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VOL. 112 NO. 7

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THE GREEN BANDANA: MORE THAN A CLOTH

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NEWS

News Editor: Jake Slebodnick – J.C.Slebodnick@iup.edu Lead News Writer: Anna Mechling – A.Mechling@iup.edu

Eberly College of Business’ Dean Robert Camp announces retirement

NASA Scientist James Tucker talks Earth’s climate Thursday

JAKE SLEBODNICK

News Editor J.C.Slebodnick@iup.edu @Jake_WIUP

The Eberly College of Business and Information Technology will say goodbye to its dean at the end of the year.

Dr. Robert Camp announced his retirement from his position as dean Thursday that takes effect on June 30.

Camp took the position in June 1988 and will take up a faculty role in the IUP Department of Management following his retirement as dean. During his (IUP Website) tenure, Camp witnessed the birth Dr. Robert Camp (right) announced that he will retire effective after the current academic year. of Eberly when it was constructed He will take on a new role as faculty in the Department of Management. as well as three citations within Princeton’s Review’s Best Business Along with these accolades, he alphabetical order.

The Center for Family Business School since 2005. made formidable contributions recognizes family businesses that Additionally, Camp played a in developing and creating new achieved industrial success and pivotal role in the vast recruitprograms and initiatives within successfully transferred the busiment of international students the business college. nesses down to their next of kin. within the business college, givThese initiatives include the The Family Business Award began ing it a diverse atmosphere.

Business Honors Program, the in 1998 with the James Family When he was hired, Camp’s College of Business Advisory (James Industries in Duncansville) goal for the business school was Council, the Management Sertaking home the inaugural award. for Eberly to receive accreditation vices Group, the Business Hall Since then, 18 families have from the Association to Advance of Distinction and the Center for taken it home, with the McAneny College Schools of Business.

Family Business. family from Ebensburg recently According to IUP’s website, this The Student Advisory Council winning it in 2018. goal came to fruition in 2001 and consists of multiple student orAs a distinguished writer, remained ganizations Camp published more than 50 in effect within the scholarly publications, which for several Eberly Colyears. lege of Busi- includes pieces from the International Journal of Management, During ness and Journal of Global Management, Camp’s tenInformation Journal of Global Marketing, ure as dean, Technology. he reached Its mission is Journal of Portfolio Management and the Journal of Higher several to offer varEducation. accomplishious events Additionally, he is the editor ments, such and funcfor the Journal of Competitiveas helping tions within Dean, Eberly College of Business and Information Technology ness Studies. to create the the college “It has been an honor for me School of International Manageto get business majors active to have served the university ment, international partnerships within their majors. expansions for graduate proThe Business Hall of Distinction and the college for over three decades,” Camp said, according grams and assisting in bringing is the business college equivalent to IUP’s website. the Eberly College of Business to the IUP Hall of Fame within the “I’ve been blessed to have and Information Technology Memorial Field House. worked with an innumerable numBusiness Advisory Council and Distinguished awardees are ber of outstanding faculty, adminthe creation of the Young Alumni listed on IUP’s website with their istrators, staff and student leaders Advisory Council. current job titles and companies, who deserve collective collective The Business Advisory Council and website viewers can view credit for many successes of the hosts more than 70 IUP alumni their detailed biographies.

College during this period.” and business professionals.

These awardees are listed in

“It has been an honor for me to have served the university and the college for over three decades.”

- Robert Camp,

News

February 11, 2020

(Rob Hinkal/The Penn) Famed NASA/Goddard Space Center scientist James Tucker hosted a program on combining satellite radar and climate change. Tucker joined NASA in 1977 and since then detected early famine detection, desert locust control, terrestrial primary production and more.

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Police Blotter ALCOHOL/Drug VIOLATIONS (IUP Website) Green bandanas are to raise mental health awareness and show that IUP is a stigma-free campus.

The green bandana: More than a cloth ANNA MECHLING Lead News Writer A.Mechling@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

The Health and Wellness Promotion program is promoting its new project, the green bandana project.

Since Friday, the Health and Wellness Promotion trained around 100 staff and faculty members and students at IUP. It started the green bandana project based on the University of Wisconsin Madison’s program. For more information on The University of Wisconsin Madison’s green bandana project, visit namiuw.org/the-bandana-project. html.

Both programs are designed to spread awareness and supply resources for those with mental illnesses or who are struggling with a mental health crisis.

The long-term project is meant to establish support and signify the importance of IUP being a stigma-free campus.

The reason the bandanas are green is because green represents mental health awareness. The bandanas will be tied to backpacks or purses in order to show that those are safe individuals who care, who are trained and who others can approach about mental health awareness.

“We want the students to recognize what the green bandana signifies and that they are safe individuals to approach to gain resources on mental health,” said Sara Dillon, assistant direct of Health and Wellness Promotion.

Staff, faculty and students who are interested in helping spread awareness and pass out the green bandanas and resource cards need to be trained.

Dillon recommends that people interested in raising awareness of mental health and passing out bandanas and resource cards go to the overview training.

Contact Sara Dillon at S.C.Dillon@iup.edu or call

724-357-6476. Dillon’s office is lostigma-free.” cated in Suites on Maple East G59.

Dillon and her staff are the Training is more of an overview process of training staff, faculty, of the bandana project, so people students and organizations on understand what they are comcampus; however, the Center for mitting to. Those who are trained, Health and Well-Being provides however, aren’t counselors or many other resources on campus therapists but are helping to raise as well. awareness and give out resource The Counseling Center, Health cards to students about mental Services and Health and Wellhealth and mental health awareness Promotion are in the Center ness. for Health and There will be a 5- to “I hope it will let Well-Being, which 10-minute overview of students know that is open from 8 a.m. the bandana project – 4:30 p.m. Monthey aren’t alone with day through Friday before people can help pass out material. in Suites on their struggles with located Anyone can request Maple East ground to have the overview mental health." floor. For more training done. The information, visit Health and Wellness iup.edu/chwb/.

- Sara Dillon, Promotion does not The Counseling Assistant Director, yet have a specific IUP Health and Wellness Promotion Center is open from date, location or time 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. for anyone to attend the overview Monday through Friday and has training but hopes to soon plan walk-in hours 1 – 3 p.m. Monday that out. through Friday. It is located in The Health and Wellness ProSuite G31. motion trained the Health Center Health Services are open from 8 staff, RA’s and RHA, two classes a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday through of Dr. Mueller (student affairs of Friday. Patient care is from 8 a.m. higher education).

– 4:30 p.m. Monday through ThursThey are hoping to reach out day, and 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. on to other large groups and orgaFriday. nizations on campus like student Health and Wellness Promotion athletes and student life, too. is open from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. and Ultimately, the Health and then from 1 – 4:30 p.m. and is Wellness Promotion hopes to form located in Suite G59. solidarity on campus and let stuThe IUP Campus Police and the dents know the individuals who are Open Door, which is a non-profit trained and carry green bandanas behavioral health organization that and resource cards are caring and provides treatment and services understanding and can give them related to drug, alcohol and the resources and guide them to mental health-related issues, are get the help they need. also helpful resources and services “I am hoping IUP becomes a available in Indiana. stigma-free campus and that the IUP Police is located in Unigreen bandanas become wellversity Towers 850 Maple St. and known on campus for what they the phone number is 724-357stand for, which is solidarity,” 2141. The Office of Public Safety Dillion said. oversees the University Police and “I hope it will let students know Campus Safety offices and is open that they aren’t alone with their 24/7. struggles with mental health. I The Open Door’s 24-hour crisis believe mental illness is a big hotline is 1-877-333-2470. Its concern on our campus, and my location is 334 Philadelphia St. For hope is that through this project, more information on the Open we become a campus that is Door, visit theopendoor.org.

• Debra Helman, 42, of Indiana was charged with public drunkenness, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a small amount of marijuana and disorderly conduct when she was discovered to be highly intoxicated and in possession of several items of heroin/cocaine paraphernalia at 9:15 p.m. Feb. 7 in the 00 block of S. 11th Street, according to Indiana Borough Police.

• Pricilla Williams, 19, of McKeesport; Katrina Guy, 18, of McKeesport; and Tasheena Carson, 19, of McKeesport were charged with underage drinking, and Brytney Kelly, 19, of McKeesport was charged with possession of a small amount of marijuana, underage drinking and one-way roadways. Borough police conducted a traffic stop on a car going the wrong way down a oneway street at 1:07 a.m. Jan. 26 in the 500 block of School Street.

During the stop, officers found a small amount of marijuana and several containers of alcohol in the vehicle. Guy was taken into custody because there was a warrant out of McKeesport for her. The rest were released on the scene, according to borough police.

MISCELLANEOUS VIOLATIONS

• Emma Shaddick of Monaca was charged with hit and run and a stop sign violation after borough police investigated a motor vehicle accident that occurred around 5:48 p.m. Feb. 9 at the intersection of Washington Street and Wayne Avenue. Two vehicles collided with minor damage, and one car fled the scene.

Shaddick was identified as the driver of the fleeing car, according to borough police.

• Raed Alsulami, 25, of Indiana; and Jesse Switzer, 25, of Portage were cited for harassment due to Alsulami and Switzer engaged in an altercation concerning a loose dog roaming the area around 2:02 a.m. Feb. 9 in the 00 block of S. Fifth Street, according to borough police.

This Day in History: 2006

(Wikimedia Commons)

Vice President Dick Cheney shoots Harry Whitington in a quail-hunting accident in Texas.

February 11, 2020

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February 11, 2020

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How much do you spend each semester? Stapleton wants to know!

