study at the Center for African Literary Studies at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Drake is beginning a second new program this summer. Professors Mahmoud Hamad and Marc Cadd will take 10 to 15 students to Egypt for three weeks, visiting Alexandria and Cairo.

Hamad said this is the first time Drake is offering a seminar for Middle Eastern studies.

“In the past, there has always been the opportunity to travel abroad to places in Europe,” Hamad said. “Now, students are getting the option to go to a Middle Eastern country, attend lectures, meet students, visit museums and learn about the different culture.”

The program is targeted toward international relations majors. Students will have opportunities to meet with policy makers and government officials and visit political parties, non-governmental organizations and Egyptian universities.

Students may also opt to stay in Egypt beyond the three weeks to study the Arabic language at Alexandria University.

Each of the programs earns students six credit hours and has no prerequisites. Many of the corresponding courses fulfill AOI requirements and students can also get Honors credit for their studies There will be an informational meeting on Nov. 5 in Meredith 238 at 5 p.m. for interested students.

It was also alleged that Cooper violated Bylaw II.01.3.3, which assigns the Vice President of Student Life the duty of assisting the Student Body President.

It’s moved “that the current vice president of student life be removed from office for conduct not becoming of an executive officer and failure to complete his duties as outlined in the Student Senate by-laws.”

According to the motion, when approached about the student handbook violations, “the alleged misconduct was confessed directly to the Student Body President.” Cooper said that the motion was “document full of lies” and only half-true.

Cooper said that he is innocent of the alleged charges against him.

“I maintain my innocence, and I don’t want to make any hasty decisions,” Cooper said.

Cooper was able to access the motion prior to it being sent to the senators on Oct. 15.

“I thought it was appropriate that he saw what was coming,” Olson said.

Cooper said he was not comfortable addressing any specific allegations before the judicial hearing.

“I want a fair trial or I want a fair judicial hearing, and I don’t want the judicial committee influenced by my statement or anyone’s statement on this issue,” Cooper said.

Four hours before the Oct. 8 Senate meeting, Olson showed Cooper a print copy of the motion that he intended to bring forward that night. Olson said he asked Cooper to step down at that time. Cooper verbally agreed to start writing a letter of resignation and did not attend the Senate meeting that night, as Olson made is clear that the motion would not be brought up if Cooper did not attend the meeting. Cooper said that he had been asked to step down prior to that date on Sept. 17.

After talking to Drake administrators and close friends, Cooper decided three days later not to step down from his position.

“I just couldn’t write it,” Cooper said.

“When I thought about it, I had to defend my character. I knew I was doing my job for the student body.”

Olson said that all past senators who have been asked to step down have done so.

“We are the highest representation of the

student body, and we should act accordingly,” Olson said.

After Cooper refused to resign, Olson explored other means of addressing the alleged misconduct.

Olson said that “a significant number of senators” had approached him, taking issue with Cooper’s leadership. Olson also approached some senators to gather opinions and feedback on Cooper’s performance.

After consulting with Judicial Committee chairwoman Samantha Haas (AS3), Olson determined that drafting a motion would be the best means of moving forward.

According to the motion, Olson “believed it was the best and only remaining option for the good of Drake students.”

However, after the motion was made available to the governing body on Oct. 15, several senators were surprised and confused by the development.

These sentiments resulted in several meetings of various factions of senators between the motion being sent and the meeting the following night.

During the Speakers and Issues portion of the meeting, Olson initiated a discussion of the miscommunications surrounding the motion and the actions of executives and other senators involved in the matter.

“Was it a complete representation of what’s going on?” Olson said. “Probably not. But, it seemed to be the best option.”

The following week, Olson announced that he would refer Cooper to the Judicial Committee rather than pursue the motion.

“Too many senators had already formed opinions,” Olson said. “It seemed to be the best course of action.”

The motion did not cover the full scope of the violations, Olson said. However, his referral will only include Cooper’s alleged failure to file the status report in October.

Olson said he understands that other senators plan to ask him to submit referrals against Cooper on their behalf for other alleged violations. Only the three executive members of Senate – Tisleen Singh (J4), Cooper and Olson – may refer a senator or fellow executive to the Judicial Committee.

“Before students make their final call, I would wait until the final motion comes out from judicial because that will cover the full scope and include Ben Cooper’s opinion,” Ol-

son said.

Olson said he would accept the verdict of the Judicial Committee., whatever it may be His main concern is that the issues are addressed in the appropriate way.

“Whatever the decision of the Judicial Committee is, I will fully support it,” Olson said.

Olson said that Senate has continued to proceed with other motions and issues, allocating funds and making other improvements.

“Senate is still performing strong,” Olson said. “This is an important issue to be addressed, but not the only one.”

Olson said that he and Cooper still have a good working relationship.

“He’s handled it very professionally,” Olson said of Cooper’s reaction to the allegations.

Cooper said that he plans to continue serving students and fulfilling the duties of his position.

“Ben and I are still working together and I remain serving the student body with the best interests,” Cooper said.

Many students have questioned if the challenges to Cooper’s leadership ability are related to this being his first year as a senator.

Cooper was a senate committee member for the last two years.

Olson said that not sitting around the table can pose challenges to senators coming in, but said that the questioning of Cooper’s leadership was not solely related to this matter.

Cooper said that he was not given appropriate guidance when he began his term as vice president of student life.

“Yes, I was transitioned, but I wasn’t transitioned as well as I’d hoped,” Cooper said.

According to By-law II.01.4.2, “In the event of the resignation or removal from office of the vice president of student life, the student body president shall appoint, with approval of the Senate, a member of the Senate to complete the unexpired term.”

Olson said he did not think it was appropriate to discuss any potential replacement of Cooper at this time.

“The student body has elected us to be here, and they should know that we are handling this and will convey to them the decision we reach,” Olson said.

