Plugged In Issue One • the official school newspaper of Speedway Senior High School • September 26, 2014 Adding up the numbers Why is there a participation gap between guys and girls?

Allyson Burns Plugged In Staff Writer

It was hot, as early August tends to be. The girls soccer team had completed their routine half field jog and commenced their established line of stretch- es . At that time, a few football and boys soccer players began making their way to their fields. By the middle of practice, girls soccer seemed almost like an island, with boys soccer on the other side of the field, football across the way, and boys tennis on the nearby courts. I began to feel outnumbered as we began scrim- maging each other. The boys soccer team almost tripled the girls team and the football team might CROWNING ACHIEVEMENT. Megan Turk and Jefferson Hall were named Homecoming Queen and King for 2014. Also representing as well be a small army. The girls soccer team can the senior class were Blake Arevalos, Cole Elam, Will Jackman, Megan Hawkins, Kellie Sparks, and Brianna Wyatt. The junior representatives were Evan Tiffany and Caitlynn Long. The sophomore prince and princess were Yousef Azis and Mia Benge. Finally, the Class of 2018 was barely afford two or three substitutions in a game. represented by Peyton Hartman and Rylee Wade. It was a perfect night for the ceremonies but a disappointing night for the football Plugs who Why is there such a wide gap? lost to tenth ranked Monrovia. Photo by Natalie Owens. I decided to go to the athletic department to seek out some data from the previous year. The numbers goes as follows: • 38 freshmen males participated in a sport as How do you define bullying? compared to 41 freshman females • 31 sophomore males to 26 sophomore females • 35 junior males to 27 junior females What do Speedway students think about it? • 45 senior males to 16 senior females I found it intriguing that female participation ‘‘It’s hard to get a gage on that,” stated McRob- decreased dramatically by grade when senior male erts. “State reports say no, because not many stu- participation increased at a similar rate. Are males dents report it. I feel Speedway kids are pretty well simply bound by their anatomy to progressively behaved here.’’ develop confidence between ages 14 and 18? Do What types of bullying are reported the most? women feel as though they are too mature for sports England Smith ‘’Cyberbullying because of the technology age,” as they become upperclassman and adults? Plugged In replied McRoberts. “It’s normal,” says Brian Avery, Speedway athletic Staff Writer What do you do to reduce the amount of bully- director. “To have more guys than girls in sports, ing at the high school? not just our high school but most.” More than 9,400 bullying incidents have ‘’Everyone (staff members) goes through an With this expectation in mind, I thought it been reported by Indiana’s public schools in the fol- online training ... and they have to pass a quiz,” practical to ask a younger pool of students what lowing month according to data that was released. stated McRoberts. “We educate kids about bullying they thought about athletic participation. I visited Out of those 9,400 the most reported was verbal and bring it to their attention.’’ the junior high to hand out a questionnaire to Mrs. abuse. Being a high-school student, I wanted to What do Speedway students feel about bullying? Cronin’s 8th grade concert band with six basic ques- know more about this topic, and was interested to See a sample on page four of Plugged In. tions: know what was being done about this bullying issue. “I feel Do you participate in a sport or many sports? So I chose to randomly talk to people around the Are you planning on playing a sport in high school to see what they thought, teachers and higher Speedway kids school? powers were included. are pretty well Do you feel like sports play a large role in who is How does principal Tim McRoberts view bul- behaved ...” considered popular or more liked? lying? I chose to ask him three clearly defined ques- -- principal Do you think this differs from male to female? tions about bullying, but there was one question I Tim McRoberts Do you have a parent or guardian who plays asked that I really feel had a good response to. Why sports with his/her job or a group? do you think that people bully? Do you think you’ll be more confident in high “Student’s insecurities, sometimes people are just Responding to school? mean or vengeful, they treat others how they are or whether or not were treated,” replied Mr. McRoberts. bullying is an How big of a problem do you think bullying is issue at Speedway See WHY DECIDE on page six for Speedway High School? High School. 