(Heather Bair/The Penn) As a social experiment to see how much money students spend per semester, Stapleton Library let students write their purchases on multicolored notepads and stick them on the white board near the entrance. Students’ answers varied from to tuition to recreational items.

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February 11, 2020

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Do students trust Punxsutawney Phil after snow hits Indiana?

EMILY LOOSE

Staff Writer E.D.Loose@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

As the year goes from January to February, spring will soon be on its way, but how soon will it actually be?

Punxsutawney Phil came out of his hole Feb. 2 to see no shadow in front of him. According to Groundhog Day tradition, this means that there is going to be an early spring for 2020.

The tradition started centuries ago without a groundhog. It was originally clergymen handing out candles that represented how long winter lasted.

This later passed to Germany, which used a hedgehog until arriving in Pennsylvania. They switched to groundhogs, as they are more abundant in the state.

But can people trust a groundhog to really predict weather?

The Stormfax Almanac shows that Punxsutawney Phil has been

(Flickr) We’ve seen heavy snowfall since Punxsutawney Phil declared an early spring a few weeks ago.

Does this show he was wrong?

correct only 39 percent of the time since first being recorded back in 1887.

Back in 2017, the Dayton Daily found that only 3 percent of Americans use Groundhog Day as an accurate forecast.

Will this year be one of the rarer times when Phil is right?

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When asked, students at IUP were evenly split on the matter.

Even though he thinks the idea is odd, Blaine Shindel (senior, psychology) has some faith in the tradition.

“The groundhog is not always right, but it will be an early spring,” he said. “The weather

has been a lot warmer this year.”

Alexis Sterner (junior, communications media) also sees the chance for an early spring. Due to the current discussions on climate change, she said it could have just been an easier year for weather.

“Global warming is happening, and it is consistently getting warm after snowstorms this year.

Most of Friday’s storm is gone already,” Sterner said, mentioning the heavy snow that Indiana had received last week.

Other students are not as convinced, however. With winter in Pennsylvania being lighter than in many previous years, they find it hard to know for sure.

Anna Howie (junior, foreign languages) is currently in Spain studying abroad and is not in the Pennsylvania weather, but she still had doubts about the groundhog.

“Based on the weather here in Spain, I'd say an early spring has potential here,” she said.

“But given it was snowing there that day (on Feb. 2), I'm not sure I completely agree that there will be an early spring for Pennsylvania.”

Tristan West (junior, communications media) is used to the tradition being incorrect and sees the latest prediction to be false, as well.

“I don’t think it’s true,” he said. “The past few years, winter came late and stayed late.”

He also cited how the weather had been following the prediction.

“The same thing seems to be happening this time around, too,” he said. “I don’t believe in this stuff.”

Whether they believe this year’s prediction or not, the students all agreed that believing a groundhog was not the best way to learn about the weather.

“It’s a great tradition, so why not?” Shindel said. “Still, I wouldn’t see it as a real method.

If meteorologists can’t always be right, neither can a groundhog.”

FDA continues to prove the connection of cell phones, cancer nonexistent SCOTT MORITZ Bloomburg News TNS

After reviewing 11 years of published, scientific studies, the Food and Drug Administration remains convinced there's no obvious health risk posed by exposure to radio waves from mobile phones, according to a new report.

"The available epidemiological and cancer incidence data continues to support the agency's determination that there are no quantifiable adverse health effects in humans caused by exposures at or under the current cellphone exposure limits," according to the report.

The finding coincides with the global expansion of next generation, or 5G, networks, which has reawakened decades-old fears that radio-frequency radiation poses a health threat. The report, an update of a similar finding in 2018, says there's no conclusive evidence, "no consistent pattern" that supports concerns about tumors or cancer.

The report stops short of a 100 percent conclusion. In fact, the FDA continues to urge researchers to conduct live studies on animals

(TNS) The FDA says that there is no direct correlation between cell phone radiation and cancer.

and humans, as well as shift some of the focus from the general population to subsets of people who many be predisposed to tumor risk.

One study, published in 2018 by the U.S. National Toxicology Program, showed rats exposed to very high levels of electromagnetic radiation developed tumors. But the FDA report found flaws with that research, and said those findings were both inconclusive and not applicable to humans.

The fears of mobile phone radiation have created a backlash against network expansion in places like Wohlen, Switzerland, where the village banned new wireless antennas. The tensions have risen

because proposed 5G networks require more cell sites than 4G networks and sites need to be closer to users, for example on light posts and sides of buildings.

Major U.S. carriers – Verizon Communications Inc., AT&T Inc., T-Mobile US Inc. and Sprint Corp.

– are just now building and activating their 5G networks.

Local opposition in parts of the U.S. like Mill Valley, Calif., continues, and it has been running up against federal efforts to streamline the 5G build-out. Federal Communications Commission Chairman Ajit Pai has made 5G a national priority, saying it's illegal for local governments to block new wireless infrastructure.

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Democratic candidates use ‘electability’ as elevator pitch for PA voters ANDREW SEIDMAN Philadelphia Inquirer TNS

What's the key to beating President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania in 2020?

The Democratic presidential candidates mostly aren't campaigning in Pennsylvania yet.

But they are trying to convince voters in early states who are obsessed with "electability" that they can win critical battlegrounds such as Pennsylvania.

Trump won the state by less than 1% in 2016, which along with razor-thin victories in Michigan and Wisconsin helped elevate him to the White House. Pennsylvania is expected to play a similarly decisive role this year.

There's no special formula for Democrats to win back a state they lost for the first time since 1988. But House Democrats who flipped Republican districts in the midterm elections say their 2018 victories offer some clues.

In interviews, they favored unity and a positive message over pugilism. They supported pragmatic proposals on issues like health care and immigration.

And they said the Democratic nominee should try to win over swing voters who may have backed Trump last time.

"I think people are not just wanting, but craving, somebody who will be a unifier," said Rep. Susan Wild, who represents a Lehigh Valley district Trump narrowly lost but had long been held by the GOP. "Who will respect different types of people, different opinions, different points of view. And won't talk down to anybody, won't make fun of anybody."

Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, who became the first Democrat to represent Chester County in Congress since the 1850s, emphasized the importance of not getting distracted by Trump.

"What we're for – not who we're against – is really an important message," Houlahan said. "That is not only a winning message but it's the right message. People want to know you are not running against things but rather that you represent positive change."

Wild added: "I wouldn't

(TNS) Congresswoman Elect Susan Wild smiled after talking to the crowd during the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce’s annual meeting and awards show Thurs, Nov. 8, 2018 at the Sands Bethlehem Events Center.

spend one second talking about Trump. I'd spend time talking about why I can bring things back from the brink."

Democrats have been consumed by what approaches to take against Trump in the general election. And if the disarray from last week's Iowa caucuses is any indication, the Democratic primary is shaping up as a long, messy fight between the liberal and more centrist wings of the party. Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a self-identified democratic socialist, and former Mayor Pete Buttigieg of South Bend, Ind., had been locked in a virtual tie in Iowa for days.

It remains to be seen whether the results of Tuesday's New Hampshire primary will offer any clarity.

For his part, Trump emerged from his Senate impeachment trial with an acquittal and the highest approval ratings of his presidency, according to Gallup.

During his State of the Union address Tuesday, Trump previewed his reelection message by heralding a "great American come-

back" and casting his presidency as a bulwark against socialism and illegal immigration.

In March 2018, Conor Lamb won a special election in a Western Pennsylvania district that Trump carried by almost 20 points, giving Democrats their first big victory of the year.

(Because of a change in congressional maps imposed by the state Supreme Court, Lamb now represents a district that Trump would have won by fewer than 3 points. The same redrawing also made Houlahan's and Wild's districts less Republican.)

"I would be looking for any presidential nominee to come in and just be very straight with working people about how you're going to defend their jobs, how you're going to get their paychecks up, their drug prices down," he said.

Lamb said he opposes proposals championed by some on the left – including Sens. Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren – to create a single-payer health care system. "I don't see it as a very realistic answer to the

problems people are having in my district," he said.

Sanders, Warren and other candidates have also called for decriminalizing illegal border crossings.

"I don't agree with it, and again I think it's unrealistic," Lamb said. "We need to stop having these debates that are about symbolism, that are about tweets or about emotion – or I don't know what they're about.

"We need to talk about proposals that can actually command a majority support in Congress and among the American people," he added.

"Our No. 1 task has to be to start trying to bring people back together and get some kind of concerted action in D.C. and get things done."

Lamb and Houlahan have both endorsed Biden and campaigned for him in Iowa. Wild said she would not endorse a candidate in the primary.

They all said their party must make clear to voters that Trump and Republicans in Congress tried to repeal the Affordable

Care Act – and the administration is now trying to gut it in court.

"I think we have to be unified as a party that every American has a right to quality affordable health care," Wild said. "That has to be the No. 1 message.

That really is the overriding difference I think between Democrats and Republicans in Washington."

Perhaps the president's strongest argument for reelection is the economy. A Gallup poll released last week found that 63 percent of Americans approve of Trump's handling of the economy, up 6 points from November, and the highest marks for any president in almost 20 years.

Democrats said they still saw an opening for their party's nominee on the issue.

"There are a lot of people ... who are comfortable, whose holdings are going nicely," Wild said.

"The vast majority of working Americans are still struggling to get by."

As Lamb put it: "It's fine for us to say we're happy there are some great economic indicators out there. But most Americans don't own stock. ... We want to see people's paychecks go up."

Raising the minimum wage and allowing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, Lamb said, would put more money in people's pockets.

"Then the money actually is spent in real towns in Western Pennsylvania, as opposed to on Wall Street or wherever else money gets spent by the wealthy," he said.

