Western Courier| October 30th, 2019

Opinions: Take some "me time" every once in a while.

Sports: Leathernecks gun for a sixth straight win.

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Wednesday, October 30, 2019 - Vol. 120 Issue 30

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Macomb prepares for “Stuff the Bus”

By Devon Greene editor-in-chief

Sodexo will be running the 14th annual Stuff the Bus food drive on Nov. 6 from 8 a.m to 5 p.m.

Sodexo held their “Make a Difference Day” on Oct. 26 where they and volunteers went out to Walmart, Hy-Vee and Jackson Street Market to campaign for Stuff the Bus and collect donations. They are storing the food donations from the Make a Difference Day until Stuff the Bus on Nov. 6.

The last Stuff the Bus event took place on April 11, 2018 and it is being moved to the fall this year in an attempt to surpass last year’s total.

“We’re always looking to beat the previous year.” Sodexo Marketing Manager Anna Filson said.

All proceeds collected from the two events will be donated to various food pantries around Macomb including Loaves and Fishes, the Western Illinois Regional Council Community Action Agency, the WIU Food pantry and for the first time, the Salvation Army.

There will be various activities including a local business gift basket raffle from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. where participants can buy raffle tickets and enter a drawing to win different gift baskets from businesses around Macomb. The drawing for winners will take place from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Western Illinois University’s mascot, Rocky, will stop by at the same time.

From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., they will be hosting a cookout.

Sodexo held a cookout at Walmart selling pulled pork sandwiches, chips and water for $4 last year and they will be doing the same this year at Sherman Circle.

From 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., there will be a “Build your own Smores” for $1 and they will

also be selling hot chocolate for $1. At the same time, there will be a “Pie in the Face - Local Celebrity Edition” where notable people from around Macomb will get pies thrown in their face for a $1 donation or one non-perishable food donation. Four different participants will be taking place in the Pie in the Face event in 30 minute intervals including General Manager of Sodexo, Colby Rhodd, who will kick it off at 2 p.m., Mayor of Macomb Mike Inman at 2:30 p.m., WIU Director of Financial Aid, Terri Hare, at 3 p.m. and General Manager of Kunes Country, Michael Dennis, at 3:30 p.m.

Rhodd has been at Western Illinois for around three and a half years and has participated in Stuff the Bus ever since he has been on campus and has commended the additions to the program since he has arrived.

“Last year was the first time that we did it where we actually did the pie in the face where we got some of the bosses to go up there and do it,” Rhodd said. “Several of the student workers and Sodexo employees liked the opportunity to smash me in the face with a pie and if it’s all for a good cause, I’m all for it.”

Rhodd is a veteran of the United States Coast Guard where he served as a Food Service Specialist and points back at those days for reasons why he helps with the food drive.

“It’s great for the community and it’s great for all the food banks around here,” Rhodd said. “It’s no secret that food insecurity is a problem in our country and it’s a growing problem in our country. Unfortunately, that’s not going anywhere, so anytime and any chance that we get an opportunity to help out with the community and help out with some of the students, whether that be raising money for

shelters and raising food donations for the shelters. If you can help out, you should help out any chance and every chance you get. As a veteran, that was always something that I was brought up to do; to help out and give back as much as you can.”

Sodexo has found a new partner for their Stuff the Bus festivities: WIU parking ser-

vices. The partnership will result in an opportunity to lower parking ticket costs $40 and under received on Nov. 6 between 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., when donations are given to the Stuff the Bus program. The dollar amount waived on the parking ticket will depend on the amount of food donated.

If you donate 3 items, $0 to $10 will be waived, $11 to $20

will be waived for six items, $21 to $30 will be waived for nine items and $31 to $40 will be waived for 12 items.

Volunteers are still being accepted for Stuff the Bus and they can find an application to volunteer at wiu.edu/stuffthebus.

“We won’t turn anyone away,” Filson said. “The more the merrier.”

FILE PHOTO

Sodexo and community members Stuff the Bus to give back to various food pantries around Macomb.

2 NEWS

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

WesternCourier.com

Dance Marathon gets ready for

Pancake dinner JIMMY PIERSON/PRODUCTION MANAGER

By Marc Ramirez news editor

Western Illinois University’s Dance Marathon has taken an active role in ongoing efforts to continue fundraising for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Nov. 7 at the Macomb American Legion, the active group of young philanthropists will be hosting their annual Pancake Dinner.

