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NEWS

News Editor: Heather Bair – zzzx@iup.edu

‘It is always the right time to do the right thing.’

~Martin Luther King Jr.

Professor debunks five myths surrounding Black community decades later BENJAMIN BRUMBAUGH

Contributing Writer msqy@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

Many dangerous and untrue stereotypes about Black people in America persist across the country in 2021.

During the Center for Multicultural Student Leadership and Engagement’s (MCSLE) Six O’Clock Series titled “Five Dangerous Myths About Black People in America,” IUP communications media professor Jeremy McCool debunked five of these dangerous myths and spoke about their origins.

The meeting was held Monday night via Zoom and is part of MCSLE’s Black History Month event schedule.

The first myth that McCool discussed and debunked was the myth that Black people are lazy.

A lot of people believe this is true because of the unfounded and untrue belief that Black people take advantage of the welfare system in the U.S. “White people without a college degree ages 18 to 64 are the largest class of adults lifted out of poverty by welfare programs,” McCool said.

About 6.2 million white people receive welfare, while just 2.8 million Black people receive welfare.

Another issue with this myth is that a lot of people are not taught that many thriving Black communities and business were destroyed during the 1900s.

Events like the Red Summer in 1919 that affected three-dozen cities including Chicago and D.C., the Greenwood Massacre of 1921 in Tulsa, Okla., the Rosewood Massacre of 1923 in Florida and the Move Bombing of 1985 in Philadelphia destroyed thriving Black communities and displaced thousands of Black people from their homes and neighborhoods and pushed them into poverty.

The second myth that McCool discussed and debunked was the myth that Black people all came to America as slaves.

News

(Facebook) Jeremy McCool is a professor in IUP’s communications media department. He also co-wrote the book “Princess & the Power of Melanin” in 2019 with Anthony McBride.

People on TV and social media will often direct comments along the lines of “go back to your country” toward Black people.

“Many Natives were/are phenotypically what you would consider Black today,” McCool said.

“Throughout different generations, you’ve had white people play Native Americans in film and on TV, and that has skewed our perception of what a Native American is,” he said.

In this way, the media helps advance the narrative that there were no Black people in the country before slavery, but that is not true.

The third myth that was debunked and discussed by McCool was that Black men do not raise their children.

This myth rose to prominence in the 1970s largely due to the mass incarceration of Black people for drug related offenses as part of the war on drugs.

“Crack cocaine sentencing was way higher than cocaine simply because crack cocaine was sold in Black communities,” McCool said.

“Still to this day, Black drug users are arrested at higher rates, despite the fact that Black people and white people use drugs at about the same rate,” he said.

Because Black men were being arrested at high rates during this time, there were a lot of single mothers and that contributed to this stereotype.

Current research from the CDC indicates that Black fathers are the most active in their child’s life.

Black fathers were most likely to

February 10, 2021

have bathed, diapered, dressed or helped their children potty train, and they were also more likely to take their children to or from activities or help their kids with homework every day.

The fourth myth that was discussed and debunked by McCool was that Black people are unprofessional.

“This myth is often used to keep Black people from advancing in the workplace,” McCool said.

One big contributing factor to this myth is the way that Black people wear their hair. Many people falsely view it as unprofessional.

“Many private schools today still ban ethnic hairstyles and cultural and natural Black hairstyles such as Afros, braids, locs and twists are targeted,” he said.

The fifth myth that McCool debunked and discussed was that Black people are violent.

This stereotype is often amplified by media including movies, music and reality television.

The term “Black-on-Black crime” is used to criminalize Black males,

create fear and hate and to amplify this stereotype.

“The truth is that people kill based on proximity and poverty,” McCool said.

“Most white people are killed by white people, and most Black people are killed by Black people because those are the people that you typically interact with,” he said.

“Poverty creates a lack of resources, poor school systems and places adults at higher risk of greater frustration, anger and proneness to losing emotional control.”

McCool believes that understanding your own bias and taking responsibility for your bias is an important factor in getting rid of these false stereotypes. Supporting positive media portrayals is also an important step.

“Correct your peers,” McCool said. “If you stand around while people spread these false stereotypes, you are just as guilty as the person who said it because you let it go on as if it were correct.”

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February 10, 2021

News

“I really enjoy watching students graduate; that is the best feeling.”

Adviser, professor wins award for work at IUP JULIA ROBINS Staff Writer spxbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP An associate professor has won an advising award for her work at IUP. Dr. Kalani Palmer, human development and family science, as well as program coordinator for family and consumer sciences education, recently won the 2021 National Excellence in Advising award from the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA).

Palmer is part of an advising group at IUP through the Center for Teaching Excellence (CTE). For the past two years, she directed a study on how parent and adviser involvement affects student development.

At the 2020 conference, she submitted and presented her research.

She was still looking for ways to be involved and do more, so she applied for the award. In addition to materials such as her advising philosophy, Dr. Jennifer Salaway submitted her nominating letter, and two former advisees of hers, Serena Howser and Bryant Pindar, wrote supporting letters.

Palmer was not always passionate in developmental psychology. In fact, her first degree was a bachelor’s in art education. Her son changed everything.

“I had my first child when I was an undergrad student, and he had some speech delays and difficulties with speech,” Palmer said. “That required speech therapy appointments that were not after school hours, and so it wasn't reasonable for me to be in a classroom from eight to three.

“I made adjustments professionally because of that, and because I was researching a lot to help support him, I became more interested in developmental psychology.”

Her son, Marcos Zegarra, is currently a junior at IUP majoring in physics. He was the student speaker at the groundbreaking ceremony for John J. and Char Kopchick Hall, the new science building, Sept. 23.

“Growing up with me and my mom wasn’t easy,” Zegarra said.

“At one point in our lives, it was just the two of us living together. She would always push me to be better in school, and my mother always believed in me, even at times when I didn’t believe in myself.

“It is probably part of the reason

(IUP) Dr. Kalani Palmer won the 2021 National Excellence in Advising Award from the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) for her advising work done at IUP. why she won this award. I can hear her all of the time on Zoom communicating with her students and guiding them to the right path. I am very proud of my mother for winning this award, and she deserves it.”

For Palmer, the most rewarding part of advising is watching her students excel and become successful.

“I really enjoy watching students graduate; that is the best feeling,” she said. “I would say the second-best feeling is watching them professionally in their job because they'll come back or they'll email me or they’ll connect on Facebook or LinkedIn, and so I get to see all the things that they're doing; when they have their first baby, getting married, so it's exciting to see them finish.

“I would say the third thing that is most exciting is just building that relationship and getting to know them.”

For Palmer, starting out as an adviser had its obstacles.