Trump won Pennsylvania in part by flipping working-class counties that had voted for Barack Obama. Democratic activists and party leaders have debated whether they should focus on winning back those ObamaTrump voters or on mobilizing scores of new voters.

Lamb pointed to his special election in a district that overwhelmingly favored Trump over Hillary Clinton as evidence that Democrats can win back swing voters. "But it matters how you talk, it matters what issues you emphasize," he said. "You gotta know the industries, the jobs, the economic life of Western Pennsylvania. That has to be your focus."

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Opinion

Editors express feelings on Valentine’s Day 1. Editor-In-Chief, Katie Mest

I love love and candy. However, Valentine’s Day is just a made-up holiday that’s sole purpose is to sell candy, flowers and cards. But if you do decide to celebrate V-Day, make a point to actually acknowledge the people you love and care about. At the very least, call your parents and/or close friends and show them some love.

2. Managing Editor, Steven Langdon Jr.

Valentine’s Day is my second least favorite holiday behind New Year’s Day. I never understood it, to be honest. I just remember having hand cramps writing my name for the distribution of cards in grade school. In the end, the day is a waste, and I do not plan on getting any girlfriend I ever have something for the occasion.

3. Managing Editor, Jess Truby

I don’t mind Valentine’s Day. I think it can be a waste of money when people go over the top and that is unnecessary. It can be a sweet day for little gestures to show the people you love just how much you love them. While you should be doing this all the time, it’s nice to have a day to look forward to get something special. Or, if you know you’re not getting anything special, candy is on sale the day after.

4. News Editor, Jake Slebodnick

I think Valentine’s Day is just a marketing ploy for candy and stuffed animal companies to capitalize on love. Why the hell should people show affection and appreciation for one day out of the year when you should show it all the time? No, this is isn’t sour grapes cause I’m single. It’s a knowledge bomb for those who will waste more than $100 on unnecessary garbage all for one night of fun betwix the sheets. C’mon, people.

5. Culture Editor, Heather Bair

I never liked Valentine’s Day and probably never will. It doesn’t make sense to spend one day a year showing someone you love them a little bit more.

If you can’t show them everyday of the year, why do we need one day? Why waste a ton of money on gifts like candy or stuffed animals when all that matters is spending time with someone you love?

6. Sports Editor, Elliot Hicks

Valentine’s Day isn’t too bad. While people are giving the holiday a lot of hate so far, I have nothing bad to say about it. Sure, you may have to spend a little extra money, but overall it can create some nice memories from the special nature of the day.

7. Copy Editor, Marty Weaver I like the discounted candy the day after. That’s

about it. I’ll probably do what I’ve been doing every Friday this year: getting some awful food from Sheetz, curling up on the chair that’s giving me back problems and watching the 2005 “Pride and Prejudice.” I’m going to keep writing because Steve told me to. Birds. Colored pens. Light-hearted period pieces. Sleep. Weighted blankets. Kitty cats.

8. Grapic Designer, Teddy Jeannette

While I acknowledge that valentines day is inherently a capitalist ploy to get us to buy more candy, I cant ignore the fact that I love candy and have an obligation, as someone in a relationship, to participate. But, it’s always nice to do things for your significant other.

9. Photo Editor, Autumn Dorsey I don’t need these boys, I’m taking myself on the best date ever... NBA All Star Weekend. HA.

10. Video Editor, Sean Seaman I like Valentines day for the dinner and feeling of celebration.

11. Audio Editor, Kyle Scott

The only thing i like less than Valentine’s Day is people that pronounce it Valen-times Day.

Letter from the editor On Feb. 4, The Penn published an article about an ongoing investigation into hazing by a fraternity on campus, and since then, we have updated parts of the article.

Students join The Penn to learn to report on real stories that impact the Indiana community. We take what we learn and practice in classes and apply those lessons to the stories that end up in our issues each week. And we take what we do seriously. Because we are a student-run publication, however, we inevitably make a few mistakes along the way.

In the Feb. 4 story, we

wrongly attributed information that was reported, and we regret the error.

Phi Kappa Psi members had an incident in 2017 that involved fraternity members and football team members.

The information referenced in The Penn article was reported

by IUP journalism students for The HawkEye, an Indiana community-journalism project.

It should have been clear in the article that the reporting was done by HawkEye reporters.

The result was a product of inexperience and an honest mistake. We do not want to

discredit the work done The HawkEye. In addition, the Feb. 4 article mentioned information about the 2017 incident that after further review we felt was not necessary to include in the article about the current hazing incident. That information has been taken down.

As an editorial staff, we have looked long and hard over the article from the reporting to the editing. We have taken this as a learning opportunity to better serve readers in the future.

By The Penn Staff (TNS)

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Opinion

Culture

Culture Editor: Heather Bair – zzzx@iup.edu Lead Culture Writer: Haley Brown– ydmx@iup.edu

(Facebook) Jim Gaffigan’s “Pale Tourist” tour began in 2019 and will last until late fall 2020. It also includes 15 countries, as well as the United States.

Stand-up comic includes Indiana in world tour HEATHER BAIR Culture Editor H.Bair@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Stand-up comedian Jim Gaffigan is hitting Indiana on Aug. 22 on his world tour.

Gaffigan will be presenting new material on his Indiana stop of “The Pale Tourist” tour, which is set to hit 50 cities in the U.S., Canada and other countries around the world.

He’s a jack of many trades, bearing the titles of not only comedian, but writer, actor and producer. His quips on Twitter have garnered him more than 2.5 million followers, and Rolling Stone listed him as one of the

Culture

“25 funniest people on Twitter” in 2012.

Gaffigan’s routine includes discussion on fatherhood, observations, laziness and food. He uses little profanity in them, and three of his comedy specials, “Mr. Universe,” “Obsessed” and “Cinco” have received Grammy nominations. He is noted in reviews for being an “everyman” and “clean comic.” He tends to stray from profanity in his acts.

In the early years of Gaffigan’s comedic career, he varied between impressions and voices and eventually found his niche for stand-up comedy on “The Late Show with David Letterman.” Most famous is his “Hot Pocket” routine, in which he

complains about Hot Pockets.

Gaffigan also tried his hand at acting and has appeared in more than 200 TV commercials before returning to stand-up comedy in the ‘90s. He starred in “Super Troopers,” “Super Troopers 2” and “Chappaquiddick.”

Aug. 16, 2019, Gaffigan released his unprecedented seventh stand-up special, “Quality Time,” on Amazon Prime. This made history as Amazon’s first original comedy special.

Another title Gaffigan holds is writer. He released a book called “Dad Is Fat,” which is a collection of essays dealing with raising his children and reminiscing about his childhood. He also released “Food: A Love Story,” about food

February 11, 2020

memories, opinions and fantasies.

His wife also released a book, “When Life Gives You Pears,” about her experience with a brain tumor and how her family of five kids and her husband helped her through it.

Gaffigan starred in his own show, “The Jim Gaffigan Show,” written and produced by Gaffigan. The show was not renewed for a third season due to Gaffigan and his wife wanting to spend more time with their five children.

It followed Gaffigan as a fictionalized version as a stand-up comedian raising five children in an apartment in New York City.

Other comedians gueststarred on the show, including

Chris Rock, John Mulaney, Will Ferrell and Jimmy Fallon.

After his stand-up special with Amazon, Gaffigan announced his world tour. The tour started in November 2019 and will run until late fall 2020.

Gaffigan is one of only 10 comedians in history to sell out Madison Square Garden arena.

During his shows, he’ll be performing all new material while pulling some old favorites out of his hat. Some shows are already sold out, including his stop in Philadelphia on Oct. 24.

Tickets for “The Pale Tourist” can be purchased at IUPtix.com or at the Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex Box Office on campus.

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February 11, 2020

Culture

Green Day releases new “Father of All...’ album JAKE SLEBODNICK

News Editor J.C.Slebodnick@iup.edu @Jake_WIUP

This article contains opinion.

For the final time in their career, Green Day released an album under Reprise records.

“Father of All…” was released on Friday and brings ten tracks, spanning 26 minutes, that focus on returning the band back to their punk roots of 1992. They were teasing this album since November when the single of the same name was released and the announcement of the Hella Mega Tour was revealed.

This was the first original album since the politically charged “Revolution Radio” in 2016.

These songs received little positive outlook upon release, but when put together with the full album, they become favored by the public.

So strap up rockers, we’re breaking down this album song by song.

“Father of All…” The first song on the album received mixed feedback upon its release, and rightfully so.

It introduces the album with a different definition as to how Green Day produces music.

We play witness to Billie Joe Armstrong utilizing his falsetto through a radio filter throughout and an upbeat backing track that gives listeners the feeling that they are taking the punk genre to a new level.

Tre Cool experiments with the tempo by focusing more on the downbeat and adding emphasis to that as well.

From what I’ve gathered, the negative reaction came due to the different sound this song produced. Green Day promoted that they were moving back to their sounds heard on Kerplunk (1992) and Dookie (1994) and we got the opposite.

Personally, I like the song. But I see why some might think this is a sour note to begin an album with.

“Fire, Ready, Aim” This song comes in as the flagship song for the NHL, it’s under two minutes in length and focuses on how the community acts without thinking of repercussions.

(Facebook) Green Day’s new album, “Father of All...” (right) is their last album to be released under Reprise Records. Their last album, “Revolution Radio,” (left) was released in 2016.

The chorus, while it repeats the same three words, reverses their order to emphasize the point that American citizens are quick to act in the world and doesn’t give a metaphoric damn about the repercussions that come with it.

