The Bridge: Volume 51, Issue 12, 2/5/21

2/5/21 - Welcome back!

Welcome to The Bridge’s bi-weekly magazine, a collection of stories from thelcbridge.com. Check back every other week for early access to Bridge stories, games, photos and more. The Bridge is by and for Lewis and Clark Community College students, but we hope everyone can find something to enjoy at The Bridge.

Alex Johnson Editor-In-Chief

What’s on the cover?

This piece represents the strength and sacrifice; it represents the history that the culture has made and the times of perservering over obstacles that have been put in front of you. Sometimes it just takes a little courage to be able to take on anything.

Art by Anthony Brown

The Bridge is...

Alex Johnson

Dillon Neibel

amjohnson@lc.edu

dneibel@lc.edu

Editor-in-Chief

Lead Reporter

Ashtyn Britt abritt@lc.edu Associate Editor

Gary Chapman

Hannah Kahl

gchapman@lc.edu

Entertainment and Technology Reporter

hkahl@lc.edu

Moreena Hall

Copy Editor

mrhall@lc.edu

Nathan Tucker nrtucker@lc.edu Sports Editor Krystie Morrison

Illustrator and Cartoonist Kaleigh Grace kagrace@lc.edu

Photographer and Graphic Designer

Breanna Sak

Lakyn Gardner

bsak@lc.edu

lagardner@lc.edu

Photographer, Graphic Designer and Writer

Web editor, Graphic Designer, Photographer, Writer

Nickolas Brooks

Sophia Blagoue

nibrooks@lc.edu

Graphic designer, writer, podcaster Mary Curvey mcurvey@lc.edu

Illustrator and Cartoonist Caroline Hussey chussey@lc.edu

Writer

kmorrison@lc.edu

Web Editor and Social Media Manager Jenna Shelton jshelton@lc.edu

Ad Manager and Writer

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Megan Lanham mrlanham@lc.edu

Adrienne Lane amlane@lc.edu

Graphic Designer, Writer

Photographer

Anthony Brown

Ryan Pierce

antdbrown@lc.edu

rmpierce@lc.edu

Podcaster and Illustrator

Graphic Designer, Photographer

sblagoue@lc.edu

Graphic Designer Lynn McDonald lmmcdonald@lc.edu

Graphic Designer, Photographer Evelyn Smith evdsmith@lc.edu

Graphic Designer Craig Johnson crajohnson@lc.edu

Web Specialist, Illustrator, Photographer Louise Jett ljett@lc.edu Advisor

Table of Contents Campus Events, Pg. 3-8 News, Pg. 9 Entertainment, Pg. 11-15 Opinion, Pg. 17-19 Sports, Pg. 21-22 Cartoons and Games, Pg. 23-27 Graphic by Evelyn Smith Page 2

Lewis and Clark Celebrates Mar

By Caroline Hussey chussey@lc.edu Since the year 1986, across the United States, Americans have been celebrating the birthday of Martin Luthor King Junior, the man that is considered to be a spokesperson and leader of the Civil Rights Movement.

be beacons of change in our institutions and in our community so that we can work towards equity and inclusion for all.”

Dr. Mumba Mumba then went on to announce the line up, which included two performances and speeches which were written by Dr. King and read by L&C students. Also featured in the video is invited speaker Jonathan Palphus who spoke on activism, systematic accountability and a person’s duty to one another. As well as this, readings on influential Civil Rights leaders from throughout history were included.

Dr. Mumba Mumba Ph.D welcomes participants and outlines the event. Video capture via L&C YouTube.

Each year across the nation, people and organizations, including Lewis and Clark Community College have been celebrating this National Holiday in many ways. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, celebrations have shifted this year, leading to many of them being virtual, including L&C’s, which was a forty-six minute video posted on L&C’s youtube page.

The video started off with a welcome from Dr. Mumba Mumba Ph.D, an associate professor of speech and liberal arts.

Williams, Massey, Birts and Cole pose for the final scene of “Four Women”, a performance choreographed by Roni Anderson. Video capture via L&C YouTube.

To start off was a dance performance choreographed by Roni Anderson, which was titled “Four Women.”

Dancing this emotional peace was Tyler Williams, Kalela Massey, Alexis Birts and Tenisha Cole from the East Athens Education Dance Center.