CGC lecturer shares his military dissatisfaction with students FROM GITMO, PAGE 1 2008 elections and now supports the Obama administration.

“I’m a very conservative guy,” Eaton said.

“But I have been so personally offended by this particular topic that I have had to pursue the line of reasoning that I’m pursuing.”

Much of his speech focused on his service in Iraq. He discussed the challenges the American military faced due to political scandals, the White House and CIA leadership.

“After Abu Ghraib, they didn’t look at me quite the same way, and I had lost a bit of my personal credibility,” he said.

Director of the Center for Global Citizenship David Skidmore said he hoped students who attended gained a better understanding of Eaton’s disposition.

“I hope they got a sense that when the United States doesn’t live up to the values that we claim to represent that it hurts us, our reputation abroad and it makes more difficult the job of our soldiers out in the field,” Skidmore said The event drew many students, like Ian Weller (AS2), who were interested in the opinions of a man of Eaton’s rank and experience.

“He’s a brilliant guy on the subjects that tie into international relations,” Weller said. “He’s also a very high-ranking officer, something I respect and something that I figured I could get some advice on, some insight into the global affairs issues.”

The international relations major has attended several of the events and said he thought this was the best one so far.

In the question and answer session, Weller asked Eaton what advice he would give to future military officers.

“Every day, wake up and say, ‘What would my youngest private say about me?’” he said. “‘What would my fellow lieutenant say about me?’ And then, ‘What would my captain say about me?’ We’re in the mess we’re in because four-star generals did not answer those questions very well.”

INTERESTED IN GLOBAL ISSUES? Bulgarian Ambassador Latchezar Petkov will deliver a lecture Monday, Nov. 2, at 7 p.m. in Bulldog Theatre.

SEND YOUR STORY IDEAS TO TDNEWS@DRAKE.EDU

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

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2009

OPINIONS & EDITORIALS

OPINIONS&EDITORIALS STAFF EDITORIAL

Believe in what you preach The TD implores Senate to be public about Cooper referrals As Student Body President Ben Olson (AS4), the Senate Judicial Committee and the rest of Senate move forward on referrals that look into the alleged misconduct of Vice President of Student Life Ben Cooper (AS3), we have but one simple request on behalf of the student body – keep the proceedings open.

We, at The Times-Delphic, have been pleased to see so many Drake students take interest in what’s happening in Senate.

Because of the information Olson, Cooper and other senators have provided us, the student body is more informed

about Senate proceedings than we’ve seen in recent memory.

There are concerns, however. We want to make sure senators now know that students are paying attention, no longer casting Senate aside as ineffective or beyond their concern. Senators: most of you ran on the theme of transparency. Now is the time to embody that often-abused term and show us that you truly believe what you preach.

Whether the Judicial Committee decides to hear the case against Cooper through the committee itself or through

the entire Senate, those proceedings must be entirely open to the student body. Excuses are not acceptable at this time. If senators are afraid of the repercussions of their statements, or are hesitant to express their true feelings to the public, then they are not fit to hold their positions. Anything less than complete transparency is unacceptable.

Senate is now in the spotlight. Senators: don’t miss this opportunity to prove to the student body that Senate can be transparent, fulfilling the long overdue promise so many have made to us in the past.

Ugh, I’m in college Stop complaining and start savoring the moments at Drake

I

want to hit on a lot in this first-year lege.” interest column: the goofy rain boots Without Kate, we would have looked back every girl wears when there is a single on Europe and regretted the groaning. We cloud in the sky, the maze of Goodwinshould not have whined about visiting the Kirk Residence Hall, sleep patterns and the Eiffel Tower or seeing Versailles with 40 good irrigation system that makes our sidewalks. friends. Thankfully, though, we had Kate, and One first-year trend I’ve noticed seems more she reminded us of where we were – Europe. pressing for the time being though.

Well, here we are now, in college. We get RYAN PRICE I keep hearing groans everywhere I go. It to study long hours and soak up information varies, but it always goes something like this – from the smartest people we will ever meet.

COLUMNIST “Ugh, I’m in college.”

We get to party with friends and live with the My high school European history class people we love. And, we get to eat all we can went on a trip to Europe two years ago. While eat. there, we ate delicious chocolate Nutella, went There is nothing more important we can to unbelievable monuments and had a blast with 40 friends. We do with our blank slates than to create a good attitude. I know it had to keep packing and unpacking, though, and occasionally sounds corny and I hate saying it myself, but if we start a good had to get up early to catch a train. attitude now in our freshman year, we will likely carry it with us One early morning, my friend Mike was complaining about beyond college and through our entire lives. just how early it was. “It’s 4 a.m., I didn’t get any sleep, we have Some people say, “I have so much to read. I have to study.” a worksheet today and I have yet to pack!”

What Kate taught me, though, is that we get to read and we get Everyone else groaned in unison, including me. People comto study – the difference is vital. plained about cramps, long flights and missing home.

Saying, “Ugh, I’m so busy,” is a slap in the face to the 13 Then a brilliant friend, Kate Granat, mockingly groaned and years of education we have all received. By the end of our unsighed, “Ugh, I’m in Europe.” dergraduate college experience, most of us will have 16 years of That simple phrase led the rest of the trip. Whenever anyone education under our belt. 16 years of education is many times complained about the squeaky beds, rude natives or spats of more formal schooling than most of the world receives and this boredom, someone would complain, “Ugh, I’m in Europe,” to is indeed not something to complain about. appreciative laughter.

It is so easy to wander around complaining about all we have Within my first week at Drake, I heard a lot of collective to do. But the fact that we are here today at Drake University sighs – “I’m so tired,” “I don’t want to go,” “Seriously, Hubmeans we likely have some great friends, great classes and we bell?” are going to have a great future. Yeah, we are busier than ever, With midterms and the busyness of the last couple weeks, but just remind yourself where you are. Then, “Ugh, I’m in colthere seem to be groans coming out of loudspeakers in Helmick. lege,” is nothing but laughable.

