COURTBOUILLON 11 February 2010
A DILLARD UNIVERSITY student production
www.ducourtbouillon.com
Faculty, staff urged to give ‘dollar a day’
Miss Krimson and Kream
NEWS
Charley Steward
Gentilly neighbor, 71, shows civic pride as cleanup volunteer
Editor-in-chief
3
ETOUFEE Student-athlete’s days hectic as he juggles two jobs, parenting, school
4
SPORTS Billy Ray Hobley Gala raises $10,300 for DU athletic scholarships
SAINTS
5 Stephawn Spears | Courtbouillon Sierra Spears, a political science junior from New Orleans, smiles and poses after being crowned Miss Krimson and Kream on Jan. 24 in the first pageant held by the Beta Gamma chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. The event was held in Cook Theatre.
Dillard University is asking its faculty and staff to donate $30 a month to assist students in need in its Dollar-A-Day Campaign launched Jan. 21. If each of the approximately 250 DU employees participates at the level requested, it would be enough to send at least four students to school for four years, according to Khalilah Elliott, director of annual funds. It costs about $26,000 a year to attend Dillard, including tuition, room and board, and fees. The flyer announcing the program said most Dillard students come from homes with an annual household income of less than $45,000. Students often find that remaining at Dillard is a financial challenge, the flyer said. Elliott said a few personnel already have signed up, but she did not provide a specific number. “We’ve had some employees who literally – they were so excited about the program – wrote a check for the full amount of $360,” she said. Elliott said the campaign will be an ongoing activity in which DU employees can sign up anytime to make a oneyear commitment of donating $15 per pay period to help provide financial as-
See Dollar-a-Day on Page 2
Collegiate 100 inducts 13 new members Jeannine Cannon
Saints’ historic victory, three-day celebration captured in pictures
8
INDEX Campus news ............................................ 2-3 Etoufee ................................................4 Sports ....................................5 Opinion............................... 6-7
The Collegiate 100 Black Men of Dillard has inducted 13 new members, bringing its current membership to 25 and making it the largest male organization on campus.
The ceremony was held at 6 p.m. Jan. 31 in Lawless Chapel. The new inductees include one sophomore, Bradley Wilson of New Orleans. The other 12 were freshmen, including five from Mobile, Ala.: Jho-
ry Buskey, Charlie Coleman, Christopher Neal, Mikcal Todd and Andrew Webber. Other newly inducted members include Charles Battles of Baton Rouge; Jerome Bailey Jr. of Houston; Duane Green
of Chicago; William Taylor of Jackson, Miss.; Dorian Webster Jr. of Garland, Texas; Lawrence Young Jr. of Atlanta; and De’Juan Ellsworth of New Or-
See Inducted on Page 2
Provost to scholars: Challenge yourselves
on Thursday, Feb. 4, in Lawless Chapel, urged students to “Set the pace” and Dr. David V. Taylor, DU provost, “Don’t disappoint yourself.” told a freshman audience that he can Some 114 students were honored identify with a slow academic start, but as having grade-point averages of 3.0 he encouraged students to challenge or better. Eight of those students had themselves consistently. straight-A averages, or 4.0. Taylor, who was featured speaker at Taylor, who came to DU in fall 2008 the annual First-Year Scholars Program as provost and senior vice president for
114 DU freshmen students honored
academic affairs, previously held the position at Morehouse College in Atlanta. An accomplished historian today who holds numerous awards, Taylor recalled the difference years ago when he started out in undergraduate school at the University of Minnesota as a popu-
See Honors on Page 3
2
COURTBOUILLON
DILLARD UNIVERSITY
COURTBOUILLON Volume 74, Issue 2
EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-chief .................. Charley L. Steward Managing editor ...................................Traci Ray Sports editor .................... Ernest Robertson Photo editor .................... Stephawn Spears
11 February 2010
Dollar-a-Day FROM PAGE 1 sistance to students. More than eight out of 10 students on campus receive financial aid. Although Elliott doesn’t expect all faculty and staff members to write out a check of $360, the goal of the campaign is for every employee to donate something, she said. “We’re hoping to see a bigger enrollment,” said Elliott. Employees can join the cam-
paign by downloading an employee payroll deduction form in the Human Resources section of the university Web site and designating the amount to be deducted during each pay period. The form should be submitted to Room 234 Rosenwald Hall. For more information, contact the Office of Annual Giving at 816-4767.