“This year our theme is going to be stand up and do what is right,” Dr. Mumba Mumba said in the video. Next was a reading on Congressman “We selected this so that all of us can John Lewis by student David Crull.

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Campus Events

rtin Luther King Jr. Day Virtually A video then played from the documentary I am Not you Negro with the speech narrated by Sam L Jackson.

Then a public domain sermon that was once “delivered at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church Montgomery, Alabama, 17, November 1957”, according to a description in the video, was played. This sermon, named “Loving Your Enemies”, originally delivered

by Dr. King, was delivered by Mason Rothert-Radzom and Jennifer Wolfrom.

Following that was speaker Johnathan Pohpus, who was introduced by Jared T. Hennings. Pohpus shared what he Johnathan Pohpus performing his powerful and passionate has learned and examined from expiece, “It’s the radical King for me”. The full performance can amples of Dr. King from history. be found on the L&C YouTube Page or TheLCBridge.com. Video capture via L&C YouTube.

Following the speech were a reading of speeches done by Marenike Moyegun, who read a speech by Dr. King “(Congressman John Lewis) represent- titled “Where do we go from here” as ed Georgia’s fifth congressional dis- well as “The Other America”, also by trict for more than 30 years and was Dr. King, and read by Grace Costello. integral in the aggressive, self-sacrificial style of protest of the student non- To finish up the celebration, Dr. Mumviolent coordinating committee,” Crull ba Mumba gave a thank you for atsaid when reading about Lewis. tending and introduced the final act, which was a song called “Hold On” Next was a reading of the speech “To- performed by The Aelians from Oakgether we can redeem the soul of our wood University. nation” which was written by Lewis.

The speech was delivered by Abigail Zajac.

Preceding that was an introduction of the speech “I am not your Negro” by James Baldwin.

“An American essayist, novelist and playwright, his eloquence passion on the subject of race in America made him an important voice,” said Baldwin in his introduction.

Campus Events

The Aelians take a deep breath after finishing their impassioned performance of “Hold On”. Video capture via L&C YouTube.

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Calendar by Alex Johnson Page 5

Campus Events

Campus Events

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PROFESSOR JEFF VAUGHN RETIRES

Layout, photos and story by: Kaleigh Grace

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fter 14 years of teaching and dedicated service to Lewis and Clark Community College, Professor of Art, Jeffrey Vaughn will be retiring from his full-time position in May of 2021.

Mr. Vaughn received his Bachelors in Fine Arts with a

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concentration in printmaking from Washington University in St. Louis in 1978 and a Master of Arts from the University of Dallas in 1983.

Vaughn says, “The university environment is like a haven.

A place where you can grow as an artist, be experimental

and creative.” An affinity for the college atmosphere and teaching led Vaughn to teach at several college institutions in the St. Louis area, including Fontbonne University, University of Missouri St. Louis and St. Louis University. His time at Lewis and Clark Community Campus Events

The dark room light outside the Lewis and Clark film room glows singnaling that students are at work.

College began in the Fall semester of 2007 as an adjunct and he eventually accepted a full-time position in 2014.

Vaughn, who is a wellversed artist in a number of different mediums, has taught a variety of art courses at L&C, including Figure Drawing, Painting, and Introduction to the Arts, but Film Photography has persisted as the main focus of his instruction. Under his guidance, the photography class has flourished and maintained a consistent size and following, with many students returning to take the course numerous times over the years.

The interest and success in the class can be attributed to the time and care Professor Vaughn has set forth for his student’s education.

Lewis and Clark faculty and students have greatly beneCampus Events

fited from Professor Vaughn’s passion for teaching and tremendous skill in the arts. One student, Krystie Morrison, says, “Taking film photography with Jeff Vaughn was probably the best decision when it came to my classes. He is an amazing professor and his feedback is always genuine and helpful! I

would take his class a million times if I were able to! He will be greatly missed by all his students and colleges!”

Vaughn describes his retirement from the college as a bittersweet experience and looks forward to continuing work in his studio, focusing on his paintings and dedicating more time to his photography.

His work can be seen exhibited in the group invitational “Places” at the Center of Creative Arts in St. Louis, Feb. 15 through Mar. 15, as well as the Southern Illinois University Invitational regional exhibition at the Art and Design Gallery at SIUE in Edwardsville, from Mar. 1 to 26.

