8-29-19

The Pitt News

T h e i n d e p e n d e n t s t ude nt ne w spap e r of t he U niversity of Pittsburgh | PIttnews.com | August 29, 2019 ­| Volume 110 | Issue 15

DON’T SPILL THE TEA

PLANNED SCI BUILDING WILL ‘TRANSFORM’ CAMPUS Brian Gentry

versity is changing its street pole banners from the old blue and gold color scheme to the redesigned retro colors. Some of these banners are already placed on upper campus in North Oakland near Sutherland Hall and the Petersen Events Center, but Pitt plans to place them on lower campus in Central

Senior Staff Writer In a few years, students in the School of Computing and Information will start going to class in a yet-to-be-built complex adjacent to the Oaklander Hotel — One Bigelow. But Pitt has plans for the building that go beyond the SCI. One University official, Kristen Gusten, said Wednesday that One Bigelow will “transform” the campus and compared the new complex to the Cathedral of Learning.

“We’re going to be able to look at this building and look back at the Cathedral and realize that a transformation for a generation is going to happen,” Gusten said. “It’s exciting and we want to get it right.”

Gusten, the senior director of administration for the Office of the Provost, was one of three speakers from the University to talk about the new collaborative space at Wednesday’s report-back meeting. During the meeting, the speakers summarized feedback from three earlier community engagement sessions in August and fielded questions from those in attendance.

According to the Campus Master Plan, the new complex will house the

See OPDC on page 2

See Transformations on page 2

A student pours tea for participants in an escape room hosted by the center for less-commonly taught languages.

Teams worked to solve language and culture-themed puzzles. Kaycee Orwig senior staff photographer

Oaklanders receive updates on neighborhood projects Vaibhav Gupta Staff Writer

Oakland community members gathered Wednesday night as representatives from three different institutions — Pitt, Shadyside developer Walnut Capital and the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority — provided updates on projects that affect the neighborhood.

The Oakland Planning and Development Corporation hosted the two-hour event at the Oakland Career Center on Semple Street. Pitt presented two projects at the event — one relating to the University’s branding and another about a new food delivery initiative starting this fall.

Kate Ledger, Pitt’s assistant vice chancellor for marketing, said the Uni-

News OPDC, pg. 1

Oakland.

Ledger added that while the University has already decided on a new color scheme, it wants to be sure to include the community in the public display of the new branding as it seeks approval from the City Art Commission.

“A lot of research has gone into this process,” Ledger said. “It’s really important, as we go through this, that we are building consensus throughout the University and the alumni and all of our constituents.”

Pitt also spoke about a new partnership between the University and Starship Technologies, an autonomous personal delivery company, utilizing the delivery robots to bring food made by Sodexo, Pitt’s dining contractor, across campus. David Catania, the head of government affairs for Starship Technologies, said the company plans to start a pilot with 25 robots in late September, charging a flat $1.99 fee per delivery.

Catania said the goal of robot delivery is to help reduce other costs created with food delivery such as congestion and pollution — the company said the delivery bots are 32 times more efficient than cars. He added that the robots are designed to avoid noise disturbances such as beeping noises, but they do produce a small humming noise.

He added that the company is in talks with the City about where its services can operate, but is currently focused on Pitt’s campus first to make sure that the community is comfortable with the technology.

“At the moment, it’s primarily the University … we are open to going beyond that, but we want to be respectful to the City and introduce it slowly and in a measured way that increases the comfort level,” Catania said.

South Oakland resident Elena Zaitsoff said she is “very intrigued” about bringing delivery robots to the neighborhood.

“I can actually see students use it quite a bit because I always see students getting delivery in my neighborhood,” Zaitsoff said. “I don’t know what happens on campus, but it would be

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helpful to have here.”

Representatives from Shadyside developer Walnut Capital also spoke at the event, discussing their plans to build a 10-story office building, located at the corner of Fifth Avenue and Halket Street, with space for technical, medical and research companies. The building will feature 6,200 square feet of retail space on the ground floor, as well as 100 parking spaces.

Tom Price, the project’s architect and a principal with the Pittsburgh design firm Strada, said the building is designed to comply with high levels of LEED environmental certifications and will feature solar arrays on the roof.

“We’re trying to be as sustainable as we can,” Price said.