Dance Marathon is a yearround effort to raise money for Children's Miracle Network hospitals, more specific to Western, St. Louis Children's Hospital and SSM Health Cardinal Glennon. Since Dance Marathon’s inception in 2014, the group has raised almost $600,000 for the two St. Louis located hospitals.

“People should come to the Pancake Dinner because they can get all-you-can-eat pancakes and sausage for only $5 which is a super good deal,” Mary Leamon, Vice President of Communication for Dance Marathon said. “Plus the money goes to a great cause.”

The event features dairy and gluten free options for those

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with dietary restrictions. The meal will also include orange juice. Tickets can be purchased before the event from anyone who is on Dance Marathon’s Leadership, Executive or Morale teams. Tickets can also be purchased online via square.com/store/wiudm.

People who purchase their tickets online can use their receipt as their ticket. Attendees also have the opportunity to pick up their tickets from The Office of Student Activities located in the University Union. People who haven’t purchased a ticket can still buy one at the door for $7. To purchase large quantities of tickets, contact dancemarathon@wiu.edu for help.

“Pancake Dinner is one of our favorite events that we put on throughout the year,” Leamon said. “How could you not have fun having breakfast for dinner and raising money for kids.”

DM has officially kicked off it’s seventh year at Western with an ambitious goal of $175,000.

People are welcome to make donations at the event or online at tinyurl.com/WIUDM20. Peo-

ple can also pledge money to the event by emailing dancemarathon@wiu.edu.

Last year, the event raised more than $160,000 and the team is looking to surpass that even further with the upcoming year.

“People who attend the event can expect to leave with a full belly and a full heart,” Leamon said. ”One of our Miracle kids, Jace, and his family will be there hanging out with everyone. We will be selling merchandise and there also might be a special surprise that no one will want to miss.”

Leamon added that if someone were on the fence about attending the event, she would remind them that it’s a cheap way to get dinner for the night and a great way to help sick and injured kids who need it. She even added that another plus is that there will even be to-go options if you’re on a time crunch.

WIU DM is scheduled for March 28, 2020, an event that honors the 12-hour shifts of doctors and nurses, as well as children who are unable to stand.

Dance Marathon will be serving pancakes on Nov. 7.

STAFF MEMBERS PUBLISHING AND CIRCULATION editor-in-chief Devon Greene DJ-Greene@wiu.edu

proofreader Mary Kilbourne

news editor Marc Ramirez

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photo editor Becca Langys

opinions editor Allison Young

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Wednesday, October 30, 2019

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NEWS 3

By Marc Ramirez news editor

UUB shows

The University Union board is hosting a movie night in the University Union Thursday night.

The UUB already had a showing of the Andre Ovredal directed “Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” on Tuesday night but will have an encore showing on Halloween. The screening will take place at 7 p.m. in the Sandburg Theatre.

“Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark” was released back on Aug. 9 and brought in around $69 million at the domestic box office.

Justin Brown, UUB President urges students to come out to the movie because it’s cool to experience movies before they go on DVD. The University Union Board is not charging admission for the event and free popcorn will be provided at the screening. According to Brown, UUB typically has around 25 students at each movie. If it’s an outdoor or themed movie, they could have upwards of 100.

“If you look at how UUB is funded, it comes out of student fees, so it’s great for stu-

dents to get something out of them by attending these events,” Brown said. “The movies are also free and you get free popcorn.”

Brown added that next Monday, University Union Board will be hosting UUBingo at 7 p.m. in the Heritage Room of the University Union. He also provided a sneak peak at the next movie UUB will be showing, Good Boys on Nov. 12 and Nov. 14 in the Sandburg Theatre. He wanted to remind students that it’s important for students to utilize UUB and the activities they host.

“This goes back to students branching out and being involved on their campus,” Brown said. “It gives students an opportunity to meet new people on top of having fun. This comes out of your fees as well, so you pay for these events regardless if you go, so you might as well go.”

Brown added that if any students wanted to potentially get involved in UUB, they are currently accepting new members and will be hosting a recruitment event on Nov. 12 in the University Union Concourse from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

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4

OPINIONS

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

WesternCourier.com

Do you need

to have you

Do you find yourself being stressed out, overwhelmed, anxious or having sleepless nights? This could be the result of not having enough ‘you’ time. We all need to make time to take care of ourselves, even if it is hard to fit it into our daily schedules. Things like taking baths, journaling and reading are all things that you can do for yourself.