A buddy complains to me, “I have a four-page paper to write tonight.” A roommate says, “I haven’t done any of the reading Price is a first-year journalism major and can be contacted at yet.” A floormate groans, “Why did I go out last night?”

All of these complaints sound a lot like, “Ugh, I’m in colryan.price@drake.edu.

INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES

Cultural cooking Italian cuisine takes the cake and eats it, too

believe it was two months into my stay McDonald’s as much as the next guy (actually, in Italy when I realized I would be cramany Italians do). But when it comes to publiczy to ever leave to return to the United ity, its global influence is unmatched.

States. This was for many reasons, but In Italy, ethnic foods from outside the counone stuck out like a streaker at a ball game. try are just beginning to gain appeal with resiItalian cuisine is, by far, the best cuisine in dents. For some reason, Italians have been slow the entire world. to pick up on the pleasures of varying eating While a comment like this may cause conhabits. My completely unbiased opinion is that MATTEO IZZI troversy, Italians themselves agree that ItalItalian food is variant and good enough that ian food is second to none. And when you’re other cuisines have had a hard time penetrating COLUMNIST sitting in a dining room feasting on the finest the market. Alas, at present time, it is difficult concoctions of homemade rosemary garlic to make generalizations about Italians and their potatoes and spaghetti with pesto sauce with behavior, as the country is changing very rapa well-matched bottle of wine, not much can be said to sway your idly with immigration and increased westernization. opinion.

In the United States, we are very lucky to have so many opThat type of meal may not be everyone’s ideal feast, but let’s tions when it comes to ethnic food. And let’s not forget the solid face it, Italian cuisine has something for everybody. Multitudes bedrock of American food, such as hot dishes, hamburgers and of college students all across the nation choose pizza as their corn. Even in Iowa, all types of comestibles are at our fingertips. breakfast, lunch and dinner. This isn’t because they feel like fit- We are often exposed to other cultures through the constantly ting into an amazingly true stereotype. It’s because pizza is one evolving jubilee of foods available to us every day, whether it be of the greatest inventions known to man. Even Caesar salad was Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Thai, Italian or American. Oh, and created by and received its regal name from an Italian (seriously, did I mention Italian?

Google it).

I am by no means degrading or putting down other ethnic cookery. Nor am I claiming that Italian food is the most popular Izzi is a junior biochemistry, cell and molecular biology major and can be by choice, as Chinese food must be a heavily favored contender contacted at matteo.izzi@drake.edu. in that category. I also very much enjoy a well-deserved meal at

THE TIMES-DELPHIC THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER FOR DRAKE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884 MATT VASILOGAMBROS, Editor-in-Chief times.delphic@drake.edu LIZZIE PINE, Managing Editor tdeditorials@drake.edu JILL VAN WYKE, Faculty Advisor jill.vanwyke@drake.edu ERIN HOGAN, News Editor tdnews@drake.edu MATT NELSON, Features Editor tdfeatures@drake.edu

SARAH ANDREWS, Photo Editor tdphotos@drake.edu MARY BESS BOLLING, Copy Editor mary.bolling@drake.edu KENSIE SMITH, Copy Editor mackensie.smith@drake.edu KYLE GLASER, Web Editor tdweb@drake.edu

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PHIL KREZNOR, Business Manager tdbusiness@drake.edu

CALEB BAILEY, Ads Manager tdads@drake.edu

the

BUZZ

Holy crap, is the Senate actually interesting?

“

What do you think … … you are going to be for Halloween?

“

”

NICK ALVERSON (B2)

TABULA RASA

I

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

OUTSPOKEN

PAGE 3

I’m going to go out and buy a bunch of leopard-print fabric and cut it up and sew it up real nice so I look like Tarzan.

“

”

JESSICA MATTES (B,J1)

Me and my friend are going as a pilot and flight attendant.

”

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STEVEN SCHAAF (AS1) I’m wearing a penguin suit.

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”

LUCCA WANG (AS,J3)

I’m being a loon for Halloween. A loon is a silly or crazy person and I’m just going to wear outrageous things.

“

”

SEAN THOMPSON (B2)

I’m going to be a construction worker for the Village People.

WRITER OF THE MONTH

”

The Times-Delphic would like to acknowledge Erin Hogan (AS,J2) for her excellence in news reporting.

Letters & Submissions Policy The Times-Delphic strives to represent student views as accurately and honestly as possible. We rely on readers to provide us with criticism, comments and new ideas so that we can continue to serve the interests of the students in the fairest possible way. We encourage interest readers to submit letters to the editor. Letters must include the author’s name and phone number. Unsigned letters will not be published. Deadlines for guest submissions are noon Tuesday for the Thursday edition and noon Friday for the Monday edition.

The Times-Delphic reserves the right to edit letters and submissions for space and in the interest of taste. Letters and submissions reflect only the opinions of the authors and should be limited to 250 words.

Legal 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.

@

BULLDOG BYTES WWW.TIMESDELPHIC.COM

Access additional information and multimedia – including slideshows, videos and interactive features – from The Times-Delphic online.

FEATURES

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

FEATURES

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2009

DON’T. MISS. THIS.

PAGE 4

Reggae artist Matisyahu performs 7 p.m. tonight at People’s Court.

Quick

&Easy

HALLOWEEN

COSTUMES

by SARAH ANDREWS, photo editor

God’s Gift to Women

Want Christmas to come early? The ladies will certainly think it has. Wrap yourself up this weekend, and you’ll be sure to have a good time.