Jeff Vaughn poses next to his artwork, an oil painting titled ‘Lilies After the Rain’.

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Biden-Harris Take

Office and Take Action

By Alex Johnson amjohnson@lc.edu COVID deaths in the hundred-thousands, skyrocketing unemployment and a violently divided country are just a few of the issues President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris inherited when they took office Jan. 20, 2021. On top of the immediate threats, Biden hopes to address the long-differed issues, such as climate change, that are quickly reaching a “point of no return”.

In his first week, President Biden signed 22 executive orders, many undoing what the previous administration had done and signaling to progressives that the new president is ready to work with them. Included were a re-joining of the Paris Agreement, an order to advance racial equality and support for underserved communities and a reversal of the transgender military ban as well as an order explicitly protecting the LGBTQ+ community beyond military service.

On the subject of education, Biden signed yet another order dissolving the 1776 Commission. The commission, started late in the former president’s term, was often criticized for promoting a nationalist version of the United States’ often troublesome history. The orders were about more than just “cleaning up” after the previous President, though. College students can breathe a sigh of relief, with one EO pausing federal student loans with 0 percent interest.

Although Biden’s message since his 2019 campaign started has been one of unity, critics are claiming his flurry of executive orders are doing the opposite. While, expectedly, conservatives are not happy about the new administration, the LGBTQ+ community (particularly the “T” part) seem to be on the receiving end of much of the ire. Biden’s Republican colleagues are ready to fight the administration, with Rep. Marjorie Greene (R-Ga.) filing articles of impeachment only one day after inauguration.

After the violent outbreak at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, it is obvious that the new administration has many potentially impossible steps to take if they want to unify the country.

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News

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Graphics by Evelyn Smith

Tommy’s Planet: The Strange World of Tommy Wiseau and “The Room”

by Gary Chapman gchapman@lc.edu On June 27, 2003, Tommy Wiseau released his magnum opus “The Room” to unsuspecting audiences in Los Angeles.

Now, over a decade later, “The Room” has become a midnight screening-filled cult classic along the lines of “Troll 2” and “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”. The film can be described as a melodrama, but, due to the enigmatic writing and acting of Tommy’s character, comes off as a surreal comedy. This film has themes, so let us use auteur theory to examine Tommy’s world view.

First, what is auteur theory?

Auteur theory says that the work of an artist can be used to examine the beliefs of the artist, since Wiseau wrote, directed (although it has been debated on how much) and starred, it is his work and can be used to see how he feels about certain things.

One thing that Tommy touches on is his lack of trust in people. How Johnny finds out about his fiancée cheating on him with his friends is by recording her phone calls without her consent. Tommy starts the film being too trusting of his fiancée Lisa, and Page 11

then he starts being suspicious (around the time that Lisa lies about Johnny abusing her as a way to justify her affair with Mark).

Tommy does have a negative view of women; the film does seem to be a semi-autobiographical piece. Most of the female characters in the film do seem to be lying or doing something unsavory. Lisa does not love Johnny, but Claudette says, “Men and women use and abuse each other all the time; there’s nothing wrong with it. Marriage has nothing to do with love,” and, “I still think you should marry Johnny! Now, you can’t live on love. You need financial security. “

Greg Sestero wrote in “The Disaster Artist” that during the ninemonth period of when “The Room” was written, Tommy was suicidal.

Sestero wrote, “Tommy’s life study of human interaction had been put into a Final Draft blender and sprinkled with the darkness of whatever he’d been living through over the last nine months. The one thing Tommy’s script wasn’t about, despite its

characters’ claims? Love......The happy news was that whatever Tommy had been running from, he’d managed to turn and face it down in his script. Instead of killing himself, he wrote himself out of danger. He did this by making his character [Johnny] the one spotless human being amid chaos, lies and infidelity.”

One of the things that I believe Tommy was running from was his age. For the longest time, Tommy was very secretive about his life and said that he lived in France long ago and then moved to New Orleans.

His IMDB listed that he was born on Oct. 3rd, 1955 in Poznan, Poland. The original ending was going to be more absurd than what you see in the finished product, with Johnny being a vampire and having a flying Mercedes. You could say that Tommy is obsessed, maybe because of his roots or because he wants to be young.

