Wednesday, 8.28.2019
Volume 153 No. 3 WWW.SJSUNEWS.COM/SPARTAN_DAILY
SERVING SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1934
Opinion
Sports
Obamas produce and release first film on Netflix
Don’t be afraid, fellow nerds
Spartan football team looks to rediscover joy
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Page 4
A&E
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A.S. President’s empathy fuels mission By Chris Core STAFF WRITER
Typing out papers is no easy task for the new Associated Students president. It’s not that he took too many classes or is trying to balance multiple jobs, but his rheumatoid arthritis affected him. Rheumatoid arthritis is a disorder that causes pain and inflammation in joints. Political science senior and A.S. president Branden Parent hopes to use his influence to help others in a college filled with other students who suffer from disabilities. In his sophomore year, Parent, as then-director of intercultural affairs, founded the Disability Awareness Fair to present information on different disabilities students struggle with including autism, ADD/ADHD and visual impairment. “There was no major events for students with disabilities to feel included and accepted in the campus,” Parent said. Parent hoped to show the obstacles disabled students face and to improve support for them on campus. But since then, his responsibilties have expanded. Now in his role as A.S.
MAURICIO LA PLANTE | SPARTAN DAILY
A.S. President Branden Parent (right) talks with applied mathematics freshman Vaibhav Gopalakrishnan (right) during the Spartan Kickoff.
president, Parent oversees a $9.1 million budget to serve more than 36,000 students at San Jose State. When Parent started attending SJSU as a freshman, he saw his peers struggle to pay
for their tuition. On-campus living for a student costs around $30,000 a year, according to the California State University website. Although the high tuition did not affect Parent
directly, he wanted to make sure that it would not rise any higher and affect the people around him. He joined A.S. as a freshman, serving as a political representative part of Lobby Corps.
The committee oversees and informs the A.S. board on pending state and federal legislation that would affect higher education or the campus. A year later, Parent successfully ran for
director of intercultural affairs, where he hoped to improve the environment at SJSU for students with physical disabilities and mental illness. PRESIDENT | Page 2
Deadly force for Textbook costs worry Spartans police is last resort By Brendan Cross STAFF WRITER
Despite growing accessibility to paying for required reading can still be a major hit to the wallet for most students. “On top of paying for tuition, you can have more than one textbook required for each class that is easily
$100-$200,” nursing senior Cherisse Bacani said. “A majority of our textbooks are online bundles that we must have to pass the class, meaning, we cannot find free PDF versions online or rent the book from vendors like Chegg to save money.” Bacani said that she thinks the cost of textbooks are incredibly high
for most majors, particularly her own. The average student spent just over $2,000 on textbooks and supplies for the 2018-19 academic year, according to the San Jose State Financial Aid and Scholarship Office. The average cost has risen about $50 in the past year. Science, technology,
engineering and math students, along with business majors tend to bear a more significant financial burden according to Academic Liaison Librarian Christa Bailey. Biology freshman Valentina Michaels said that her textbooks cost about $450 this semester.