As college students, we are all jammed packed with dif-

?

JIMMY PIERSON/PRODUCTION MANAGER

ferent meetings or events and homework. It is essential to make sure to give your brain a break from your crazy day to day life. I know several people that say sleeping with the television on is what helps them get their mind off of their lives, but in all honesty, sleeping with your TV on is very unhealthy for you. It is more distracting for your brain, and studies show that you do not fall into a deep sleep as fast as

you could when the TV is on while you’re sleeping. I think that the easiest time for me to decompress is right before I go to bed.

I am not saying that I am amazing at doing this for myself nightly, but when I do find time to focus on myself before bed, even just for 20 minutes, I fall asleep quicker and have a better night's rest.

So, what do I mean when I say take a brain break? I mean putting your cell phone down and telling everyone you’re going to bed, turning your TV off and writing in a journal about your day or reading a book. Not a textbook, but something that you enjoy

reading recreationally. The stimulation of electronics actually makes your brain feel like it is more awake than it actually is. Now, there are several times when we are just so burnt out that if we are watching something, we may decide right then and there that it's time for bed, and that’s okay.

Another thing that I find relaxing and soothing when I am looking for time to decompress is taking a hot bath with essential oils. I am a sucker for a nice bath, but I do not always make the time to do it.

Adding essential oils to your bath directly or, having a diffuser going while in the bath

can be relaxing and it will help your mind take a break from your hectic day.

Overall, I know that it is easier said than done to make time to relax and focus on yourself, but to be successful, I think it is crucial that we all make time for the things we enjoy that are not just electronically focused. Most of us have a hard time disconnecting from our TVs, phones and other distractions. If you can get in the habit of unplugging and doing things for yourself every night before you go to bed, you will most likely be rewarded with a better night’s sleep and a new, refreshed you!

If you get a phone, you can kind of see what I mentioned.

Now, most of the time, this problem is not that bad. What becomes bad is the use of grids on a screen. Again, when using a camera, you can observe the individual squares that form the screen that we use. Now, without looking into it too much, it can be said that both of these observations are minute compared to the fact that it is a light constantly blasted at your eyes.

Now, you may be asking yourself, if you cannot avoid it then what is the solution? For starters, using things that do not require you to look at a screen when possible would be beneficial. This means using a real book instead of e-books or using OLED screens that are softer and do not strain your eyes as much. There are also glasses that filter blue light for people that use technology a lot.

Another easy way to take better care of your eyes is to just be conscious and take a break from time to time. An eye doctor will tell you stepping away from a screen for at least 10 minutes can help lessen the strain of your eyes and promote your eyes to adjust to different perspectives instead of straining on a screen a foot away from you.

Like most things, if you take it in moderation, you can avoid any physical damage which is the whole point. With the way the world works, it is almost impossible to expect people to just turn off technology altogether, but we can do things to promote healthy habits. With these habits, we can deter ourselves from getting stuck on the screen and sometimes not even blinking.

All of us have probably experienced some type of eye strain and it is inevitable because of how busy we can get and we just get in the “zone.” The thing we have to be conscious of is when we are relaxing. The type of leisure we indulge ourselves in does not have to be Phones are nearly inescapable in today's world. screen related.

Put your phone down, your eyes are getting strained!

What are our screens doing to our eyes? It is hard to avoid being on or looking at some type of device. Whether it be our own devices like TVs, phones or laptops or a projector in class, it can be hard to give your eyes a break. The worst part is that our devices are detrimental to our eyesight. The reason for this is that the eye is not meant to just stare at a lit screen.

Since they are man-made, screens are unnatural, so they inevitably have many flaws that are overlooked due to the benefits we receive from utilizing them. Screens are actually never a still picture, meaning that the screen is always flashing at you. Although, to the human eye, it seems as though everything is stagnant. The screen we are looking at is flashing too fast for us to perceive the intervals of less light to brighter light.

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Wednesday, October 30, 2019

OPINIONS 5

The money grab that no one can avoid Now, let’s do a quick test; what is something that we have done since we were kids and will eventually decide if we are going to continue in the future? This answer will be revealed in the end, but keep that thought in your head. Our parents say we have to stick through it and that it will allow us to have the things we want in the future.