2 Opinion F is for Ferguson It’s time to be reasonably suspicious of big brother Network newscasts illustrate sto- had weapons pointed at ries describing a government treating him, was restrained and the People as livestock. This pattern was later released without is commonly followed by the removal charge for the lies of some Snowball of peoples’ freedoms and a state of discreditable sources. It is Plugged In totalitarian control. I have written imperative to question the Senior before about the need of the people laws that justify the police Columnist to be granted the right to firearms in to operate upon suspicion defense of life, liberty, and the pursuit and nothing more. Ferguson MO has caused quite of happiness. Now, in Ferguson, we This “reasonable sus- a stir not just amongst the Ameri- see police pointing the real assault picion” clause has been can public but also the developed rifles (the ones that are classified such around for a number of world. The surprise that makes this by the National Firearm Act (FDR), years. It has been the cause such a phenomenon is that a country the ones that fire more than one bullet of many instances of racial that seems infallible and perfect has per actuation of the trigger (not one)) profiling, so much that The dissented into the embattlement of without regard to target threat. This is NYPD and Arizona State nations like Ukraine, North Korea, quite disturbing and should make one Police have been sued and USSR, and Venezuela. The question fear for their safety. declared racists. The law of trust is once again thrust into the On August 27th, at approximately allows an officer to forgo common mind as the government 12:30 pm Colorado time, an innocent a warrant if they deem the seems to be acting unjustly. Regard- Youtuber was “swatted” by a small information or the hunch less of the obvious debate on race, number of “pranksters” who phoned they have as enough to I would implore you to rather pause the Colorado Police of a shooting at cause “a small disturbance and keep a keen eye on authority. We the office building that the Youtu- to those who are inno- Were the events that took place in Ferguson what Orwell predicted might happen if society was left must remember that people must ber worked. The man, who was only cent.” The Fourth Amendment to The unchecked? remain the last check on power. playing a video game (live streaming), Constitution of the United States pro See BIG BROTHER on page five Grading the Graders Is evaluating your teacher backwards or beneficial?

Recently , I have been reminded students can identify, with an almost uncanny ability, their most/least-effective by my counselor of a required activity teachers. designated to those in the senior class’ It’s fairly obvious why; these are the same kids that spend a hundred or so Top Ten for the Top Ten Dinner. The hours with the very teachers that are being evaluated; it’s no wonder they would Jenny actual event isn’t scheduled for quite have a definite edge in accurately judging said teachers’ abilities and potential. Fletcher some time (read: sometime in May), but Such is the reason that this procedure is much more reliable than any other Plugged In it came up in regular conversation, and known measure of teacher-evaluation, including classroom observations and Columnist she advised me to start preparing for it. test-score correlation studies. This activity is not tedious, nor really So, then, why don’t more schools try this out? demanding. In fact, it is quite simple; all Well, the first protest a lot of opposers will state is that with students evalu- each member has to do is to choose the teacher whom has been most influential ating their professors’ performance, there are bound to be those that judge and in their school career and who has had the most impact in their learning, and critique their professors unfairly, as they may be biased towards one or more give a short, little oration addressing why this specific professor has affected the teachers, due to a long-time grudge, revenge for a bad grade, or some other student more so than any of the others. unreasonable grievance. In short, it’s kind of like a teacher performance report. Given by a student, But, looking at this realistically, these types of students - and not to mention but still, just a teacher report. the ones that wouldn’t take the questionnaire seriously - are quite rare when On my pondering of this, it got me thinking about a few things - one of compared to an entire student body. those items being just who has been my most influential teacher during the Even so, this point is moot, as this process wouldn’t be a popularity contest; course of my academic career. Primarily, though, my thoughts revolved around I - and certainly any other schools that use this formula - don’t envision the the idea of students giving their educators reports and/or being surveyed about questions to be akin to Do you like your teacher? or Is the teacher nice? These the classroom experience, atmosphere, and etc. types of inquiries