The SKYLINE View The Voice of Skyline College, San Bruno, Calif.
January 30, 2020
theskylineview.com
Issue 1
Dr. Janet Jackson talks about Struggle, Stereotype and Skyline An African American girl born in Louisiana, who fought her way out of poverty
Spotlight SPORTS Page 8
Let’s face it, no one predicted the 49ers to be here. And yeah, it’s a bit unexpected for the 49ers to be playing in Super Bowl LIV. After seven seasons of agony and frustration, the San Francisco 49ers have made it to the Super Bowl LIV against the Kansas City Chiefs in Miami, Florida.
FOCAL POINT Page 6
Here’s how to conquer the
New Year Using both Skyline’s resources and inside tips from student-to-student to help get you through the year Let them happen naturally How teachers and students feel about icebreakers in the beginning of the semester.
OPINION Page 4
Burying the Art With the
Artist: The Unethical Practices of Record Companies DEA Releases Strategy Guide to Preventing Drug Abuse: No, You Shouldn’t Care
NEWS Page 2
Skyline celebrates Lunar New Year with students on campus with food and good company
Inspiration Board “If you’re afraid to fall, then you’re probably going to fall” -Kobe Bryant
By Umaima Ejaz Interim News Editor The last two years have been a roller coaster ride for the district with former Chancellor Ron Galatolo suddenly resigning, Dr. Regina Stanback Stroud announcing retirement and with many more events. Despite, all that Dr. Janet Jackson filled in the spot for the interim president in fall 2019. This position came in with a lot of expectations and pressure but for Dr. Jackson, this wasn’t new. An African American girl who was born in Louisiana, who moved to California with five of her other siblings after her parents split. She was only five years old then. She believed she always had a strong work ethic around her, it was her mom, who despite being a college dropout, encouraged them to go to college. She always knew that she was going to go to school that was always her and her family’s way out of poverty. She went University of Texas, Austin. All of her siblings have studied to same levels either bachelors or masters. We had a pleasure talking to Dr Jackson and we asked her a few questions Dr. Jackson what is your greatest accomplishments so far? Making my mom proud. My Mom passed away in 2018, and one of the last things she said to me, was “I am so proud of you and what you’ve done in your life” That feeling will always be there but I know she’s here with me, I speak to her almost every
morning. Yeah so I would say one of my greatest accomplishments was making my mom proud. You spoke about challenges, what has been your biggest challenge in life so far? Believe it or not I wanted to achieve beyond the status quo, first being a woman and secondly, being an African American woman. This absolutely was not the other way. Being an African American and a woman, I’ve had more challenges just because I’m a woman and then the second strike is an African American woman. Then this third strike is being a smart and intelligent African Ameri c a n w ome n b e -
to go you’re never going to be the top executive you’re never going to be the CEO, and I challenged all of those because it’s like, that’s not who I am. I know I’m smart, I’m as smart as you are. I could do your job, I could do it better. I’ve always had that belief in self. And if I had to pass on anything to anyone, it would be, believe in yourself. Have that intrinsic sense of wealth, or sense of who you are. Rather than, allowing other people to define who you are. Speaking of struggles, you just said you
cause women are supposed to be attractive and quiet, know your place. You know what your places are. A secretary or, you know, clerical, or if you are middle manager that’s as far as you’re going
had to face obstacles because of being a woman of color. Reports suggest student successes by ethnicity, the African-American students score the lowest success rates and the
Courtesy of Skyline College
highest withdrawal rates. How do you look at this and what do you think you can do about it? I think probably our college, Skyline in particular, has addressed this better than any other. I’ve been doing this over 30 years. Any college that I’ve been in. Four different community college districts. This is the fourth Community College District and I think that the research shows that students of color of any color, students that are marginalized, always they will leave, and they, as I say vote with their feet. When they don’t feel like they belong. When there’s no services that provides a path, a guided pathway for them to know what step to take because they’ve never had anyone, they’re usually the first in their family. I grew up in a poor family but I grew up with my mom always pushing me toward education. When I was 14 I got a job working in the library because I love to read. So when you read, guess what you find out about all these other things outside of your world. So, but not all of our students do that, you know, and in, in part of the African American culture, there’s this distrust of education. When I went to college and I first got accepted. One of my relatives and older woman she said, We’re proud that you’re going to college, but people that go to college lose their common sense. Don’t lose your common sense. And I’m like, because to her. When you go to college you start talking about all these theoretical things and it’s like, Where’s your common sense you see a snake on the ground and it’s crawling towards you. Don’t sit there and describe the snake and what species
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Kobe’s sudden death leaves many stunned
Bryant was a five-time NBA Champion and played twenty season in Los Angeles By Daniel Archuelta Interim Editor in Cheif Kobe Bryant, one of basketball’s greatest players, was among the passengers who died Sunday in a helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. Bryant was 41. Among the nine causalities was Bryant’s 13-year-old daughter Gianna. All aboard were heading to an AAU basketball game Sunday morning when the helicopter crashed. The cause of the crash is still unknown, but heavy fog in the area played a factor. The helicopter departed from John Wayne Airport in Orange County at 9:06 a.m. PT. The first 911 call reporting the crash was received at 9:47 a.m. The crash came one day after Bryant was supassed by Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James for third on the NBA career scoring list. Bryant, himself, had his last tweet congratulating James on passing him on the list. The entire world especially those in the basketball community took the sudden tragedy very tough, many sharing their immediate reactions on social media. “Today is one of the saddest days in my lifetime,” Dwayne Wade
said in his Instagram story. “It seems like a bad dream that you just want to wake up from. It’s a nightmare. I know you’re all feeling the same way about such a great leader, a great champion, a great person.” The two stars were teammates for Team USA when they won gold at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. “There’s no words to express the pain Im going through with this tragedy of loosing my neice Gigi & my brother @kobebryant I love u and u will be missed,” Shaq tweeted. “My condolences goes out to the Bryant family and the families of the other passengers on board. IM SICK RIGHT NOW.” O’Neal won three championships while playing with the Lakers alongside Bryant in the early 2000s. In a statement released by the league, NBA commissioner Adam Silver mentioned Bryant and his daughter by name, though, saying, “The NBA family is devastated by the tragic passing of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna. ... We send our heartfelt condolences to his wife, Vanessa, and their family, the Lakers organization and the entire sports world.”