It almost seems like there is a universal agreement that this something is of great importance. Even people that have so called “made it” in life advise us to pursue it. What could be so important you may ask? Well it’s too soon to reveal, but it may start to seem more obvious. As a country we spend $706 billion on it and compared to other countries, we are still behind in this department.

Not everyone enjoys this and some are gifted to the point that it may be detrimental

if precautions are not taken.

What could this be? I’m positive you know what it is now.

How come we can grow up doing the same thing and being forced to do something by law but then eventually told that it is a choice? A choice to not only continue, but also an investment.

Although it may not seem like it, this is extremely helpful in your life. Well, at least that is what everyone is telling you.

As life goes on, it seems like that was a lie or a ploy to get something out of you, be that time or money. Speaking of money, most of us have never experienced what it means to handle it.

Knowing this, again, people from all directions are telling you that it is imperative that we stick through it because the results will pay off. The trade off or opportunity cost is extremely high and that is why so many people will hand over

their money hand over fist to obtain it.

Some even travel around the globe in search of it. The search can be for independence or for prestige. Almost like a brand on a cereal box, people will flock to obtain it from specific areas or places. Now, in some cases, the name alone can be very beneficial for someone and can actually grant them the intangibles and tangibles they desire.

The problem is that nothing is guaranteed and that means the same with putting yourself out there to obtain an education. This is exactly what we were talking about. All of us are investing in ourselves to get a piece a paper that shows potential employers we understand a certain discipline.

Nowadays, having a degree will only get you in the door.

This means that we have to work even harder to network, obtain grades and gain some type of work experience in our field just to incite employers.

Education is the biggest cash grab we ever have to face. Everyone seeking a skilled labor job needs it and it will cost us Sherman Hall is the heart of the Western Illinois campus. something to obtain it.

FILE PHOTO

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Edge Editor - Rachel Greene Editor-in-Chief - Devon Greene Opinions Editor - Allison Young

6

Wednesday, October 30, 2019

SPORTS

WesternCourier.com

Does Tarasenko’s injury worry the defending champs?

Back on Oct. 24, Vladimir Tarasenko left the game with six minutes remaining in the first period against the Los Angeles Kings with an undisclosed upper body injury. In a press conference with Blues GM Doug Armstrong Tuesday morning, he confirmed that it was a dislocated shoulder.

It happened after a clean hit from a Kings player who got right into Tarasenko’s armpit and popped his shoulder clean out of place. Tarasenko did have successful surgery yesterday according to Armstrong, but it will still sideline him for at least five months when he will be re-evaluated. So, how does this injury affect the team, who’s going to step up to the plate and do Blues' fans need to start panicking?

Tarasenko led the Blues last season with his 33 goals in the regular season and was second on the team with his 68 points right behind Ryan O’Reilly who had 77. Tarasenko was second on the team in playoff goals with 11 right behind Jaden Schwartz who had 12.

Tarasenko’s absence didn’t affect the rest of the game against the Kings. The Blues still won 5-2 at home, but then they went on the road. It was the highly anticipated Stanley Cup Final rematch against the Boston Bruins. That game was always going to be tough, but getting shut out 3-0 on the road wasn’t a good look. Neither was almost blowing the game against the Detroit Redwings. The Blues still won, and I mean, two points are two points, but it was a filthy overtime win.

St. Louis was off to a hot start and took a 2-0 lead after the first period, then had a 3-1 lead after two. But, a two-goal lead is the most dangerous lead in hock-

ey. The Redwings scored three straight goals to take a 4-3 lead and it was awful. O’Reilly tied the game up at 4-4 on the power play and then David Perron went on to win it in overtime 5-4.

Unquestionably, losing Tarasenko is unfortunate and a big deal, but guys will step up and continue to produce without him, they’ll have no choice.

Let’s start with the guys already on the roster.

The current team leader is center Brayden Schenn. He better keep producing after that fat 8-year, $52 million contract extension.

Luckily, for the time being, he has turned into an absolute machine.

There are two other guys that haven’t been off to hot starts this year but look to be pretty promising. Looking to have break out seasons are Robert Thomas and Sammy Blais.

Through 70 games in the regular, Thomas had nine goals and 24 assists. Blais, through only 32 games, had only two goals and two assists. Thomas started to get more time on the ice but Blais never really did. In the

THEHOCKEYNEWS.COM

Vladimir Tarasenko gets set for a quick shot after the faceoff.

Detroit is the second to last team in the NHL and the game might worry the Blues and their fans.