The Annual Fund is a fundraising campaign through which unrestricted gifts of any amount from any source can be made to the university. The program supports students by providing scholarships, attracting and retaining highly qualified faculty and staff, strengthening the academic curriculum and outreach programs and by providing access to the latest
Online editor ...........................Angela Harris
Neighbor shows civic pride with Gentilly cleanup
Faculty adviser ..................Cleo Joffrion Allen, Ph.D., APR
BUSINESS STAFF Advertising manager ...................................... Vacant
Kenneth W. Palmer
CONTACT US News ..............dunews1@gmail.com Features .......... dufeatures@gmail.com Opinion ..........duopinions@gmail.com Sports ............dusports1@gmail.com Photos ............ duphotos@gmail.com
WRITE US
DU Courtbouillon Dillard University 2601 Gentilly Blvd. New Orleans, LA 70122
Stephawn Spears | Courtbouillon Jerome Bailey, a mass communication freshman from Houston, poses with his mother, Lisa Bailey, after his induction Jan. 31 into the Collegiate 100 Black Men of Dillard. In photo at right, Brandon Love, a political science junior from Metairie, helps new member Bradley Wilson with his bowtie during the ceremonies. Wilson is a pre-nursing sophomore from New Orleans.
VISIT US
Inducted
Advertising ..... duadvertising@gmail.com
Room 146 Cook Center
CALL US
Phone: (504) 816-4107 Fax: (504) 816-4089
E-MAIL US
E-mail: ducourtbouillon@gmail. com
ABOUT US The Dillard University Courtbouillon is produced by mass communication students at Dillard University. The Courtbouillon publishes six issues per semester. Publication dates for spring 2010 are Jan. 28, Feb. 11, March 4 and 18, and April 8 and 22. If you have a story idea, news tip or calendar event, contact us at the numbers or e-mail addresses provided above. To advertise, contact our adveritsing manager.
classroom technology. Other fundraising programs coordinated under Annual Funds includes the UNCF Walk/Run; the Bleu Devil Challenge, a competition between classes of current students to see which classification can raise the most money; and Dillard One Thousand, a program that encourages alumni to donate $1,000 each.
FROM PAGE 1 leans. The Collegiate 100, founded at DU last fall, is the second collegiate chapter of 100 Black Men in Louisiana, following Southern University. According to the its Web site, the Collegiate 100 is an auxiliary organization to 100 Black Men, drawn primarily from male African-American college students to implement mentoring and tutoring programs for
young black males. The inductees’ first event as members was the group’s signature on-campus activity, “Cater to You, Mondays,” on Feb. 1, during which members carry lunch trays for female students. Scheduled every first Monday last year, the group will randomly select Mondays this year. Continuing members include seniors, David Adams of New Orleans, Cory Falade of Dal-
las and Rodney Graham of Los Angeles and Mister Dillard Michael McField of Carson, Calif. Juniors are Brandon Adams of New Orleans, Alan Carmel of St. Louis, Michael Kelly of Atlanta, Ian Lawrence of Los Angeles, Gerald Lee of New Orleans, Brandon Love of Metairie and Darius Miller of Chicago. Juan Serrano of Atlanta is a sophomore.
‘2 Live’ wins first Shimmy Kontest Jeannine Cannon The women of the “2 Live” group won Kappa Alpha Psi’s first annual “Shimmy Kontest” during lunch Jan. 28 at lower Kearny. The competition was a part of “Pretty Week” Jan. 24-30 hosted jointly by Kappa Alpha Psi and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority. The “2 Live” group included Tayana White of Dallas, a junior economics and finance major, and three other students from California – Sabrina Bland, a junior urban studies major; Sierra
McKinney, a senior sociology major; and Cassidy Barnette, a junior. Three other groups also competed for the title: “Envious Ladies that Love NUPES,” “Kollizion” and members of the volleyball team. “Envious Ladies that Love NUPES” included Alyssa Sledge of Chicago, a freshman; Jonquil Griffin of New Orleans, an accounting major; Jessica Cunningham of Kenner, a sociology major; and Kia Hill of Birmingham, Ala., a political science major.