Police chief says UPD measures up By Christian Trujano STAFF WRITER
California lawmakers passed a new bill this month, which requires police officers to use lethal force only as a “necessary” EXPENSES | Page 2 response to somebody about to cause death or serious bodily injury to CAMPUS IMAGE a peace officer. The text of the bill details that “imminent harm” can not be considered “fear of future harm” and several other circumstance that can not justify deadly force. “The threat must be imminent,” Gina Di Napoli, University Police Department chief, said. “You can’t carry out a threat if you are walking away.” Assembly Bill 392, also known as the “Let Us Live Act” was signed on August 19 by Governor Gavin Newsom. One of the many driving forces behind the bill was last year’s death of Stephon Clark, who was shot by Sacramento police officers. The law will go into effect in January 2020. Examples of justified reasons for using the necessary force, according to the new bill, include defense against imminent threats DIANA AVILA | SPARTAN DAILY of death, apprehension, Animation illustration juniors Isabelle Mims (left) and Christopher Smith (right) work on their art in the Student Union. cause to believe the suspect
Students squiggling sketches
committed a public offense or to effectively arrest, prevent escape, or overcome resistance. Di Napoli said that overall, the bill is a step in the right direction for the public good, but it doesn’t change much for her officers. The U.S. Bureau of Justice conducted a survey of campus law enforcement agencies in 2011 to 2012. Most sworn campus police officers were authorized to use a sidearm (94%), chemical or pepper spray (94%), and a baton (93%). “For us, this new law being brought in, doesn’t affect us at all because we’re already doing that,” Di Napoli said. She said that most police agencies already train their officers to uphold the justified reasons for using deadly force. “We don’t want to start at the highest level [of force], even when we go through the police academy they teach you using the lowest level of force,” she said. Di Napoli said she did like how it would increase transparency and accountability when oversight committees for the department review LETHAL FORCE | Page 2
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NEWS
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 28, 2019
LETHAL FORCE
94%
Sworn campus officers were authorized to use a sidearm or pepper spray
Continued from page 1 situations with deadly force. She said the bill would force the committees to take in the totality of the situation at the time, rather than reviewing facts on what happened after. “It’s what the officers thought at the time, not what he knew after the fact,” she said. One example is when a SJSU UPD officer fatally shot Antonio Guzman Lopez in February 2014. When UPD body cam footage was released earlier this year, Lopez’s partner, Laurie Valdez, said police mishandled the situation. The shooting led her to begin working and supporting early versions of AB 392 with assemblywoman Shirley Weber, D-San Diego drove the bill in state legislature. The bill also makes sure to define deadly force as
93%
were authorized to use a baton
92% CSU campuses use 86% sworn police Sworn police officers officers for campus had arrests that safety extended outside 38% campus boundaries private campuses use sworn police officers for campus safety
Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics (posted on Jan. 20, 2015)
INFOGRAPHIC BY MELODY DEL RIO AND EDUARDO TEIXEIRA
any usage of force that, “Creates a substantial risk of causing death or serious bodily injury, including, but not limited to, the discharge of a firearm.” A threat of death is classified as imminent when a reasonable officer in the same situation would believe that a person has the present ability, opportunity and intent to kill or cause serious bodily injury to an officer or another person. But some students at SJSU believe that the
wording of the bill is still ambiguous. Sociology sophomore Noelia Gamboa said she didn’t know enough and wants to research the bill more but said the language should have stayed with the key word, “reasonable”. “I feel like ‘necessary’ sometimes isn’t necessary to do,” Gamboa said. Nursing senior Adrian Santos also agreed that the wording should have kept the key word ‘reasonable’ b e caus e necess ar y suggests vagueness.
“For ‘reasonable’, you can actually scale to the situation,” Santos said. “ ‘Necessary’ is more vague and broad than reasonable.” Di Napoli pointed out that legislation clarifying language in police protocol keeps officers’ power in check, especially those who may misuse authority. “We don’t have those kind of officers and I can tell you right now: any other agency that finds out they have an
officer with even a hint of [misusing their authority] is going to get rid of them,” Di Napoli said. Di Napoli has high expectations of her department and officers. When she first started, she was shocked and impressed by how UPD officers work efficiently as a team and saw officers working together one on one compared to a bigger agency. San Jose Police Sergeant Enrique Garcia said he had not seen
the bill personally, but said that SJPD already requires cadets to undergo deescalation tactics in their training. This is to keep up with contemporary standards and avoid power-trip officers by making all sworn officers be trained in Crisis Intervention Training, Garcia said. According to Di Napoli and Garcia, UPD and SJPD are already following procedures outlined by the AB 392, so the bill would bring minimal change to both departments. Di Napoli said the main thing people should realize about law enforcement legislation is police are people who choose to run into situations to protect the public. “We do have police powers and we have them for a reason,” Di Napoli said. “They’re there to protect life.” Follow Christian on Twitter @ChristianTruja2
EXPENSES Continued from page 1
MAURICIO LA PLANTE | SPARTAN DAILY
Branden Parent stands on Tower Lawn to see students during the Spartan Kickoff.