Halloween shops sell party props Last-minute costumes are easily found

by LINDSAY SCARPELLO

Staff Writer lindsay.scarpello@drake.edu

or even for free. For example, try finding a big enough cardboard box and painting it a bright Drake is gearing up for the looming Hallow- hue to fashion yourself as a Lego. Who’s to say een. Campus is filled with students planning on you wouldn’t get a laugh out of that one?

Another popular and relatively affordable wearing costumes from the overdone to the underdone. But if students haven’t gotten costumes way to dress up is by dressing up in a group. For by now, it isn’t too late to find one. Two shops in example, dressing up as the cast of “Futurama” Des Moines are ready to serve last-minute party with your friends will give you the chance to share ideas, borrow items and get great feedback needs. on one another’s costumes. Shopping at Target, Walmart or Goodwill can be inexpensive places Theatrical Shop Located in historic Valley Junction, the The- to visit for costumes depending on your needs.

However, sometimes the best ideas are gained atrical Shop offers basics for costumes as well as extreme additions. The shop boasts hundreds from asking students around Drake.

“I like to dress accurately as opposed to of costumes for purchase or for rent, and has extended hours until the end of the Halloween overly promiscuous,” Mary Jane Morgan (AS2), holiday. Find anything from bagged costumes, said. “I’m going to be Ginny Weasley because I’m a huge Harry Potter makeup, wigs and fan and I currently plenty of acceshave red hair.” sories for addOther students ons. In addition are downplaying to the norm, the their roles in Hallowshop also sells – een. Elizabeth Demfabric and other mon (B2), isn’t going materials for the as anything. creative types “I hate Hallowlooking to make – MARY JANE MORGAN, (AS2) een,” Demmon said. their own cos“I’m a big scaredycat, tume. Rentals are and Halloween is all top quality. If you want to be Han Solo’s clone this year, visit the about being scared.”

The more creative the costumes get, the Theatrical Shop. You’ll look like you’ve stepped higher probability it has of being a success, and out of the Millennium Falcon. costumes can be cheap. The fairies and sexy animals and Ghostbusters strolling through camNobbies Located on University in Clive, this store pus are overdone. In this day and age, creativity has everything from wigs to wicked witch warts. has a big effect on people, so even if you want to Their stock of instant disguise kits can quickly be something that’s seen every Halloween, add create a professional-looking costume if you’re your own spin on it and you’ll have everyone really scrapped for time. Their Web site offers asking how you got such a sweet costume.

In the end, the best thing you can do for Halexpress and next day air shipping for online orders. If you’re looking for a period costume, loween if you’re dressing up is to dress as somecheck out the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s costume ideas thing you think is great – it’s a holiday that’s supposed to be all about having fun so you just they have on their Halloween page. have to go for it.

“I like Halloween because it’s always fun to These stores are great for those with a little more dough to spend as well as the more frugal dress up, the candy and it’s just a good reason students. If anything, a trip to Nobbies or the to have fun,” Morgan said. “It has a fascination Theatrical Shop is bound to inspire awesome about it. It’s magical and really silly at the same time – you can forget yourself for a night.” ideas, whether you buy or rent or not.

For people low on cash, there are a ton of options to making a great costume on a budget,

“(Halloween) is magical and really silly at the same time you can forget yourself for a night.”

The Drake Bomber

Give security a scare with this ensemble including a backpack, a toy gun, a dinosaur, and HoHos. Add some Unabomber flair, and you’ve got a costume.

Harry Potter (Snuggie style)

Tired of only wearing your Snuggie on the couch? Break it out for a spell this weekend, and stay warm while you celebrate Halloween. Add a wand, glasses, and a scar, and you’re set.

OTHER LAST MINUTE COSTUME IDEAS: Wear all-black and wear a postage stamp to be black mail.

Wear a necklace made of old CDs and carry around a lighter to be a CD burner.

Try putting a pot on your head and wear a goofy grin.

More films to die for Some horror movie remakes are excellent updates of the original classic. Some of them are scarier than the first movie only in terms of filmmaking. Here’s another guide to some of the best and worst of Halloween horror gems.

by SARAH CHESTNUT

Staff Writer sarah.chestnut@drake.edu

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Original: Tobe Hooper 1974 Remake: Marcus Nispel 2003 Also based on a true story, “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” introduces America to the Hewitt family farmhouse killings and Leatherface, the chainsaw-wielding maniac who hunts tourists to feed his family while wearing his victims’ flesh as a mask. When a group of hippies travels through Texas in 1974, their road trip soon turns into a desperate race for survival. Who will survive and what will be left of them?

Winner: Tie The movies are too good and too different from each other to choose a clear winner. The original barely shows any blood, but leaves plenty of gore for the imagination. In this movie, the suggestion of the violence creates even more fear than actually displaying it.

The original also features some hilarious arguments between the deranged family members, adding a sick humor to the film that the remake lacks.

Because Leatherface terrorized numerous victims over several years, the 2003 version feels more like a sequel than a remake. In this version, the gore leaves little to the imagination, yet maintains the intensity and horror of the original. The characters are less obnoxious and the ending is far more satisfying.

Also check out “Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning.” You really can’t go wrong with this franchise.

House of Wax Original: André De Toth 1953 Remake: Jaume Collet-Serra 2005 The original Jaume Collet-Serra “House of Wax” features a disturbed wax sculptor who opens his own wax museum using corpses as the models before eventually setting his sights on living figures. In the remake, twin brothers turn a ghost town into an entire wax attraction, catching unsuspecting tourists to use for future figurines.

Winner: Remake The remake’s plot bears little resemblance to the original, but excels by taking the initial idea and running over-the-top with it. While the 1953 version boasts a better cast (horror idol Vincent Price vs. Chad Michael Murry and Paris Hilton), the 2005 remake turns up the gore. From plenty of slicing and dicing to characters being “waxed” alive, the new version delivers the butchery scares. An explosive ending blows the original out of the water. Don’t let the heiress’s lack of acting abilities scare you away from this cliché-busting horror flick.

