TheUSDVISTA
Volume 57 Issue 5
Thursday, October 10, 2019
On Newsstands Weekly
◆ The Official Student Newspaper of the University of San Diego since 1968 ◆
Defensive dominance
USD racks up four straight interceptions in 31-7 win over Marist
Daniel Tolbert (#22) , David Tolbert (#25), and Cassius Johnson (not pictured) combined for four straight interceptions in the second half of USD’s PFL opener last Saturday. Photo courtesy of Thomas Christensen
Anderson Haigler Associate Editor University of San Diego football’s Homecoming game against Marist College featured plenty of festivities. Between the pregame pyrotechnics at midfield, the Torero-blue smoke that accompanied the team into the stadium, and a hearty amount of alumni there to tailgate and cheer them on, there was no shortage of excitement in Alcalá Park last Saturday afternoon as the Toreros
opened up Pioneer Football League (PFL) play. When the real fireworks began, however, was when the USD defense locked things down late in the game as they attempted to protect their 21-7 lead over the Red Foxes. With about eight minutes to play in the third quarter, senior safety Daniel Tolbert intercepted a pass from Marist quarterback Austin Day. Then, on the following drive, junior cornerback Cassius Johnson picked him off again. A
couple minutes later, Johnson had himself another interception, this time snatching Day’s pass out of the Saturday-afternoon sky at the Marist 39-yard line. The Torero defense, though, wasn’t done yet. Johnson, who confirmed after the game that he is, in fact, named after the legendary boxer Cassius Clay (Muhammed Ali), described his and his teammates’ mindset in the midst of a frenzy of turnovers. “We were calling out the other (defensive backs) who hadn’t
gotten any picks yet,” Johnson said. “We were like ‘it’s your turn now, its your turn, we all have to get one.’” Thus, fueled by perhaps a bit of brotherly and teammate rivalry, senior cornerback David Tolbert — twin brother of Daniel Tolbert — knew he had to “get his,” so to speak. And as the fourth quarter wound down, he did just that, intercepting the beleaguered Day’s final pass of the day for a thrilling pick-six,
See Football, Page 14
Call for ASG transparency Luke Garrett News Editor Senior Tyler Arden called for greater transparency from his student government this past Thursday and was met with silence from the Associated Students Government (ASG) senate. Arden appeared before the elected leaders during final business and aired his grievance concerning, what he called, a lack of transparency. Some elected student leaders nodded as he was speaking, although silence followed his statement until the Speaker of the Senate Carolina Moreno Armenta called on a senator. During his statement, Arden voiced concerns about ASG’s lack of transparency regarding senate meetings. “My public statement is to call for greater transparency and posting meeting agendas and meeting times in advance just to ensure students have the opportunity to express their voice,” Arden said. Inconsistencies in ASG meeting scheduling began on Sept. 19 when the student government canceled the first scheduled meeting “last minute” according to Public Relations Chair Danny Rodriguez. The reason for the cancellation was not given by ASG student officials. According to ASG bylaws, the
See ASG, Page 2
Death and injury caused by e-cigarettes Government officials struggle to respond to the harm caused by vaping devices
Althea Ulin Asst. News Editor Celina Tebor Managing Editor Though small electronic cigarettes may seem harmless, their effects have caused death and injury in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1,080 confirmed cases of illness occurred due to vaping in 46 states and 18 deaths as of Oct. 1. University of San Diego sophomore Thomas Gnesda spoke to his experience with nicotine. Gnesda previously smoked cigarettes and chewed tobacco, but switched to e-cigarettes for their relative health benefits up until recently. “I quit everything,” Gnesda said. “Really, smoking anything isn’t good for you. And there’s
Campus Update
See News, page 2
studies coming out that are saying that. It’s just coating the inside of your lungs with … I don’t know all actual the details … but it was enough to make me be like, ‘you know, I really don’t need this and it’s expensive.’” Vaping hysteria E-cigarettes, mainly Juuls, have been under fire this year for their increasingly-complicated relationship with the health crisis of young Americans. Though vaping comes in many forms with different brands, vaporizing models, and pod/juice options, Juul dominates the market with 75 percent of sales. The recent hysteria surrounding vaping has come following these staggering statistics on the mysterious vaping illness. Federal, state, and local governments have already begun to instate legislation against the vaping industry in attempts to
See Vaping, Page 3
Presidential age limit See Opinion, page 4-5
E-cigarettes and vaping devices are linked to more than 1,000 deaths and injuries across 46 states, according to CDCP. Photo courtesy of Vaping360/Flickr
Homecoming in review See Feature, pages 8-9
Bryce Vine visits USD
See A&C, page 10-11
WWW.UOFSDMEDIA.COM ◆ @THEUSDVISTA
Lawrence in Japan See Sports, page 15-16
2
The USD Vista
◆
October 10, 2019
NEWS
Campus Update
Suspicious person on campus
ASG senate overview
A suspicious man, estimated to be 40, ran around campus Oct. 2 asking for women’s social media information, according to USD DPS. Public Safety received reports of suspicious activity at 5:25 p.m. outside of the Pardee Legal Research Center (PLRC), known by undergraduates as the Law Library, although it is unclear if this is the only location of the man’s activity. The subject fled the scene before USD DPS arrived, but Public Safety is working to ensure the subject does not return to campus in the future. No crime was committed, but Public Safety found it appropriate to report suspicious activity, according to the campus-advisory email. According to Public Safety, the subject was described as a Hispanic 40-year-old man wearing a grey shirt and dark basketball shorts and drove a green Ford Escape with the license plate number 7TYW797. USD DPS requested university members to call its emergency number at (619) 260-2222 if the individual’s car is seen.
Confirmations Associated Student Government (ASG) Speaker of the Senate Carolina Moreno Armenta presented Daniella Walter, Jesse Magaña, and Mary-Logan Miske as committee chair appointees of Academics; Inclusion, Diversity and Equity; and Wellness. The senate confirmed them all without individual discussion. Following Magaña’s appointment, he presented three initiatives he hopes to complete this year: improving retention rates of minority groups on campus, better gluten-free options at the Student Life Pavilion (SLP), and increased cooperation between student organizations on campus. Following these confirmations, another four were made to new student organizations: Association of Chicanx Activists (A.Ch.A), Guerilla Service Club, Blended, and Genetic Counseling Students Interest Group. A.Ch.A was active on campus three years ago, according to the Chair of Student Organization Fanisee Bias. The group’s aim is to “empower Chicanx/Latinx students in higher education,” according to their mission statement. The Guerilla Service Club hopes to “host speakers at club meetings, attend protests, and host volunteer opportunities,” their mission statement said. The third new organization, Blended, started as a bi-racial club, but has developed into an organization that works on “creating community just beyond identities.” The final new organization is intent on bringing together those students interested in Genetic Counseling, a new and developing branch within healthcare. All other returning student organizations that completed the student organization training were also confirmed.
Mata’yuum dedication ceremony The funding of a Mata’yuum ceremony was added to Thursday’s agenda early on in the meeting. Mata’yuum Crossroads, formerly named Missions Crossroads, is the first building on campus to hold a Kumeyaay name, meaning “gathering place.” The name change honors USD’s location on originally Kumeyaay land, according to USD officials. The subject reported to be suspicious by USD DPS and his green Ford Escape, outside the PLRC. Senator Rhonda Papp and a member of the American Indian Student Organization Photo courtesy of USD DPS (AISO) presented the ceremony to the senate, and initially requested $661 of funding to the commemoration event that is set to include bird singers, games, and food. ASG President Marion Chavarria Rivera agreed to fund the entire event from her Two teenagers were targeted in a drive-by shooting on Oct. 3 in Linda Vista, presidential budget if the senate did not, but encouraged senators to fund the $661, if according to the San Diego Police Department (SDPD). not the entire event at $1,322. A bullet grazed an 18-year-old man’s stomach, who was taken to a local hospital for Upon the request, Associate Director of Student Activities and Involvement non-life-threatening injuries, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. The teenage Manda Sayegh reminded the ASG senate that Student Government Budget Committee girl he was with did not suffer injury from the drive-by. (ASGBC) has $1oo,ooo reserved for student organization event funding, while the Officers received reports of the shooting around 12:30 p.m. Thursday and heard six senate itself only has $10,000 in event spending. shots fired. The shooting occurred at the intersection of Ulrich and Morley streets near Rivera then clarified that this event could not be funded through ASGBC because a strip of grass that runs along Morley Street — six blocks away from the USD campus. the event would be run by ASG, not the student organization partner AISO. Students, faculty, and staff received a push notification from USD’s Department of “AISO worked very hard last year to get this name change to happen last year and Public Safety (DPS) around 35 minutes after SDPD tweeted their investigation of the ASG played an integral role in that,” Rivera said. “It would be really great if the entire incident and advisement that San Diegans should avoid the area. ASG team supported AISO in this event.” The email and text notification assured those at the University of San Diego, “No The senate then motioned to fund $1,000 to the event — 10 percent of their senate danger reported to USD campus,” and echoed SDPD’s message to avoid the area. funding — leaving $322 to be funded by Rivera’s budget. The Mata’yuum Crossroads San Diego police reported that the 18-year-old man injured in the incident refused Dedication ceremony is set for 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday, Oct. 14. to cooperate with officers when questioned about the event, The San Diego Union Tribune said. The incident is being investigated by the San Diego Police Department’s Special Operations unit.
