‘Twice a Stranger’ explores refugees’ struggles in new land
BOOKER SAYS FINAL GOODBYE
ILLINI OF THE WEEK CASEY FLETCHER
Fletcher’s offensive streak leads Illini baseball in 4 games for the books.
As Alex Booker ends her last season as an Illini, she reflects on her career and the successes to come.
Modern Greek studies screens documentary
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THE DAILY ILLINI
WEDNESDAY May 7, 2014
5he independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871
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82Ëš | 66Ëš Vol. 143 Issue 118
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Student dining service workers lose free meals University changes meal policy because free meals a ‘taxable benefit’ BY JESSICA RAMOS STAFF WRITER
Editor’s Note: The names of student workers have been changed to protect their identity and job security within University Housing. Beginning Aug. 16, University Housing student dining service workers will no longer be offered a free meal during their shift. Student workers were informed through an email sent out by Dawn Aubrey, associate director of University Housing Dining Services, last Wednesday. According to the email, the free employee benefit meal is considered taxable income by the Internal Revenue System, IRS. Kirsten Ruby, associate director of housing for communications and marketing, said the change in meal policy follows a University audit. “(The University audit) determined that a free meal for students would be considered a taxable benefit. That means that if a student received a meal, they would be taxed on the value of that meal,� she said. “That is something the University Housing has no control over.� Effective in the fall, if a student chooses to have a meal during the time of their shift, they are charged $3 or three credits, depending on the method of payment. Campus spokeswoman Robin Kaler explained that the change in free meal policy is not applicable to full-time employees because they are considered “essential.� “( University Housi ng)
realized that only ‘essential’ employees can receive free meals during their shifts without having tax implications,� she said. “Essential employees include full-time workers who can’t leave the facility during their shift, and who might be called back quickly during their meal break. Nonessential employees, for purposes of the tax code, would include people such as dining services office staff and student workers.� Kaler stated that this resulted in the choice to charge for meals or to count the meal as income to prevent tax liability. “Dining Services chose the latter as it created less fi nancial burden on the affected employees,� Kaler said. The IRS Employee Meal guidelines indicate that a meal can be excluded from an employee’s wages if it is provided on business premises, if it is given on behalf of the employer to the employee and if it is for the employer’s convenience. If a student is unable to obtain a meal within a reasonable period or is in a restricted meal period, then they are excluded from the taxable income, a qualification that applies to student workers. Emily, a student worker, said she examined the IRS Employee Meal guidelines and disagrees with the change in meal policy, as she found discrepancies between the two. “I think that what they were expecting us to do is take an official-sounding reason and accept it and not say anything
SEE MEALS | 3A
University Housing to charge student workers for previously free meals
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Class project for biker and pedestrian-friendly redesign of Green Street goes viral BY CLAIRE HETTINGER STAFF WRITER
What started as a class project, soon grew into a drastically different plan for Green Street that students and community members have rallied around. A group of students saw a problem with the way Green Street is currently situated and hoped they could fi nd a better solution. Nahree Ki, one of the creators of the project and graduate student in marketing, said safety and efficiency are two of the main issues the team saw as a problem on the street. The students’ issues with the design of Green Street include congestion the cars cause as they search for parking, time delays for pedestrians to walk across streets and the lack of bike lanes, causing congestion in the traffic lanes. The suggested plan includes blocking off Green Street from Wright to Fourth
AUSTIN BAIRD THE DAILY ILLINI
streets. The change would turn the space into a walkway with room for pedestrians and bicyclers to move about safely and freely. A large focus of the project was designing the area in between the buildings, which allows businesses to use the space for outdoor seating, along with hosting events, such as concerts and farmer’s markets. The group would like to see Green Street become a welcoming and friendly space where students can spend their time and to promote businesses in the area. “We believe that this will make it much more welcoming, as somewhere you want to go and enjoy the space instead of trying to avoid it because of all the chaos,� said Brittany Hopper, graduate student in marketing and one of the project creators. The project was created for the class, Engineering 333: Creativity, Innovation and Vision, a class focused on helping
Mixed results found in education reform Five years ago, the Illinois Board of Higher Education decided to formulate a master plan to significantly reform education across the state, launching the Illinois Public Agenda for College and Career Success . Now halfway through the ten-year program, the board released a report on April 1, reviewing the state of progress made thus far. The 2008 agenda included a multitude of goals for the state, such as closing the achievement gap, lowering the student dropout rate, improving adult education and making college more affordable, among other goals. Candace M u e l l e r, spokeswoman for the Illinois Board of Higher Education, discussed the background of the agenda. In 2007, the Illinois General A ssembly passed House Joint Resolution 69 which
recommended that the Illinois Board of Higher Education perform a study to examine educational policy issues throughout the state. That resolution was, in part, what led to the Illinois Public Agenda for College and Career Success. S a ra h Rens, executive chair of the Student Advisory Committee for the Illinois Board of Higher Education, commented on the objectives included in the Public Agenda. “ T h ey s et ex t r emely ambitious goals back in 2008,� Rens said. “And so I think that progress takes time, and I think they are doing everything they can to make the progress that they set out to do.� One of the most successful aspects of the public agenda was the fact that the adult education level in Illinois increased at a rate faster than the rest of the country over the past five years.
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The Illinois Public Agenda for College and Career Success released a mid-point report last month. Among other findings, Illinois has seen more students attending college, a narrowed high school achievement gap, but a wider college achievement gap. Student pipeline in Illinois 100% 80%
2004
77% 75.5%
45.2%
40%
41.7% 19.9%
20% 0
35.9% 33.7%
30.6%
Graduate from high school
Directly enter college
Graduate in 150% of program time from college
Have bachelor’s degrees, ages 25-44
Achievement gap between whites and underserved populations High school completion Age 18-34
18.9%
16.8%
2005-2007
2010-2012
Bachelor’s degree attainment Age 25-34
26.1%
28.9%
2005-2007
2010-2012
SOURCE: ILLINOIS BOARD OF HIGHER EDUCATION
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2010
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students think of new ways to solve problems in their communities, said Mayank Jain, one of the creators and sophomore in Engineering. The assignment was to fi nd a problem on campus or in the student’s lives and to come up with a solution to fi x it, he said. Jain said there is a similar promenade in Madison, Wisconsin, where the University of Wisconsin-Madison is located, and it was a great inspiration for the Green St. design. “At fi rst there were six people who signed the petition because there are six members in our group, but after that it just blew up,� Ki said. The team was surprised by the amount of community support, and they did not expect their petition to “blow up� like this. The plan immediately started gaining attention after it was posted on the group’s
5 year mid point report for Illinois Public Agenda
Board of Higher Ed. reviews master plan STAFF WRITER
MEALS
DAILYILLINI, DAILYILLINISPORTS
Community gathers around idea of car-free Green St.
BY ALEX SWANSON
After August 16, 2014, student workers will no longer be given a free meal as part of their dining services shift. Now, student workers will be charged $3 for each meal during their shift.
SOURCE: KIRSTEN RUBY, UNIVERSITY HOUSING
LEFT: PHOTO COURTESY OF MAYANK JAIN | RIGHT: ANNA HECHT THE DAILY ILLINI
Left: A mockup of the proposed plan to turn Green Street into a bike and pedestrian only promenade. Right: The corner of Wright and Green Streets, which currently consists of a busy, two-lane intersection.
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The Daily Illini is the independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The newspaper is published by the Illini Media Co. The Daily Illini does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of the University of Illinois administration, faculty or students. All Illini Media Co. and/or Daily Illini articles, photos and graphics are the property of Illini Media Co. and may not be reproduced or published without written permission from the publisher. Editor-in-chief Johnathan Hettinger 217 • 337-8365 editor@dailyillini.com Managing editor Lauren Rohr reporting@dailyillini. com Creative director Austin Baird visuals@dailyillini. com Asst. creative director Anna Hecht Asst. news editors Eleanor Black Megan Jones news@dailyillini.com Newscast director Tiffany Drey Daytime editor Miranda Holloway 217 • 337-8350 news@dailyillini.com Asst. daytime editor Bryan Boccelli the217 producers Lyanne Alfaro Imani Brooks Sports editor Sean Hammond 217 • 337-8344 sports@dailyillini.com Asst. sports editors Peter Bailey-Wells Michal Dwojak Alex Ortiz Torrence Sorrell Features editor Sarah Soenke 217 • 337-8343 features@dailyillini. com
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ed in the 100 block of West White Street around 1 p.m. Monday. According to the report, the man threatened the victim with a knife. Q Aggravated battery was reported at Talecris Plasma Resources, 24 E. Green St., around 3 p.m. Monday. According to the report, the victim was stabbed in the head by the offender.
University Q A 20-year-old male was arrest-
ed for possession of 5,000 grams of cannabis with intent to deliver
near Fourth and Peabody streets around 5 p.m. Monday According to the report, the man’s residence was the subject of a search warrant served by University police on Feb. 6.
Urbana Q Theft was reported in the 1100 block of East Colorado Avenue at 8:30 a.m. Monday. According to the report, an unknown offender stole the victim’s property which was left unattended in the common area of an apartment complex. Q Aggravated battery was reported at Circle K, 1821 S. Phi-
caution. Make sure equipment’s in good repair.
BY NANCY BLACK TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES
CANCER (JUNE 21-JULY 22)
Today’s Birthday Your connections provide the key this year. Your words seem especially inspired. Luck and satisfaction come through communications through July 16, when Jupiter moves into Leo, and family and home take priority. Creative expression flows. Autumn ruminations on life, the universe and everything contribute to a new stage with someone close to you. Act for love. To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.
ARIES (MARCH 21-APRIL 19) Today is a 7 — Communication and education are central themes as Mercury enters Gemini for the next few weeks. Words flow with velocity. Ignore prejudices and complaints (including your own). Obstacles today add chaos. Weed out impractical ideas, and focus on handling a structural problem. Follow the fun.
TAURUS (APRIL 20-MAY 20) Today is a 7 — Discover new ways to bring in cash over the next few weeks with Mercury in Gemini. Communication with connections facilitates a rise in profits. Maintain objectivity. Hold out for what you think is best. Old tricks don’t work as well as expected... keep practicing.
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUNE 20) Today is an 8 — For almost three weeks, you’re exceptionally quick and clever with Mercury in your sign. Focus on personal adaptability. You can shift what’s needed for the result you want. Plan your strategy for profit and savings, and proceed with
Today is a 7 — Get thoughtful over the next few weeks with Mercury in Gemini. Introspective inquiries reveal hidden layers of beauty and complexity. Listen to your angels. Don’t get limited by the past. Try a different tack. Mix traditional wisdom with a fresh perspective. Take charge.
LEO (JULY 23-AUG. 22) Today is an 8 — For the next few weeks with Mercury in Gemini your team is extra hot and negotiations go well. Collaborate, schmooze and share info. Friends are eager to help, but could distract you with diversions. Keep your promises, and stick to the plan.
VIRGO (AUG. 23-SEPT. 22) Today is an 8 — Advance your career over the next few weeks with Mercury in Gemini. Evaluate your position. There could be a test. Finish a lingering renovation project. Don’t spend overmuch on expert opinions. Follow regulations and treat authority respectfully. Fix it and move on.
LIBRA (SEPT. 23-OCT. 22) Today is an 8 — For about two weeks with Mercury in Gemini, expand your influence as new opportunities arise. Envision the longrange implications. Explore, travel and satisfy your curiosity without getting extravagant. Friends remind you what’s important. As the initial phase ends, plot your next move.
SCORPIO (OCT. 23-NOV. 21) Today is a 7 — Talk over financial changes and new circumstances with your family over the next few weeks with Mercury in Gemini. Reassess your assets. Reduce
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Compiled by Miranda Holloway and Angelica LaVito your personal workload. Financial paperwork makes more sense now. Cut unnecessary frills, and hone your budget to your true priorities. Attitude is everything.