PRESIDENT Continued from page 1 Living with rheumatoid arthritis, Parent understands the struggles that students with disabilities have to face on campus. Aside from his focus on improving resources for disabled students, Parent wishes to address transparency and involvement of students with A. S. “We are trying to teach [students] more of the structure so that they can participate in activism on campus and know who to go to if they have a problem on campus,” Parent said. Currently A. S. takes a $98 fee from students each semester with registration to provide students with services, events and other needs that the student body holds. “We have a $9.1 million fund each year and it goes
back to all students to give more services to students on campus,” Parent said. While his main focus is running A. S., Parent thinks that students can also do a lot for campus outside of AS to make the campus feel better as a whole. Anoop Kaur, A. S. director of academic affairs, agreed with Parent’s push to increase student engagement, and pushed this issue as well. “A lot of the student body does not know what A. S. is, we only had a 9 percent turnout in the last election,” Kaur said. Parent blamed the lack of voter turnout not only on the fact that he ran unopposed, but also on the harsh political climate of the country. Students would rather disengage from politics rather than participate in them, Parent said. The harsh political climate at San Jose State became more intense on August 11 when white
supremacist flyers were found around campus. A. S. board members, including director of business affairs Flor Sario, denounced the flyers and said, “Associated Students is committed to providing a positive experience to all students and we do not condone that type of speech.” Parent also supports creating a more inclusive campus, but said the posting of controversial messages is difficult to avoid. Combating these type of messages on campus goes along with the five year plan AS has in place to give better board visibility and student outreach on campus. But it’s not just up to A. S. to improve the campus community, Parent believes that all students have a role to play. “Doing the little things without a title is something I try to promote,” Parent said.
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The Spartan Daily prides itself on being the San Jose State community’s top news source. New issues are published every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday throughout the academic year and online content updated daily.
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JESUS TELLITUD | SPARTAN DAILY
Computer science senior Ralph Orteza studies in the Martin Luther King Jr. library from a statistics textbook.
costs for students, leading to the inception of the Affordable Learning Solutions program in 2012. “We estimate that we have saved students over $2 million and we project that more than 22,000 students have benefitted from the program,” Bailey said. Affordable Learning Solutions will be tabling Thursday on the 7th Street Plaza for their “Don’t Go #TextbookBroke” event, which will provide information about campus resources that can help students save money on textbooks. “In addition to the new, print version of the textbook, we also offer used, rental and digital formats. Students should consider these formats, which can result in substantial cost savings,” Spartan Bookstore assistant
manager Lisa Towns said. “Other programs students should take advantage of include our price match program, which allows price matching on textbooks advertised or offered from local brickand-mortar bookstores or online retailers.” Aside from the Spartan Bookstore, websites like Chegg and the library, the SJSU Sammy app acts as the campus’ own version of eBay where students can post their own used textbooks for sale. Via the “Buy & Sell” tab on the app, students can sell textbooks and other course supplies they no longer have a use for. Prices vary but can be as low as $5 or $10 depending on the condition. Follow Brendan on Twitter @BrendanCross93
Correction WILLIAM YAP | SPARTAN DAILY
On Tuesday, Aug. 27, the Spartan Daily published an article titled “Professor’s work recognized with Cal State award”, which misstated media design professor Tina Korani’s title.
Follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisCore24
ABOUT
The Spartan Daily is written and published by San Jose State students as an expression of their First Amendment rights.
Michaels said that she “will try many sources and compare values” such as Amazon and the Spartan Bookstore. It is not always possible for her major, but Bacani said she tries to find deals wherever she can. “Asking around on student pages and on Facebook or Instagram for used books, or free online PDFs has helped me save some money,” Bacani said. Bailey said the library has many resources for students to save money on textbooks. Some of those ways include taking advantage of the eTextbook list in the library, which was put together in conjunction with the Spartan Bookstore, that offers some textbooks as free e-books. “During Spring 2019, the eTextbook list saved students approximately $400,000 in textbook cost,” Bailey said. “Not every class offered on campus is listed, but it is a well-rounded list that represents classes from a variety of disciplines.” The library also features course reserves, which are materials that are made available to check out from the library for a few hours or more, in some cases, Bailey said. All 23 California State University campuses have made it a point to lower textbook and supplies
The Spartan Daily regrets this error.