Oakland resident Andrea Boyukowycz said that she is proud that Walnut Capital is working to make the building as sustainable as possible.

“I was pleased to see that Walnut Capital is going to be pursuing a high level and elite certification for their building,” Boyukowycz said. “I would really love to see other developers follow suit with sustainability design.”

But the developer faced opposition from residents on the building’s height, which is 67 feet above the City limit of 85 feet. The City Zoning Board of Adjustment voted in May to grant the developer a special exemption.

Zaitsoff said she was upset the zoning board allowed the building to move forward to construction.

“The Walnut Capital building is too high,” Zaitsoff said. “It’s just too big to be here.”

A representative for the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority also spoke at the event, discussing several financial assistance options available to incomequalified residents. One program, the bill discount program, offers a 75% reduction of fixed monthly water and wastewater conveyance charges for customers at or below 150% of the federal poverty level.

The representative said that if individuals wanted to have their water tested for lead, they could request a water quality test from the PWSA, fill it with water and then mail it to a third-party testing lab.

Transformations, pg. 1 University’s School of Computing and Information, which was founded in July 2017 and accepted its inaugural first-year class this semester. One Bigelow will replace the UPMC parking lot adjacent to The Oaklander and across the street from Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall.

The University expects that conceptual design for the project will take six months from the end of the comment period, which has yet to be defined. Complete design will take another 12 months and construction will take 24 to 28 months.

Some of Wednesday’s conversation focused on technical details of the building.

For example, there will likely be one or two levels of belowground parking to offset the elimination of the existing parking lot, and the interior will be painted in brighter colors and may even have bio walls — walls that contain plants — to improve occupants’ moods.

Mary Beth McGrew, the assistant vice chancellor for campus planning, said these small details are important to outline up-front, and that fielding comments from the public will give the University a better understanding of what people want out of the space.

“It might make us clean our glasses to see the way a classroom is designed or a wall is designed or a space is designed in a new and interesting way,” McGrew said.

But though these specific details were discussed, no designs have been released yet, as the University is still in the very early planning stages. McGrew said that may disappoint some who are looking for sleek architectural drawings, but that the goal of these preliminary meetings is to get a symbolic picture of the complex rather than a literal one.

“We are going to have a lot of time for the designers to shape the space, but this [meeting] is about a new idea — how do we work inside a new idea and what opportunities do we have,” McGrew said.

The primary theme connecting earlier comments, McGrew said, was a desire for the space to promote collaboration between its occupants. The building will foster a sense of community among those that work there, rather than keeping them isolated in their own “silos.”

August 29, 2019

“We do not let our policies and procedures create new kinds of silos,” McGrew said.

The University seeks to accomplish this through intentional design of the space with collaboration at the forefront, McGrew said. This will come through the creation of “studios,” labs with more open space than typical offices allow, and also with interdisciplinary education in mind.

The design process is still in the very early stages, but Paul Cohen, the founding dean and professor in the SCI, said the building will accommodate the SCI’s attempt to break barriers between disciplines. “[Universities are] not training students to see what fields have in common.

[They’re] training students by putting them in ever narrower chutes,” Cohen said. “So the school is trying a number of things to train students to be able to leave the school with a degree and be able to work in any discipline at all.”

Cohen emphasized that though the building is creating space for the rising SCI, Pitt intends it to serve the entire University population, rather than just computer science students and faculty.

“This is a University of Pittsburgh building,” Cohen said. “My school will be in that building, and we’ll be supporting all kinds of stuff that’s going on, but we really view this as an opportunity for Pitt to think about how universities should be functioning in the coming decades.”

Cohen noted that the SCI has already started to foster this sort of collaboration. He said the SCI already offers two cross-school majors, computational biology and digital literature and interactive design, and hinted that many more — including ones in computational social science, computational pharmacy and data science — are in the works.

Cohen said the creation of One Bigelow is a vital step towards this collaborative atmosphere the University is trying to promote, and that the University needs to be successful in its endeavor.

“Collaboration goes without saying,” Cohen said. “None of the problems we are working on today can be solved in silos.”

Another report-back meeting will be held Thursday from 3 to 4 p.m. in 121 Alumni Hall, and student-specific comment sessions will be held at a later date.