For the past five years, a Sugar Hill subdivision resident has been showing her neighborhood pride as a one-woman cleaning crew. Blanche Hays, 71, patrols the St. Anthony Street walking/ jogging path faithfully for a few hours twice a week to pick up litter. Hayes said before the jogging path was built in 2006, she would clean the neutral ground and sidewalks on St. Anthony Street. Hays, a retiree who has lived on New Orleans Street in Sugar Hill for more than two decades, said she started her solo cleanup campaign after Hurricane Katrina in an attempt to show the Sugar Hill subdivision was rebuilding. She volunteered to keep the jogging path clean after Gentilly Neighborhood Association President Debra Joseph asked for volunteers. Hays, who retired after 20 years working at the New Orleans Museum of Art, said she took on the task because she loves to keep busy. She added that it needs to be done, and the exercise helps to keep her mobile and in shape. Hays said although the weather affects her progress, it has never deterred her from cleaning altogether. Joseph, the association president, Hays’ efforts have had a positive effect and inspired other residents to pitch in. However, Joseph said, Hays is the only Sugar Hill resident who consistently volunteers. Joseph said plans are in the works by City Councilwoman Cynthia Hedge-Morrell to procure a civic award or city proclamation acknowledging Hays’ tireless efforts.
3
COURTBOUILLON
11 February 2010
Dillard alum to speak at annual Honors Convocation
Honors
Dr. William Sutton, a Dillard alumnus and president emeritus of Mississippi Valley State University, will be the featured speaker at the 2010 Annual Honors Convocation at 4 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 21, in Lawless Assembly Hall. Some 200 Dillard students
lar student without a lot of focus. He said that as a result, he graduated with a 2.9 GPA, just enough to get into graduate school. (He received a master’s from the University of Nebraska and returned to Minnesota for his doctorate.) Taylor said he found his way in graduate school, where he maintained a 4.0 for two years. The change for him, which he advised for others, was to keep sight of your goal and to be disciplined. “Challenge yourself; that’s where you’ll grow,” Taylor advised. “Challenge your professors, challenge students around you.” Taylor encouraged students to take advantage of the time you have now. He said for most college students, this is the freest you’ll ever be. Noting he’s now 65, he said it’s amazing how fast time flies. (David Pittman contributed to this report.)
Tess Williams
will be at the convocation for having a cumulative gradepoint average of 3.0 or above, according to Dr. Carla Morelon-Quainoo, director of Undergraduate Studies. Sutton, who graduated from Dillard in 1953, is past president of the National Institute of Science. He earned his master’s and doctoral degrees at
Howard University. He became president of Mississippi Valley State in Itta Bena, Miss., in 1988 and served in that role for a decade. Morelon-Quainoo said Sutton came to Dillard on an academic scholarship in 1949 and was class president during his sophomore, junior and senior years.
He also participated in drama and served as captain of the football team, she said. Morelon-Quainoo noted that the decision was made to change the minimum for recognition back to 3.0 (after raising it to 3.2 last year) after it was discovered that most honor students have a GPA of between 3.0 and 3.199.