would be pointless, as they wouldn’t provide any substantial Grading them, as one might say in simple terms. feedback that would be useful to evaluate the students’ learning experiences and This might sound like an outlandish idea to some, and an outright abomi- the barriers keeping them from getting the most out of their education. nation to others, but this is actually a lot more possible than it sounds. And it Generally, the questions present on this survey revolve around the five fac- seems to have a lot more pros than cons, if one looks at it logically. tors that correlate with student learning, which include, but are not limited to: After all, over a quarter-million students have taken variations of the teacher- how much students learn each day, how students behave in-class, and just how evaluation questionnaire - which, unlike a majority of surveys, has been field- much the class accomplishes day-in and day-out. tested - and distributors have found out that if you ask them the right questions, See MAKING NOTE on page seven Cartoon {Cotton} 4 Features School Rules: Friend or Foe? If you’re valuable, you’re never in trouble

they disagreed that the teachers are too soft on and Sarah Tavis (12) said that the most broken rule students, along with 28% strongly disagreeing with was bullying. Mathey believed it is because nobody hard punishments. 34% of the students said that notices bullying. Many of us can’t really notice that people should pay for their “crimes” at school. someone is being bullied until it’s either too late, or Pam Albrecht Again, the most-broken rule was dress code. Evan they finally snap. Nobody tells because they’re afraid. Plugged In Tiffany said that the dress code was broken the Tavis felt bullying went unnoticed because nobody will Staff Writer most often; “... people want attention so they dress listen half of the time. To me, that is absolutely sad Rules, we hear them every day, and act like we how they want.” that everybody thinks that the dress is just so broken, obey them. Do most of us really follow the rules, 35% of the 24 seniors said they strongly dis- but they don’t see the bullying like those two other or do we all just slip past the teachers and the other agreed that teachers were too soft, and the same students. students? It’s not hard to be bad; It’s hard to be percent of kids were just indifferent on the severity sneaky. of punishments for students. 48% had said that they Some think that school rules are too unreason- agreed that students should pay the time for acting Plugged In Staff able, but others think it’s too soft. I surveyed kids up at school, though. For the third time, the most- Staff: Pam Albrecht, Matt Beyer, Allyson Burns, Alan Duffy, Jenny Fletcher, England Smith, Haiden Vongpraseuth. ranging from 10th to 12th grade asking them if broken rule was dress code. Chey Surack said dress Staff Adviser: Derek K. Doehrmann teachers are too soft on students, if unreasonable code. “I get yelled at and threatened to [be] sent Plugged In is the official school newspaper of Speedway punishments were right for students, if the term home because of a hole in my jeans, but these little High School. It is intended to be a public forum and it is pro- duced by the journalism classes at Speedway High School. Our “You do the crime, you pay the time” was appropri- girls can wear belly-shirts?” goal is to publish 6-10 issues each calendar year. ate, and for the one school rule that they felt was Although the most-broken rule for all grades JS Printing of Birmingham, Alabama prints our newspaper. broken most often. was dress code, two students Chase Mathey (10) The journalism team uses the Adobe Creative Suite, specifically Adobe InDesign and Adobe PhotoShop to create our finished 37% of the 19 tenth graders surveyed said that product. We submit the newspaper via the Internet and JS they were indifferent or they disagreed that teach- Printing publishes and ships our product within 24 hours. We ers are too soft on students. Then, 47% said they provide a copy free of charge to all Speedway High School students. strongly disagreed with harder punishments for Some information provided courtesy of the American students, but 53% believed in the term “You do the Society of Newspaper Editors (ASNE/MCT Campus) wire crime, you pay the time.” Their overall result for service. and we publicly thank the technology/support staff at Speedway High School for their behind-the-scenes, constant most-broken rule is dress code. Kalynn Sullivan said assistance. Letters to the Editor are encouraged. Please limit that dress code was most broken because “no one your letters to no more than 300 words in length. We reserve really cares about it.” the right to edit letters for grammar and publication of letters submitted will be at the discretion of the adviser. Out of 32 juniors surveyed, 42% had said that Does bullying exist at Speedway? The jury is out but the reasons it lives on are worth exploring further

