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From classroom to courtroom Law Center alumnus Tony Buzbee now defends the University in one of its most contentious cases — the battle for the disputed title of Houston's college of law. | PG. 8

Issue 10, Volume 82

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Emily Burleson, EDITOR

COURT

UH law alumnus defends alma mater

Tony Buzbee makes the case for differences between the University and the former South Texas College of Law

MARIALUISA RINCON

ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR @LUCYRINCONB

Overlooking Houston from the 73rd floor of the J. P. Morgan Chase Tower sits the elegant, expansive office of a lawyer who went from UH Law School to counsel for one of the University's most contentious cases this year.

Law Center alumnus Tony Buzbee has argued on behalf of the University in the lawsuit against the former South Texas College of Law. If the present state of the case is any indication, he’s likely to win it.

“They can call themselves whatever they want,” Buzbee said at an Aug. 26 hearing where the UH legal team requested an injuction to stop Houston College of Law from using the name.

“But what they can’t do is change their name and their colors exactly like ours, and then call themselves a name that’s very similar to us,” Buzbee said.

His more well-known cases have received widespread media coverage. There is the defending a Church’s Chicken employee who suffered burns on 65 percent of her body after a ceiling collapse and the winning of a $100 million settlement for 10 workers who claimed they were injured after an accident at BP's Texas City plant in 2007.

Buzbee was Rick Perry’s lawyer during his indictment for abuse of power. He had the case dismissed.

And now, he's representing the University — pro bono.

“When he takes on a case, he lives it, looks at every part of it, pursues every avenue,” said Peter Taaffe, a lawyer at the Buzbee Law Firm and a UH System Board of Regents member. “He becomes totally absorbed. He does it much more so than any other lawyer that I’ve encountered.”

The right person to call Last Friday, federal judge Keith Ellison granted a temporary injunction in UH's favor that forced the the Houston College of Law to immediately stop using its new name.

"The next step is for South Texas College of Law to remove their billboards, change their website, remove merchandise from stores and change their name in the American Bar Association database,” Buzbee said in an official statement.

The original claim is based on whether Houston College of Law willfully infringed on UH Law Center’s academic reputation and ranking. It assumed a similar-sounding name to purposefully mislead the target market — potential students, parents, employers — into the perception of a false affiliation, the UH counsel said.

David Beck, a lawyer for Houston College of Law, said at the hearing that the college had to change its name to reflect its geographic location because of the outdated definition of “South Texas.” He also criticized UH’s claim as factually mistaken.

“They are essentially trying to shut us down from using the name 'Houston College of Law,'” Beck said.

Beck argued that neither the word “Houston” nor the phrase “college of law” were trademarked

by UH and therefore could not be infringed upon. There is no reason for the schools to be confused despite their similar names and color schemes, Beck said.

“How about the change of colors?” Ellison said. “That seems very coincidental.”

Houston College of Law said they adopted a crimson-and-gold color scheme around the same time of the name change, but Ellison said that the gold seemed to disappear on public reproductions of the logo.

Beck credited faulty printing practices but did not clarify why gold was not used on the website.

In its counterclaim filed in August, Houston College of Law said that UH used "pejorative language in its complaint that does nothing to support its claims, such as its unfounded assertion that the name change is intended by the College to 'shed its image as a night school.’”

Gold-star alumnus Buzbee maintains close ties with the Law Center and the University. Taaffe, the UH regent who is a lawyer at The Buzbee Law Firm, is Buzbee’s friend from law school.

“When I got the call, of course I was flattered by that,” Buzzbee said. “It’s cool to be in a position to represent your alma mater.”

In his professional life, he employs a "take-no-prisoners" philosophy all the while maintaining the adequate amount of “yes sir, no ma’am” respect to the

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Tony Buzbee is representing the UH Law Center in a branding lawsuit against the former South Texas College of Law. | Courtesy of Tony Buzbee

judge, jury and opposing lawyer.

That is, he said, until the opposing lawyer lies to him.

“He can be very funny — until you’re opposing him in a lawsuit,” said Chris Leavitt, a lawyer at the Buzbee Law Firm.

Buzbee said it's important to be aware of a lawyer's position in the court regardless of reputation.

“When you walk into the court, you have to remember who the decision-makers are," Buzbee said. In the court, it’s the judge’s show.”

Buzbee has been lauded in his career as a Texas Lawyer magazine's 2015 Lawyer of the Year, “Super Lawyer” by Thomson Reuters and has been featured on the cover of the New York Times Magazine. He said, however, it was simply for being good at his job.

“One of the things I’m good at

is explaining things in a way that I need to,” Buzbee said. “The good lawyers can handle any kind of case. It’s a matter of doing your homework.”

'Something different' Buzbee is not one to sit still. As a Recon Marine, he jumped out of helicopters and high-speed boats.

He reached the rank of captain and was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal before seeking a more “intellectually stimulating” path.

“I figured out I’d done all the cool stuff I could do,” Buzbee said.

“I decided to start looking around for something different.”