In conclusion, “The Room” is a comedy of errors with a very interesting backstory (read and watch “The Disaster Artist”-- it is a good book and movie) and the film shows the very bizarre ideals of Tommy Wiseau.

Entertainment

“Ocarina of Time” Over 20 Years Later

By Lakyn Gardner lagardner@lc.edu

“Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time” was the first 3D “Legend of Zelda” game. Created in 1998 by Nintendo, the story follows a 10-year-old boy named Link on his journey to save Princess Zelda and Hyrule from the evil Ganondorf.

The game was released 20 years ago, but I still will not spoil anything. Child Link must obtain three spiritual stones. First courage, then power, and finally wisdom, all based on the goddesses that came before. Once he has successfully retrieved all three of those, he gains the ability to retrieve the master sword, which is the sword that banes all evil.

However, Link is too young to wield the sword yet, so it seals him for seven years.

During that time, Gannon overtakes the kingdom. Then, link must embark on his journey as an adult to obtain six Medallions that will grant him entry into Ganon’s Entertainment

Castle to end his rain on Hyrule.

This game allowed Nintendo to branch off three different ways: the Adult timeline, Child timeline, and the Hero Defeated timeline. The controls are flawless, even accounting for Nintendo’s odd threeprong controller design. As for bugs, the game is very well made and even to this day it took speedrunners almost 20 years to find cracks in the game in which they could exploit it.

I believe this is an impressive feat of a game considering it is the first 3D “Legend of Zelda” and one of the first 3D games ever made. This game paved the way for many RPGs ahead, and it also set up the timeline for the next “Legend of Zelda’’ games. The game contains a breathtaking story with very few bugs and tons of replayability. I give this game a 10 out of 10.

Thanks for reading, see you next week!

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Yakuza: Like a Dragon, a fun and charming J-RPG

By Nickolas Brooks nibrooks@lc.edu SPOILER WARNING! Do not read this review if you are interested in playing this game for yourself!

Yakuza: Like A Dragon, canonically confirmed to be Yakuza 7, is a Japanese turn-based roleplaying game directed

by Ryosuke Horii and written by Masayoshi Yokoyama. The developer studio of this game is named Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio, published by Sega, who have been developing the Yakuza games ever since Yakuza 5, released back in 2012, Dec. 5 in Japan (being released worldwide three days later on Dec. 8)

The premise

All captures are by Nickolas Brooks This game follows a man named Ichiban Kasuga, voiced by Kaiji Tang. Tang is known for voicing characters such as Munehisa Iwai in Persona 5, HendrickPage 13

son in The Seven Deadly Sins, Guts in Berserk (2016), Yasuhiro Hagakure in Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc and Tsumugu Kinagase in Kill La Kill.

Ichiban is very loyal, stubborn, and can be overly excited at times, but, he also has a huge sense of justice and cares for the people around him. He likes to describe himself as a hero because of his imagination and his love for the video game Dragon Quest. The imagination he has makes him a quick thinker and can help him create carefully planned strategies. Normally, the Yakuza games’ protagonist would be Kazuma Kiryu, a kind man who accepts anyone and has a strict code of honor; a more level headed character. However, the studio wanted to try out a new protagonist.

Ichiban is a yakuza who has always looked up to the man that saved his life from death named Masumi Arakawa, his patriarch (voiced by George Takei, best known for his role as Hikaru Sulu in the Star Trek series). Ever since that day, Ichiban became a part of the Arakawa family in the Tojo clan. Unfortunately, one of the members of the family killed a police officer, but Ichiban decided to take

his place instead to keep the clan going. Eighteen years pass by, and things would only take a turn for the worst.

While he was in prison, a yakuza law was put into play that would wipe out any and all clans by the Omi Alliance, with Masumi turning traitor and joining them. Ichiban, now homeless, began to go on a journey to find answers to why this had happened, along with making friends, enemies and learning about the future of Japan itself and its technology…

Since he is currently under a rock from being in prison.