2

Opinions

Online Editorial: Stephens’ idea of free speech is hypocritical, self-serving pittnews.com

column

Back to paperback:

TPN File Photo

TAKING TIME TO READ IN THE TECHNOLOGICAL ERA

Leah Mensch

Assiatant Opinions Editor When it comes to reading for fun during the school year, I’ve used every excuse in the book — pun intended. I do too much reading as an English literature major. I don’t have the energy to go to the library. I have so little time, I want to fill it with other activities I enjoy. The list goes on. I’m sure almost everyone could come up with a few of their own excuses.

It’s a shame that we don’t read for pleasure as much during the school year, because with reading comes so many other benefits that improve the quality of everyday life. This is especially true for current college students dealing with the stress of academics, loans and being an adult.

The truth is, everyone has time to read — and pursue other things for that matter — as long as they manage their time. And really, we should be choosing to read in our spare minutes, because the mental benefits far outweigh those of scrolling through social media or listening to a true crime podcast.

The average American spends 5.4 hours a day on their cell phone, according to a 2019 study conducted by Provision Living. Millennials and Gen

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Zs look at their phones slightly more than older generations, averaging about 5.7 hours a day. The drawbacks of screentime greatly outweigh the benefits, including when it comes to sleep.

Like all screens, phones emit blue light. Exposure to said blue light suppresses the secretion of melatonin more powerfully than any other kind of light, according to Harvard Health.

This means that evening phone exposure can be harmful for sleep, especially exposure right before bed.

I’m most prone to falling into the internet black hole right before bed, and I’d venture to guess that many other college-aged students experience similar tendencies.

Unlike scrolling through Facebook and browsing your thousands of spam emails, books don’t emit any blue light or any light at all for that matter. This makes the period between productive work and bed an ideal time to read. Reading is also shown to decrease stress levels, which makes for a better night’s sleep. A 2009 University of Surrey study found that reading before bed can reduce stress levels by as much as 68%.

In addition to reduced stress levels, reading also helps to calm the brain.

It’s almost like a form of meditation and can be extremely effective in not only sleep maintenance, but also in reducing anxiety. Anxiety is slightly different than stress, though college students tend to be prone to experiencing both. Reading can help offset this, and it’s always a good idea to go to bed without a head full of worries.

Even if you aren’t reading right before bed, there are still countless mental benefits that come along with it. Most of us could use a stress break in the middle of the day, and while activities like intense exercise might be beneficial, they aren’t always practical at midday for people who have long commutes or are going from class to class. Consider reading while you eat lunch or while waiting for someone to arrive for a meeting or simply pick a daily time for a 20-minute reading break.

For students who utilize public transportation, the bus is an ideal place to read. A book makes the morning commute feel shorter, and just as screen time adds up, so does reading time. Becoming enthralled in a book stimulates the neural networks in the brain, improving our vocabulary, social cognition and general understanding of abstract content, according to the U.S. National

August 29, 2019

Library of Medicine.

Studies also show that reading increases emotional intelligence and empathy as well. You make better decisions for your own well-being and see the people in the world around you more clearly. This is due to documented overlap between the areas of the brain that comprehend stories and the brain networks that process interactions with others, according to a 2011 study published in the Annual Review of Psychology.

To be clear, reading for pleasure doesn’t mean pulling “Moby-Dick” off of your bookshelf or checking “Ulysses” out from the Carnegie Library — unless those books really do bring you pleasure, then have at it. Reading for pleasure just means reading, whether that be a magazine, a true crime novel, young adult literature or Michelle Obama’s memoir.

Your book choice does not need to be a sophisticated classic in order to reap all of reading’s benefits.

Ultimately, we all have time to read. Whether or not we actually do depends on the way in which we prioritize our schedule and whether or not we’re self-aware enough to put the cell phone down for the morning commute or pick up a paperback before going to sleep.

3

Culture

review

CRACKING OPEN A COLD ONE WITH ‘THE BOYS’:

Amazon’s new series is refreshing Thomas Wick Staff Writer

In case you have been living under a rock for the past 10 years, superheroes are one of the biggest trends in popular culture. The Marvel Cinematic Universe, critically acclaimed video games and interconnected TV series on Netflix and the CW are proof that we are in the golden age of superheroes. Their presence is so immense there are even ads for “Avengers: Endgame” grape cartons at the grocery store.