Linda Vista drive-by shooting
Luke Garrett/ News Editor/ The USD Vista
ASG oversees $1.5 million
Student questions the transparency of ASG members after senate meeting isn’t posted ASG from Page 1
student government must meet within the month of September. ASG did meet within the month on Sept. 26, but failed to list the first meeting on their website, which lists the first senate meeting as Oct. 3. An Instagram post was made on Sept. 25 announcing the first Sept. 26 senate meeting, but the post received around 530 views — less than a tenth of the student population. ASG senate meetings are livestreamed through their Instagram account, new to this year, but it is difficult for viewers to hear, as there is only one microphone and heavy background noise. The meetings are not archived, meaning students cannot see the
meetings after they occur. Arden also spoke to ASG’s responsibility in overseeing a yearly budget of over $1.5 million. “You are stewards of the student activity fee and especially given that the body elected to increase that,” Arden concluded. Each undergraduate student pays $121 to ASG in a tuition activity fee each year that pays ASG senators to delegate the over $1.5 million budget. The current ASG budget is not published for student view and only the financial records from years past are on the ASG’s website. After the meeting, ASG President Rivera declined to take an interview with The USD Vista for a second week in a row.
Speaker of the Senate Carolina Moreno Armenta addresses the ASG senate in Solomon Hall.
Tanner Claudio / The USD Vista
Volume 57 Issue 5
◆
NEWS
◆
The USD Vista
Juul under investigation
3
Close to 30 percent of high school and college students vape, federal survey reports Vaping from Page 1
make such devices more difficult to obtain, most notably by high school students. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has already been investigating the role of social media influencers and other marketing tactics as a means to reach minors. Juul Labs Inc.’s first advertisement campaign in 2015, titled “Vaporized,” claimed to make vaping cool for 20- and 30-year-olds, but is marked as kickstarting the appeal of the company to a younger audience. According to a recent federal survey, 28 percent of high school students said they had used an e-cigarette device in the past 30 days, which is an increase of 21 percent from 2018. According to the survey, almost 30 percent of college students have used similar nicotine products. This aligns with research published in The Journal of Adolescent Health saying that a quarter of Twitter users that retweeted tweets from the official @Juulvapor account were under the age of 18. Gnesda also made similar conclusions. “I feel like it’s affecting younger and younger kids more than anything,” said Gnesda. “I have friends with brothers and sisters who are like 14, 15, and vaping Juul pods.” As disclosed by The Wall Street Journal, federal prosecutors and district attorneys in California are gearing up a criminal probe, though the specific charges have not been disclosed. From what has been made public, the charges will look at advertising techniques targeting illicit consumer bases as well as the nicotine content in the pods and refills. Massachusetts Governor
Charlie Baker declared a statewide health state of emergency banning the sale of e-cigarette products for the next four months. North Carolina filed a civil lawsuit against Juul in May, accusing the company of advertisements targeting minors and undermining the strength of their products and health risks that their products present. California will be the first state to seek criminal prosecution against Juul. Juul is not just under investigation for its potential foul play in marketing, but also for false advertisement surrounding its health risks. Included in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) report submitted to a House of Representatives subcommittee this summer, a representative of Juul claimed in a presentation with students that Juuls are “totally safe,” and even recommended to a student that the student “should mention Juul to his (nicotine addicted) friend because that’s a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes, and it would be safer for the kid to use.” A portion of the FDA report concerning Juul’s alleged false advertising reads, “referring to your product as ‘99 percent safer’ than cigarettes, ‘much safer’ than cigarettes, ‘totally safe,’ and ‘a safer alternative than smoking cigarettes’ is particularly concerning because these statements were made directly to children in school. Our concern is amplified by the epidemic rate of increase in youth use of ENDS (Electronic Nicotine Delivery System) products, including Juul’s products, and evidence that ENDS products contribute to the youth use of, and addiction to, nicotine. To which youth are
Juul dominates the e-cigarette market. Their products make up 75 percent of all vaping devices sold. Photo courtesy of Vaping360/Flickr
especially vulnerable.” Many local governments have taken measures to ban flavored e-cigarettes due to the FDA’s finding that 81 percent of nicotine and tobacco users started with flavored product which makes up 80 percent of Juul sales. The FDA claimed that amidst its investigation, Juul had been uncooperative with the agency, withholding requested documents that had previously been produced for a congressional committee. Juul dominates the e-cigarette business, having been valued at $38 billion as a startup in 2018, a shift that is crumbling the profit of big-tobacco companies. The Juul cartridges are easily counterfeited, and many off-brand companies make Juul-compatible pods for much cheaper. In an FDA survey done of almost 10,000 high school students, over two thirds of Juul users claimed they started with a flavored pod that
Juul does not produce or sell. Prosecutors fear the prominence of the conterfiet cartridges while regulating the legal products. Until the e-cigarette black market is ended prosecutors fear regulation will do little. Bill Loucks, a co-founder of TKO Products (a cartridge producer) said in an interview earlier this year with The Wall Street Journal, “the black market needs to be shut down and legal, safe products will protect the public.” Aside from the little regulation regarding the makeup of legal vape juice, the bootleg brands and distributors put all kinds of unstandardized chemicals into their flavors. These chemicals are known to cause suppressed immune responses and cell damage. Brands that claim they have stronger nicotine pods often use thickening oil used in THC cartridges that are known to cause
The number of lung injury cases reported to CDC as of Oct. 1, 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The USD Vista Kaia Hubbard - Editor in Chief Anderson Haigler - Associate Editor Celina Tebor - Managing Editor Amy Inkrott - Copy Editor Alee Pingol - Art Director Luke Garrett - News Editor Eric Boose - Opinion Editor
Catherine Silvey - Feature Editor Lizzy Jennings - Arts & Culture Editor Chris Spiering - Sports Editor Zoé Morales Martinez - Photo Editor Connor Buckley - Distribution Manager Molly Feeney - Social Media Manager Jake Schmid - Finance Manager
Editorial – 619.260.4584 Business – 619.260.4714 www.uofsdmedia.com / @TheUSDVista Razann Rizk - Advertising Manager Gina Lew - Student Media Advisor Marie Minnick - Operations Advisor
an unusual form of pneumonia, often associated with the growing vaping illness. This was originally thought to be a simple overdose of vitamin E in the thickening oils upon initial observation at the WakeMed Hospital in Raleigh, NC, but was found to not be the case in a similar Mayo Clinic study. Regardless of the allegations being made against Juul and the e-cigarette business, Juul has been preparing for an upcoming company expansion, recently issuing a convertible debt on $785 million to fund the expansion. The company has already raised $750 million of this debt in the past two months and expanded its original employee base of a couple hundred employees to a couple thousand pushing their products overseas into Europe and Asia, most notably to China, which is home the world’s largest tobacco marketplace.
Photo courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention The USD Vista publication is written and edited by USD students and funded by revenues generated by advertising and a student fee. Advertising material published is for information purposes only and is not to be construed as an expressed or implied endorsement or verification of such commercial venues by the staff or University. The USD Vista office is located on the fourth floor of the Student Life Pavilion in room 403B. All inquiries should be sent to: The USD Vista 5998 Alcala Park San Diego, CA 92110 Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of The USD Vista staff, the University of San Diego or of its student body. Letters to the Editor can be submitted to The USD Vista office. Letters should be limited to 300 words and must be signed. For identification purposes, USD identification numbers and writer’s year must be included in the letter. The USD Vista reserves the right to edit published letters. Any content sent to the editor will be considered for publication unless otherwise stated.
