Volume 67 Issue 09

THE HIGHLANDER

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, RIVERSIDE

est. 1954

FOR THE WEEK OF TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2018

VOL. 67, ISSUE 09

bb oo nn ff ii rr ee 22 00 11 88 bonfire 2018 MARTIN LOPEZ / HIGHLANDER

FOOD TRUCK FESTIVAL PAGE 8 AND 9 ERICA HAAS / HIGHLANDER

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OPINIONS 7

FEATURES 10

RADAR 12

SPORTS 14

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2018

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HUMANS OF UCR

UPCOMING EVENTS: WEEK 8

GENESIS LARA, PSYCHOLOGY, FOURTH-YEAR COMPILED BY LYDIA TSOU

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Tuesday

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Wednesday

No Cheat Thanksgiving 3:30pm to 5:30pm Student Recreation Center (SRC), Classroom Kitchen

ASPB Presents: Double Film Premiere - Creed II & Ralph Breaks the Internet 10:00pm to 12:00am University Village Theater

Wednesday@Noon Lecture by Diego García-Peinazo.

12:10pm to 1:00pm Arts Building, Music Rehearsal Hall, ARTS 157

Wellness Wednesday: Basket Weaving 4:00pm to 5:00pm HUB (Highlander Union Building), 269

“Call Her Ganda” Screening + PJ Raval (Film Director) Q&A 3:30pm to 6:00pm CHASS Interdisciplinary South, 1111

Entomology ENTM250 Seminar Clare L. Casteel 4:10pm to 5:00pm Genomics Building, 1102A

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Thursday

23 “This past year I went through one of the biggest changes in my

Friday

life. I was in a long-distance relationship. I believed she was serious about getting engaged. Then, I found out that during this 9 month relationship, she’d been cheating on me for the last 6-7 months. After this experience, I realized that I had a void, but I projected that onto others when they didn’t love themselves, in order to avoid focusing on

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Saturday

my own issue. I realized that I needed to love myself first before being able to properly love someone else.”

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News TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2018

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Native American Student Programs receives $1.28 million grant from San Manuel Band of Mission Indians

JAKEB TIVEY Contributing Writer

This fall, UCR’s Native American Student Programs (NASP) received the largest donation in its 38-year history in the form of $1.28 million from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.

The grant was awarded in recognition of efforts by the NASP to increase youth retention at the collegiate level and promote awareness of Native American customs and cultures.

NASP hosts the annual Gathering of the Tribes Summer Residential Program, a weeklong immersive experience geared towards Native American youth which aims to bridge the gap between primary and secondary education by introducing students to everyday college life. In addition to their youth programs, the organization accomplishes its core objectives through providing students, faculty and local communities with many resources and educational events. In an interview with the Highlander, Director Joshua Gonzales explains the many resources provided by NASP and how they will make good use of San Manuel’s charity.

Gonzales illustrated how the grant will contribute to supporting students at UCR stating, “part of the grant will go towards scholarships, providing scholarships for

students that identify as Native American that are in need and then the other part of it will go help to support the summer program too.” He also explained the need for more faculty to support the program, adding that “unfortunately we’ve always been understaffed here at the office.”

Gonzales confirmed the money will be used to “get another … program coordinator to help with all the work that we do in here.” Regarding the work that they do for UCR and surrounding communities, Gonzales said the NASP is “doing retention, helping the students.”

Another cornerstone of NASP is bringing awareness of underemphasized Native cultures to both the student body and the community: “We provide the events as a means for educating the campus, and also off campus too.”

Elaborating upon NASP’s overall objective, Gonzales stated, “we’re here as a center for students, for all students really … to learn, to understand.” He stated that many are unaware of their heritage, saying, “there’s people there, there’s a lot more to it than ‘the casinos.’”

Gonzalez believes that “one of the things San Manuel recognized was the work that we’re doing through our office is bridging that gap, trying to provide opportunities.”

Many of those opportunities are available through the inclusive events hosted

COURTESY OF NATIVE AMERICAN STUDENT PROGRAMS

throughout the year.

The major NASP events of the year are the Spirit of the Tribes 5K race, summer program and UCR Pow Wow; however, many other programs are hosted frequently, such as the Medicine Ways Conference & Bird Singing Gathering, Drum Circle and Native Jam Nights.

Wellness Wednesdays at the HUB are also partnered with NASP, where they

host basket-weaving as well. NASP encourages students to get involved and get educated, and, as Gonzales puts it, “what we try to do is bring awareness, that’s why we’re here as a center for students, for all students.”

Native American Student Programs is located at 229 Costo Hall and is open for all every weekday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

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ASUCR

ASUCR discusses issues of upcoming STEM high school at UCR

COURTESY OF RIVERSIDE UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

MARK BERTUMEN Senior Staff Writer

ASUCR held its eighth meeting of the quarter at 6:34 p.m. last Wednesday, Nov. 14.

Justin Domecillo, a fourth-year English major, spoke during public forum about the issues that UCR students and other groups have found with the planned establishment of a Riverside University School

District (RUSD) STEM high school on UCR grounds. The first issue he touched upon was that of sexual harassment involving the students that would attend the school. “Who’s responsible for Title IX?” Domecillo asked, discussing the risks of a bad image that such incidents would create.

After Domecillo stepped down from the podium, Rich Davis,

Assistant Principal at RUSD’s John W. North High School and representative of the committee that passed the decision to build the STEM high school, stepped up after reading about the matter in the Highlander Newspaper. He reported that three community meetings have been held between both UCR students and people in the community to discuss the STEM school. Davis indicated that he was “extremely impressed” with the number of students that showed up to them.

ASUCR President Semi Cole gave his thanks to Davis for showing up to the ASUCR meeting, and the senators then asked Davis questions about the matter. It was asked whether any organizations were actively fighting the establishment of the STEM school, and Davis responded that there is currently a lawsuit going on between the surrounding community and the UCR administration concerning future buildings like the school. Davis also pointed out that “students had no idea (the building of the STEM school) was happening” in the past.

Domecillo commented further upon the lack of awareness for the school among students, pointing

out that Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox already signed the paperwork for the STEM high school to be built in September 2015. Domecillo stated that “doing so was a direct violation of the principles of UCR,” in this case the transparency of UCR administrative activity.

The issue of parking for high school was also brought up by Domecillo, stating that no parking has currently been allocated to accommodate the new students, adding that the only place that commuters could park is the neighborhood.

After Davis finished, the meeting moved to the approval of the Elections Committee. The vote was passed 14-0-2 and discussion continued with senate reports. Senator Abigail Cortes mentioned that she is working with Transportation and Parking Services (TAPS) and the UC Police Department (UCPD) to further discuss how UCR ought to respond to shooting threats and similar incidents, due to the expressed discontent of ASUCR to the response of UCPD to the AI shooting rumor.

The meeting concluded at 7:19 p.m. with no new business. ASUCR meets every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. inside of HUB 265.

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NEWS

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2018

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Free speech rally brings attention to UCR free speech policy

PREETI JUTURU Contributing Writer

On Nov. 13, Turning Point USA (TPUSA) in collaboration with the Young Americans for Liberty (YAL) and the College Republicans at UCR gathered by the Bell Tower in protest of free speech zones, which are allocated locations where free speech activities are allowed.

According to UCR Policy 70070, people who wish to exercise their rights of free speech and assemble for a pre-advertised activity must schedule it in advance with the Scheduling Office.