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It’s fair to call “superhero” its own genre. And, like any genre, there is always going to be a film or TV show that deconstructs it. This year we got one such deconstruction — which features babies shooting laser beams to literally deconstruct men in suits — in the Amazon Prime exclusive show “The Boys,” a sharp, witty and adult series that exceeds expectations and then some.

Based on the comic book of the same name by Garth Ennis and Eric Kripke, “The Boys” focuses on a

group of individuals fed up with the corrupt superheroes in their world who fail to uphold their duties. The heroes in question, The Seven, are owned by a massive multimedia corporation called Vought, and their immense power has caused them to become more like villains than heroes.

One day, a member of The Seven traumatizes the central protago-

August 29, 2019

via Amazon Prime Video nist of the series, Hughie (Jack Quaid).

Hughie is approached by a mysterious man named Billy Butcher (Karl Urban), who offers him the chance to get even with The Seven. Hughie joins Billy’s team of antiheroes — Frenchie (Tomer Capon), Marvin (Laz Ansolo) and Kimiko (Karen Fukuhara).

Together they must fight against The Seven, a clear parody of the Justice See Wick on page 5

4

Wick, pg. 4 League with deadly members such as the Superman-like Homelander (Anthony Starr), Wonder Woman-like warrior Queen Maeve (Dominique McElligott), The Flash-like speedster A-Train (Jessie T. Usher) and Aquaman-like hero The Deep (Chace Crawford).

The first thing that stood out, other than Karl Urban’s delightful accent, was the cast. The two leads of the show, Hughie and Billy, were the highlights. The constant moral dilemmas they face while fighting against superpowered jerks were enthralling.

While Hughie and Billy are connected in their quest to get revenge against The Seven, they are both cut from different cloths. Billy is very dark and his diabolical nature tends to spread its way onto Hughie and taints his innocent slate. However, Hughie isn’t fighting against The Seven because Billy forced him too. Hughie is also driven by vengeance, but unlike the desensitized Billy, every horrific action he makes fills him with disgust and overwhelming regret. One of the most common themes of the superhero genre is trying to uphold the

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law while also working outside it, and both Billy’s and Hughie’s characterizations are great case studies of this issue. Their relationship is a wonderful dichotomy that keeps the narrative flowing.

The Seven are also very interesting, even if they aren’t very likeable.

A-Train is the most despicable, using performance-enhancing drugs to cheat his way to victory and lacking the most basic human compassion for his closest friends.

Homelander, on the other hand, is a complete menace. His terrifying demeanor is elevated by Starr’s performance and the representation of Homelander’s limitless power. We see in the first episode how he destroys a plane with little effort, establishing how easily Homelander could destroy The Boys if they get caught. Combine this power with his total lack of ethics and you have a genuinely scary villain, right on par with Thanos.

However, not all of the members of the Seven are as despicable as Homelander and A-Train, and some feel immense guilt about their actions. Though a pawn of Vought, the heroine Starlight (Erin Moriarity) represents a better version of the tradi-

tional superhero — one who protects innocent lives.

“The Boys” is not just a parody of the superhero genre but also of our celebrity-focused society. On TV and social media The Seven come across as likeable and heroic, but behind the scenes they’re people with the same issues as everyone else. But with their immense power they became burned out and forgot who they were supposed to be.

Starlight’s characterization is relevant in today’s world because she represents how it feels to be bought and controlled by a corporation.

Once she becomes a member of The Seven, Vought owns everything about her. The same happens in our society.

Rather than creating a black and white show that makes Hughie a saint and The Seven coldhearted devils, some of the latter are still faintly heroic. The Deep wants to save the ocean, a pursuit that almost costs him his job, and Maeve still tries to do the right thing in the face of Homelander’s ferocity, such as trying to save a young family from death.

On top of these morally gray story

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beats and even some jabs at ’80-’90s superhero costumes, “The Boys” also has some very sharp and stark humor. The show isn’t gut-bustingly hilarious, but the interactions between the five antiheroes are sometimes extremely funny.

The visuals are the icing on the gray cake. For an Amazon Prime show, the cinematography is excellent, showcasing some great mise-en-scene in the costume designs of the heroes, the authentic locations of the city and bringing the best out of the actor performances. The lighting is flat and ugly but it works in the show’s favor, matching its murky themes and violent material.