The opinion

Yakuza: Like a Dragon is an experience that newcomers to the series are going to enjoy very much. There is not a dull moment when it comes to its narrative and cutscenes. Many of its characters have Entertainment

a unique charm, personality and even a backstory. Other characters including Yu Nanba, Kouichi Adachi and Masato Arakawa are characters I enjoyed seeing on screen when it comes to the cutscenes. Even the smaller characters who only have a few minutes of screentime were enjoyable because they fit with the environment and setting that the game is in.

settings. While the visuals and graphics here are not The Last of Us Part II or Forza Horizon 4 levels of gorgeous, it still has a pretty touch to its look, and is perfectly fitting for a roleplaying game. The city at nighttime is when it is at its most beautiful, from the neon lights and tall buildings, to its asphalt road and reflecting puddles. Or at daytime, when the lens flares are revealed on screen.

The gameplay

The voice acting

The story Surprisingly, this game is much more cutscene and dialogue filled than gameplay, but that does not mean that there’s barely any of it. And even when there is, its turn-based roleplay style of gameplay is interesting. It gets better when you level up Ichiban, gain more attacks and recruit characters you meet throughout the game to join your party. Having characters in your party can also unlock group movesets, like delivering the final blow to their enemy. Side missions add more value and can help Ichiban become stronger and smarter throughout the game too. The detail to the character animation when he walks too is nice! For example, when he walks close to a bike rail, he immediately walks to the left or right side of it without needing to hit S or D to move.

The visuals

Playing this game with an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2070 Super graphics card is worth it when it comes to its beautiful 60 frames-per-second and most optimized Entertainment

like battle music you can play in the background while doing a workout to its soothing, kickback city music that sounds like something out of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Diamond is Unbreakable. When I hear a piece of the soundtrack in a certain scene, it fits perfectly with it! The track “The Only Way Out” has to be one of my favorites from the OST. It sounds like something out of a post-apocalyptic western movie, and that is a good thing.

Despite the likable characters, lighthearted energy and the sense of humor the writers have when it comes to the script, most of the game is taken up by cutscenes and dialogue that last much longer than it needs too. While they are not dull, they still take up time and almost makes me think that I am watching a movie rather than playing a game.

There’s quite a bit of exposition when characters are being told about one’s backstory. This goes for the protagonist, the antagonist and the friends Ichiban makes along the way. At the very beginning of the game, it starts off with Masumi Arakawa’s youth days and how he would become a yakuza boss later on.

I was not introduced to Ichiban until 10 minutes into the game because of Masumi’s introduction. Even on the side missions, the dialogue and cutscenes take up most of a mission rather than its actual gameplay.

The soundtrack

Yakuza: Like A Dragon’s soundtrack brings more excitement and enjoyment to the table. From its electronic yet rock-

One thing to point out about the voice acting in this game is that it is a mixture of English and Japanese. When a cutscene is playing, there is an english dub done by many talents such as Kaiji Tang, George Takei, Greg Chun, Brian Bloom, Elizabeth Maxwell, Andrew Morgado, Will Yun Lee, and many more. However, when there is gameplay, like if you were to be roaming around the streets, the city, or in combat with enemies, most of the voice acting, with the exception of the characters you play as, or any of the more important characters to the main story, are voiced in Japanese. I was a little confused by this since the smaller characters have dubbed voice actors when it comes to the cutscenes, but once the gameplay begins, they are voiced in Japanese. Maybe this is a route Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio wanted to go for and do something different, or perhaps there was a bug or a mistake made while development was happening.

The conclusion I’m going to give Yakuza: Like A Dragon a 8/10. Even if there is more watching than playing, I had a hard time finding a really stale moment within the game. The characters, the soundtrack, the visuals and the story are all great to look at! The combat is pretty simple, but not boring or lacking, it only gets better and better over the course of the playthrough.

Yakuza: Like A Dragon is currently available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and Steam. It also comes out worldwide on March 5 this year for the PlayStation 5.

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A Cold Winter’s Tale: The Bear and The Nightingale Review

By Megan Lanham mrlanham@lc.edu

Imagine a land where winter seeps into every season. A place full of cold nights that chill your very bones; with forests covered in thick blankets of hard snow, and trees glazed with ice.

This is the world Katherine Arden’s debut book “The Bear and The Nightingale” transports the reader to. A world of medieval Russia where both history and myth coexist.

This story follows Vasilisa Petrovna, the youngest child of a wealthy boyar of a small village in northern Russia. A feisty and wild girl, as an heir to old magic, her mother dies in childbirth to pass on the enchantment of her lineage. Vasya can see spirits, creatures of the hearth, stable,

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lake and woods who all populate the landscape just as her people do.