He graduated second in his class from the Law Center in 1997. A gifted rhetorician, Buz-

THE 'SUPER LAWYER'

Continues on page 5

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Emily Burleson, EDITOR

INTERNATIONAL

Royal farewell: Thai community at UH mourns king NGUYEN LE

COPY CHIEF

@ NLE318

Thais in Houston, much like those back in Thailand, lost a parent last Thursday.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej died at 3:52 p.m local time last Thursday at Siriraj Hospital in Bangkok, which is also where he had been going through different treatments for various illnesses since Oct. 3, 2014. He was 88.

“I cried so much I couldn’t breathe, until there was no noise,” said Chatwara Duran, an assistant professor of applied linguistics at UH. “Some people might say he’s like a father, but he’s also my hope.

He is Thailand’s hope.”

‘He’s my family’ Rama IX, the U.S.-born king, was a revered figure in his 70-year reign, the world’s longest. Before every movie, attendees must stand for the royal anthem. Billboards of him decorate streets and round-

abouts. In almost every business, school, car and residence hangs a portrait of him.

Duran brought his portrait with her when attending King Bhumibol’s funeral hosted by Wat Buddhavas, a Buddhist temple on Spindle Drive, on Sunday.

“What portrait do you keep in your house? Someone you love, someone in your family, right?”

Duran said through tears. “For me, he’s my family.”

At a young age, Duran knew about the king through televised clips of him doing good deeds and visiting remote areas. She noticed that the king, despite the god-like perception many would adopt, had a “kind, soft and gentle” manner of speech — in Thai, English or French.

Duran also said that there are photos and video clips of him bowing and sitting on the ground to converse with monks or elderlies.

Logistics and supply chain

Thai Houstonians and UH students and faculty came together on Sunday to remember Thailand's king, Bhumibol Adulyadej, who passed away last week and who many mourners considered like family to them. | Nguyen Le/The Cougar

management graduate Suddan Narathipat, the president of the Thai Student Association at UH, is from Narathiwat, one of many rural towns that the king would visit annually to assess the people’s living conditions. Since 5 or 6 years

old, Narathipat made it a ritual to go out and line up the streets with other people to meet the king.

“Just a second, every single year,” Narathipat said. “I don’t know how to explain it, but it made me proud of being Thai.”

Narathipat, at first, didn’t want to believe that King Bhumibol has gone. He was about to go to work when he read the news on

THAI KING

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Emily Burleson, EDITOR

HOUSING

Quadrangle residents prepare for replacement coming in 2019 KATELYN KENNEY

CONTRIBUTING WRITER @SKINNYKENNEY15

The first residential community on campus, the Quadrangle — or Quads, as students call it — is facing its final days.

“Many projects are currently on the drawing board,” Khator said in her Fall Address on Oct. 5.

“Among them a new Quad, which will add an additional 200 beds and include housing alternatives for international students.”

Don Yackley, executive director of Student Housing and Residential Life, said that the University’s Facility Condition Assessment recommended replacement over

renovation for the built-in-1950 Quads because the infrastructure has deteriorated.

Yackley said Student Housing and Residential Life will oversee the relocation of all organizations housed in Oberholtzer Hall, including Cougars in Recovery as well as a UH Police Department office.

All for students Yackley said the projected $80 million housing community replacing the Quads will have at least 1,000 beds and that students are the center of this endeavor.

Ashley Olupona, a sophomore

Deteriorating conditions at the Quadrangle housing facilties, the oldest on campus, led the Board of Regents to approve its demolition and replacement in early 2018. The new housing should be available in Fall 2019. | Justin Cross/The Cougar

living in Law Hall at the Quads, said it’s a good thing the Quads is being replaced. With deconstruction set to begin in early 2018, however, she wonders whether it

will be a housing option for the 2018-2019 year.

“If that’s the issue, then that’s going to be a problem,” Olupona said. “If not, then it’ll be fine if they don’t have it open for other people.”

With Khator’s $100 million Core Renovation program that focuses on six academic buildings forming the “core of our campus” on the drawing board, the question of renovation or replacement remains for other buildings such as Moody Towers.

“After the Quadrangle replacement project is completed, Student Housing and Residential Life will assess the future of Moody Towers," Yackley said.

Yackley said that new facilities will become available in August 2019. UH Facilities and Construction Management said they are in the selection process for an architectural and engineering team.

Special connection Since its establishment, the Quads have housed current and former students like 1989 graduate Mike Pede, the associate vice president of Alumni Relations as well as the University of Houston Alumni Association's president and CEO. “Living on campus makes all the difference in the world,” Pede said. “You're thrown into a community of which you get friends from all over the world that you wouldn't have met before.”

Pede, who lived in Bates Hall during the 1987-1988 academic year, said a notable memory from his time at the Quads was playing sock football with Andre Ware.

“We basically had a future Heisman Trophy winner, two All-American wide receivers, All-American offensive linemen who could’ve broken a hand,

a wrist, a foot, a finger at any moment,” Pede said. “We were literally a broken-finger away from changing the course of history.”

As the oldest residential community, the Quads has provided a backdrop for generations of experiences from past and present students. Some of these stories can be found in a public group titled "Oh No, UH is Tearing Down the Quad!" on Facebook.

The Facebook group has 542 members. Each user shares stories about their time living in the Quads and how important it was to their development as students and alumni.

'Everybody's on board' In regard to the accommodations being made for international students in the Quads' replacement, Pede believes it makes sense for housing to reflect the international image of the University.