“The Boys” is also super adult.

There are some seriously grotesque visuals and raunchy dialogue that would make Deadpool proud, yet it never comes across as childish or cheap shock value.

“The Boys” is an absolute must see for everyone. Even if you aren’t a fan of the superhero genre it’s still worth binging. The show is only eight episodes at the moment, and it’s already been renewed for a second season.

We’ll see if it dies a hero or lives long enough to become a villain.

5

Sports

KIZZA AND COMPANY TO ELEVATE PITT MEN’S SOCCER IN 2019

Dominic Campbell Senior Staff Writer

With Friday’s upcoming game at No. 2 Indiana, the Pitt men’s soccer team will begin its 2019 campaign with the hope of achieving new heights in the rising program.

Last year’s team saw the same ACC record, 2-6, as in 2017, but the 2018 Panthers did earn their first ACC tournament win with a 2-0 upset over Virginia, putting them in the quarterfinals. Pitt also came close to making the semifinals, forcing a good Duke team all the way to penalty kicks where it eventually lost.

The 2019 team comes in with a lot of experience, but also a lot of questions.

One of the Panthers’ biggest concerns will be their defense. Pitt lost five seniors from the back line and just four defenders are returning from last year’s team, only three of whom received significant playing time.

Pitt’s greatest strength undoubtedly comes at the forward position. The most important attacker for the Panthers will be junior Ugandan forward Edward Kizza. In his first season, Kizza made the 2017 All-ACC Freshman Team after tallying four goals and three assists in 15 games, 14 of which he started.

He broke out in a big way last season and was recognized nationally for his efforts. His 15 goals were tied for third best in program history and fifth best in the NCAA. Kizza also ranked ninth in the NCAA in shot accuracy at .622 and 13th in total points with 30 — fifth best in program history. He led the conference in those three categories, earning him a spot on the 2018 All-ACC First Team.

Joining him in the Pitt offensive attack

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will be fellow junior forward Alexander Dexter. A 2017 All-ACC Freshman like Kizza, Dexter started 15 games and appeared in 17 as a first-year, and started 13 and played in 18 last season. He was a quality sidekick to Kizza in 2018, leading the Panthers with five assists and nine points.

First-year forwards Luke Mort and Josh Hesson could potentially see some time as well this season, especially Hesson, who had two assists in the win against Duquesne. Still, Kizza and Dexter will be the ones to lead the offense and they could bring the team to new heights if everything goes to plan.

On defense, Pitt maintains continuity at the right and left back positions as sophomore defenders Chandler Vaughn and Nyk Sessock started most games as first-years in 2018. Vaughn’s performance even got him onto the All-ACC Freshman Team and his play, along with Sessock’s, will be crucial to how well the team defends this season.

The bigger concern is the middle of the defense. The former seniors in that position — Robby Dambrot, Shane Wiedt and Peter Prescott — who helped give the team five shutouts last season have graduated. Junior defender Sito Sena, who started all 19 games last season, could be moved into the center back position, but he also has the ability to come forward and play more of a defensive midfield role.

It will be interesting to see how Pitt’s new defenders, junior Rutgers transfer Bryce Washington and first-year Spaniard Arturo Ordonez, could be used at the center back position, as both players provide good size at 6 feet 2 inches.

First-year defender Sebastian Serpa will look to provide depth to the defense and

In his first season Edward Kizza (9) made the 2017 All-ACC Freshman Team after scoring four goals and making three assists in 15 games.

Bader Abdulmajeed senior staff photographer redshirt freshman defender Anthony Harding could see some time as well.

A lot is still left uncertain about midfield, save the presence of sophomore midfielder Jackson Walti, who stands to be the main central midfielder this season after starting 16 of 19 games last year.

The team will feel the loss of 2017 and 2018 Second Team All-ACC midfielder Javi Perez, who was selected in the MLS Superdraft by LAFC this offseason. They also have to replace midfielder Marcony Pimentel, who started 14 and played in 15 games before transferring to UCLA in the offseason.

One returning player that could have a major impact is sophomore Brazilian midfielder Rodrigo Almeida, who only appeared in 11 games but showed bright spots in his first season. Senior midfielder Alex Peperak may also see playing time, but his time diminished much from 2017 to 2018, going from 12 games to six.