Mahagany Montgomery grade 9 Regan Hubbard Renee Fields Adam Otte WHY DO grade 10 grade 11 grade 12 PEOPLE BULLY? WHY DO WHY DO WHY DO PEOPLE BULLY? PEOPLE BULLY? PEOPLE BULLY? “Just to feel like they have authority.” “Their anger ... “I feel people bully “I don’t really see it holding it in and because of their a lot, it’s a problem taking it out on insecurities. ” but not seen. ” others. ” Features 5 U2’s Song of Innocence A blend of marketing genius and a musical masterpiece

By Dan Deluca The Philadelphia Inquirer (MCT)

U2 have just released what will soon be the most deleted album in history. There it is, sitting in your iTunes Music Library whether you asked for it or not: “Songs of Innocence,” the heroic Irish rock band’s 13th album, which they surprise released for free in partnership with Apple at the consumer tech giant’s iPhone 6 (and Apple Watch) rollout in Cupertino, Calif., on Tuesday. In a stroke of Internet razzmatazz, Apple made the 11 songs instantly ready for download in the libraries of all 500 million plus iTunes users in 109 countries around the world. So, is this “Songs of Innocence” (Interscope 3 stars), with a title inspired by a 1797 collection of poems by William Different models of the new Apple smartwatch are on display for the first time at the Flint Center onTuesday, Sept. 9, 2014, in Cupertino, Blake (never fear, there will be a sequel Calif. (Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group/MCT) called ‘Songs of Experience’) any good? Yes, it is. We’ll get to that in a minute. “Raised By Wolves,” revisits growing up amidst religious violence of IRA First, let’s talk about means of delivery, as it seems that in this post-Beyonce bombings but falters with a weak chorus that is likely guilty of exaggerating just world, a blockbuster album cannot exist without a super-secret game-changing how feral of a childhood the young U2ers suffered through. Less successful release strategy intended to win the 24/7 news cycle, at least for a day or so. still is “California (There Is No End To Love),” which starts out as an awkward “Songs of Innocence” accomplishes that while ingeniously (or obnoxiously, Beach Boys homage, with its kinda dumb “Bar-Bar-Barbara Ann, Santa Barbara depending on how you feel about the band) putting the music one no-cost click Ann” chant. away from the ears of pretty much anyone in the world who might be interested The album sparkles elsewhere. There’s the fittingly explosive “Volcano,” in in hearing it. which Edge’s signature guitar shimmer is most effectively employed, and the Even if half the people gifted with Songs instantly delete it, it’ll still be in the Danger Mouse-produced, atmospheric closer “The Troubles” which would possession of a quarter of a billion people, a number roughly four times as large seem to also allude to Catholic v. Protestant strife. as those estimated to have purchased Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” the biggest But the dark-hued song, with Swedish singer Lyyke Li repeating the ghostly seller of all time. For the rock band that seeks to continue to be the last super- mantra, “somebody stepped inside your soul,” looks inward instead, with Bono star remnant of a splintered monoculture that is, quite literally, huge. musing, “You think it’s easier, to put your finger on the trouble, when the trou- And don’t think that U2 didn’t get paid. “I don’t believe in free music,” Bono ble is you.” The song ends “Innocence” on a unsettling note, as “Experience” said on Tuesday. “Songs of Innocence” is a gift not from the band, but from waits in the wings, ready to complicate what once seemed so simple and true. Apple, who paid Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. an undis- closed sum, so they could give the album away. The partnership stretches back Big Brother lurks ominously to the use of the 2004 single “Vertigo” in an iPod ad. Are citizens in graver danger today? Enough with the biz, on to the music. Here’s the real shocker about “Songs continued from page two of Innocence”: It makes for a surprisingly intimate listening experience, short vides for all citizens (regardless of any If one is still not perturbed on hubris and, dare we say, long on something that sounds like humility. aspect) the right to refuse searches by the revelation of the pigs becom- Maybe that’s because making it seems to have been an epic struggle. A new and seizures (that is also true of things ing men, we must remember that all U2 album was expected this past spring, five years after “No Line On The obtained with consent, they must get tyrannical revolutions have begun by Horizon.” Five producers worked on “Songs,” including Danger Mouse, Paul a warrant to process. This is exactly overreaching and then spun out of Epworth, Flood, Declan Gaffney and