“When you’re as diverse as we are as a university and as a city, you have to match that diversity with what you have so people will feel comfortable when they come to campus,” Pede said. “If a piece of that puzzle is missing and you have an opportunity to find that piece to that puzzle and put it in there... then you do it.”

As UH continues to update facilities as it grows, Pede understands when it’s time to replace buildings that sometimes hold sentimental value for alumni.

“Nobody likes to see the historical pieces of the university just be moved on for some big new shiny thing — even though you might need the big new shiny thing,” Pede said. “It’s a balancing act of how do we properly do that, and I think everybody’s on board.” news@thedailycougar.com

Wednesday, October 19, 2016 | 5

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THAI KING

Continued from page 3 Facebook.

Thai’s English-language daily Bangkok Post reported that the country will enter a yearlong mourning period.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand noted, among other things, a toning-down of entertaining events and personal conduct.

Even the famous red-light district in Bangkok cloaked itself in darkness.

the news at 3 a.m. while assisting his expectant wife, Suphararittha Srivichai.

Like Narathipat, Narawit also had a close encounter with the king at a young age. He was standing in the front of the crowd with his parents and sister, holding a white flower in his hand. “(The king) actually greeted me and he said, ‘Son, how old are you? Where is your home?’”

Narawit said, his voice cracked slightly. “I said, ‘I’m six years old and my home is around the block.’

“I cried so much I couldn’t breathe, until there was no noise. Some people might say he’s like a father, but he’s also my hope. He is Thailand’s hope."

Chatwara Duran, assistant professor of applied linguistics

The people’s king Among the attendees to the king’s funeral at the temple was Nutt Narawit, a two-and-a-half year TSA member who is finishing his internship at Texas Chiropractic College. He was one of the earliest people to know about King Bhumibol’s passing, coming across

Then he said, ‘Take care of your sister.’”

Narawit and Narathipat are from the same town. They didn’t know that until they met in TSA. Cultural anthropology graduate Natchaya Wanissorn was at the funeral with her husband. She contacted her mom and friends,

THE 'SUPER LAWYER'

Even then, the young lawyer left a strong impact on Leavitt.

bee’s star power and acumen for driving the argument, often forcefully, might suggest the lawyer cliché.

“Most people, especially the judges, have preconceived notions about me,” Buzbee said. “Many of them are surprised that I don’t really fit in the persona.”

That’s not to say he doesn’t relish luxury. Buzbee, his wife Zoe and their four children live in a multi-million dollar English cottage-style mansion in River Oaks, where they hosted a fundraiser for Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in June.

According to the Texas Tribune, Buzbee has since renounced any affiliation with Trump.

Buzbee owns three planes and a yacht named “Mas Grande.” His luxury car collection was until he donated all of them, except one, The Houston Chronicle reported.

As a Law Center alumnus, Leavitt recalled seeing Buzbee speak on the first day of college orientation. In his early 30s, Buzbee had already made a name for himself as one of Law Center’s distinguished alumni.

“There is not a more hardworking or prepared lawyer,” Leavitt said. “I’ve spoken to a few lawyers who have left and gone to other law firms and they’ve said ‘Tony does it the right way, others are not nearly as sophisticated.’”

The first days of law school seem to leave quite the first impression. Just as Buzbee spoke to the Leavitt's entering class, Judge John O’Quinn, a fellow Law Center graduate and prominent Houston attorney, spoke at Buzbee’s first day.

The Houston College of Law case is settled, for now.

The two institutions will meet again Wednesday to discuss the next steps.

But Buzbee, a man not yet 50 who has the luxury of choosing his cases, events on his calendar and even the choice to represent his alma mater for free, remains confident that he was the right choice to obtain the ultimate outcome.

“I think I put together a pretty good team,” Buzbee said. “We certainly have the better argument.”

Continued from page 2

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Emily Burleson, EDITOR

who were also crying. She doesn’t have a picture of King Bhumibol, as she wasn’t sure then that she would settle down in the U.S. “I feel like he’s just in my blood,” Wanissorn said. “Now I really want a picture of him in my home.

It’s time.”

A portrait will be the first thing Wanissorn get when she returns to Thailand in December.

The successor Per tradition, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, 64, will step up as head-of-state. The process won’t be immediate, however, as officials said King Bhumibol’s only son had requested for more time to mourn.

For now, Prem Tinsulanoda, 96, Thailand’s former prime minister and head of the king’s advisory council, is king regent. Duran, Narathipat and Wanissorn offered short answers on the crown prince, but the trio agreed that the crown prince will be a fine successor.

Sirikit Kitiyakara, whom the king met in France when he was 21, is now the queen dowager of Thailand.

Thailand has one of the strictest “lese majeste” laws in the world.

Buddhist monks at the memorial held a cotton thread, or sai sin, which is used to send the monks' blessings to the deceased. | Nguyen Le/The Cougar

Any person can be jailed from three to 15 years for negative opinions or actions against the royal family in any form.

Over lunch offered by the funeral attendees, Narathipat used his tablet to show an assortment of Facebook photos featuring the king walking in the countryside with a map and camera, in his royal attire and — in black and white — scores of Thais grieving on the streets.

Narathipat expressed deep

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respect for the king, whom he said had ensured Thailand’s prosperity with just one eye. Since the accident where the Fiat 500 he was driving crashed into a truck on Oct. 4, 1948 near Lausanne, Switzerland, the king wore an ocular prosthetic.