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Corrections: If you think something has been incorrectly reported, please call Editor-in-Chief Johnathan Hettinger at (217) 3378365. Online: If you have a question about DailyIllini.com or The Daily Illini’s social media outlets, please email our Web editor Johnathan Hettinger at online@dailyillini.com. On-air: If you have comments or questions about The Daily Illini’s broadcasts on WPGU-FM 107.1, please email our managing editor, Lauren Rohr, at onair@dailyillini. com. Employment: If you would like to work for the newspaper’s editorial department, please fill out our form or email employment at dailyillini.com. News: If you have a news tip, please call news editor Corinne Ruff at (217) 337-8345 or email news@ dailyillini.com. Calendar: If you want to submit events for publication in print and online, visit the217.com. Sports: If you want to contact the sports staff, please call sports editor Sean Hammond at (217) 337-8344 or email sports@dailyillini.com. Life & Culture: If you have a tip for a Life & Culture story, please call features editor Sarah Soenke at (217) 337-8343 or email features@ dailyillini.com. Photo: If you have any questions about photographs or to suggest photo coverage of an event, please call photo editor Folake Osibodu at (217) 337-8560 or email photo@ dailyillini.com. Letters to the editor: Letters are limited to 300 words. Contributions must be typed and include the author’s name, address and phone number. University students must include their year in school and college. The Daily Illini reserves the right to edit or reject any contributions. Email opinions@ dailyillini.com with the subject “Letter to the Editor.”
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SAGITTARIUS (NOV. 22-DEC. 21) Today is a 7 — Keep cutting expenses, especially on entertainment. Your partner teaches you new tricks over the next few weeks with Mercury in Gemini. Use practical building blocks. Let others do the talking, and practice focusing your listening. It seems easier to understand what they want.
CAPRICORN (DEC. 22-JAN. 19) Today is an 8 — Follow the money trail. You’re better at solving puzzles over the next few weeks, with Mercury in Gemini. Don’t touch your savings. Great discipline is required. At least the work is interesting... work on articulating the perfect words to get your point across.
AQUARIUS (JAN. 20-FEB. 18) Today is an 8 — Get your chores done early. Keep decreasing your obligations. For about two and a half weeks, it’s easier to find the words with Mercury in Gemini. Communications barriers dissolve. Expressing your affection comes naturally. Write a story, make a video, and pitch your latest project.
PISCES (FEB. 19-MARCH 20) Today is a 7 — Accept or assign responsibility in a difficult situation. Take it slow. Resolve issues creatively. Curtail spending. You find it easier to express yourself at home over the next few weeks, with Mercury in Gemini. Communicate with your family, and share the load. Work together.
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lo Rd., around 3:30 p.m. Monday. According to the report, victim claimed to be attacked by offender. The offender has not been located. Q A 20-year-old male was arrested on the charges of domestic battery and unlawful restraint in the 700 block of West Elm Street around 11:30 p.m. Sunday. According to the report, the man and the victim, a female, have been roommates for six months. The man made contact with the victim in a provoking nature and temporarily detained her against her will.
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FROM 1A
MEALS about it,� she said. Though students are currently provided with a free meal, they must eat their meal before or after their shift. Emily said the physical work required of student workers causes fatigue — and skipping a meal because of an added cost is not convenient. “It’s especially important to note that we aren’t allowed to bring outside food into the dining hall ... It’s a risk of cross contamination,� she said. “Even if you wanted to eat during the times that you’re supposed to be eating, you really can’t unless you agree to buy meals from them.� Carlie, another student worker, expressed that it is unfair for University Housing to charge for meals considering the amount of food wasted by students and the dining services. “Working for dining services, you see how much food they throw away,� she said. “Then they tell you they’re going to charge you for food even though they throw (away) more than half the food actually cooked.� The change of meal pol-
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Wednesday, May 7, 2014
icy only applies to student employees. Full-time non-student employees were not given a notice of the change taking place. “They’re trying to get a couple more bucks off of students,� Emily said. “Just because students can’t be in a union, they think it’s easier to get a sheet rolled over their opinions.� Ruby said the change does not have too much of an impact. “This is still a benefit to receive a meal for $3, a greatly reduced cost for meals,� she said. “Many students who work with us also live with us and have meal plans anyway, so we hope that they will continue to use the meals that they have as part of living with us.� Ruby stated that the timing of the letter was purposely done to give students the time to make a decision regarding continuing their employment with University Housing. With the timing, the students have the summer to make their decision or find employment elsewhere. “There’s no time left in the school year to really have any negative side effects,� Emily said.
Jessica can be reached at jramos34@dailyillini.com.
FROM 1A
GREEN website and on social media following the class presentation. Hopper said the community response has showed her that people do recognize that Green Street is a problem and that people want to do something about it. “It would create a lot more active space for pedestrians, it’s an open space,� Nathan Cox, graduate student in FAA, said, “It is appropriate for the college town campus area to have an open
pedestrian mall area because there is already a huge demand of walkers.� At press time, the petition had 783 supporter signatures. Some petition signers have voiced their support for the project online. Tyler Jackson from Champaign said, “I’ve almost been hit by a car numerous times on Green St.� Another Champaign resident, Lorri Coey said, “I’m a pedestrian and a biker. We give cars all the benefits, none of the hassle. It’s time to make a change.� Ki said the class’ teaching
but some very negative,� Hopper said. “It is a big investment and I don’t think everyone will be as easily convinced as we are.� But regardless of how the project ends up, the team said they are proud of their work and are assured they can make a difference. “It validates our convictions that a problem area can be turned into an opportunity that will positively affect our neighborhood,� Ki said.
assistant is working to connect the team with officials who could help their plan become a reality. Cox said they hope to continue this plan if there is support from the community, but it will be difficult because four of the six project members are graduating in May. While there has been community support, Hopper said she knows there would be opposition as well. She said it will take many resources to make this plan a reality, one of the major hindrances she foresees. “It evokes a lot of strong opinions, I think, some very positive
Claire can be reached at hettngr2@dailyillini.com.
More money required for bike center Funding will help make campus more bike-friendly BY EDWARD GATHERCOAL STAFF WRITER
FROM 1A
Additionally, the cost of attending a higher education institution relative to the family’s income has risen at The mid-program report also a rate higher than almost all examined the K-20 pipeline, other states according to the which is a measurement of review. the rate at which students Rens also expressed that discontinue their education Quinn’s proposal to double from kindergarten to age MA P grant funding could 20. Since the start of the greatly help to increase college program, Illinois has made affordability in Illinois. “People are hopeful that i mprovements at ever y educational level in the there’s going to be an increase pipeline, but still is ranked in MAP this year, which would behind other states in the kind of allow that to keep nation. moving forward,� Rens said. A d d it i o n a l ly, a nother However, the earnings of improvement has been the college graduates have risen narrowing of the achievement in Illinois at a rate higher than gap at the high the average school level. for the nation, Rep. Naomi with the Jakobsson, exception D -10 3 , a of those member of the graduates Public Agenda that hold for C ol lege a s s o c i ate ’s degrees. a nd C a reer Mueller Success task also spoke to force, spoke how the board about the SARAH RENS plans to move potential STUDENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE forward with effe c t t h at t he resu lts closi ng the of the midach ievement gap could have on the program review in mind. University. She commented on locating “Illinois is closing that resources that may help make gap between whites and college more affordable for minorities,� Jakobsson said. Illinois students, as well as “When we can close that putting together programmatic achievement gap, we’re going resources like advising and to see that we can, at the academic maps. University of Illinois and other “ Essentia lly the focus institutions of higher learning, going forward for us, given be able to have a more diverse the results, is we want to population in our students.� continue to focus on seeing The representative also how we can involve more mentioned that while the adults in public secondary high school achievement gap education efforts and how we is closing in the state, it’s can link the student success narrowing at a lesser rate than in college to student success the nation’s average. Further, in the workforce, and also the report showed that in still very concerned with how terms of earning a bachelor’s to eliminate the achievement degree, the achievement gap gap,� Mueller said. has widened between whites and minority populations Alex can be reached at during the past five years. amswans2@dailyillini.com.
REFORM
“I think they are doing everything they can to make the progress that they set out to do.�
Behind the Natural Resources Building on Pennsylvania Avenue sits the Campus Bike Center, established three years ago. But after losing two of its primary funding sources, the Illinois Student Senate is reaching out to University administration to prioritize the allocation of $50,000 by June 30 to fund “the heart of the bicycle community.� CBC currently has a budget of $65,000, with the Bike Project of Urbana-Champaign currently providing $13,300. However, James Roedl, director of CBC, said he is hoping the Bike Project will contribute more money to the budget. A remaining $50,000 is being requested from the University to maintain the center. In 2011, the University was recognized as a bronze-level bicycle-friendly university by the League of American Bicyclists. This status expires in 2015. If the University wants to increase from its designated level, several bike-related items would need to be addressed, Morgan Johnston, associate director of sustainability, said. She said the CBC must continue to be funded in order for this to be a possibility. “Next year we will be applying again and we’re hopeful to get a higher designation,� Johnston said. “Instead of bronze, we’d like to be silver. We want to be excellent, we want to go from bronze to silver.� Student Body President Mitch Dickey commented on the importance of prioritizing funding for CBC, stating that it offers a lot of educational services to students, as it teaches them how to repair and maintain their bikes. “It is the most important bike issue on campus right now. It’s something that students utilize, it’s a center even outside of the use of the facility ... it’s a great opportunity of growth for students,� he said. Last year, 4,443 people visited the shop and signed in for assistance, Dickey said. The Student Sustainability Committee was designed to help get CBC started but not serve as a long term funding source, Johnston said. “When they (SSC) funded it for this current year, they indicated that they should not be asked again just to maintain the status quo because they are really focused on getting things started but they’re not a long term source of funding,� she said. The third source was from the University’s Facilities and Services discretionary account, which was contributed to “kick-start� the program. These funds, however, are no longer available. “They’re looking for a way to fund it but this is not something they traditionally do ... normally their focus is maintaining buildings, and we do a lot of educational services,� said
ANNA HECHT THE DAILY ILLINI
A bicyclist waits at the corner of Green and Wright. Part of the plans to raise the University’s bicycle friendly designation to silver is to integrate more bike lanes with street layouts. Roedl. “We focus on bikes here.� Johnston mentioned the need to find a source of recurring funding to help maintain the center. “What we’re looking for now is for a longterm funding solution,� she said. “That’s the ultimate goal – that it has reoccurring funding but because we haven’t identified a reoccurring funding source the immediate need is money to keep it open the next fiscal year, which starts July 1.� Roedl said the CBC hopes to garner a foundation account where donors can give money to support the center. “But the thing is this is really a service to the University, and the funding needs to come from them,� he said. “The University is looking to provide a source for funding. While we’re not funded currently, there are people looking for a solution.� ISS plans to vote on a resolution calling on the University administration to prioritize the funding for the Campus Bicycle Center at its Wednesday meeting. Additionally, a meeting will take place on Thursday morning at the Courtyard Cafe regarding this issue. Dickey said they will be meeting with vice chancellor for student affairs Renee Romano, associate chancellor Mike Delorenzo and others. Johnston said representatives from the Illini 4,000, BikeFace, an advocacy group and Students for Environmental Concerns will also be in attendance. “In order to keep those going we need to keep the Bike Center open. It is an educational center that has experiential learning ... it’s really the core of the bicycling community on campus,� said Johnston. “I think it has a very powerful meaning to the students on campus that are aware of it.� Johnston also said that the Center focuses on sustainability by promoting using bikes instead of cars for transportation. He added this will allow people, through membership, to make their own bikes, which holds the potential to save a lot of money. “(CBC)’s a bridge for community on campus,� Dickey said. “And it’s been requested by the biking community that if there’s one that the University is going to fund, that this should be it.�
Edward can be reached at gatherc2@ dailyillini.com.
FINALS STRESSING YOU OUT, GIVING YOU TROUBLE? GRAB A DI & TAKE A BREAK WITH A PUZZLE!