4
The USD Vista
◆
October 10, 2019
E DI TOR IA L
Too old for the Oval Office
Democratic primary race has raised questions of an age limit for presidents
Audrey Garrett/The USD Vista
Eric Boose Opinion Editor Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders was hospitalized on Oct. 1, and suspended all campaign appearances while he recovers from a procedure to correct blocked arteries following a heart attack, according to The New York Times. At 78-years-old, Sanders is the oldest candidate in the 2020 election, but fellow Democratic frontrunners Joe Biden (76) and Elizabeth Warren (70) are both in their 70s, as is their likely opponent, Donald Trump (73). With so many 70-year-olds hoping to sit in the Oval Office, the issue of age has become more prominent in this election than any in recent memory. Former Vice President Biden has already shown his age in the early Democratic debates. In July, a New York Times article characterized him as “slow off the mark,” and “uncertain how to counterpunch.” The article notes that members of Biden’s staff were concerned that he may not be “nimble enough” to handle the campaign trail, let alone the presidency. Essentially, Biden’s age and lackluster debate performances have raised questions of his mental fitness, and whether a 76-year-old is still sharp enough to handle one of the toughest jobs in the world. While questions about the mental fitness of candidates have lurked in the background of the Democratic primary race since July, Sanders’s hospitalization has raised questions about those same candidates’ physical fitness. In 2017, the average life expectancy for white men in the United States was 76.4 years according to The New York Times. Both Sanders and Biden would take the oath of office on the plus side of that number. On the other side of the ticket, questions about Trump’s
physical fitness are nothing new, considering the president’s publicly stated aversion to exercise. Trump would be 74 at inauguration if he were to win a second term. As Sanders and Biden have shown their age, the question of imposing an upper age limit on presidential candidates has been thrust into the debate surrounding the 2020 campaign. President Jimmy Carter, speaking only weeks before his
old. For context, only 11 percent of the American population is 70 or older. However, Ferguson’s objection is not to old people, per say, but to those who “insist on turning the peak of their career into a plateau.” For Ferguson, an age limit is necessary to maintain creative energy in the political system by injecting young blood with more up-to-date views and approaches to governing. If we are to oblige Carter and Ferguson and establish an age
“I hope there’s an age limit. If I were just 80-years-old, if I was 15 years younger, I don’t believe I could undertake the duties I experienced when I was president.” -President Jimmy Carter 95th birthday, publicly endorsed the idea of an age limit. “I hope there’s an age limit,” Carter said. “If I were just 80-years-old, if I was 15 years younger, I don’t believe I could undertake the duties I experienced when I was president.” Some of Carter’s concerns were proven fair by President Ronald Reagan, who left office at 77 years of age. In 2011, The Wall Street Journal’s White House correspondent revealed that some of Reagan’s aides considered invoking the 25th Amendment — allowing the Vice President to take over in the case of presidential incapacity — due to the deterioration of Reagan’s mental state. Five years after he left office, Reagan was found to have Alzheimer’s disease. While Carter’s concerns are those of fitness, especially mental sharpness and flexibility, there is another argument in favor of a presidential age limit. As The Atlantic’s Andrew Ferguson writes, the nation, and the Democratic party especially, is a gerontocracy — basically, a government by old people. The average age of Democratic House leadership is 72-years-
limit, the next step is to decide when someone is too old to run for president. For context, Ronald Reagan was the oldest president ever, leaving office at age 77. Trump holds the record for oldest president at the time of their first inauguration, at 70 years old. Everyone will have their own number in mind, with their own reasoning. One of those numbers is 65, as suggested by Caitlin Schnieder, of the progressive website Splinter. Now, you may look at 65 and think it is a perfectly reasonable age limit, or you may look at 65 and ask, why 65? If it seems like a completely arbitrary age, it is. This is one of the chief issues with trying to set an age limit. Inevitably, the limit will either be too high to have any real effect — an age like 75 — or low enough that it will eliminate an exceptionally fit elder statesman. Instead of looking at a candidate’s age, the solution should be to test their fitness, mental and physical. A presidential candidate should be able to demonstrate that they can handle the mental and physical burdens that they will face if elected. If they are unable
to do so, they should perhaps consider a different line of work. Until his recent hospitalization, Bernie Sanders was by all accounts more fit than the average 78-year-old. Reagan, despite being the oldest man to ever hold the office, is hailed by conservatives as one of the best presidents in history. Nelson Mandela was in his 70s during his time as President of South Africa, and Winston Churchill led Britain through World War II in his 70s. When weighing the possibility of an upper age limit, it is helpful to consider the logic behind the lower age limit. The authors of the Constitution favored older, more experienced gentlemen for positions of power. The value of life experience is the reasoning behind age minimums for both the Senate and the president. Wanting the Senate to be the more dignified of the two chambers of Congress, the framers made the minimum age for Senators 30, five more than that for Representatives. Likewise, the minimum age for president was set at 35 to guarantee the election of someone with enough experience to govern effectively. Essentially, an arbitrary age limit does not actually solve the problem at hand. The concern about Biden and Sanders is not their age, but their mental and physical fitness, respectively. This concern is not only valid, but worth addressing. The presidency is one of the most mentally taxing, if not physically taxing, jobs in the world, and as President Carter said, it is not guaranteed that someone nearing their 80s could handle those demands. There is one complication with requiring presidential candidates to undergo mental and physical evaluation. It is, in fact, a complication with changing any of the requirements for presidential
candidates. The rules about who can be president are established by the Constitution, which is a difficult document to change quickly. In order to amend the Constitution, an amendment must first be proposed, which most commonly occurs via an act of Congress. If the proposed amendment is approved by twothirds of both the House and the Senate, it must then be ratified by 38 of the 50 state governments. The last amendment to reach the ratification stage was the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which explicitly states that civil rights cannot be denied on the basis of sex. The ERA was submitted to the states for ratification in 1972. At this point in time, it has been ratified by 32 states. 47 years after its introduction, the ERA is still not a part of the Constitution. It should be clear, just because amendment is a long and uncertain process does not mean that an amendment requiring presidential candidates to demonstrate their physical and mental fitness to hold office should not at least be considered. However, it does mean that it will be some time before such fitness tests are required by law. In that time, the question of whether a candidate is fit enough to hold the office will be answered by the voters. In this election, more voters seem to be doing so than in years before. As concerns about the fitness of certain candidates abound, the candidates in question would be smart to have a physical and mental examination, and to disclose the results to voters. In essence, elections are long and intensive job applications, where the voters ultimately choose which candidate to hire. With that in mind, why would we elect someone who does not have the mental faculty or the physical stamina to do the job well?
The views expressed in the editorial and op-ed sections are not necessarily those of The USD Vista staff, the University of San Diego, or its student body.
Volume 57 Issue 5
◆
OPINION
◆
5
The USD Vista
Arbitrary minimums must go Voters under the age of 25 have the right to vote, but not to run for federal office
Eric Boose Opinion Editor Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the star of the Democratic party. A former bartender from the Bronx, Ocasio-Cortez ran an energetic, grassroots campaign to unseat a wellliked Democratic incumbent and represent New York’s 14th Congressional District. She is witty, charismatic, politically skilled, and firmly believes that America can and should be better than it is now. The New York Times calls her “one of the Democratic Party’s most talented operatives.” Despite all of that, she cannot run for president. Ocasio-Cortez is only 29-years-old, six years below the constitutional minimum for presidents. In the United States, people from the ages of 18-35 cannot fully participate in politics. The Constitution lays out age requirements for all three elected federal offices. A member of the House of Representatives must be at least 25 years old, a senator at least 30, and the president must be at least 35. These limits mean that, at least in terms of the federal government, people below the age of 25 do not have the right to be elected. We have the right to vote, but not the right to be voted for. As Slate’s Osita Nawanevu puts it, “A black voter who thinks a black politician would be better attuned to the issues affecting him can vote for a black politician. A woman can vote for a woman. But a 20-year-old cannot, by law, vote to send another 20-year-old to Congress.” To some degree, an American citizen does not enjoy fullpolitical rights — the right to both vote and be voted for — until the age of 35, when they are no longer barred from any office by their age. As Nawanevu reports, in 2014 there were 74 million Americans who are able to vote in a presidential election
without being able to run for president. Of course, the writers of the Constitution, as well as the writers of state constitutions, would say that there is a reason for minimum age requirements. In general, the concern is that people under the set age limits are not mature or experienced enough to hold that office. As a general rule, it makes sense. Governing is arguably the single most important thing that anyone in this country does. It would be terribly detrimental to a state or country if its elected officials were inexperienced and immature. However, when young, experienced candidates want to run, that general assumption of youthful immaturity and inexperience looks suddenly very nonsensical and arbitrary. Representative Ocasio-Cortez is certainly a good example of this. Another example is Daniel Hernandez, Jr. of Tuscon, Arizona. In 2014, the then 24-year-old Hernandez was gearing up to run for the Arizona Senate. Hernandez was a Sunnyside Unified School District board member, had worked on multiple campaigns, was a lobbyist for and director of the Arizona Students Association, and a staffer for former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, among other things. The only problem was that Arizona state law says Senators must be 25-years-old. In the eyes of the law, Hernandez was too inexperienced or immature to run for office. Candidates like Hernandez demonstrate the greatest weakness of arbitrary age minimums for elected officials. While they aim to protect us from immature and incompetent young lawmakers, they end up depriving us of exceptionally talented, energetic young minds. As Nawanevu implies, it denies young voters true representation. Ultimately, formal age limits
Eric Boose/The USD Vista
should be abolished. If someone is old enough to vote, why are they not also old enough to run for office? In order to create a representative government that better represents all of the people who it governs over, the formal age limit for all offices, federal and state, should be reduced to match the voting age. This will be a difficult process, especially at the federal level, but it is one worth undertaking.
Of course, there will be a concern that lowering the age minimum for elected officials will open the door to a wave of inexperienced, immature lawmakers. To assume that this will be the case is almost insulting to the ability of voters to choose a candidate who they believe is actually qualified to hold the position. Eliminating age limits does not mean that there will suddenly be a horde of teenagers
and twenty-somethings running for president. In fact, it is unlikely to significantly change the age demographics of political candidates in this country. What it does is open the door for more young people like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Daniel Hernandez, Jr. — talented young political minds who will bring new life to city halls, state houses, and even Washington, D.C.
The views expressed in the editorial and op-ed sections are not necessarily those of The USD Vista staff, the University of San Diego, or its student body.
