Month: October 2015

Analyzing Northwestern Football’s win at Nebraska

Mollie Cahillane Articles 0 Comment

The Northwestern Wildcats headed to Nebraska Sunday, Oct. 25 hoping to avoid a third straight loss. After a back-and-forth game, the ‘Cats came away with a much needed win with a final score of 30-28.

History told us this would be a close game. In the five matchups between the Wildcats and the Cornhuskers since Nebraska joined the Big Ten, four have been decided by three or fewer points.

The Huskers outplayed Northwestern for much of the game. The ‘Cats saving grace in offense came from freshman quarterback Clayton Thorson. Thorson passed for 177 yards and ran a career-high of 126. He had two runs of 68 and 49 yards to set up scores, the two biggest Northwestern offensive plays of the game. Thorson is clearly developing strength as a running quarterback.

Senior cornerback Nick Vanhoose returned an interception 76 yards for a touchdown, a much-needed spark for the Wildcats.

Northwestern went into halftime with a 17-12 lead, despite Nebraska having huge statistical advantages in both time of possession and total yardage. The Huskers answered the Wildcats with a scoring drive in their first possession of the second half, which Northwestern quickly responded to with their second red-zone field goal of the day.

Northwestern football

After Nebraska scored a field goal, Northwestern quickly earned a touchdown by going 77 yards in just two and a half minutes, finishing with a 37-yard touchdown pass from Thorson to Dan Vitale. The score was then 27-22, and the ‘Cats did not give up their lead again.

Both teams had the potential for big plays that resulted in dropped passes. Northwestern’s Christian Jones dropped what would have been a touchdown pass right before the half. The ‘Cats need to be able to hold onto the ball if they hope to beat upcoming Penn State.

While a lot of the game, especially the first half, was nothing to write home about for Northwestern’s offense, NU’s defense led the team to an important win.

What it means for Northwestern

The Wildcats are bowl eligible for the first time since 2012. The ‘Cats improve to 6-2 overall and 2-2 in conference play, third in the Big Ten West. The Wildcats needed this win to stay afloat in the fight for Big Ten West. It’s a long shot, especially with the powerhouse that is Iowa, but don’t write the ‘Cats off just yet. The win against Nebraska should hopefully give Northwestern the confidence boost they need to take on Penn State in two weeks.

What it means for Nebraska

The only fans that might understand the disappointment Nebraska feels is Northwestern. The Huskers are now 3-5, but they have lost by a total of 13 points in all 5 losses. It was a sad day for Nebraska, who now must win three of their last four games, which include matchups against Iowa and Ohio State. The loss also spoiled the return of the 1995 Nebraska national championship team, who were honored in a pregame ceremony.

 

originally published: http://isportsweb.com/2015/10/25/analyzing-northwestern-footballs-win-at-nebraska/

Northwestern Football: The fight for Big Ten West

Mollie Cahillane Articles 0 Comment

The Iowa Hawkeyes and the Northwestern Wildcats: two teams that, at least in recent years, are not often recognized as football powerhouses. This year, it is different.

The Big Ten is arguably one of the strongest conferences in college football right now. Certainly stronger than the SEC. Five Big Ten teams are ranked in the AP Top 25. There are only three ranked SEC teams, and Florida is ranked the highest at number eight.

At the beginning of the season, it seemed Ohio State had already clinched the Big Ten East. However, Michigan blew the field right open with three shutouts in a row. Michigan defeated #13 Northwestern 38-0 just last week.

The Big Ten West is just as open. #17 Iowa has yet to lose. #20 Northwestern is 5-1, and these two teams will meet this weekend at Ryan Field in Evanston, Illinois. This game will prove critical in determining the front-runner for the West division.

While Iowa is undefeated, the caliber of the teams they have played speaks volumes. The only challenge they have faced is Wisconsin, who they beat 10-6. Other teams include North Texas and Pittsburgh, not exactly Top 25 teams.

Northwestern Wildcats quarterback Clayton Thorson (18) dodges Minnesota duruing NU's 27-0 shutout of the Golden Gophers. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

Northwestern football, on the other hand, has upsets against both Stanford and Duke. Both of those teams are currently ranked and have suffered no other losses. NU shut out Minnesota 27-0. The average win percentage of teams Northwestern has played this season is 69 percent, the highest in college football. Looking at these facts, Northwestern is arguably the better team.