Such assemblies are also only limited to the Tower Mall (the area surrounding the Bell Tower) or the Speaker’s Mound area. Both the YAL and Turning Point USA (TPUSA), two organisations that focus on free speech advocacy, put out petitions for students to sign at their booths, with the intention of challenging UCR’s policy.

According to Navneel Sekhon, a second-year biology major and the president of UCR’s TPUSA chapter, they are a “non-profit, non-partisan organization with the intent to protect free speech.” Sekhon said that TPUSA’s “goal with the petition is to revoke the authority of UCR Policy 70070 because it infringes on our right to collect and protest when we choose. It’s not up to UCR to determine when and where we can protest, and they do not

have the authority to create free speech zones.” The concept of free speech zones on university campuses and their legality has been a contentious issue in American history.

A recent 2016 lawsuit challenged free speech zones at Pierce College in Los Angeles, and district courts upheld the right to express opinions on college campuses, regardless of location. The suit was supported by the U.S. Department of Justice, and drew a large amount of attention to the issue.

However, no U.S. Supreme Court case has upheld specific rules on free speech in relation to college campuses. The legality of such “free speech zones” and college campuses restricting speech continues to be an unclear issue with no specific ruling.

TPUSA’s table had numerous buttons on offer, adorned with slogans such as “taxation is theft” and “I love capitalism.”

The organization gathered almost 25 signatures from students not affiliated with the organization. The UCR chapter of TPUSA, according to Sekhon, has not been established yet.

“We haven’t gotten approval for the actual club yet, but we’re still tabling here today because we have the right to do so,” she said. The petitions set out by both YAL and TPUSA collectively received around 36 signatures.

All three student organizations set up booths, propping up signs alongside the American flag

AIDAN RUTTEN / HIGHLANDER

and a United States silhouette with the words “free speech zone” covering the image. “It doesn’t make sense for there to be specific zones for free speech. Free speech shouldn’t be subjected to specific rules and boundaries, and it should not be constricted,” stated Amber Shope, a third-year psychology major and member of the College Republicans at UCR club. “We support the diversity of thought, which is why we wish to bring this issue to attention. No matter what views you hold, you should be allowed a platform to express yourself without restraint.”

After a few hours, a small group of students from the organizations walked past the Tower Mall with posters

and returned back to their booths. One of the protesters, Chase Bowman, a third-year engineering student affiliated with YAL, stated, “the original intent of the free speech zone is to restrict it to a place where it doesn’t inconvenience people. However, we’re here on this lawn and we’re not inconveniencing anybody because we’re just holding up signs; we’re just trying to make a point.” When questioned about what changes the organizations want implemented, Bowman stated that “(we) want bigger free speech zones and to have an open dialogue with administration regarding free speech zones.”

Ben Roden, a fourth-year environmental engineering major and the vice president of YAL said that “it’s reassuring to see how open minded UCR students are when talking about such concerns, and it’s good to see everyone finding a common ground, regardless of political affiliation.”

According to YAL’s website, the group is a “pro-liberty” organization formed in 2008 at the end of Congressman Ron Paul’s presidential campaign.

“YAL is a non-profit and nonpartisan organization and we intend to preserve our Constitutional rights. Preserving free speech is not a partisan issue, it’s an issue that affects everyone,” Roden said.

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HIGHLANDER EDITORIAL

Immigration reform? Trump: Hold my beer

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ust a week before the midterm elections on Nov. 6, President Trump wildly declared that he would be taking steps to end birthright citizenship in the United States. While the statement appears to be nothing more than a standard Trump lie and was nothing more than an eleventh hour attempt at motivating his political base for the midterm elections, Trump’s flippant attitude towards one of this country’s constitutional cornerstones poses no shortage of troubling questions about the future of the country and its very values.

The midterm elections are over, but the popularity of Trump’s promise to end birthright citizenship reveals just how much is fundamentally broken with our immigration laws. The absolute absurdity of this somehow popular proposal, however, also represents just how unlikely this country is to see any kind of progress on this frighteningly divisive debate. By making such an inflammatory and idiotic claim and exploiting it as a political club, the president has undeniably made the possibility of reaching desperately needed immigration reform even less likely or possible than before.

During an interview with the news site Axios on Oct. 30, Trump said that he had discussed the prospect of ending birthright citizenship nationwide with his legal advisers, and that he was told that he “can just do it with an executive order.” In addition to resting on this almost certainly false claim, Trump then added in another lie for good measure, saying, “we’re the only country in the world” that has birthright citizenship. Given that we have not heard from the president on this matter since, and this was clearly a bait-and-switch pre-midterm tactic, we feel very safe calling this crazy

JUSTUS ROSS / HIGHLANDER

assertion a flat-out lie.

Firstly, however, it is important to dissect the concept of birthright citizenship itself, and by extension, the Fourteenth Amendment. The specific clause in question is the very first clause of the amendment that underpins every basic understanding of American citizenship law today.

The clause reads, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the state wherein they reside.” The amendment makes its fairly clear that anyone born in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction of the United States is to be considered a United States citizen. Based off of this premise alone, the Constitution of the United States very clearly spells out that birthright citizenship is a constitutional right, and thus can only be taken away through constitutional amendment. For any member of the government or law enforcement to act or proceed otherwise would be unconstitutional, and derelict of their duty.

A few fringe legal theories, however, find some footing in the ambiguity of the phrase, “and subject to the jurisdiction thereof.” According to these theories, just being born in the United States does not mean one is subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Children of diplomats residing in the United States are an example of such cases; their children are not automatically granted birthright citizenship. Proponents of this school of thought purport that Congress has the power to pass legislation to clarify or even establish what qualifies for individuals to “be subject to the jurisdiction” of the United States, since Congress is the body that creates such laws in the first place. In doing so, subgroups such as children of noncitizens or children of undocumented immigrants could

easily be categorized as not “subject to the jurisdiction thereof,” denying them citizenship by birthright.

These aspirations are largely flattened however, by an 1890 Supreme Court decision known as United States vs. Wong Kim Ark, which set clear precedent demonstrating that children born within the borders of the United States are citizens of the United States by virtue of their birth within the country. Proponents of the above belief would argue, of course, that this court decision was decided wrongly, but the decision nevertheless makes it crystal clear that any attempts to alter the process of birthright citizenship in this country would require either a constitutional amendment, or an overturning of this precedent by another supreme court decision.

Birthright citizenship is clearly here to stay, and that’s a good thing, it is a cornerstone of the American promise, and an important bulwark in our commitment against old world values of inheritance and hereditary privilege. Under inclusive and equal citizenship by birthright, the American project of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness has remained impressively durable in spite of repeated challenges.

In comparison to the other workings of our immigration system, however, birthright citizenship is fundamentally unfair by comparison.

It is incredibly difficult, or at the very least time-consuming and costly to become a naturalized U.S. citizen.

The U.S. naturalization process favors and highly values higher levels of education, and as a result naturalized U.S. citizens are more likely than native born citizens to hold a bachelor’s degree. Additionally, many prospective naturalization candidates often have to wait years essentially in limbo and pay costs as high as $15,000 just to get their green

cards, a necessary prerequisite of naturalization.

While about 900,000 individuals currently legally immigrate to the United States every year, only 140,000 are given the security of their status by being granted permanent residence each year. At the same time as individuals are waiting to be naturalized and go through the incredibly costly and difficult process of trying to at least get their green cards, millions of individuals live within the United States that fundamentally did not follow the same rules these immigrants are following. To make it even more unfair to these individuals and families attempting to gain permanent residence, many families that did not enter the country legally can gain a degree of stability for themselves or at least their children when they are born within the United States.