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 28, 2019
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Obama film rebuilds human diversity By Erica Lizarrago STAFF WRITER
Former President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama traded in the business of politics for an unlikely endeavor, a film production company. Last Wednesday, Netflix released a documentary called “American Factory,” the first film under Higher Ground Productions, headed by the Obamas. The film emphasizes a blue-collar America, complemented by a bleak post-industrial Midwestern setting. When an Ohio General Motors factory closes in 2008, thousands of Americans are left desperate without work. Forced to live off of food stamps and unemployment checks, hope felt like a fleeting memory. That is, until Chinese billionaire Cao Dewang re-opened the factory under the name Fuyao. For these workers, the economy seemed bright again. The opener played well into emotions, showing stories of Americans without stable jobs or fair income. Although I was a child during this period, their stories feel eerily personal. The directors have done what many fail to do in films: capture raw emotion. The sorrow and sympathy drew me in to the rest of the film. The documentary’s ability to display an empathic standpoint and the chaos that followed kept me interested.
PHOTO COURTESY OF FLICKR
The documentary “American Factory” focuses on the closure and re-opening of a General Motors plant, similar to the pictured Janesville plant that closed in April 2009. The film is the first from the Obamas’ production company.
The reopening of Fuyao provides jobs to thousands of new employees, many of whom were previous General Motor workers. There’s a heavy sense of optimism in the first half of the documentary, but it becomes clear it’s too good to be true. Things get interesting when communist China and capitalist America come together under one business. The film portrays crossculturalism as Chinese workers attempt to learn about American culture, but these understandings are vague and superficial on both sides. The cultural differences
movie review
Directed by: Julia Reichert, Steven Bognar Starring: Cao Dewang Genre: Documentary
paint a black and white picture and feelings of optimism turns to an “us versus them” mindset among both groups. It had me wondering, ‘How far have we actually come in terms of acceptance of diversity?’ Perhaps it’s the Bay Area’s diversity I am used to. These are the questions the film raises.
Through the company’s clashes, it’s easy to see the worst in American capitalism and Chinese communism. The internal conflicts among the company quickly externalize within its workers, and the pity, slowly crept back into the film. As Americans, we often see our economic viewpoint as the only way, but I found
“American Factory” Rating:
myself doubting the meaning behind corporations of both kinds. Could there ever be an ethical, greedless corporation? When workers begin to mobilize unionization, employees are met with threats and unemployment. It’s through the perspective of hopeless workers where we are able to see that it isn’t just black and white. Between the stories of both American and Chinese, it’s evident there are sacrifices to be made on either side, many chasing an American Dream they aren’t positive is even alive. This gray area molds a bond between what
was distinct cultural differences, into what Barack Obama calls a “highest common denominator” in “American Factory: A conversation with the Obamas.” At times, the film drags and loses viewers in confusion about the business side. With so much to follow but no clear angles on the overall story, it’s easy to drift off into personal thought. I had to ask myself, “Oh, they don’t work there anymore? What’s happening now?” When you aren’t an expert on the business world, it’s difficult not to stray. As the first film from the Obamas’ production, it stays true to the company’s value in authentic stories. It’s these honest accounts that kept me watching and ultimately valuing the pride in undervalued workers. It’s easy to see why the Obamas’ invested this as their first film. The film is wildly honest, showing a world not normally seen through a glass window, and sharing unheard voices. As it concludes, it’s easier to recognize what we as individuals have in common, rather than what we easily focus on as differences. While slower paced at times, “American Factory” concludes that when things get difficult, in the end all we have is our common humanity. Follow Erica on Instagram @erica.lizarrago
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OPINION
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 28, 2019
Mom said it’s my turn to be CEO Cora Wilson SPORTS EDITOR
In the midst of our country working to establish equality among men and women, an important step that can be taken is for a female to hold a position of power. Businesses all across America are experiencing a lack of strong and powerful leadership provided by women. According to the latest Fortune 500 — an annual list ranking 500 of the largest U.S. corporations by total revenue for respective fiscal years — women only make up 6.6% of the CEOs listed. While this number is an increase from only 24 women CEOs in 2018, it is still a dramatic difference in comparison to their male counterparts in terms of representation. Some of the most successful female leaders have worked their way up through impressive education and determination. In 2014, Mary Barra became the first female CEO of a major automotive manufacturer — General Motors.