OneRepublic singer Ryan Tedder, whose what Miranda v. Arizona grants the control. The only way to stop such hit-maker fingerprints are on the glossiest tracks. people.). The concept of the Fourth a spiral is to question, remember the The solution to the logjam for the now 50-something rock band was to write Amendment is squarely at odds with original idea of the founding prin- tight songs with clean, clear melodies _ best exemplified by the “With or current national policy. ciples, and avoid being both pigs and Without You”-ish “Every Breaking Wave” _ that recall their original inspiration The NSA currently is in hot sheep. Orwell’s book Animal Farm is for making music growing up in 1970s Dublin. water, nationally and internationally, an excellent allegory of such a spiral The often sweet and refreshingly short _ just over 40 minutes _ album kicks for its “counter terror” regime. The (the book is fiction but grounded in off with “The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone),” a chugging rocker in which Bono private accounts of all persons using the allegory of the USSR). We must thanks his lucky stars for the appearance of a leather clad punk singing “a song tapped servers (tapped servers are not not let those entrusted with power that made some sense out of the world.” identified by the users as tapped and alter history for their own reasons. We “I woke up at the moment the miracle occurred,” the messianic singer sings, people; therefore, don’t know if they must not forget the original rallying rhyming it with (here’s the humility) “I get so many things I don’t deserve.” are being watched) indiscriminately. cry of the sheep, “four legs good, two There’s another warm hearted punk tribute in “This Is Where You Can The mass surveillance of innocent legs bad.” We must not bleat what the Reach Me Now,” dedicated to Joe Strummer, in which the Edge’s Stonesy guitar persons and the use of data traps powerful tell us to—“four legs good, lines cast a hypnotic spell. Other songs look back on childhood trauma: “Iris without warrant have led many to fear two legs better.” (Hold Me Close),” is about Bono’s mother, who died when he was 14. the Big Brother-esque days of old. 6 News/Features

Never forget

The Pentagon unveils a large American flag at sunrise on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2014, near the site where the building was struck on 9/11. (Olivier Douliery/Abaca Press/MCT)

Maze Runner takes over number one Grossing $32.5 million, book adaptations proving their worth By Saba Hamedy • Los Angeles Times (MCT) distribution, said of numbers that built through the younger than 25. LOS ANGELES - Adaptations of young-adult weekend for “The Maze Runner.” “The Maze Runner” follows the release of books proved their might again at the box office this The studio had cautiously predicted an opening “Divergent,” which met expectations in its opening past weekend as “The Maze Runner” sped past the of $20 million to $30 million in the U.S. and Canada. weekend, grossing $56 million. The first “Hunger Liam Neeson thriller “A Walk Among the Tomb- But “The Maze Runner” did so well that Aronson Games” film opened at more than $152 million in stones” and the Jason Bateman-Tina Fey comedy- said Sunday that the studio was picking up the film’s March 2012, and its sequel “Catching Fire” opened drama “This Is Where I Leave You.” sequel, “The Maze Runner: Scorch Trials.” in November 2013 to $158 million. Despite somewhat slow sales for its Thursday Based on the best-selling thriller by James Dash- Illustrating the audience overlap, the official “Hun- night and Friday matinee shows, “The Maze Run- ner, “The Maze Runner” follows Thomas (Dylan ger Games” Twitter account has exchanged tweets ner” finished strongly to gross an estimated $32.5 O’Brien), who is deposited into a community of with the “Maze Runner” account. The “Hunger million in the U.S. and Canada, solidly meeting young men in a post-apocalyptic world. After learn- Games” account tweeted Thursday: “Head to expectations. “A Walk Among the Tombstones” was ing that they are trapped in a maze, he joins fellow theaters this weekend to see the #Mockingjay Part 1 second with $13.1 million. “This Is Where I Leave “runners” to try to escape. official trailer, playing before @MazeRunnerMovie!” You,” which took in $11.9 million, was third. The film, which was directed by Wes Ball and The “Maze Runner” account then tweeted a thank- “Sometimes you just have to be patient,” Chris cost about $34 million to make, had a large young- you back. Aronson, 20th Century Fox’s head of domestic adult turnout: About 65 percent of the audience was continued on page seven Why decide not to participate? Increase in expectations and lack of confidence in skills cited continued from page one responsibilities and expectations. Of the six females they’d be confident because he’ll “become an