“The hardest part was figuring out all of the curriculum changes,” Palmer said. “They might say one thing in the catalog, but really, you could do this other thing. Just as an adviser early on trying to figure out what are all the Plan B’s and C's and all the additional options was a big learning curve, figuring out all the ins and outs of how the university works.”

Fortunately, Palmer had strong

support from other faculty members.

“Dr. Sarah Brown went over like ‘here's where you can find everything. Here's where you go when you have this question.’ Another person that was really supportive was our department chair Dr. Fredalene Bowers.”

“How they value students was made clear up front,” Palmer said.

“We want to make sure we have that connection with them. And so that was like the baseline expectation. The faculty were supportive and kind and encouraging through the whole process.”

Aside from logistics, the emotional aspect of advising can sometimes be difficult.

“I think as an adviser, always trying to figure out when a situation

requires more support and when a situation requires you to pull back a little bit is challenging,” Palmer said.

“Every student is different, and you never know what's going on in their life at that moment. Maybe a trauma just occurred, and you don't know, but you can tell they're a little off, and they need more handholding than you would normally do.”

Palmer was also a human capital manager at Pittsburgh public schools, and she hired a third of all the district staff, including art teachers, the coaches, English as a second language teachers, facility operations workers, music teachers, school nurses, the school psychologist and Spanish teachers. She believes this experience gave her an advantage in advising.

“If you're a faculty member that hasn't worked in the field, it might be a little harder to think about what is needed outside of that,” Palmer said. “I think it does help me that I had a lot of jobs in the regular world before becoming a faculty member because I know what it looks like to apply and what employers are looking for; it's a very different job process when you're looking for a regular job and for faculty.”

At one point, she was in charge of 68 advisees. That does not include all her students, whom she guides from a mentoring role.

“If I do teaching and advising the way that I want to do it, it is time-in-

tensive,” she said. “It means being available outside of office hours.

It means putting more time into feedback on assignments. It means having a longer advising meeting or having more than one advising meeting in a semester.

“I think students don't want to be told what to do. They just want to be given enough information to make the best decision for them.”

Her passion for helping her students and advisees can be difficult to balance with her other responsibilities such as research and service commitments.

She recently just finished a project called Pathways to Accessible Credit-Bearing Training (PACT). She also received a federal grant for the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program, where the campus helps students pay for childcare. She, and others in the department, provide mentoring and coaching to help them progress in school and juggle being both a parent and a student.

Palmer also worked on creating two certificates for people who are interested in working in early childhood but aren't ready yet to get a degree and is working on approval for students to receive Pell Grants.

Currently, she is helping to write a final report on those projects and is looking to reapply to the human development and family science department.

February 10, 2021

News

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2021 spring job fair to be hosted virtually through Handshake HEATHER BAIR News Editor zzzx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP The annual IUP job fair will be held virtually this year through Handshake.

IUP’s Career and Professional Development Center hosts an annual job fair for students at IUP that will take place 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Wednesday, Feb. 24.

The job fair has many employers who are seeking to fill full-time, internships and co-op positions.

Handshake is similar to Zoom, as it is a video-conferencing program that offers employers a way to meet potential employees.

Also at the job fair will be graduate program representatives who are able to provide information on whether or not a student should pursue an advanced degree upon graduation.

Interested students can sign up for two sessions, a group session or a one-on-one session.

Group sessions are 30 minutes long and consist of one employer with a group of students. Oneon-one sessions are roughly 10 minutes long and, like the name suggests, consist of one student and one employer. You must be registered for the fair before you are able to sign up for sessions.

One of the best things to do beforehand is to update your Handshake profile and be sure to upload your resume. Employers can see your resume before, during and after a session, which is one of the ways to quickly find a job that fits for you, according to a Jan. 26 press release from IUP. To join the fair, you go to the “Events” bar at the top of the page by the search engine. You can use the virtual filter there to find events either hosted by or affiliated with your school. You can also click the “Only Posted

by My School” button to narrow down searches.

Once a session has started, you can no longer sign up; however you can rewatch previously attended sessions via the “Sessions” tab.

Transcripts are not available during the fair; however, accomodation options are available between employers and students

Handshake is a virtual conferencing program similar to Zoom in which people can meet through video. to use.

IUP suggests that students use Google Chrome, but sessions can be accessed on all web browsers.

Some businesses that will be attending include First Commonwealth Bank, Aflac, Penn Highlands Healthcare and many different academies, organizations and schools.

More businesses are expected to join closer to the job fair and will be added as they come.

Some things to remember for a virtual job fair are:

dress nicely Even though the job fair is virtual, dressing well is still something to keep in mind. You don’t have to wear a dress or suit, but dressing well from the waist up, with a button-down shirt or a blouse, will add a nice touch.

Also keep in mind that appearance is everything, and this is the first meeting of a potential employer, so you want to make a good first impression.

Besides dressing well, make sure your hair is brushed or combed and you are sitting up straight during the sessions.

use a plain backdrop Usually, during Zoom calls for classes, we don’t pay attention to our backdrop. It can be our bedroom, living room, kitchen, or maybe even a friend’s room.

If we show our wall, it can have a certain poster on it. It doesn’t have much importance.

During the Handshake sessions, be sure to have a plain background that is not distracting to yourself or the speaker.

don’t be on your phone, tablet, etc. during the meeting Despite what we may think with Zoom, it can be easy to tell if someone is on their phone, tablet or a different browser during a call.

This can slow down the Handshake meetings, as well as possibly boot you out. Once a meeting starts, you no longer have access to it again. You may miss out on a

potential job.

do research on potential employers IUP released an Excel file with 46 businesses so far that are going to be at the job fair. It’s best to look at the list, and, if you have a potential employer in mind, you can do research on the company. This way, also, you’ll be prepared with

(Facebook) questions about the organization and be able to show your interest in working with them.

Think of the Handshake sessions as a regular Zoom classroom, and you will be good to go. Whether this is your first job fair or you have done these before, you may leave wtih a feeling of accomplishment and excitement over a new job.

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February 10, 2021

News

‘You are the peanut butter to my jelly’ Valentine’s Day holds more than candy hearts, cards, love to its meaning OLIVIA CARBONE Staff Writer kxxw@iup.edu @ThePennIUP The annual celebration of love is right around the corner, but why and when did it start?

Valentine’s Day is celebrated Feb. 14 every year across the U.S. and other parts of the world. This day gives people the opportunity to show the important people in their life how much they love them.

Here are some legends that Valentine’s Day is said to originate from.

The Catholic Church recognizes St. Valentine as the patron saint of lovers, epileptics and beekeepers.

There are three St. Valentines that the church recognizes, all three of which are martyres.

One of the most popular legends tells us that St. Valentine was a priest during the third century in Rome. Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage for young men because they made better soldiers than husbands. Valentine realized the injustice this caused and continued to marry young couples despite the emperor’s ruling.