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Approve Campus Bike Plan: Final edits are underway and will need approval from Facilities and Services Funding needs: Use existing staff time Q Improve bikeway network: Integrating with street and capital projects and seeking grant funding Funding needs: Approximately $4 million Q Upgrade bike parking: Over 150 parking locations are ladders and donut-holes Funding needs: Approximately $400,000 Q Adopt Campus Bike Code and bike registration system: Final edits are currently underway and will not approval, costs include tracking citations and handling bike registration Funding needs: $5,000 to $15,000 per year Q Campus Bicycle Coordinator: No funding is currently available to hire a Campus Bicycle Coordinator, and a part-time team of Facilities and Services is currently managing Funding needs: $45,000 per year Q Bicycle education maps, materials and classes: Currently offered by the Campus Bike Center and Champaign County Bikes Funding needs: $5,000 to $10,000 per year Q Campus Bike Center advocacy, education and encouragement: Working in collaboration with Champaign County Bikes and BikeFace, a student advocacy group Funding needs: $50,000 per year Q
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OPINIONS
THE DAILY ILLINI
E D I TO R IAL Green Street should be converted to car-free promenade
EDITORIAL CARTOON
PAT BAGLEY SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
A
proposal for a new version of campus’ busiest street has been circulating around social media sites lately, and it could permanently alter the iconic boulevard that many people have known and appreciated during their stay here at the University. The project is called Car(e) free, and their vision is to turn Green Street into a bike- and pedestrian-only promenade between Wright and Fourth Street. The promenade would include outdoor seating, a game area and community events like a farmer’s market. This idea would greatly benefit the campus community because it would create a thriving communal area that would be advantageous for college students and the campus community. The proposal points to traffic congestion and confusing traffic patterns found on Green Street and lack of bike lanes as reasons for updating the University’s iconic business center. By turning Green Street into a pedestrian and bike promenade that is free of cars, this area of campus could become safer for the individuals that use it on a daily basis. Putting in bike paths makes this proposal very appealing because there are many students that use bikes as a means of transportation. Being able to ride bikes through Green Street without the dangers of traffic would greatly increase biker safety. Traffic would have to be rerouted onto Healey and John streets — which would aid in decreasing the traffic congestion. And with the numerous new construction sites currently up and down Green Street, making the street a pedestrian walk-way would assist in making more room for individuals walking through the street. Aside from the logistical aspect of this proposal, the project is also very visually appealing and could lead to a more vibrant and flourishing business center that is more attractive to residents and visitors, particularly through the addition of seating and activities that it says it would provide. As noted by the project coordinators, there is research to suggest that many pedestrian malls fail, however, Green Street fits the specified criteria of a successful promenade because the area promotes high levels of foot traffic. There are other campuses across the country with pedestrian malls, Pearl St. in Boulder, Colo. and State St. in Madison, Wis., that demonstrate how successful a pedestrian- and biker-only mall can be. Ultimately, we think that the street would turn into a hub of activity for visitors and could attract more students to the University. Green Street is already a campus hot spot, and by making it more aesthetically pleasing, as well as making it more conducive to the tremendous amounts of pedestrians and bikers, we think we have a promising idea at hand.
Coffee culture creates a dangerous dependence SIMRAN DEVIDASANI Opinions columnist
As
final exams roll around, the amount of coffee cups stacked in trash cans and laid out across desks increase. Often through films and the media, consumers are exposed to coffee advertisements, which usually include important professionals drinking a certain brand’s coffee or assistant editors going on coffee runs for their bosses. Our culture has popularized coffee to the extent that holding a cup of Starbucks or Espresso Royale almost automatically makes one seem busy — because the whole reason for drinking coffee is usually that you are a busy person who needs to stay up and finish important tasks. Students on campus have bought into this notion that coffee is an energy reserve and, thus, indulge in coffee. This caffeinated beverage seems to be an essential component to the functioning of our daily lives. Most
college students thrive on coffee as their essential source of fuel. In fact, more than half of the people in the United States over the age of 18 drink coffee everyday. Even as I am typing this very sentence, I am drinking a cup of coffee. However, this habitual process of drinking cups of coffee in the morning to keep us awake in class or consuming them at night to keep us alert enough to finish our work can be replaced by healthier habits. But the fact of the matter is that coffee culture is engraved into our society. For students, coffee drinking is an easy way to keep themselves engaged in work, such as writing essays or studying for final exams. Moreover, our University makes coffee convenient. Coffee has become so popular among people on campus that a new Starbucks was built in the Illini Union Bookstore, despite there being a Starbucks merely a few minutes away from that same bookstore. Not to mention, most of the snack shops, such as 57 North in the Ikenberry Commons, have coffee readily available. There are even specific locations that serve as miniature coffee shops such as
The Caffeinator and Busey Beanery, which are located in campus buildings. This convenience leads us to think, “If it’s there, might as well drink it.� And at places such as 57 North, you don’t even need real money to buy coffee, but, rather, you can obtain it through University dining credits. Drinking coffee also boosts our mental morale. By sipping the warm drink, we are able to feel mentally stimulated, as the caffeine in the drink reacts with our brains to make them more alert. Coffee is an easy way to get an energy boost, especially during the night when you don’t feel like drinking a cold energy drink but would rather have a warm cup of black or flavored coffee. However, this coffee culture has harmful short-term and long-term effects. One problem with coffee is that it causes a crash a few hours after drinking it. In other words, though you may feel alert and productive for the first few hours after drinking coffee, later, your adrenal glands burn out and stop producing the adrenaline that initially gave you that coffee high. And soon you feel
exhausted. Thus, coffee isn’t a good solution for all-nighters or for writing final papers that will take a while. Its effects are only short term. Instead of relying so heavily on coffee, there are many alternatives that can give us similar energy boosts that will last longer. For one, getting enough sleep allows us to focus attentively during classes and during the day when we’re trying to complete school work. Moreover, aerobic exercise such as yoga also allows us to focus more. Finally, coffee substitutes such as natural herbal teas provide us with energy but do not cause a crash. As a student, I understand what it’s like to feel as though you’re going to fail in the face of assignments and exams. But by giving this one caffeinated drink power, we succumb to coffee culture and fall victim to crashes. By choosing alternatives methods of obtaining energy, we’re better off in the end. Now excuse me while I throw out this coffee and replace it with tea.
Simran is a freshman in Media. She can be reached at devidas2@ dailyillini.com.
Creative writing provides several subtle benefits SEHAR SIDDIQUI Opinions columnist
As
important as it is for us to appreciate the written word, we also can’t forget to utilize and practice it. After high school, it seems that many of us, including myself for a while, forgot the importance of writing. Up until high school, most of us were forced to take English classes, and those usually involved something many people hate — writing. For the most part, I’ve been the outlier in this population of people as I have enjoyed engaging in writing both in and out of school. But when I came to college, I let my skills slip up until junior year, because writing had not been a major part of my personal academic career. I got lazy about my writing skills after I realized I only needed to take one English course to fulfill an advanced composition requirement. This year, however, I realized something was missing — the ability to express my creativity. I knew my advanced composition class, although challenging, wasn’t enough to fill the void of creativity and freedom that was missing in my writing. Although coursework in every major and minor offered here are both difficult and time-consum-
ing in their own way, they don’t all offer the challenge of writing, and if they do, the writing is often through a very structured path. I’m not saying academic writing should be discouraged, but rather, different forms of writing — opinion pieces, short stories, poetry, or even journaling — provide rewards you wouldn’t receive from writing technical papers alone. Academic writing is a great way to practice explaining your ideas in a concise fashion and helps develop technical writing skills you might need for a future career in a field where you’ll have to constantly report your findings in written form. Creative writing can help you develop a stronger, more elaborative vocabulary, let off steam, or just allow you to express yourself in a unique manner. Whether it’s for a creative writing class outside of your curriculum requirements or for a newspaper or magazine, everybody should write. It doesn’t matter if your writing is published or not. There are benefits to writing something that is meaningful to you, and there are also benefits in knowing that your writing could be met with the scrutiny of the public. In my case, writing weekly columns for The Daily Illini with the looming threat of the public eye has been more beneficial to me rather than being a limitation. This is not necessarily because I am overt-
ly concerned with how my opinions and writing will be judged, but more because it makes me acutely aware of the fact that I have a voice, and it will be heard. This realization has driven me to write some very passionate pieces in hopes of impacting at least one individual and maybe sparking some discussion. When you write something and know people are going to see it, you might develop a couple of fans, and you might attract some haters as well. This shouldn’t hinder you from going ahead and sharing your work. In fact, it should provide motivation. Positive comments on a piece are of course a self-esteem boost, but negative comments are where true colors show, and, in my opinion, matter more. Receiving a negative comment on a piece you published shows that people aren’t just hearing your voice, but also listening to it and acknowledging it as well. Even if everybody doesn’t agree with your views, you are still promoting productive dialogue about an issue, and to know your writing has influenced someone in some way is gratifying, to say the least. Although I think everybody should have a goal of publishing at least one piece of writing, there are still plenty of benefits that aren’t overshadowed when you just write for yourself. Even if your writing isn’t going to be critiqued or praised by the
public, the act of writing is no less important. As mentioned before, one of the benefits of journaling or writing creatively can be a cathartic release from negative emotions rather than allowing them to build up. Sometimes, talking to somebody or just trying to let your bad mood pass isn’t effective, and writing about it can be helpful. You don’t need somebody to tell you that your writing is great. If you write a creative writing piece or develop a strong argument for something you believe in but decide to keep to yourself, it is still a rewarding experience to have completed something that is meaningful to you. The reward of writing can be as simple as taking pride in a piece of work that you put time and thought into. Either way you decide to do it, writing is a unique way to push yourself. It allows you to think with a new perspective and create a logical argument you wouldn’t have ever come to if you hadn’t put in the time to think about it. Regardless of whether or not anyone will see your work, the value of the writing experience comes from challenging yourself to develop a meaningful piece of work beyond academia.
Sehar is a junior in LAS. She can be reached at shsiddi2@ dailyillini.com. Follow her on Twitter @Nimatod.
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS | opinions@dailyillini.com with the subject “Letter to the Editor.� The Daily Illini reserves the right to edit for length, libel, grammar and spelling errors, and Daily Illini style or to reject any contributions. Letters must be limited to 300 words. Contributions must be typed and include the author’s name, address and phone number. University students must include their year in school and college.
THE DAILY ILLINI | WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM
5A
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD ACROSS
DAILY ILLNI FILE PHOTO
The new sorority on campus, Phi Sigma Sigma, will be moving into the FIJI house in Fall 2014.
Alpha Xi Delta sorority prepares for new house BY ABBY GLICKMAN STAFF WRITER
For five years, Alpha Xi Delta sorority has occupied the house at 1004 S. Second St. next to Frat Park. Next year, they will be living in a new home, formerly the home of Phi Kappa Sigma, on Fourth and Chalmers streets. And the fraternity that usually occupies Alpha Xi Delta’s current house, Phi Sigma Kappa, will be moving back in. Alpha Xi Delta is not the only Greek house moving to a new home next year. Beta Theta Pi, Phi Sigma Sigma and Phi Gamma Delta, or FIJI, will be moving as well, in addition to Phi Sigma Kappa. Members are excited to move into the new house. According to Lauren Loverde, president of Alpha Xi Delta and sophomore in LAS, the house is being completely renovated — including new bathrooms, flooring, a kitchen and a replaced ceiling — and they are getting mostly new furniture. The new house will also include a study room in the basement and multiple TV rooms. “It’s a really fun and great space,� she said. “We are excited to move in. Our whole chapter can’t wait to see the new house finished.� Loverde is also looking forward to the new location, because it is closer to campus and has a big front yard to lay out, study and hang out outside, she said. Loverde lived in the house this year and plans to live in the new house first semester of next year.