Though she keeps this supernatural gift a secret as she is the only one who can see them. That is until her father remarries. Vasya realizes her new stepmother can see spirits as well, but she is horrified by them. She calls them demons, prohibiting Vasya from interacting with them. Though something is waking from its slumber in the woods. Something that is as old and more horrible than even the Winter King himself. It’s coming for Vasya and all that she holds dear.

This book is obviously a work of love for Katherine Arden. She weaves an intimate knowledge of russian history into not only the daily lives

of her characters, but everything from the creatures of the myth to the house-dwelling domovoi to the cruel, unforgiving Winter King. It brings on a very solid evocation of an ancient Russia without getting too caught up on the details.

One of my favorite things from this book is Vasya’s family and deep bond they all share. She has many brothers and sisters who love one another dearly even when they fight, an ardent father and a grandmotherly nurse. The reader spends their time with them surviving from winter to winter as Vasya grows and they change as well.

If you’re missing winter or want a exotic spin on a fairytale, “The Bear and The Nightingale ‘’ is an absolute delight to lose yourself in. I’d suggest picking it up if you’re looking for something new to read.

Entertainment

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Robert Wadlow Krystie Morrison kemorrison@lc.edu

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lton, Ill. is known for its rich history that includes stories of Elijah P. Lovejoy, the Underground Railroad, the Piasa Bird and also the world’s tallest man, Robert Pershing Wadlow.

Robert Wadlow is a native Altonian and was born to Addie and Harold Wadlow in 1918. At the time of birth he appeared to be normal in every way. However, when Wadlow turned six months his parents started to notice a change in their young son. His growth rate was vastly different than other children at the age of six months because of an overactive pituitary gland.

His weight at the time would turn out to be a whopping thirty pounds. Twice the normal weight for a six month old child. By the time Robert would turn eight, he would weigh in at 195 pounds and stand six feet and two inches.

Robert endured a semi-normal childhood despite his unusual height. At the age of nine, he started to gather the unwanted attention of the press. Despite the attention, he still enjoyed photography, stamp collecting and he even joined the Boy Scouts at the age of 13.

At that time, Wadlow had grown to an astonishing height of seven feet and four inches which made him the world’s tallest Boy Scout.

Logo by Alex Johnson Page 17

Opinion

Just like every young child, Robert Wadlow had a dream for what his life would be like in the future. He wanted to become a lawyer and he was determined to reach his goal. Unfortunately he began to realize that his enormous stature would affect how the judge and jury would react to him in court.

Wadlow decided to no longer pursue a career in law because of this reason.

As Robert grew taller, his health began to decline. He needed to wear leg braces in order to support his large frame at eight feet tall. Occasionally he had to lean on family members and friends just to be able to walk. A common symptom that occurs because of an overactive pituitary gland is loss of sensation below the knees, this would ultimately cause serious infections in his feet because he could not feel when he was injured.

When Robert turned 18, he had measured in at 8 feet, 4 inches and wore a size 37AA shoe. He was able to strike a deal with the International Shoe Company as their spokesperson and they would provide shoes that fit him in return. Wadlow and his father began traveling across the country to promote the shoe company. Harold Wadlow had to modify the family vehicle in order for Robert to fit a little more comfortably; he removed the front passenger seat so Robert could stretch his legs out a little.

This new venture inspired Robert to open his own line of shoe stores. To raise funds to reach his goal he agreed to work for Barnum and Bailey’s circus for a short period of time. Wadlow had strict rules for working with Barnum and Bailey; he would not wear the tall hats and shoes that most circus giants wore and he also did not want to be photographed at an angle that would exaggerate his height. Unfortunately, Robert would never see his new dream come to life.

In the summer of 1940, at the age of 22, Robert Wadlow was supposed to ride in the parade celebrating the Fourth of July.

He woke up feeling ill that morning, but proceeded to ride in the parade. He complained to his father about a fever and this immediately concerned Harold Wadlow. He decided to examine Robert’s feet and discovered that his leg brace was cutting into his flesh and created a very serious infection. The next day doctors had confined Wadlow to strict bed rest. After a few days, the infection became even worse and Wadlow was rushed into emergency surgery where he was given

Opinion

The Robert Wadlow statue standing at a memorial site off College Avenue in Alton. You can stand next to him, sit in a replica of his chair and also see the house he grew up in.