6
The USD Vista
◆
October 10, 2019
F E AT U R E
Michelangelo in Founders
A rare art collection from the British Museum is currently on display in Founders Hall
“The Adoration of the Shepherds” by Mauro Gandolfi
Catherine Silvey Feature Editor This fall, University of San Diego students passing through Founders Hall will encounter an art exhibition entitled “Christ: Life, Death, and Resurrection.” What many of these passing students might not know is that within the walls of the exhibit lies work by world-renowned artist Michelangelo Buonarroti, creator of masterpieces such as “David,” “Pieta,” and the breathtaking artwork on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. On the back wall of the first room of the exhibition lies “The Three Crosses,” a rare drawing by Michelangelo from the 16th century, depicting the crucifixion of Jesus and the two thieves he was executed with. As indicated in the title of the exhibit, the life, death, and rebirth of Jesus Christ is the focus of the exhibition, a theme that Katherine Noland, operations coordinator of the University Galleries, indicated was intentional and catered to USD’s Catholic identity. Noland explained the background of the exhibition and
“The Risen Christ” by Parri Spinelli
“The Three Crosses” by Michelangelo Buonarroti
how USD became the host to rare pieces of art by some of the most famous artists of all time. “Just over five years ago, we entered into a contract with the British Museum where we would have three projects that would lead to exhibitions over five years,” Noland said. “This is our third and last project with them.” Noland emphasized just how unique this opportunity is, especially given that the current exhibition focuses on paper artwork, which can only be displayed for brief periods of time. “Works on paper are really sensitive, so even at the British Museum they’re not on permanent display,” Noland said. “They come out about once every 10 to 20 years for exhibition, get shown, and then go back into boxes that are kept archivally. It’s not like they can be out for long periods of time.” While the Michelangelo artwork featured in the exhibit is a drawing, the focus of the exhibition is print artwork. A print is made by carving an image into a metal mold into which ink is poured. The mold is then pressed against a piece of paper, which
absorbs the ink in the mold’s image, much like the transfer of a stamp to paper. The mold is then used to make multiple prints of the same art. Noland explained that, unlike an image from a modern printer, each of these prints is considered original artwork of the creator of the initial image. “It’s an artwork in its own right,” Noland said. “They’ve always been less prized than paintings or drawings, things that are only one copy. Because of that, print history hasn’t been as focused on by historians and scholars.” Noland identified the lack of research on print artwork as a motivation for University Galleries to focus their work on this type of art, acting as leaders in this field of research. “When we started this collection, we felt like print artwork was the best place for us to focus because we could really generate new knowledge,” Noland said. “There’s still a lot of things to discover. We can have students come in and we can actually teach the history of Western art through our collection. That’s our goal.”
“A shepherd playing bagpipes” by Camillo Procaccini Catherine Silvey/The USD Vista
Accessibility was another motivation Noland referenced as a factor in University Galleries’ decision to focus on print works. “In a more practical way, not quite as romantic, it’s possible to create a really good print collection financially,” Noland said. “At this point, paintings by the Old Masters or contemporary art stars are so far out of reach. Even for big museums, unless your collection started a hundred years ago, you won’t be able to create something. Prints can still be really expensive, but it’s actually feasible for us to do that.” In order to control print production and preserve the value of their prints, artists often damaged or destroyed their metal molds to ensure they were unusable, often melting molds down for other purposes. For this reason, an intact mold of a print is extremely rare. However, both the copper mold and print of Cristofano Robetta’s “The Adoration of the Magi” are featured in the current exhibition. Mandy Chen, a junior real estate major and gallery guide, cited this piece as her favorite work in the exhibition.
“‘The Adoration of the Magi’ is my favorite work because I studied printmaking in my classes for four semesters,” Chen said. “A lot of people don’t see the process of the before and after. It’s amazing to be able to see that.” Despite being a real estate major, Chen takes plenty of visual arts courses on campus, and works at University Galleries to further pursue her passion for art. Chen expressed the importance for students of all majors to have access to artwork on campus, emphasizing the ways in which art connects people from all cultures and backgrounds. “Art is this thing that brings beauty in our lives,” Chen said. “If you think deeper about the art in front of you, you dig up deep philosophical meaning and emotion in the art. Art is a universal language. It attracts people from all over the world, and no matter where you’re from, you understand.” “Christ: Life, Death, and Resurrection” is currently displayed in the Hoehn Family Galleries in Founders Hall, and is open daily from now until Dec. 13 for interested students to attend.
The copper printing plate (left) and engraving (right) of “The Adoration of the Magi” by Cristofano Robetta Catherine Silvey/The USD Vista
Volume 57 Issue 5
◆
FEATURE
◆
7
The USD Vista
From the NY theatre t0 USD Pair moves from New York to San Diego with big plans for the local theatre scene
Catherine Silvey Feature Editor Sabrina Alterman Asst. Feature Editor In 2019, the University of San Diego hired Jesse Perez and Sofia Gomez into the school’s theatre program. However, not only had these two new instructors known each other from the acting community in New York City, but they also happen to be partners, excited to take on the San Diego theatre scene together. Perez, the new director of the Shiley Graduate Theatre Program, attended Juilliard College for acting, pursuing his lifelong dream of being a storyteller. After graduating, Perez found work in New York City, performing in offBroadway productions of plays like “Party People” and “A Doll’s House.” While working as an actor at the Yale Repertory Theatre, Perez met Gomez, an actress in her third year of the masters program at Yale. Gomez, a Texas native, moved to the East Coast to fine tune her craft and expose herself to more techniques. The two actors continued crossing paths and first worked together in the play “Argonautika” at Berkeley Repertory Theatre in Northern California. Since then, they have
been in multiple productions together, including the Old Globe’s most recent production of “Romeo and Juliet.” After living in New York together, the couple moved to San Diego in January of 2019 when Perez was offered the job as director of the graduate theatre program at USD. As the new Shiley Program director, Perez is motivated and optimistic about modernizing the current curriculum. “I want to change the lense through which we look at the word ‘classical,’” Perez said. “We have always been taught a certain way. All of the classical work is European. What does American classical look like? Should we ignore where people come from in the Americas to teach the same classics? Shouldn’t we be inspiring plays from people of color? I just want to take a couple of steps in another direction.” Perez expressed a desire to promote diversity within the Shiley Program and broaden the horizons of theatrical storytelling by involving as many different voices and perspectives as possible. “I want to bring more voices of color,” Perez said. “As a MexicanAmerican, I feel that universities are missing that part about giving students their own voice. We need
to be reading plays written by voices of color.” Perez’s desire in making the Shiley Program more inclusive is beginning to shine through in the most-recent graduating class, which consists of more women than men. In previous years, male students always outnumbered female students in the program. While Perez continues innovating the graduate theatre program, Gomez became an acting instructor for undergraduate students at USD, imparting her knowledge of the craft and experience to her students. She hopes to inspire students to tap into their inner confidence and use it in all aspects of their life. “From my acting class, I want students to leave knowing how to deal with their stress levels,” Gomez said. “I want them to stop hiding themselves, and embrace who they are in their full capacity. My students are the future, and I want my students to find their passion and use their brilliance and take charge. I want to see my students have ownership of where they came from and where they are going.” Gomez also noted universal benefits of engaging with theatre, and encouraged students of all backgrounds to take theatre classes at USD. “I want to make sure that more
Gomez (left) and Perez (right) met and fell in love long before working at USD. Photos courtesy of Sofia Gomez and Jesse Perez
students take the opportunity to join the theatre department,” Gomez said. “Theatre helps you learn about yourself, regardless of your major. The bigger presence you can have, the more impact you can make in any career.” Gomez also offered words of advice to those who are interested in pursuing acting as a profession. “If every day you can only think of acting or theatre, then do it,” Gomez said. “If you wake up thinking about it, do it. It has to be something you love and want to do for your life. It requires a lot of investment of self and energy. You have to be an athlete of language and humanity.” Perez gave advice of his own
to aspiring actors, emphasizing the emotional toll performance art can take on actors. “Make sure it is something you are very in love with because it is very difficult,” Perez said. “Relaying the human condition to an audience is very hard and yet very simple at the same time. To be relaxed in front of hundreds of people, takes a lot of work. You will need to dig deep into the darkest crevices of your soul and be okay with what you discover.” The USD Shiley Graduate Theatre Program production of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night,” directed by Perez, will play at the Old Globe Theatre from Nov. 2-10.
8
The USD Vista
“Homecoming weekend is so special to me because it is the culmination of school pride that we get to share with our parents. My parents didn’t come to visit, but I still felt the comfort of moms and dads appreciating and partaking in the glorious college life. Our school was polished and glammed for all the visitors, but it really showcased our potential for school pride.”
◆
October 10, 2019
EVERY YEAR, THE UNIVERSITY OF SAN DIEGO GATHERS TO CELEBRATE THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY, ENCOURAGING STUDENTS, PARENTS, FACULTY, AND ALUMNI ALIKE TO PARTAKE IN THE FESTIVITIES OF HOMECOMING WEEKEND. FROM THE ROUSING BIG BLUE BASH CONCERT TO THE EXCITEMENT OF THE HOMECOMING FOOTBALL GAME, TOREROS AND THEIR LOVED ONES WERE SURE TO FIND AN ACTIVITY TO ENJOY THIS PAST WEEKEND.
-MICHELLE NGUYEN, SOPHOMORE
OLIVIA DEBAISE, SOPHOMORE: “I went to the concert and went to the ending of the tailgate, I was very happy to see we won and crushed the other team. The game was my favorite part.”
ZOÉ MORALES
THE TEAM RED PION (PFL STRA GAME TORE FOUR CORN RETU TOUC REID OFFE 341 Y TOUC FRON
PHOTO COURTESY OF THOMAS CHRISTENSEN
Volume 57 Issue 5
◆
FEATURE
◆
9
The USD Vista
ZOÉ MORALES MARTINEZ/THE USD VISTA
S MARTINEZ/THE USD VISTA
TOREROS SWARMED TO THE JENNY CRAIG PAVILION (JCP) LAST FRIDAY NIGHT FOR THE ANNUAL HOMECOMING BIG BLUE BASH CONCERT, EXCITED FOR A NIGHT OF MUSIC AND FUN. MOONSUGAR AND LUKE CHRISTOPHER PERFORMED AS OPENERS BEFORE BRYCE VINE, THE HEADLINE PERFORMER, TOOK THE JCP STAGE. SERENADING HIS AUDIENCE WITH CROWD FAVORITES LIKE “DREW BARRYMORE” AND “LA LA LAND,” VINE WAS A HIT WITH HIS TORERO AUDIENCE, GIVING THEM ALL A NIGHT THEY WOULD NEVER FORGET. SEE THE ARTS AND CULTURE SECTION (PAGE 10 & 11) FOR MORE.