Sam Voris, junior in Business and member of Alpha Xi Delta, said she thinks the new house will help the sorority build a better foundation. “I think it’s just a way to establish ourselves more,� she said in an email. “It also has sparked a lot of talk on campus and any talk can be used as an advantage during rec=uitment.� Voris lived in the house last year as a sophomore, and she said she liked that the house decreased the distance between her and her sisters from late night cereal to mattress sliding. “I loved that everyone in our pledge class became really good friends. Before, we were still pretty distant,� she said. “The house brought us together.� Voris said she will always prefer the old house, but thinks the new house is an important opportunity. “(The old house) is where I lived in and where all my memories are at,� she said. “However I am so excited that I am only a junior and get to see the new house and how we make it our own and make new memories.� Despite the sentimental value that the old house holds, Voris is looking forward to the chapter moving into the new house. “Everything worked out how it should have,� she said. Katie McCarthy, freshman in Division of General Studies and member of Alpha Xi Delta, moved into the current house this semester and said she plans to live in the new house next year. She said she likes their
current house because there is a very open feeling. However, McCarthy is also looking forward to the move. She said she walks past the house every day and gets excited when she sees people working on it. “It’s scary because I haven’t seen it,� she said. “But I’m excited because the floor plan is really open, which will be good for rush and activities.� She said she is also happy that there is a large basement. She is hoping that the transition goes smoothly. McCarthy, like Loverde, has the opportunity to compare the two houses, because she will have lived in both. She said she is excited to compare the two houses and live with her own pledge class next year. One thing that members of Alpha Xi Delta agree that they will miss is being on Frat Park. “Living on Frat Park is a fun part about living in our house,� Loverde said. Voris will miss the outdoor activities on Frat Park, including playing kickball and lying outside. Above all, Loverde said she is excited for her sisters to enjoy the new house and all the renovations that have been put into it for a whole year. “I can’t wait to see the reactions of the chapter members and for everyone to see the final product,� she said. “It keeps getting better and better.�
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1 Places where people hustle? 2 On the job 3 Rock’s ___ Brothers 4 Steamed 5 Sierra Club founder 6 Mentalist Geller 7 Mid 12th-century year 8 Singer Smith of punk music 9 Day care break 10 Environmental transition area 11 Drenched gangsters who are out of the woods? 12 The so-called “potted physician�
13 Box-office receipts 18 24 horas 22 Cabinet-level dept. since 1889 25 Pachacuti’s people 27 Drink that may feature “foam art� 30 Blue wear 32 Yalta Conference monogram 33 Memo-heading initials 35 Letters in a children’s refrain 36 Ostrich cousins 38 Aromatherapy spot 39 Liechtenstein’s locale: Abbr. 40 Military laundry that’s out of harm’s way? 42 Challenger’s an-
nouncement at a pickup game 45 Have a talk with 47 Purposely overlook, as a fault 49 Wee hour 52 NBC anchor Holt 53 Actress Dash of “Clueless� 54 Inhaler user’s malady 56 Atlantic fish 58 Documentarian Burns who’s the brother of Ken 59 Office-inappropriate, in web shorthand 60 Suitable for induction 62 Hamlet, e.g. 65 “___ Beso� 67 Manhattan ingredient
The crossword solution is in the Classified section.
EDUMACATION
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Abby can be reached at glickmn2@dailyillini.com.
Sriracha concern becomes the new, hot political topic LOS ANGELES TIMES
LOS ANGELES — California’s latest political darling comes in a clear plastic bottle with a green top and tastes good on eggs. Sriracha hot sauce has won the eager endorsement of politicians from both sides of the aisle in recent weeks as the manufacturer has talked about leaving Irwindale amid a regulatory battle over whether the plant sends a spicy smell into nearby neighborhoods. Council members, state senators, a mayor or two, and even members of Congress have weighed in support of Sriracha in an unlikely piece of political theater over jobs and government interference. Relocating the Sriracha factory, which relies on long relationships with local suppliers, would be expensive and time-consuming, and it’s unclear how seriously Chief Executive David Tran is considering a move. But Tran has invited potential suitors to tour the factory in Irwindale. The idea of poaching the hot sauce has inflamed politicians’ imaginations across the country, especially in Texas, where officials are crowing over the news that Toyota will move its Torrance headquarters — and
FROM 6A
ESMA and Greeks, and she would tell stories about how everybody got along really well, there wasn’t really tension or any fighting ... it was the politics and the government who were really messing up things.� Esma and her family migrated to Sakarya, Turkey, where they ran an olive business to support themselves. Economic hardship after migrating was common because not all belongings could be taken with them, Ozkan said. The migration didn’t happen in a single day. Political tensions
thousands of jobs — to Plano, outside Dallas. Later this month, Texas state Rep. Jason Villalba, a Republican, will lead a delegation from Texas to visit the Sriracha plant and make their case. Residents of the tiny industrial city of Irwindale say the Sriracha hot sauce factory emits odors that cause asthma, coughing, choking and other health problems. City officials have sued and won a preliminary, partial injunction. The City Council is considering further action. City officials don’t buy the idea of Sriracha as a political symbol of excessive government regulation. To them, it’s a public health issue. “There are children and people that suffer from asthma,� City Attorney Fred Galante said. “Does their voice not matter?� The Los Angeles County GOP, Rep. Tony Cardenas, D-Los Angeles, and state Sen. Ed Hernandez, D-West Covina, are some of the latest to jump on the Sriracha bandwagon. Hernandez called the sauce maker one of the “shining stars� of the San Gabriel Valley’s business community. Cardenas toured the plant last week and spoke with company representatives about tax incentives to keep the business in the state.
Republican gubernatorial candidate Neel Kashkari namechecked Sriracha on a recent tour of a charter school in Los Angeles. On Kashkari’s campaign website, a page thanks visitors for “standing with Sriracha.� Beneath the Facebook and Twitter share links, a button urges hot sauce fans: “Chip in $7.� Tran’s narrative is irresistibly populist. An immigrant and refugee who followed an American dream from Vietnam to a small business in Chinatown, Tran has created an international sauce empire that rakes in more than $60 million in annual revenue. Then he ran into trouble with government regulation — namely, public nuisance laws in Irwindale. Voter records show that Tran was registered as a Republican in 1998, 2000 and 2002, but he said Friday that neither he nor his company have ever had any political affiliation. He added that he couldn’t recall the last time he voted because it was so long ago. The city, meanwhile, says they’ve received more than enough complaints to justify their actions against the company, and an environmental consultant hired by the city corroborated residents’ concerns.
had been brewing and the people knew they would have to leave, but they kept a separate identity, Ozkan said, although that identity has been withering away with each generation. Like Eleni, Esma and her family also had trouble assimilating and were not welcomed. Even though they spoke Turkish, a difference in customs made them look suspicious. She never returned home but also never expressed the desire to. “She was still sharp,� Ozkan said. “If somebody told her there were people from this town in Greece from Vodena where she was from, she would insist to go and find them. She was still very
committed to her birthplace and she just kept talking about it until she died.� Esma lived to be more than 100 years old despite facing so many challenges in life, including losing her husband in the war. “It is quite a lot to deal with, but she never complained,� Ozkan said. “She just thought, ‘This is life,’ and you do the best you can do under the circumstances and you just move forward, stay positive, and I think that was one of the reasons why she lived such a long life.�
Brittney can be reached at banadle2@dailyillini.com.
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LIFE CULTURE
Swapping letters Greek houses across campus prepare to switch locations for the fall semester. Turn to Page 5A to learn more about the changing houses and Alpha Xi Delta’s plans.
6A | WEDNESDAY, MAY 7, 2014 | WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM
THEDAILYILLINI
Breaking barriers Documentary “Twice a Stranger� allows survivors to share their stories BY BRITTNEY NADLER
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF SEBNEM OZKAN
Top: Esma — great grandmother of Sebnem Ozkan, outreach coordinator at the European Union Center — was a Greek woman who was forced to flee Greece with her five children. Middle: Esma stands with two of her children after she migrated to Turkey. Bottom: Esma settled in this house after she migrated to Adapazari, Turkey.
STAFF WRITER
er name was Eleni, and she was just a toddler when she and her siblings fled Turkey barefoot with everything they could carry during the forced migration of the early 1920s. With her brother at her side, disguised as a girl so the Turks wouldn’t take him, they set off toward boats that were sent to help evacuate her coastline town, Smyrna, and headed to their new life in Greece. “My grandfather — her husband — was also from there, and he was about 11 when this was happening,� said Hellen McDonald, clinical assistant professor in Social Work. “Her mother dressed him up as a monk so the Turks would not keep him.� They arrived at Pirea, the main port of Greece and began their new life in a country that saw them as dirty and not Greek. Returning home, where they were also viewed as outsiders, wasn’t an option. She married at 16 and moved to a makeshift home that the community built for all of the migrants. “The community built these huge apartment complexes for them and that’s where a lot of the refugees — they don’t like to be called refugees — a lot of the individuals that came from Smyrna settled in,� McDonald said. She lived in a town called Peristeri until her death in 1999. In English, Peristeri means dove, the symbol for peace. *** The Greek-Turkish exchange, German-Polish exchange, Partition of India and Cyprus Crisis are all events of forced migration in the 20th century, when millions of people were forced to leave their homelands, largely never returning. The documentary “Twice a Stranger� combines video testimonies, rare film archives and photos from survivors to bring their stories to light. The film will be shown by Modern Greek Studies at 6 p.m. on May 8 in the Lucy Ellis Lounge of the Foreign Language Building. Dr. Stefanos Katsikas, director of Modern Greek Studies, will begin the screening with a short introduction to provide background on the historical events being highlighted. “Twice a Stranger� premiered at an exhibition in the Benaki Museum in Athens and was highly successful, Katsikas said. He had to receive permission from the museum to show the documentary, making this the first time it will be screened in the Midwest. A conflict between Greece and the Ottoman Empire in 1919 led to a war over control of the region around Smyrna. The Greek army was granted a mandate after World War I to exercise control of the region for five years followed by a referendum which would determine the future status of the area, Katsikas said. Greek authorities took advantage of a strong presence of ethnic Greeks in the area. The outcome of the referendum would be in Greece’s favor and the region would become Greek territory. This was not seen favor-
ably by Turks who wanted this region to be part of the Ottoman Empire or any succeeding Turkish nation state. Greece lost the war, and its troops withdrew, which sparked a negotiation between the two sides over the territorial status of Greece and Turkey, ending the signing of the Lausanne Peace Treaty. Part of this treaty was a protocol which provided for the compulsory exchange of populations so that all Muslims living in Greece moved to Turkey and all Greek-Orthodox people in Turkey would head to Greece. It was believed that a population exchange would guarantee peace and security between the two states. A conflict between Greece and the Ottoman Empire in 1919 led to a war over occupying territory in Turkey. While Greece was granted a mandate after World War I to occupy the region, Greek authorities in Smyrna were working on a five-year referendum that would determine the fate of the same area. Greece lost the war and its troops were forced to leave, which sparked a negotiation: the two states would exchange populations so that all Muslims living in Greece moved to Turkey and all Greek-Orthodox people in Turkey would head to Greece. “In order to be a Greek, you need to speak a Greek language and be Greek-Orthodox. In Turkey, the established view was to be a Turk, you had to speak Turkish but also be a Muslim,� Katsikas said. “This resulted in one of the biggest humanitarian crises in the beginning of the 20th century – 1.5 million Greek-Orthodox and half a million Muslims leaving their homelands.� Katsikas said one of the problems with this was many Muslims couldn’t speak Turkish and many of the Greek-Orthodox couldn’t speak Greek, causing them to be viewed as outcasts. Today, McDonald’s extended family still lives in the suburbs of Athens. Eleni and her husband were able to move out after buying land and building a new home. “My grandfather was able to put aside money - he did all sorts of jobs that weren’t originally accepted. They were considered dirty and like not real Greeks,� McDonald said. “They really struggled with assimilating, but through the years, I think they proved them wrong.� McDonald remembers her grandmother as quiet and not very talkative, but she was strong in her values. “Now that I’m in social work, I have a better understanding of why,� she said. “It might have been too traumatic to talk about it.� On the other side of the conflict stood Esma, a Greek woman who was forced to flee Greece with her five children. The hardships they encountered took the life of one of her twins. Sebnem Ozkan, outreach coordinator at the European Union Center, said her great-grandmother remembered packing all of their belongings and taking the trip to Turkey. “She always remembered Greece as a nice place,� Ozkan said. “She always talked about her neighbors there, both Turks
SEE ESMA | 5A
Partition of India
As the British left India, the question of whom to transfer power to was imminent. South Asian Muslims worried that if power transferred to the Congress party, there would be a Hindu majoritarian rule, leaving Muslims no say in politics. “Around 1946, I think the British decided enough is enough,� said Tariq Ali, assistant history professor. “They wanted to cut their losses and run, which meant they needed a quick solution.� The quickest solution was partition: dividing the country into one Muslim state and one Hindu state. “This was a solution that no one really liked,� Ali said. “But it’s the solution the British were willing to give.� Ali said hardly anyone foresaw the enormous violence that would ensue after 20 million people were forced to move. An English lawyer then drew abstract lines on a map and India and Pakistan were born. When Pakistan gained independence in 1957, the new borders had still not been announced. People celebrated without knowing what country they were in, Ali said. “What happens is we have Hindus and sick militias and Muslim militias going on killing rampages against the other religion,� Ali said. “The death toll was horrific.� A large number of people in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh have family across borders today and still have memories of the homes they left behind, Ali said. Nishant Makhijani, senior in Engineering, remembers his grandparents sharing stories from when they were forced to leave Pakistan during the partition. Once they heard the news, they packed up their belongings and precious metals, mostly gold jewelry, and left. When they arrived in India, they stayed in refugee camps until his grandfather’s brother found a job as a police inspector in a small town five hours outside of Mumbai. “They didn’t know that they were leaving Pakistan for good,� Makhijani said. “They didn’t know that they were never going to see their houses again.�
Germany-Polish migration During World War II, Germany had the intention of wiping Poland off the map, said history professor Peter Fritzsche. What was left of Poland was turned into a military region occupied by Germany. Germany pursued three policies: to move in German settlers, to get rid of all the Jews and to move Polish people out. “There was an ethnic cleansing,� Fritzsche said. “There would not be any German communities left in Eastern Europe, and so whoever didn’t flee in 1945 was basically kicked out in 1945 to 1947.� Roughly one third of Germans were on the road without a home, but resentment and bitterness remained moderate, Fritzsche said. “People made new lives,� he said. “Most Germans realized they started World War II, and they didn’t necessarily say they deserved their fate, but they understood their fate.� While there were some groups that wished to return home, it was not possible, and as more generations were born, that desire vanished. Today, Europe is more homogenous than it was 100 years ago, Fritzsche said.