“A prime minister might come and go,” Duran said. “For (the king), he’s been there. The only one.” news@thedailycougar.com

6 | Wednesday, October 19, 2016

OPINION 713-743-5304

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Frank Campos, EDITOR

STAFF EDITORIAL

Use the METRORail

S

ince opening in 2004, METRORail projects have had to rely heavily on federal funding to be built in Houston, the energy capital of the world where oil and gas companies dominate.

Even so, the light rail has managed to expand to three different lines that run North, East and Southeast from downtown.

METRORail is determined to expand with a fourth line under construction and a fifth line planned.

So many people don't use the light rail to easily commute to work, school or just experience our inner city.

Construction has marred our highways with congestion, pollution and road rage that can easily be avoided. Using public transit, and in turn reducing the number of cars on the road, can alleviate transportation issues that a growing city tend to have.

Students can, and should, start doing the latter now.

There are two METRORail stops just off of campus and several bus stops that pass through them. Students and faculty should consider switching to some form of public transit, especially the METRORail.

Students can get METRO Q Cards on myUH to receive a discount; pay half rather than the regular fare. This is an opportunity not readily available to the general public.

Also, with myUH, there is no need to print out a lot of paperwork, go to METRO's headquarters on Main Street, spend 20 or more minutes in line analyzing how a customer-staff interaction can quckly sprial out of hand This incentive gives students another reason to save money, especially for those who rely on just public transit for daily commutes.

There are two light-rail stops located near campus to use for getting around Houston. | File photo/The Cougar

The whole point of METRO is to make life easier for people who live within its area of

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service by providing relatively cheap public transportation.

It makes no sense to discard a resource like the METRORail that connects you to the rest of Houston if you live on or near campus.

Students can experience some of the best parts of Houston by riding the METRORail.

From the theater district to Minute Maid Park, there is plenty to see and do at the center of the city.

The light rail is highly sustainable compared to motor vehicles; its all-electric nature means it does not emit carbon monoxide like cars. The positive impact of choosing the METRORail over a personal vehicle can

make a positive impact on our environment.

Motor vehicles produce onethird of all U.S. air pollution.

As one of the busiest and fastest-growing cities in the nation, Houston plays a huge role adding to the impact of pollution on Earth.

We must all consider the switch to public transit.

Do your part and consider taking the light rail next time you need to get somewhere in Houston. Not only can you help to reduce Houston’s carbon footprint, you can also save some time and money that would have been better spent elsewhere other than the 4 p.m. traffic. opinion@thedailycougar.com

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Using public transit, and reducing the number of cars on the road, can alleviate transportation issues that a growing city tend to have. | Courtesy of Wikimedia commons

Wednesday, October 19, 2016 | 7

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OPINION

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Frank Campos, EDITOR

ELECTION DAY

Voters should still look at third-party candidates

T

he last debate is set for this week and we will only see two major-party candidates on a national stage discussing important issues to voters.

Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson and Green presidential candidate Jill Stein failed to FRANK garner enough CAMPOS support to OPINION EDITOR be eligible to participate in a debate with Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton.

Although Johnson came close with seven percent support in the polls, neither candidate will get a bump from the debates.

Can't help himself Although it’s understandable why Stein failed to reach the Commission on Presidential Debates' required 15 percent polling threshold, Johnson’s absence can be blamed in large part on himself.

Twice in the last couple of months, Johnson has put his foot in his mouth regarding his polit-

ical know-how. This goes beyond the journalists' "gotcha" questions and has turned into a serious gaffe that should concern voters.

I must admit that I myself had to look up the war-torn city of Aleppo, Syria. There is no excuse, however, for someone who wants to run for president to not know about this city and its issues since the start of the Syrian civil war.

Again, I understand that a regular U.S. citizen will not know this their whole life, but someone who wants to hold the country's most powerful position must be more aware than the average citizen. We can’t just blow this off.

A vote for Johnson is not a wasted vote because he is a thirdparty candidate; it is because he is unqualified to become president.

Unable to keep up Jill Stein, on the other hand, has had far less media attention, but seems to be struggling to maintain her two percent support in the polls regardless.

It didn’t help that a woman who wants to be taken seriously as a presidential candidate was escorted out of Hofstra University.

She didn't have the credentials for

the first debate, but decided to take a campaign bus to the event anyway.

This may not seem like a big deal, but the lack of professionalism shows that she is not ready.

Although I think both thirdparty candidates aren't ready to be president, some people who refuse to vote for Trump or Clinton may think otherwise. If this is the case, you should realize where each candidate stands on topics like the economy, foreign policy and social issues.

Stein is definitely pro-choice and has a track record for defending LGTBQ rights.

Of course, she has her Green party flair, but for the most part she has a stance on many issues like any other candidate.

Don’t let the Green Party logo steer you away from a candidate who has a long history in politics.

Consider them anyway Like Stein, Johnson has different established talking points as a Libertarian Party member. It doesn’t mean his views on issues are extremely unorthodox to a point where you should not vote for him.

Both Gary Johnson and Jill Stein need to find a way to reach voters. Their poll numbers show them below 10 percent in the polls. | Courtesy of Wikimedia commons

One of his biggest talking points is the legalization of marijuana.