adult” Out of the 48 students suveyed (21 females, 27 who wrote they feel they will be more confidence and “puberty is in middle school”. males), 18 females currently participate in sports, in high school, two said they already were pretty When asked if they had a parent or guardian that and the same number says they’re planning on confident, she’ll be over the “shyness” she struggles participated in a sport with his or her occupation, participating as freshman. The reason why most fe- with, one said there’ll be more athletic opportunities very few replied yes but those who did mostly said males do not participate is because they either don’t in high school, and the Lyncoln (the girl mentioned it was his or her dad who coaches or plays char- think they’re good at it or they are not too interested earlier) said “Yes because hopefully I’ll be skinny.” ity golf. There was one response that said both of in sports. One student named Ashley, however, said As for the 27 males, 22 currently play a sport and their parents coach as a profession and not pass that “sports are too glorified and it just causes social even more plan on playing in high school. The time. Overall, this might hint that women don’t play difference and bullying on who is weaker”. When males also had similar reasons for not participating. sports as an adult due to maternal instinct. asked if popularity and sports played a large part in Nine males agreed that there is a difference be- In sight of the data, it is apparent that the rate seen one another, Hannah Lindsey stated that “females tween male and female popularity; the rest said that amongst freshman through males could be a typical are made fun of for playing basketball because it’s it is the same for both genders. On the confidence and perhaps accepted rate amongst American high a guy sport.” One girl named Lyncoln said that “if front, most males said they also did not know but schools. This could be due to scientific causes, like you’re a guy and don’t play a sport you’re ‘weak’ of the thirteen that said yes reasoned that they’d the idea of maternal instinct or the anatomy of male apparently.” When it came to the question of be smarter, or stronger. Some look forward to a and female bodies and how hormones change and confidence, most of the females in question said larger team and more people. One said that he’d be what not or it could be due to social differences they didn’t know whether they’d be more confident more confident because he has a brother in the high between males and females or perhaps a mixture of in high school because they just weren’t there yet. school. Two males said they’ll be more confident be- both. Others said no because they feel there will be more cause they’re “cool kids”. Two poor souls said that Features 7

I am here, just abandoned Making note Measurements are good continued from page two A poem by senior Sami Barry These are the measures that the questionnaire should be - and is - ap- praising, as the answers to such ques- “I am here, just abandoned. tions could provide valuable insight My body creaks, I’m falling apart, and on the learning environments, what I’m collapsing from the inside out. the students learn - or, rather, what People are afraid of me they don’t - and why. Test scores and and I’m not sure why. classroom observations can’t even I was beautiful at one time. begin to touch upon these. I used to be filled with Kings and Another common criticism in- Queens. cludes the question of just how much a student opinion should affect. People loved me, fell in love with me, Should teachers be paid, trained, or and fell in love in me. dismissed based on student views? The only people I see are the ones Most people, including support- with cameras. ers, have reached a general consensus They crawl in me looking for things I that it shouldn’t be a factor for any can’t decipher.” of the above. However, they also believe that the students’ insights shouldn’t just be dismissed without the individual professors examining Survival of the fittest their personal reports. Educators in schools that use the survey typically How hard would it be to survive a nuclear explosion? find the feedback extremely helpful when preparing next year’s lesson Short Story plans and encourage others to use it, Life was rough living in the middle of the dangerous river surrounded Students in Ms. Weatherhead’s as it serves as a good reflection tool by the vast mountains. Knowing you might be the last people on Earth is a hard Always Compete period participated to help one improve their teaching pill to swallow. I take a trip to the mainland weekly for supplies and to look for in a writing contest. The students style and classroom atmosphere. people, which is usually filled with disappointment. The nuclear explosion was voted on the top writing selections. All in all, this system has worked the worst thing to