Once the emperor found out, St. Valentine was put to death.

Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed because he helped Christians escape prisons under Roman rule. According to this legend, Valentine actually sent his first “valentine” to a young girl he fell in love with.

Before his death, he wrote a note that said, “From your Valentine.”

By the middle ages, he was one of the most popular saints in England and France.

Another legend claimed is that Christians may have decided to celebrate Valentine’s Day in February to “Christianize” the pagan celebration of Lupercalia. Celebrated either before or on Feb. 15, Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture.

The festival begins when members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, gather at a sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to be cared for.

The priest then would sacrifice a goat for fertility and dog for purification. They then would strip the goat’s hide, and the Roman

women would touch the hides, believing it would make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, all young women would place their name in a big urn. The bachelors then would pick a random name and be paired with that woman for a year.

This festival was outlawed by the fifth century, when Pope Gelasius made Feb. 14 St. Valentine’s Day. However, it wasn’t associated with love until much later.

During the Middle Ages, it was known as the start of the bird’s mating season in France and England. The English poet Geoffrey Chaucer was the first to record St. Valentine’s Day as a day of romantic celebration in his poem, “Parliament of Foules.”

“For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne’s day / Whan every foul cometh ther to choose his mate.”

The oldest known valentine was written by Charles Duke of Orleans in 1415 to his wife while he was imprisoned.

Valentine’s Day is usually a day of love and showing those close to you just how much you love them, but in 1929, Valentine’s Day gained a new meaning.

In Chicago, the North Side Gang would remember Valentine’s Day in 1929 as bloody and chaotic.

Seven members and associates of the gang would be lined up against a wall and shot by four unknown criminals who were dressed as police officers.

The identities of the “police officers” has yet to be known, but

legend has it that they may have been working for the notorious Al Capone and his gang, the South Side Gang, or by George “Bugs” Moran’s gang, the Irish North Siders.

Another rumor was that they were actually police officers who wanted revenge for the death of an officer’s son in which gang members were also involved.

This gave a whole new meaning to the term “bloody valentine.”

Valentine’s Day also has rituals that can help young women see who they’re going to marry.

On St. Valentine’s Day Eve, if a young girl sleeps with four bay leaves pinned to the corners of her pillow, she could dream of her true love.

Likewise, if she slept with a silver spoon, a small ladder made of sticks, a love knot made from wood shavings, three pebbles gathered from a place newly visited or a bit of wedding cake that’s been passed through a gold ring three times, she would also dream of her true love.

Throughout the world, Valentine’s Day has another iconic figure associated with it: the Cupid.

Cupid is depicted as a baby with wings and a bow and arrows supposedly filled with love. He is responsible for those who fall in love.

Cupid is also known as the Greek god of love, who goes by Eros. Some say he is the son of Nyx and Erebus or Aphrodite and Ares.

According to the Greek Archaic poets, Eros was an immortal seen by the Gods using golden arrows to incite love. It wasn’t until the Hellenistic period that he was portrayed as a mischievous child.

Now we know Cupid as the infant-like figure with white wings and arrows with hearts on the end who is said to shoot the arrows at lovers to help or make them fall in love with each other.

People celebrate Valentine’s Day by sending candy and cards to those they love.

In addition to the U.S., Valentine’s Day is celebrated in Australia, Canada, France, Mexico and the U.K.

(Facebook) St. Valentine is responsible for the Valentine’s Day that we know and love today.

February 10, 2021

News

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Show your loved ones how you feel in a distanced world MEGAN DONNY Staff Writer bbcx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Valentine’s Day is approaching, and students have to decide how they will be safely celebrating this year.

This is the first Valentine’s Day students will be experiencing since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Like other holidays in the last year, Valentine’s Day could be the source of a COVID-19 case spike in the upcoming weeks.

Students have to decide whether they plan to spend the holiday with their friends and/or their significant others in person, or to do it virtually.

“I’m celebrating Valentine’s day by going to the Atlanta Aquarium,” Maran Davis (senior, fashion merchandising) said. Davis’s fiancé currently lives in Georgia.

Despite the pandemic, students still want to celebrate with their loved ones in person, instead of through Facetime, Skype or Zoom.

“I’m celebrating with my boyfriend, and we are going to stay

(Teddy Jeannette/The Penn) Many couples will be spending Valentine’s Day social distancing this year. home, make dinner together and paint,” Olivia Tavoletti (senior, marketing) said.

There are lots of safe options for students this year when it comes to celebrating Valentine’s Day. Usually, many couples or groups of friends like to go out to eat at restaurants for the holiday. Because of the virus, many people will probably be opting to stay home instead

of dining out.

“I think everyone’s preferences are different, but we are just going to make our own meal or order takeout from somewhere,” Tavoletti said.

This year, students seem to agree that staying in and cooking or ordering takeout is preferred to going out to dinner.

“I think we plan on staying in,”

Danielle Zdrale (senior, marketing) said.

Zdrale and her boyfriend plan on celebrating by making homemade fondue and cupcakes.

This Valentine’s Day is different because of the pandemic, but students feel like they can celebrate the same as they have before.

“I feel Valentine’s Day is a bit different,” Zdrale said. “I know that it will affect some people’s plans to go out to dinner.”

Students in long-distance relationships are used to having to celebrate holidays virtually. Though, some choose to face the threat of the virus and travel to be with their loved ones.

Davis plans to fly to Georgia on Thursday to be with her fiancé for their first Valentine’s Day together as an engaged couple.

“I’m a little worried about flying because of COVID-19, but I’m going to be taking every precaution necessary to make sure I’m being safe,” Davis said.

Davis believes that the risk is worth it because they do have a long-distance relationship, and she

doesn’t get to see him often.

For students who do have to celebrate virtually this year, because of the pandemic or otherwise, there are lots of fun things you can still do together.

“For couples doing long distance on Valentine’s Day, they can still Facetime and have a dinner date,” Tavoletti said. “Or Netflix lets you start a movie at the same time, so it’s like you’re watching it at the same time.”

Students who are in long-distance relationships have a plethora of ideas for others about how to celebrate holidays virtually.

“I think a good idea would be to cook dinner with your significant other or friends via Zoom or Facetime, so you can be together,” Davis said.

This Valentine’s Day falls on Sunday. The Student Activity Committee (STATIC) is also hosting a virtual Zoom Valentine’s Day cookie-making class Sunday from 8 to 10 p.m.

STATIC will provide you the kits and an expert baker, Cake Shotts, to instruct. To sign up, visit MyIUP or the STATIC website.

Opinion

Having trouble finding an internship? You are not alone The COVID-19 pandemic has brought along many uncertainties into the world.