Kobe Bryant waves goodbye to the Staples Center crowd in his final game. Creative Commons
In addition to the statement the NBA postponed the Lakers game against the Los Angeles Clippers that was scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 28, two days following the death. The move was made “out of respect for the Lakers organization.” It has not been announced as to when it will be made up. Across the NBA, teams have honored the memory of Bryant by starting games with 24-second violations and, in some cases, 8-second violations. Famously, Bryant wore both the numbers 8 and 24 in his career with the Lakers and had both numbers retired in 2017. He is the only
player in league history to have two jersey numbers retired with the same team. Kobe’s sudden death even took Skyline students by surprised. “The worst thing about was it being the worst news to wake up to,” said Christian Panalagao. “I checked it out and I couldn’t believe it.” “I was sad because she was the only daughter who really played basketball,” said Kaitlyn Mejia. “She was really good too and she never had the chance to pursue her dreams like her dad was able to.” Gianna Maria Onore Bryant was
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2
News
The Staff Interim Editor-In-Chief Daniel Archuleta Interim News Editor Umaima Ejaz Interim Focal Point Editor Milla Tivadar Interim opinions Editor Calixto Reyes Interim Sports Editor Cristian Garcia Interim Copy Editor Ry bevington Misha Berman Faisal Gresalfi Interim Photo Editor Gianna Sozzi Interim STaff Photographer Kathryn Trefz Interim Social Media Editor Layna Salinas Staff writers I-Wei Chang Daniela Ossa Matthew South Arjay Pajanillo Eric Bush Ama Bayar Chloe Trinidad Kevin Arias Marco Millani Kimberly Brown Vitoria Da Silva Christian CARLO CEGUERA Faculty Adviser Nancy Kaplan-Biegel
Chinese New Year 2020: The Year of the Rat ASSC celebrates Chinese New Year with students By i-Wei Chang Staff Writer The Associated Students of Skyline College (ASSC), the student government, hosted the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration on Monday Jan. 27, 2020. It was an event where Asian students came together to celebrate the year of rats. The ASSC community prepared traditional Chinese snacks along with free bobas for students to celebrate the special event. The ASSC also distributed red envelopes known as red pockets, filled with edible gold coins in it, representing good luck. During the Chinese New Year Celebration, the student government not only brought snacks to celebrate the Lunar New Year, they also made boards to introduce new year customs. As Skyline College is located in the Bay area, there is a large population of Chinese people who celebrates the Chinese Lunar New Year. Alvin Gubatina, the ASSC adviser expressed his idea about the Chinese population here in the Bay Area. “I think maybe a quarter of our population celebrates it and that’s a huge population. A lot of people on our council also celebrate, so it only made sense to do a celebration with everybody involved, including our whole campus,” Gubatina said. However, for many students at the campus, learning about different cultures and festivals is something new for them. Throughout the event, Gaubatina recognized that the celebration is a good opportunity for students to experience variety of cultures . “I think it’s also a way for students
From Page 1-Interview
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The Skyline View is a First Amendment Publication. The Skyline View is published bi-weekly during the spring and fall semesters by the journalism students at Skyline College. The Skyline View is a member of the Journalism Association of Community Colleges. Opinions expressed in the paper are those of the writers and should not be interpreted as the views of Skyline College, SMCCCD, the faculty, administrators or the newspaper adviser. Additionally, the paper does not endorse any of the products or services advertised. The Skyline View welcomes Letters to the Editors; letters must include full name, address, and phone number for verification. The Skyline View reserves the right to edit letters for length, libel, clarity, and taste.
January 30, 2020
is it from and it is it poisonous or not pointed as you see it coming towards you, your common sense is get out of the damn way. And I, oh thank you granny but that is kind of that ethos of discouraging students or discouraging young people. The governor has just approved a six digit number budget for California community colleges. What do we as an institute and students expect from it? So the funds we get from the government only contribute towards tuition fees, nothing else. Transport, Textbook assistance, counseling and other wrap around fees are what we have Skyline college promise scholars program for. One of the reasons that I decided that I would come and come off retirement to this transition year is to make sure that the things that we’re doing to address those concerns we continue doing, I didn’t want it to stop. “Oh, Dr. Regina Stanback Stroud is gone. We’re not going to continue with our comprehensive redesign, oh we’re not going to continue with our equity Institute. Oh, we’re not going to start our promise scholars”. There’s so many things that were started at this college. That have nurtured and have expanded to the other colleges within this district and also other colleges within the state. One of the things we have not given the full implementation is the ASTEP program. Our Promise Scholars Program, we’re only in about the third year of that program. Yeah, so really we haven’t even finished a full cycle this next year will be the first full three year cycle. And numbers are promising much better than if you take the traditional numbers that we had before and how many students came in, how many students dropped out that’s the,
Ly SengChhay, Wataru Oshima, Kimheng Peng and Udom Seang Kevin Arias//The Skyline View
to learn about Lunar New Year if they don’t know anything about it, so it’s a good time for us to learn more about each other’s cultures in history.” Through this event, students were able to learn new cultures and its importance. Hadasa Serrano, a music major student, spoke about how special the event is for the students on campus. “I think what[‘s] so special about this event is that we get to share and celebrate everyone’s different culture,” Serrano said. “We get to spread that happiness and enjoy each other’s company. I think that’s what makes this event really special.” Chinese New Year is celebrated by Asian students all over campus. Ariel Chang, an international student from Taiwan, felt excited as she shared her first time celebrating the Chinese New Year inside
the campus. “This event is pretty cool because it is the first time I have Chinese New Year event on campus,” Chang said. “It lets students know what so special about the new year and why we give red envelopes as a gift.” At the same time, Chang also felt thrilled as other students celebrated the culture with them. “Although I grew up in Taiwan and already know what the Chinese New Year is, I still feel excited that the school set up the table to introduce what the Chinese New Year for us and also introduce the red envelope, snacks and drinks as well.” For Adeline Jiang, a business major student, Chinese New Year, is the most important festival of the year. Jiang also told about the importance of Chinese Lunar New Years for Chinese households. “I think celebrating with family members and getting money because
what we call the retention. Yes, you know so retention has gone up. Persistence has gone on that they persist beyond one year. What about adding new courses you see the STEM majors need more courses. History classes are dropping even though the enrollment has been the same as it was the previous spring it hasn’t decreased but the classes have been cut down. Yes, I know, one of the things that we’ve talked about is increasing the number of online courses, but we also need to make sure that the faculty that are teaching those at school are available in school too. So, this is the first year we’ve had full time had full time permanent deans, and we’re getting ready to hire eight to nine new faculty members. So, there should be some increase in classes because we’re hiring more. We’re finding the gaps and filling them in the system and institution. We just got a full time researcher, who’s looking at the data. She came on in April of this last year. So we’re, grinding, I know it’s slow, but at least we have the people in place. We had an interim president and we’re getting ready to get a permanent president. President, perhaps I think you’re aware of something that happened in a town hall meeting regarding the presidency. What do you think about bullying at workplace. Oh, goodness, I have heard so much. And it is sad. It’s sad that I have to look at bringing in someone external, which I’m getting ready to I’ve already found someone and we’re in the negotiation phase right now. Okay, who is going to come in and to help us structure, a transition training program for the new president, because I can’t do it in four months. It is