This possibility is a reality with significant consequences, and while it isn’t quite moral, logical or economical to deport these families, the truth of this situation is fundamentally unfair to individuals and families trying to do things “the right way.” This disparity doesn’t speak to the criminality or exploitative nature of illegal immigrants, but rather speaks to the fundamental flaws in how America handles its system of immigration, particularly how we fail to reward immigrants for the most important American values of hard work, patriotism and civic virtues.

In many ways, hoping to get through the legal immigration system in this country is largely due to luck, or a willingness to just wait it out and pay whatever is necessary until the day finally comes. While sorting for this grit and commitment to America is a good instinct, it selects for it in the wrong ways,

keeps too many individuals in limbo and even encourages illegal immigration in many cases. The way in which this contrasts to illegal immigrants, however, is even worse.

Rather than allowing those who have entered the country illegally to demonstrate their value, show their commitment to American ideals and contribute to the economy, illegal immigrants are still kept in perpetual second-class status, with their very status in the country insecure.

Most Americans agree that the United States desperately needs immigration reform that rewards immigrants who demonstrate and appreciate American values. A Fox News poll found that 83 percent of Americans support a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants, yet if anyone brought such a bill to Congress, it would be dead on arrival. Americans on both sides of aisle believe in a fair pathway to citizenship for immigrants, yet no action is being taken – no wonder there is so much anger at our country’s current immigration system.

Even as the situation looks ripe for a fundamental change by a powerful movement, it appears any hope of such a moment has been pushed inevitably further back with the president doing nothing but continuing to dangerously fan the flames of an already raging inferno.

As long as Trump is in office, and other politicians continue to utilize the same race-baiting demonizing tactics, it seems only certain that desperately needed immigration H reform is more elusive than ever. ■ Highlander editorials reflect the majority view of the Highlander Editorial Board. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Associated Students of UCR or the University of California system.

OPINIONS

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/opinions

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2018

7

OPINION POLL Compiled by Ryan Poon Contributing Photographer

“Have you gotten your flu shot?”

Tiffany Chen Pre-business First-year

Leilia Lin Psychology First-year

“No, I have never gotten a flu shot before in my life.”

“Me neither. I’ve just never taken the flu shot.”

Syrah Navid Sociology Third-year “Nope.”

Sarah Benny Engineering Third-year

Kelly Cai Engineering Second-year

Vince Reyes Neuroscience First-year

“Nope. Is UCR going to kick me out now?”

“I haven’t taken my flu shot yet.

Usually I take it though.”

“Flu shot? Nope, I haven’t taken mine yet.”

Lessons from France:

Nationalism v. Patriotism ELAINE CHEN Contributing Writer

At a World War I commemoration event on Nov. 11 in Paris, President Emmanuel Macron of France seemed to directly address the concern surrounding President Trump recently proclaiming himself a nationalist. In his speech at the remembrance ceremony, Macron made a clear distinction between nationalism and patriotism, saying that when nationalism, the “exact opposite” of patriotism, becomes normalized, the moral values of a nation diminish. He went on to say that the soldiers of World War I fought to reject “the selfishness of nations only looking after their own interests.” Trump, in the audience during Macron’s speech, nodded without showing any signs of reaction when listening to the translation.

The moment Macron might be referring to in his speech refers to a rally in Houston on Oct. 23, in which Trump made headlines for tossing aside all historical associations with the word “nationalist” and claimed himself to be one. At the rally, Trump expressed his understanding that the word was tabooed but then tried to soften the meaning to be synonymous to patriotism. “I’m a nationalist, O.K.? I’m a nationalist. Nationalist! Use that word!

Use that word!”

The idea that Trump might be aware of examples like Japan and Italy in which nationalism went extremely awry but is still choosing to be proud of that title wouldn’t be very surprising; he has become wellknown for his “America First” catchphrase

when it comes to describing his stance on foreign policy relations, which has already alienated several key U.S. allies. Trump has continuously pushed for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to be shut down under the false pretense that America is paying for nearly all of the costs (the U.S. pays for about a fifth of NATO’s direct funding), consequently contributing to tensions with members of the G7 including German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Another popular trait of nationalism is to also label anything that falls outside of the common unifying ideas of the people and state as the enemy. Using this framework, the press has been repeatedly demonized

by Trump, who has actively mobilized his base to condemn them as the “enemy of the people,” disregarding the fact that the press has a constitutional right to report freely on the affairs of the government.

Despite Trump’s self-generated definition that nationalism is a means of unification and patriotism, it’s actually heavily based on exclusion, division and can include isolation.

However, Trump also seems to only know one way to handle suspected critics, so he responded to Macron’s comments in a predictable manner: he took to Twitter to take jabs at Macron’s low approval ratings and France’s higher unemployment rate compared to the U.S. He then mentioned in the same tweet that there is no country more nationalist than France, “and rightfully so!” and added “MAKE

COURTESY OF THE KREMLIN

COURTESY OF THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

FRANCE GREAT AGAIN” in follow-up tweets. Overall these tweets essentially speak to the typical way Trump responds in moments where he feels attacked: blaming, finger-pointing and introducing irrelevant tangents.

Macron did make his attempts at being more open towards Trump, but things took a turn as Trump’s presidency progressed and has taken steps to withdraw from several notable international treaties that France fully endorses, such as the Paris Climate Agreement, the Iran nuclear deal and a U.N. program for refugees. Additionally, because Trump seems to think that France is the most nationalist country, perhaps he does have a different impression of the connotation with the word other than its very troublesome and problematic past.

However, what’s also notable is that the U.S. government has coined the term in the past to describe international figures or groups that present a threat to our country.

What Trump might be referring to in terms of describing France is civic nationalism, a phrase explained by Jack Snyder, an international relations professor at Columbia University in his book “From Voting to Violence: Democratization and Nationalist Conflict.” Civic nationalism is characterized by adaptable elite interests and strong political institutions, and known as the most inclusive and ideal form of nationalism. However, despite this possible label, the word itself still holds universally strong ties to memories of imperialism and segregation, which is why Macron stands firmly in his speech by

deciphering the ideas of France as those of patriotism, and rightfully so.

Either way, France prides itself on unifying ideas, its popular slogan emphasizing “liberty, equality, and fraternity.” However, it’s very obvious that France’s so-called nationalism is not the type of nationalism Trump is trying to emulate through his isolationist methods in multilateral relations and eagerness to pit parties against each other for political gain. What we’ve witnessed from the unfolding of interactions between Macron and Trump recently is yet again another example of Trump’s unnecessarily defensive statements against someone who is supposed to be an American ally.

Macron was on the receiving end of these series of criticisms for simply trying to make the acknowledgement that to accept nationalism could reinstate the horrors of political violence that have been long intertwined with nationalist ideas.

Unfortunately, there has been a prominent rise of political figures like Trump and Marine Le Pen who are trying to normalize or redefine the meaning of what nationalism stands for, as well as the types of people (white supremacists) who are encouraged by Trump’s recent attempt at trying to link patriotism to nationalism.

Currently, it’s uncertain whether or not Trump will continue to project support for trying to reintroduce nationalism into society, but echoing Macron, it’s important to ensure that the West doesn’t fall victim again to the dangers of what the ideology may bring.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2018

FEATURES

FEATURES

2018 fall

food truck FESTIVAL

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/features

Crowds of hungry students gathering at HUB plaza, hour-long lines and a colorful variety of food trucks were all indicators of the 2018 Annual Fall Food Truck Festival. With the food tending to lean more toward the expensive side and aforementioned lines being less than ideal for many students’ schedules, many see skipping the festival altogether to be a wiser decision. However, every year there exist a few diamonds in the rough which in spite of the prerequisites of getting yourself a meal, are well worth the cost. With editors here to provide their own insightful input, here is the Highlander Newspaper’s review of this year’s food truck festival.