Freshmen honor’s list GPA of 4.0 Candace Banks Tandraer Crosby Lauren Lemonious Kanitria Mason Alexandria Moore Dasha Parker Andrew Tadros Rachel Williams GPA of 3.6 to 3.9 Alexandria Broadnax Dominique Bryant Monette Buchanan Jhory Buskey Lyniece Catalan Charlie Coleman Heaven Davis Misha Ferdinand Chardai Grays
Raven Hardy Michaela Miller Christopher Neal Paula Ogbevoen Cherelle Palmer Tanesia Patterson Ebone Pierce Felisha Rideau Michael Sagapolutele Bridget Sisney Jazzmin Smith Mikcal Todd Nyeisha Warren GPA of 3.0 to 3.5: Jerome Bailey Charles Battles Heavenly Benoit Kayla Blain Kacy Boudreaux Kortney Bougere
Kyrean Bowens Faron Bradley Lance Breaux Nika Brown Danielle Burton Clarence Carr Nicole Carriere Shi’nece Cockheran Kimberley Coleman Markecha Coleman Markia Daniels Zachary Davis Jasmine Dominic Katrina Doran Ashley Edinburgh L’Tara Ford Sara Forrest Duane Green Jonquil Griffin Arkesha Hamilton
Tequelia Harcum Jasmine Hardman Aleah Henderson Chervon Hilliard Jasmine Hurt Hannah Ingram Gianni Jackson Crystal Johnson Taaler Johnson Briana Katz Lisa Landry Nichole Lathan Colby Locks Robinette Love Angell Luter Brittani Martin Melanie Martin Taylor McGhee Arion Moore Alannia Mosley
Sonya Murphy Ekebnta Okorn Sommyr Paden Keshawn Patton Josef Pons Jakarah Porter Christopher Ragas Sharron Rainey Jamal Refuge Markeisha Rickson Nicole Robinson Alexjandra Samuels-Zecher Sian Sanfie Leroy Scott Iesha Simms LaMegan Smith Daleonne Smith Ana Stepney Christopher Taylor
William Taylor Charne’ Thomas Cherise Thomas Jeanne Thompson Jerry Thompson Kerri Thornton Moriah Tyran Shane Wade A’Ravion Walker Farren Washington Andrew Webber Dorian Webster Jasmine Wheaton Sheridan Williams Simeon Wilson Valencia Wise Tajeve Wright-Young Bianca Young Lawrence Young
FROM PAGE 1
For you and your friends, flu shots are a great defensive strategy. The time to get your seasonal flu shot is now! But this year you need extra coverage, so if you’re at high risk, get your H1N1 flu shot now as well. To Fight The Flu, it’s your best defense.
The best protection during
football season.
Listed Here? Get Your H1N1 Flu Shot Now! • Individuals 6 months to 24 years old • Pregnant or nursing women • Caregivers for infants • Healthcare and EMS personnel • Individuals with chronic health disorders or compromised immune systems
The best protection during
flu season.
For more information, ask your health care provider or pharmacist, call 2-1-1 or visit www.FightTheFluLA.com. www.FightTheFluLA.com. A message from the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals.
Etouffee
4
11 February 2010
COURTBOUILLON
Student-athlete also dad, barber, guard David Pittman
Charley Steward | Courtbouillon William Taylor, a freshman chemistry major from Jackson, Miss., adds cheese to his salad at the new serving bar.
Students like Kearny’s new look, but complain card scans holding up lines Devan Lee
The start of spring semester at Dillard has brought changes to Kearny Dining Hall: the return of the card scanning system and a new look. Yolanda Holland, general manager of Sodexo Campus Services, said the return to scanning a student’s Dillard ID instead of using meal-plan stickers facilitates the process since everything is back to being computerized. However, some students complained the change has increased the time spent in line. Chardonaye Stampley, a freshman chemistry major from Houston, said it takes longer to get through the line and into the dining hall. Jessica Forest, a junior mass communication major from Houston, said she understands the
scanning system is a good way to monitor student entry, but she said the lines are too long and there isn’t enough food prepared for students in the serving lines. Holland said Sodexo plans to add another register to shorten the wait. As for the renovations, Holland said repainting the facility and installing the new serving area took five weeks, although planning has been under way since last August. In addition to painting, new millwork and signage were added, and the serving area was expanded, Holland said. Stampley said she likes Kearny’s new look. Off-campus students and others also may dine at Kearny. The price is $5.50 for breakfast, $6 for lunch and $6.50 for dinner. Sunday brunch is $7.75.