While the high intensity and meaning behind the song are something to behold, it’s the short length that turns me off from it, as it always ends just as I’m getting into it. If you can throw the length aside, this song is a heavy hit for sure.

“Oh Yeah!”

This was the only song on the album I can say that I absolutely loathed. But for some reason, the band continues to promote the hell out of it.

The sound isn’t quite what Green Day is known for and it gives off the vibe of a novelty tune because of it’s bubble gum pop sound to it and the undertones of anti-war messages and their stance on modern-day government.

I will say, however, that I’m a big fan of their pre-2000s metal punk sound, so I am a little biased against this song. If you are a fan of strong messages, flashy music videos and a more relaxed approach to a marquee track on an album, you’ll love it.

“Meet Me on the Roof”

“Stab You in the Heart”

Now this is where my favorite songs begin.

Meet Me on the Roof is the all-natural party tune that fans hungered for since the announcement of the album.

This hit promotes leaving your all on the dance floor and living the night away. Losing your nerve and meeting on the rooftop for the ultimate Friday night bash we’ve all dreamt about at some point in our lives.

Plus, the selling point was featuring Gaten Matarazzo in the music video that also came out the night of the album. Now that’s a way to kick off your release.

If you’re angry and want to fight, this is the song you want to listen to.

This upbeat, high intensity song combines a classic 70s punk sound with an angry mid-2000s grunge lyrical set to bring an anger-fueled mid-track that is always fun to listen to.

Kicking, screaming and hardcore imagery are what this song is all about.

“I Was a Teenage Teenager” I know when I heard that title, I thought it was a misprint. While this was not the case, the song was an instant classic for more reasons than one.

The first reason was its relative sound to “Outlaws” from Revolution Radio. Personally, that song was a fantastic middle track that was able to lower the intensity while keeping my focus.

In this tune we are all “full of p*ss and vinegar” and we feel like we should break something.

If you want a song you can just pick and listen to off the album, this would be it.

“Sugar Youth” While this song is also less than two minutes in length, it brings yet another upbeat tempo to introduce the bottom portion of the album.

This song reminds me of “Christian’s Inferno” from 21st Century Breakdown due to the manic guitars backing the vocals that are a healthy mix of vocal straining and mellow choral interludes. Moreover, the backing vocals of bassist Mike Dirnt complement the offbeat in a rather peculiar way.

If you want something to add to your gym playlist that is of a decent length, this would be it.

“Junkies on a High” To be honest, I’m not too crazy about this song.

It’s not bad, but it doesn’t grab my attention like the others. This is more of a track to put on while your doing homework or some other passive activity.

“Take the Money and Crawl” This two-minute hit starts slow and ends on a very high note, something Green Day is no stranger to when writing the second to last song on an album.

The explicatives within aren’t necessary but they add a unique touch to it.

This is a song where I ask you to give it a listen anyway since it requires personal input.

“Graffitia” The final song on the album and it really sent us home in a fiery way.

The musical chorus featuring a keyboard, guitars and a steady percussion line mixed in with undertones of modern issues, like racial bias in the police force, combine for an aesthetic trip that will make you want to repeat the entire album again.

It’s like if it were the final score of a musical. It sends you home feeling happy, refreshed and happy.

While this wasn’t their best work, Green Day’s “Father of All…” is an album worth listening to.

Culture

February 11, 2020

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February 11, 2020

Culture

Viewers have mixed feelings on ‘Birds of Prey’ film JEREMY STOUT

Staff Writer J.W.Stout2@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

This article contains opinion.

Director Cathy Yan’s “Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn” is, like its title, exhausting.

The film, a follow-up to the much derided “Suicide Squad,” tries to salvage Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn from the wreckage of that previous effort by throwing out Jared Leto’s Joker attempts to put as much distance between it and that movie.

As Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez) notes after Harley blows up Ace Chemicals, “She just publicly updated her relationship status.”

Unfortunately, that toxic relationship was the only thing keeping everyone in Gotham City from trying to kill Harley.

Now, everyone is gunning for her, including crime boss and rich jerk Black Mask (Ewan McGregor, giving maybe the worst performance of his career).

The idea is to show Harley finding herself away from the abusive

(Facebook) “Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn”is considered the sequel to “Suicide Squad,” which premiered in 2016.

relationship that’s defined her for so long. It’s too bad that screen writer Christina Hodson’s only idea was “what if she was just leftist Deadpool?”

The “Deadpool” movies are tiring with their endless narration and bad fourth wall breaking, and it’s no different here. It’s not a

joke to just have a character point out that you’re watching a movie!

Harley pontificates about all the cliched plot elements, as though that stops them from being cliche. It doesn’t. It just draws attention to how sloppy this whole thing is.

Sure, Yan and Hodson throw in

some safe corporatized feminism, but it doesn’t go beyond a base level pat on the back “girl power.”

The relationships between characters are poorly thought out and put together.

Harley is the only one who gets enough screen time to be consid-

ered fleshed out, but that’s being generous. Everyone else just walks in and out of scenes shrugging with surface level comments about how that patriarchy is bad.

The worst of it is Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s Huntress.

She exists for most of the runtime to show up randomly and kill a character before they have a chance to exposit some plot points at you and the other characters.

Yan and cinematographer Matthew Libatique succeed in creating coherent action sequences. That would feel like a colossal success when compared to other superhero films, but I was just thankful for everyone to stop talking.

If you’re wondering if it’s at least better than “Suicide Squad,” no.

That movie was creepy, misanthropic and insanely misogynistic.

This is bad in a whole new equally as tiresome way.

So, it’s more of a lateral move.

I just hope this is the last time for a long time that I have to see Harley Quinn on the big screen.

That well is poisoned.

Women rule in new Harley Quinn movie ‘Birds of Prey’ MARTY WEAVER Copy Editor zglz@iup.edu @mrweavs This article contains opinion.

“Birds of Prey” kicked my ass and took my name.

The film follows the Joker’s ex, Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), as she tries to figure out how to live life without Mr. J. Like any good bisexual, Harley gets into roller derby, cuts her hair and starts a side business as a mercenary – among other things – to cope. She winds up in a nightclub owned by Roman Sionis, also known as the Black Mask (Ewan McGregor).

That’s when the sh*t starts to hit the fan.

Harley drunkenly decides to blow up the Ace Chemicals plant as a middle-finger to the Joker, as that was where she took a plunge into a vat of chemicals to prove her devotion to him. This act, however, shows all of Gotham that she and the Joker are no more – meaning that everyone that Harley’s ever wronged could come after her with

(Facebook) The all-female cast was headed by Harley Quinn, played by Margot Robbie.

no repercussions.

Harleen Quinzel certainly isn’t the only focus of the film, though.

Next, we learn about Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez), the grizzled lesbian Gotham City police detective with a penchant for cheesy one-liners. She broke a case that her then-partner took credit for, so she’s stuck as a detective while he got promoted to captain.

Then we meet Dinah Lance, aka Black Canary (Jurnee Smol-

lett-Bell), Sionis’ favorite singer-turned-his-personal-chauffeur.

She has an aloof personality, but she doesn’t hesitate to help those in need.

Huntress, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, is a quiet, unassuming figure with an affinity for crossbows and revenge. I won’t spoil her true identity here, so go see the movie for yourself for her big reveal.

Finally, we meet Cassandra Cain

(Ella Jay Basco), a teenage pickpocket who would rather get in loads of trouble than spend time in an abusive foster home.

Again, I don’t want to give away too many plot points, so let’s move on to what made this movie work: the strength of women working together to take down men in power.

Near the end of the film, there is a large fight between a huge gang of men and these five fiersome females in an old amusement park. The women, armed only with Harley’s old store of weapons, manage to take out dozens of armed men – with the power of teamwork.

While “Barracuda” by Heart blares in the background, the camera zooms around the room, focusing on the different strengths and abilities each woman has.

Montoya makes good use of brass knuckles to clobber the gangsters, Lance manages to kick everyone while wearing incredibly tight pants, Huntress uses her assassin training to subdue her foes, Cain darts around to avoid attacks, and Harley busts out her good ol’ hammer to get the job done.

In the midst of battle, Lance has trouble with her hair flying everywhere, so Harley calmly offers her a hair tie. Lance accepts and murks some fools with her lethal legs while she gathers her hair in a messy bun.

That moment really stuck out to me. I haven’t had long hair in many years, but I remember the quick few seconds of camaraderie that comes from sharing your hair ties with fellow long-haired people.

To put it mildly, I really loved this movie. The bright colors, realistic depictions of women and Harley’s sharp-witted narration makes this film one of my favorite superhero flicks of all time – coming from someone who hasn’t seen “Suicide Squad.” Though she presents a tough exterior, we really got to see Harley struggle with her life of abuse and live to tell the tale.

“Birds of Prey” made my queer brain go haywire, which is difficult for action movies nowadays. Go see this if you need some empowerment in your life.

Or if you love egg sandwiches.

Culture

February 11, 2020

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February 11, 2020

Culture

(Faebook) “Parasite” was directed by Bong Joon Ho and won ‘Best Picture’ at the Oscars, making it the first foreign-language to win the award.

‘Parasite’ made history as first foreign-language best picture winner GLENN WHIPP TNS Los Angeles Times By the time Leonardo DiCaprio crashed the poolside "Parasite" party at the Sunset Tower Hotel on the weekend of the Golden Globes, the awards-season momentum for Bong Joon Ho's acclaimed thriller had been building for months.

"Parasite" premiered at Cannes in May, unanimously winning the festival's prestigious Palme d'Or prize, the first in a series of firsts for its filmmaker and for his native South Korea. It resurfaced in September at the Telluride and Toronto film festivals, key stops on the awards circuit, before opening in theaters in mid-October, selling out all of its shows and breaking box office records.