The rest of the midfield is composed of players who either lack experience or are new to Pitt. First-year French midfielder Valentin Noel has already made an impact by making the game-winning assist in an exhibition win over No. 17

August 29, 2019

James Madison. Junior UBMC transfer Matt Bailey and Providence senior midfielder transfer Braden Kline could also be important for this Pitt team with their experience. Bailey provided two assists in the Duquesne win and Kline appeared in most games during his time at Providence.

The goalkeeper position remains the same from last season, with sophomore Johan Penaranda keeping the job after starting 17 games in 2018. Fellow sophomore Alex Steinbach will slot in behind Penaranda as the primary backup.

Fans can expect Pitt to improve upon last season’s record, especially in conference play, and make it even further in the ACC tournament. At best, this team could possibly push for an NCAA at-large berth if Kizza performs as well as he did in 2018 and the defense steps up in a big way. At worst, Pitt could fail to improve on last year’s team and regress back to the bottom of the ACC. For Panther fans, knowing that head coach Jay Vidovich — a former national champion in his time at Wake Forest — is in his fourth year with a team of his own recruits should bring excitement, with the potential for Pitt to emerge as one of the ACC’s top teams in the near future.

6

TAKE 5: COLTS, CONTRACTS AND CORRUPTION

National Collegiate Amoral Association

In Week 0 of college football action we saw Tathan Martell take the field alongside his new teammates at the University of Miami, despite his inability to beat our redshirt first-year quarterback Jarren Williams. Martell’s transfer out of the Ohio State football program was notable because both he and the transfer quarterback that replaced him in Columbus, former Georgia Bulldog Justin Fields, received waivers from the NCAA that allowed them to participate in this season. Normally, a transfer has to sit out one year after changing schools under NCAA regulations.

You know who didn’t receive one of these special waivers? Brock Hoffman, a former two-star offensive lineman at Coastal Carolina who transferred to Virginia Tech this offseason. Hoffman’s motivation to transfer was slightly different from the playing time complaints that drove Fields and Martell to their new programs.

Hoffman transferred so he could be a caregiver to his mother, who was diagnosed with a non-cancerous tumor back in 2017. But still, his waiver request was denied, as was the appeal of that decision. According to The Athletic’s Virginia Tech beat writer Andy Bitter, the two years between the diagnosis and the transfer were just too long for the NCAA. The transfer process is a deeply flawed system that has been designed to allow nameless administrators to decide which transfers are allowed to play immediately and which are not. Even when we ignore the harsh truth that we already know about the NCAA — that its priority is revenue, not the players who generate it — this is a new low for an organization whose lack of empathy never ceases to amaze.

— Ben Bobeck, Staff Writer

Monumental season awaits Washington

The Pittsburgh Steelers improved to 3-0 on the preseason with a convincing win over the Titans Sunday night. One of the longest — and perhaps most significant — plays came on a 41-yard touchdown pass from Mason Rudolph to second-year wideout James Washington.

Through three preseason games, Washington has nearly matched his receiving yards total from the 2018 regular season while leading Pittsburgh in receiving yards in all three games. The NFL preseason is often viewed as meaningless, but don’t be so fast to scoff at Washington’s production.

Washington was expected to shine in 2018 and had a nice preseason, but mostly failed to produce aside from a Week 2 touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs.

He finished the year with just 16 catches for 217 yards.

After a crucial drop against Denver in Week 12, he became subject to criticism from the media, as well as his own quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger. Washington’s 2018 struggles visibly took a hit to his confidence. But

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The sports desk tackles football, from the implications of Andrew Luck’s sudden retirement to the NCAA’s questionable transfer rules.

by The Pitt News Staff

with Antonio Brown out of Pittsburgh and JuJu SmithSchuster stepping into the number one role, Washington can no longer be invisible. With a clear path to the number two receiver spot, a newfound confidence and 15 pounds shed this offseason, Washington is poised for a breakout year. Pick him late in fantasy drafts and pay close attention. By season’s end, Washington may just have his first 1,000-yard campaign in the books.