Northwestern is not known for being the most consistent team. The last time the Wildcats felt hope for a great season was in 2013. Coming off a strong Gator Bowl win against Mississippi State, the ‘Cats looked strong. They started the season ranked at #22 and won their first four games. ESPN’s College GameDay came to Evanston for the first time since 1995 to watch the ‘Cats take on Ohio State.

And that’s where it went wrong for NU. They led most of the game before OSU took the lead in the fourth quarter. After a nail-biter of a quarter, OSU won 40-30 and the ‘Cats lost their next seven games.

Two years later, coming off back-to-back 5-7 seasons, Northwestern is 5-1 and ranked #20 in the AP poll. After NU defeated both Stanford and Duke, Stanford beat higher ranked University of Southern California and Duke took down then-ranked Georgia Tech.

This match against Iowa is absolutely critical for Northwestern. It will determine if 2015 is another 2013. If Northwestern can hold its own against Iowa and not fall to pieces, the ‘Cats will clinch the Big Ten West. If not, will not look great for NU.

The ‘Cats have the number one scoring defense in the nation. They need to take advantage of any Iowa turnovers and get on the board early.

Players to watch

Clayton Thorson: This freshman Northwestern quarterback needs to step up this weekend. His passing game has been anything but consistent. He hit only 39 percent of his passes against Duke and 48 percent against Michigan. However, Thorson did help shut out Minnesota.

Justin Jackson: The Northwestern sophomore running back is one of the best in the country and has 661 yards in just six games. He struggled against Michigan’s defense and gained just 25 yards. Jackson needs to look like he did against Stanford, where he earned 134 yards.

 

originally published: http://isportsweb.com/2015/10/15/northwestern-football-the-fight-for-big-ten-west/

Dear Kim Davis: Gay Rights in America

Mollie Cahillane Blog, Politics , , 0 Comment

Dear Kim Davis,

Hello, my name is Mollie Cahillane and I’m a junior at Northwestern University.  I’m writing to you in regards to your recent refusal to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.  As a queer American woman, I have some thoughts.

I admire your ability to stand tall in the face of adversity.  I admire the strength of your convictions.  Believe it or not, I even agree, “you can’t be separated from something that’s in your heart and in your soul.” But here’s why you’re wrong.

Your belief that same-sex marriage is a sin is antiquated and hypocritical.  You believe gay marriage is destroying traditional marriage, but haven’t you been married four times?  You were even willing to go to jail rather than issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

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You’ve been lauded for your homophobic beliefs and you’re now regarded as the queen of the bigots.  Your constituents are poorly educated, and dare I say it, morons.  Presidential hopeful Ted Cruz admires you.  The man attempting to defund Planned Parenthood (a.k.a. taking away affordable healthcare for women) is also homophobic.  In one fell swoop you’ve undermined the LGBT community and 50 percent of the population.

Kentucky, your home state, one of the most conservative states in this country, found you in contempt of court.  You went to prison for being intolerant.  But, you did get a hashtag out of it.  (Plus a great parody onTwitter).

Kim, your beliefs are your beliefs.  I may disagree with you but I know I can’t convince you that you’re wrong, so I’m not going to try.  But you must have heard of separation between church and state.  You hold a public office.  Why do you believe you’re above the law?  You have not gone to jail for practicing your religion.  You went to jail for attempting to use the government to force others to practice your religion.

And now I hear that after all of this, you’re still forcing your personal ideology on Kentucky.  Kim, straight people sued you.  Your deputies went behind your back while you were in prison and altered the marriage licenses.  What if my religion believed women from Kentucky named Kim shouldn’t have the right to marry?

After you got out of jail, you changed the marriage license form to remove the office’s authority.  My guess is you’re headed back to jailand your plight for bigotry will begin to fade in the conscious of society.  You might have the vocal homophobic minority on your side for now, but times are changing and my generation doesn’t take you seriously.

So this is the last you’ll be hearing from me, Kim.  And don’t worry; you’re not invited to my wedding.