It was pretty evident that Tarasenko’s absence had an effect on the game and O’Reilly made that pretty clear after the game against Detroit.

“It's tough,” O’Reilly said. “He's a huge player for our team. It's a tough loss and you can see tonight, it impacts us. We all have to be better for when we're missing him.”

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His nine goals lead the team and he’s snagged four assists as well to lead the team with 13 points.

Closely following behind him is David Perron. He hasn’t scored that many goals with only three, but he’s a great right-hand man to O’Reilly with his nine assists. Speaking of O’Reilly, he also has 12 points, six goals and six assists. Also helping out Schenn and O’Reilly is Jaden Schwartz. He’s got 10 points with nine assists as well.

playoffs they had six and three points, respectively.

If Schenn and O’Reilly can keep at it with this kind of pace, with the help of Perron and Schwartz, the Blues should have nothing to worry about. If the Blues can get some guys already on the roster to step up and if Jordan Binnington can stay healthy, the Blues should have nothing to worry about. If all those things don’t happen, the Blues might find themselves in last place

WC

again on Jan. 3. There’s a lot of what ifs, but one thing still stands: St. Louis has depth. Let’s take a look at who might get the call up to the big leagues.

There are two obvious choices, both from the Blues AHL affiliate team the San Antonio Rampage.

The first being Klim Kostin. He’s got a goal and four assists on his AHL resume through eight games. Last season, through 66 games, Kostin scored 10 goals and had 14 assists, which really aren’t great numbers. That is why he wouldn’t be my first choice to call up.

That would be Nathan Walker.

He currently leads the Rampage with 12 points, seven goals and five assists. Last season for the Hershey Bears, the AHL affiliate for the Washington Capitals, he played in 58 games, scoring 17 goals and having 22 assists.

He’s also had some NHL experience with the Capitals and the Edmonton Oilers. In total, he’s appeared in 12 NHL games, scoring a goal and assisting another. He would make more sense to get the callup.

There is technically one other option, but I really don’t see this being necessary. With Tarasenko out, that frees up around $7 million in cap space to go out and acquire somebody for a couple of months and ditch them before the trade deadline while Tarasenko recovers. There have been whispers that Armstrong might have something up his sleeve, but I honestly doubt it and really don’t think that will be needed. In my opinion, you still have a great group of guys that are hungry and ready for more playing time, so just let them do their thing.

Armstrong did say in yesterday’s press conference, though, that a move would not be made until after tonight’s game against the Minnesota Wild. Eventually, something will have to be done, but we’ll just have to wait and see. In short, it’s not time to panic. The team will rise up and we will be fine, rest assured.

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Sports 7

Who is LeBron James’ horror movie counterpart?

mind when I think of the word “bored” is the phrase “bored to death,” which is a phrase that comes to mind when I think of Harden. Death in the “Final Destination” franchise, however, is not always boring.

It always has these elaborate ways of finally killing the characters that escaped it at the beginning of each movie. This is similar to Harden because he isn’t always boring. Harden has the ability to score 60 points a night if his shot is working and if the referees are blowing the whistle like he wants them to. Also, he can instantly redefine a grown man’s career when he crosses them up and makes them fall and sit on the ground for multiple seconds while he drains a three in their face.

Harden’s teammate Russell Westbrook is the next target.

Westbrook is in uncharted territory for the first time in his career after he was traded from the team that drafted him, the Thunder. Westbrook has gained a reputation of being out of control, so I think his closest counterpart is Pazuzu from “The Exorcist.” I cannot think of a villain that is more out of control than Pazuzu. He forces Reagan to pee on the carpet at her mother’s house party, curse out her mother and priests, use a crucifix as an adult toy, turn her head around 360 degrees and projectile vomit on those same priests.

I don’t know what Westbrook does in his free time, but I think I may have seen his head

turn 360 degrees once during a game. Also, sometimes it seems like Westbrook is possessed by a demon. The only explanation for his seemingly endless amount of energy is possession by a demon. I remember watching Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals back in 2014 and Westbrook took a shot that I am still trying to figure out to this very day. With 13.4 seconds left in the game, he dribbled to the left side of the three point line where Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobli were both waiting for him, and instead of passing out of the double team to anybody else on his team, like scoring champion, Kevin Durant, Westbrook threw up the most awkward three pointer in NBA history that ended up hitting the top of the backboard and essentially sealed the series for the Spurs. This was like when Pazuzu possessed Father Karras and jumped out of the window to his death. Demons are bad, Westbrook is also bad.