DU basketball player Autrail Manning could be compared to the old “In Living Color” comedy skit about the Jamaican family with 20 jobs apiece: The 6-foot-1 senior point guard also is a fulltime student, father, and part-time barber and security guard. Manning, a criminal justice major, describes his schedule as hectic at times, but says his 2-year-old son, Autrail Manning Jr., provides the motivation he needs to do what has to be done, all the while maintaining a 2.8 GPA. He is taking 18 hours this semester and says he expects to complete his courses this summer and graduate in 2011. “Because of my son – my motivation – I kept pushing,” Manning says. Manning, who graduated from John Ehret High School in Algiers in 2003, was injured in a car accident after high school graduation, prompting a two-year break before college. In 2005-06, he attended a junior college in Kansas on a basketball scholarship. He transferred to a junior college in Chicago for 2006-07, but says he found the racial environment to be hostile. He transferred to DU the following year. Manning says his day starts late, but it also ends very late. He starts classes at 10 a.m. and then attends practice from 6:309:15 p.m. or later. After practice, he talks to his son, attempts to get as much schoolwork done as possible and gets some rest
for the day. During gaps in his schedule, Manning cuts hair at New Image and works as a security guard in the Canal Place mall. He also cares for his toddler at least three times a week when mom Latashia Brown, a student at Southern University-New Orleans, is at work or in class. While sometimes he is able to get eight hours of sleep, Manning says, the schedule isn’t easy. He says staying on top of things requires that he stay organized by writing everything down in his notebook. “Even with having some parental support, at times, it’s difficult because I have to bring my son with me to class and practice,” says Manning. Even so, Manning says he loves spending time with his son and says that Autrail Junior is the reason he works so hard. “One of the main reasons for working like I do is so I can be able to provide for my son,” says Manning His son attends Children World Learning Center, which Manning says offers toddlers a solid educational foundation. Manning had to face another stressor recently when he was the victim of an on-campus break-in on a game night the Friday before the Christmas break. When he returned to his apartment, “the stuff I worked hard for was gone.” He says he almost “felt like quitting,” but then he thought of his son, straightened up and kept on pushing toward his goal.
No word yet on when administration will resume Eagle Award program Charley Steward Editor-in-chief
The year-old Eagle Award competition for Dillard staff is on hold until further notice, but is expected to resume, according to a member of the Rewards and Recognitions Committee. Robin Toliver, a benefits specialist in Human Resources and a committee member, said the administration expects to resume the program, but no date has been set for when nominations will be accepted, and no nominations have been submitted for a while. The Eagle Award was created in fall 2008 to “recognize staff that demonstrate exceptional work performance
and go above and beyond the call of their duty in the performance of their jobs,” according to the university Web site. Dr. Marvalene Hughes, DU president, said at the time on the site that the goal was to boost morale and create a sense of harmony in the Dillard community. Previous recipients received a certificate and a designated parking space. To date, only two recipients have been named. The fall 2008 winner was Dianne Lane, a switchboard operator for information technology and telecommunications. Zena Ezeb, administrative assistant for the Division of Humanities, was the spring 2009 recipient. No one
was named for fall 2009 or so far this semester, spring 2010. Lane, who has worked for Dillard for 18 years, was recognized and awarded in August 2008. Ezeb, who has been with Dillard for 22 years, serving the last four at her current position, was recognized in January 2009. Toliver said managers or co-workers may nominate an individual, “but they need to show excellent customer service.” Other qualifications include dedication to one’s job/duty and to the university, selflessness, discipline, being a team player and being supportive of the university, co-workers and everyone around.
Toliver said consistency is key: “If they go above and beyond the call of duty, they have to be consistent in what they do.” Toliver said the idea for the Eagle Awards arose during a Business and Finance retreat when Hughes asked everyone to identify an animal that describes his or her personality the most. Hughes said her personality was that of an eagle. The Reward and Recognition Committee also includes Audrey Clements, Orenthal Goudia and Andrew West, all of ITT; Monica Givens, Office of Business and Finance; Eula Lynch, Student Account Services; and Jacqueline Thomas, Dillard University post office.