— Kyle Saxon, For The Pitt News

Show me the money

As the start of the NFL season creeps ever closer, it’s up in the air whether two of the league’s premier running backs will play this year. Like Le’Veon Bell last season, Los Angeles Charger Melvin Gordon and Dallas Cowboy Ezekiel Elliott have money on their mind. As the days go by and the franchises refuse to cater to their talented tailbacks, it’s becoming more and more likely that they, like Bell, will miss some action.

Gordon is on the final year of his rookie contract and set to earn only $5.6 million this year, well below his worth. The Chargers reportedly offered him a deal averaging around $10 million annually, but it hasn’t been enough. LA has two talented backs in Austin Ekeler and Justin Jackson that could fill in if Gordon sits out.

Elliott is looking to be the highest-paid running back in the league. The Cowboys’ most recent offer would land him somewhere close behind Todd Gurley, who sits at $57.5 million over four years with $45 million guaranteed. But Zeke isn’t budging, and the Cowboys backfield of Tony Pollard and Alfred Morris is a much more significant dropoff than the Chargers situation.

Through all this, one thing is clear — owners and running backs have come to a stalemate these past two seasons, and it likely won’t end anytime soon. Three of the best backs in the league — Saquon Barkley, Christian McCaffrey and Alvin Kamara — are in the infancy of their careers and putting up numbers that should translate to monster deals. The question is, will their franchises pay them? If not, what teams will?

— Nick Carlisano, Senior Staff Writer

Seventh for the Steel City

The Pittsburgh Steelers are out for revenge this season after what transpired at the end of last year. The

August 29, 2019

Steelers were firing on all cylinders during the first half of 2018, as they stood with a 7-2-1 record around Thanksgiving.

Pittsburgh went on to finish the season with a 9-61 record, losing four of its final six games. The Steelers’ mediocre play down the stretch resulted in their missing the postseason for the first time since 2013.

On top of the on-field issues, the issues off the field took over the headlines.

Wide receiver Antonio Brown was responsible for much of the drama. He refused to play for the team during the crucial last week of the season, and this caused problems with Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Running back Le’Veon Bell, meanwhile, created problems by holding out the entire season due to contract disputes.

Last season’s drama is now behind the Steelers, as they shipped Bell to the New York Jets and Brown to the Oakland Raiders in the offseason. And while Bell and Brown were looking to leave the organization, wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and running back James Conner each had breakout seasons.

Pittsburgh’s offense is just as strong as it was last year with these players, while the defense got an upgrade with the addition of rookie linebacker Devin Bush.

Barring any injuries, the Steelers will win their seventh Lombardi Trophy this season.

— Tyler Moran, Staff Writer

Colts out of Luck

Following the shocking news about Indianapolis Colts star quarterback Andrew Luck retiring, it’s time to evaluate what direction the team is heading. While it may seem bleak, the Colts are primed for a competitive team.

Though Jacoby Brissett may seem like an average starter due to his last stint, Indianapolis will still field a team that can help take the load off of his plate.

Colts general manager Chris Ballard sought to protect the oft-injured Luck and keep him on his feet. In doing so, the Colts fielded the fourth-ranked run blocking line and second-ranked pass blocking line last season, according to Football Outsiders. A great offensive line is a luxury that many young quarterbacks don’t have, and Brissett will be able to rely on his linemen. On the other side of the ball, the Colts will field one of their best defensive rosters in years led by 2018 Defensive Rookie of the Year Darius Leonard.

The last time Brissett filled in for Luck, he had an average season and the Colts found themselves with a 4-12 record in 2017. However, he was playing behind the 18thranked run blocking line and the worst pass blocking line in the league. Fortunately for Brissett, Indianapolis and its front office discovered that one person can’t carry a team and it requires a well-built roster. Unfortunately for Luck, the lesson was too little too late.

— Sami Abu-Obaid, Staff Writer

7

I N D E X

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Located near Pitt Den‑ tal School and Carlow Univer­sity. Laundry ser­vices available.

Rent $600/mo per

unit, which includes utili­ties. Contact

Chris 412‑656‑5693.

South Oakland 2BR apartment, Juliet St. Available immedi­ately. $900/ month, includes all utilities. Security deposit re­quired. Call 412‑608‑8581.

3rd Floor apartment.

Private entrance, fully equipped econ­omy kitchen, all ap­ pliances, laundry in basement, street park­ ing, awesome view!

pittnews.com

Employment • CHILDCARE • FOOD SERVICES • UNIVERSITY • INTERNSHIPS • RESEARCH • VOLUNTEERING • OTHER

$1200/mo. +utilities.