Halloween Original: John Carpenter 1978 Remake: Rob Zombie 2007 Both “Halloween” movies focus on one of the most feared horror villains of all time, Michael Myers. It’s the story of a little boy who brutally stabs his older sister (and other family members in the remake) to death on Halloween night. His parents admit him to a mental institution, where he escapes on Halloween 15 years later and begins a killing spree in his hometown. The cast of characters and basic plot are the same in both movies, but Rob Zombie takes several creative liberties with his “re-imagining” of the classic.

Winner: Original This is probably one of the most debated remakes in horror film history. While Zombie has produced several classic movies in his own right, many fans consider the original “Halloween” to be flawless. The main difference between the two movies is the source of the terror. In the original, Michael Myers is scary because he kills simply to kill. He is a bad seed and nothing can be done to restore his deranged mind. The remake gives Myers a history. Audiences learn that Myers kills because he was picked on as a little kid and came from a dysfunctional family. Given this scenario, Myers could be one of the thousands of abused children growing up in a less-than-ideal home. But people fear what they don’t understand. Even the psychiatrists can’t understand Myers in Carpenter’s version.

This creates a much scarier, and far better, “Halloween” film.

PAGE 5

FEATURES

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2009

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

STUDENT ORGANIZATION HIGHLIGHT | SAAC

SAAC gets student athletes involved Students sponsoring dodgeball tournament in November

by ERIKA SEVIGNY

Staff Writer erika.sevigny@drake.edu

AP PHOTO

Matisyahu sings tonight Reggae artist uses Hebrew as inspiration

by ELLEN ROOS

Staff Writer ellen.roos@drake.edu

People’s Court will ring tonight with the sounds of Matisyahu, a Hasidic Jewish musician who uses a Hebrew language as inspiration for his music. The event begins at 7 p.m.

The eclectic reggae musician continued his musical evolution into his third album “Light,” as he exercised more creative freedom.

“The new record, Light, was made with various producers and writers over a long period of time,” Matisyahu said in an interview with the Times-Delphic. “I used different styles of music with more of a rock feel.”

“While we were producing, my guitarist and I would jam as I beatboxed, and then we layered the sounds over each other.”

Inspired mostly by Na Nach Nachma (NahNakh-Nakmah), a Hebrew language mantra based off the name of Rebbe Nachman, has given him a new edge.

“I found his stories about the seven beggars my main inspiration for this new album,” Matisyahu said.

Outside of Nachman’s teachings, Matis finds inspiration in “ideas found within Judaism in the 1800’s and ideas of existentialism.”

Raised in a Jewish household in White Plains, N.Y., Matis was reared as a Jewish Reconstructionist and attended Hebrew school in his hometown as a teenager. When he started heavily researching his faith, Matis decided to switch from viewing his faith as a evolving citizenship and opted for the movement led

by Baal Shem Tov. There he found a more personal experience with God. In an Oct. 17 interview with Canada’s Calgary Herald, Matis explained what sparked his religious research.

“I was hearing a lot of quotations in Marley’s music that came from the Bible, the Old Testament, the Torah,” he said. “The only time I’d heard these things before was in Hebrew school. In a way, that was sort of pushed upon me; that didn’t relate to my life.

But to hear Bob Marley singing these things, it made me think, ‘Where’s this wisdom coming from? Let me investigate it within my own heritage.’”

Putting his research to use on his first album, Live at Stubb’s, in 2005 paid off when his live version of the song, “King Without a Crown,” became a Top 40 hit, and the album received positive reviews. Matisyahu went on to release his sophomore album, “Youth,” which presented more of a rock feel than his live album. His most recent work “Light,” sounds like the melodic love child of Marley and the heavens above, wrapped up in a blanket of back beat drums with a down lining of techno beats.

After playing a show in Des Moines this July, for the second annual 80/35 Music Festival, Matisyahu will return to Dogtown tonight at People’s Court.

Every other week, 33 Drake student athletes donate an hour of their limited free time to meet and collaborate with one another to promote community service, campus togetherness and student-athlete camaraderie as part of a littleknown student organization called the Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC).

SAAC recently sponsored a box-building challenge at Reggie’s Sleepout this past weekend, challenging other student organizations to see who could make the most creative box.

SAAC is comprised of representatives from each of Drake’s 16 athletic teams. They meet every other Wednesday in the Knapp Center.

This year, SAAC is focusing its efforts to reach out to the Drake campus and work with other student organizations to bridge the gap between student-athletes and other students.

“We are reaching out because we think the Drake community needs to be a family again,” SAAC Co-president Zac Bales-Henry (AS4) said. “At larger universities, athletics is often the life blood of the institution. This is why SAAC has been creating events that are more campusoriented.”

Upcoming SAAC outreach events will include a dodgeball tournament, a Drake T-shirt and sweatshirt swap and a student-athlete talent show. The activities will be open to the entire campus.

Signup for the Nov. 8 dodgeball tournament begin next week and forms are available in SLC to interested teams. The reigning champions of this annual event are a number of athletes from Drake’s nationally-ranked men’s soccer team.

Also, beginning next month, SAAC representatives will canvass campus, handing out coupons for 20 percent off a bookstore

purchase. The intent of the event is to promote blue and white Drake apparel and support Drake athletics over other institutions.

The student-athlete talent show is an annual spring event and features acts from each of the athletics teams. Admission will be one donated canned food item to youth shelters in the Des Moines area.

“The talent show sheds a light on a side of the student-athletes that you don’t often get to see as they perform dance moves, songs and skits,” Deidra Dirth (AS4), SAAC community service chair, said. “Last year’s was very energetic and entertaining. People were laughing the whole time.”