Barra earned her MBA at Stanford University and proceeded to work various jobs at General Motors, such as engineering, administrative and engineering roles. Following her promotion to CEO, Barra was asked by Matt Lauer in a “Today Show” interview about her gender playing a role in the company. Lauer presented comments made about Barra perhaps getting the job because she was a woman and mother. “It’s absolutely not true,” Barra said in her interview with Lauer. “I believe I was selected for this job based on my qualifications.” People who continue to have the same stigmatized thought process as Lauer are what continue to make it difficult for women to move up in corporations. Comments like these from males are what continue to fuel the fire of inequality. Women are just as good as men are in business and are equally able to lead. The key to creating
PHOTO COURTESY OF FLICKR
Former eBay Chief Executive Officer, Meg Whitman, speaks in front of an eBay business conference in 2007.
equality among genders in corporate America is to hire female leaders authentically. Their qualifications should be based strictly on working abilities and experience, rather than gender. One of the most successful companies in the world — eBay — was once run by a woman. Meg Whitman increased sales from $5.7 million to $8 billion during her time as CEO from 1998 to 2008. Her net worth is an astonishing $3.8 billion as well. Women bring important
qualities to business, however they are often overlooked and passed over for promotions in the workplace. According to USA Today, only 21% of new CEOs in 2019 are women. In 2018, 182 women replaced men in CEO positions, but that number has decreased to only 81 for this year. While the overall number of women CEOs in America fluctuates and often decreases throughout the years, the benefits and advantages companies with more
female leadership have is evident. Diversifying companies to include more women can improve businesses by bringing fresh perspectives to the table. According to a survey of 21,980 firms from 91 countries conducted by The Peterson Institute for International Economics, having women at the C-suite level significantly increases net margins. Not only does having more women in charge increase diversity, it also helps make
companies profitable, innovative and respective, according to CNBC. In 2015, the Journal of Organizational Behavior published a study showing teams led by women were more communicative, collaborative and open to learning. Women can bring just as much success to corporate America as men can and it’s time that companies recognize that and make a change for equality. Follow Cora on Twitter @coraawilson
It’s about to be a real life ‘Revenge of the Nerds’ Chris Core STAFF WRITER
The fear of ridicule has haunted nerds since the beginning of time. People who once had to hide their love for the media which they adore has left them feeling like outsiders in a world that mocks them. That time has come to an end. Nerds who were once shamed for their interests and hobbies are now praised and in some cases they’re seen as the coolest people there are. A formal culture was formed - nerd culture. Stereotypically, any media with a following of introverted fans that lack social skills, is nerd culture. It’s grown over the years and joined mainstream pop culture. Back in Southern California, the San Diego Comic Con demonstrates how large nerd culture has grown over the years. Starting with around 300 attendees in 1970, the convention has grown to over 130,000 attendees, according to the Comic Con website. The convention brings people from all over to showcase niche movies, comic books, video games and anything and everything
deemed nerdy. Around the entire world, comic conventions’ massive growth throughout the years is a prime example that the tables have turned. Nerds rule the hip and happening world. Regardless of whether you think Jack Nicholson, Heath Ledger or Hugh Jackman started this mainstream leap for superheroes, it is clear these films have just as much power as the heroes portrayed within them. The movie that grossed the most money of all time belongs to the Marvel franchise, with “Avengers: Endgame” topping the list with almost $3 billion earned. Claiming the title of the top grossing movie of all time is a major accomplishment, but “Avengers: Endgame” was more than just a money maker - it was a cultural earthquake that shook the world. The cultural success of the most recent Avengers film and the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe is a testament to the power building behind nerd culture.
PHOTO COURTESY OF FLICKR
It proved that nerdy themes like superheroes could evolve past a small audience of nerds and make its way as the hottest thing for everyone to see, even jocks. The expectation was that everyone had seen the film, and if you hadn’t, you were the odd one out. It’s not just movies though, video games have seen their mainstream appeal skyrocket. They have always carried a large following. From the creation of the “Halo Combat Evolved” to “World of Warcraft,” there have been communities backing their favorite games. Although some games have had large
crowds, there has never been a game as groundbreakingly popular as “Fortnite.” According to Business Insider, “Fortnite” had around 250 million registered player accounts, shattering the ceiling of what it means to be a popular game. “Fortnite” has become larger than any video game before it and opened up nongamers eyes to what video games could offer. Anyone from athletes to movie stars downloaded the game making way for streamers and the e-sports community to expand their platform larger than what could have been ever imagined.