Wi‑fi $20/mo. extra.

Available Aug. 1.

Call 412‑999‑3112 or 412‑683‑1403.

Now Renting for Fall 2019. 1 and 2 Bed­rooms starting at $775‑$1125. Good locations still avail­ able.

Contact: John C.R. Kelly Office: 412‑683‑7300 Email: info@kellyre­ altyinc.com Website: www.­ jcrkelly.com

Squirrel Hill Greenfield/Squir‑ rel Hill. Spacious 1‑bed­room, 1st floor apart­ment. Entirely reno­vated, C/A, living room, bathroom, din­ ing room, equipped kitchen with pantry, basement laundry.

On busline. Avail‑ able 9/1/19. $895+ Gas& Electric.

412‑653‑6860.

Rental Other Loft available at

Heinz Lofts. 9mo.

sublet. 2BR, 2BA,

multiple amenities,

pet friendly. $1700/ mo. 916‑834‑3826

Classifieds

For sale

• AUTO • BIKES • BOOKS • MERCHANDISE • FURNITURE • REAL ESTATE • PETS

services

• EDUCATIONAL • TRAVEL • HEALTH • PARKING • INSURANCE

Employment Childcare Childcare service for infant. PT help to take care of baby, ap­proximately 15 hrs/ wk. In home care only. Flexible sched­ ule. Send qualifica­ tions and references to zipfelp@duq.edu

Internships RESEARCH ASSIS­ TANT internship trainee positions (un­paid), with the option for credit, are avail­able immediately in the Biobehavioral On­cology Program of the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center. We are seeking multiple students to each vol­ unteer up to 10 hours a week. Positions have the potential to con‑ tinue into the spring semester. Can­didates should pos­sess good people skills, com‑ puter skills, dedication to research, attention to detail, organization‑ al skills, strong work ethic, and the ability to work au­tonomously or as part of a team.

Individuals with expe‑ rience in ei­ther a wet lab setting (biology), or dry lab setting

notices

• ADOPTION • EVENTS • LOST AND FOUND • STUDENT GROUPS • WANTED • OTHER

(psychology, public health) are strongly encouraged to apply.

Interested individuals should contact Ms. Jessica Manculich at man­culichjf@upmc. edu. Please provide a re­sume, availability, and a brief statement of your background and goals.

Employment Other Arby’s now hiring.

Team Members and Shift Managers for all shifts. Flexible schedule. Plus com­ petitive pay. Walking accessible from cam­pus. Call Sherry 412‑980‑9627 or stop in at our location 3435 Forbes Avenue.

Come join the La Fe­ ria family! Part time restaurant work, no experience neces‑ sary, we will train you. Ap­ply in person at 5527 Walnut St. 412‑682‑4501 Help Wanted! Gen­ eral gallery work.

Immediate help needed! Flexible hours, PT, days & weekends. Contact Mo at 412‑818‑3943 or 412‑441‑8080.

R A T E S

Insertions

1-15 Words

16-30 Words

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2X

3X

4X

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5X $27.00 $29.10

6X $30.20 $32.30

Add. + $5.00 + $5.40

(Each Additional Word: $0.10)

Deadline:

Two business days prior by 3pm | Email: advertising@pittnews.com | Phone: 412.648.7978

in SQUIRREL HILL with cerebral palsy.

Needed for four evenings per week 4‑9pm. $16P/H. We are looking for some‑ one who is engaging, per­sonable, enthusi‑ astic and responsible.

Please inquire at 412‑889‑8934.

The Pitt News is cur­rently seeking stu­dents to work as In­ side Sales Representa­ tives for the newspa­ per. They will pro­vide advertising ser­vice to all Student, Univer‑ sity, and Clas­sified Accounts, while also complet­ing assigned office duties. Submit re­sumes/applica‑ tions to advertising@ pittnews.­com, or stop by our office at 434 William Pitt Union!

Services Services Other Download FREE

Le­gal App. Access

FREE Legal Forms.

https://bit.ly/31bpcHZ 412‑245‑7514

MALE CARE­ GIVER/COMPAN­ ION for young man

August 29, 2019

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