Companies and organizations are restructuring and are unsure what the future of our society looks like.

More people are struggling to pay their bills and get jobs now than in recent memory.

According to pewsocialtrends.org, “25 percent of U.S. adults say they or someone in their household was laid off or lost their job because of the coronavirus outbreak.”

With so many uncertainties going on, it reasonable to think that many companies are not looking to hire new employees. Though, many colleges and universities still require students to complete an internship or job training.

Many students are finding themselves feeling frustrated because it feels as though there are a lack of opportunities to find training. Outside of knowing someone who works for a company, many students are finding it difficult to find internship opportunities.

Indeed, a site that many recommend using for finding an internship, reported that “in mid-March, clicks on internship opportunities, one way to gauge applicant interest on Indeed, are 21 percent lower than the same time last year.”

If you have found yourself struggling to find internship opportunities, you are not the only one. We are in the middle of a historical event.

Sadly for college students, COVID-19 has no regard for your future or your job opportunities.

If you are looking for opportunities to apply for an internship but cannot seem to find any, try some of these methods.

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(Facebook) Indeed is a website many college students use to find jobs after school.

Apply to remote internships We are in a time in which virtual work is becoming very common. Try applying to internships that are across the country.

Students across the world are clamoring together to try to find internship opportunities to help improve their employment chances.

We are in a time that will test us and require us to become creative and persevere through this roadblock. All you can do is try your hardest

and apply to any internship opportunities that you do find.

Times are hard right now for millions of Americans across the country. Companies have had to lay off masses of workers due to response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Many companies need to rehire the employees they had before the pandemic before electing to bring in new interns. If you are one of the many college students trying to secure an internship, do not fear.

You are not the only one going through this. Just keep pushing, opportunity will come eventually. You must keep trying, and eventually, the right answer will come.

Brought to you

By THE PENN STAFF

Try networking with business professionals Many professionals are willing to talk to potential applicants if you are willing to try to put yourself out there and build a network.

Keep looking on Indeed The best way to apply to these job opportunities is to make sure you are always aware of when they are put up.

Try looking at your university’s program Most universities offer internship opportunities within your respective department.

Unfortunately, there is no manual on how to operate during a global pandemic.

February 3, 2021

Opinion

Culture

Culture Editor: Eva Tillich – jxsbc@iup.edu Lead Culture Writer: Haley Brown – tbfx@iup.edu

(Natalie Stanton) Ax-throwing, a free event sponsored by the Student Co-Op, provides a thrilling distraction from the stress of virtual classes and COVID-19 for student this semester.

A new kind of ‘AXperience’

IUP’s Student Co-Op sponsors ax-throwing event EVA TILLICH Culture Editor jxsbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP The Student Co-Op is sponsoring an ax-throwing event at the AXperience – Ax-Throwing Range this semester.

The event was selected by the Student Co-Op because it is something unique and never done for students before.

In just the first week of the event, about 20 students participated. The student reaction has also been positive and happy.

Many students are glad that there is something now being offered off-campus.

At AXperience, students stand in their own individual lane and throw an ax at a target. Students will be taught how to throw the ax properly and safely by a staff

Culture

member. Students will be able to throw for an hour as well.

“It is a way for students to unwind and have fun with friends off campus,” Assistant Director of Campus Recreation Brandyn Ott said.

“Also, [the Student Co-Op] wanted to help a local business during this difficult time.”

Several students are excited about the event and are planning to attend at some point during the semester.

“I think an ax-throwing event is a great event,” Sydney Greitz (freshman, exploratory) said. “It sounds like a really fun thing to go to, and I will definitely be going soon.”

This event is also a nice distraction from the stress of school and COVID-19.

“I’m really excited that they (the Student Co-Op) are doing this

event,” Bridget Gardner (freshman, environmental engineering) said. “I hope to go. I feel like throwing an ax is great for stress relief given that we are all stuck on Zoom classes.”

“Engaging with this local business is a great idea,”Gardner said.

“Not many events have been in-person this year, and I think hav-

February 10, 2021

ing a social-distanced but still fun event like ax-throwing is perfect,” Greitz said. “It seems like a great activity to do with friends and a good way to relieve some stress.”

Some students are excited about the event but do not know if they will have time to attend.

“I find ax-throwing fascinating,” Mariah Mauser (freshman, music education) said. “It just seems like it would be fun to do, but I don’t know if I will be attending because I am really busy and do not know if it will fit into my schedule.”

“I have been busy with homework,” Josh Kriesman (freshman, history) said. “It would be a good way to destress, but I have to find time for it.”

Since the event is semester by semester, students hope to find time within their schedule to partake in the event.

Students think that ax-throwing was a great choice by the Student Co-Op because it helps get more students involved with organizations and businesses around Indiana.

“This is absolutely a great way to get more student involved,” Kriesman said. “I would love to see more and similar events from here on out.”

“I feel like it is definitely a unique event to get students involved in IUP campus activities,” Mauser said.

“It is fun and interesting, so I am sure that a lot of people will want to participate.”

Any student that is interested in participating in this event is able to reserve their own lane at www.theaxperience.com. Students just have to present their I-Card when they go, and the cost will be covered.

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February 10, 2021

Culture

Test your art skills, knowledge with STATIC STATIC HALEY BROWN tbfx@iup.edu I am Haley and will be writing weekly about the upcoming events for STATIC. Stay tuned.

IUP’s Student Activity Committee (STATIC) has another week of exciting events planned.

Students can look forward to a Valentine’s Day Cookie Decorating Class, Masterpieces and Mocktails and one of the ever-popular Spring Trivia Nights.

On Thursday, STATIC is hosting an event called Masterpieces and Mocktails, which includes painting and sipping mocktails in a socially distanced, safe way. The event will take place in two different sessions, one beginning at 4:30 p.m. and the other at 9 p.m. Participants must register on this event’s STATIC

page. There are 50 people maximum per session.

Nikki Sausen, the artist leading the event, runs the company PAINT WITH ME! and will provide a prerecorded painting instruction video to STATIC to stream on Zoom. Participants can head to the STATIC office in the Hadley Union Building (HUB) – on the second floor above the gym entrance – from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to pick up their painting kit.

STATIC is also posting mocktail recipes on social media for participants to make and enjoy during their painting session. “[We find the recipes] on Google and Pinterest,” said Cassidy Krug, STATIC’s executive chair.

“We try to figure out which ones are the simplest since, if you’re in a dorm, you’re probably not going to have some weird juice. We look for [recipes] that are simple but still good.”