Yours,

Mollie Cahillane

Growing Up Gay: Being Queer and Feminine

Mollie Cahillane Articles, Blog, Life , , 0 Comment

Growing up, I lived a sheltered life.  I’m the oldest of four children and I have parents who would do anything to protect me.  I’m very lucky.

Even though I hate to admit it, this shielding had its drawbacks.  When I was eight, I told my mom I learned what the f-word meant.  Too embarrassed to say it out loud, I leaned and whispered ‘fart’ in her ear.

So imagine me in sixth grade.  I hear the word ‘gay’ for the first time.  What does this mean?  Boys can like boys?  Girls can like girls?  What?!

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Flashback to third grade.  All every girl can talk about is their crush on the cute boys in our class.  Here’s the problem.  I don’t have a crush.  What’s wrong with me?  I go home one day and tell my mom about this boy.  I like him so much mom!  I draw his name in hearts!  She asks me if he’s cute. ‘Ew! Gross!’ was my instant response.

I had a boyfriend once, back in seventh grade.  He broke up with me because I didn’t want to kiss him.  I was so confused and wondered,  ‘What’s wrong with me?  Why don’t I find anyone attractive?  Why doesn’t anyone find me attractive?’

Looking back now, it’s almost hard not to laugh.  Poor Mollie.  I was confused and scared and felt so alone.  It was hard realizing I’m gay.  I lived in Georgia and went to a conservative Christian school where I felt like being gay wasn’t an option.  I turn 21 next week and I’ve been out and (mostly) proud for three years now.  I’m in a happy, committed relationship with a beautiful girl.

But, it wasn’t so easy to get here.  First I had to realize I’m gay.  Then I had to process it.  Then I had to accept it.  And next, I learned to embrace it.  It didn’t make sense to me for a long time.  In my mind, lesbians had short hair, no makeup, wore combat boots, and stuck out in a crowd.  I had long curly hair, wore dresses almost every day and brown eyeliner was my best friend.  I didn’t fit what I thought gay should look like as a woman.

I DIDN’T FIT WHAT I THOUGHT GAY SHOULD LOOK LIKE AS A WOMAN.

Why did I feel that I was only a real lesbian if I presented as androgynous or masculine?  Of course, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with choosing to present oneself in this way.  The feminist movement is about a woman’s right for equality regardless of how she looks.  And while androgynous or masculine presentation is the right self-expression for many queer women, I thought it was the only option.  So at 19, I underwent an identity crisis.  I bought combat boots (which I love and adore and wear probably every day).  It was only due to my mom’s intervention that I didn’t get a pixie cut.  (Thanks, mom! You were right, I can’t pull that off…) Now, at 21, I’ve learned to say ‘screw you’ to the gender binary and I fully believe that gender is a construct – but that’s a whole different article.

So while my style may have evolved (still wearing Dr. Martens and excessive flannel), my identity hasn’t.  Sometimes it’s tough not being easily identifiable to other lesbians, because honestly I really would love some more queer friends.  But at the same time, I’m confident and happy with who I am, the choices I’ve made, and the life I’m living.  I’ve learned to reject the stereotypes that come along with my sexual identity and I’ve learned not to let the doubt define me.  Just don’t take away my plaid flannel shirts until after graduation.

 

Originally published: http://www.bsmartguide.com/learn/how-to-find-love/1210-growing-up-gay-being-queer-and-feminine.html

A Rogers Park treasure: the Heartland Café

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The Heartland Café has been an artistic and political center in Rogers Park, Chicago, for 36 years. Under new ownership since 2012, the Heartland underwent a physical and ideological transformation.

Tom Rosenfeld, the Heartland’s owner, has lived in Rogers Park since 1999. He owns an organic farm in Michigan as well as a consulting business in Chicago. He looked to connect his farm to food businesses in Chicago.

“I had just been an organic apple grower and then I started to realize I needed to diversify my farm,” said Rosenfeld. “At that time, Heartland was really going through some troubles. Michael James and Katy Hogan, the owners at the time, were doing fundraisers, and they were really doing anything they could to stay open.”