By that juncture, it was no longer a question of whether the film, distributed in the U.S. by Neon (a company founded just three years ago), would earn South Korea its first nomination in the Oscars' international feature category.

Now the ambitions were greater: Could "Parasite" become the first non-English language movie to win best picture?

It did just that Sunday night,

also winning Oscars for director, original screenplay and international feature. By the end of the evening, Bong had taken the stage four times to accept trophies.

"My initial thought from the first time I saw it – and then immediately watched it again – was, 'This could win,'" says Perception PR awards consultant Lea Yardum, whose company ran the "Parasite" campaign. "Everybody thought from the beginning it was a multi-category play."

The biggest obstacle blocking "Parasite" was the academy's spotty history rewarding global cinema. Bong got out in front of this reticence with a great bit of shade thrown while accepting the foreign film award at the Golden Globes in early January.

"Once you overcome the 1-inch-tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films," he said.

Of course, Alfonso Cuaron also lobbed a few pointed remarks campaigning for "Roma" last year, including a barbed line when accepting the Oscar last year for foreign-language film. "I grew up watching foreign-language films and learning so much from them – films like 'Citizen Kane,' 'Jaws,'

'Rashomon,' 'The Godfather' and 'Breathless,'" he noted.

"Roma" won Cuaron Oscars for director and cinematography, but he lost the Oscars' top prize to a more traditional crowd-pleaser, Peter Farrelly's dramedy of racial reconciliation, "Green Book."

"Parasite," likewise, was competing this season against a movie that looked like many previous best picture winners: Sam Mendes' war drama "1917," a film honored by the producers and directors guilds.

But the similarities ended there. Cuaron's black-and-white, meditative memoir was a movie more admired than loved.

"Parasite" earned plenty of raves from reviewers, winning a clutch of critics group prizes in December.

But its unpredictable, entertaining and, ultimately, devastating story of two families on opposite sides of the class divide also elicited a deep, publicly professed devotion among its fans, newcomers and #BongHive members alike.

This adoration played out at event after event. At a Screen Actors Guild nomination committee screening last fall, a moderator politely asked that the audience – a group given to rushing the stage for selfies and small talk

after events – to remain in their seats so Bong could leave quickly for another affair. When the Q&A ended, the audience obeyed, giving Bong a standing ovation and almost bowing toward him in unison as he left the theater.

Bong has long enjoyed that kind of following in America, akin to the allegiance shown toward Paul Thomas Anderson by longtime supporters. But with "Parasite," he also demonstrated a tireless energy during the long awards season, charming voters with his authentic, gracious spirit, his humor and the way he celebrated his cast's ensemble win at the SAG Awards, filming them like a proud dad.

Like the Oscar for best picture, that SAG Awards win was historic.

And the thunderous applause that greeted it – and the earlier cheering when the movie's cast simply walked onstage – was another indication of the passion people felt about "Parasite."

But as important as the SAG Awards win was, the nomination itself, announced in December, was even more significant. Because the cast – including Song Kang Ho, Chang Hyae Jin, Lee Sun Kyun, Choi Woo Shik, Park So Dam and Lee Jung Eun – spent

much of the season working on movies at home in South Korea, the film's awards team faced challenges connecting them with voters. The recognition from the Screen Actors Guild voters gave them some space to make those introductions.

By this point, "Parasite" was an indie box office hit, thanks to a smart, patient distribution plan engineered by Neon head Tom Quinn. Bong and Quinn had worked together previously on four films, leading to Quinn landing the North American rights to "Parasite" in October 2018. Coupled with the ecstatic reviews, the movie's commercial success (it has grossed $34 million to date in the States and a massive $72 million at home), drove awards voters to screenings that took place not just in the usual locales, but in spots like Koreatown, not a ZIP Code normally associated with academy members.

Bong attended most of them, leading to a long-running lament about having to stand at American parties, a contrast to South Korea, where people sit down, talk and eat. The good-natured complaint was his lone regret from an exciting season that ended with a historic jolt felt around the world.

Culture

February 11, 2020

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February 11, 2020

Culture

Love-hate relationship with game culture? ‘Mythic Quest’ is show for you TODD MARTENS TNS Los Angeles Times The opening moments of "Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet," now streaming on Apple TV+, put the spotlight on the video game industry's inferiority complex.

A trailer for the show's fictional game launches the series, boasting about the medium's importance as much as it does the product it aims to sell. Global gaming revenue, the hyperbolic game teaser argues, towers over other forms pop art.

Then the clip zeroes in on Ian Grimm, the game developer portrayed by showrunner and actor Rob McElhenney. Here, the voiceover echoes a long-standing insecurity of the gaming industry, which hasn't always been taken as seriously as its cinematic peers.

"When we think of visionary, world-building artists, instead of just Spielberg, Lucas and Cameron, why not think Grimm?"

"Mythic Quest" spends the next 30 minutes unpacking exactly that, bringing into mainstream discourse a phrase from the game universe: TTP, or "time to penis," a reference to how quickly a player will use game development tools, in this case a shovel, to craft digital genitalia.

"In 'Red Dead Redemption' they have a thing where if you walk through snow your footsteps stay where you've gone," says writer and co-creator Megan Ganz.

Players, she notes, were retracing their steps to create a giant snow phallus. "I think that's just representative of humanity. Humanity as a concept is neither comic nor tragic."

"Mythic Quest" draws its humor from the tension between the grand artistic ambitions and pomposity of video game studios on one hand – "Assassin's Creed" developer Ubisoft, a producer on the show, describes itself as "a creator of worlds" – and the adolescent streak present in both games and their communities on the other.

The series, from the minds behind "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia," isn't shy about mining comedy from the problems that plague the video game industry.

For one, the business is largely comprised of men. For another, the long hours, among other issues, have fueled talks of unionization. Both topics figure heavily in the second half of "Mythic Quest's" first season.

(Facebook) “Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet” is the new AppleTV+ comedy that premiered Feb. 7.

But the satire isn't reserved for those who create the games.

It's also aimed at those who play them. For instance, when the fictional developers in the show await a critic's verdict on an expansion to their game, "Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet," it's not a famed elitist they turn to. It's a 14-year-old kid with a prominent YouTube channel who rates games in terms of number of "buttholes."

"It's obviously profane, silly and juvenile that you would rate video games based on b-holes," says McElhenney. "But what I think is ultimately funny about it is not that grown adults are saying butthole. It's that ultimately this billion-dollar enterprise rests on the shoulders of a reviewer who is a 14-year-old boy who has reduced their life's work down to this rating system. It's inherently sad, tragic and hilarious."

Those with any knowledge of game design – or even a cursory understanding of how a human resources department functions – will find that much is exaggerated for comedic effect in the series.

"Mythic Quest," which has already been green-lighted for a second season, is a workplace comedy first, and a peek behind the video game curtain a distant second. Yet when the show finds its groove, it does so by zeroing in on subject matter that is very much a part of the video game conversation.

When a "Mythic Quest" executive played by David Hornsby asks one of the company's two female coders to describe being a woman in tech, Aparna Nancherla's character Michelle responds, "Which part did you want me to talk about? The part where you have to work twice as hard to make less money or the part where you can't get ahead because it's a bro mo-

no-culture?" A look of dread and panic shoots across Hornsby's face as he aims to steer the conversation back to something more inspirational, to which Michelle fires back, "Maybe you want to talk about what it's like to be a female in a male-dominated field?"

While the moment rings true – a recent developer survey found that the game industry was 75 percent male – Ganz says they wanted to find humor in the stress that comes from a culture going through a transitional phase. Comedy can come from awkwardness, she explains, but "we are not making it seem like we're saying that it's really funny that women have been kept out of those industries." As McElhenney adds, "The intention is to skewer the misogyny and the misogynist."

If McElhenney, Ganz and fellow co-creator Charlie Day succeed, it's because they embrace topical issues – everything that is beautiful, messy and ugly about the game universe – even as their goal is laughs rather than deep social commentary. "You could pander on either side of the spectrum," McElhenney says: While he had zero interest in creating a show that was a "love letter to the industry," he also wasn't interested in showing gamers as odd recluses who can communicate online but not in real life.

Still, toxic men abound in "Mythic Quest," which dials in on the love-hate relationship many have with a medium that balances its risk-taking attributes with its more upsetting misfit ones. At one point, the brains behind the operation, Charlotte Nicdao's Poppy, draws prison bars on office windows as she tells McElhenney's narcissistic boss, "I've worked with you for too long, and now I'm too

crazy to work anywhere else."

McElhenney mocks the rose-tinted view of gaming that "Mythic Quest" aims to avoid: "Isn't it wonderful that people play games! We have no issues!

There's no labor issues, no toxicity, no threats against people's lives and there's no white supremacy!

That would be bullshit. The flip side of that is the way it's been painted, as marginalized, is also untrue."

To respect the medium is to respect its charms and its faults, and in turn, "Mythic Quest" addresses subjects game studios themselves often shy away from discussing publicly. "It's really important to tell stories that are meaningful, even when it may feel like we're putting ourselves in the cross hairs," says Danielle Kreinik, Ubisoft's director of television development. "We appreciate our employees and fans, and telling stories about the rise of streamers or the lack of women in gaming are very real stories. We want to make sure to shine a light on those issues, and the easiest way for those issues to go down is comedy."

Adds Jason Altman, Ubisoft's senior VP of film and television, "We had to be open and say nothing is out of bounds. We can talk about any issue that's affecting the industry."