Johnson, same as Stein, thinks that marijuana is dangerous only because it is illegal.

Johnson's lovable goofiness and affinity to smile off any awkwardness are also why he has made it this far.

He has conservative leanings on certain topics such as rejecting raising the minimum wage and free college tuition. He fully

supports the Trans-Pacific Partnership, even though it's likely that he doesn't know what it is.

In the end, it will be up to all of us to prove that we care about the country's future. The only way that is possible is by learning about all the candidates, their issues and by voting.

Opinion editor Frank Campos is a media production senior and can be reached at opinion@thedailycougar. com.

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Frank Campos, EDITOR

EDITORIAL BOARD

POLITICS

PUZZLES

Trump will destroy the Republican Party The greatest trick the GOP nominee ever played was convincing everyone he was an actual Republican and then destroying the party from within.

JORDEN SMITH

A few weeks ago, I wrote a a Long-term damage column about This is the problem with Trump how College as an idea: He is turning the party Republicans around the country into an authoritarian regime where are being punished for not actively questioning him or taking a stance going out of their way to endorse against him, that grounds people Trump without any sense of disloy- to their morals, is seen as disloyalty (a word that’s going to come alty. up a lot in this column).

Trump, unlike his tweets imply, There is an does not care inherent ridicuabout the party lousness in this in any way notion seeing whatsoever. as the RepubHe cares about lican Party has himself. He still always stood wins even if the for intellectual idea of conserdiversity and vatives dies. the freedom There is no to choose the room for views you supdisloyalty to the port. leader of the There have Trump will end the Republican Party. party. been calls for Trump is Courtesy of Wikimedia commons people to step willing to take down and be down the ashamed for not holding the views Republican Party and everything it that Trump supporters think you has ever stood for to make sure he should have. This election has is still the guy in charge. As the ship become centered on party over goes down or as the city falls, all of principles.

Trump supporters must still bow While it may have been disturbto him. ing that this was happening, these For Republicans, the only thing sentiments couldn’t be traced to that still matters in this election is the candidate. Supporters don’t retaining the House of Represenalways echo the beliefs of the tatives. It becomes more difficult candidate, so it’s unfair to the for candidates to win their seats candidate to say their supporters as Trump becomes a more terrible represent them — on both sides. political entity.

Yet, Trump takes what his Conservatives are having to fight supporters perpetuate, an for their own identity, but Trump authoritarian need for absolute makes it exponentially worse. He loyalty, and use Twitter to increase called those who try to shift away a their reach. “self-righteous hypocrite.”

After the Trump 2005 recordings This need for loyalty has been came out, shocking (basically) destroying the party and the idea everyone, Republican leaders — of conservatism for a long time. including House Speaker Paul Trump, who is not a Republican, Ryan — quickly disavowed the doesn’t care about the ideas he comments. This, of course, is not holds dear except himself. the first time that Ryan has had Trump is destroying the Republito disavow something Trump can Party for, at least, a generation. has said.

Senior staff columnist Jorden Smith is In response, Trump claimed that a political science junior and president Ryan, the highest-ranking Repubof the College Republicans. He can be lican in office and certainly one of reached at opinion@thedailycougar. com. the most respected, is a “feckless SENIOR STAFF WRITER

ACROSS 1 Disorderly outbursts 6 Hairpieces, in slang 10 Ominous sign 14 “___ you coming?”

15 Non-cutting sword 16 Make angry (with “up”) 17 Three boys 20 Back end?

21 Indian bread 22 Learned teacher 23 Slip cover?

25 Doofus 26 “Comin’ ___ the Rye” 28 Similar stuff 32 Certain comedic tribute 34 Maitre d’s offering 35 Cataract locale 38 Three more boys 42 ___-Wee Herman 43 Egg on 44 Cat’s eyes, at times 45 Experienced one 48 Mine entrance 49 C-section reminder 51 Bible unit 53 Typeface with slanted letters 55 Italian farewell 56 Biochemistry abbr.

59 Three more boys 62 Emerald ___ (Ireland’s nickname) 63 100 dinars

64 Gullible 65 Open carriage 66 Scrawny 67 Prescribed amounts DOWN 1 Item on a to-do list 2 Killer whale 3 Remove water from 4 Whom Lennon married 5 Blarney ___ 6 Cover old ground 7 “Once ___ a time ...”

8 Diamond or emerald 9 Spring purchase 10 Delphic predictor 11 Beginning for “graph” 12 African antelope 13 Avian home 18 Bringing up the rear 19 Some models 24 Santa ___, Calif.

26 It may be sprung 27 Bad thing to have in one’s pocket 29 Fire remnant 30 Hawaiian giveaway 31 Traveler’s rest 33 It’s attached to the sternum 35 Outer layer of the skin 36 Abominable mountain creature

37 At one time, at one time 39 Old-style computer monitor 40 “Act your ___!”

41 “Poor me!”

45 Napa or San Fernando 46 With great enthusiasm 47 Approach 49 Squirrel away 50 Lily type 52 Like a circle 53 Certain wading bird 54 Dieter’s no-no, briefly 55 Blue hue 57 “Scream” star Campbell 58 Mythical god of war 60 “Who’s Who” entry 61 Longtime Chinese chairman

The 'me' mindset

leader” and is a disloyal party member.