possibly happen.The only non-toxic land is what we reside Sami Barry and Mary Hendricks well for education reform in schools on. The storms are brewing which on this tiny island surrounded by water are were the winners of the contest and that have adopted it, and I can’t really very bad. their writing samples are included in see that many detriments developing The old stature of this house would never stand a chance to hold up this edition of Plugged In. from trying it out. It’s a win-win situ- against large waves this storm could bring. We already had some of the bridge Have an interest in seeing your ation for everyone: students get their knocked down. Renovation will be necessary, but will we even be able to survive work published? See Mr. D in voice heard, teachers can improve ... this? Room 237 for more details. whatever they need to improve, and principals can spend their time doing A story by Mary Hendricks what principals do. Win-win situation, I tell you. Screen adaptations prove to be successful The movie industry continues to take and make great stories continued from page six was popular among adult audiences and Neeson fans. About 77 percent of the The film had a male lead in O’Brien, known for his role as the best friend audience was 25 and older. to Tyler Posey’s character in the “Teen Wolf ” series on MTV. O’Brien, one of “The main reason they went to see it was they wanted to see Liam,” Rocco Hollywood’s young heartthrobs, has more than 2 million followers on Twitter. said. “Just not enough of the Neeson fans came.” “He was perfect for the role,” Aronson said, noting his ability to draw in Warner Bros.’ “This Is Where I Leave You” also fell short of analyst and both male and female audiences. studio expectations. The character-based comedy-drama, which cost about $20 The gender breakdown for the film was fairly balanced, with female movie- million to make, has a star-studded cast that includes Jane Fonda, Adam Driver, goers making up 51 percent of the audience. Rose Byrne and Corey Stoll. “His appeal resides on the female side but he’s also a very strong leading Based on the best-selling novel by Jonathan Tropper and directed by Shawn guy,” Aronson said. Levy, the film follows four siblings who reunite after their father dies. The film The movie received a grade of A-minus from audience polling form Cine- returns to a genre that’s not done often these days _ the kind of family dramedy mascore and earned generally positive reviews from critics. As of Sunday, it had popularized in films such as “Terms of Endearment.” notched a positive 63 percent “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. As of Sunday, “This Is Where I Leave You” had a 43 percent fresh rating on Meanwhile, Universal Pictures’ “A Walk Among the Tombstones” fell short Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences gave the film a B-plus on CinemaScore. of the studio’s mid-to-high teens forecast. In their second weekends, Sony’s “No Good Deed” and Warner Bros.’ “Dol- “I don’t know what to say about why it didn’t (meet expectations),” said phin Tale 2” finished at No. 4 and No. 5, respectively. Universal’s head of distribution, Nikki Rocco. “But I have to say the truth of Director Sam Miller’s “No Good Deed” added $10.2 million, raising its total the matter is the picture was made for a very acceptable price, so it’s not all that gross in the U.S. and Canada to $40.1 million. devastating to the producers.” The family film “Dolphin Tale 2” took in about $9 million over the weekend, The Neeson action film cost about $28 million to make. Rocco said the film bringing its total gross in the U.S. and Canada to $27.1 million. 8 Sports Restored scholarships most important to Penn State

By Mike Jensen The Philadelphia Inquirer (MCT) When football recruiting experts, real or imagined, attach a ranking or stars to a recruit, they’re really setting odds. The more stars, the better the odds of a payoff for the school that lands the recruit. That’s all it is. In football, more than most sports, evalu- ating 15- and 16-year-olds, trying to figure what kind of player they’ll be at age 21, is a tough and risky business. In addition to the inherent danger of the sport, that’s why Division I football teams get so many scholarships. It’s why the NCAA’s restoration of scholarships at Penn State is even a bigger deal than lifting the bowl ban. You don’t get to the big bowls, into the Rose Bowl or the new four-team national playoff, without your full allot- ment of scholarships. When the NCAA originally announced sanctions against Penn State in the Jerry Sandusky scandal, it was those scholarships that then-coach Bill O’Brien and his staff focused most on. It wouldn’t be a shock if the Penn State head coach James Franklin walks to the Beaver Stadium media room before talking about the NCAA sanctions being reduced scholarship reductions had O’Brien