not something that you can have one forum and everybody come together. Yeah, they come and they say how pissed off they are and you know they don’t like this and everybody goes and they say oh I feel good now that I got it off my chest Yeah, nothing happens. Research shows, unless you take that training and change the structures, the processes and the procedures. Yeah, it’s a temporary little fix, and it’s still there. I don’t want temporary fixes. The new president will get a plan that will establish processes, procedures and policy to address that So, you’re saying what happened was unacceptable? Unacceptable. It’s been dealt with, because it’s a personnel issue so I can go into the details but it’s been dealt with on that side. But the thing is, it’s like people say sticks and stones won’t break, definitely never. Words hurt me. Yeah, they do, words hurt you. Words hurt you so how do we as an institution say that is not who we are. I don’t care if the President does it. I don’t care if the governor does it or, you know, whoever that is not acceptable to us as the institution. So, we’ve heard the previous president Dr. Regina Stanback Stroud hired people like her friends and favoritism existed. We’ve also heard that it’s still happening what do you have to stay about this? I will say, I can’t speak to what happened because I don’t know. I know we have some great people here but I can tell you, since I’ve been here, at least with the positions that I approve. I don’t approve all of them. When did I approve the deans, the directors and the senior administrator and the Vice President. So, if you were applying for a position in LPs, and it’s a secretarial position, I don’t get involved in that. So, I can’t say if that happens, or not. I, I have heard that too. I’ve heard people talk about
“Although I grew up in Taiwan and already know what the Chinese New Year is, I still feel excited that the school set up the table to introduce what the Chinese New Year for us and also introduce the red envelope, snacks and drinks as well.” Ariel Chang people don’t usually celebrate that often together for many years. So, everyone’s here and now you get to talk to them and enjoy the day.” For some students on campus who haven’t been back home to celebrate Chinese New Year for a while, such as Rachel Zhang, a communication major student who hasn’t been back home to celebrate the Chinese New Year for 5 years. She expressed what she misses the most about the Chinese New Year celebration. ”What I miss the most about Chinese New Year is having the family dinner on New Year eve.” nepotism I’ve heard people say, I’m not going to apply for that job because so and so is the interim and I know they’re going to get the job, which is why they made a concerted effort not to put someone in this position, that works here. Yeah, they want it people to know it is open. You’re saying that this is not happening anymore. What’s done is done and whoever said this to me is wrong? Yes, I would say that. Unless they can give me an example. You know, if you and they can tell me I’m not going to be here so I’m not going to, you know, rain, hail and brimstone on their head, or beat him up or anything that I have not seen that I have seen people who had been doing the job. And then they apply for the job. They’ve been doing it all along, so they are going to get it.
Some of the questions and answers have been edited for brevity and clarity. View our website for the detailed transcript.
From page 1-Kobe Bryant
the second daughter of Kobe and Vanessa Bryant. She was a part of the Mamba Sports Academy with hopes of playing in the WNBA. She also looked to play college basketball at the University of Connecticut, historically known for having championship winning teams. Bryant retired in 2016 after playing 20 seasons as a five-time NBA champion, 11-time All-NBA firstteam selection, 2008 MVP, twotime Finals MVP, 18-time All-Star and four-time All-Star MVP who spent his 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers. He also won gold medals with USA Basketball at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics. And in 2018, Bryant won an Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film for his film, Dear Basketball.
3
Opinions
January 30, 2020
Burying the Art With the Artist: The Unethical Practices of Record Companies By: Matthew South Staff Writer
Why should record labels have a say in what gets released after an artist’s death without permission? When a popular music artist passes away, it can be in the hands of producers to carry out the artist’s wishes, especially in terms of releasing unpublished music. In some cases, record labels are comparable to intellectual grave robbers, on the prowl, looking to financially capitalize on the deaths of popular musicians and the music they left behind. In other cases, producers put their heart and soul into making sure the music is being handled as the artist would have wanted. With the recent release of Mac Miller’s posthumous album Circles, the mission of the producer was to pull together all the pieces left from the artist and create a masterpiece mosaic that reflected the artist’s vision and their message. Thanks to producer Jon Brion, Circles has been a wonderful send-off for Miller. As for other artists, (XXXTentacion, Lil Peep, and Tupac), they haven’t been as fortunate. In the case of XXXTentacion who had a short, yet prolific career, his last two albums were
Mac Miller at the Splash! Festival in 2017
critically panned, in part by decisions made by his record label and producers, but ultimately these albums created after XXXTentacion’s death, made his already complicated legacy an even messier one. A lot of his unreleased pieces that ended up on his last two albums, may have been received better as demos presented in a large release. This is because demos are similar to watching the “behind the scenes” of a movie. You would not want to watch a behind the scenes thinking it’s the final cut. In addition to compiling albums that an artist would not have made, producers are also known to reuse deceased artists music with future living artists. Sometimes, an artist would start
Wikimedia Commons
to include a snippet of a hook, or a verse in their song like when Tyga had a song featuring Tupac. Would Tupac even want to work with Tyga? Would Tupac have even wanted six albums to come out that he had no say in? Of course we’ll never know for sure, but my guess is probably not. Tupac’s intellectual property is being tarnished by record companies and I hope to some benevolent force that his family reaps a majority of financial reward. David Bowie serves as a unique example of an instance in which the artist knew of his impending death and this allowed him to plan what would be done with his music after his passing. In contrast, in cases where a
young artist has passed away, a plan usually has not been created for what to do with their unreleased music. This makes it controversial for any one party to decide what to be done and if we should be incorporating their music in future pieces. To some, I’m sure there’s a sense of comfort in releasing their music to make it as if the artist is still with us but it’s almost like the forbidden magics of necromancy; do we really want our deceased loved ones to croon to us from beyond the aether? Some things are better left buried either in the ground or in a tomb. This may be a quick throwback but why did we even have a Tupac hologram at Coachella? There are much better ways to let
artists legacies live on- bask in their music, pour one out for the homie, buy it on vinyl, etc. The recent death of Juice WRLD raises the same questions in terms of a posthumous legacy in terms of what will be done with their music. There is probably hours upon hours of unreleased music by him and his record label Interscope Records have historically been the biggest proponent in the release of ALL of Tupac’s posthumous records. With that comes a looming fear that, as happened with Tupac, the producers won’t do justice to Juice WRLD’s music, and will solely focus on taking in all the possible profits while Juice WRLD fades into obscurity over some rushed album yet, that’s all speculation so hopefully I’m proven wrong.