He also implicated Sen. John McCain who, in Trump’s own infamous words, is not a war hero because he got caught. Just because they’d rather stand on principle than with the party. This all, of course, was done over Twitter, because that’s where Trump takes most of his fights.

EDITOR IN CHIEF

Trey Strange

MANAGING EDITOR

Bryce Dodds

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Leah Nash

CHIEF COPY EDITOR

Nguyen Le

NEWS EDITORS

Emily Burleson Alex Meyer Marialuisa Rincon SPORTS EDITORS

Reagan Earnst Jonathan Valadez

OPINION EDITORS

Frank Campos Thom Dwyer ARTS EDITORS

Karis Johnson Greg Fails PHOTO EDITORS

Justin Cross Ajani Stewart SENIOR STAFF

Caprice Carter Bruce Chao Jasmine Davis Peter Scamardo Jorden Smith Douglas Van

STAFF EDITORIAL

The Staff Editorial reflects the opinions of The Cougar Editorial Board (the members of which are listed above the editorial). All other opinions, commentaries and cartoons reflect only the opinion of the author. Opinions expressed in The Cougar do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Houston or the students as a whole.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Cougar welcomes letters to the editor from any member of the UH community. Letters should be no more than 250 words and signed, including the author’s full name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major.

Anonymous letters will not be published. Deliver letters to N221, University Center; e-mail them to letters@thedailycougar.com; send them via campus mail to STP 4015; or fax to (713) 743-5384. Letters are subject to editing.

GUEST COMMENTARY

Submissions are accepted from any member of the UH community and must be signed with the author’s name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Commentary should be limited to 500 words. Guest commentaries should not be written as replies, but rather should present independent points of view. Deliver submissions to N221, University Center; e-mail them to letters@thedailycougar.com; or fax them to (713) 743-5384. All submissions are subject to editing.

ABOUT THE COVER

The cover's photo-illustration is an artistic rendering of Tony Buzbee in court. By Leah Nash The Cougar is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press.

studentpress.org/acp

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SPORTS

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Reagan Earnst, EDITOR

FOOTBALL

After regrouping, Cougars face uncertainty with new injuries JONATHAN VALADEZ

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR @ JONOUNSEEN

Entering the game against the University of Tulsa Golden Hurricane, it looked as if the Cougars were almost back to full health, at least according to the depth chart, after dealing with several injuries and a couple of one-game suspensions.

That was not the case, though, when the clock expired Saturday night, and with five regular season games left, the Cougars are forced to dig deep into their roster.

“We have a long season ahead, and some of these nicks and bruises aren’t going away,” said head coach Tom Herman. “We’ve got to manufacture some quality depth.”

At the start of the game the offense was without two starters, as redshirt sophomore running back Duke Catalon was ruled out for the third straight game with a concussion, and junior right guard Marcus Oliver sat out with a high ankle sprain.

Meanwhile, the defense was without senior linebacker Tyus Bowser, who has an orbital bone fracture, but they returned two starters in senior cornerback Brandon Wilson and senior linebacker Steven Taylor.

Early in the first quarter, the right side of the offensive line took another hit when junior tackle Na’Ty Rodgers went down with an apparent ankle injury. He ran through some drills on the sideline before heading to the locker room to undergo further evaluation.

Rodgers did not return.

Later in the game, senior wide receiver Chance Allen took a hit to his neck after he made a catch. He had to be escorted off of the field and also did not return.

Then, late in the fourth, Taylor was on the ground after a play was over, and the medical team came to his aid. He was able to walk off the field on his own and eventually returned to the game.

Herman said that he suffered an ankle injury, and that he had his hand smashed in between two helmets.

When asked after the game if he had an update on the players he said, “Nope, and you can add (junior linebacker) Matthew Adams and (sophomore defensive end) Jerard Carter to that list.”

Continue reading about the Cougar's depth problems online at thedailycougar.com/sports

o i d a R g o Co

BIRTHDAY BASHStudent oct. 26 Plaza free food, drinks, prizes, music, etc FREE BIRTHDAY BOXES TO THE FIRST 300 PEOPLE

10 | Wednesday, October 19, 2016

SPORTS thedailycougar.com/sports

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Reagan Earnst, EDITOR

FOOTBALL

Fit for a King: Freshman at home in Houston MERVIN WRIGHT JR.

SENIOR STAFF @WATCHMESWERV

First-year utility man D’Eriq King is one of smallest and least experienced players on the football team this season.

Despite his size compared to his teammates and opponents, King is making an immediate impact and helping the Cougars to their 6-1 start.

King compensates for his lack of height with unprecedented athletic ability. In his D'ERIQ KING three seaWIDE RECEIVER sons as the starting quarterback for Manvel High School, he threw 126 touchdowns while throwing just 16 interceptions.

Adding 37 career touchdowns on the ground, it was a matter of time before the nation’s top college football programs came calling.

Going from high school to a prime time college football is a touch transition for anyone. The freshman says that his experience in high school is helping make his transition to college smoother.

“Playing at Manvel, we were playing at the highest level in Texas, 6A,” King said. “We had a lot of big games and a lot of packed crowds. And that just helped me translate to the college game better.”

The dual-threat quarterback

an athlete than a quarterback, and for this reason could not guarantee he would get a shot as signal caller.