questioning his own during his weekly press conference on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2014, in University Park, Pa. (Nabil K. Mark/Centre Daily Times/MCT) commitment to Penn State. He was suddenly the coach at a Maybe that’s minor, but it seemed wrong. Talk about victims who had noth- place that wasn’t “supposed to win it all.” That’s the retribution NCAA honchos ing to do with a crime. had in mind. Just as big as the bowl restoration is a chance to play in the Big Ten cham- Obviously, NCAA president Mark Emmert and the board that approved pionship game. In the scheme of things, that game is even bigger than most the original sanctions understood the consequences. They intended them to be bowls. There’s no arguing that being bowl eligible and Big Ten-title eligible will severe, which is why they allowed Penn State players at the time to transfer and greatly impact recruiting, too. become immediately eligible anywhere else. Getting to the big games that Penn State is now immediately eligible for, Renowned for his recruiting prowess, James Franklin and his assistants you don’t do it through smoke and mirrors or even X and O genius. You need suddenly don’t have to make as many tough choices between players, with the players, every last one of them, four stars and two stars, blue-chipper Christian scholarship limit moving up from 75 to 85. Odds are, one of the players who Hackenberg and walk-on Matt McGloin. (Don’t think for a second McGloin gets added to Penn State’s list will wind up being a starter. proves you can get it done with walk-ons. He’s the only one Penn State ever had Franklin’s star player at his last stop, Vanderbilt, receiver Jordan Matthews, to start at QB). is now with the Eagles. You think Matthews would have ever gotten out of his As of Monday, the Nittany Lions are back in the college football game that home state of Alabama if the Crimson Tide or Auburn had correctly forecast really counts. You don’t have to be a recruiting expert to see their odds just what he would become? improved. Two of the top five picks in the 2014 NFL Draft were from Central Florida and the University of Buffalo. Northern Illinois had a first-rounder. Fresno State had two second-rounders. You get the point. If everyone is guessing to a Defending their tourney title certain degree, you need as many guesses as possible. Volleyball team hosts Invite on Saturday That may even be more true when it comes to linemen. Sure, the big-time schools get first shot at the blue-chippers. But look at this list of schools of all The varsity volleyball team hosts its fourth Speedway Invitational on the offensive tackles drafted this year, in order: Auburn, Texas A&M, Michigan, Saturday. Despite a tough tournament field each year, the team has cap- Tennessee, Nevada, Alabama, Missouri, Virginia, North Dakota State, Michigan, tured its own tournament trophy each of the three previous years. And the Stanford, Purdue, Marshall, McGill, Kansas State, Portland State, Georgia State, tournament also serves as a good tune up to the prestigious Marion County Miami, Boise State. tournament which begins next week. That’s 19 players, virtually all of whom would have accepted scholarships The girls open play at 9 a.m. in Pool A hosting Cloverdale. The third from Power 5 leagues if they’d been offered. When Portland State ends up with team in their pool is Linton. Scecina, Tri-West, and Covenant make up the a higher-graded guy than Oregon, it’s all a crapshoot of sorts. teams in Pool B. The championship match is slated for 1 p.m. All this is intentional. The big-time schools get 85 scholarships. The next level With high hopes coming off last year’s semi-state finish, the girls started a down, at FCS (or I-AA), they get 63. little uneven during August. Moving into September, the girls have de- There’s a side issue here, maybe a minor one. The NCAA wasn’t just stick- veloped a little mojo. Two weeks ago, the team captured the Greenwood ing it to Penn State when it reduced scholarships. It was taking away scholarship Invitiational, taking wins over Edinburgh, ICC rival Scecina, and 4A New opportunities for a certain number of football players who never had anything Pal. Then, last week the girls managed a three match sweep of Tech, Triton to do with Penn State. The ones who didn’t get offered by Penn State after the Central and 4A North Central. scholarship reductions still would end up at a Division I school, maybe in the Monday, the girls traveled to Ritter for a showdown with the arch-rival Big Ten. Then there would be trickle-down - the Big Ten kid would end up at a Raiders that may also serve as a prelude to a future Regional matchup. The Mid-American school, the MAC kid would go to I-AA, etc. Eventually, a num- Sparkplugs and Raiders have met each of the last two years in the Regional. ber of players would end up with no scholarship at all.