Amy Winehouse at the Eurockéennes of 2007 Wikimedia Commons
DEA Releases Strategy Guide to Preventing Drug Abuse: No, You Shouldn’t Care By: Arjay Pajarillo Staff Writer
My friends and I used to escape to the comforting embrace of the bathroom stalls in high school to lift all the imaginary weights off our shoulders with the comfort of concentrated THC (an abbreviation for the loveliest chemical in marijuana). Some of us would walk in, inflecting with as much authority as possible to sound like our school dean, occasionally hitting us with that brief fear, followed by the cautious laughter. Flash forward to today, where I see those same friends smoking freely. A designated smoking area? For many, it seems like California is the designated smoking area, and a sign on campus telling you where to smoke is just as effective as a toilet on BART telling you where to pee. So when the DEA releases a guide on preventing drug “misuse”, a majority will not care. Though to be fair, upon a closer examination into the real meat of this guide, it’s clear that this publication is targeted towards the professional college drug prevention crowd. The digital booklet provides a comprehensive series of instructions on not only identifying and staging interventions concerning instances of drug abuse, but it also features several chapters that discuss how to adapt to changing leadership, data collection on a campus-wide level, and implementing a drug awareness cam-
paign. In a more drug-free society, it’s important to have some degree of regulation, and this guide serves to point professionals in a direction that doesn’t aim to oppress but to protect people from
themselves, g i v en that overdosing on any substance is an all too common occurrence. Too much of anything can be a bad thing; fun is fun until somebody loses their mind.We’ve come a long way since the war on drugs has demonized even the smallest doses of recreational drugs, stigmatizing substances that might not be as popular as they are today if they weren’t so vilified. All these years of misinformation have been holding back the
progress of developing understanding. Only recently has Oakland become the second city in the U.S. to decriminalize psy-
Illustration by Giana Sozzi / TSV
chedelic mushrooms, a decision that will allow police to focus on actual crimes. In an interview with WLOS News 13, council member Noel Gallo said, “Growing up in the Mexican community, this was our cure. W e
didn’t have a Walgreens. We didn’t have a way to pay for any drugs. These are plants we have known for thousands of years in our community and that we continue to use.”What many look at as a drug is seen by others as an affordable alternative medicine, which is a viewpoint that has been buried by years of stereotypes and deception. Throughout my entire educa-
tional career, there has never been a real lesson on drugs, aside from the one VHS of Spider-Man teaching us how to say “no” to them. I’m sorry to tell you this Spidey, but a good number of us didn’t listen. Everything I’ve ever learned about these substances was mostly through word of mouth, several Google searches, YouTube, and the ultimate teacher: experience. I’d be going through life with a lot less regret if I had just had someone there to tell me to know my limits, and that there never had to be a tightrope between nirvana on the beach and panic in the backseat. All it takes is one bad acid trip to send someone careening into the hospital, leaving you with nothing more than a hefty emergency room bill. With the right information, anyone can avoid the ravenous claws of our healthcare system.Students need to know that there will always be a better option. All we need is the ability to see what’s truly possible in a world where everything about everything is available to us. To accomplish that, we just need the right amount of information. We don’t need all the stigma and punishment and shame, but we need the affirmation that it’s okay to go at your own pace, that you can do whatever you need to get by, as long as you know yourself, and you know your limits. When the DEA wants to tackle our nationwide ignorance on the real dangers of drug abuse, we shouldn’t care. They’re just doing their job, while we do ours.
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Opinions
Editorial
January 30, 2020
The University of California Tuition Fee Increases Are Unnecesary
University of California colleges, otherwise known as the UCs are typically a destination point for many high school students and community college students who wish to attend the prestigious public research universities. As the years have passed, the cost of higher education has dramatically increased. This has even affected many public universities such as the UCs. On Jan. 20, the office of the University of California’s president sent a discussion item to the Board of Regents to discuss new tuition fee plans for the University of California Colleges. There are two plans, the first one would increase tuition by 2.8% for the fall of 2020. The second plan suggests a more strategic fee increase plan. Under the second suggestion, tuition and fees would increase once for each incoming class as a cohort, but freeze that tuition. Alternatively, under the second plan, the cost for the entering class of 2020-21 would increase by 4.8% and it means that students who were admitted into the institution earlier will pay less than those admitted later. Raising the tuition fees for the UC colleges is not a great idea,
even though their board would say it is a “benefit” to students by allowing them to receive more financial aid. But then you have to ask: What about the students who are outof-state? International students? In what ways would they be getting a benefit from the two proposed plans? And why are these decisions being proposed after the recent budget plan released by Gov. Gavin Newsom? According to the University of California website, 64% of undergraduate students did not receive a pell grant for the Fall semester of 2019. In a press release released on January 21st of 2020 the UC Office of the President stated the following: “For the 2019-20 academic year, UC admitted 108,178 freshmen out of a pool of 176,695 students, including a record number of Californians (71,655 students). UC also accepted 28,752 transfers from a pool of 41,282 students, including the largest-ever class from the California Community Colleges (26,700 students).” With these figures, it is safe to say that every year more transfer students who have attended com-
American Education: Raises Students to be Confident and Develop Their Talents By: I-Wei Chang staff writer
Perhaps, it is normal for students here to share ideas here in the United States. However, this was impressive for me as I’m an international student coming from Taiwan. Adapting to a new culture is not easy for me. Since I came to study in America, I have discovered that the educational atmosphere is very flexible and open-minded. The students here, can always share their thoughts during the class, also they can choose the major they want to complete for their career goal aspirations. In addition, the professors here have always helped students to promote their critical thinking skills. In Asian countries, the academic environment is that students have to always listen to the teacher, they have the less opportunities to raise their hands express their thoughts in the class. This is based on traditional stereotypes that speaking in the class is not part of the academic culture in Asia. In my first semester at Skyline, our teacher asked if scholarships should be given to students who grew up in poverty or senior citizens who lacked education in the early part of their life. The teacher held a debate. Every student could choose which side they supported and ex-
plain why they supported that idea. Throughout the debate, students were able to learn from each other and hear one anothers point of view coming from different backgrounds. For instance, I heard a student who supported the scholarship that should be given to the poverty students because it’s a way to give hope to students who don’t have money to attend school. They also argued that the students could use their knowledge to contribute to the community. I like the academic environment in the United States. The professors are welcoming and open to discuss ideas with students. This encouraging environment eliminates the boundaries between teachers and students, allowing students to dare to express their opinions, and what they think is valuable. In the majority of cases in American classrooms, you can say anything. Your opinion is not good or bad. No one will judge you. The principle of American education has always been encouraging again and again. It’s a blessing to have freedom of speech here in America. What I’ve seen from most of the students here is that they are really confident to share they’re thought in public, however, this allows students to become creative, and develop their talents.
munity colleges in California are applying and being admitted to UC institutions. With a tuition increase, it would become more difficult for these students to attend UC schools in different parts of California where we are all collectively already facing the pressures of increasing rent and cost of living. The problem lies within the amount of money that the state is funding to the University of California. Recently Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed a 2020-21 budget that will include more than $217 million in new, permanent UC funding. This is meant to help pay for student support, research, and specific campus programs. The UC’s do face a larger issue of neglected infrastructure, needing new dorms and labs and salary increases. But the UC Student Assn. has opposed such a tuition hike and so has Gov. Gavin Newsom, because he says it is inconsistent with the goals of college affordability. The increasing fees seem to be necessary to address the other financial needs of the different campuses (like Berkeley’s old infrastructure). But students should not have to pay for that since the cost
of higher education is already high as it is. Instead, the answer lies within California and allocating more money to public colleges so that the UCs do not have to impose any tuition fee increases. This would benefit both the students and the UCs that are looking to accept more students, and bring us closer to achieving California’s goal of making college more affordable.