TORERO FOOTBALL M BEAT THE MARIST FOXES 31-7 TO OPEN NEER FOOTBALL LEAGUE L) PLAY, THEIR 30TH AIGHT CONFERENCE E WITHOUT A LOSS. THE ERO DEFENSE RACKED UP R INTERCEPTIONS, WITH NERBACK DAVID TOLBERT URNING ONE FOR A CHDOWN. QUARTERBACK D SINNETT LED THE ENSE, THROWING FOR YARDS AND THREE CHDOWNS. SEE THE NT PAGE FOR MORE.
KAITLYN HATFIELD, SOPHOMORE: BEFORE THE BIG FOOTBALL GAME, THE SCHOOL HELD A TAILGATE IN THE ALCALÁ VISTAS PARKING LOT. THOSE IN ATTENDANCE ENJOYED FREE FOOD, GAMES, AND ACTIVITIES IN ANTICIPATION OF THE USD TOREROS TAKING ON THE MARIST RED FOXES.
“I ended up liking the tailgate being in the parking lot better than the baseball field last year, because it gave more of the football tailgate vibe since we were right by the football field. I was pleased with the amount of food options as well as games and activities to partake in at the tailgate. I definitely felt like this was an event for all. The game was also super fun to go to.”
Spread by Alee Pingol/ The USD Vista; Content by Catherine Silvey, Mayella Vasquez, and Eric Boose/ The USD Vista
10
The USD Vista
◆
October 10, 2019
A RT S & C U LT U R E
Bryce Vine lights up the JCP The “Drew Barrymore” star headlines Big Blue Bash
Celina Tebor Managing Editor Rising music star Bryce Vine has made bounds in popularity within the past year, and the University of San Diego hopped on the opportunity to have him as the headliner for Homecoming and Family Weekend’s Big Blue Bash concert last weekend. Before Bryce Vine took the stage, California rapper Luke Christopher warmed the crowd up with his upbeat vibes. At just 26-years-old, Christopher has been creating music since he was 13-years-old. Students bopped to Christopher’s hit song “Lot to Learn” and gave an impressive show for an eager audience. After his time on stage came to a close, the crowd geared up for the much-anticipated headliner. Students found out who the mysterious headliner was through Instagram, as the Torero Program Board (TPB) posted a clue every hour hinting at the artist. Toreros quickly figured out the headliner would be Vine, as the pattern on one of TPB’s clues matched a shirt Vine was wearing in one of his Instagram posts. Although this was the first time USD hosted Vine for a concert, he’s no stranger to San Diego. Growing up in Los Angeles meant that he visited the city frequently when he was younger — his mom even took him to the
dentist in Tijuana sometimes. “I have a lot of good memories out here,” Vine said. “It’s always a tour stop.” Vine’s first big break was his hit single “Drew Barrymore,” which was released in 2017 and has over 150 million streams on Spotify. However, his name became even more recognizable with the recently
the
fame he would hold. “You see little visions of it, but you never see what it’s like realistically,” Vine said. “It’s so much better when it’s real.” Vine’s performance in the Jenny Craig Pavilion (JCP) Friday night was captivating. Although lip syncing during concerts has become more commonplace and even
“(College students) just have energy. And it’s fun to meet them, it’s nice to see what they’re doing because I’m not in college anymore. The only direct experience I have around young people now is going and playing at colleges.” - Bryce Vine released “La La Land,” in 2019. “For years we couldn’t even sell 20 tickets for a show,” Vine said. “And the last time we were (in San Diego), we sold Soma out, and it was the first sign things were really improving.” Even though his fame is new, performing in front of a crowd is not. He started writing songs when he was 13 and always knew he wanted to be in the music industry. Although he used to get stage fright before performing when he was younger, he now feeds off the energy of the crowd at concerts and no longer gets nervous. Vine always knew he had a path in music, but it was hard for him to grasp what his future might be like and
accepted in the music industry, Vine stayed old school and performed live. His breaths for air and even the breaks in his voice were refreshing to hear, and added character to every song he sang. He also had a live band consisting of a guitarist, a trumpeter, and a drummer. His setlist contained his biggest hits like “Drew Barrymore” and “Sour Patch Kids,” and he also sang some of his lesser-known pieces, like “Glamorama” and “Factory Love.” It was evident which songs Toreros knew, as the crowd grew louder and pushed closer to the stage when he performed his most popular songs. Vine’s dad and grandfather always played jazz for him when
Bryce Vine’s stage presence got the crowd involved as students clapped and sang along. Zoé Morales Martinez/The USD Vista
he was a child, and this influence was clear in his performance as his trumpeter had two solos, one of which closed off the night while the crowd begged for an encore. In fact, his music and performance combined a unique mix of musical genres. Vine considers his music a mix of pop and rap, and said
Luke Christopher took the stage first and wowed the crowds, singing his hit “Lot to Learn” and warming the crowd up before headliner Bryce Vine took the stage.
record labels didn’t understand his genre-bending style until recently, when artists like Post Malone came into the limelight showcasing the fusion. Vine’s performance also had punk influence, which could be easily observed through his
See Vine, Page 11
Zoé Morales Martinez/The USD Vista
Volume 57 Issue 5
◆
ARTS & CULTURE
◆
The USD Vista
11
Recapping the Big Blue Bash Bryce Vine takes Toreros to “La La Land” at USD’s annual fall concert
Bryce Vine from Page 10
vocal-shouting and headbanging when he was singing, as well as his guitarist’s punk-style riffs. He played in a punk band in high school, and cites Green Day and Third Eye Blind as some of his favorite bands. Many of his songs revolve around life in fame and living
some of the same reasons he sometimes has disdain for it. “I love LA,” Vine said. “It’s the hub of entertainment, which means it’s also the hub of creativity, and everyone passes through there. It’s an inspiring city, and there’s palm trees everywhere, and it’s sunny, and it’s a great
Vine engages the crowd, keeping everyone feeling involved and in the moment. Zoé Morales Martinez/The USD Vista
in Los Angeles, but he has a love-hate relationship with the city. He showcases this through many of his song lyrics: for example, his chorus in “La La Land” repeatedly features the line, “waste your time with me in California.” “It is an entertainment city, so that’s what everyone’s trying to do,” Vine said. “So you have a lot of the same conversations with people that are models or actors or musicians, and everyone’s in for themselves for the same reason too.” He loves the city for
environment to write my kind of music in. Yeah, I do have a love-hate relationship with it.” Vine finished playing his college tour this spring, and said performing in front of college students helps keep him up-to-date on what younger people are interested in. “(College students) just have energy,” Vine said. “And it’s fun to meet them, it’s nice to see what they’re doing because I’m not in college anymore. The only direct experience I have around young people now is going and playing at colleges. What they’re
listening to, what they’re excited about, what careers they’re interested in because there’s so many more options now.” Sophomore Andrew Tolentino was one of the many Toreros captivated by Vine’s performance. “He’s very friendly,” Tolentino said. “He was interactive with the audience all the time, he was making us feel like we’re actually present and I hope to see more of him in the future.” As Vine’s popularity grows, so does his influence. While some artists want to be known for their crazy performances or revolutionary music, Vine wants his music to mean something simple to his fans. “I want people to just feel better,” Vine said. “I like having a room of people who are just relieving their own stresses with me at the same time. I like to bring people together. My whole family is that way. They always were very welcoming of people and all different cultures, and that’s how they brought people together and that’s how they showed love. So music is my way of doing that.” The crowd stayed upbeat even after Vine exited off the stage, buzzing after such an exciting concert. Students continued to belt Snakehips’ “All My Friends,” while walking out of the JCP which the DJ played after the concert ended, even after the music was out of earshot and long after Vine had finished his performance.
The USD Vista compiled a playlist to highlight some of the hits played at the concert. Celina Tebor/The USD Vista
Energy and excitement were high as USD students gathered around, eagerly awaiting headliner Bryce Vine to take the stage and bring an exciting conclusion to the action-packed homecoming weekend. Zoé Morales Martinez/The USD Vista
12
The USD Vista
◆
October 10, 2019
Scouting out student discounts A student’s guide to the best discounts and offers available with their Torero ID card
Torero ID cards serve many purposes — from getting you into your dorm room to getting you your morning coffee at Aromas. However, many students don’t realize that their ID cards can also be used to get student discounts in a variety of ways off campus. Your student ID card is a ticket to saving money on clothes, food, entertainment, and even gym memberships, which is an issue that is on the forefront of many students minds.