Photo by Krystie Morrison. blood transfusions. Despite this, his temperature continued to increase.

On July 15, 1940, Robert Pershing Wadlow passed in his sleep at the young age of 22. At the time of his death, Wadlow measured in at eight feet and eleven inches making him the tallest man who ever lived. He was taken back to Alton to be buried in his hometown. Over 40,000 people attended his funeral and all of the businesses in Alton closed their doors that day to honor the fallen giant. The casket that he was buried in was sealed with steel cables and cement and required twelve pallbearers.

His gravestone simply reads, “At Rest.”

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The Problem with Six Flags Quiddya Six Flags Qiddiya - Gary - 1/19

By Gary Chapman gchapman@lc.edu In 2018, Six Flags announced that a new park would be opened in Saudi Arabia, in the Quiddiya entertainment district in Riyadh. The park dropped an announcement video in 2019, with the current estimate for opening being for 2023. The park’s star attraction is the new Intamin coaster, “Falcon’s Flight”. In this article, I am going to be explaining what the problem with the parks are.

The first problem is the location. The park is going to be located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which is located in the middle of the desert, which is not exactly the best place to build a theme park. One of the (not really) nearby parks is Ferrari World, located in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. The park is home to the current fastest coaster in the world “Formula Rossa”, which goes at ~150 MPH. Due to the sand, people who ride have to wear goggles to prevent sand from hitting their eyes at high speeds. Also, you might be prone to heat exhaustion in the Arabian heat.

Another problem has to do with the lead ride, “Falcon’s Flight”. The ride, which a video shows the layout for, is physically impossible.

1. The video, which can be viewed on TheLCBridge. com, shows the ride going up a cliff which is taller than the lift hill; this is impossible unless there is a launch mechanism, which is unseen.

2. The layout looks like it was designed by the Crown Prince’s son on Roller Coaster Tycoon 3– the ride does not bank during the last part, and the airtime hills look like it will launch the person out.

3. If people were to ride it, it would most likely maim or injure the riders.

4. Also, Intimin is known for reliability issues.

The last major problem goes to the location, but from a geopolitical standpoint. Quiddiya is run by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, which is run by Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia, while it is getting better, is still a theological government, which has a bad reputation about the treatment of LGBTQIA+ individuals. One person who pointed this out is Theme Park Enthusiast, Theme Park Crazy.

He stated in a Youtube community post that “The Saudi Arabian government has a horrible human rights record against its own people, as well as women and LGBTQ individuals, and they are directly involved with this park’s development. I get why western nations see Saudi Arabian business relations as necessary (too complex and off-topic to go into), but I’m not

Page lyout by Ryan Pierce Page 19

Opinion

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Image by Lynn McDonald

Super Bowl LV Special: The Changing Of The Guard

By Nathan Tucker nrtucker@lc.edu

W

e are just days away from football’s annual big game, this the 55th installment of the Super Bowl. After all these years, and all the great matchups the Super Bowl has offered us in the past, this year’s contest might have the best quarterback matchup yet.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers playing the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl 55 showcases two of the sport’s most dynamic offenses. The game also represents a possible changing of the guard, as far as prophetic quarterbacks are concerned.

Tom Brady is a quarterback who almost needs no introduction. Old St. Louis Rams fans will know the start of the Tom Brady story all too well. A comeback victory in Super Bowl XXXVI over the Rams kickstarted the legend of “Touchdown Tom”.

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Since that fateful day 19 years ago, Tom Brady has won another five Super Bowls. He lays claim to the title of most Super Bowl victories of any NFL player. Moreover, Brady is the defining quarterback of a generation.

When historians look back on the sport in the future, the past 20 years will be the Tom Brady era.

Only one man has what it takes to become as influential a figure, and he just so happens to play quarterback for the team facing Tom Brady’s Buccaneers. If any one quarterback is the future of the NFL, it’s undoubtedly Patrick Mahomes.

Mahomes is just 25 years old, with a whole career ahead of him, and he’s a year separated from his first Super Bowl win, and Kansas City’s first win in the big game since 1970. His time atop the NFL has only just started, but KC has Sports

embraced Mahomes as their one true messiah, and with good reason.