In addition to campuswide events, one of SAAC’s primary goals is to grow and nurture the Drake athletics program, building stronger bonds between the various sports teams. Drake athletes can look forward to the first annual Athletes’ Ball that will take place following the men’s basketball game Dec. 12, along with Sports Business Association (SBA). Proceeds from the ball benefit Toys for Tots.

Providing community service opportunities to athletes and giving back to the Des Moines community are also priorities for SAAC. Each semester, SAAC sponsors a community service competition between sports teams, challenging them to have the highest number of community service hours per team member. Drake athletes logged over 600 hours of service last semester, with the women’s soccer team leading the way to accomplish 192 hours of service, nine hours per athlete.

“With the busy schedule of a studentathlete, between class, practice and travel, we make volunteering one of our top priorities in our small amount of free time because we want to be able to give back to the community and campus that supports what we do,” Dirth said.

IF YOU’RE GOING Where: People’s Court When: 7 p.m.

photos courtesy of SAAC

MELINDA WEST (B2) carries a box as part of the box-building challenge. West is a member of SAAC, which recently sponsored the challenge during Reggie’s Sleepout last weekend in Drake Stadium.

CC

CAMPUSCALENDAR

TODAY

FRIDAY

POLITICS – Iowa Politics Forum WHAT: Budget and tax issues will be discussed by experts Chris Fox, David Vaught and Ed Wallace.

LECTURE – Gay identity in Madrid WHAT: Brian Adams-Thies addresses the rise of public gay identity in Madrid.

WHERE: Levitt Hall

WHERE: Medbury Honors Lounge

WHEN: 9:45 a.m.

WHEN: 3:30 p.m.

SATURDAY HOLIDAY – Halloween WHAT: Visit the Sleepy Hollow Scream Park. Tour the Castle of Blood or try out the Fog Maze.

WHERE: 4051 Dean Ave., Des Moines WHEN: 7p.m.

SUNDAY HOLIDAY – Day of the Dead WHAT: Celebrate at the Des Moines Art Center with live music and traditional refreshments.

WHERE: Des Moines Art Center, 4700 Grand Ave. WHEN: 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.

SPORTS

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

SPORTS

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2009

FOR BREAKING SPORTS NEWS WWW.TWITTER.COM/TDSPORTSNEWS

64.3

PAGE 6

STELLAR STATS Pass completion percentage for Quarterback Mike Piatowski.

CROSS COUNTRY

Bulldogs season boils down to MVC race

by DOMINIC JOHNSON

Staff Writer dominic.johnson@drake.edu

MEN’S

photo by TYLER O’NEIL | Relays Editor

ELLE YESNES (AS1) races in the Bulldog Classic at Ewing Park in Des Moines on Sept. 4. The cross country team has been working all season for this weekend’s MVC Championships in Peoria, Ill..

The Drake men’s cross country team posted a powerful finish Oct. 16 at the Bradley Invite – the team’s final tune-up race before the Missouri Valley Conference Championship Saturday.

Led, once again, by Jeff Grassmeyer (E4), the Bulldogs placed fifth out of 16 teams, beating out MVC rivals Bradley, Illinois State, Southern Illinois and Creighton.

Grassmeyer placed sixth out of 158 runners with a time of 25:29.

“The Bradley race was very good for the team,” Colin Hagan (B2) said. “A couple of the guys stepped up, had a good race and really helped the team out.”

The MVC Pre-Meet Coaches’ Poll has Drake set to place fourth behind Southern Illinois, Indiana State and Illinois State. Coach Dan Hostager believes this year’s conference championship will be extremely competitive.

“A few points could separate first from second, and a few more could separate second place from eighth place,” Hostager said. “There are a lot of schools in the Valley that have been racing extremely well and that is reflected in the U.S. Coach’s Midwest Regional Polls with five MVC Schools being ranked ahead of many Big 10 and Big 12 schools.”

Hostager said he believes the team’s preparation up to this point is one of its strongest assets.

“We’ve planned for this by going to some very competitive meets throughout the fall season and racing some of the very best teams in the nation,” Hostager said.

Both Hagan and Grassmeyer also said that Hostager has designed his squad’s practice schedule to have his runners feel as fresh as possible at this part of the season, and both said they feel the team is ready for Saturday’s race.

Drake looks to use its collective fitness to beat out less balanced teams.

“What coach has been telling us at practice is the same thing he has been saying all year,” Hagan said. “He reminds us that we have great fitness and that the key to our success will be

coming into the race fresh and prepared to compete.”

Drake will use the confidence gained from previous meets to ensure an advantage.

“It’s very important that we don’t get too nervous and try to run someone else’s race or go out way too fast,” Hostager said.

Both Hostager and team members said the squad should rely on the knowledge gained this season thus far.

“We need to enter the meet with confidence, but, at the same time, realize that it’s just another meet, exactly the same distance we’ve been doing all season,” Grassmeyer said. “We can’t overthink anything”

WOMEN’S

The women’s squad had similar results to the men at the Bradley Invite, with Casey McDermott (AS3) leading the pack with a fifth-place finish and time of 21:50. The Bulldogs placed ninth overall, ahead of MVC teams Southern Illinois and Creighton.

The women’s pre-meet poll has Drake finishing eighth out of 10 schools, with Wichita State as the favorite. Hostager said he believes his team will perform much better than expected if the runners can remain healthy for race day, as a few of the athletes on the team have recently battled the flu.

Like the men’s team, the women will rely on its fitness, mental toughness and experience.

“Our fitness is there, so I think that all we need to do to be prepared is stay healthy and have a good mindset,” runner Cammy Dole (B1) said. “Coach has been telling us that we are all in excellent shape and that we need to simply be careful of overdoing it this week at workouts.”