The NBA’s conspiracy theorist figurehead is up next in Kyrie Irving. Irving joined the Brooklyn Nets last offseason and has been playing out of his mind (if that’s even possible) since putting on the black and white uniform. Irving is obviously famous for playing basketball but he has also gained some notoriety from his outlandish takes. Irving has admitted he believes the Earth is flat and that the moon landing was faked. Irving would fit perfectly in the role of Jack Torrence from “The Shining.” Over the course of “The Shining,” we slowly see Torrence lose touch with reality and I feel like the longer Irving has been in the NBA, the farther down the rabbit

hole he has gone. Near the conclusion of “The Shining,” it is revealed that Torrence, a writer, has been writing the same sentence over and over again and it read, “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” If Irving were in Torrence’s place, I feel like it would read, “All passing and no shots makes Kyrie a sad boy.”

Following Irving is one of his former teammates, LeBron James. James is the NBA’s G.O.A.T., so I think it is only fair to compare him to a literal goat, Black Phillip from “The Witch.” It would be too easy to compare the two just because they’re the same species, so let’s dive a little deeper. In the aftermath of the infamous “Decision” that James made back in 2010 when he decided to leave the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Heat, Cleveland fans and sports fans across the country were all looking to make James a villain in any way they possibly could. So, what was their last resort? Make James a devil worshipper. Conspiracy theories connecting James and rapper Jay-Z to the illuminati were circulated around social media sites and when James selected the number six to wear on his jersey in Miami, the speculation only picked up steam. I’ve seen “The Witch” two times and I’m pretty sure that Black Phillip is supposed to be the actual devil, so these two are like peas in a pod.

Finally, a player that isn’t playing this year, but one who I would be disrespecting if I left him out, Kevin Durant.

Durant joined Irving on the Nets this offseason after a ridiculously successful stint with the Warriors. There were

several comparisons that were easy to make when it comes to Durant, like the snake from “Anaconda” for obvious reasons, but I think there’s only one horror villain that fits the Durant mold perfectly,: Pennywise from “Stephen King’s IT.” Both Pennywise and Durant are absolutely terrifying when they’re at their full power, leaving them nearly unstoppable. Durant is one of the best scorers in NBA history and Pennywise is one of the best child-eaters in movie history. However, they both have a glaring weakness.

They can be defeated by being made fun of. In “IT: Chapter 2,” Pennywise is defeated by the grown up versions of the Losers Club when they gang up and call him names. He eventually shrivels up into a little gross baby clown and they destroy him. Durant is notorious for not taking criticism lightly. He took major offense in 2014 when an Oklahoma City newspaper called him “Mr. Unreliable.”

He’s created burner accounts on multiple social media platforms to reply to his critics and seemingly left Golden State because of the criticism he was getting from the NBA community, including his own teammate Draymond Green, who berated Durant in an argument last year during an overtime loss against the Clippers.

“You’re a b---- and you know you’re a b----,” Green said.

“We don’t need you. We won without you. Leave.”

Durant said that this had little to no reason in his decision to leave, but if we’ve learned anything about Durant in the time we’ve known him, it’s probably safe to say that it absolutely did.

of the team, the defense, has been exceptional, but unable to bring back the turnover number they had a season ago.

So right now, the Bears sit at an unacceptable 3-4, and the only real shot they have at the playoffs is if they win eight of their last nine games.

These aren’t going to be easy wins either. The Bears still have to play Detroit, Philadelphia, Green Bay, Minnesota and Los Angeles on the road, and host the Chiefs and Cowboys at Soldier Field.

So, who’s to blame for the Bears’ struggles? The answer is at the top, and it all starts

with Nagy and Trubisky. These two have an elite defense on the other side of the ball and are unable to close out games on the offensive end. I have heard enough of the excuses, “Oh our kicker is the reason we lost,” “Our offensive line is terrible” or perhaps even the worst one, “Why’d we draft Trubisky over Mahomes and Watson?” The Bears have no one to blame but themselves, and I honestly don’t know who deserves more of the blame out of the two. On one hand, you have Trubisky, who was drafted second overall and has regressed in his second season under Nagy. However, on the other hand, you have Nagy, who was supposed to coach up the offense, but more importantly Trubisky. So, who is really to blame? It is definitely a group effort, but I lean more

toward Nagy. He has got to be smarter. You can’t get too cute in do-or-die situations in the game of football. You also can’t run the ball under 10 times a game twice this season. The overall problem with this team has been the offense, and you can’t have your head coach, a supposed offensive genius, put your team in a bad position to succeed.