King verbally committed to TCU before deciding to decommit and come to Houston, in part due to his desire to play his high school position.

It didn’t take much to convince King to stay in Houston.

“We told him ‘Hey, you lead

“I feel like it's a better fit for me offensively. Coach Herman and coach Applewhite are two great coaches and I just wanted to play for those guys.”

D'Eriq King, Wide Receiver

was heavily recruited by bigtime programs such as Baylor University, Clemson University, Michigan State University, the University of California Los Angeles and Texas Christian University.

“D’Eriq was a guy that a lot of big schools were looking at as a quarterback/athlete,” Applewhite said. “He really wanted an opportunity to play quarterback.”

Because of his size, many schools viewed King more as

the 6A record ( for) touchdowns thrown,” Applewhite said. “We don’t let height or things like that get in the way of a great player, especially at that position. You can come over here and play quarterback. We’d love to have you.’

Applewhite saw King’s potential and had interest in getting him to stay close to home and attend UH. With senior Greg Ward Jr. having just one year of eligibility remaining, King could

learn from a quarterback whose game resembles his own.

Coupled with the fact he’s a “hometown guy” and wanted to stay close to his parents, King knew he would feel right at home with the Cougars.

“I feel like it’s a better fit for me offensively,” King said.

“Coach Herman and Coach Applewhite are two great coaches and I just wanted to play for those guys.”

King knew he would have to wait his turn to get a shot at quarterback.

However, due to a multitude of injuries on the Cougar offense, he has seen a lot of time at slot receiver. King has started two games at receiver and has appeared in all seven of the Cougars’ games.

The freshman phenom has 22 receptions for 170 yards and a touchdown so far. He is the fourth-leading receiver on the team, averaging 28.3 yards per game.

Applewhite says that although King was recruited as a quarterback, his switch to receiver for this season wasn’t hard because of his football intelligence. “(The transition) is only hard if you don’t have football intelligence,” Applewhite said. “He’s got great football intelligence. He

King became the first Cougar in history to record a receiving, return and passing touchdown in a single game | Courtesy of Name Lastname or Organization

On Sept. 24, King became the first Cougar in history to record a receiving, return and passing touchdown in a single game. | Courtesy of UH Athletics

understands everything because he’s played the quarterback position. So he understands routes, spacing and timing and where he needs to be.”

The coaches are also impressed with King’s poise and maturity.

As a true freshman in his first collegiate game, he came in and fielded punts and returned kicks against the University of Oklahoma with no sense of

nervousness and complete confidence.

No matter what is asked of him, King’s focus is resting solely on helping his team.

“I just try to do my job,” King said. “I don’t want to say that I impacted them positively. I’m just here doing what they tell me to do and trying to do everything to help the team.” sports@thedailycougar.com

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Reagan Earnst, EDITOR

BASKETBALL

Exiting the gray area, junior looks to become star PETER SCAMARDO

SENIOR STAFF WRITER @PLSCAMARDO2

Just three years ago, one member of the basketball team couldn’t even find playing time on the Junior College level. Now entering his second season as a Cougar, junior guard Rob Gray Jr. is playing an important part in UH’s revamped basketball program.

In his first season after transferring from Howard Junior College, Gray had an impressive year statistically. At 16 points per game, he was the leading scorer on the team and the second highest scorer in the American Athletic Conference.

The junior guard says that the speed of the game came as a surprise initially, but he is getting more comfortable as he gains experience. “I learned a lot about Coach Sampson’s culture and how the Division I game is, as far as its way more athletic and played at a faster pace,� Gray said. “I think as far as last year it’s definitely going to help me as far as knowing the game and slowing it down to pay attention to the minor details.�

Gray proved to be instrumental in a season where the Cougars had one of the NCAA’s most improved records from the year before.

Despite the season ending prematurely with a disappointing loss to Tulane University in the first round of the Conference Tournament, head coach Kelvin Sampson is happy with both the teams and Gray’s improvement.

Gaining experience Sampson inherited a team with just five players on the roster when he became head coach in 2014.

Although it’s been a struggle to have experience on the court, Sampson says that now having returning players like Gray is what will help get the program to where they want to be.

Even with just one season at the D-1 level under his belt, Gray will be looked at guide the younger players on the team.

With this expectation comes greater responsibility. “Finally in year three we have some returning players,� Sampson said. “Not only do we have good returning players; we have really good returning players. I’m excited to have a lot of veterans back that we can use to teach

Junior guard Rob Gray Jr. led the Cougars in scoring last season with 16 points per game. | Reagan Earnst/The Cougar

our new guys, whereas before we couldn’t do that.�

Attention to detail Sampson and his coaching staff have put in numerous hours in the film room in order to see what their players need to work on in every aspect of the game.

Like his coaches, Gray is spending his time watching film of himself to see where he could improve in order to help the team win. The Forest City, North Carolina native is trying to become a more round player by paying special attention to his fitness. “This particular offseason I’ve been working on my body and my conditioning,� Gray said. “(I’ve been) watching film from last year so I can know the mistakes and really understand the decision making in what I was doing wrong so I can be better for the team this year.�

Gray is not alone in this endeavor.