McDermott also said she was confident in her team’s fitness, agreeing with Dole that Drake’s main focus this week will be staying fresh while maintaining intensity in practice.

“Fatigue will play a role in the MVC for teams who have been overdoing volume and intensity,” McDermott said. “Fatigue should not be a factor for our team.”

The MVC Championship will be held at the Newman Golf Course Saturday, Oct. 31 in Peoria, Ill., starting at 11 a.m.

VOLLEYBALL

Drake spikes its way to seven consecutive wins

by RYAN PRICE

Staff Writer ryan.price@drake.edu

Drake volleyball will take on some tough teams in the next few weeks.

Opponents will have something to be nervous about, as they face Drake and its seven consecutive wins record.

The wins started at the Knapp Center on Oct. 7, as Drake beat South Dakota State 3-0.

Drake then beat its Missouri Valley Conference rival Creighton 3-1 to achieve a 13-win season – something the Bulldogs haven’t seen since 1998.

Moving on to Southern Illinois, Drake faced a tough team and a record-setting crowd.

“The noise in the gym brought an extra bit of electricity to the match,” Head Coach Phil McDaniel said.

Fighting hard, Angela Bys (E3) led the team with 14 kills and Alana Wittenburg (AS3) contributed an impressive 19 digs.

Despite a tough loss by the score of 14-25 in the second set, the team went on to win the match 3-1.

“It was kind of fun when we won to hear the silence in the gym,” Chelsea Lauersdorf (J4) said of the previ-

ously loud crowd.

Drake continued on the road at Evansville Oct. 17.

After Drake won a tough second set 30-28, Evansville slipped in the third set, committing 14 errors. Drake won it decisively 25-16 to beat the Bulldogs’ conference opponents 3-0.

“Our defense at Evansville was the sharpest I have seen in my time here,” McDaniel said. “Seventeen blocks in three sets is outstanding. We played well above that net that night.”

The team ended its road trip at Western Illinois on Oct. 20. Lauersdorf helped out with 26 assists to help the team gain another 3-0 victory.

Finally, back home at the Knapp Center on Oct. 23, the volleyball team played a critical match. If they beat Indiana State, it would ensure the first winning season for the Bulldogs since 1996.

Winning decisively in the first two sets, Drake lost the third set closely at 23-25. In the fourth set, Drake found itself tied 20-20 until a key kill by Bys pushed the team forward to a 25-21 win.

Winning the match 3-1, the team secured a winning record – something the Drake volleyball team hasn’t seen in 13 years.

The team was not ready to stop

there, though. Facing Illinois State on Oct. 24, the Bulldogs knew what they were facing.

“They are a solid defensive team,” McDaniel said.

Wittenburg was ready, though, and made an impressive 24 digs. That night, she passed the 1,456 dig mark, breaking the previous Drake record as a junior.

“It reflects her hard work and dedication to the program,” McDaniel said Wittenburg’s digs helped push the team to a 3-2 victory over Illinois State. Bys said that dominating the fifth game against Illinois State was one of the highlights of the sevengame streak she remembered best.

Drake’s assets showed through in its play during the season to date.

“Our defensive focus has really been highlighted in our recent wins,” McDaniel said. “Both blocking and defensive intensity in the back row have given the team the advantage in those matches.”

Teammates notice their strong defense and cite other strengths too.

“We have perseverance when things aren’t going our way,” Lauersdorf said. “This year’s team knows how to come together and pull through.”

photo by SARAH ANDREWS | Photo Editor

OUTSIDE HITTER EMILY MADDEN (AS,J4) spikes the ball as two Missouri State defenders jump for the block.

Wins aren’t the only thing moving up this season.

“Our blocking, hitting percentage and our number of kills per game has continued to increase,” Bys said.

These factors seem to be moving Drake on its way to the team’s goal

for the end of the season. McDaniel said that the team is not focused on its winning streak and does not feel nervous for what’s to come.

“We are looking forward to earning the right to play in the conference tournament,” Bys said.

INTRAMURAL

CHAMPIONS

photo courtesy of DRAKE INTRAMURALS

THE ALPHA PHI FRATERNITY won “A” Flag Football in both the All-University and Jensen Cup divisions.

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2009

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Bulldogs anchored by senior standout

photo by SARAH ANDREWS | Photo Editor

POINT GUARD JOSH YOUNG (B4) has been named to the Missouri Valley Conference preseason All-Conference team for the second-straight season. Young, who played much of last season with nagging injuries, said he is finally feeling healthy and is ready to rebound from a disappointing season.

by MATT MORAN

Staff Writer matthew.moran@drake.edu

A highly touted recruiting class will combine with four returning seniors to lead Drake in the upcoming basketball season.

Josh Young (B4) leads one of the most experienced backcourts in the Missouri Valley Conference, along with point guard Craig Stanley (B4) and guard Ryan Wedel (B4), who is eligible to play this season after transferring from Arkansas State. Adam Templeton (B4) is the lone returning starter in the frontcourt, but Head Coach Mark Phelps said he believes that his freshmen recruits will help fill the void left by Jonathon Cox (G ’08), who led Drake in rebounding the last two seasons.

“We’re excited about our freshmen, and they’re going to get thrown into the fire right away,” Phelps said. “Four of them are 6 feet 8 inches or better, and five are expected to contribute.”

Perhaps the biggest storyline of the season is Young, who will enter his final year seventh on the Drake career scoring list with 1,328 points and needing 330 to become the all-time leader.

After a disappointing, injury-riddled junior

year, Phelps said that Young is finally healthy and during his senior year in high school and is a ready to take on the role as the team’s leader. rare scoring talent.

“He played the entire year (last season) hurt,” “Ben has a knack for scoring,” Phelps said.