ERICA HAAS / HIGHLANDER

Okamoto Kitchen MARCELO GARCIA Radar Editor

MARTIN LOPEZ / HIGHLANDER

Katsu Curry Sandwich $11 Yuzu Lime Soda $4

For anyone who didn’t immediately flock to and order from the waifu-clad Okamoto Kitchen truck this past Thursday, which specializes in Japanese style cooking, you missed out on what was one of the best eating experiences I’ve had in the past three years of attending UCR’s yearly food truck festivals. Offering curry, tofu rice cakes and even Japanese Fried Chicken (which was offered at the relatively cheap price of $5), the menu has a bit of something for everyone.

My meal of choice was the Katsu Curry Sandwich, which, while offered at a rather steep $11, was both tasty and filling enough to warrant it. The sandwich, which featured mayonnaise, shredded cabbage and gouda

cheese to compliment the titular chicken katsu, was larger than your average burger, while simultaneously exceeding the quality of such.

Even without mayonnaise (which I opted out of) the sandwich was still rather juicy, with the shredded cabbage offering a happy medium. To wash it down, I chose the yuzu lime soda, which can best be compared to Sprite, except a bit more bitter. This helps the overall taste, since Sprite has a tendency to be a bit too sweet. At $4, the drink is far from frugal, albeit in spite of the generous size it comes in. However the taste is unique enough to warrant a try at least once. While Okamoto’s prices are double most on-campus food options, it was a refreshing and satisfying alternative I would recommend to any intrigued student.

Go Beyond the

MARTHA DELGADO Assistant Features Editor

Go Beyond the Bowl offers, you guessed it, bowls, bowls and more bowls. The menu includes a wide variety of Japanese-influenced meals and snacks that include teriyaki bowls, poke and other types of bowls. Despite its good taste, this truck’s prices seemed a little steep for the relatively small portion size.

At $13, the tempura bowl includes three pieces of tempura shrimp, a scoop of crab meat, seaweed salad and your choice of brown or white rice. Sauces are also available to put on your bowl, but I chose not to add any. The food itself tastes good, with the mixture of crab meat and rice giving each bite a small crunch. The sweet crab meat paired nicely with the lightly

salted seaweed to create a savory taste.

One negative aspect of the taste were the small flakes of pepper that caught me by surprise due to their sharp taste which contrasted unpleasantly with the crab meat. The tempura shrimp itself was crunchy yet it did not taste much like shrimp.

Additionally, the price makes this expensive bowl a rather unsatisfying choice, being $3 more than the smallest bowl option at HibachiSan. In fact, the tempura bowl is smaller than the size of a bowl at Panda Express, which, to the uninitiated, is tragically underwhelming. If it were more affordable, I would like Go Beyond the Bowl’s option a lot more. This food truck, however, fails to deliver and, despite the quality of the food, is too little for too much.

MARTIN LOPEZ / HIGHLANDER

Tempura Bowl $13

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2018

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Tokyo Doggie Style MARK BERTUMEN Assistant News Editor

MARTIN LOPEZ / HIGHLANDER

Loaded Yakiniku Fries: $12 Takoyaki (3): $5

Tokyo Doggie Style (TDS) takes an innovative approach to fusion cuisine.

Marketed as “Japanese fusion comfort food, TDS blends traditional Japanese flavors with a food truck favorite, hot dogs, and has a little bit of something for everyone.

The Loaded Yakiniku Fries are, quite literally, loaded. Beef, kimchi, cilantro, mozzarella, spicy mayo and caramelized onions; just hearing the ingredients is enough to make the snobbiest foodie excited. While enticing on paper, however, the execution left me expecting more.

While ingredients like the mozzarella, beef and cilantro complemented each other well,

the kimchi was another story. It just sort of sat there, not quite blending into the overall taste of the dish. The fries themselves were a solid attempt, not too greasy and relatively flavorful. In the end, however, like all loaded foods, everything just collapses into a mess. A good mess. Not a great mess, though.

The takoyaki looked really crispy on the outside, but biting into it yielded a gooey center. I would have liked more octopus on the inside, but loved the gooey part anyway.

Overall, TDS’ offerings weren’t worth $17.

This latest attempt at Japanese fusion food falters in its price, which is prohibitive and not justifiable given the standard quality of its menu.

Middle Feast

EVAN ISMAIL Managing Editor

Middle Feast’s Mediterranean-themed truck returned to campus after last spring’s food truck festival and, unfortunately, not much has changed.

Though the beef shawarma was large in size, it failed to impress. The meat was strangely greasy, mostly because the cook overdid the sauce but it did pack a good kick on the first bite. Unfortunately, the flavor quickly became overwhelming by the end of the meal. The various spices in the shawarma did enhance the taste but, just like the sauce, became overwhelming and unenjoyable by the end. To top off the

already unsatisfying meal, the sauce formed a questionable wax-like substance at the bottom of the plate making me wonder what I had just consumed.

The Greek salad on the other hand was decent, albeit heavy on the vinegar. However, the salad was enjoyably tangy and paired with a nice array of vegetables. Overall, the salad was relatively enjoyable. Unfortunately, it was in a very small bowl no larger than the palm of my hand, making it definitely not worth the $6 paid.

Middle Feast was mediocre at best. Perhaps it would have been more enjoyable if everything was less than $10. The inflated cost and overall sub-par food made this a less-than-pleasant meal.

MARTIN LOPEZ / HIGHLANDER

Greek Salad: $5 Beef Shawarma: $16

Original Herbivore ANDREAS RAUCH Editor-In-Chief

MARTIN LOPEZ / HIGHLANDER

Poutine Fries $6.50 Unreal Reuben $11

Original Herbivore’s (OH) most striking feature is the green triceratops emblazoned on the truck’s side. Like its dinosaur mascot, the San Diego-based establishment goes back to the roots of California’s food truck craze and offers classics with a twist: all of OH’s dishes are, well, herbivore-friendly.

Challenging the stereotypes of vegan food as bland and uninspired, OH manages to offer herbivores a solid lineup, including favorites such as burgers, chicken sandwiches, loaded fries and a glorious Reuben that would impress any deli aficionado.

This reviewer chose to take on OH’s Poutine Fries and Unreal Reuben. The fries, true to Canadian fashion, were garnished with a vegan gravy and “cheeze curds”. Somewhat disappointingly, OH’s fry selection falls into the unfortunate category of soggy and bland. The vegan mozzarella cubes and

sauce may as well have been missing, due to a lack of taste and a very conservative portion size. For a pricey $6.50, this poutine just doesn’t cut it and leaves one questioning the merits of avoiding dairy.

The Reuben, on the other hand, may just be OH’s piece de resistance. The “seitan” wheat gluten “meat” can hold its own against most corned beef, and, between two slices of textured rye bread, is a delight. Sauerkraut is portioned perfectly, and complements the delicious flavors of the aforementioned ingredients. As a bonus, OH’s condiment tray stocks a delicious green chile sauce which adds a slightly exotic taste and a slight heat to their offerings.

In short, Original Herbivore offers even the dietarily-restricted foodie some delicious options.