In the blistering summer months before classes were in session, Gray and his teammates could be seen running laps at the Carl Lewis Complex early in the morning. Before heading back inside, the team typically hung around for a few minutes to watch football go through their fall workouts—a team whose sudden success basketball will try to emulate.

Room for improvement Sampson and onlookers can see the talent and potential that Gray possesses and how

valuable he is to the team. Even with this, they are aware that Gray still has a lot to prove in his

second year on the team. “Improve his maturity,� said Sampson. “Just because you put

up good numbers doesn’t mean you had a good year. I think Rob’s got to improve his shot selection, his discipline, his defense.�

Even though Gray led the team in scoring, he struggled to fill the stat sheet in other areas. Gray averaged just 1.5 assists and 2.2 rebounds last season which are both marks that he will try to increase in 2016.

Sampson says that he needs to improve his court awareness in order to become a more effective distributor and defender. Gray will have plenty of opportunities as he is expected to be both the team’s starting shooting guard and back-up point guard.

Many are ready to see what Gray can do this season with full utilization of his raw ability. “Rob’s a talented kid,� said Sampson. “He’s one of those kids that’s a joy to coach. I love him to death and I’m excited about the year I think he can have.� sports@thedailycougar.com

worship DIRECTORY

CATHOLIC MASS ON CAMPUS

SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICE

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Reagan Earnst, EDITOR

Sophomore Brookah Palmer was one of the most dominant players on the court last year, but has been sidelined due to injury for for the remainder of the 2016 season. | Courtesy of UH Athletics

VOLLEYBALL

Injury serves sophomore new perspective J.D. SMITH

SENIOR STAFF WRITER @JDSMITH_08

One of the most anticipated aspects of the 2016 volleyball season was supposed to be the return of phenomenon sophomore Brookah Palmer. A shoulder injury changed all that.

The Carrollton native was named to the All-American Athletic Conference First Team after a freshman season where

she started in all 32 matches and recorded 502 kills, 301 digs and 24.

She was twice named the conference's Offensive Player of the Week while leading the conference in kills per set (4.15), total points (582) and aces (50). Her 50 aces tied her for 16th nationally and sixth-most in school history for a single season.

Palmer’s achievements came while hampered with a shoul-

Palmer's mark of 50 aces last season tied her for 16th place in the nation and the sixth best mark in UH volleyball history. | Courtesy of UH Athletics

der injury for a good part of the second half of the season.

“Last season we were playing against USF or UCF and I took a wrong dive, and that’s when I started having shoulder pain,” Palmer said. “All the playing, hitting and serving made it worse so finally we called it quits.”

great, we have the best doctors there are. They fixed her up and her rehab has been going excellent.”

The same intensity that has driven Palmer to success on the court was present when she worked through rehab.

"This is different"

Already without a sling, she is working to be ahead of schedule in her recovery. It’s not without hardships as Palmer has to learn how to do everything with her non-dominant hand.

“There’s good days and bad days,” Palmer said. “Some days my shoulder’s killing me so I want to cut it off, but there are some days where I’m making great improvements. Having to do everything with my left hand is different; it makes you think twice about what you’re doing.”

The injury allows Palmer to gain a different perspective both on volleyball and life, taking a step back from the front lines of the game.

Spending time on the sideline is making her more aware of her team’s blunders and how she can improve them when she returns from injury.

“I’m used to just 'go, go, go,' but now I’m seeing mistakes being made and I’m like, ‘What’s something you could do differently to not make that same mistake again?" Palmer said. “What do I do outside of volleyball and who am I? It makes you think and gives you

It hit everyone hard — for Palmer, more so — when news broke that she would miss the entire season. This was the first big injury of her career that forced her to miss any time on the court.

Palmer said the news brought her to tears. She was devastated.

“I knew the pain was getting to a point where I would not be performing at my best,” Palmer said. “(It was hard) to go from the season I had my freshman year and then to just not play this season. I’ve always had minor injuries, but I’ve played through them. This is different — sitting out, not playing volleyball, not working out.”

But it’s not all bad news: The injury was taken care of early enough so that Palmer will be able to redshirt this season, giving her another year of eligibility.

When Palmer returned, she will have three years remaining to catch up.

“I’m glad we found out before we wasted the year and were able to (redshirt),” said head coach Kaddie Platt. “She’s doing

Seeing more

a different perspective on what you’re doing.”

Return in progress Her teammates felt the sting of her loss as well.

They knew they’d all have to step up and improve their game to replace the production they were lacking with Palmer on the bench.

One person who is rising to the occasion is junior outside hitter Sarah Afflerbaugh. After a sophomore season in which she appeared in just 74 sets with 150 kills, the Austin native leads the team with 176 kills while appearing in 65 out of 68 possible sets.

“It sucks losing a teammate — any teammate — but I knew (Palmer’s) going to have a fast recovery and I can’t wait to see her next year,” said junior setter Keandra McCardell.

McCardell said that Afflerbaugh has been the team’s go to player and leader on the court.

While not being able to play and help her teammates is hard on Palmer, it isn’t diminishing her fiery spirit and competitiveness.

The 2017 season can’t come soon enough for her.

“I miss everything about it,” Palmer said. “I’m used to hitting, passing, serving. I do everything.

To not do anything at all it’s killing me, but I’m excited to just getting back playing and being competitive again.” sports@thedailycougar.com