It is also crucial that student associations are fighting against tuition increases. Instead of increasing tuition fees, it is better to find out where the money is being allocated, and how to cut spending in certain areas so that those funds can be used to help other areas that may need it. While budget cuts in certain areas are unfortunate, sometimes they are necessary in order to keep these tuition increases from continuing to occur.
The Bankcroft Library at University of California, Berkeley Campus Wikimedia Commons
ARTISTIC LICENSE
Focal Point
January 30, 2020
5
Here’s how to conquer the New Year 2020 Student Edition
Jorge Silva, a Skyline Student
Health and Wellness Services
By Milla Tivadar
Focal Point Editor
When there’s a will, there’s a way. At least that’s how it feels when we reach the end of December. We bask in the freedom of winter break awaiting the New Year that will transform us into beings capable of success. What better way of sleeping off the year than dreaming of a new one! For a student, you’re just happy you have time to think before your days get filled up with school and work. It’s already been a month in, but so far the workload has been light (hopefully) and you’re getting acclimated to the new schedule, so things are looking good. So far. Just in case you find yourself too overwhelmed later on in the semester, here are some ways to get back on track and bring attention back to dreams of a better you in 2020. First, get your priorities straight. For instance; why are you here at Skyline? Find the meaning behind these classes, that certificate or the degree, the skills you will gain. Write them down. When you wake up in the morning, remind yourself of that purpose – again, and again. Ignite the fuel as often as you need, because a flame doesn’t burn forever without a little bit of help. If you haven’t already found them, use the resources Skyline has for your goals. There are many, and if you don’t take advantage now, you might not understand the system, and therefore not trust the system, for yet another semester. A list of places you CAN trust to guide you through this semester and those in the future are:
They are available to answer a call from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. to address any concerns you may have about your physical or psychological health. Don’t be afraid to ask basic questions about how to live more consciously, and where to find affordable vaccinations. Request to speak to a professional about any mental health problems you’re currently experiencing, or ask about other basic essentials like food vouchers, financial assistance, or living accommodations. They have so much to offer! Your health and wellness should always come first before trying to tackle a school and work schedule. The Health and Wellness Service’s phone number is (650) 738-4270. Personal counseling location: building 2, rooms 2-206 2-237. Academic counseling This is an asset for your future during and AFTER Skyline. They only want you to succeed, but you have to want it too. They work in collaboration with career and transfer counseling too, so they know what they’re talking about. They’ll go over majors, credentials, IGETC (transfer curriculum), and your SEP (student education program). Getting this out of the way will surely give you a peace of mind regarding what lies ahead for you, and these guys will help you get there. Make a quick in-person appointment in building 2, or call (650) 738-4318.
STUDY IN LONDON FALL 2020
IP R SH O L A A B LE H SC VAIL A
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UNITED KINGDOM
SUMMER 2020
Your best and – let’s hope – most accessible asset is your professor! Do not ignore them when you are going through something or need extra help with assignments. They may not be your best friend, but it’s important that you feel comfortable and able to use your voice around them. Maintaining strong communications will be beneficial to you when it comes to any and all aspects of your life. Do not be afraid to bring up any questions or concerns you have with their class. Like you, they want reciprocation to keep the work flowing at a good pace, so speak up before you develop an inclination towards avoidance. Think about it: They were once students at some point and will understand whatever you’re going through, academically or personally. Seeing where they come from can help you understand why it’s important for them to see where you’re coming from. Do not discourage their faith in you – that is why they became teachers in the first place. They may also suggest the Learning Center here or there, because like you, they are busy. Peers and tutors come to building 5 to help each other out with concepts, classwork, homework, and more. Come in anytime! Everyone is welcome and you will definitely find your preferred style of studying to get the work done. Sorry to be blunt, but get yourself a planner. It is essential. iCal is also your friend, but if you don’t keep track of the days as they go by, they will catch up to you quicker than this February. Don’t let time swallow you whole this year. Doesn’t matter what he/she/they are doing. This is about you, and your moments and your days. So what are you going to do with them all? Own them. Be aware. Write down whatever keeps you up in the middle of the night, but also pay attention to when your professor mentions a test next week. If you want something a little more jazzy, find a place in the Passion Planner cult and all your organization-related dreams will come true. Doesn’t matter how you get it out there, but get it out there! It’s so much better than letting all your to-dos and assignments cloud up your brain. Check your Canvas
COSTA RICA
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A world of opportunity Join us for an informational session: COLLEGE OF SAN MATEO Tuesday, February 11, 2020 | 12:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Please contact us for more details SKYLINE COLLEGE Thursday, February 20, 2020 12:00 p.m. | Bldg. 6, Rm. 6-202
(650) 738-7098 | studyabroad@smccd.edu Schedule an appointment: smccd.edu/goabroad
smccd.edu/studyabroad @smcccd_study_abroad
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As often as possible. Teachers use it because it works better than any other system and it’s the best way to stay on top of your classes. This is so obvious it hurts to even be spelling this out to you, but it will suck more the less you check it. There will inevitably be a period during which you forget to check, and it will be okay. We were not born here on earth to constantly be checking emails, text messages, Twitter notifications, DMs on Instagram, AND Canvas assignments. People are not robots, and surely we all have a life outside school to attend to. However, a word of advice: Do not apologize for unanswered messages. Finish your work and get back to your friends. Find what work-relationship balance works best for you and who you most value spending time with. That little comment under your photo does not need an immediate response, and other social media notifications
Photo By Mark David-Magat
can wait, but do make attempts to finish plans to meet a friend for coffee because that bond is more important than the one over a screen. And don’t forget to check Canvas before you go out! Speaking of relationships, if you haven’t found a trustworthy friend who will support whatever dreams you have, make it your mission to find that person. Discussing passions and personal goals is very exciting, but if it’s not reciprocated, it can feel pretty foolish. Personal desires can be lovely, daring, humiliating, and sometimes strange, but we all have them. If you really want to pursue something, though, and want to be successful at it, tell a friend. That means being courageous enough to say it out loud, and possibly risk being judged for it. But take that risk, because they might just give the most brilliant piece of advice you were looking for. And if they don’t have anything to say, that’s okay too. Talk their ear off about it, or move on. Once you actually get it out there, though, it can make you a lot more self-aware. It allows you to step outside yourself, feel uncomfortably self-conscious for a second, and see what you could become from someone else’s point of view. This is part of growth. It’s advocating for yourself to get out there and follow through, because truthfully, there are many things that cannot be done alone. Don’t sign up for a challenge then never show up because you didn’t think anybody would care. If you have decided to take on a journey alone, know that it will be a lot tougher, but it can be done. Here’s how: Get your sh*t together. Clean yourself up a bit. Take a day off to scrub away any weight that pulls you down, like your car needing an oil change, the messy room that you keep ignoring, your dry winter skin begging for moisture, your phone reminding you to back up your photos, loose documents, and post-it notes. It gets way too overwhelming if not dealt with in time. Stay on top of your self-care, technology, and most of all, your environment, so you know that you can always rely on yourself. This allows you to have the space to take care of others too,
which can result in a fabulous thing called karma. This year is about efficiency, and if you can’t stay efficient with the chaos that is life, then life will become your own chaotic hell. As if we don’t already have enough things to tend to, like work, school, family and friends, we have our own familiar demons that require our attention. And when they haven’t been properly fed and bathed, they can become cranky and haunt us when we least expect it. Not taking care of yourself properly can lead to embarrassing habits, powerlessness and in some cases depression. Being confident about who you are while dealing with any sort of mental illness, is not a walk in the park, but the first step in doing so, is taking care of basic human needs. Show up for yourself, because if you really want it, being confident will help you get there. Hopefully you have been keeping up with basic human essentials like eating right, drinking plenty of water, and having a full night’s rest, because you have a lot of work to do in these next few months. Your health will save you most, because once that starts going downhill, everything else will too. So before you go, some words of encouragement to help keep your mental staying on the right track, because who doesn’t love a little New Years inspiration! Don’t underestimate yourself or what you are capable of. You were meant for greatness and nothing less. And for the other party: Don’t overestimate the world. You’re overwhelming both yourself and everyone else. Only do what you are capable of, perfection is unattainable. Patience is the most valuable psychological tool you have. Be grateful for all these wonderful resources community college has for you. Be grateful you live in California – it could be worse. Choose a word to live by this year – growth, balance, acceptance, risk, perseverance, etc. – and use it as a guide whenever you’re feeling unmotivated or stuck. Have fun with your journey, and always notice the silver lining when the going gets tough. “The secret to getting ahead, is getting started.” - Mark Twain.