Websites like UNiDAYS and others are a great tool to find many national retailer discounts for students, but finding more local options for discounts can be a bit tougher, as many establishments don’t advertise their student discount offers. This article is here to serve as a guide for students, to help them find some of the best student discounts offered in San Diego. -Shelby Todd/Contributor/The USD Vista
Woodstock’s Pizza 1221 Garnet Avenue San Diego, CA 92109 Woodstock’s Pizza in Pacific Beach is one of two locations in San Diego. This popular pizza chain is known for its unique crust options and large variety of toppings. Students looking to save some money on their next pizza order can take advantage of Woodstock’s “Students Save Six” coupon. When students show their IDs, this coupon provides them $6 off of any extra-large pizza.
Chick-fil-A 8200 Parkway Drive La Mesa, CA 91942 Chick-fil-A is a popular fast-food restaurant that specializes in all things chicken. Every Tuesday night at the La Mesa Chick-fil-A location is college night. On college night, students who show their IDs when they purchase a medium fry and a drink will get a free eight-count chicken nugget added onto their order.
Photo courtesy of Shelby Todd
Photo courtesy of Shelby Todd
San Diego Zoo 2920 Zoo Drive San Diego, CA 92101 The San Diego Zoo has been a city staple since it opened in 1916. Located in Balboa Park, the zoo is a mustvisit for all San Diego residents. Students can get day passes or annual tickets for 15-percent off with their IDs.
Photo courtesy of George Ruiz/Flickr
Photo courtesy of Shelby Todd
Bristol Farms 8510 Genesee Ave San Diego, CA 92122 Bristol Farms is an organic produce market located in La Jolla. Students who are looking for a place to get discounted groceries can head to Bristol Farms to get a 10 percent discount on their grocery purchases with their student ID.
Photo courtesy of Shelby Todd
FUN
Birch Aquarium at Scripps 2300 Expedition Way La Jolla, CA 92037 The Birch Aquarium at Scripps has been a public aquarium for over 100 years. The Birch Aquarium serves as a scientific haven for Scripps Oceanographers, but is also an attraction for the public to learn more about marine life. For students looking for a unique weekend activity, the Birch Aquarium offers tickets to students for $3.50 less than the regular adult price. For students on an assignment for a class, tickets can be purchased for $7.50 less than the regular price.
Photo courtesy of Jenny Huey/Flickr
Corepower Yoga 980 Camino De La Reina Unit 4, San Diego, CA 92108 Corepower Yoga, located in Mission Valley, offers a wide variety of fitness classes. Members can take classes for beginners, or try “hot” or “sculpt” classes for a more challenging class. For the unlimited monthly membership, students can get a discount of 15-percent off the monthly membership price when they present their IDs.
FOOD
AMC Fashion Valley 18 7037 Friars Road San Diego, CA 92108 Located right down the street from USD, AMC Fashion Valley 18 is a convenient spot to see the newest movies. Luckily, AMC theaters throughout San Diego offer student discounts to help with the constantly rising ticket prices. Students interested in catching a movie can purchase tickets for $1.50 off when they show their IDs. Additionally, tickets for all patrons are discounted on Tuesday nights.
Photo courtesy of Shelby Todd
FITNESS
SPARKCYCLE 2835 Perry Road San Diego, CA 92106 SPARKCYCLE is a cycling studio located in Liberty Station. Packages of five, 10, and 20 classes are offered to students at 15 percent off, and can be used at the Liberty Station location, or at their second location in La Jolla.
Photo courtesy of Shelby Todd
9Round 6110 Friars Road San Diego, CA 92108 9Round is a specialized gym focused on 30minute rounds of kickboxing. Located on Friars Road right down the street from USD, 9Round includes nutrition help and trainers for every workout. Students who sign up for a six-month membership will receive $10 off their following monthly payments.
Photo courtesy of Riza Ayson/Flickr
Volume 57 Issue 5
◆
SPORTS
◆
13
The USD Vista
SP ORT S
Toreros settle for draw
USD soccer and UCSB finish in a 2-2 tie after a hard-fought double-overtime match Maria Watters Asst. Sports Editor Torero Stadium was electrified as the No. 25 University of San Diego and UC Santa Barbara (UCSB) tied 2-2 after a grueling 110 minute, double-overtime battle. Tuesday night’s game had the makings of an all-out war between two titans in men’s college soccer, with the UCSB Gauchos (6-2-1) coming off of a huge 3-3 tie against No. 1 Stanford Saturday night to top off their six-game unbeaten streak, while the Toreros sought to add a third to their two-game winning streak. As the Gauchos have scored 17 goals while also averaging 14.6 shots on goal per game this season, redshirtsophomore goalkeeper Matt Wiher and the Torero defense would be facing one of its greatest challenges yet. USD men’s soccer head coach Brian Quinn and his team knew they would be facing a tough opponent. “They had a great result against the number one team in the country, Stanford, the other night, so we knew that they’re a top-20 team,” Quinn said. “So for us it was going to be a gauge to see where we’re at.” Drawing a respectable crowd for a Tuesday night, fans were settling in to witness one of the most exciting contests of the season, and the Gauchos started with possession. It was clear that this would be a physical
challenge, with three fouls awarded in the first 10 minutes of play. Though the Toreros seemed to gain possession early, UCSB earned the first big scoring opportunity of the night, with the shot from senior forward Will Baynham in the 16th minute. But a huge save by Wiher kept the Toreros from facing an early 0-1 deficit. Wiher wasn’t fazed by the intimidating UCSB offense. “When there are a lot of shots, it helps you stay focused,” Wiher said. “Actually, it’s when there aren’t many shots (that) you kind of zone out.” The Toreros answered with a strong counterattack, with shots by USD junior defender Aidan Marion in the 18th minute, and senior forward Miguel Berry in the 19th. The attempts were saved by the Gaucho sophomore goalkeeper Ben Roach. Both teams exchanged shots and fouls, with UCSB sophomore defender Ryan Johnson earning the first yellow card of the game. The Toreros seemed to be controlling the game, keeping possession for a majority of the next twenty minutes, but failed to break through the formidable Gaucho defense. UCSB took advantage, firing shot after shot until the 39th minute when junior forward Ameyawu Muntari launched a rocketing, left-footed shot from over 20 yards out into the upper corner of the goal. The Gauchos were up 1-0 with six minutes left in the half, and though the Toreros
made a strong effort to tie up the score before the break, the half ended with a failed USD free kick in the 45th minute. UC Santa Barbara outshot USD seven shots to four, and had a goal to show for it. If the Toreros were going to get back into the game, they would have to come up with an answer for the dangerous Gaucho offense. As a vocal leader on the field, senior defender Henry Lander had to regroup his team in order to overcome the one-goal deficit. “We were playing well up until the goal, and we played well after it,” Lander said. “I think just carrying on the way we’ve been playing and trusting ourselves that we know we can get back in the game.” The Toreros came out of halftime with a vengeance, absolutely dominating the early minutes of the second half. Before UC Santa Barbara could adjust to the Toreros’ new, more aggressive strategy, USD junior midfielder Ross Meldrum rebounded the second shot on goal by Marmion, who shot and scored in the 49th minute. The game was tied, 1-1, the momentum was shifting, and USD did not plan on taking its foot off the gas. Not 10 minutes after their first goal was scored, the second shot on goal by Berry was deflected to senior midfielder Freddy Polzer, who drilled the ball into the bottom left corner of the goal in the 54th minute. The Toreros took a 2-1 lead
after being down 0-1 at the half. Now the pressure was on the Gauchos to come up with an answer. Their response came early in the 69th minute when junior forward Rodney Michael made a run up the right side of the field and fired a right-footed, nearpost shot into the back of the Torero goal, leveling the score at 2-2. Neither team could take control with 20 minutes left in regulation. The Toreros and the Gauchos exchanged shots and counterattacks with Berry closing out the half, missing high in the 89th minute. This game was going to overtime. 90 minutes wasn’t enough to crown a winner, so both teams geared up for the first 10-minute round of sudden death. The tension was palpable, and, despite the cold, the dedicated fans that remained were determined to stick it out until the end. No one dared to miss a moment as the crowd gave their teams all the support they could muster. The first period of overtime was nothing short of a battle. Both teams traded shots and fouls. Every moment was followed by gasps, boos, sighs, and cheers from the stands. Fans were on their feet as the intensity on the field increased. And though the score remained the same after 10 minutes, neither team appeared willing to settle for a tie. If the first period was a
The Toreros huddled up late in the game during their match against UCSB. The game ended in a double overtime draw 2-2 that was over 110 minutes.
battle, the second was a war. The Toreros and the Gauchos desperately tried to score the goal that would win them the game. All it would take was one. But the determined defenses and incredible goaltending by Roach and Wiher kept either offense from breaking the 2-2 tie, as the game ended by the same score. “It wasn’t what we (were) looking for but it’s not disastrous,” Lander said. “I think we can be happy with the way we played tonight, (and), overall, I thought we were the better team.” After the game, the Toreros were already looking ahead to their next challenge as they prepared to take on the 6-2-1 West Virginia Mountaineers on Oct. 4 on the road. They entered the game wanting to make a statement. “If we win that game in West Virginia,” Quinn said after the tie. “Then I think the rest of the country will realize how good of a team we are.” USD traveled 2,000 miles to tackle their biggest challenge yet, and put on a dominating performance over West Virginia. With a 4-1 victory over the 23rdranked team in the nation, and scoring three goals in just the first half, the Toreros certainly made a statement. Catch the No. 23 Toreros at home this Saturday, Oct. 12 against the University of San Fransisco as USD opens up WCC play. The game starts at 7 p.m. at Torero Stadium.