Avoid the peripherals; food truck fries should be approached skeptically, anyway. But choose any of the main options and your taste buds are sure to be delightfully tickled.

Cousins Maine Lobster MICHAEL BEELI Opinions Editor

Cousins Maine Lobster is an irresistible entry into the food truck festival. Offering Connecticut and Maine lobster rolls, it brings authentic, delicious New England seafood straight to Southern California. The options aren’t diverse, but have a very strong appeal on their own that command plenty of attention.

I instantly turned towards the Connecticut lobster roll, which is a well-done, very buttery hot dog bun with lobster bits and even more creamy butter inside. The bun itself was a delicious buttery base that almost resembled Texas toast. Paired with the lobster bits, I couldn’t help but love the

overwhelming creaminess of the butter paired with the savory, chewy lobster and the crunch of the roll with every bite.

The lobster bits themselves were a little disappointing in terms of quality among lobster in general – they were a bit too chewy and didn’t have the satisfying texture good lobster usually does, but were still excellent by virtue of being lobster in the first place.

It’s always hard to pass up on an opportunity for lobster, and the Maine Lobster food truck thankfully delivered with a very satisfying Connecticut lobster roll. At a hefty price of $16.25, the roll was definitely overpriced for how much I was getting.

But, it’s lobster.

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Connecticut Lobster Roll $16.25

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2018

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Mayhem Miller shares the behindthe-scenes of drag CHRISTINE TRAN Contributing Writer

On Nov. 13, the Queer Trans People of Color (QTPOC) club hosted a moderated Q&A with drag performer Mayhem Miller at HUB 302 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The room was packed with excited fans, enticed by the promise of an interesting look into Miller ’s life and complimentary pizza.

Miller, born DeQuan Johnson, grew up in Riverside and discovered drag during her summer after graduating high school. Watching her first drag show at a gay club in Riverside, she was left unimpressed with what she saw. The lackluster performance inspired Miller to take up drag herself.

“I started doing drag for the simple reason of seeing bad drag. Sitting there my first summer out of high school and I missed the stage. I got to the first gay club and I saw a drag show and I was like ‘This is like gay theater, I can do this.’

And from there I was completely hooked,” she explained.

Despite skepticism from her family and significant hurdles, Miller has now been doing drag for 17 years and has performed across the country and internationally. She is also known for placing tenth overall on season 10 of RuPaul’s Drag Race, a popular reality television show where drag queens compete for the title of “America’s next drag superstar.” Miller auditioned for the show every season starting from season two but was rejected each time until finally being accepted for season 10.

“I am a firm believer in things happening when they are supposed to happen. Even though I auditioned since season two and was told no over and over, I took those noes and made them become a yes later on,” said Miller. “I decided that I was just going to make a name for myself, by working hard and making sure that every time someone saw me on stage, I left a lasting impression on people. Through hard work, I made RuPaul’s Drag Race regret saying no to me so many times.”

Miller also spoke about her experience mentoring others in drag, including an appearance on Buzzfeed’s “Try Guys,” where she explained the intricacies of performing to host Eugene Yang. “It was very intimidating, I had introduced people into drag before over the years, but having to do Eugene was very difficult

RYAN POON / HIGHLANDER

for me because I was under a lot of stress that I had to do it right,” said Miller. “Their videos go viral, they would get millions of views every time they put something out, so I knew that the world was going to see my work.”

Miller expressed that while she loves to perform, it is also important to balance work and rest. She limited the amount she traveled this year and has dedicated more time to being with family and friends, emphasizing the importance of keeping her two personas separate and making sure that her work does not overlap with her home life.

“I have always been very driven and sometimes when you’re in the pursuit of your dreams, you forget about actually taking care of you. I learned this year to have balance, for as hard as I’ve worked, I need to give myself that time to

enjoy the fruits of my labor,” said Miller.

Near the end of the Q&A, Miller shared with the audiences her favorite places to perform. Her favorite club being Riverside’s VIP club, where she started her career. She revealed that Germany has been her favorite country where she has performed. “I went there for Germany’s next top model as a part of their finale. I didn’t know at first, but it was actually a big production. They told me you’re going to be in an arena and you’re going to perform with the top four models,” stated Miller, “And the arena sat like 15,000 people and it was the most epic performance I have ever done, I have never performed for an audience that large.”

Miller recently ended a worldwide tour, and performs Fridays at VIP nightclub near the Riverside Plaza.

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RYAN POON / HIGHLANDER

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2018

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b o n f i r e T h e G - R at e d Rave you never asked for!

IAN CHEW Contributing Writer

In theory, a free concert can do no wrong, or at least that is what one would think upon initially choosing to attend UCR’s annual Bonfire – a concert dedicated to commemorate UCR’s homecoming weekend. Ultimately, staying back in the comfort of your dorm or home can be more eventful than attending something as seemingly harmless and surefire as a free concert.

Ever since Bonfire 2016, which was spearheaded by EDM DJ Ekali and then followed up by Elephante in 2017, it’s clear that Bonfire is directed towards an audience that has an affinity for EDM music. This is strengthened by 2018’s lineup which consisted of two EDM artists/ DJs in Yetep and Graves. While they did put on good performances in their own respects, if you don’t like EDM, it’s not like hearing it twice in the same night is going to make you like it any more.

If you were unfortunate enough to squirm into the epicenter of the crowd at Bonfire, you’d be greeted by a sopping, wet soil that showed no mercy on your clothes, as well as the muddy glow sticks that were picked off the ground and sequentially chucked into the air onto innocent concert-goers’ faces.

Even if you could overlook this aspect of the pure concert experience, then you would be hard-pressed to enjoy the aspect of the crowd being 50 percent non-consensual mosh pits, which can only be described as a gangbang of shirtless fraternity members

throwing fists and lowering shoulders into unsuspecting bystanders.

The sad thing about all of this, is no matter what demographic you fall into, there was some form of disappointment you likely underwent. If you were the majority that were just going to Bonfire with low expectations and just wanting to have a decent concert experience, then the mosh pits, and unprecedented 30 minute basketball rally intermission were sure to disappoint you regardless of your standards. Nonetheless, there still remains a minority of those who appreciate that aspect of school spirit and pride, and went into Bonfire with open arms regardless of line up, or a bland stage production.

What they likely didn’t appreciate was the complete omission of the entire Bonfire theme. As consequence of the recent fire hazards, fireworks and the entire bonfire itself were abandoned in order to remedy any sort of risks relating to fire; thus, rendering any sort of school pride all but nonexistent.

Ultimately, this isn’t to bash those who feel like they had a substantially good time at Bonfire, and those listed deficits could be seen as enjoyable to others for whatever reason. However, going into Bonfire with already low expectations, and still feeling unfulfilled overall is enough on its own to make one skeptical of mid-quarter free concerts. With an overall substandard experience, this concert amounted to nothing more than a G-rated Riverside Rave.

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RYAN POON / HIGHLANDER

MARTIN LOPEZ / HIGHLANDER

RYAN POON / HIGHLANDER

MARTIN LOPEZ / HIGHLANDER

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2018

“Red Red Dead Redemption 2” 2 promises excellence and delivers KATHERINE LUNA Contributing Writer

It is no secret that the newest entry in the Red Dead series, “Red Dead Redemption 2,” has been a massive success. Being one of the largest open-world video games to date, many gamers were naturally eager to get their hands on a copy and enter the lawless Wild West. With the undeniable hype surrounding this game, the inevitable question of whether the game would meet expectations arose. Unsurprisingly, “Red Dead 2” went above and beyond.