On Sunday, there will be a virtual Valentine’s Day Cookie Decorating Class. Those who would like to join the fun must preregister on STATIC’s event page and must also pick

(Facebook) Get a group of friends this weekend and join one or all STATIC’s exciting events. up their cookie decorating kits from the STATIC office in the HUB from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“We are working with a bakery in Dayton called Cake Shotts,” Krug said. “The woman that owns it, Jess, is going to be pre-recording a decorating tutorial for us, and then we’ll be playing that over Zoom. We’re giving out cookie kits that I think have three cookies in them and sprinkles and

icing and everything you need to decorate them, and it’s all Valentine’s Day themed.”

On Tuesday, STATIC will be hosting the first of its monthly trivia nights for the IUP community brainiacs to enjoy from 8 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Zoom. Participants must preregister using the link on STATIC’s page for this event and provide the name of their team, their teammates’ names and the

name of their team captain.

The first Spring Trivia Night of the semester will be themed after “The Office,” and winners can even earn some cash prizes while playing.

“Originally, last semester we were using a platform called TriviaHub, and they sort of did everything for us, but this semester we decided [to use] this platform called Mentimeter that we used for Masked Singer last semester,” Krug said.

“You can use it for quizzes and stuff, so we figured we would do it in house. Joel, our music chair, is in charge of the event, and he came up with the theme for it and he came up with all the questions for it through IMDb because it is about ‘The Office.’”

In case you didn’t yet have plans for this week, or don’t have plans for the infamous and occasionally dreaded Valentine’s Day, consider spending an evening or two with STATIC and enjoy some mocktails, art, cookies and trivia with friends while staying safe and healthy in the comfort of your own home.

Celebrating Valentine’s Day with ‘all the single ladies (and gents)’ HEATHER BAIR News Editor zzzx@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Valentine’s Day is a day of celebrating love, but sometimes, love can suck.

When couples get all sentimental and start posting everywhere about their loved ones, it can get annoying fast, especially when you do not have a “special someone” to celebrate with. Instead, check out some different ways to spend Valentine’s Day with yourself.

Binge Your Favorite TV Show This one is pretty much a given, but it is a great way to get lost in another world while everyone else is posting about flowers and hearts.

Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and other streaming services offer a variety of different shows to get you through the day.

Whether you are a true crime buff, a hopeless romantic at heart or love watching other people’s lives, getting lost in another world can help ignore the love.

Take a Day to Clean When some people are feeling down, cleaning up their room can

help lift spirits a little. This can also be busywork, which helps a mind be occupied by something else rather than dwelling on negative feelings.

Put on some upbeat music – probably no love songs – and get to work. Spotify has plenty of cleaning playlists to choose from if you do not want to make a new one.

Start with the small stuff, like vacuuming, dusting, doing dishes, etc. Then move on to the big stuff.

Have you been wanting to clean your closet out for a while but just have not found time? What about wanting to rearrange your living room but have not had the motivation?

Cleaning can help you purge things you have been wanting rid of, like old books, clothes, movies, shoes, video games and more. At the end of the day, you will have forgotten all about it being Valentine’s Day and feel accomplished at finishing the task.

Have a Spa Night This one can really help alleviate stress and frustration. The best way to love yourself is to treat yourself.

Get a bath bomb of your favorite scent, light some candles, run a hot bath, and enjoy the soak. You can use a body scrub for a little extra

pampering (you can find recipes online for homemade ones) and even shave. No one else may feel it, but crawling into bed with smooth legs is always an excellent feeling.

After that, do a face mask (you can also find recipes online for these as well) and lie back and relax. Stay off social media, put on your favorite movie and make your favorite drink, whether it is alcohol, coffee or tea, and have time for yourself. You can even give yourself an at-home manicure and pedicure.

Catching up on Work This one sounds a bit boring, but it’s a great idea to work ahead on projects or get caught up on things you’ve fallen behind on. Valentine’s Day is on a Sunday this year, which is usually a day of relaxation in my house, but I always use it to catch up or work ahead on any schoolwork for the week.

If there is a huge project you have coming up, work ahead. It will keep your mind focused on that rather than missing out on all the romantic fun.

Having Your Own Dance Party In the words of Dr. Meredith Grey on “Grey’s Anatomy,” there is never a wrong time to “dance it out.” If you are in a funk about

not having a special someone for Valentine’s Day, put on some upbeat music and get up and moving.

Whether that’s getting all dolled up, doing your makeup and getting some wine or just dancing in your room in your headphones and pajamas, a dance party can make anyone feel better.

To get an idea of songs, try “Confident” by Demi Lovato, “Love Myself” by Hailee Steinfeld and “thank u, next” by Ariana Grande.

Make Plans with Other Single Friends Let’s face it, nobody enjoys holidays alone. Out of an entire friend group, you cannot be the only one who is single. Get a group of friends together and go see a movie if the theaters are open.

Or plan a game night. Everyone brings their favorite game – whether it’s Twister or Apples to Apples or even Candyland – along with their favorite snack. You can even get some of the prepackaged, red-and-pink heart-shaped cookies from a grocery store.

To make things more interesting, have an incentive. Such as, whoever wins the most games gets to pick the movie that the night ends with.

It’s a great way to see your friends and not be alone. You never know

how the night will end.

Doing Some Good in the Community Something that is not really at the top of someone’s list for Valentine’s Day is helping around your local community, but there’s a lot of things, especially now, that one can do.

For example, those in nursing homes could always use some extra company. You can call a nursing home and ask how many residents they have, then splurge and get some red roses, one for each resident.

Do not forget the men; they enjoy flowers, too. You could even take some time before Valentine’s Day and either get a box of Valentine’s or make your own to attach to each of the roses. You will make their day and give them a Valentine’s they will never forget. The best part?

You are showing that they are not forgotten and still cared about.

While Valentine’s Day can be one of the absolute worst days in history, it does not have to be.

Take time to love yourself, show your friends some love, and remind people that sometimes, love is all we need.

Culture

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February 10, 2021

A blast from the past

Students react to things that are turning 10, 15 years old CAIO GOMES Staff Writer hysbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP Some things age like milk, and others age like wine.

As a new year has started, IUP students reacted to things that are turning 10 and 15 years old in 2021.

Ever since its release a decade ago, the song “Somebody That I Used to Know” by Gotye has refused to be forgotten in popular culture. Although released in 2011, the song reached #1 in 2012. It also won Record of The Year in the 2013 Grammys and became a trend on TikTok in 2020. Maybe it is because of this supposed “immortality” that many students felt shocked that the song turns 10 in 2021.

“That makes me feel really old, to be honest,” Bri Demagall (fresh-

The movie “High School Musical” (left) and the show “Hannah Montana” (right) both turn 15 this year. man, psychology) said. “There’s no way.”