"Mythic Quest" does have its earnest moments. One midseason episode goes back in time to the 1990s to show the diminishing idealism of young game developers who see their idea further compromised by corporate interests with each passing year.

Here, games aren't presented as childish playthings but as serious art, only the show grapples with the idea that games, especial-

ly those where players can create their own characters, live, breathe and change with the audience in ways film and television do not.

Ganz says they chose to base the show on a massively multiplayer online role-playing game specifically because it's a genre in which players will collectively help define the narrative.

And while the rise of platforms such as Twitter mean showrunners and writers will hear from and respond to their audience – "It's not a one-way expression anymore," Ganz says – games can sometimes feel like social media platforms themselves, complete with all the complexities and negativity that entails.

This is brought to the fore in the third episode, "Dinner Party," in which it's revealed that a small faction of "Mythic Quest" players profess to be Nazis. How to deal with them becomes a matter of great debate, as the developers discuss everything from a peaceful protest to wrangling them together into a private server to outright banning them. The game's elder writer, played by F. Murray Abraham, even wonders if there's opportunity to be had: "Perhaps we're being too hasty.

Nazis make excellent villains.

Have we considered embracing the Nazis, narratively speaking?"

It was a chance, Ganz says, to raise questions about the moral ramifications of creating an online platform, especially one in which it's declared that "everybody can be whatever they want to be within the game." An ethics committee is formed, only to result in debates about who can be on it, and about other online groups that are toxic in their own right (albeit less so than Nazis).

To an outsider, the solution appears simple. But Ganz says she quickly learned how disputes within the video game industry can quickly become overly complicated.

"Any given development team is made up of so many people who have very specific purviews – a monetization expert is different from an artist who is different from a programmer – and all these people are in the same room trying to make the same game. I find that really fascinating, because it's similar to a writers' room but sounds much, much worse, as at least in a writers' room everyone is kind of trying to do the same thing," Ganz says.

Culture

February 11, 2020

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February 11, 2020

Culture

'Toy Story 4' gives Pixar Oscar No. 10 MICHAEL ORDONA TNS Los Angeles Times

(Facebook) Lil Wayne’s newest album, “Funeral,” debuted Jan. 31 and already has a cult following.

Lil Wayne’s ‘Funeral’ respects rapper’s evolution in music DESMOND BROWN Staff Writer vjby@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

This article contains opinion.

Lil Wayne’s newest LP “Funeral” represents the evolution of the legendary rapper and the consequences that evolution brings.

Starting off with the opening number “Funeral,” the tone of the album definitely is ingrained in the modern “trap” rhythm.

Hard-hitting 808s, mumbled lyrics, and the usual simple melodies that accompany this genre all are prevalent in almost every song. If you like that sort of thing, you’ll likely enjoy the album as a fun, club-banger playlist. If you do not like mumble rap and are looking for more of the boom-bap themes and lyrical values that Wayne can and has produced, they aren’t here.

While there are a few notable songs that stand out among the noise of the bass, they fail to heighten the Louisiana native above the standard crop of this year’s freshmen. However, that isn’t to say that there aren’t any moments of genius. As is in every Weezy album, the man has a knack of throwing words

together in a way that very few have matched. Hidden among the dryer sounds are incredibly layered samples and unusual arrangements to keep the listener guessing.

Seeing as this is the first album after “Tha Carter V,” many thought that Wayne was ready to hang it up. However, here it seems that the artist is dipping into his renaissance, much like Eminem over the last few years.

From one lens, the droning and fast-paced word flow may be exhaustive save for a few gems like “Trust Nobody” or “Wayne’s World.” From another, this is a 24song LP that plays like one long recording session. It is honestly impressive how much Wayne can say in his freestyles without needing to pause for thought.

Overall, this album is not on the level of his “Carter” series of albums. Yet, I feel Funeral was intentionally made this way.

Wayne is coming back to claim his throne. This LP alone shows how versatile he is on generic trap tracks, imagine what a “Carter VI” will sound like whenever he gets around to assembling it. I recommend that you listen to this with the intention of getting ready to go out and have fun, not just for the lyrics.

Pixar notched its 10th animated feature Oscar win on Sunday as "Toy Story 4" took home the gold statue. Surprisingly, considering the box office success of animated sequels, no franchise had ever collected more than one animated feature Oscar until "Toy Story 4" added to the previous installment's Oscar in the category.

Director Josh Cooley said, "We want to thank the moviegoing audience so much, especially those who grew up with 'Toy Story.' We hope that your adventures with Woody and Buzz made growing up a little easier."

"Toy Story 4" also was nominated for Randy Newman's song, "I Can't Let You Throw Yourself Away." Previously, "Toy Story 3" had also been nominated for best picture and adapted screenplay (and won for animated feature).

Producer Jonas Rivera said, "We take great pride in the fact that we get to make family films.

'Toy Story 4' is a love letter to our families."

Mark Nielsen said, "We are so grateful for this honor ... we just want to thank the academy for honoring our film next to so may beautiful animated films this year. we're just proud to be among them."

Although the third installment had seemed to beautifully wrap up the story of the secret lives of toys led by cowboy Woody (voiced by Tom Hanks), Pixar opted for a fourth film, nine years later. "Toy Story 4" answered questions left open, such as whatever happened to Woody's love, Bo Peep (voiced by Annie Potts). It introduced some new toy characters, including depressed Evel Kneivel-style stuntman Duke Caboom (Keanu Reeves) and adorably neurotic trash refugee Forky (Tony Hale).

New director and co-writer Josh Cooley had grown up with the franchise and felt the burden of following up "Toy Story 3."

He told The Times in December, "I know the joy and the sense of excitement I got, going to those movies in the theater. All that joy I felt as an audience member, I wanted to bring into this film. It needed to continue that legacy and that joy. I had a lot of sleep-

(Facebook) “Toy Story 4” captured the hearts of Toy Story fans everywhere with the new adventures of Woody and the gang as they introduce a new character into the universe.

less nights."

Co-writer Stephany Folsom told The Times then, "I grew up on these movies, 'Toy Story' was one of my formative movies, growing up. That's one of the reasons I got into this business, to tell those kinds of stories. "['Toy Story 3' writer] Michael Arndt was at the studio when I first got hired, and I said to him, 'I don't know how I'm going to live up to what you did,' and he said, 'Ehh, you'll be fine,' " Folsom says.

The movie opened to $118 million domestically, which was then the fourth-highest animated opening ever, yet that was widely reported as a "disappointment."

It was cited as an example of so-called "franchise fatigue" as some unwanted and disliked sequels underperformed at the

2019 box office. However, "Toy Story 4" went on to gross more than $1 billion. And despite some letdown talk in early reviews, the film ended up with a 97% positive score on Rotten Tomatoes.

"There were waves of responses," says Cooley. "Before it came out, it was, 'Why are you making this movie?' As people saw it, the questions changed, the responses became, 'I really enjoyed it.' I was in Mexico after a press screening and people were crying as they're asking me the questions.

"I was walking through the park with my dog and I saw some kids at a picnic table and they were making their own Forkys!"

In its brief history, Pixar has now won 16 Oscars overall, including its 10th in the animated feature category.

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Sports

Sports Editor: Elliot Hicks – E.Hicks@iup.edu Lead Sports Writer: Jeff Hart – J.R.Hart2@iup.edu

Basketball takes pair of dominant rivalry wins

(Autumn Dorsey/The Penn) IUP men’s and women’s basketball claimed victories Saturday against Slippery Rock at the Kovalchick Convention & Athletic Complex.

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Men’s hot start leads to 36-point win against Rock TYLER COMO

Staff Writer T.D.Como@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

IUP has done it again.

Despite coming off a close but unfortunate loss to the Mercyhurst Lakers, the Hawks were fighting for the second and last time to take down conference rival Slippery Rock University.

Both teams lost prior to meeting at the KCAC and wanted to have bounce-back matchups.

The winning Crimson Hawks, by that metric, had one heck of a bounce back, pulling away to a 21–3 lead through the first eight minutes and going on to win the game 96–60.

Once a team rises above more than a 15-point lead and continues to keep scoring, it’s hard to find a way back into the game.

But The Rock never gave up.

Regardless that two of the starting five of Slippery Rock came up short by not scoring a single point,

(IUP Athletics) Malik Miller scored 26 points Saturday.

there came a fight from other players on the bench. In contrast, their top scorers, Micah Till and Amante Britt, scored 24 and 14 points respectively.

Though for a team to come away with a win in a game, there needs to

be some scoring within the depth of their roster. Considering that and how much the Hawks were able to score against The Rock, it was a recipe for success for one team and warning of disaster for the other.

IUP’s scoring was spread out

across the lineup.

Once again, Malik Miller (senior, communications media) tallied to lead his team in points tallying 10/19 FG, 2/4 3-pointers and 6/6 in FT. Armoni Foster (redshirt sopho-

more, criminal justice) as well had himself an impressive night, but Ethan Porterfield (freshman, kinesiology) clearly felt himself during the game, scoring 19 points, ranked second compared to Foster’s 18 points.

Chucky Humphries (senior, communications media) made his return from a hand injury that kept him out for four games. He scored five points in 21 minutes coming off the bench.

The Hawks eventually took flight over The Rock after gaining a margin of 30+ points, eventually hitting a lead of 40+ against the seemingly stagnant Slippery Rock team.

The win kept IUP on top of the PSAC West. The Crimson Hawks have the same amount of overall wins as second-place Pitt-Johnstown, but the Mountain Cats have three more losses. IUP also has an extra PSAC win and two fewer conference losses than second place.

IUP is back in action this week with a Wednesday trip to Cal U.