The gun control and gunplay aspect of the game is a large part of what makes an openworld adventure enjoyable. With the three main types of guns present — a handgun, a rifle and a shotgun — “Red Dead Redemption 2” fills the firearms category fairly well. Yet, it’s not just guns that you can use. Knives, dynamite and a bow are all alternative forms of weapons usable in combat. This variety of combat and attention to detail allows the player to feel more immersed in the life of the Wild West.

The inclusion of aiming from the hip as well as using crosshairs is another great addition to the game. This allows players the ability to shoot with less accuracy, but have a higher chance of hitting an enemy if they are gathered in a group, which creates more options for the player when engaged in gunfights. Furthermore, the mini-map on its own is a useful tool, especially in combat or “Wanted” situations, where the player ’s

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character is being hunted by the law and the player must either pay a bounty or avoid the area.

In these situations, there is a red line indicating the area where the player is “Wanted” on the map, allowing the player to avoid deadly gunfights.

One of the unique aspects of “Red Dead Redemption 2” is the travelling companion, your horse. During the tutorial portion of the game, the player is given the opportunity to buy a new horse as well as name it. This small feature is only one part of the growing bond between the player and horse. It is very important to take care of your horse or they will die and the player must either travel on foot, spend money on the stagecoach (a fast travel feature) or buy a new horse for almost double the amount. By brushing and feeding your horse regularly, much like you would in real life, your horse will live a much longer life. It is not just the health of your horse that helps, though. The closer you become with your horse, the more its stats will increase. By taking care of the animal you improve its health bar and stamina which means a longer lasting horse as well as getting from place to place faster.

As you travel around the expansive landscape,

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it is no doubt that you will encounter some crazy scenarios. Choosing to interact with or walk past these strangers in need will affect your morality and outlaw status. Getting involved in gunfights, trade or even chasing someone down are all scenarios you might encounter. These scenarios are not needed to complete the game; however, they do make for more enriching and fun gameplay. Positive actions, or being a somewhat nice person, result in the rest of civilization having a more cheerful disposition towards you, while negative and antagonistic actions result in a bounty on your head as well as being wanted, “dead or alive,” in certain areas if neglected.

Some optional situations will require the drawing of a gun, but often it isn’t necessary. If you do have a bounty on your head, you can always pay it off in a nearby town, but be careful; most actions that often go unnoticed in other video games, like bumping into strangers, can cause your character to be wanted again. The game does not outline which side is better; that is up to the player. You can be an outlaw with morals or a shoot-first, ask-questions-later gunslinger. As with so much else in this title, the choice is yours.

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Verdict:

With engaging (borderline-addictive) gameplay, an enhanced combat experience and a surprisingly in-depth companion system, “Red Dead Redemption 2”’s success is a testament to the hard work that went into continuing the legacy of Rockstar’s previous masterpiece.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2018

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“BEAUTIFUL BOY” Misses its Dramatic Goal

SILVIA FERRER Contributing Writer

“Beautiful Boy,” a story based on the memoirs of a meth addict and his father, stars rising newcomer Timothee Chalamet as Nic Sheff and seasoned actor Steve Carell as David Sheff.

Although it boasts a star-studded cast (among them a Golden Globe winner and Academy Award nominee), “Beautiful Boy” falls brutally short. While the exhilarating soundtrack, powerful performances and striking cinematography make it an aesthetically pleasing watch, the writing is caught between trying to be both relatable and nuanced. What results feels neither moving nor universal; rather, the viewer leaves with a rather lackluster impression.

The movie begins on a bleak note: David Sheff is seeking medical advice for his son, Nic, whom he explains is addicted to multiple drugs. Rather than showing Nic’s first encounter with narcotics, or the gradual process from gateway drugs to crystal meth, characters just inform the audience of the situation. While this could be to cut down on the running time (the film is two hours long), it comes off as lazy storytelling.

The audience doesn’t get to form a connection with Nic because we are outsiders to his struggle from the beginning. That said, Carell works with the role he has and does a terrific job at portraying the worried father.

His performance, coupled with the soundtrack, add a layer of anticipation and panic as he searches for Nic during one of

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his many disappearances.

The camera shots are remarkable; each one is new and manages to either include or exclude the audience from the predicament.

When David finally finds Nic after a couple of days of fruitless searching, he helps him out of the rain into his small car. The camera alternates from a shot inside the car to outside, where David has his arm around Nic in support.

The viewer shares David’s pain at finding his afflicted son, a feeling that becomes even

stronger when the camera shot shifts back to the inside of the car, where Nic becomes suddenly sick. Scenes like these are painful to watch, as the actors and the cameramen work in tandem to make the viewer feel as if the trauma is directly

in front of them.

Chalamet’s sweet disposition and charisma are a delight to watch in the scenes where they are allowed to shine through (before things decline further, he shares a tender moment with Carell’s character) but most of the film dehumanizes Nic into a poster boy for addiction.

This is one aspect where “Beautiful Boy” truly excels — it portrays the devastating effects of drug addiction and how negatively it can affect the lives of an addict’s loved ones.

But Nic’s relapses become repetitive and emotionally draining to watch, and his recoveries start to feel insincere after the first couple of times.

The film’s indecision to either appeal to a bigger audience or to stay true to the complexity of its characters fall in a middle lane: its attempt at universality

“...its attempt at universality renders it unrelatable, and its characters are reduced to two-dimensional shadows of its real counterparts.”

renders it unrelatable, and its characters are reduced to two-dimensional shadows of its real counterparts.

Although the audience is told (another instance of shoddy storytelling) that Nic has a bright future ahead of him, there’s no way to know — in the film, he is little more than a struggling addict. Despite this hindrance, Chalamet delivers an emotional performance that could range from gutwrenchingly sad to hopelessly lost. The soundtrack works with his unpredictable moods, freezing when Nic is dormant and exploding whenever he does. Nevertheless, his character lacks depth. The film’s non-linear timeline (which skips around periodically from the present to Nic’s childhood and early teen years) could have served as an evocative reminder of who Nic was before he turned to narcotics. But it doesn’t further the storyline or develop the characters in any way. It just highlights the close bond that Nic and David share — something that could have been accomplished through Chalamet and Carell’s performances alone.

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Verdict:

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Although complete with A-List actors, moving performances and excellent camerawork, “Beautiful Boy” can’t conjure the level of emotion it promised. The writing is ineffectual despite Chalamet and Carell’s impressive attempts to tug at viewers’ heart-strings. Nic and David’s story is inspiring in its own right, but its touching quality is not adapted well onto the big screen.

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Women’s Volleyball suffers 3-0 loss to Cal Poly DARWIN CHAVEZ Contributing Writer

The Highlanders volleyball team (9-18, 4-11) went on the road Friday, Nov. 16 to face the Cal Poly Mustangs (24-2, 14-1) in San Luis Obispo. After facing Cal State Northridge and coming out on top 3-2, UCR was hoping to pull out the same magic against the Mustangs. Sadly, it wasn’t in the cards as the Highlanders were swept 3-0.

The Highlanders had a rough start to the match, allowing five straight points for the Mustangs as the home team never looked back. The first set continued like this, with the Mustangs increasing their lead and the Highlanders struggling to keep up until the first set ended

25-17 in Cal Poly’s favor.

The Highlanders had an even worse start to the second set as the Mustangs were able to put up eight straight points before UCR could even think and the Mustangs had at least a 10-point lead throughout the majority of the set before winning it 25-11.