The idea that someone practices playing video games all day is preposterous to some, but the numbers that the competitions pull in are far from a joke. The “Fortnite World Cup 2019 Finals” pulled in around 2.3 million viewers with the winning player taking home $30 million. Competitive e-sports is just the beginning of the shattering of the stereotype that video games are an introverted activity. Large stages full of eager fans and tournaments with hundreds of players competing brings together people rather than the stereotype that they would rather
lock themselves in their rooms. Sports outlets such as ESPN have jumped on board with the growing e-sports hype and have showcased tournaments on some of its channels. With video games receiving that much recognition from a sports outlet the combined power of the nerdy movies and the virtual gaming world look to grasp even tighter the grip they hold on the mainstream. Knowing that these beacons of nerd-iness do not look to go away, grab your cape and cowl and join in with all the cool kids in the world of the geek. Follow Chris on Twitter @ChrisCore24
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OPINION
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 28, 2019
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Sony better keep Tom Holland Nathan Doyle STAFF WRITER
Sony would be making an enormous mistake if it removed Tom Holland as Spider-Man The friendly spider is under attack. Not from the Green Goblin nor the Vulture, but from corporate greed. Sony has taken back the film rights to the popular web-slinger, leaving open questions on how the beloved hero will appear on the big screen. For the past three years, Holland portrayed Peter Parker in the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies. Sony had allowed Disney to use the
Spider-Man in live action, not strictly because of his resemblance to the comic Peter Parker. Simply because of his ability to make the character feel true to the comics. For many, the first exposure to the Spider-Man was even earlier with Tobey Maguire in director Sam Raimi’s trilogy. He represented the basic theme of Peter Parker: an everyman who always tries to do the right thing, no matter the obstacles life throws his way. He however was quite ineffective at portraying
Regardless of the way the deal is finalized, Sony needs to keep Tom Holland because he is Spider-Man. character after the end of “The Amazing Spider-Man” movie franchise. Holland is the best actor who has played in a modern
any deeper character into Parker. There is a downside to these Spider-Man films produced from 2002 - 07. It’s nothing like the Spider-Man you
PHOTO COURTESY OF PIXABAY
would see in 2019. The Spider-Man movies of the early 2000’s were lighthearted, simple films that followed Peter Parker navigating his life as a hero while dealing with the occasional villain, and girlfriend issues. When the SpiderMan films rebooted in 2012 with “The Amazing SpiderMan” series, Andrew Garfield starred in the leading role. But his performance was hindered by a lack of direction. I never felt like the world of “The Amazing Spider-Man” was one that the comic SpiderMan would be a part
CLASSIFIEDS CROSSWORD PUZZLE
of. Garfield nailed his performance of Spider-Man, but the movie suffered because the story differed so much from the source material, leaving him as the worst actor to portray the character. With “Captain America: Civil War,” we saw the debut of Holland as Spider-Man. I vividly remember watching the movie when it first came out and roaring with laughter because of Spider-Man’s antics. The co-ownership deal made between Disney and Sony allowed Spider-Man to do something he was never allowed to do in the past: interact
with other top Marvel superheroes on the big screen. Following his debut in 2016, Holland appeared in two of his own solo “Spider-Man” films. Along with two “Avengers” films, further cementing his place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Holland reminds me of Maguire’s SpiderMan, as he nails the everyman aspect of the character perfectly. He also adds a twist the previous SpiderMan films only lightly touched upon. In these new films he truly feels like a dorky high school kid who is in way over his head, which is something
SUDOKU PUZZLE Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively.
that is only greater emphasized through his scenes with Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man. To me, Maguire will always be remembered as the actor who made Spider-Man cool and likable. But to many, including myself, Holland will be a favorite because he is a natural progression of Maguire’s portrayal while also elevating the character of Spider-Man to new heights. Regardless of the way the deal is finalized, Sony needs to keep Holland because he is Spider-Man. Follow Nathan on Instagram @nathan.doyle.doc
JOKIN’ AROUND You know why you never see elephants hiding up in trees?