Maria Watters/The USD Vista
14
The USD Vista
◆
October 10, 2019
Homecoming win for USD
Torero football comes out on top over Marist College to open Pioneer League play
Redshirt-senior running back JoJo Binda Jr. stretches out as he dives for the pylon and the touchdown against the Red Foxes in the Toreros’ 31-7 win last Saturday to open PFL play.
Football From Page 1
dashing 46 yards for the score to put the final nail in Marist’s metaphorical coffin, sealing a 31-7 victory for USD. “(The quarterback) looked the other way at first, so I kinda stopped my feet,” Tolbert said of the play in which his interception occurred. “And then when he came back (toward me) it was improvised. And I guess him and the receiver weren’t on the same page, and he threw the ball right to me. First I had to make sure I caught it, then I had to make sure I was still inbounds. And then after that it was just — go score, go celebrate.” All told, the Toreros had interceptions on four-straight possessions, all but bullying the Red Foxes’ quarterback out of the game enroute to a 24-point San Diego win. Lead: protected. Statement: made. Still, none of the four Toreros who recorded interceptions on the afternoon could say that they had ever been part of a defensive performance that was quite that dominant, at least turnover wise. “It’s definitely up there, it’s definitely huge,” Johnson said. “Just one pick alone is enough to change the tide of a game, but four picks like that … nothing like that has ever happened since I’ve been here.” David Tolbert shared Johnson’s sentiment. “In terms of turnovers, it was great,” Tolbert said. “Definitely the top of the charts.” Top of the charts, or at least close to it, was right. USD’s
four interceptions are the most the Toreros have recorded in a single game since November of 2016 against the Campbell Camels. And the 245 total yards the Torero defense allowed is the least they’ve given up since their November 2017 playoff game versus Northern Arizona University. Honest as ever, USD football head coach Dale Lindsey assessed his team’s staunch effort on defense. “I thought that the secondary played pretty well in the second half,” Lindsey said. “I didn’t think it was all that good in the first half.” As for the four interceptions? “That’s what they’re supposed to do,” Lindsey said, going on to elaborate on his team’s strategy on defense. “We don’t put them out there to let the guy catch the ball, or to make the tackle for a first down. The position we put our secondary in a lot of the time — they’re not gonna make a lot of interceptions because they’re not playing the quarterback or the ball, they’re playing the man. And our philosophy is ‘deny the ball.’ And if you can’t throw the guy the ball, that means the rusher is gonna get there, and you have to find somebody else to throw it to. That’s our philosophy.” The Toreros’ dominant day on defense complemented a solid offensive performance from quarterback Reid Sinnett and his receiver corps. The redshirt senior completed 19 of his 29 attempted passes with no
interceptions, good for 341 yards and three touchdowns. Lindsey stated that he was pleased with Sinnett’s day on offense. “I think Reid’s getting better each week,” Lindsey said. “He had played some previous to this season, but you have to play to learn how to play. And I think the game is slowing down a little bit for him, because he’s the guy, and he has the confidence that he’s the guy, and that he’s good enough to win it.” Sinnett did so largely without his star wide receiver (and roommate) Michael Bandy, who left the game with seven minutes remaining in the first quarter after a leaping, 35-yard reception that saw him crash
feeling “tingly,” though he never lost consciousness. Lindsey described the play in which Bandy was shaken up. “I think he got dinged up, I think he landed on his head,” Lindsey said. “I don’t think it was a concussion, but maybe he had like a stiff neck or shoulder. We were already missing (starting running back Emilio) Martinez, we don’t want to miss Bandy too. Bandy is a difference maker in the game. So we’re hoping that everything will be fine for him.” Lindsey did not provide a timetable for Bandy’s return. Martinez, the Toreros’ leading rusher who missed this week’s contest with an ankle injury, is expected to be back next week
“Just one pick alone is enough to change the tide of the game, but four picks like that ... nothing like that has ever happened since I’ve been here.” - Cassius Johnson to the ground headfirst. Bandy, who leads the Toreros with more than 350 total receiving yards so far this season, immediately winced in apparent pain after the play, stumbling toward the sideline before dropping to the turf again. After being evaluated by USD’s athletic training staff, the redshirt senior walked off the field on his own power. Bandy did not return to the game following the play, and was reportedly removed as a precautionary measure after
against Davidson. In their absence, multiple players stepped up for USD, including junior wide receiver Alex Spadone, who led the Torero receivers with 110 receiving yards and two touchdowns. According to Sinnett, the Toreros’ ability to prevail in the absence of two of their mostdynamic players on offense is a testament to the depth within their roster. “He did a really good job,” Sinnett said. “People step up
Photo courtesy of Thomas Christensen
in opportunities when some of our best players get hurt, or are down. We have eight or nine really good receivers, I don’t think we skip a beat.” The Toreros’ 31-7 victory over the Red Foxes moves their overall record on the season to 2-2 (1-0 PFL). It also extends two notable win streaks for USD — 30 consecutive PFL games, and 35 straight home PFL games, the longest such streaks in all of Division I football. To put it bluntly, the Toreros generally don’t lose PFL games. They haven’t lost a home one in more than 3,280 days (October 2010), and it’s been more than 1,455 days since they lost one at all (October 2015). And that’s something that the Toreros take pride in. “The first meeting we had for fall camp, I told the young guys and really the whole team — since I’ve been here I’ve never lost a PFL game, and it’s not gonna start this year,” David Tolbert said. “We treat every game like it’s a playoff game now, because we don’t want to leave it to any chance.” Up next for the Toreros is an away matchup at Davidson College (4-1, 1-0 PFL), who the Toreros narrowly defeated last season in a wild, 56-52 win that Lindsey described as “the worst nightmare of a game ever.” USD’s matchup with the Wildcats next week will take place at 10 a.m. PST, and can be streamed online via a link on the USD football schedule on their website.
Volume 57 Issue 5
◆
SPORTS
◆
15
The USD Vista
USD QB succeeding abroad Torero football alum Anthony Lawrence continues career in Japan’s X-league
Anderson Haigler Associate Editor Anthony Lawrence stayed close to home for college. Despite receiving interest from the University of Pennsylvania and Yale, the La Mesa, California native elected to attend and play quarterback at the nearby University of San Diego — just a 12 mile or so drive from where he grew up. Playing in front of friends and family during almost every home game, he went on to have an illustrious and lengthy career as a Torero that is nearly beyond compare within the program, a career that saw him become both the USD and Pioneer Football League (PFL)’s all-time leading passer among countless other accolades. A classic tale of a homegrown San Diego talent putting on for his city. But when his time as a Torero wound to a close after a loss in the first round of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs to Nicholls State University, Lawrence found himself at a crossroads. Though he had broken nearly every passing and scoring record left behind by former USD star Josh Johnson, who has spent parts of seven seasons in the National Football League (NFL), though he had continued the program’s legacy of success at a high level — winning the PFL Championship in each of his four seasons as a starter while going undefeated at home in that span — following graduation this past spring, he was in an unfamiliar position: without an immediate place to play. A pro day in front of six NFL teams on USD’s Manchester
USD graduate Anthony Lawrence has found a new home with the Japanese X-League’s Panasonic Impulse. The Impulse are 3-1 so far this season under Lawrence. Photos courtesy of the Panasonic Impulse website
“You’re small,” one quipped. “Your arm isn’t as strong as we’d like it to be,” another added. Their comments weren’t all negative. Some told Lawrence that he “looked really good, and surprised some of us.” Just perhaps not enough to earn a roster spot right away. These were slights that Lawrence had heard before. During his recruitment for college football during his career at nearby Grossmont High School, he heard the same things. A record 12,628 passing yards at USD later, however, Lawrence was determined to prove them wrong. And thus, the kid with a rocket for a right arm who had electrified Torero Stadium for years was left to look elsewhere to continue a playing career that certainly had life left in it. The only question was, where? Offers to play North of the border in the Canadian Football League (CFL) were brewing, but slow to develop. “Even though I was super optimistic about the opportunity to play in the NFL, I was realistic, and kept all my options open,” Lawrence said. But as the days after the NFL Draft ticked away, Lawrence grew restless, in search of certainty for his next football chapter. He had heard of a professional football league in Japan, where his former Torero teammates Jonah Hodges and Mason Mills had played, but he still wanted to see if an offer from an NFL or CFL team would materialize. A coach from the Japanese league had reached out to Lawrence in the weeks after his pro day, offering him a spot on the team if he wanted it. The coach reached out again weeks later, as Lawrence continued to assess his options, which at the time lacked anything else that was concrete. And after weeks of deliberation and holding out for an opportunity in North America that had yet to develop, the quarterback made up his mind: he was headed to Osaka, Japan to play for the Panasonic Impulse of the Japanese X-League — some 6,000 miles from where he had spent the first 23 years of his storied football career. “Let’s do it,” Lawrence said at the time. “I didn’t Lawrence lost only one game in Pioneer Football League play at USD. Photo courtesy of Thomas Christensen want to wait around and have Field in March proved to be impressive, but fruitless. The ball rarely, if ever touched the ground as the 23-year-old USD graduate put himself through his paces before an amount of NFL teams that would have been impressive for a player at a midsize Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) program like San Diego State, let alone one at a smaller FCS school like USD. But though Lawrence enjoyed a masterful showcase, offers from NFL teams simply didn’t materialize. “I thought it went well,” Lawrence said. “I felt that I put up pretty good numbers on all the testing stuff, and I felt like I threw it pretty well, too. The day after Pro Day was the most optimistic I had ever been in my life about getting a chance to play in the NFL. I thought that I left it all out there.” Talent evaluators like the ones who observed Lawrence’s session are known to be brutally blunt in their assessments, and the critiques they offered him were tough to hear, but perhaps familiar to the 6-foot1 inch, 195-pound quarterback.