The final set of the match wasn’t as bad as the previous one, but it wasn’t as good as the first either. The two teams started the set trading blows. At first, the Highlanders lagged behind by two or three points, but once they made it to 10 points the team hit a rut and let the Mustangs score seven points. From here it was all downhill, as the Highlanders were only able to score four more points before the Mustangs scored the eight points they needed

to end the final set at 25-14. With the Mustangs winning all three sets they won the match leaving the Highlanders with 3-0 loss in their second to last game.

Although the Highlanders lost the match, the players played their heart out and tried their best to finish with dignity. Freshman outside hitter Marissa Holt finished the match with the most kills for the team overall with nine, senior setter Chelsea Doyle had the most assists with 17 and redshirt sophomore defensive specialist Nicole Rodriguez showed her defensive skill with eight digs. The girls suffered a loss but they played with grit and tried their best against a very strong team, that has caused everyone in the Big West conference problems in the past.

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Women’s basketball earns first win of the season against Southern Utah JONATHAN FERNANDEZ Senior Staff Writer

UCR’s women’s basketball team (1-3) won their first game of the season at home against Southern Utah University (1-1) on Thursday, Nov. 15. The Highlanders were able to earn their victory because of a huge fourth quarter in which they outscored their opponents 21-9 to steal the game, 56-50.

Riverside started the game off well, and went into the second quarter with a 16-10 lead. That lead would not last very long however, as the Thunderbirds came out with a vengeance in the second and third quarters to outscore UCR 16-7 in the second, and 15-12 in the third.

The Highlanders entered the fourth quarter with a six point deficit, but they raised their intensity on both ends to complete their comeback. UCR’s defense completely shut down Southern Utah’s offense, keeping the Thunderbirds from scoring a field goal in the final six minutes of play.

Riverside completely flipped the switch in the second half and that proved to be the catalyst for the team on their way to victory.

The Highlanders improved their field goal percentage from 26 to 40 percent while simultaneously forcing the Thunderbirds’ field goal percentage to drop from 33 to 28 percent.

This resulted in a closely contested third quarter, along with a blowout in the fourth.

This victory showcased the teams resilience and ability to fight back from a tough stretch, much in the same way past teams coached by John Margaritis have.

Sophomore guard Tianna Eaton and redshirt junior Jannon Otto were the only players in double figures for UCR with 15 and 11 points, respectively. Eaton also added 10 rebounds to earn a double-double on the night.

The Highlanders’ next game will be in Moraga, CA on Friday, Nov. 23 against the University of Oregon in their first game of the Hilton Conford Classic.

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15

Larry Cunningham, Melissa Sanchez, David Finley, Fred Morawczski and 1982 baseball team inducted into

Highlander Hall of Fame JONATHAN FERNANDEZ Senior Staff Writer

On Friday, Nov. 16 Larry Cunningham, Melissa Sanchez, David Finley, Fred Morawczski and the 1982 baseball team were all recognized and inducted into the Highlander Hall of Fame for their superior athletic accomplishments.

All four former student-athletes and the 1982 baseball team that won the Division II NCAA Championship were some of the best that have ever played for UCR and their stats and accomplishments during their time at the university have proven that.

Each newly inducted member of the Hall of Fame took the stage at the Mission Inn Hotel and Spa to reflect on their UCR athletic career in their college years at Riverside.

Larry Cunningham was the first to accept the honor and give his acceptance speech. He expressed the disbelief he had when first hearing that he would be getting inducted into the Hall saying, “When I received the phone call, I thought it was a friend of mine from high school playing a trick on me.”

Cunningham added, “I never imagined myself standing up here in front of an audience talking about accomplishments I had 10 years ago.” The newly inducted Hall of Famer played for the men’s basketball team from 2004-08 and is the program’s alltime leading scorer.

Cunningham redshirted his freshman year to gain weight and add muscle to his thenskinny frame. Even though he wasn’t playing with the team, he continued to work hard everyday to improve his body and his skillset. “That redshirt year I spent every morning 6 a.m. sharp, with Coach Roy, basically we were in the weight room trying to improve my strength,” Cunningham shared.

Cunningham became slightly overwhelmed with emotion while

recalling all of his hard work he put in to reach this milestone.

Cunningham averaged more than 10 points per game in every season he played on his way to 1,502 career points. The Class of 2018 Hall of Famer also averaged a career-high 16.3 points per game in his senior year.

David Finley was the second to give his acceptance speech, and although he was unable to make it in person, he made his acceptance speech via video. Finley called the honor “unexpected” and “humbling” while thanking the athletic committee for voting him into the Hall.

Finley went on to thank his parents, wife, kids and coaches for supporting him throughout his baseball career and life. He ended his acceptance video by saying, “Lastly, I just wanted to say how special UC Riverside is.

I go all over the country, all over the world scouting. I’ve been to almost every campus in the world, all the major colleges that are more famous, bigger names, but our alumni at Riverside are second-to-none.”

Finley was a starter for the UCR baseball from 1986-87 and currently works as a scout for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He posted the sixth-highest batting average over a single season (.413), in program history.

Third up to accept the prestigious honor of entering the Hall was former UCR softball star Mellisa Sanchez. Sanchez started off her speech admitting how nerve wracking speaking in front of everyone was, but as she got deeper and deeper into her speech she grew more comfortable. She reflected on her career in the sport, saying, “Who would’ve known that little girl in center field who picked flowers during the game would be standing up in front of you.”

Sanchez’s earliest and fondest memories of softball are playing catch with her father. She credits those moments with her father as

the start of her love for the game.

The star softball player shared the important values the sport taught her. “Almost every lesson that I learned was from playing softball. Teamwork, organization, commitment, communication are just a few, but the most important one I learned was about failure,” she said. “Softball as most of you know is a game of failure, where you can fail 70 percent of the time and still be a pretty solid player. I thrived off those failures. Everytime I failed, my will to win, to get better, grew larger.”

Sanchez actually started off as a pitcher, but changed positions because as she described in her own words, “I was not good at it at all.” She also desired to change positions because she wanted to be on the other side to make opposing pitchers fear her as she walked up to the batter’s box.

Sanchez definitely accomplished her goal as she ended her UCR career inside the top-10 in program history for games played, hits, home runs, doubles, RBI, batting average, slugging and on base percentage.

She also ranks first all-time in home runs and total RBI with 26, and 116 respectively.

Sanchez concluded her speech by thanking her family, coaches and teammates saying, “I learned through coaching and playing that bonds made with teammates and coaches are what matter the most. I was their cheerleader as they were mine. Just like my family and coaches were, and I can’t thank you all enough.”

Fred Morawczski was the fourth to step up onto the stage and give his acceptance speech.

Morawczski’s acceptance speech was sprinkled with humor and anecdotes from his football career. Morawczski set the tone for his speech by sharing that he came to the induction ceremony from Northern California and never thought he’d actually be enjoying the “fresh air”

COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS

in Riverside, which gave the audience their first of many big laughs throughout his speech.

Morawczski started his football career playing at Weber State University before moving back to Barstow, CA after the passing of his mother. He tried to play football at the local community college but was ruled ineligible due to having played two years at a four-year university. Morawczski was then recruited to UCR where he played from 1968-69 and set the program-record for most career rushing yards with 1,035, and the record for most rushing touchdowns in a game, with four.

The former football standout closed his speech by thanking everyone in attendance for honoring him.

Last up to take the stage and give their acceptance speech was Jack Smitheran who managed UCR’s 1982 Baseball team and was giving the speech on behalf of the team. The 1982 baseball team is the last UCR sports team to win an NCAA championship.