Because they’re really good at it.
SOLUTIONS
ACROSS 1. Overact 6. Beers 11. Lowest point 12. Retaliation 15. Mammary glands of bovids 16. Relating to precious stones 17. Put clothing on 18. Honorable 20. G 21. Remnant 23. Comply with 24. Quaint outburst 25. Being 26. 1 1 1 1 27. Beers 28. A musical pause 29. To make a fool of (archaic) 30. Skid 31. Medical treatments 34. Operatic solos 36. A parcel of land 37. Lazily 41. Not short 42. Snake sound 43. Chocolate cookie 44. Strike heavily
45. An intimate chat 46. Make out (slang) 47. Not in 48. Inorganic 51. Consumed food 52. Pees 54. Acid test 56. Roman household gods 57. Might 58. Excrete 59. A loud sleeping sound DOWN 1. Stair 2. In baseball, 3 per inning 3. Dramatist 4. Small bag 5. Grippe 6. Territory 7. Scope 8. Prejudiced 9. Panorama 10. Border 11. Away from the wind 12. Not the original color 15. A kind of macaw 21. A person who is in charge
23. Electrical or crossword 25. Auspices 27. Throb 28. Gossips 29. Eastern Standard Time 31. Designed to be filled with air 32. Group of 8 34. Furrow maker 36. If not 39. Consumer Price Index 40. Sets of articles 43. Opening 44. Slave 46. Consciousness 47. Three book series 49. Brackish 50. Unsaturated alcohol 53. Wear away 55. Porn 56. Employ 57. Module 58. Gush 60. Dirt 61. Rope fiber 64. A late time of life
08/27/2019
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SPORTS
WEDNESDAY, AUG. 28, 2019
Football team seeks winning culture By C.J. Peterson SPORTS COPY EDITOR
As temperatures soared in San Jose during the first week of August, the San Jose State football team drilled relentlessly to prepare for their season opener against Northern Colorado Thursday night at CEFCU Stadium. Coming as a mental break from the grueling nature of camp, the Spartans organized a fullteam water balloon fight — complete with over 2,500 water balloons as well as water guns — to allow their players to blow off some steam. “That’s like coach Brent Brennan always talks about: the culture,” running back Tyler Nevens said. “We’re real close and we always have each other’s back but we know how to have fun.” Coming off of a disappointing 2018 campaign that saw only one SJSU win, the Spartans hope to extract the same joy they had in the water balloon fight, from their 2019 season in the form of victories. To do this, they’ll use with a similar approach of teamwide unity and improvement. “It’s just a matter of having fun during the fun moments and then when business comes, it’s all about handling that business,” Nevens said. The 2019 Spartans still remember their shortcomings from a year ago when they failed to stay compet-
ERNIE GONZALEZ | THE SPEAR
San Jose State quarterback Josh Love takes snaps during spring practice at CEFCU Stadium.
itive within the Mountain West Conference. Winning just one game, SJSU fought a losing battle in an attempt to establish themselves as a legitimate competitor within the college football sphere. Scoring the third-least amount of points in the Mountain West offensively (24.0 per game) while giving up the most yards per game defensively (496.3 per game), San Jose State lost 11 of 12 games for the second consecutive year under Brennan. In regards to their offense, the inconsistency at quarterback made life
significantly harder for Brennan and his squad. After earning the start for the season opener, quarterback Josh Love was yanked midway through the Spartan’s 44-38 loss to UC Davis. Love went on to earn the starting job back only a few games later but the lack of continuity plagued the year as a whole. “He’s been the starter, he’s gotten moved down, he’s gotten moved back up,” coach Brennan said. “I think lots of times the world sees those moments of struggle as a negative thing. I think in terms
of Josh, I think that’s a real positive because he’s fought through all of those things.” This year, Brennan has given Love — who is entering the season as a fifthyear senior — his vote of confidence by stating that he’s ready to run with the Mission Viejo native for the year. Along with a revamped offensive line geared to protect Love, which has added Minnesota graduate student Quinn Oseland, San Jose State is looking to shore up their running attack.