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Focal Point
January 30, 2020
Icebreakers: Let them happen naturally By Cristian Garcia Sports Editor
know you. There’s a point to it – that they’re learning something, they’re getting there, they’re connecting – that’s important in classroom communities,” Feiner continued. Forcing students to speak and think of interesting topics on the spot can be nerve-racking, and letting these comfortable moments just happen can really help a nervous student. “There’s other ways to do it, other than the way that they’re done, and I just don’t like those at all when I’m in meetings – I will audibly groan because it (icebreakers) is like busy work. And it’s just – I get the point, but you can do it in a way where
it’s gonna benefit the class, where they’re learning something out of it,” said Feiner. Feiner concluded by saying that even though his time of being a student has passed, the dread surrounding icebreakers still follows him today. It is not only something that takes place in a classroom environment – it can happen anywhere. “As an introvert, it is really hard on me when I hear those questions where I need to find an interesting fact about myself, and I believe it is not good enough to be shared,” said Jose Gonzalez, who’s currently in his third semester at Skyline. “It does happen on the first week of
Anxiety goes through the roof when students hear that is time for class to do icebreakers. Several students and teachers believe that icebreakers are not the best way to start a semester. Icebreakers are simple questions asked by teachers to students in order to take off some of the pressure of starting a brand new class. For returning students, the first day of the semester can be the least stressful day, but for those who hate public speaking, it can be the worst. The first day of class usually goes by quick because students usually just read the syllabus and learn about the professor. The first day of class is pretty much the preview of the class, getting caught off guard with the simple question of “Find someone and tell them one interesting fact about yourself ” can cause some students anxiety because they can’t think of what to say, or think that their answer will be judged by others. “I think icebreakers, as they are commonly done, are inauthentic, and students kind of sit there, and there is an awkwardness about it and I’m seeing heads bobble,” Professor Jarrod Feiner of Skyline’s first year program said concerning why icebreakers might not be the best way to start a semester. “I think icebreakers can and should happen in an organic way – we can break the ice, but do something in service of the class... Like tour the campus together, to do something where it helps people Illustration by Gianna Sozzi / The Skyline View
Photo by Mark David-Magat / The Skyline View
class, and once it is over with, I forget it ever happens... But that moment just sucks – I just overthink it all.” Gonzalez feels that forcing to share fun facts will not build new friendships. He believes that the fact that you and your classmates are taking the same class together can slowly create new friendships. “I feel like it is an age thing, to like it. It totally works for elementary students, but for college kids, you need to do it in an organic way,”
said student Miku Mendoza. “I’m all about making friends and whatnot, but I want to do it in a more organic way.” Teachers do it to ease the pressure of a brand new semester, but most students believe it can add even more pressure to the semester. What students need is a more organic school environment that takes away the stress of the beginning of the semester, not a question forced upon them that many cannot enjoy.
The Earth is under the weather: ‘Tenki No Ko’ By Christian Carlo Ceguerra Staff Writer
“Messing with nature always has a cost.” Following the success of the phenomenal animated film “Kimi No Wa” (Your Name), Japanese director and filmmaker, Makoto Shinkai, spoils fans with his latest picture “Tenki No Ko” (Weathering with You). A whimsical animated fantasy film the center of which is a runaway boy who braves starting a new life in Tokyo and happens to encounter a modest young girl with the ability to change weather upon praying. That summer, marketing his newfound friend’s power, the two profoundly disrupt the order of the weather system, ultimately causing Tokyo to sink underwater. Shinkai’s newest animation brings three critical elements to the foreground: 1) the film evinces Japan’s
culturally enriched myths that is tied with Shintoism – their worship of ancestors and nature entities in the forms of gods and goddesses; 2) Shinkai invokes creative thinking by exemplifying magical realism; and 3) the film calls action for global warming and climate change. On its first fan preview screening night on Jan. 15, the movie was followed by an exclusive interview during which Shinkai himself admitted that he used natural calamities to remind viewers the drastic and fast-changing pace of our environment. The animated film provides a speck of reality, of what’s to expect with the constant rise of Earth’s temperature. In an interview conducted by The Hollywood News, Shinkai revealed that he utilized the film to make his countrymen more aware of the natural phenomena, especially since
there has been frequent downpour, and disasters caused by rain in Japan lately. “My instinct is that Japan isn’t as aware of what’s going on with climate change as you are here in the UK or in Europe. Despite all of the disasters we are seeing, I think we are less environmentally aware. That’s my feeling,” said Shinkai. In light of the recent catastrophes that have occurred since the start of the decade – the eruption of Taal Volcano that spewed ashes across different regions in the Philippines, the wildfires that burned the green lands of Australia, the 6.4 magnitude earthquake that shook Puerto Rico – many are left wondering: Is this the end? Environmentalist and matinée idol, Leonardo DiCaprio, played a vital role in the 2016 documentary film “Before the Flood”, in which he traveled to different parts of the world to meet professionals and activists to discuss the damage resulting from human activities that contributes to climate change, and to ponder what possible adjustments in humanity’s consumerism and lifestyle can mitigate the progress of global warming. On his trip to Baffin Island, which lies in the northern parts of Canada, it was revealed to him how the polar ice caps melted by up to 30 feet in a span of five years – a contributor to the continuous rise to the sea levels.