The Bears decided to stay put at the trade deadline yesterday, and there are many pros and cons to this move. On a positive note, the Bears decided not to be buyers and lose the very little draft capitol they have left and left a chance at a potential quarterback change till the offseason. On the negative side, there are definitely a few positions that could have used an upgrade. Chicago could have definitely used a tight end or

an offensive tackle, but decided to leave things the way they are, which is something to question general manager Ryan Pace about.

The time is ticking for the Bears to win with this elite defense, and it will be interesting to see how the team reacts after two brutal losses at home.

Like I said earlier, it is a tough road ahead, and to be honest, it’s not a bright road. I do not think a 10-win team will be able to clinch a postseason berth this year, and at this point, the Bears will be lucky to get eight wins with the way things are playing out. However, it’s not over till it’s over, and there’s still nine games left.

If the Bears turn it around and reel off six or seven wins, watch out, because no one wants a hot team coming into the playoffs.

Let’s just hope for the best.

Devon Greene Editor-in-chief @Starewaytodevon

The NBA is back and several teams are looking scarier than ever, so I think it's time to cast some of their biggest players as horror villains.

The scariest team in the league this year is by far the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers have the ability to embarrass any team in the league on any given night when they want to. Their lead man, Kawhi Leonard is a meme machine with his robotic tendencies and his laughs that sound like an error in his mainframe. I racked my brain for hours trying to think of a decent robot horror villain but I can’t think of one, so I think the closest match for Leonard is Pinhead from the “Hellraiser” franchise. Pinhead’s main objective is to take the souls of humans on Earth. I’m about 85 percent sure that Leonard has been programed to take the soul of every NBA franchise he can get his hands on. Leonard has already taken the souls of the Miami Heat, the San Antonio Spurs, the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Golden State Warriors, and I’m absolutely positive that his reign of terror is nowhere near over.

Next up is James Harden from the Houston Rockets. Harden is one of the most hated players in the league because of his play style and perceived lack of interest on the defensive end. For these reasons alone, I think Harden most resembles Death from the “Final Destination” franchise. One of the first things that comes to

Nagy and Trubisky to blame for Bears struggles

The Chicago Bears are one of the most disappointing teams in the NFL this season.

With Super Bowl hopes before the season, the Bears now sit at a very poor 3-4 record halfway through. To put it bluntly, what could go wrong has gone wrong.

Chicago’s up and coming quarterback a season ago, Mitchell Trubisky, has taken a major step backwards this season. The reigning coach of the year, Matt Nagy, has seen his creative play calling being exposed all season, and has been terrible with in-game decisions. And finally, the best part

Men’s soccer looks ahead to IUPUI Jaguars

By Bradley Piros sports editor

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Ryan Debois follows through on his shot during a game.

BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR

Daisuke Otsuka passes the ball to a teammate while warming up for a game.

BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR

Paul Kirdorf focuses on his passing during practice.

BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR

Tim Trilk prepares for an incoming shot during practice.

The Western Illinois men’s soccer team (4-11) will take on the IUPUI Jaguars at 6 p.m. tonight in Indianapolis. The Leathernecks will be looking for their fifth straight win while the Jags will be trying to bounce back after a 7-1 loss against the University of Illinois at Chicago on Sunday.

Last time out for Western was Saturday when they hosted the Eastern Illinois University Panthers for Senior Day and won 2-1. That contest was the fourth straight win for Leathernecks and just so happened to clinch a spot in The Summit League Tournament.

Scoring in that game was junior forward Ryan Debois and junior midfielder Daisuke Otsuka. It was Otsuka’s third goal of the season and Debois’ sixth. The two are the team’s leading goal scorers and have combined for 25 shots on goal.

The Jaguars’ two leading goal scorers are Yan Souza with four goals and one assist and Alan Aguilar with three goals and one assist. Five other Jags have also netted a goal this year.

Western and IUPUI have battled 15 times in the past. The Leathernecks have won the past three contests, including last year back on Sept. 18 where Western got the narrow 1-0 victory. The Jags will be trying to end Western’s series win streak as well as their current four-game win

streak. The series record for Western is 1-4-1 against the Jags when they are on the road and they are 1-6 while away this season.