Phelps said. “Physically, he wasn’t what he was “He’s savvy and has terrific basketball incompared to his freshman and sophomore years. stincts.”

He’s back to that form. When he’s right physiSimons, a 6-foot-8-inch, 185-pound forward cally, he is from Cadilone of the best lac, Mich., shooters in the spent a lot of country and time developone of the biging his game time scorers in and is excited this league.” to compete Yo u n g at the next echoed his level.

– MARK PHELPS, men’s basketball head coach coach’s words “Scorabout being ing is one of healthy, and my biggest said he was eager to show the rest of the league strengths, but in the last few years I have develhis strengths. oped the rest of my game,” Simons said. “I’ve “It’s a great feeling. It was a struggle at times, worked on my ball-handling a lot. My sophobut I will be 100 percent this year,” he said. “I more year, all I was really able to do was shoot, always was pushing myself and I have my explo- and that has stayed with me as the rest of my siveness back.” game developed.”

Ben Simons (AS1) and David Smith (AS1) Smith is an athletic, 6 feet 3 inches, 199highlight one of the most talented freshman pound guard from Chicago who brings plenty classes in Drake basketball history. Simons was to the table. Phelps said he hopes to utilize his named Mr. Basketball for the state of Michigan athleticism on the defensive end, and plans to

“When he’s right physically, he is one of the best shooters in the country.”

allow Smith a lot of freedom on offense.

“We’re excited about David,” Phelps said.

“He is physically our biggest and strongest guard. He handles the ball well and can cause havoc on the defensive end. He has the ability to break down defense and get into the paint here he can make plays for himself and his teammates.”

Smith said he agreed with his coach’s assessment on his talent.

“I can make plays off the dribble, get to the rim and make plays for my teammates,” he said.

“I’ll play more off the ball (as a guard), but I can also play some point to give the other guards a break.”

Both players said that basketball at this level is much different than it was in high school.

“The speed and strength is different, and you have to be able to think much faster,” Smith said.

With such a young core and a few senior leaders, much of the country believes that Drake will not be heard from much in the MVC. That is not the impression the Bulldogs hold at this point.

“We’re going to come out and compete every night,” Simons said. “I think we’re going to surprise some people in the Valley.”

FOOTBALL

Drake to defend winning streak against Dolphins Bulldogs aim to avenge last season’s blowout loss against PFL rival Jacksonville

by MATT MORAN

Copy Editor matthew.moran@drake.edu

The first-place Drake football team comes home for the first time in three weeks to face off with Jacksonville at 1 p.m. Saturday at Drake Stadium. The Bulldogs are coming off two road victories at San Diego and Davidson, which propelled them to a 6-1 record and an undefeated record in the Pioneer Football League.

Drake will look to stretch its winning streak to five, but it will not be easy against the defending league champions. Jacksonville holds a record of 4-3, but at 3-1 in the PFL, a win over Drake would put them in great position to repeat. Jacksonville comes in with a two-game winning streak.

The four-game winning streak the Bulldogs have is the longest in two years under Head Coach Chris Creighton. It is also the second time in the past four seasons that Drake has started 6-1. The last was in 2006, when Drake finished 9-2 and second in the PFL. Two weeks ago, the Bulldogs traveled to preseason conference favorite San Diego and won 21-14. Jacksonville did the same last week coming away with a 34-16 victory. The Dolphins were picked to finish second in the PFL by coaches in the same preseason poll. Drake was projected to finish sixth.

The Drake offensive line will be a huge key in Saturday’s game, as Jacksonville leads the country with an average of 4.29 sacks per game. Defensive end Shaun Lewis has six sacks on

the season to lead the team, including three in a 39-0 victory against Morehead State.

The Bulldog defense will also be tested, as the Dolphins are coming off a 402-yard performance at San Diego, including 240 rushing. Rudell Small leads the running game, averaging 96.6 yards per game. He is the Jacksonville career rushing leader with 3,055 yards, and leads the PFL this season with 676. He has rushed for at least 100 yards in three of the last four games, including 151 last week.

Dolphins Quarterback Josh McGregor is also a threat to the Drake defense. He holds the school record in touchdown passes with 44, and has already thrown for 20 touchdowns this season. He leads the PFL with an outstanding 155.9 passer rating. McGregor had three touchdowns on the ground and one through the air last weekend.

McGregor has taken advantage of the opportunity to learn from the best.

Jacksonville Head Coach Kerwin Bell played quarterback for the University of Florida from 1983-1987. He was named the Southeastern Conference player of the year in 1984 and, at the time, set school records for passing yardage and touchdowns.

Drake will counter with a defense that is led by linebacker Cale Hunt (B4), who leads the team with 54 tackles, and defensive end Dain Taylor (B4), who has 12.5 tackles for loss, including seven sacks. The defense has been the cornerstone to Drake’s success this season, and another huge performance will be needed for the Bulldogs to move to 7-1.

Quarterback Mike Piatkowski (B2)

photo by SARAH ANDREWS | Photo Editor

QUARTERBACK MIKE PIATOWSKI (B2) scans the field for an open receiver as he eludes several Valporaiso defenders during the Bulldogs’ 34-14 win over the Crusaders Oct. 3. has been efficient for Drake, completing 64.3 percent of his passes for 1,472 yards this season. He is one of the reasons the Bulldogs have been so good in the red zone, scoring on 25 out of 30 opportunities.

Kicker Brandon Wubs (B4) is 11

of 13 in field goal attempts this year and has already been named PFL special teams player of the week three times.

Last year, Drake dropped a 41-7 decision at Jacksonville. The Bulldogs trailed only 13-7 entering the fourth

quarter before the Dolphins ripped off four touchdowns to run away with the game. Drake leads the all-time series 7-1, winning the last three games played in Des Moines by an average of 36 points.

THE TIMES-DELPHIC

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2009

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