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SPORTS
WEDNESDAY 0D\ 7KH 'DLO\ ,OOLQL 'DLO\,OOLQL FRP
Booker relishing every last minute on the diamond
ILLINI OF THE
WEEK
BY MICHAL DWOJAK ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
PORTRAIT BY BRENTON TSE THE DAILY ILLINI
CASEY FLETCHER
Left-handed hitter raises the bar with 5 home runs leading to 4 victories in 5 days BY NICHOLAS FORTIN STAFF WRITER
It’s 3:00 p.m. on a bleak, grey Thursday, and Casey Fletcher is in the batting cage at Illinois Field. Light rain falls as the 5-foot11, 170 -pound left-handed hitter, stands in the black netting of the cage hitting balls tossed to him by a teammate. Each ball comes off the skinny-handled aluminum bat with the same familiar ping sound as Fletcher swings again and again. Pitcher John Kravetz warms up in the bullpen to the right of the cage as Fletcher hits. A day earlier, the Illini’s junior right fielder hit three home runs in a 10-1 rout of Southern Illinois. But he has already pushed yesterday’s performance from his mind. He’s in the cage 30 minutes before practice, hitting ball after ball. His three-homer performance has grabbed the attention of the local media. Their voices create a low murmur as Fletcher continues to swing. Fletcher stops hitting and steps out of the cage to answer their questions. After discussing the upcoming series with Michigan State and his recent power surge, Fletcher asks if he has time to get some more swings in before appearing on the local ESPN radio show. He has 15 minutes,
so Fletcher walks back to the cage and begins his hitting regimen once again. That’s how it goes for the ha rdwork i ng, soft-spoken Fletcher. He never stops working because, as he said after Sunday’s game, he feels a constant desire to get better. “There’s always room to improve,� Fletcher said. “Just when you think that you have it figured out, you don’t have it figured out. You always have to keep working. You have to keep striving to get better every day.�
“There’s always room to improve ...You always have to keep working. You have to keep striving to get better every day.� CASEY FLETCHER ILLINI OUTFIELDER
Fletcher’s hard work in the cage paid off this week as Fletcher had four games for the Illinois history books. It’s hard to overlook how impressive Fletcher’s week was. Fletcher finished the week
0RUH RQOLQH For more with five home runs, 10 RBIs, sports stories and our two walk-off singles and he helped the Illini win all four exclusive video interview games. Not to mention he went with Casey Fletcher, visit 8-for-17, took home the Big 'DLO\,OOLQL FRP Ten Player of the Week honor and was one of the Louisville Slugger National Players of the Honorable Mentions: Week. “I’ve just been putting good swings on the ball,� Fletcher Charlie Danielson said. “And good things have (men’s golf): Illinois men’s happened. I don’t really even golfer Charlie Danielson know what to say. “I’m hitting it, and it’s going tied for first at the Big where they’re not at.� Such as: over the outfield Ten Championship on Sunday in French Lick, fence. Although Fletcher might be Ind. Danielson also won oversimplifying things, his assessment of the offensive the Lee Bolstad award for explosion is accurate. He’s lowest stroke average in been hitting the ball where the Big Ten this season. defenders can’t get it. His offensive surge started Wednesday at home against Brandi Needham Southern Illinois. Fletcher belted three home runs all to (softball): Named both the the same part of right field Big Ten Pitcher of the Week after hitting a soft ground out and Big Ten Freshman of in his first at bat. Fletcher’s success continued the Week. Threw five-hit over into the weekend, where he shutout in Friday’s 5-0 win started slow on Friday with an over Penn St. and allowed 0-for-3 first game but bounced back on Saturday and Sunday four hits and one run in tallying another two home runs Sunday’s 6-1 win. in the second game of the series and game-winning walk off singles in both.
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SEE FLETCHER | 4B
Pitcher’s journey back to the mound the biggest brother. McDonnell kept playing Fifteen pitches. baseball into high school. Fifteen pitches were all it His sophomore ye a r, took for Rob McDonnell to McDonnell began to focus strike out the side in the second solely on baseball. He started inning against Indiana State on to see a future in the game for March 18. himself. Those 15 pitches translated to McDonnell considers his a feeling of relief for the lefty, junior year to be his breakout who walked off the mound at year. The lefty went 9-3 with a Illinois Field after getting all 2.10 ERA and 99 strikeouts in three Sycamore batters he 71 innings. faced to go down swinging. His Then it happened. Halfway arm was back to 100 percent and through his senior year, he for the fi rst time in a long time began feeling pain in his McDonnell wasn’t concerned throwing arm. about being on the mound. “It felt like someone was “I’m not worried about my (kind of) stretching out my arm anymore,� McDonnell arm, stretching out my muscles, says now, about two months kind of like a tearing feeling, a later, while standing near the burning sensation� McDonnell field before practice in the same said. “It would feel like that for white uniform he had worn three hours after I threw.� against Indiana State. “It feels McDonnell felt pain on the mound and it would linger long great so I’m happy.� Against Indiana State, after he walked off the field. So McDonnell went on to throw he took action and got an MRI. another three innings, tallying The MRI showed a tear in his six strikeouts — a career high ligament and after consulting — and picked up his fi rst win several doctors, McDonnell as an Illini. went ahead and had Tommy “To be able to strikeout John Surgery. In Ju ly the side was defi nitely a real of 2 010, big confidence McDonnell bo oster,� had surgery McDonnell at C arle said. Foundation McDon nel l Hospita l i n grew up with Urba na. He th ree older was nervous brothers in b eforeh a nd , worrying about Barrington, wh at c ou ld Ill., and ROB MCDONNELL go w rong. remembers ILLINI PITCHER But after always being the surgery, the smallest when the boys he was his played baseball in the backyard. normal, goofy self. When he was 9, McDonnell got “After the surgery I woke up his fi rst chance on the mound and my mom was right there,� in little league and has pitched McDonnell said. “The nurse ever since. McDonnell kept was wrapping my arm and she growing and reached 6-foot-2, goes, ‘Is it too tight?’ And I said, a height that now makes him ‘Yeah, because my guns are too BY NICHOLAS FORTIN STAFF WRITER
“To be able to strikeout the side was definitely a real big confidence booster.�
BRIAN YU THE DAILY ILLINI
Pitcher Rob McDonnell winds up for a pitch during the game against Nebraska, March 23. The Illini won the first game 8-7 but lost the second game 6-4. big.’ And the nurse looked at me and my mom like, ‘Yeah, he’s fi ne.’� McDonnell was put on a rehab schedule and was a medical redshirt his freshman year at Illinois in 2011. Initially, McDonnell could only participate in the team’s conditioning workouts. Soon he was lifting with the team and not long after that he began working on baseball-specific workouts with the Illini trainer. The fi rst step in McDonnell’s recovery was working with resistance bands. “We use a band to simulate the throwing motion and get the muscles back to work,� McDonnell said. Next came playing catch with a tennis ball, which McDonnell was doing by January of that year. The fi nal major jump in his rehab was successfully swapping the tennis ball for a baseball. At fi rst it was just a few throws back and forth. Those few tosses turned to catch and by the end of the season
It was unseasonably cold and cloudy for the fi rst day of May as the Illinois softball team’s bus traveled north on Interstate 57 to O’Hare International Airport. The team was travelling to University Park, Pa., to play Penn State in a three-game weekend series. Although she has been well traveled during her time at Illinois, this trip to Nittany Lion Softball Park was one senior Alex Booker had never taken before. It was the fi rst time the Illini had played at Penn State during Booker’s four years. It was the last regular season Big Ten series of her collegiate career. At that moment, it hadn’t hit her yet. As the bus moved through the barren cornfields of central Illinois, she passed the time by working on an end-of-career project for her mother, but her mind was set on getting the wins the team needed before the Big Ten tournament. Maybe in the future she will think about it being the last time she played. But as the landscape flew by the window, she was just grateful for the opportunity to play the sport that she loves. *** By kindergarten, Booker had already played every sport from ballet to ice-skating. She and her brother were always active and busy as kids. One of the sports she played was baseball. She played in an all-boy’s baseball league with her brother. Although Booker rarely hit the ball, she reveled in the athleticism the sport demanded. She remembers one hit in particular when she flew around the bases for a triple. Booker thought it was fun to play with the boys. She was proud of being one of two girls in a league of boys. She remembered playing with her neighbor, Scott Heelan, who is now the catcher for the Northwestern baseball team. The grind of baseball was something that she was able to deal with, just like one of the boys. Then in fi fth grade, much to Booker’s dismay, her mother told her she had to switch to softball. Booker didn’t want to play with the girls. The way they pitched, it seemed the ball nearly reached the ceiling, and when it came down, they couldn’t hit it hard. It was a decision that was met with tears and arguing, hoping to change her mother’s decision. “She hated the fi rst year or two because she thought the girls couldn’t throw, run or catch,� recalls Terri Booker. “It took her two years until she turned around, and she fell in love with the sport.� When she did turn around, it was for good. Although at that time, she didn’t realize the significance of practice compared with the significance of a game. She couldn’t tell the difference between what a travel team or a recreational team was. It was one of three or four sports she played at that age. It was just another way for her to get out there and stay active. Now, she cherishes memories and the friendships made at the time because of the sport. Memories include the traditional walk over to the park to play softball and the trip to the nearby Culvers
McDonnell was pitching in the bullpen. In his redshirt freshman season McDonnell seemed poised to come out and play well for Illinois. Instead, injury struck again. After only two appearances and 11 1/3 innings, he was shut down for the season with forearm tightness again. McDonnell was forced to watch from the sideline once more. He came back in his sophomore season and made a start at Busch Stadium against Missouri before pulling himself out of the game with forearm soreness yet again. The injury wasn’t as bad as it had been his freshman year. McDonnell was back on the hill two weeks later; in a game against Michigan State. McDonnell came down on his shoulder hard after jumping to try to catch a ball and tag a runner. His shoulder was bruised and he was forced to
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afterward for postgame treats. Others include fighting to be on the “B� team, rather than the “A� team, just because she wanted to be on the team that one of her classmates was on. Softball was just one sport. Basketball was her dream. But as she kept growing, she would change. *** Booker was a three-sport athlete at Warren Township High School in Gurnee, Ill. She juggled the open gyms, tryouts, practices and games among volleyball, basketball and softball. She never had a day off, but she had been used to a busy schedule from a young age. She continued to impress on the softball diamond. She was one of three freshmen to make the varsity team. She had played with the same girls from a young age on her travel team. They were familiar with each other, which helped lead them to the success. She also played for the Lake County Liberty travel softball team, where, under the guidance of coach Mike Miguire, she started to bat from the left side and improved her slapping batting style. She also became a vocal leader during her later years, while also leading by example. She was motivated to win and knew she could not be stopped. “She was a very brash and confident player,� Miguire said. “She really believed in herself and she didn’t hide it. She was proud to say that she was the best there is.� Her confidence took a hit, however, during the fall of her junior year. It happened at a volleyball game at Stevenson High School. She had just played in the JV volleyball game and was warming up for the varsity game, a game she would not play in because she had missed the weekend before because of a softball recruiting camp. Booker was lined up at hitting lines with the rest of the team and wanted to show off in front of everyone. However, after spiking the volleyball, she landed on one foot and fell to the ground. Her friends said they heard the knee pop. Her head coach grabbed her by the back of the jersey and pulled her to the side of the court. The trainer examined her and said he was 99 percent sure of the injury: a torn ACL. “That’s when I knew it was the end of my year in sports,� Booker said. Booker’s mom, who attends all of Booker’s games, was not at the game at the request of her daughter. Once she got the call from a crying Booker, she rushed to the gym and took her daughter to the hospital, where the trainer’s assessment was confi rmed. During the recovery process, she had one surgery and two scopes to repair the ACL. She switched therapists after the fi rst therapy sessions were not as she had hoped. Her doctor referred her to Michael Kordecki, one of the top physical therapists in Illinois. The road to recovery was not easy, often spent screaming into a pillow in the private room and going in for checkups on Christmas and New Years Day. She lost her appetite because of the pain medication and looked like a different person. But the competitor in
SEE BOOKER | 4B
“She hated the first year or two because she thought the girls couldn’t throw, run or catch.� TERRI BOOKER
ALEX BOOKER’S MOM
MELISSA MCCABE THE DAILY ILLINI
Illinois’ Alex Booker prepares to throw the ball during the game against Nebraska on April 6. The Illini lost 12-3 in five innings.