Despite the multitude of scholarly activities done by scientists and researchers in publishing substantial, downright hefty studies regarding climate change, it was revealed in the film that media, politicians, and business tycoons vilify advocates and supporters of the environmental cause, thus contaminating the minds of the people with disinformation, ignorance, and apathy, insisting that there is no such thing as climate change. The clock is ticking for our planet, as nature presents an ultimatum that will impact the future of mankind. According to the United Nations, humanity has less than 11 years to avert the irreversible destruction of the Earth’s biodiversity – a mission entrusted to the Earth’s “most intelligent” species.
“Despite all of the
disasters we are seeing, I think we are less environmentally aware. That’s my feeling.”
—Makoto Shinkai
In contemporary times, the challenge for filmmakers is to offer not only entertainment through the aesthetics of visual effects and motion graphics, but to also produce a compelling narrative that is critical, and relevant to the times. Like journalism, filmmaking is a medium for storytelling. Whether it is a documentary or fantasy, it still conveys a narrative; it champions a message.
January 30, 2020
7
Sports
Trojans learn to Adapt From Loss By I-Wei Chang Staff writer
Skyline College Men’s basketball team lost 87-69 against Chabot College in their first meeting of the season on Wednesday, January 15. Chabot college was on fire on 3-point shots hits made seven as total in the second half, Chabot player Japjit Gill made five three-pointers in the second half giving his team a comfortable lead. Throughout the first half of the game, Chabot used full court pressure on defense while Skyline didn’t score at often, the team had great ball movement along with a good amount of transition on the set play. Elijah Flowers, who was the starting shooting guard, hit his first two 3-point shots and finished with a total of 12 points. Colby Vazquez, the starting shooting guard, was on fire with multiple drives into the lane for layups and jump shots. Vazquez had 16 points which helped Skyline hold the score from Chabot as they lead by one, 39-38. However, in the second half, Chabot started to exert pressure on the Trojans on the defensive side making the Trojan shot selection difficult. Plus, Chabot denied Skyline’s ball movement causing some turnovers on offense. In the first ten minutes of the second half, Chabot pulled the score with 28-15 run, the Skyline was down by 12 with a
score of 54-66. Additionally, on offensively, Chabot changes the pace of the game. The team accelerated the speed of ball movement which created multiple wide-open shots opportunity as the team hit a total of 10 three-pointers. Compared to the competitive first half, Skyline allowed Chabot to score 49 points. Regarding this, Justin Piergrossi, the head coach explained the struggle they met in the second half. “Obviously Chabot shot the ball very well in the second half. So if they had shot the ball that well in the first half, they would have scored a lot more in the first half as well,” Piergrossi said. “We did not guard them in a way to take that away from them.” However, due to the defense pressure by Chabot, Skyline couldn’t get further on the scoreboard, their ball movement was slower than the first half. In connection with the offensively, Piergrossi expressed the game strategy used by Chabot was changed differently between first and second half. “The first half, Chabot changed how they were pressing us. So, that kind of changed how we were able to attack them,” Piergrossi said. “I thought the way we attack their press at the beginning of the game was great, but then they changed how they were pressing us.” Skyline as the young team, which only has one sophomore in the
team, Sophomore guard Noah Haynesworth gave his thoughts of improvement that the team can strengthen going further. “Just from mentality, I think in the beginning of the season, we’re a young team, Chabot is a really good veteran team,” Haynesworth said. “They have a lot of sophomores. They know how to play 40 minutes of basketball and I think they did that best.“ Colby Vazquez the freshman shooting guard scored a team-high 22 points believes that more could have come from his team during the entire game. “We gotta stick with what we know and keep up the energy throughout all 40 minutes, we can’t have it just in that first ten minutes. We got to have it throughout the whole game.” Regarding Colby’s performance, the head coach gives the players affirmation. “He did a good job handling Noah Haynesworth makes a very their pressure. They (Chabot) tried athletic play. to take Walter away by denying Walter the ball. So Colby had to dribble and handle the ball a lot more than usual. I thought Colby did a really good job of handling that pressure.”
Kevin Arias / The Skyline View
“I thought Colby did a really good job of handling that pressure.” - Justin Piergrossi
Extreme Ironing
Taking the board out of the house
By Cristian Garcia Sports Editor
Upcoming Games
Men’s Basketball Jan. 31vs College of San Mateo (7 p.m.) Feb. 05 vs City College of San Francisco (5 p.m.) Feb. 07 at Chabot College (7 p.m.)
Extreme Ironing has been on fire.
Ironing your clothes has been taken to an extreme with the very unique sport Extreme ironing. It started as a joke, when Tony Hiam would carry his ironing board to the most ridiculous places, until Phil Shaw caught him, and had the idea to take it to the next level. Shaw thought of adding the rush of rock climbing into the mix. In 1999, Shaw went on the journey to show the world his extreme ironing abilities, and since then, people have been one-upping each other in the craziest places. “(Extreme ironing) takes the boring element out of household chores with the excitement of extreme sports… Whether it is rock climbing, or scuba diving, or jumping out of airplanes, you can
Mark David Magat / The Skyline View
combine activities with ironing, and make it a unique sport,” Shaw said, describing the sport in a 2018 interview. “It wasn’t until we had a photo competition in 2001 where we invited people to send their pictures in unusual locations,” he continued, looking back at when this became bigger than he had even hoped for. The sport of extreme ironing has even gone on to have an official bureau, which, in 2002, led to the first Extreme Ironing World Championships during which six countries competed in the five unique categories including urban, forest, lauda (a wall which participants had to climb to the top of and iron a shirt
there), and freestyle. Some may believe that this – running all over the woods or deep diving into the ocean just to iron simple plain t-shirt – is not a real sport. Combining rock climbing, snowboarding, canoeing, and even skydiving with the challenge of setting one giant ironing board is an athletic ability in and of itself. Shaw believes that if synchronized swimming and water polo can be in the Olympics, than this extreme sport can join the Olympics. Tony Hiam envisioned making a normal chore and adding an adrenaline rush into the mix, it was Phil Shaw who gave it a cult following, and it was the people all over the world who made it a real sport.
Women’s Basketball
Jan. 31 vs College of San Mateo (5 p.m.) Feb. 05 vs City College of San Francisco (7 p.m.) Feb. 07 at Chabot College (5 p.m.)
Baseball
Jan. 31 vs Consumnes Rivers College (2 p.m.) Feb. 01 vs Consumnes Rivers College (1 p.m.) Feb. 06 at Shasta College (2 p.m.) Feb. 07 at Shasta College (1 p.m.)
Inside Super Bowl LIV
8
The Voice of Skyline College, San Bruno, Calif.