Ten years ago, the internet was steadily growing, but it was the boom in the smartphone industry in

2011 that made the internet widely accessible to most people. According to the L.A. Times, smartphone sales rose 61 percent from the previous year. Some people point

to this as a reason why some 2011 internet trends feel recent.

One example of that is the #1 hit “Call Me Maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen, released in September 2011.

Many feel surprised at hearing that the song is turning 10 years old because, unlike some pre-2011 virals, the song has always been right there on the internet, but after some thinking they agree it makes sense that the song is that old.

“Now that I’m thinking about it, it feels like it really was a while ago, but when I first heard the question, I was like, ‘wait, hold up,’” Anthony Love (freshman, psychology) said.

The rise of YouTube also seems to play a big role in determining whether or not a song “feels old.”

The general rule of thumb is that songs released pre-YouTube era sound like they are their “real age” while songs released after YouTube’s popularization still sound fresh.

For instance, take a look on how Shakira’s “Hips Don’t Lie” contrasts with “Waka Waka.” The songs are only four years apart, but to many, they seem from completely different time periods. The consensus was that while it feels like Shakira’s hips have been telling the truth much longer than 15 years, it also feels like it has been way fewer than 10 years since we have been saying “this time for Africa.”

“It makes sense that [‘Hips Don’t Lie’] is turning 15 this year,” Kendall Gomez (freshman, international studies and Spanish) said. “It fits

(Pixy/Facebook) the early-2000’s mold. But I feel like ‘Waka Waka’ just came out.”

Songs, however, are far from being the only thing provoking feelings of nostalgia. Childhood classics have also been a shocker to students.

In 2006, Disney Channel realized that musicals were a great way to make money; after all, kids would not only consume the series but would buy licensed CDs as well.

Out of this ambitious goal two popular franchises were born: “High School Musical” and “Hannah Montana.”

Both franchises are now turning 15 years old, something that had upset many.

“I feel like the ‘High School Musical’ movies were such a big part of my childhood and so many others; it seems wrong that they’re so old and that the younger generations might not even know about them,” Sydney Greitz (freshman, exploratory) said. “But I guess the love of the songs and nostalgia for the movies will only grow with time.”

The constant reboots and spin-offs might be a reason why it is so surprising that the original “High School Musical” movie is so old. “Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure,” the first spin-off, was released in 2011 – five years after the original film came out. The most recent spin-off came out last year as a Disney+ original series.

Only time will tell if the things released in 2021 will provoke as much nostalgia as the 2006 and 2011 releases provoked.

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February 10, 2021

Culture

‘Oh oh oh oh it’s international love’ IUP celebrates Valentine’s Day around the world CAIO GOMES Staff Writer hysbc@iup.edu @ThePennIUP In the U.S., Valentine’s Day has become synonymous with heart-shaped chocolate boxes, roses and sweet love notes, but do you know how is it celebrated in other countries?

In most countries, Valentine’s Day was introduced by Christian colonizers.

Nonetheless, the holiday has grown outside of its religious bubble. After all, who does not enjoy a day fully dedicated to celebrating loved ones? Valentine’s Day is such a big deal that it is celebrated even in countries in which most holidays are national.

“In Cuba, most holidays celebrate historical figures or are days related to the Revolution,” Kendall Gomez (freshman, international studies and Spanish) said. “The exceptions are New Year’s Day, Navidad (Christmas)

(Pixabay) Outside of the U.S., Valentine’s Day goes by different names. and Día de los Enamorados (Day of the Lovers), which is how we call Valentine’s Day.” Cuba is not the only country in Latin America that has rebranded “Valentine’s Day” to a different name. In the Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Colombia, the holiday is known as “Día del Amor y la Amistad” (Day of

the Love and the Friendship).

Other countries like Chile and Argentina share the “Día de los Enamorados” (Day of the Lovers) with Cuba. In Guatemala, the holiday is informally called “Día del Cariño” (Day of Affection).

This bigger focus on lovers and romance is one way in which the holiday is different outside of

America. While here in the U.S., a single person may celebrate Valentine’s Day with a friend or family, in other countries, the holiday is “reserved” for significant others. “[In the U.S.] elementary schools [may do something like] giving a candy for every student, but [in Mexico] I don’t remember it being a huge day.”

Nancy Avalos (sophomore, public health) said. “I think it was more for the older people.”

In Brazil, the culture of “reserving” Valentine’s Day only for significant others is so big that the country not only changed the name to “Día dos Namorados” (Day of the Lovers), but it also changed the official date of the holiday. Having the date in February made many feel as if the holiday was too overshadowed

by Brazilian Carnival, so it was changed to June 12 – the day before the Day of the Weddings (St. Anthony’s Day).

For most Brazilians, having the Day of the Lovers being cele-

brated right before the Day of the Weddings only sparked the feeling that Valentine’s Day is only for committed couples.

“From what I remember, [in Brazil] the day is more for actual couples,” Anna Weinstein (sophomore, nursing) said. “It’s more for people who are officially dating or that are married, while in the United States even kids celebrate it.”

Weinsten added that she believes that one could notice the difference in both countries by how the couples are acting.

Because in Brazil the holiday is more for those in more serious relationships, couples are generally more effective than in the U.S. “In the U.S., most couples would sit face-to-face, while in Brazil they generally like to sit closely side-by-side,” Weinstein said.

Whether you will be celebrating Valentine’s Day with a friend or with a lover, make sure to remain safe and to have some fun.

T h e M o r n in g L ig h t

Pittsburgh’s pop punk beacon Local Bands LANE LANNAN ffpcc@iup.edu I am in the top .001 percent of The Beach Boys’ fans on Spotify.

I also like playing games and vibing with my party lights.

In 2006, something developed in the burgeoning Pittsburgh underground music scene. The band that emerged was called The Morning Light.

The Morning Light was started in 2006 by Harrison Wargo, Bobby Garver, Matt Colussy, Nick Baxter and Andrew McDonald. The band was formed in the ashes of a band called Transition, of which Wargo and Colussy were a part. With time, Baxter joined on drums, McDonald joined on bass, and Garver joined as the lead vocalist.

“What I liked most was the instrumental,” Alyssa Hixson (fresh-

man, history) said when speaking about the song “Clouds.” “It reminds me a lot of stuff I listened to when I was younger with the kind of pop punk sound it has to it.”

Hixson went on to say that, despite liking the instrumentation, they were not the biggest fan of the way the vocals of the piece sounded. Despite that, though, Hixson said that the sound of the instrumentals in the song was a nice contrast to the more somber and less optimistic lyrics.

During their rather short time together, the band released an EP, titled “The Sounds of Love,” as well as a full self-titled album called “The Morning Light.”

According to Spotify, the most played song off of “The Sounds of Love” EP, with 74,899 streams, is “Books and Letters.”