nothing happen when I had an opportunity to play professional football guaranteed.” Osaka, Japan is a city of more than 2.6 million people, a major metropolitan center located in the southwest region of the country, about a day’s worth of flying away from San Diego. Few of the 2.6 million Osaka residents speak English. Lawrence described its big-city feel as “exactly how you would imagine Japan to be … a lot of people, a ton of buildings. Super dense. Not a lot of yards, I don’t think I have seen a single house.” Before he offered that description, roughly two months after his Pro Day, Lawrence set off for his new home, somewhere that would have little in common with San Diego except for football. If anybody could adapt to continuing their career in a foreign country, however, it would be him. What he may lack in size and arm strength, he makes up for in sheer confidence, once quipping in an interview that, “ ... If I go out and play basketball against LeBron, I think I’m gonna have a chance.” With that mentality in mind, Lawrence, who spoke “not a word of Japanese” prior to his move, dove headfirst into his new opportunity. “I’m confident … I feel like I’m a quick learner, I’m able to adapt,” Lawrence said of the move, reached by phone from Osaka. “So I wasn’t scared about the language, or anything like that. I was excited and nervous, but nothing crazy.” That being said, Lawrence didn’t exactly land in the most tourist or foreigner-friendly spot in Japan, at least language-wise. “I’m not even exaggerating — I go a week without seeing a foreigner,” Lawrence said. “It’s 100 percent Japanese people here. They’re not speaking English. It’s really, really, really, different. Especially compared to La Mesa and El Cajon where I grew up.” And the adjustment to life in a foreign country came quickly, but not necessarily right away. “It really hit me like a month ago,” Lawrence said. “It started to be like, ‘I’m out here, and this is different, and it’s hard, and it’s weird.’ For about a week or two weeks, I was super homesick
and just not really motivated to go work out or do anything.” What familiarity Lawrence immediately lacked in his new home, however, he found back on the football field. “A couple practices in, the coach tells me to run a play and I run a play, I complete a pass, and it feels like — this is football still, it felt good to still be out on the field playing and running around.” After a few weeks, he began to settle in as he got to know his new teammates. “Being out here, you realize all of the differences in cultures, but you also realize the similarities,” Lawrence said. “There’s guys on the team that like to mess around, there’s guys that work super hard. Being in the locker room feels like being in any other locker room I’ve ever been in. You mess around with the guys, you have fun being on the field, you’re still laughing at practice, you’re having fun, enjoying it … ” And almost right away, Lawrence began to accomplish what he had gone to Osaka to do: help his team win while putting up big numbers on offense. Though challenging differences did remain, like his coaches speaking limited English and some philosophical differences between the style of play of native Japanese players and his own, Lawrence rapidly returned to the high-flying form that had characterized his time at USD. “It’s 12-minute quarters here, which is literally the only difference from college football, so all the stats are gonna be a little bit less,” Lawrence said. “My first game I had 120 yards, I didn’t play very well. But my last game I had 301 yards, and 310 yards or something like that in the last two games. So I’m definitely improving, but all of the numbers are going to be 20 percent lower, because you have 20 percent less time in the game, which has definitely been an adjustment.” Like Lawrence mentioned, while the fundamentals of the Japanese game are the same as the American football game that fans are used to watching, there are small differences between the traditional American game
See Lawrence, Page 16
16
The USD Vista
◆
October 10, 2019
Lawrence plays on in Japan USD football’s all-time leading passer continues his career professionally
Lawrence, From Page 15
and the Japanese variety. The quarters are shorter — 12 minutes instead of 15. Teams play every two weeks instead of every week, a total of seven games, making for less contests but a slightly longer overall season. Teams in the X-League are owned by large corporations, not individuals, leading to team names like that of Lawrence’s Panasonic Impulse, or one of their rival teams, the IBM Big Blue. The X-League, which employs a system of relegation of underperforming teams to lower leagues that is not dissimilar to European soccer, only allows its teams to have four non-Japanese players on their roster. Like American football, there are cheerleaders, medium-sized to big stadiums, and at times, enthusiastic fans packing the stands. “The championship game is crazy,” Lawrence said, speaking from what he had heard from teammates and coaches. “It’s in Tokyo, in the Tokyo Dome, and they said every year it has 3035,000 people there, and it’s crazy. But the regular season games, honestly, it’s similar to a USD game,” Lawrence said. “You have maybe two, three thousand people. But they’re involved, they’re engaged, and it makes it fun.” Lawrence likened the level of competition to that of a top-level FCS school like USD, or even perhaps a smaller FBS program. “I would say the top four teams out here — us and three
other teams — are the equivalent of high, high level FCS football, or low level FBS football. We played North Dakota State, San Diego State, UC Davis, Princeton, Harvard, all those teams. The talent out here — the top Japanese players — is similar to (those schools).” But still, in the midst of all these differences in language, culture, rules, and structure, the 23-year-old quarterback finds himself in a strikingly familiar football situation as he and his team near the midpoint of their season. The Impulse, like USD’s football team, are consistently competitive, almost always at or around the top of their division, which is the highest of professional football in Japan. Lawrence has taken every snap of every game as quarterback, just as he did during nearly all his time as a Torero. And just like he did in San Diego, he will do his best to lead his team to a championship, a feat that the Impulse have not accomplished since 2015. With three wins and just one loss to begin the season, just one game back of the first place Obic Seagulls, it appears that Panasonic and Lawrence could be well on their way. “We have the second-most championships in the history of the league,” Lawrence said. “We won it four years ago, and then the past three years we made it to the semifinals. So we’re always a top-four team, and that’s kind of the expectation this year, to make it to the championship and win it.”
Lawrence isn’t the only Torero to have recently continued their playing career overseas. USD men’s basketball alums Olin Carter III and Tyler Williams signed with teams in Spain and the country of Georgia earlier this year. To Lawrence, it isn’t a coincidence that so many former USD athletes are able to find success in new opportunities abroad. “I don’t know if other sports use this but — (USD head football) Coach Lindsey would always talk about, ‘the USD guy,’” Lawrence said. “And that’s the kind of football players we wanted, the kind of teammates we wanted. The hard-working, smart, USD guy. And I think that if you have this many athletes playing across the world, it not only shows that it’s a competitive sports school, but it also shows that it instills values for diversity and appreciating other cultures and other lifestyles. Being brave and being courageous and being able to take that step, I think it says so many good things about USD and about USD Athletics.” Lawrence is honest about what he hopes to get out of his own time abroad in Osaka. Among many things, he views it as a stepping stone, a stint that he hopes will pave the way for a future opportunity in North America, should he continue to perform at a high level with the Impulse. “I’ve been trying to prove myself every step of the way,” Lawrence said. “And just keep doing that, and just keep doing
everything I have. Just being okay with where the chips may fall, and be okay with knowing that I gave it everything I had. The goal is to play football at the highest level that I can, and if that’s the NFL, then it’s the NFL. I just want to play the most competitive football that I can play.” When it’s all said and done, though, his journey to Osaka may be bigger than football for him, bigger than the NFL, the CFL, or the X-League. Because as focused as Lawrence is on succeeding at the task at hand in Japan, a keen sense of perspective has left him with a more powerful takeaway from this chapter of his playing career. “I just looked at it as a great opportunity, not only to keep playing football — because it’s high-level football out here — not only to be able to keep doing that, but to find out more about myself. I had wished that I had gone away to college, but even then, going away to college, you’re still with people who speak English, you’re still with people who have the same interests as you, grew up in similar lifestyles as you. But when you go 6,000 miles away … I think that was just a good opportunity to find out more about myself, and find out what I want in terms of life, relationships, what I want in terms of a career. Finding out more about myself has been the biggest blessing and the biggest takeaway from this. Obviously I get to keep playing football, but I get to do something that
really will change me, and I think benefit me as a person.” That sense of perspective, however, hasn’t dulled Lawrence’s notoriously competitive spirit. Not one bit. “I had a nice touchdown run in our second week,” Lawrence said with a chuckle. “There haven’t been any crazy comebacks or anything like that, but I had a nice touchdown run, and a few people back home said I looked fast. That meant a lot to me. I got a lot of crap (in the past) for not being a runner, or not being an athletic quarterback. So for some of those guys to swallow their pride and say that I looked like a dual threat, that really made my day.” Dual threat or not, it’s clear that Lawrence will relish his opportunity in Japan the rest of the way, both on and off the field. The X-League’s season and postseason runs through January, so the quarterback will be abroad for the foreseeable future. But whenever it may be that Anthony Lawrence returns to San Diego, it will be with a new wealth of experience in both football and life. Fans with a little bit of creativity and access to Google Translate can watch the live streams (the titles are in Japanese, but Google Chrome translates automatically) of the rest of Lawrence and the Impulse’s games this season by searching “X League Official” on YouTube and selecting streams with “Panasonic Impulse” in the title.
Lawrence, who holds USD football’s all-time passing record with 12,628 yards, described his time in Japan so far as being bigger than football and contributing to his growth as a person, as well as a player. Photo courtesy of Thomas Christensen