Smitheran was named Division II Coach of the Year that season for the second time in his career.

Smitheran started off his speech by saying the ‘82 season was a very special season. The team had lost seven players from the previous season to

professional baseball contracts and graduation, which led to low expectations and a poor start on the diamond. “Quite honestly I was scared for my job,” Smitheran admitted. “We knew we were young, we knew we were inexperienced, but nonetheless you don’t like to lose.”

Smitheran shared a conversation he had with a parent that year that took place about 15 games into the season. The parent said to Smitheran, “Well Jack, there’s always next year,” to which he replied, “Well there won’t be a next year for me, because I’ll be fired.”

Soon after that conversation, the team started to turn things around and play at a higher level despite their lack of experience.

Looking back on that year it’s almost comical to think about Smitheran being fired, but then again no one could predict what was about to take place. The Highlanders finished their season on fire, winning 19 of their final 23 games on their way to winning the Division II Championship.

The legacies of Cunningham, Sanchez, Finley, Morawczski and the 1982 baseball team as some of the best student-athletes to ever step foot on campus have now been immortalized as they were inducted into the Highlander Hall H of Fame, and deservedly so. ■

Highlander Hot Take: Why the NFL should not pursue international expansion RICARDO GARCIA Contributing Writer

The National Football League has toyed with expanding the number of teams in the league in recent years, and recent games played internationally indicates they might try to do something unique.

That would be international expansion.

Of the four major sports leagues in North America, the NFL is the only league without a team outside the United States. The NBA, NHL and MLB all at least have one team located in Canada.

However, recent reports have suggested that

Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan is looking to purchase Wembley Stadium to permanently relocate the Jaguars to London, but he has since denied those reports.

Having a team in London is a high risk, high reward type of investment. However, having just one team in London is problematic for scheduling. It likely means that the proposed team would have to spend long road trips in the US and not return home for several weeks. Visiting teams would likely be exhausted just making the trip overseas, which would lead to a sloppy product on the field.

Scheduling for the

playoffs would be difficult as well, especially since each round of the postseason happens in back-to-backto-back weeks before a two-week grace period prior to the Super Bowl. A London team would likely need the number one seed in their conference to give themselves the best shot at a Super Bowl and minimize the concern of traveling.

For a team on the road, it would be very difficult to travel quickly after a game the previous week to their next destination across the pond. This possible traveling scenario gives the proposed London team an almost unfair home-field advantage.

However, before any expansion team even thinks about a playoff push, they have to invest in young talent and free agency to build their team from the ground up.

The problem is, who would be willing to live overseas for their pro career?

I do not believe many players would be willing to make such a life-changing decision to continue their career. Rookie draft picks would have no choice but to play overseas for the first few years in their career, and they might just play out their contract until they can become a free agent and return to the U.S., leaving the team void of the talent

needed to compete in the NFL. The free agents they would attract are likely to be veterans who are past their prime years and want to extend their career any way they can, so it might be possible that a London team might be sending out a player like Brian Hoyer until they can find their version of a Jared Goff in the draft.

International expansion might seem like a juicy idea at first glance, but until the NFL can find a way to address competitive imbalances, they should just focus on North American expansion and find ways to increase interest in gridiron football without looking overseas.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2018

HIGHLANDER // highlandernews.org/sports

SPORTS

Historic season for men’s soccer comes to an end in 1-0 loss to University of the Pacific

JARYD BONGCARAS Senior Staff Writer

After what has been a wild and thrilling season, the UC Riverside men’s soccer team (7-10-3, 4-2-1) saw an end to their season on Thursday night, falling 1-0 in their NCAA Tournament debut against the University of the Pacific (12-4-2, 5-2).

The match was initially set to take place in Stockton at the University of the Pacific’s campus, but the school announced a full campus closure for the rest of the week due to poor air quality. The fires in Northern California caused these procedures, as the match was relocated to Fresno Pacific University instead, where there wasn’t as much smoke.

The first half opened up with the Tigers on the Highlander’s end of the field for the majority of the first 20 minutes. This eventually led to Pacific’s Anthony Orendain scoring the game’s lone goal in the 23rd minute, marking his third goal of the season.

With UCR trailing 1-0 heading into break, Head Coach Tim Cupello motivated his squad to leave everything out on the field in the second half, along with reaffirming the confidence the coaching staff had in their team. “[I] told our guys we have to go for it,” Cupello told goHighlanders.com, adding, “we can’t be afraid of the stage we’re on.”

And although this didn’t transfer directly into goals, there’s no question that his words certainly had an effect on the players, as the Highlanders approached the second half more aggressively than the first. In the final 45 minutes of play, Riverside fired nine shots on goal compared to five for Pacific.

Though they had a rough start to their season, UCR found their groove at the perfect time, going 7-2-1 in their final 10 matches. And although the team has seven graduating seniors this school year, several key returners in freshman Daniel Castaneda, sophomore

COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS

Daniel Aguirre and junior Edwyn Gutierrez will be back next season to try and pick up where the team left off.

Despite the loss, there’s no doubt that the program and university should be proud of the men’s team’s accomplishments this season. This year’s team has

raised the bar in terms of expectations, especially after winning the conference and earning their first-ever NCAA Tournament berth. Hopefully from here, the team will be able to move even further with the experience of returning players, along with possible new recruits that want to be a part of a revitalized program.

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Highlanders men’s basketball gets its first win of the season at Homecoming JORDAN HOM Contributing Writer

COURTESY OF UCR ATHLETICS

After starting the season winless with an 0-3 start, UCR got its first win of the season against the UC Merced Bobcats (4-1). Playing in their first home game, the Highlanders defeated the Bobcats with a final score of 63-53.

The Highlanders started the game strong, leading 16-10 with about 10 minutes left in the first half. Senior big man Menno Dijkstra started off the game scoring two easy buckets. Riverside proved to be aggressive on defense, as they were able to disrupt the Bobcats’ offense with a few tips and deflections. Their defensive intensity was strong in the first half and by halftime, the Highlanders held control of a 34-26 lead.

Heading into the second half, UCR was looking to keep the same momentum going. Sophomore forward Ajani Kennedy had a Lebron-like chasedown block that ignited the crowd. Though Kennedy didn’t score much, only recording three points, he was active everywhere else, putting up five rebounds, two steals and two blocks in only 1 7 m i n u t e s o f p l a y. D i k y m b e Martin and Jordan Gillman both led the team in points as they

scored 13 points apiece.

Overall, the Highlanders played a good game and were r e w a r d e d w i t h t h e v i c t o r y. T h e i r defensive effort led to many deflections, steals and blocks, recording a total of four blocks and four steals while their aggressiveness on the offensive end led to many easy buckets as they converted on 21 out of 42 total shots as a team. “ We a r e t r y i n g a r e l e t o u r d e fense dictate our offense rather than let our offense dictate our defense,” Head Coach Dav i d P a t r i c k s a i d . “ We h a v e s o m e quickness where we can press them and we have other players that can make defensive plays.”

Although the Highlanders got this much-needed win in front of their home crowd, they can work to improve on converting their free throws as they shot only 56 percent on 14-of-25 shooting from the charity stripe. They also need to cut down on turnovers as they recorded 17 total turnovers compared to 11 from the Bobcats.

The Highlanders will look to build on this momentum as they travel north to Stockton, CA. They are going on a threegame road trip where they are set to face University of the H P a c i f i c o n T h a n k s g i v i n g D a y.■