11 February 2010
Sports
5
COURTBOUILLON
Dillard athlete 1 of 170 cited by Daktronics
Losses at the Bleu Devil Classic
Stephawn Spears | Courtbouillon Stephawn Spears | Courtbouillon DU senior guard Cornice Wingate of Riviera Beach, Fla., faces off with a Xavier University player during the annual Bleu Devil Classic on Jan. 30. The men lost 67-72 in overtime.
DU sophomore guard Jessica Small of Nashville, Tenn., goes for the shot during the annual Bleu Devil Classic on Jan. 30 at the UNO Lakefront Arena. The women lost 40-69 against Xavier University.
Hobley Gala receipts
Stephawn Spears | Courtbouillon Dr. Marvalene Hughes, DU president, expresses delight for $10,300 raised for athletic scholarships during a halftime presentation at the Bleu Devil Classic on Jan. 30. The proceeds are from the Billy Ray Hobley Scholarship Gala the night before. Holding the check is Mattie Hobley, widow of Billy Ray Hobley. Hobley, a Dillard alum and university coach, also spent two decades with the Harlem Globetrotters.
Cross-country runner Sherman Coleman, honored as a national Scholar Athlete by Daktronics and the National Association for Intercollegiate Athletics, says he’s setting his sights on achieving faster times for spring track season, which starts Feb. 18. Coleman, a Tomball, Texas, junior majoring in chemistry, was named one of 170 Scholar Athletes in November – the only one from Louisiana. He has a 3.79 grade-point average. Junior or senior studentathletes are nominated for maintaining a minimum GPA of 3.5. Coleman, who ran crosscountry and track at Klein Oak High School in Spring, Texas, is one of the few team members with any prior experience, according to head coach Bobby Williams. “It was different. I was one of the few team members who actually ran cross-country before, so I was able to share some of my knowledge about my previous experiences,” Coleman said. “Overall it was fun. Most of us already knew each other before we were a team, so that made it easier for us to gel.” Coleman is now looking forward to the track season opener at LSU Twilight on Feb. 18. “My goals are to work hard and run faster times than I ever ran in high school. It’s been three years since I ran track, but I am starting to get back into the groove of things.” “I came to Dillard because I thought it would be really cool to move to a place with the culture like New Orleans. New Orleans is truly a unique city” said Coleman. Upon graduation, Coleman says he plans to attend graduate school, perhaps even pharmacy school. He says he’s interested in exercise physiology, but, “Pharmacy is also something I have thought about since middle school. Eventually, I want to use all the knowledge I gain to positively affect the world of sports.” (Mario Martin contributed to this report.)
Opinion&Editorial
6
COURTBOUILLON
Why black history? Each February, Black History Month is celebrated to honor the struggles, triumphs, contributions, creations, achievements and advancements of African Americans. Since the election of Barack Obama as America’s first black president, it seems the purpose of the month is even more significant. Conversely, some have become more vocal about the notion of getting rid of Black History Month. To the question posed by some: “Now that we have a black president, is Black History Month still necessary?” We answer a resounding, “Yes!” “Have we advanced far enough to completely eliminate the month altogether?” Absolutely not. Although black history should be celebrated every day of every year, the reality is if we did not designate a month, we probably would not recognize or even acknowledge black history at all. Black History Month is a vital part to American history. Just because we now have a black president in office doesn’t mean racial inequalities have vanished. Racism still exists despite many societal changes and advancements. We do not have to search hard or far to find them, either. In the past few years, several hate-mongering Web sites, such as guywhite.wordpress.com and 33.brinkster.com, have been trying to “dispel the myths” of African American achievements and inventions. Moreover, in our efforts to complain, we fail to do the research. We hear all the time that “they” gave us the shortest month of the year to celebrate black history. However, the origins of Black History Month date back
to 1926 when historian Carter G. Woodson, a black man from Kentucky who earned his doctorate from Harvard, established “Negro History Week.” Woodson specifically selected the second week of February to honor two men who were born in that month: Frederick Douglass, an African-American abolitionist, journalist and author, and Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States who signed the Emancipation Proclamation during the Civil War in 1863. By 1976, the United States had expanded the week into a full month. This year’s Black History Month theme, determined by the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (a program created by Woodson to collect and document the achievements of blacks) is “The History of Black Economic Empowerment,” which recognizes the lives of successful black men and women. Despite all that African Americans have withstood, nothing has been able to stop our ability to move forward. Black history is American history, and African American contributions are just as important as the contributions of the race of any other group of people. So the question should not be about whether Black History Month is still relevant, but rather, “How will you choose to celebrate it?” How you decide to celebrate this month is totally up to you. Whether it is attending a play, parade, or church event, or having a discussion or silent reflection about some new-toyou nugget about black history, it is important that we honor, preserve and protect our historical past and celebrate our history, America’s history.