In 2018, SJSU averaged only 65 rushing yards per game on 2.2 yards per carry — dead last in the entire Football Bowl Subdivision. To fix this glaring issue, the Spartans will look to put the ball in the hands of Nevans, who has led the team in rushing yards the last two seasons. “We just all have to be on the same page with our offense,” Nevens said. “Our running game is going to open up the passing game… With our offense they help each other out so we need to have a balance.” According to Pro Football Focus, Love was
the most productive quarterback in the Mountain West while running the play-action as he averaged 9.5 yards per attempt. But Love was also the most hit quarterback as he was sacked 39 times for the most in the Mountain West. “He’ll take the shot [in the pocket] every time. I don’t know how he does it,” Love’s father Mike Love said to the Athletic. “But he’s taken too many lately, and that’s difficult for me as a parent.” The hope is that with an established running game, Love will no longer be subject to this punishment. And if opposing offenses have to defend against the run, they won’t be able to send as much pressure into the Spartan’s backfield. Nonetheless, SJSU is focused on improving their team, which is in desperate need of consistent play and consistent results. While the water balloon fight earlier this month provided a taste of what true joy looks like on the field, it’s up to the Spartans to translate it into real joy: winning games. “It’s been a fun month because we’re all back together finally,” coach Brennan said. “If you ask our players, I bet all of them would say it just feels different. It’s a new team and we have a new story to write.” Follow C. J. on Twitter @CJ_Peterson1
MEN’S SOCCER
Spartans maintain ball control en route to exhibition victory By John Bricker STAFF WRITER
After a hard-fought but stagnant first half, junior midfielder Danny Sanchez scored the first and only goal for San Jose State University’s men’s soccer team, winning their final exhibition game before the season begins, 1-0. H e a d SPARTANS c o a c h S i m o n T o b i n said the Sp ar t ans’ t h e m e this year CRUSADERS is owning the ball, which they achieved in this game. “We controlled the whole game,” Tobin said. “But we could be a little bit more dangerous at times.” The Spartans fought hard against the Holy Cross Crusaders, breaking through their defenses in the first minutes of the second half and blocking them from scoring for the rest of the game. Freshman goalkeeper David Sweeney said the team produced a goal from their high energy. Sanchez said the team took more risks in the second half, which paid off and produced a goal. Although the Crusaders possessed the ball for less time than the Spartans during the first half, they efficiently halted the Spartans’ advances, block-
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ing powerful passes by jumping into the ball’s path. Tobin said the Crusaders made it difficult to break their defenses in the first half. “And so we played one team and in the second half we played a totally different team,” Tobin said. In the first half, players on each team often rammed into each other and tripped over each other, sacrificing promising advances through aggression. Tobin said the Spartans gave the Crusaders two “great looks at goal” during the first half that could have handed Holy Cross the victory. By the end of the first half, both teams pushed forward aggressively, each receiving two offsides penalties. Sanchez said the Spartans had a weak offense at the game’s start. “Since we’re all possession, sometimes we tend to keep it, but not go forward” Sanchez said. Despite some early weak offense, the team pulled together in the second half, pushing through the Crusader’s defense, and held them off from retaliating. Sanchez said the veterans and newcomers to the team are working together well. “We’re kind of just blending in,” Sanchez said. After a quick sequence of passes set Sanchez up for the goal, he pounded the ball past the Crusader’s defenses, prompting a roar from the bleachers and a giant group hug on the field.
It was really, really fluid how they passed the ball, how they communicated, how we just defended all together. David Sweeney Freshman goalkeeper
Sweeney said the Spartans lacked urgency in the first half and their strategy amounted to just, “Keep the ball.” Sweeney said he enjoyed seeing how the freshman players in the team’s defensive back line worked together. “It was really, really fluid how they passed the ball, how they communicated, how we just defended all together,” he said. Tobin said the travel required for students to play men’s soccer is “ridiculous,” and that he never schedules games in locations more than a day’s trip away at the beginning of the semester. “That helps get them established in school,” he said. Tobin said this exhibition served as practice, an opportunity to look out for things to improve or continue before the team’s first game against Sacramento State University on Friday. Follow John on Twitter @JohnMichaelBr15