These past four games Western’s defense has stood tall, especially late in the game against EIU. The Panthers scored shortly after Western did to cut the deficit in half and from that point on, it was all Panthers. Eastern had the Leathernecks on their heels, but they were able to pull through and get the win.

Junior Paul Kirdorf leads the defense with his one goal and two assists and has been an all-around great two-way player this season. Along with him in the defense has been senior Christian Junna and freshman Cameron Territo who have really gelled together as a group as of late.

The last main driving force behind Western’s recent success is, as always, senior goalkeeper Tim Trilk.

He has started all 15 games for the Leathernecks and has only been taken out four times. He’s totaled more than 1200 minutes so far and has made 69 saves on the season.

Western’s defense can always breathe a little easier knowing that they’re in good hands.

The Leathernecks will look to keep the wheels turning tonight when they take on the Jaguars at 6 p.m.

Western will make their final home appearance on Nov. 4 against the Bradley Braves before finishing up on the road at Oral Roberts the following Saturday.

Men’s and women’s golf wrap up fall season

By Jacob VanZuiden courier staff On Monday, both the men’s and women’s Leatherneck golf teams traveled to warmer territories to compete in their final meet of 2019.

Both teams looked to finish strong in the Tiger Fall Invitational hosted by Savannah State University after progressively-improved play throughout the fall season. The event in Savannah, Ga. was originally slated to be a three-round tournament, 36-hole day taking place on Monday before a concluding round on Tuesday.

The invitational featured just three other competing schools on the women’s side, a group that entailed North Carolina A&T, Hampton University and host Savannah State University. The Purple and Gold trotted out a familiar starting-five: senior Cassidy Jurkaites, freshman Natalie Hooper, sophomores Emily Marrs and Abbie Gault and junior Katy Schmitt. For the men’s squad, it was seniors Kyle Irlbacker and Joe Burke, juniors Wyatt Spier and Dylan Cervantes and sophomore Cameron Karney.

Unfortunately for Western, the third round of play was cancelled due to inclement weather as rain showers poured down on Crosswinds Golf Club. However, for the Lady Leathernecks, a 632 (+56) team mark placed them in

second place for the event. For the women, it was none other than the impressive first-year linksman, Hooper, who led the charge for Western. The freshman notched scores of 76 and 77 in the first two rounds, putting her at 10 over par and giving her the second-best individual score of all golfers in the event.

Underclassman Gault came next on the list, improving her first round score of 81 by four strokes to give her a 159 (+15). Right behind Gault was Marrs, who was consistent in each round, firing a 79 and 80. Both Jurkaites and Schmitt were impressive as well, compiling two-round scores of 166 and 168, respectively. It was a well-rounded team effort from Western, as no athlete finished outside the top-12 golfers in the tournament.

The competing pool on the men’s side of things was a bit deeper. Florida A&M, North Carolina A&T, Maryland Eastern Shore, Savannah State University, Chicago State University, Morehouse College and Paine College made up the Leathernecks’ opposition. While things didn’t go as smoothly for the men’s squad in the abbreviated two-round contest, Western still managed to finish middle-of-the-pack, tying Savannah State for fourth place out of eight teams with a combined output of 597 (+21).

Irlbacker, a consistent source of production throughout his time at Western, unsurprisingly led the way with scores of 72 and 73, putting him at one over for the event.

Burke wasn’t far behind him, as the fellow senior produced a 147 (+3) on Monday. Next came Cervantes, who cut three stokes off his firstround effort (77), finishing the day at seven over par. Both Spier and Karney rounded-out the team’s starting group, collecting scores of 154 and 163.

Director of Golf Lia Biehl Lukkarinen was pleased with how this group of men were playing before the poor weather rolled around. If not for the cancellation, she believed her team would have competed for the top spot on Tuesday.

“We were playing very well before the storm blew in,” Lukkarinen said in an interview with WIU Athletics Communications. “We were disappointed not to be able to make up a little ground, but I'm pleased with Kyle's performance. We are already making swing adjustments as we move into the offseason.”

This event puts a wrap on the 2019 fall season, but look for both groups to continue developing their game over the winter.

When play resumes next spring, the Leathernecks golf program will aim at taking yet another step forward.

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Kyle Irlbacker watches the ball after his chip shot.

GOLEATHERNECKS.COM

Cassidy Jurkaites focuses while making a putt.