“I liked it (‘Books and Letters’) mostly because it reminded me of the music I used to listen to when I was younger,” Dylan Roberts McDonald (freshman, psychology) said. “I’ve got a soft spot for

(Facebook) The Morning Light found success even though the band went separate ways one year after forming. pop punk.”

According to McDonald, there was an element of surprise that manifested when he heard the song, as he did not to hear a song with production that was that good, namely because it was performed by a band that he had not heard of before.

The Morning Light’s self-titled album features several songs that are original, as well as some song that bleed over from the EP. The prime example is the song “Clouds,” which appears on both. One song that is specific to the album is one called “Brand,

New, Friends.”

“I liked the song (‘Brand, New, Friends’),” Matthew Levenson (freshman, accounting) said. “It kind of gave me ‘Scooby- Doo’ vibes with the lyrics and the sound.”

Levenson also said how catchy and upbeat the song was. According to Levenson, the story that the song goes through was the most interesting part to him, as well as what he noticed that stuck out from listening to the song.

Despite the positive reception to the album, with its reaching No. 27 on the Billboard Heat-

seekers chart, The Morning Light officially disbanded in 2009, one year after it was formed.

The band members all went their separate ways, with Wargo doing solo music, McDonal returning to school at Penn State and Colussy moving to a different band, the Maryland-based All Time Low. Despite the breakup of the group, there is still the remnants of their music that can be enjoyed.

So, if you are looking for a taste of ‘09, stream The Morning Light on Spotify for some fun.

Culture

February 10, 2021

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Sports

Sports Editor: Jeff Hart – J.R.Hart2@iup.edu

Indiana’s ‘Big Three’: the Mikesells’ secret to swimming Jeffery Hart

Sports Editor J.R.Hart2@iup.edu @ThePennIUP While not uncommon for relatives to play on the same team in sports, having three siblings compete on the same team at the same time certainly is.

IUP has posted its own version of a “big three” in the form of the Mikesell family.

Claire (redshirt senior, kinesiology), Paige (junior, kinesiology) and Luke (freshman, criminology) grew up in the same household and now play for the same team.

The closest situation that comes to mind would be the Watt brothers on the Pittsburgh Steelers, but only two out of the three Watt brothers play for the Steelers.

For the first time, we were able to see all three Mikesells competing at the same time. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Claire redshirted and sat out with no idea what next season would bring.

After all the time off, it is safe to say that the Mikesells were ready to get back into the water.

“After being out of competition for almost two years now, I was very eager to get back into the pool,” Claire said. “Redshirting last year, and then the pandemic happening and not even knowing if we were going to be able to have a season this year was definitely a lot to process.”

“It is so exciting to be back into competition,” Paige said.

“Competing this season is truly a blessing, and we are so fortunate that we are able to compete.

Competing brings a little normalcy to the pandemic.

“Although nothing is close to normal, being able to compete allows us to feel more like a team and allows us to do something that brings us happiness during this hard time.”

The time off from competition did not take away any of the Mikesells’ competitive fire. In the two meetings they have had since coming back, Paige already reached a NCAA Division II B standard time in the 100-meter butterfly with a time of 55.50.

The B standard time was Paige’s

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second in as many weeks, posting a mark of 1:52.72 in the 200-meter freestyle last week at Clarion.

Claire won the 100-meter breast (1:05.07) in the first meeting at Clarion. Luke took a victory in the 500-meter freestyle during the same meet.

It is amazing to have three different siblings that all have the gift of being able to swim and

compete at a high level. This all had to come from somewhere.

Perhaps the trio’s success can be attributed to their parents.

“Our mom swam in high school, which was where part of our swimming ‘heritage’ came from and kind of how we got started,” Claire said. “Our dad was athletic as a kid as well but didn’t compete in any teams. I

would say that most of our family played sports and were active, and we just chose to make swimming our family’s tradition.

“Our tradition carried on to both side of our family and we have cousins who swam [or] are still swimming on both sides.”

Perhaps their success comes from something more. Perhaps it comes from something inside.

.

(Paige Mikesell) Claire (left), Paige (middle) and Luke (right) have found a balance between swimming and family.

February 10, 2021

“Hard work and determination,” Claire said. “Swimming is a sport where you have to put a lot of work in to get a little bit out.

Everything matters. We work all year long just to be able to get to the best time in our event that might only be a total of two minutes (depending on the event).

“It takes a lot of determination and drive to get through every practice and to make sure that you are actually getting something out of it and not just going through the motions.”

Perhaps their success comes from a bigger force.

“My faith,” Paige said. “I know that God has a plan for my life, so I constantly put my trust in him.

God has provided me with the ability to compete at this level.

“Every day I wake up and have the opportunity to swim is truly a blessing.”

One thing is for sure, this is a family that has a special bond, one that has been years in the making.

“We have always been a close family, even when we weren’t all on the same team,” Paige said.

“My parents instilled in us just how important family is, and I think that no matter what, we would remain close.

“However, I would say that since all of us are on the same team, we are able to see each other and be around each other a lot more than we would if we were all on different college teams.”

This is one experience that the Mikesells will not soon forget.

Being able to go into the heat of competition with your family there to cheer your one and compete with you.

The Crimson Hawks are off to a 2–0 start to their meets since having all three Mikesells competing this season. This team and the Mikesells will look to continue their run of success this weekend.

They will host their third meet of this season against PSAC rival Gannon on Feb. 13. The Hawks have had a solid start to what has been a different season for everyone involved.

In a year full of uncertainty, one thing is for sure: IUP’s big three is a big threat.

Sports

February 10, 2021

Sports

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IUP Tennis ready to spike into new season “It is a good feeling, because we got rewarded for the hard work we put in before.”

AUSTIN SMITH

Staff Writer A.S.Smith7@iup.edu @ThePennIUP

The sound of the tennis ball getting struck by the racket is back.

The Crimson Hawks are ready to go for another great season of tennis matches and competition.

International college athletes bring it to the table all the time. The university and community are ready to stick behind there Hawks for a vengeful season.

Some students forget to really pay attention to sports like tennis at IUP because of having dominant programs like football and basketball in the mix. The one thing that sticks out the most is all the players on the women’s team are international, which speaks to

the diversity at the university.

Even with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Hawks are stronger than ever and have improved even more.

“We had a lot of time to improve our fitness level, which will help us at the end of the season when everybody starts to get tired,” Karolin Kirchtag (junior, kinesiology health and sports science) said. “Apart from that, we worked a lot on doubles and will be able to put out three good doubles teams that can compete at any level.”

Unlike other sports, tennis requires both individual skills and seamless teamwork. Being able to have talent for different doubles teams will ensure depth the entire season. With the unprecedented times, you always have something to look forward to and something especially that you love.