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Wednesday, May 7, 2014
THE DAILY ILLINI | WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM
A leg-by-leg look at Illini relay team Exploring the roles of each member of the 4x100 meter men’s track relay team BY CHRISTOPHER KENNEDY STAFF WRITER
Julian Smith, Brandon Stryganek, Stephon Pamilton, and DJ Zahn form one of the Illini track team’s most formidable forces: the 4x100 meter relay team. The squad currently stands at No. 7 in the country, and has been near the top of the rankings all season long. The 4x100 team is an event the program has been able to pride itself on; Illinois has reached the NCAA Finals in the event every year since 2010. This foursome looks to continue that tradition. The same four runners, in the same order, have run in the relay since last year’s Drake Relays. Trust is integral to the event, with three blind hand-offs across 400 meters in less than 40 seconds. Last year, the 4x100 team had some early-season trouble trying to replace two graduated seniors. Now that the team is in their second year together, each of these four athletes knows his role and the group has come together to give Illinois one of the best 4x100’s in the country.
Leg 1: Julian Smith – ‘Mr. Dependable’ Head coach Mike Turk said Illinois’ 4x100 strategy over the years has been to get out fast. It’s no different this year, as the first two legs are loaded with the team’s top two 100-meter runners: Julian Smith and Brandon Stryganek. Turk remarked that Smith brings more than speed to the starting line; his consistency is what defines his leadoff leg. “We know exactly what we’ve got in that leg,” Turk said. “He’s just real steady in that first leg. He’s got a good start, he gets out well, runs the turn well, he’s just been a real calming steady influence leading that off.” The team’s consistent, cool-headed starter didn’t join the relay under calm circumstances. According to Smith, it was “crazy.” He had been running the anchor leg last year until Vanier Joseph, then the lead-off leg, suffered an injury. So Smith was thrown into the starting leg. “We just tried it one time and it was
like perfect, it was like harmony,” Smith said. “We haven’t switched the team since.” Smith didn’t always have the steadiness at the line that makes him such a strong starter these days. That came with experience. “I try to lead by example, so I try to keep it calm so everybody else can keep a calm manner,” Smith said. “Being a senior, I’m definitely experienced to the point where it’s just kind of like; I’m going to run what I’m going to run.” He also said that the continuity of racing with the same team every week has helped him to stay calm. It’s also helped the team improve as a unit. “The more races you have under your belt, the easier it is to stay calm, the easier it is to perform under pressure,” Smith said. “We all trust the person before us ... we have no doubts and we know that the person before you has your back and he’s not going to put you in a position to lose.”
Leg 2: Brandon Stryganek – ‘The Veteran’ The Illini want to get out fast, and they do that by running their best short-distance sprinter on the first straightaway. Junior Brandon Stryganek is Illinois’ top 100 meter runner. His mark of 10.29 seconds is the Illini’s best by 0.16 seconds. He has also been a member of the relay team since his freshman year. Turk says he “inherited” the second spot and he’s stayed there his entire career. Two years ago, Stryganek and Zahn were members of an AllAmerican 4x100 squad, along with national champion and Olympian Andrew Riley. Last year, Stryganek and Zahn were the two holdovers on the relay as various runners were shuffled around them. Even while Zahn was moved around, Stryganek stayed at his position, trying to open up a gap early in the race. “He does give us a bump on that second leg, being a real good 100 guy,” Turk said. Being on the relay for three years has garnered Stryganek valuable experience in the event and allowed him to deal with any surprises during the race. “We feel really good and really comfortable with him handling the stick ... making passes, making adjustments,” Turk said. Stryganek said that his strength
BRENTON TSE THE DAILY ILLINI
Illinois’ Julian Smith starts the 4x100 meter relay during the Illinois Twilight Track and Field meet at Illinois Soccer and Track Stadium on April 12. from running the 200 meters as well as the 100 helps to power him through his leg. “Running the backstretch is something I really enjoy. The straightaway’s a great place for me,” Stryganek said. “All of us are in the right place we need to be. My goal is always try to get it to Stephon, make it easier for Stephon to bring it home.”
Leg 3: Stephon Pamilton – ‘The Curve Runner’ While two short distance specialists lead things off, the second half of the relay belongs to 400-meter specialists Pamilton and Zahn. Pamilton has dominated the Big Ten in the 400, winning the last three conference titles in the event: 2013 indoor and outdoor, and 2014 indoor. Not only is Pamilton a top 400-runner, he also currently is the Illini’s top 200 runner. The curve is key in those two events, so it’s natural for Pamilton to run a key curve in the 4x100. “I absolutely love running the curve. I have no real reason why besides I’m short,” Pamilton said. Pamilton said running on the relay gives him a different mind-set that helps him to run faster in his other races. “In the 4x100, you don’t have time to sit and think and relax, so when I get into my other races and I get on that curve, it’s like: four-by-one mode,
don’t think 200, 400, think we’re on the curve, we got to run. Somebody’s going to catch me if I don’t,” Pamilton said. While the relay provides a different mindset for Pamilton than his usual events, he also enjoys running it because it reminds him that he has some speed to go with his endurance. That team, his team, is the supreme focus for Pamilton in the event. He said that he doesn’t really bring an individual strength to the relay, but rather the team is his strength. “My strengths rely on my team, it’s all about the racing and how we fit as a unit,” Pamilton said. “It allows me to be everything the team needs me to be.”
Leg 4: DJ Zahn – ‘Pac-Man’ DJ Zahn runs the Illini’s allimportant anchor leg. 4x100 strategy dictates that your anchor doesn’t have to be the fastest runner on the relay, but he has to be one of the most competitive and he has to like chasing people down. Zahn fits the bill. “He eats people up, he’s like Pacman,” Turk said. “He’s really kind of been amazing in the anchor leg, and I thought he ran well as an anchor last year. He’s kind of taken everything this year to a higher level.” Zahn said his teammates also talk about how he’s able to compete and close for the Illini on the final stretch. “They’ll make jokes about how I eat people up at the end of races, and I don’t
really plan on doing that all the time,” Zahn said. “Something just clicks and I’m there to make up a couple yards if I can in a race. It’s more instinctual.” Turk highlighted Zahn’s anchor leg at Drake Relays on April 26 as a display of his competitiveness. The team had fallen behind and Zahn had to chase down Baylor and Arkansas, two of the country’s top 4x100 teams. He missed catching Arkansas by hundredths of a second and the Illini took third in their fastest race of the season. “DJ has not got an open 100 meter time that would suggest he should run with a kid like the guy from Baylor,” Turk said of the Bears’ Trayvon Bromell. “There’s DJ right with him, step for step, and probably gained some ground on him.” Zahn was a member of the AllAmerican 4x100 squad with Stryganek two short years ago. Now, with two years together and the trust that comes along with that, this Illini squad is gearing up for similar success on the national stage. Zahn knows he’ll be able to keep closing things out for his teammates as the season heads towards a close. “No matter where we are in the race, as long as they trust me to do what I can do, hopefully they can trust me to close up the gap on everybody,” Zahn said. “I can go out there and just make anything happen.”
Chris can be reached at cmkenne2@dailyillini.com
Danielson family has high golf expectations BY DAN BERNSTEIN STAFF WRITER
PHOTO COURTESY OF DIVISION OF INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS
Illinois’ Charlie Danielson sinks a putt at the Big Ten Championships. Danielson tied for the individual Big Ten championship this weekend.
Illinois sophomore Charlie Danielson may be the best golfer in the Big Ten, but if you ask him, he won’t even say he’s the best golfer in his family. Most golfers would be satisfied winning one state championship. The Danielsons are a little different. The Danielson family won a combined 10 individual state championships in Wisconsin. Charlie won his first during his sophomore year in 2010 and added another in his senior season. His older sister, Lindsay, won four state titles and received a scholarship to play at Wisconsin. His younger sister, Casey, also won four state titles and is now a freshman playing for Stanford. “Casey’s got a lot of good golf in her,” Danielson said. “I would say her and I are pretty much neck-and-neck.” Despite their competitive nature, the three siblings all support each other as much as they can. Charlie, who won “only” two state titles in high school, calls himself Lindsay and Casey’s biggest fan. “I check Golfstat nonstop to see how they’re doing,” Charlie said. “It’s really fun to watch them have so much success.” Many of the golfers Charlie plays against now grew up in huge houses, belonged to country
clubs, and attended high schools with thousands of students. Charlie grew up in the small town of Osceola, Wis., a town on the border of Wisconsin and Minnesota, which is home to just over 2,500 people. “There is only one stoplight in my entire town,” Charlie said. “I live out in the country on a lake with one golf course called Krooked Kreek, which maxes out at around 6,300 yards. It’s a fun little course, but I definitely didn’t grow up with all of the same resources as some people do.” Charlie’s relatively humble background makes his golf career that much more unique. His dad, Craig, got into golf after graduating from Minnesota, and became a scratch golfer. His passion for the game rubbed off on his three kids. Craig encouraged his kids to play golf, but never pressured them. He would take Charlie, Lindsay and Casey out to Krooked Kreek multiple times per week when they were little, and even served as their personal caddy — carrying their bags while they ran from hole to hole competing against each other. Craig still gives Charlie some tips and advice to keep his confidence up. The word “supportive” seems to run throughout the Danielson family, which is part of the rea-
son Charlie chose to pursue his golf career at Illinois. There is no coach in the country who supports his players more than the Illinois head golf coach, Mike Small. “My relationship with Coach Small is awesome,” Charlie said. “We’re both upfront with each other and he helps me with anything I need help on. He’s an allaround coach. “He helps us out with our entire lives too. He’s somebody that we all look up to and see as a role model.” Charlie started playing golf at age 2, as soon as he was big enough to grip a driver. Now, he stands at a towering 6-foot-5 and can consistently drive the ball more than 300 yards. This weekend at the Big Ten Championships, his team finished second, but Charlie earned medalist honors, tying for first place in the individual competition. Standing on the par-5 18th tee box, Charlie held a one-stroke lead over Minnesota’s Jose Mendez. After pulling his tee shot, he was left with a tough second shot from a side-hill lie. He managed to hit his second shot 90 yards short of the green, leaving him with a short approach shot for his third. Charlie played solid golf all week, but his third shot on the 18th hole on Sunday is one he would like to have back.