Rosenfeld first approached James and Hogan with the idea to buy the Heartland in 2010. They initially rejected Rosenfeld’s offer, but called him at the end of 2011 and then spent the next six months working on the deal before Rosenfeld took over in 2012.

“There was so much excitement in 2008 around the Obama campaign and so much intense action around the restaurant that their business hadn’t really declined,” said Rosenfeld. “On night of the election, it was just jammed in here. It was packed and rocking and partying late until night. On Wednesday morning, there were no more politics and nobody was here. That’s when they realized how heavy the impact of the economy and the crash really was.”

Rosenfeld and his family initially began going to the Heartland because they found something on the menu that everybody liked.

“It was the menu that drew me here initially,” said Rosenfeld. “Once you’re here, it’s just a great place to hang out. My wife used to come here when she was a teenager and hang out because it was kind of counter-culture and the cool thing to do.”

All three of Rosenfeld’s children have worked at the Heartland.

“My daughter is in the theatre community, so depending on if she has a show at that moment she serves here, she bartends here, she cashiers here. She’s pretty much done every job here,” Rosenfeld said.

One of his sons is a teacher and works for the restaurant over the summer. The other son works for all of Rosenfeld’s businesses on an as-needed basis.

After the change in ownership, the Heartland Café underwent a number of physical transformations. They refurnished the tables, painted the walls, closed off the kitchen, and completely rebuilt the porch.

Rosenfeld also redesigned the store in the front of the café.

“When I took over the store had a lot of items on consignment, a lot of media, incense, a large magazine rack,” said Rosenfeld. “We reimagined the whole store and now it’s a perpetual farm market, much more of a natural grocery store.”

Organic food is now an important part of the Heartland Café.

“During season almost all of the produce comes from my farm,” said Rosenfeld. “We retrained all the kitchen staff. We completely changed the menu. It used to be kind of a hodgepodge menu, so we shrunk it way down and gave it a much more Midwestern ideal. This is all a grand experiment and I hope it works. I believe that organics should be available to the masses. We try to keep our price point very low, and our food quality very high.”

Rosenfeld emphasized the changes in Heartland’s ideology.

“It’s a lot of physical changes, but maybe more importantly changes to the food and where it’s coming from, how it’s prepared, and then a lot of training and retraining and different approaches for our employees. We haven’t changed the name, we haven’t changed the general concept of the place, we haven’t changed the politics.”

Chris Mayor has worked at the Heartland Café for 10 years and is also a professional forager.

“The place has really come into its own since Tom took over,” said Mayor. “We’re pushing for zero waste and there’s a huge emphasis on sustainability now.”

The Heartland Café has long been a political center of Rogers Park, especially for progressives and left-leaning people. James and Hogan founded the Heartland with the idea that it would become a venue for open political discussion.

“You can see our signs, we’re not shy about our politics,” said Rosenfeld. “As a result of the political activism of the two founders, this place started to attract more and more political importance in the neighborhood and the north side of the city.”

Jesús “Chuy” Garcia, Jan Schakowsky, and Barack Obama have all hosted campaign events at the Heartland Café. “Vote for Chuy” signs are pasted all over the windows at the café. Most recently, the Heartland hosted a talk called “The State of the Police State” in reaction to events in Ferguson, Missouri.

“We’re more than just a place for candidates to go,” said Rosenfeld. “There’s a lot of important political discussions that happen here. We’ve long held our role as a place for progressives to come together and talk.”

The Heartland Café is an artistic center. In One Ear, an open mic show has been at the Heartland every Wednesday at 10 p.m. for the past 16 years. “PeteWolf” Winninger owns and hosts the open mic.

“It started off as a poetry show, and then in April of 1998 I introduced features and music, and then we expanded from an hour and a half to a three hour, four hour show,” said Winninger. “We have music, performance, comedy, magicians, anything really.”

Performers are allowed five minutes and are charged a three-dollar cover.

“The open mic scene is really hard to describe,” said Rosenfeld. “It’s really eclectic and changes every week.”

Winninger hopes to expand In One Ear in the future.

“We want In One Ear to not just be the open mic, but to be these different events that people create,” said Winninger.

 

Written for Journalism 301: Enterprise Reporting in Diverse Communities