January 30, 2020
The Skyline View
Our Sports Writers get you ready for 49ers vs Chiefs in Miami
We’ve come a Long Way
The 2-Minute Read With Daniel archuleta Let’s face it, no one predicted the 49ers to be here. And yeah, it’s a bit unexpected for the 49ers to be playing in Super Bowl LIV. But they did have the front office, veteran leadership, a top talent quarterback, and a wealth of depth on both sides of the ball. Yet coming into Week 1, it was questioned whether this team can outduel Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. And throughout the regular season, after many other questions to be answered and national analysts being put to shame, the NFC West was clinched as well as home-field advantage.
And come playoff time, Kirk Cousins shined against the New Orleans Saints which naturally put San Francisco in a prime upset position. The Niners defense had its best performance of the season. Aaron Rodgers will never get picked against in January, but he couldn’t get anything going for the second time at Levi’s Stadium. Yet even in the buildup to Super Bowl LIV, the 49ers continue to be overlooked and play second fiddle to the Kansas City Chiefs. But why exactly should 49er fans continue to buy in or even listen to what is being put out. In the 18 games that they have played, we’ve seen that this team is resilient, explosive and can win in many ways. The shootout in New Orleans, the comeback win against the Rams, and most recently, running the ball right down Green Bay’s defense in the NFC Championship. Raheem Mostert began the year as the third running back on the depth chart, now he has become a household name who is running aggressive and patient. He has put Matt Breida in Kyle Shanahan’s doghouse and hid the key. But nobody should look at this as the end of Breida in a Niners jersey, it
Drawing by Gianna Sozzi
means that if his number is called come Sunday, he will take full advantage of it. Jimmy Garoppolo will look to get his third ring, with this one more than likely to be flourished than the two from his time with New England. Criticism has followed Garoppolo this entire season like its shadow, no different in the playoffs. The pick thrown against Minnesota in the divisional round might have shown some nerves and it doesn’t help that his next game saw him throw eight passes. His win-first attitude counters against all of the outside noise that is there just to rattle him. He has gone the entire season without any arrogance, showing he knows his role on this team and nobody should expect different on Sunday. When Garoppolo is needed, he will deliver The return of Dee Ford this playoff run has proved his worth on this defense, another obstacle that Patrick Mahomes will look to escape. Even though Mahomes hasn’t played like his MVP self from last season, he has stepped
The Quest for Six: The Final Part
up in the playoffs, despite his defense not showing up early on. The weapons they have across the board match up uniquely with the secondary of San Francisco. Their lack of a running game will be huge if Mahomes is unable to get big plays through the air. On both rosters, the Super Bowl is new to a bunch of these players. It almost seems set up for Andy Reid to finally get his first Super Bowl in his 21st season as an NFL coach and Patrick Mahomes to have his coming out party in Miami. Yet I see the 49ers coming out on top for two reasons. As mentioned before, Dee Ford along with Kwon Alexander has given the entire defense a spark. Nine sacks, three interceptions in two games speaks for itself. They are getting after the quarterback. If Mahomes is pressured early and often, their game plan might be over early. Next is Jimmy Garoppolo. With all the running that has been displayed by Mostert and Tevin Coleman, I expected the defense of Kansas City to sell out everything
to stop the run and make San Francisco to beat them through the air. I see Emmanuel Sanders and Deebo Samuel to have big plays off the slant routes and expose the Kansas City secondary. Do we see Tyrann Mathieu line up on George Kittle if so, does that play in favor or against Kittle? Regardless, it’s going to be won with Jimmy G throwing the damn ball. A lot has happened in the seven seasons since we were here last. The fallout between Jim Harbaugh and Trent Baalke, the disasters that were Jim Tomsula and Chip Kelly, so Sunday let’s all enjoy it for what it is. The 49ers have a chance to win their sixth Super Bowl title.
Players to watch for in Super Bowl LIV
Three keys for how the 49ers will claim their sixth Vince Lombardi Trophy By Marco Milani Staff writer
Niners Fans Rejoice! The red and gold brigade have made it back to the promised land for the first time since 2013. After seven seasons of agony and frustration, the San Francisco 49ers have made it to the Super Bowl LIV against the Kansas City Chiefs in Miami, Florida. They had quite a journey to get to this point. After a bye week because of getting the number one seed in the regular season, they faced the Minnesota Vikings and beat them in remarkable fashion, 27-10. Then came the NFC Championship, where they faced the Green Bay Packers and beat them behind second string running back Raheem Mostert’s 29 rushing attempts for 220 yards and four touchdowns after Tevin Coleman, dislocated his shoulder during the game, he is currently questionable for the Super Bowl. Now, they head to Miami to face the Chiefs, who, in their AFC Championship game beat the Tennessee Titans, who before they faced the Chiefs, shocked the Patriots and the Ravens both on the road. Small fun fact, Joe Montana, legendary quarterback who played for both the Niners and the Chiefs, made this bold statement on Twitter, “You heard it from me first. I Guarantee you this, my team will win the Super Bowl!” Now, for my keys to the game to how the Niners can hoist their sixth Vince
Lombardi trophy. Key #1: Stop Patrick Mahomes and his weapons Patrick Mahomes has a lot of options on offense to throw to. Dangerous wide receivers in Tyreek Hill, Mecole Hardman and Sammy Watkins, and an incredible tight end in Travis Kelce. Niners fans shouldn’t be worried, because of their epic pass rush with Nick Bosa, Dee Ford, Arik Armstead, Kwon Alexander, as well as a great defensive back corps led by Richard Sherman, who’s played in two Super Bowls back with the Seattle Seahawks Key #2: Be two steps ahead of the coordinators The success of the regular season came with not just some big names, but also with an amazing playbook. The defenses couldn’t figure out where the 49ers were going next. If they can do the same thing here on a bigger stage, Eric Bieniemy, offensive coordinator and Steve Spagnuolo, defensive coordinator of the Chiefs will be looking for ways on how to counter the Niners moves. Key #3: Play a clean game You wanna know why the 49ers were able to be so successful in the NFC Championship? It wasn’t just because the pass rush or Raheem Mostert setting records for rushing
yards. It was because they played a relatively clean game in terms of penalties. In that game, they only had two penalties for ten yards to the Packers six penalties for 46 yards. If they can stay out of trouble and not make any stupid mistakes, they’ll do fine. Niners fans have been waiting for too long to get back to the Super Bowl, and this I believe is the best chance they got. You can watch the Super Bowl on Fox Sunday, February 2nd at 3:30pm. For the non-sports fans, there is a halftime show featuring superstars Jennifer Lopez and Shakira, as well as the strange and funny commercials that air during the breaks. The quest for six is on, who will come out victorious? You’ll have to watch and see.
49ers TE George Kittle
49ers DE Nick Bosa
Chiefs WR Tyreek Hill
49ers DE Arik Armstead
Chiefs TE Travis Kelce
Chiefs DE Frank Clark