“I shanked my next shot into the bunker,” Danielson said, “I hit my bunker shot to about 22 feet and two-putted for bogey.” A par on the hole would have won the individual title outright. Every golfer who has played the game competitively hits bad shots; Charlie understands this. While still tying for the Big Ten title, he is not yet satisfied with what he has achieved. “I’m proud of myself,” Charlie said. “It feels good, and I have come a long way. The whole experience of the last couple holes — dealing with my emotions, my nerves, and realizing where my mind was — will really make me a better player.” Last season, Charlie played his best golf in the NCAA tournament, and the Illini made an incredible run, finishing as national runner-up. Charlie finished as state runner-up his junior year in high school; he followed his runner-up finish with a championship the next year. Just as he was able to do so in high school, Charlie looks to turn a runner-up finish into a championship. He has one goal left for this season, “I want to be a national champion with my team.”
Dan can be reached at daberns2@dailyillini.com and @yaboybernie11.
Watch the Big Four play before tennis’ brightest stars fade MICHAL DWOJAK Assistant sports editor
W
henever I see a highlight of Michael Jordan making an amazing shot or finishing an impossible drive, I am overtaken by awe. But I also feel sadness. Although I was alive when Michael Jordan was in his prime, I was a toddler. I don’t remember any of the great moves he made, the shots he took, the way he made people feel. No, all I’m left with are highlight reels and my parents’ stories about how Chicago was a ghost town whenever the Bulls were playing. Everyone wanted to see Mike play. This is why it’s important to watch greatness when it is present. This is why it is important to watch tennis’ “Big Four” of Roger Federer, Rafael Nad-
al, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray. Each of these tennis stars has helped transform the game of tennis. No one has been able to challenge these four for titles and Grand Slams in recent years. All four have combined for 38 Grand Slam single titles and 211 titles, totaling more than $200 million in earnings. Roger Federer was the first to enter the world stage after capturing the 2003 Wimbledon title. He ruled the court and established himself as the world No. 1 at the beginning of the 2004. Nadal followed suit after winning the 2005 French Open. The two held the two tops spots in the ATP rankings for 211 consecutive weeks from July 2005 to August 2009. The two were practically certain to meet at every Grand Slam final. The 2008 Wimbledon Gentlemen’s final, in which Nadal beat Federer to end the latter’s fiveyear reign as Wimbledon Champion, is considered by many to
be the greatest tennis match to have ever been played. Since Djokovic began to challenge the two in 2007 and Murray came on the scene in 2009, the four have created a new “Golden Era” for the tennis world. Djokovic has taken the No. 1 ranking away from Federer and Nadal, while Murray has captured the heart of England with his wins of the gold medal in the 2012 London Olympics and the 2013 Wimbledon Final. This dominance has helped fans, and those who watch from time to time, to become familiar with the game. Tennis is the fourth-most watched sport in the world and is on the rise in the past years. But Father Time is catching up on the “Big Four.” Federer is past his prime and is falling in the rankings. Yes, he might still have a Grand Slam win left in him, but the end has already begun. Nadal is at the end of his prime and will begin to follow the route Federer has taken
PEDRO PORTAL MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE
Roger Federer returns a ball against Richard Gasquet at the Sony Open tennis tournament in Key Biscayne, Florida, on March 25. since 2010. The “Big Four” will begin to fall apart. It will turn to three, two, one and then none. It is important for not only tennis fans to take advantage, but sports fans in general. The time difference isn’t that great dur-
ing the French Open and Wimbledon, sit down when you wake up and turn on the TV to watch the great matches these players have to offer. When it’s time for the U.S. Open, there is no excuse not to watch. These four represent the
greatest tennis has ever had to offer, so sit down at watch them play.
Michal is a freshman in Media. He can be reached at dwojak2@dailyillini.com and @bennythebull94.
THE DAILY ILLINI | WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM
3B
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
OKC’s Durant wins NBA MVP award “Much respect to him, he deserves it,� James said. “He had a big-time MVP season.� Durant was a model of consistency this season, authoring a pair of 50-point games, including a career-best 54 against Golden State on January 17. The five-time All-Star eclipsed the 40-point plateau 14 times and had 17 contests with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds. The 6-foot-9 forward had a remarkable streak of 41 consecutive games scoring at least 25 points from January 7 through April 6, making it the longest run since Michael Jordan did it in 40 straight contests during the 1986-87 season. It was the thirdlongest single season streak in NBA history, behind Chamberlain, who did it in all 80 games during the 1961-62 season, and Oscar Robertson, who went for 25-plus in 46 straight games during the 1963-64 campaign. The NBA MVP trophy is named in honour of the late Maurice Podoloff, the fi rst commissioner of the NBA who served from 1946 until his retirement in 1963.
BY PAUL LEVINE MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE
LOS A NGELES — Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder is a runner-up no more on Tuesday after being named the NBA’s 2014 Most Valuable Player. Durant captured his fourth scoring title in five seasons, joining Wilt Chamberlain, George Gervin and Michael Jordan to accomplish the feat while taking the Thunder to an NBA secondbest 59-23 record. He became the fi rst player to win both the MVP and the scoring title in the same season since Philadelphia’s Allen Iverson in 2001. Durant, who averaged a career-best 32 points along with 7.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists, totaled 1,232 points, including 119 fi rst-place votes, from a panel of 124 media voters from across the United States and Canada. James, winner of four of the last five MVP awards, including the last two over Durant, fi nished second with 891 votes, including the other six fi rst-place votes. LA Clippers’ Blake Griffi n was third with 434 points.
HECTOR AMEZCUA MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE
The Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant (35) reacts to a foul call against the Sacramento Kings as Sacramento's Greivis Vasquez, middle, and Derrick Williams (13) look at the referee on Dec. 3, at Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento, Calif.
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604 W. Stoughton, U.
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For Info: (217) 344-3008 911 W. Springfield, Urbana www.BaileyApartments.com
AT WPGU.COM
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610 W. Stoughton, U.
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4B
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
THE DAILY ILLINI | WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM
NFL Draft doesn’t always reflect player potential ARYN BRAUN Sports columnist
T
he very first column I wrote for The Daily Illini was a countdown to the 2013 NFL Draft. And here we are, 18 months later, in my last hurrah as a sports columnist, talking about the same thing. But this time, I want to take a different approach; for the draftees, the draft doesn’t matter. The draft is an opportunity, a stepping-stone for rookie players looking to contribute, not the end-all, be-all of their professional football career. Sure, it determines how many millions of dollars — or not — a couple of 22-year-old kids will make in their debut year as professional athletes, but it doesn’t determine the future. Not all No. 1 picks are destined for greatness, and there have been a hell of a lot of guys snubbed in the draft that we now worship every Sunday in the fall. There are even guys projected to go in the top-5 that, come draft day, have to play the waiting game, as the pit in their
FROM 4B
PITCHER sit out again. At this point in his career McDonnell said he began to feel that nothing was going right but he didn’t let that stop him from being determined. “I definitely had that feeling,”
FROM 1B
FLETCHER “It’s been a good week,” Fletcher said. “I don’t know what else to say.” *** Fletcher grew up destined to play baseball at Illinois. His father, Darrin. and Darrin’s dad, Tom, both played ball at Illinois before reaching the majors. Darrin still holds Illinois’s record for batting average in a single season (.497) and in a career (.392). He knows a thing or two about the offensive side of the game and has taught Casey ever since he was little. The youngest Fletcher began playing baseball as soon as he could walk, and his family moved around with Darrin during his baseball career. The Fletchers lived as far as Montreal and Toronto, when Darrin played for the Expos and the Blue Jays. Through it all, Casey’s love for the game never wavered. “It’s just been one of those things, ever since I was younger I’ve wanted to play baseball and ever since I could walk I’ve been playing,” Fletcher said. “I’ve never stopped playing. I’ve always had a desire to play, and it’s carried me to where I’m at right now.” After Darrin’s MLB career ended in 2002, Casey and his family moved back to Illinois full-time. Tee ball in Toronto eventually became high school baseball at Oakwood High School in Oakwood, Ill., where Fletcher really began to shine. His junior year, he compiled a 9-2 record, 2.02 ERA and 93 strikeouts to go along with a .516 batting average and the 2010 Danville CommercialNews Baseball Player of the Year. His senior year, Fletcher won an additional four games on the mound, batted .450 and had a chance to walk on to the Illini as a freshman. After talking with head coach Dan Hartleb and his staff, Fletcher chose to go to Kankakee Community College for two years instead. Hartleb encouraged Fletcher to go to junior college and get
FROM 1B
BOOKER her wouldn’t let her quit. “It was a lot for her to overcome that kind of challenge and so it takes a certain type of athlete to not get discouraged, to continue physical therapy, to go through all the sessions,” said Carri McGahan, Booker’s high school softball coach. “She was relentless at every conditioning session she could come to. A true leader is able to not step down from these types of challenges.” The injury would not only cost her a starting spot on the basketball team her junior year, but also the interest of many schools in terms of softball. One school stood with her through it all: Illinois. She committed to Illinois in the spring of 2009, her junior year, when she would return to the softball team. Booker helped lead Warren to a 28-8 record her senior season, the best in school history at the time. They would lose in the playoffs, but Booker left Warren holding eight school records. For
stomach grows bigger with each time Roger Goodell fails to call their name. Case study: Aaron Rodgers. It was widely suspected that Rodgers would be picked No. 1 by his beloved 49ers, but San Francisco decided to go with Alex Smith, and Rodgers fell to the Green Bay Packers at No. 24. One league MVP, three Pro Bowls and a Super Bowl championship later, it seemed to work out for him, don’t you think? Malcolm Smith was the MVP of Super Bowl XLVIII this past February. Who the heck is Malcolm Smith? A seventh-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. No. 242 to be precise. Tom Brady is the NFL’s golden boy. Rarely throws an interception, textbook technique, calm under pressure, loved by Bill Belichick and envied by all. The Patriots picked up Brady in the sixth-round of the 2000 NFL Draft, at No. 199. What. A. Steal. We waste so much time with mock drafts and possible player combinations that we lose sight of what the draft really means for the NFL. It is an opportunity for teams to develop talent. Not every player will go pro and contribute right away, but
that doesn’t mean spending time nurturing potential is all for naught. If an athlete has the physical strength, stamina and talent to go up against the best football players in the world right out of college, more power to him. But where a player is picked in the draft has no bearing on how he will actually perform. The draft is an estimate, a gamble that NFL owners and managers are willing to make to better their teams. Sometimes it works; take Cam Newton, Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning or Bo Jackson. Sometimes it doesn’t; think JaMarcus Russell, David Carr and Tim Couch. The 2014 NFL Draft is one day away. Teams have one day to figure out which kid to bet their future on. But while everyone, including myself, is focused on Johnny Manziel and his quest for the No. 1 pick, there are plenty like Tom Brady and Malcolm Smith just hoping to get a chance. Tomorrow, the sun will set in New York City and NFL hopefuls from around the country will gather at Radio City Music Hall to wait for their name to be
McDonnell said. “I love this game, and I couldn’t imagine not going out here and being with the guys.” After his sophomore season McDonnell pitched for the Lombard Orioles, a team in the Chicago Suburban League. He threw more than 50 innings without any injuries. “Every time I started to throw more than five innings, I was
DANIEL WALLACE TAMPA BAY TIMES
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) drops back for a pass during the second quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on September 22, 2013. called. And some will keep waiting. Aaron Rodgers had to wait three years behind Brett Favre in the Packers’ rotation.
The draft doesn’t matter. It’s fun, yes, but it’s also superficial and monetarily based. Hard work matters, and that comes after.