Win streak at 19 as women improve to 20–1 following victory JEFF HART

Lead Sports Writer J.R.Hart2@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Hawk Nation, your women’s basketball team is victorious yet again.

To be perfectly honest, it’s becoming more and more difficult to put this historic run into words.

I think DJ Khaled put it best: “All I do is win, win, win no matter what.”

On Saturday, the Hawks took down longtime PSAC rival Slippery Rock down in a 77–48 blowout.

Like many opponents, The Rock held on to start the matchup and was behind by only three points within the first 10 minutes. After this point, the Hawks took The Rock by storm.

The Hawks dominated Slippery Rock defensively, limiting them to an anemic 23 percent from the field and an even worse 12.5 percent from deep.

This was yet another standout performance for Rajah Fink (sophomore, management). Fink came off the bench and put up an impressive 16 points and helped push pace with her down-hill offense. In her

(Autumn Dorsey/The Penn) IUP women’s basketball has won a program-high 19 consecutive games this season.

last two games, Fink has put up 36 points off the bench and has really pushed this team to new heights.

“It’s been really easy having a team like this,” Fink said in a post-game interview. “Helping our teammates succeed is part of why we’re a good basketball team.

“My team has been boosting me up every step of the way.”

As one of the leaders of the team, Lexi Griggs (senior, nursing) chimed in on her teammate’s success.

“As her teammate and her friend, I love pouring into her and keep boosting her up,” Griggs said. “She works hard for it. I’m very proud of what she is doing and accomplishing on the court.”

Griggs had a big performance of her own Saturday night. She led the team in the scoring column with 21 points in her second 20-point performance of the season. Griggs shot an efficient 7–9 from the field and helped her teammates with three assists.

Griggs addressed her standout performance after the game.

“It just sort of happened,” Griggs said. “My teammates were finding me. They have a lot of confidence in me.

“I let it go, and it just went in.”

This win extends the Hawks’ win streak to 19 games and puts them at 21–1 this season and 16–0 in the PSAC. The Hawks will be locked in this week as they will start what will most likely be the hardest week of the season. The Hawks will take on California (Pa.) on Wednesday and Gannon, which ranks second in the PSAC behind the Hawks.

Head coach Tom McConnell talked about his team’s upcoming stretch of challenging games.

“We talk about staying in the moment,” he said. “We talk about one thing in the locker room. You see a little, and you see a lot. You see a lot, and you see nothing.”

Insight like this is part of the reason the Hawks have been so successful year after year. If this team can continue to stay focused and, in the moment, they will continue to dominate like they have all season and make a run at the ultimate glory when it’s all said and done.

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(TNS) The reincarnation of the XFL made its debut this past weekend.

XFL opening weekend brings hope for league’s future JAKE SLEBODNICK

News Editor J.C.Slebodnick@iup.edu @Jake_WIUP

Saturday was the beginning of a legacy-defining revival of one of sport’s biggest failures in history.

This is the XFL. With the Super Bowl officially on the shelf, the XFL took over as the U.S.’s source for football, and we were treated to a weekend of ruthless play.

Seattle Dragons - 19 vs.

D.C. Defenders - 31 The first matchup on tap featured the biggest underdog versus a preseason playoff favorite.

Audi Field witnessed a shootout for most of the game, as D.C. kicker Tyler Rausa split the uprights with seven minutes left in the first with the first ever score in the XFL. Brandon Silvers and Kenneth Farrow shined for Seattle as Silvers went 21/40 passing with more than 200 yards and three touchdowns, and Farrow rushed for 41 yards on seven carries.

His counterpart, former Buffalo

Bills quarterback Cardale Jones, took the spotlight as he led the Defenders to victory by passing for 235 yards on 16 completions and tallying two touchdowns.

Jones, not known for his ground game, was the second leading rusher for D.C. as he gained 28 yards on nine attempts.

Adding on to the scoring attack, Elijah Campbell recorded the first punt block and defensive touchdown of the year.

The Defenders took the first game of the XFL legacy and became the first undefeated team in XFL history.

On a side note, Seattle became famous for one thing during the game.

Dragons’ center Dillon Day became the first XFL player to drop a notorious F-bomb live on-air as he said following an interception “we were just trying to do our f*ckin’ job.”

What a way to kick off this league.

Los Angeles Wildcats - 17 vs.

Houston Roughnecks - 37 The second contest Saturday

saw two competitive squads square off in primetime.

Roughnecks’ quarterback P.J. Walker stole the show as he completed 23 passes for 272 yards and four touchdowns on the night.

Each touchdown was to a different receiver.

Additionally, running back James Butler tallied a touchdown and 30 yards on the ground.

The Roughnecks seemingly walked away with the game heading out of halftime, as two late touchdowns gave them insurance that debilitated the Wildcats comeback.

Tampa Bay Vipers - 3 vs.

New York Guardians - 23 New York took early control of Sunday’s first game has it shutout the Vipers the entire first half.

Matt McGloin took matters into his own hands on the ground and in the air, which propelled his squad early on.

McGloin broke the scoring with a 1-yard rushing touchdown halfway through the first quarter and added a passing touchdown to

wide receiver Colby Pearson.

Tim Cook rushed for both extra point attempts, and former Steelers kicker Matt McCrane put up three more points at the end of the half.

Scoring remained stagnant until the final 12 minutes of the game, when Jamar Summers scooped the rock and carried it for a defensive touchdown, solidifying the win.

St. Louis Battlehawks - 15 vs.

Dallas Renegades - 9 While many fans were disappointed that quarterback Landry Jones was shelved due to an injury, this game came down to the kickers of each team.

Battlehawks’ Austin MacGinnis tallied three field goals, contributing nine out of his teams 15 total points in the game. Former Ole Miss quarterback Jordan Ta’amu tallied the other six with a passing touchdown to Alonzo Russell.

Key Takeaways While this first week of XFL football made a catastrophic impact on the sports world, we’ve learned a

few things about this league.

One thing is that these players actually have athletic abilities, unlike those from 2001. Yes, some passes failed to reach intended targets at times, and punters struggled punting the ball, but acrobatic catches and late rallies made up for them.

Second is the passion we heard from the commentary teams.

Matt Vasgergian couldn’t fathom the league in 2001, but Steve Levy sounded like he enjoyed the action on the field. And when your callers get behind the game, it makes the broadcasts easier to watch.

Lastly, we saw a major fan presence at games.

This is the scary factor, however.

Remember when the Alliance of American Football saw big crowds during Week 1?

Don’t think that these fans are here to stay based on one week. If they are, great. If not, don’t be surprised.

I think we’re just glad they’re actually trying to do their jobs instead of crossing WWE and football like what failed before.

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2020 NFL offseason brings good chance for free-agent QB movement ELLIOT HICKS

Sports Editor E.Hicks@iup.edu @ehicks39

With NFL free agency fast approaching, the market at the league’s most important position is more intriguing than it’s been in years.

The talent at the position on the open market is unlike what we normally see, but the drama may be overblown, considering the best of the best have been around for years and may sail off to retirement rather than sign with a new team.

Nevertheless, we can break down what may happen with the 10 best quarterbacks on the free agent market in 2020.

Honorable Mention: Chase Daniel, Chicago It seems like he’s been around forever, but Daniel is just 33 years of age.

He’s long been considered one of the better backups in the NFL, though he’s never had to start more than two games in a season.

His two years with the Bears have been his most productive, throwing for 950 yards and six touchdowns.

With Mitch Trubisky’s struggles as the starter in Chicago, it would make a lot of sense for the team to keep him, although they may go for one of the signal-callers with more upside on the market.

10. Blake Bortles, Los Angeles Rams Bortles’ AFC Championship season in Jacksonville feels like ancient history now. At 28, he may have another shot at a starting gig if he gets lucky.

With the Rams’ system being a good fit for both Bortles and Jared Goff, and the latter not having a great season following a Super Bowl run a year ago, he may yet get a shot in an effective offense – if LA decides to hold onto him. I don’t know that another team would start him out of the gate in 2020.

9. Marcus Mariota, Tennessee He won’t be the last 2012 draftee or Titans quarterback to show up on this list.

Mariota got his starting job taken away thanks to the resurgence of Ryan Tannehill in 2020. Mariota’s fate lies entirely on what happens

(TNS) Could the Patriots’ Tom Brady and the Saints’ Drew Brees be heading to new places in 2020?

with Tannehill, regardless of the opinion that Tennessee should keep them both.

While Mariota hasn’t been what the league hoped him to be, he’s still got a shot at starting regardless of where he lands.

8. Case Keenum, Washington Another quarterback relatively far removed from the most successful stint of his career, Keenum saw time in 10 games for Washington, who looks likely to head in the direction of Dwayne Haskins longterm.

Both Keenum and Colt McCoy, the other QBs in the locker room, are free agents, but simply having the brain of Alex Smith around for Haskins to pick should suffice enough to let one of the others walk. Considering Keenum is still a fringe starter, he will be more expensive and less necessary in D.C. 7. Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay It’s pretty obvious that the 30-touchdown, 30-interception season Winston had in 2019 will not suffice to his salary request of $30 million.

The biggest question here is not his potential – he’s very likely to be a late bloomer and still have a generally successful NFL career. But are the Bucs tired of him?

This is the year Tampa can move on from him for good, and even if they don’t pick up a quarterback

who has the potential of Winston, they can grab someone decent and end up with a win-win scenario; either they surpass expectations on a bargain, or they have a better draft pick to find the future.