Patrick Mahomes hasn’t just reinvigorated the Chiefs and their fanbase, he’s shaping the sport of football every time he steps on the field. His arm strength, in combination with his field vision and ability to find an open man anywhere within 80 yards of the line of scrimmage, has Mahomes rewriting the script of what it takes to be an NFL quarterback.

And it’s not entirely shocking to think that this matchup is even better than the historic QB matchups of Super Bowls past. CBS Sports had an article ranking the Super Bowl’s best quarterback matchups, and Brady vs.

Mahomes tops the list at #1, ahead of Joe Montana vs. Dan Marino and John Elway vs. Brett Favre.

Those battles, great duels in their own right, just don’t possess the historical significance that Brady vs. Mahomes can offer the sport. It’s old school vs. new school, it’s likely to be Tom Brady’s last appearance in a Super Bowl, and the second of what KC fans hope to be many for Patrick Mahomes.

It’s two different styles of quarterbacking going at one another. Tom Brady, the master planner and play caller, and Patrick Mahomes, improviser extraordinaire, often best thinking while being chased by a linebacker.

It’s a pocket passer in Tom Brady against a Patrick Mahomes who can throw a football 70 yards while running. It’s the old ways of the Tampa Bay pass-heavy almost “air raid” offense facing off with it’s more modern counterpart in Kansas City, an offense that relies more on the creativity of its players to find opportunities on the field.

And both teams are full of playmakers that play into the strengths of these franchise quarterbacks, esSports

pecially for teams without a “star” or even a “top-tier” running back.

Both the Chiefs and Buccaneers have managed just fine this season without a workhorse back, and both teams have utilized a multi-headed rushing attack to balance their offense to reach this point.

If you had to pick a running back to be on the lookout for in this Super Bowl encounter, it has to be KC’s Clyde Edwards-Helaire. The Chiefs have given Edwards-Helaire limited opportunities as he’s been dealing with an injury for the past month or so, but is planning on being a full participant in Sunday’s Super Bowl.

While not the best runner in between the tackles, Helaire possesses an incredible ability to find open space for the passing game, and is one of the best route-running RBs in the sport.

He has the potential to stretch a Tampa Bay defense that loves to crowd in tight and try to give quarterbacks a tough time.

The Chiefs could have a plan to pass to Edwards-Helaire in the flat, or out wide closer to the out of bounds lines, and keep pressure away from Patrick Mahomes, who’s been dealing with a nagging foot injury throughout the playoffs and might not be as agile as usual.

For Tampa Bay, you’d almost imagine that Tom Brady’s pal and longtime tight end target Rob Gronkowski makes a reemergence in the Buccaneers offense, after largely being used as a decoy throughout the playoffs. Gronk has just 43 yards receiving in the playoffs so far.

But if history is an indicator, there’s holes in the Kansas City defense that Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady can and have exploited in the past.

Just in November, Gronkowski had his best game as a Tampa Bay Buccaneer against these very Kansas City Chiefs. Gronk caught six pass-

es for 106 yards, including one 48 yard bomb.

Most importantly, this game will be a great test of defenses that have managed to hold other high scoring offenses at bay in the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl. Tampa Bay managed to contain Aaron Rodgers and a very dynamic Packers offense at bay long enough to pull out a victory in the NFC Championship game.

The Chiefs defense made almost easy work of the Bills offense, which many thought had the power to overtake an occasionally less than stellar Chiefs secondary. Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs were neutralized, and despite leading 9-0 to start the game, never made much of a challenge down the stretch.

It’s hard to truly judge how this game plays out, but I think you can look at a history of how the Chiefs have played this season and get a grasp of the way the games play out when they are expected to win, as Vegas believes they will. KC is favored to win by three points at most major sportsbooks.

The Chiefs have a tendency to let teams back into games, but still win.

They did as much in their playoff game against the Cleveland Browns, but in fairness, they were without Patrick Mahomes for the final third of that game.

In the previous war of attrition, Kansas City was favored by five points, and was up by 17 with a quarter remaining. Tampa scored twice, but the Bucs comeback fell just short, and KC won 27-24.

I see this game befalling a similar fate, with Kansas City building a lead, and Tampa Bay coming back late, but falling short.

Final prediction: Chiefs 34, Bucs 28 Page 22

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