Aryn is a senior in LAS. She can be reached at braun17@dailyillini.com. Follow her on Twitter @arynbraun.
always afraid that my arm might give out a little bit,” McDonnell said. “But over the summer it was fine. It was healthy. My arm felt perfect.” He entered his junior year this spring and was able to transfer his success in Lombard to the Illini. This season, McDonnell has picked up all four of his career wins, and has already
struck out more batters, 28, than in his two prior seasons combined. “I love him as a pitcher,” Illinois pitching coach Drew Dickinson said. “He has the best changeup on the team. He knows, and we all know that when he throws strikes with his fastball, he’s near un-hittable because the changeup is so good.”
Illinois’ head coach Dan Hartleb had similar praise for McDonnell. “I think he has the capability to be a dominant pitcher,” Hartleb said. Hartleb added that after working for so long to be mentally 100 percent after all his injuries, McDonnell is now working towards becoming a
consistently dominant pitcher. For McDonnell, all he really wants to do is help his team win now that he’s finally healthy. “This is the best my arm’s felt since high school,” McDonnell said. “It’s great.”
stronger, get a couple hundred at-bats, and knock out his prerequisites. In his two years at Kankakee, Fletcher developed into a consistent hitter, tallying 127 RBIs in two seasons. Fletcher came to Illinois prior to his junior season and both his father and grandfather couldn’t have been happier about it. “The decision was on my own,” Fletcher said. “It’s what I wanted to do. It was never them pushing me to go here. They love the fact that I wanted to come here, but it was never like I was forced to come this way.” *** Before Fletcher’s first at-bat Wednesday, he walked over to his dad, who had been sitting near the dugout — not standing in his usual spot behind the Illinois Field bleachers — to get out of the cold, and jokingly told Darrin that he was going to “hit one out of here.” The elder Fletcher watched Casey get jammed on an inside pitch and dribble a grounder to Southern Illinois’ third baseman. After the at-bat, Darrin had a few words for his son. He said he has been telling Fletcher for years to take some chances at the plate. Fletcher listened to his father and coaches’ advice to open up the barrel of the bat, and he swung for the fences next time up to bat on that windy Wednesday. “I’ve always thought that he’s had enough strength, especially here, that he could maybe hit some balls in the gap or a ball off the wall or maybe even a ball over the fence,” Darrin Fletcher said. Fletcher got his chance in the third inning with a 1-1 count. With the wind blowing out to right centerfield, he got ahold of the third pitch and drove it to deep right center. The ball cleared the wall for his second home run of the year and Fletcher trotted around the bases unaware that he had just begun the greatest week of his baseball life. In the bottom of the sixth Fletcher got his third at-bat and smacked another solo home run out of the park, this time almost directly over the Big Ten sticker on the right field fence.
Fletcher did it again in the bottom of the seventh, but this time he drove in an additional two runners. With runners on first and second, Fletcher swung and belted another pitch to right field for his third home run of the game. After Wednesday’s game Fletcher didn’t overcomplicate what he thought of his offensive performance. “I got pitches that I could pull
aluminum bat back and forth on his shoulder. He stares out at the batters box where the Illini’s junior second baseman Reid Roper is batting. The third pitch hits Roper who jogs to first and loads the bases with two outs in the inning. The PA announcer says, “Now batting for the Illini, Casey Fletcher,” as the Diplo remix of “Drunk in Love” by Beyonce resonates through the speakers. The crowd cheers after hearing his name. Fletcher steps into batters box. His walkup music stops and the crowd goes all but quiet. The Illini fans know what’s on the line in this at-bat and so does Fletcher. With two outs Fletcher can either win the game for Illinois or the teams will move to the 11th. With the winning run 90 feet away, Fletcher thinks to himself that if there’s a fastball anywhere near the plate, he’ll try to put a good swing on it. Michigan State pitcher Jeff Kinley looks to his catcher for the signal. As he gets ready to throw, the Illini runners begin to move. Kinley hurls the pitch Fletcher was looking for, a fastball over the plate. Fletcher swings. The ball pings as it leaves Fletcher’s bat. It’s a hard-hit grounder near the foul line that passes the outstretched glove of a diving third baseman and heads into the outfield. At third base, Will Krug looks back at the ball to make sure it gets by the third baseman, then runs down the line and touches home, giving Illinois a 5-4 win. The crowd is quiet for another half second before erupting into cheers. Screams and woos resonate from Illinois Field as Fletcher runs to first base holding a triumphant fist in the air as he does. Once at first, Fletcher backpedals away from the base, spins and throws his helmet into the air in excitement. He yells, “Lets go!” before being engulfed by teammates. “I’ve never had a walk-off hit like that,” Fletcher said after Saturday’s game. “So it feels very rewarding.” When asked whether he
values the walk-off or the home runs more, Fletcher’s answer comes almost immediately. “The home runs didn’t mean anything if we didn’t come out with a win,” Fletcher said. “That’s why we play the game, to win. Individual accolades are awesome, but it doesn’t mean anything if we don’t come out with a win.” In post game interviews Hartleb alters his statement from Wednesday. “It’s Casey Fletcher week,” he says. *** After Saturday’s game, senior reliever Ronnie Muck said if he were pitching against Fletcher he wouldn’t give him anything
fans in attendance readied themselves to see what would happen next. Kinley, the Spartan’s relief pitcher who had surrendered the walk-off the day before, was on the mound again. With Reid Roper on second and Matthew James on third, Fletcher stepped to the plate with a chance to win the game. “Yeah, I could hear everyone,” Fletcher said. “I started to get a little anxious. I was coming up and I was like, ‘Crap, I’ve got to get a hit here again.’ I started to get a little jitters and then once I stepped in the box I was ready to go.” Fletcher stood in the box, rocking the bat back and forth in the air, listening to the low hum of the crowd talking about the possibility of another Fletcher walk-off. Michigan State’s left-hander lifted his right leg and threw a first-pitch fastball over the plate. Fletcher swung just as he had done the day before and lined the ball toward the gap between the center fielder and the left fielder. There was no delay in the cheers from the crowd on Sunday. Almost immediately everyone knew what Fletcher had accomplished. James scored standing up and Roper followed close behind him, sliding across the plate to give the Illini a 10-9 win and the series sweep. Fletcher ran to first base with arms outstretched. After taking several steps towards second base Fletcher threw his helmet in the air as he had done the day before and was surrounded by teammates. “I’m just ecstatic right now,” Fletcher said. “It’s unbelievable. Especially to get the sweep against Michigan State, it’s a great feeling.” Fletcher said before letting out a sigh of relief. “Another day.” Looking back at Fletcher’s accomplishments, Hartleb again had to amend his statement from Wednesday. “I hope it’s Casey Fletcher month,” Hartleb said.
the Liberty, she would leave with six team records, having led the team to the ASA/USA 18U Class A Nationals in 2008 and 2009. Booker was ready for the challenge of the Big Ten. *** “I can’t lie, it would have been amazing to be drafted tonight. But tonight just fuels me to ball out way harder the rest of my last season!” That was the tweet Booker sent out on March 31, the night of the National Pro Fastpitch Draft. She was on her Twitter timeline watching players be drafted by teams all the way to the end. By the time the draft was over, Booker had not read her name. “It was kind of disappointing,” Booker said. “It would have been nice (to be drafted), but at the same time, there’s work that’s got to be done at the end of the day.” On the field, she became wellacquainted splitting time as a pinch runner, right fielder and center fielder. Over her time as an Illini, she matured both as a person and a
Booker’s name can be read in player, according to Illinois head coach Terri Sullivan. Yes, Book- four all-time lists for the Illier still trash talks with the best nois softball program. She has of them and gets in the heads of played in 193 games, earned Allthe opponents, but diving catch Big Ten Second Team, Big Ten after diving catch demonstrates All-Defensive Team and Big Ten that she plays to win. Player of the Week. This sea“She’s just son, she hit for such a competthe first cycle in itor, and it’s a program histoplayer like that ry. She will you want on graduate in a your team,” Sulfew weeks with livan said. “She a degree in Rechas all the seeds reation, Sport needed to comand Tourism. pete at this level But all of this and intangibles is nothing in you don’t see in comparison to ALEX BOOKER every kid.” the leadership SOFTBALL SENIOR Her senior she provides year has been the team. She a rollercoaster. le ad s b ot h The Illini started with a prom- vocally and by example. She ising 18-6 record heading into talks to people individually and Big Ten play. The team has been exemplifies how the game should 9-19 since then, but Booker man- be played. aged to find a bright spot, as she “Booker has been a great usually does. In the last home leader for us. As a freshman, I series of her career, the Illini look up to her just as a player,” shocked No. 4 Michigan 10-2, a outfielder Nicole Evans said. great way to end her career at “She has a lot of pride in our Eichelberger Field. team and she has a lot of pride
in our school.” Come fall, she will travel to Commerce, Texas, where she will be a graduate assistant for Texas A&M-Commerce. It is there that she hopes to gain the experience she needs to one day be a softball coach at a Division I school. But before she moves to Texas, she will get one final opportunity to enjoy the game as a player. On May 25, she will try out for the Chicago Bandits, the team she will be interning with this summer, hoping to walk on to the team. She will bring friends along and show the Bandits why they need a player such as her. She is confident — as she has been throughout her life — that with the hard work and hustle she has built herself upon, she will have a chance to make the team. “I can’t leave the game of softball. I’m in love with it,” Booker said. “This is my passion and my way of life.” *** It was warm and sunny as the Illini team bus traveled south on Interstate 57. Its destination was Champaign, but the team’s arrival was a day late due to flight
“I guess it’s Casey Fletcher Day at the ballpark. He had a great day ... I thought he took very good swings.” DAN HARTLEB BASEBALL HEAD COACH
and just hit it out,” Fletcher said. Hartleb gave Wednesday’s game a special name because of Fletcher’s play. “I guess it’s Casey Fletcher Day at the ballpark,” Hartleb said. “He had a great day. I thought he took very good swings.” *** Fletcher doesn’t know how many more at-bats he’ll have as an Illini, so he’s trying to make the most of them. That’s what keeps him going, not following in his father’s or grandfather’s footsteps, but taking advantage of his opportunities. “ I ’m ju st t a k i ng in everything,” Fletcher said. “I’m taking in every at-bat that I get because you never know when it’s going to be your last.” It’s Saturday and Fletcher is at the plate in the bottom of the 10th inning. He’s already hit two more home runs, both solo shots, bringing his total for the week to five. Fletcher stands in the on deck circle rocking the
“I can’t leave the game of softball. I’m in love with it. This is my passion and my way of life.”
“I’ve never had a walk-off hit like that. “So it feels very rewarding.” CASEY FLETCHER ILLINI OUTFIELDER
to hit. “I’d probably walk him,” Muck said. “Or hit him. I definitely wouldn’t pitch to him.” After starting Sunday 1-for4 with two strikeouts and an inning-ending double play, Fletcher said he was down on himself. “I had a base hit, but it was a little bit of a rough start for me today,” Fletcher said of his play offensively before his fifth and final at bat of the day. With two outs and two runners on, the Illini down 9-8 in the bottom of the ninth, Fletcher stepped to the plate with a chance to cap off his week by playing the hero one last time. The PA announcer introduced Fletcher and his name was met with some of the loudest cheers on the weekend as the 2,022
Nicholas can be reached at fortin2@dailyillini.com and @IlliniSportsGuy.
Nicholas can be reached at fortin2@dailyillini.com and @IlliniSportsGuy. complications the day before. The team returned from a threegame weekend sweep of Penn State, the Illini’s first Big Ten series win of the season. As the bus passed farm after farm, Alex Booker finished her end of career project for her mother: a DVD with career highlights and pictures and a scrapbook of newspaper clippings she’d been collecting during her four years at Illinois. The feeling on the bus for her is different this time, though. Although her bus rides as a player are winding down, the trips from campus to campus will never stop as she starts her collegiate coaching career. What has changed is her realization of the end. She is happy to have won the last regular season series of her career but is fearful that any day could be the last day she plays the sport she has fallen in love with, the sport she once argued she didn’t want to play.
Michal can be reached at dwojak2@dailyillini.com and @bennythebull94.