6. Teddy Bridgewater, New Orleans The Saints’ quarterback room is arguably the most interesting in the league right now. Each of their top three guys, Bridgewater, Drew Brees and Taysom Hill are all currently free agents (Hill of the restricted variety) and each of them can make a case to be a starting quarterback right now in the NFL. If Bridgewater wants to be the starter-in-waiting, then it shouldn’t hurt him all that much to hang out in New Orleans for another year or two if they also bring back Brees (and decide to pay both of them).

But multiple teams don’t have a QB as good as the 28-year-old, and he may get the chance to start right away somewhere.

a clear option for multiple talented veterans, and it could be the most likely option for Rivers. But I have a feeling he still has the competitive itch in him, with some putting him on the edge of the Hall of Fame.

A ring in his twilight years would make those arguments sound a whole lot better.

4. Dak Prescott, Dallas He may be the best quarterback on this list overall when considering age and consistency, but the 27-year-old just hasn’t been good enough to take the Cowboys where they expect to go.

Unless they’re really impressed by the No. 3 quarterback on this list, they’re not likely to find someone better than Prescott.

They could just blow it up and trade up in the draft for a rookie QB, but with a relatively decent team and new head coach, Dak is likely the answer for Dallas.

DAK PRESCOTT

5. Philip Rivers, Los Angeles Chargers Rivers’ situation has more clarity than anyone else on this list, as he is not going to return to the Chargers after spending his entire career with the team. This is the half of the list where retirement becomes

3. Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Most people had completely written Tannehill off as he could never prove himself to be a decent starting QB with Miami. But it turns out a change of scenery was exactly what the 32-year-old needed as he led the Titans to the AFC Championship as the starter in 2019.

Today’s NFL is smarter than it was in the past and no team is

likely to break the bank for Tannehill’s services. With that being said, someone will still be desperate enough to overpay for them. Will it be the Titans or someone else?

2. Tom Brady, New England The GOAT becomes the free agent for the first time in his career.

Brady, 43, has been surrounded by rumors of disconnect with head coach Bill Belichick and owner Robert Kraft for years, mostly stemming from the trade of Jimmy Garoppolo. There’s nothing really left to prove for Brady, unless he wants to prove the people wrong who say that he is only good because of Belichick’s coaching. Not many teams will pay a quarterback as old as Brady for very long, but he probably has an OK season or two in him.

With two teams who have uncertain quarterback situations moving into new stadiums in 2020, his best option salary-wise may be to play for a team looking to sell tickets.

1. Drew Brees, New Orleans Brees may not have the prestige of Brady, but his talent and his age (two years younger than Brady at 41) are on his side.

Rumors of retirement have also surrounded Brees, but it’s clear he’s been good enough with recent Saints teams that, in the right situation, he has a shot at a second ring if he sticks around, regardless of where he may go.

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Boxing’s heavyweight division experiencing big resurgence STEVEN LANGDON JR. Managing Editor S.Langdon@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Boxing fans are witnessing something special in the heavyweight division.

It is competitive for the first time since the ‘90s.

The ‘90s was arguably the best decade for boxing in the heavyweights. This was mainly due to Mike Tyson going to prison. When that happened, the titles were all up for grabs. Back then, there were three governing bodies instead of the four currently.

Now is the time to get into boxing. The division is at a point where everyone will fight and the sponsors are starting to let these fights happen.

Take, for instance, the fight happening Feb. 22. It will be the rematch of Deontay Wilder vs. Tyson Fury. This fight was up in the air not because they didn’t want it to happen, but because Wilder is signed under Fox and Fury with ESPN. I will preview this fight in the coming weeks.

So why is it a resurgence of the division? This is the first time in a long time that there isn’t one guy

(Facebook) Andy Ruiz (standing) and Anthony Joshua are two important pieces to today’s heavyweight puzzle.

that could be considered the best.

There could be an argument of three, maybe four, fighters for the best in the world.

First up is Wilder, who currently has 42 wins – 41 by knockout and one draw. The draw came in the controversial fight with Fury. He also holds the World Boxing Council (WBC) championship.

There is a reason he is called the “Bronze Bomber.” He has the deadliest right hand in the world.

This Day In Sports: Douglas KOs Tyson

(Facebook) On Feb. 11, 1990, James “Buster” Douglas knocked out Mike Tyson to claim the world heavyweight title. It was Tyson’s first loss of his career; he came into the fight with a 37–0 record. Douglas was a 42–1 underdog to win the fight.

Wilder won’t try to win rounds, but would rather set his opponent up and catch them with the overhead right.

The second and third come from across the pond. First is the International Boxing Federation (IBF), International Boxing Organization (IBO) and World Boxing Organization (WBO) campion Anthony Joshua. He has 23 wins, 21 by knockout, and one loss.

Some thought it could have been

the downfall or end after losing to Andy Ruiz. Joshua lost the three belts in a seventh round knockout.

That did not change anything after.

They had the rematch Dec. 7, and Joshua won his belts back by unanimous decision. His next big fight I will get to in a little bit.

The final person in the group of three is Tyson Fury. The story behind him is sensational, but it isn’t about the story right now but the fighter. He is the Lineal Heavy-

weight Champion. The belt represents the man who beat the man.

The title cannot be striped or taken away; it could only be lost in the ring.

Fury has a record of 29 wins – 20 by knockout and one draw. The draw was stated above. He will have to be at his best Feb. 22.

With these three fighters and many of the up-and-coming ones, this could be a golden generation of heavyweight boxing. Three of the biggest men at the top of their game in the best division, and it could only improve.

The winner of the Wilder and Fury fight should fight Joshua. All of them want to show they are the best, but in order to be the best, you have to beat the best.

If the fight does better than people expect then there will be no problem in setting up another super fight. That fight could also unify the heavyweight belts, which has not happened since 1999 when Lennox Lewis had the IBF, WBA and WBC. It has not happened in the current era.

The boxing world has been ready and waiting for this kind of scenario. Enjoy the spectacle and don’t take it for granted.

WIUP-FM broadcasts high school basketball senior night

(Jake Slebodnick/The Penn) WIUP-FM and Blacklick Valley High School combined for special sports broadcasts on Wednesday and Thursday. The girls won against North Star on Wednesday and decided to try out their commentary skills with a homemade ESPN booth next to WIUP.

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(TNS) The Boston Bruins and Washington Capitals could be fighting for the Eastern Conference championship come springtime and the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Boston, Washington current favorites in East TYLER COMO

Staff Writer T.D.Como@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

There’s no shortage of talent throughout the league, but all the teams shoot for one common goal, and that’s to be crowned champion.

Each week, clubs are facing off to help push themselves in getting better odds toward the end of the season.

There can be crowned only one, but until then, they’ll shoot for first of their respective divisions.

The Atlantic Division leader, the Boston Bruins (34–11–12) recently went on an impressive win streak but was snapped by the Detroit Red Wings, who are managing to find wins while they attempt to build themselves into looking like what they were a decade ago.

After their back-to-back games versus the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Bruins found themselves on a six-

game tirade. Boston had the talent to keep its lead comfortable.

Even though he may not be leading the NHL in points, David Pastrnak follows close behind the dynamic duo for the Edmonton Oilers.

Tuukka Rask is currently placed in first place in goals against average. To add to the recent success, Zdeno Chara marked his 1,500th game played in the NHL. When Chara was honored at an away game in Montreal, he was greeted with applauses and a standing ovation from the crowd.

Chara was selected to be the Bruins’ captain in 2006, and he’s been one of 27 captains through the league. The Blues also set to honor their captain within the same week, but it wasn’t for the current captain.

The St. Louis Blues decided to retire former captain’s No. 44, Chris Pronger. Pronger played 598 regular season games and tallied

356 points. Though he may not have been with the Blues for such a long time as Chara with the Bruins, Pronger still was one of two captains to win a Hart Trophy on the St. Louis team, the other being Brett Hull.

Then, a Blues player was honored prior to his game against the Winnipeg Jets. Alexander Steen was born and raised in Winnipeg, and his father played for that team during his hay day. His son is the 13th Swede to reach a milestone of 1000 points. The Blues continue to wreak havoc after their post season success. They continue to look ahead as the season comes to and end but try to keep the success.

The Vancouver Canucks have not been performing well within their division compared to the Bruins or the Blues. The Canucks are on a four-game losing streak. They were going through a nine-game winning streak at home, but that was eventually snapped by the Cal-

gary Flames.

The Canucks were without Tanner Pearson and Elias Pettersson for a short time. They made for a quick recovery, though, as the team begins to change and come together.

Brock Boeser is said to miss the next two games due to an upper body injury, but the Canucks have gotten lucky with such a short time span on their recent injuries Reigning tall in the Metro, the Washington Capitals continue to sit in first of this division. But their inconsistent playing could begin to cause problems.

Of the Caps’ current home stand, they are 1–2, being able to defeat only the LA Kings. They were first beaten Super Bowl Sunday in an intense rivalry matchup against Pittsburgh, who just traded for Jason Zucker in an attempt to catch Washington, and then took on the Kings. But Washington didn’t have such a good game against Phila-

delphia in their last meeting.

The Flyers went into the game against the Capitals after being shutout by the New Jersey Devils, 5–0. They were looking to have a better matchup against another division rival.

Despite both teams scoring each in the first period, the Flyers came into the next guns a-blazing. Through the last 40 minutes of play following the tie game after the first, the Flyers would go on to score six more goals, three in each following period. The Caps would on go on to score a mere two goals compared to the Flyers’ touchdown and extra point.

Washington’s next game is Monday against another division rival, the New York Islanders. Though they aren’t currently in playoff contention, that makes the Isles that much more dangerous when it comes to divisional game.

So, the fight pushes on, one day after another.