“I think we’re all just very happy that we can compete again, play some other schools and show off our improvements,” Kirchtag said.

“We’re definitely excited to start the season against some [Division I] schools.”

It is always exciting to see what the next season brings in the world of sports.

Every athlete has a different background and a way they adapt to newer skills, which makes the competition very intense. The Hawks will be seeing a few new teams that were just added to their upcoming season.

Those teams were Bucknell and Wayne State, which are both Division I programs.

“It just means that we can get more matches in, which will prepare us more for the conference tournament,” Kirchtag said. “In times like these, we probably must expect that some matches will get cancelled due to COVID-19, so the more we have on our schedule right now, the more we can get in.”

Any kind of competition for the Hawks will prepare them for the future. It’s always better to play teams you may have not played a whole lot in the past. It brings the different skills out of you and can challenge you to the max.

Do rankings hype a team up? Of course, some teams want to know

where they stand against their in-state or out-of-state competitors. With that being said, IUP did manage to rank No. 24 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association coaches’ poll, which was a jump from before.

“It is a good feeling, because we got rewarded for the hard work we put in before,” Kirchtag said.

“We have a good team, and this is a good way to start the season. It will definitely push us, so we keep working hard.”

Team rankings are one thing, but every player has pros and cons. Every player is capable of great skill and mindsets.

“We have several new players on the roster this season,” Kirchtag said. “We signed three new freshmen and one transfer who will help us to win important matches and reach our goals. In the end, every player has the same role.

“It doesn’t matter if we win the No. 1 singles or the No. 6 singles.

The goal is that the team wins.”

It seems like every player has a role on the team, as it should be.

No player should be singled out for their skill level but rewarded

and applauded for sure. The key to any successful team is to have a team full of talent with unique skill sets.

IUP is set for a great finish and has some high expectations to have completed by the end of the season.

“The final goal is to qualify for Nationals in Arizona,” Kirchtag said. “However, now we’ll just focus from match to match, so we can improve and play our best tennis at the end of the season.

Winning conference is also really high on our list.”

The Crimson Hawks are looking to swing in success as the season is underway, and it looks to be one of the highlights for the IUP student fans to get pumped up for even during the pandemic.

(IUP Athletics) Karolin and her squad will look to spring forward into their new season.

February 10, 2021

16

Sports

UFC 258: Hot Take Jake gives you his betting picks Sports Betting Jake Taylor @JakeTaylor8726 Jake Taylor is not your typical analyst. His versatile skill set to win you money against the books in unparaleled.

Call the bookies to tell ‘em I am coming for them.

In an unprecedented move, Hot Take Jake is betting UFC. Now, do not save your money because it’s a first. It is still an all-things-right, no-things-wrong article with betting advice.

UFC 258 features a welterweight main event, Kamaru Usman vs. Gilbert Burns.

Usman is the favorite at -290.

Burns’ 19–3 record enters the bout in classic underdog fashion at +225.

Usman is the favorite for many reasons. He holds the welterweight belt and a 17–1 record.

“The Nigerian Nightmare” stands 6 feet tall, 170 pounds and has a dominating reach of 76 inches.

The size alone in this matchup has me leaning heavily toward Usman’s side of the octagon. He has a 5-inch reach advantage over Burns, not to mention a much better nickname.

Many fans consider Usman a boring fighter. The former Division II National Champion in wrestling has one goal and one goal only: take you down to the mat.

His last match was in July when he fought Jorge Masvidal.

Usman landed 77 percent of his strikes but made bank on the ground and against the cage having control for 16:38. That is the equivalent of over three rounds of a fight.

However, Burns is a master grappler. His ability to pacify his opponents makes him a genuine threat to Usman’s title. He established himself as a top contend-

er last May after defeating the former champion Tyron Woodly.

The fight was not close after going to the score cards and Burns’ winning by unanimous decision. He connected nearly 100 more punches and had 7:58 on the ground.

Despite all this, I still like Usman at -290. The fight will probably be primarily on the ground. In a division dominated by wrestlers, there will surely be double-digit takedown attempts.

Step aside Burns for the fight people actually want to see: Usman vs. Covington 2. At least you will be able to bank a small amount on this fight, but the co-main event looks better at sportsbooks.

The fight is in the women’s flyweight between Maycee Barber (+110) and Alexa Grasso (-134.)

They are the same exact build, same exact size, so there is no advantage in that category. The

Gilbert Burns

only difference is age. Grasso, the favorite, is five years more experienced than Barber.

She is coming off an ACL tear that has had her sidelined. Barber dubs herself as “the future,” and there is no better time to prove it than UFC 258.

Before the ACL tear, she was being fast tracked through the division. Going into the fight Barber was undefeated at 8–0. I will give her a pass on losing the last fight since that is when the injury happened, but this is not a simple injury it is a torn ACL. I like the underdog in this fight anyway. Ignore the ACL injury because it has been a full year since that; plus, who does not love a comeback story, let alone an underdog story. Barber has a lot to prove, and I think she does just that.

The main card also features a middleweight matchup between Kelvin Gastelum (-220) and Ian Heinisch (+176.)

Maycee Barber

This is another fight in which both fighters want to prove their ability to compete for a title shot.

The fight is a little strange looking at the rankings.

Gastelum is ranked No. 9, and Heinisch is No. 15 in the division.

Gastelum is taking a big risk with his ranking and with a loss could put his title aspirations years back, especially after losing his last three.

The 29-yearold loves his finishes, and who could blame him. Gastelum has finished 11 of his 16 fights.

However, on the other side is a man looking to stamp his spot in the middleweight division.

Heinisch will have a 2-inch advantage in the fight but does not have the big fights on his resume.

The biggest fight he had was against Derek Brunson where he lost by unanimous decision.

I am leaning toward the favor-

Kevin Gastelum

ite, Gastelum. Although he is on a losing streak, this is what would be considered a lesser opponent.

Combine that bet with the next: Gastelum along with the winner of the bantamweight.

The fight is between Pedro Munhoz (+126) and Jimmie Rivera (-154.)

An exciting fight and arguably the closest in talent as Munhoz comes in ranked No. 8, and Rivera is No. 9. Both are also the same in the last three at 1–2.

The fighting styles is about the only difference between them as Munhoz is a finisher who has 13 in his career, and Rivera is a guy who will tire you out and will hit the opponent at all three levels.

I, again, like the favorite with Rivera. He is a well-rounded fighter and can dominate a match up like this one. Also, I believe he will be able to drag the fight on and wear out Munhoz, plus who care overlook the 3.5 inch on reach advantage.

Either way it should be a great fight.

So, all in all take Usman at -290 (single), Barber at +110 (single), and parlay Gastelum and Rivera at +140.

Sit down, shut up, take it to the bank.