Letters to the editor
Questions, comments or concerns? Voice them!! Letters to the editor should be no longer than 250 words. Send your letter along with your name/title, address, e-mail address, phone number and classification/major if you are a student to: duopinions@gmail.com or mail to: Dillard University, 2601 Gentilly Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70122 Room 146 Cook Center. Deadlines for spring issues are Feb. 4 and 25; March 11 and 25; and April 15. Letters must be signed and will not be returned.
Our policy
The Courtbouillon is published by the students of Dillard University. Views expressed on the opinion pages are those of the individual writers, and not those of the administration, faculty or student body. The Courtbouillon reserves the right to edit all writings for space and libel.
11 February 2010
Saints’ win give fans what they deserve
Ernest Robertson
Sports editor Drink it all in, Who Dat Nation. Drink it all in. Do not adjust your TV set. Do not pinch yourself. You have not entered “The Twilight Zone.” This is not a Stanley Kubrick movie. You are not dreaming. The football team in the “City That Care Forgot” with the fans that can’t forget to care have done the unthinkable. They’ve become Super Bowl Champions!! And don’t let anyone say we deserved this because of Hurricane Katrina. We’ve deserved this moment for enduring the four decades before Sunday night’s huge victory. Many sports prognosticators will say things like: “I’m just so happy for New Orleans, after all they’ve been through. It’s so great for them to have something to celebrate after Katrina.” When they do, simply shake your head and maybe roll your eyes for good measure. Just know that this Super Bowl isn’t even close to making up for what Katrina took, but it is more than enough to satiate 44 years of “Wait ‘til next year.” This Super Bowl is for the fans who were there Sept. 17, 1967, when John Gilliam returned the first kickoff in Saints history for a 94-yard touchdown. This is for the fans who saw Tom Dempsey with half a foot boot a (still standing!) NFL record 63-yard field goal against
Ernest Robertson the Detroit Lions in 1970. This is for the fans that had to wait more than 20 years before their team posted a single winning season. It’s for the fans who cheered for Archie Manning, but despaired of the fact that he’d be part of a team that never had a winning record. For the Who Dats that saw their team defy all logic and take a kicker, Russell Erxleben, in the first round of the 1979 NFL Draft. That is who this Super Bowl victory is for. It’s for the fans who wore paper bags emblazoned with “Aints” on their heads, but came to the next game anyway: This Super Bowl is for them. It is for the Dome Patrol years. To know your team has a Super Bowl-caliber defense, but never had anything in the way of an offense. Before the Saints changed the culture, I’d hear nonstop about the infamous Dome Patrol – how if they just had
even a semblance of offense, we would’ve won a Super Bowl years ago. Our defense isn’t as good as it was then, but for the key turning point in this Super Bowl win to be an interception return touchdown, there’s clearly underlying karma there. And don’t think for a second that after allowing 10 first-quarter points, allowing only seven points afterward isn’t a defensive showing that escapes your notice, either. All the years of waiting and yearning, like a farmer tilling a supposedly barren field for which all his neighbors mocked him, now the harvest has arrived. The Saints gave the fans what they deserved. Not because they endured through one of the greatest natural disasters in American history. That’s nothing new for New Orleans. We endure. We survive. But this – the last one standing out of 32. This was never supposed to happen. Yet it has. And even if it takes another 44 years before it happens again, this moment, this pristine, surreal moment, will stand as a defining moment in New Orleans history. And for the first time, that phrase the NFL bone-headedly tried to claim has literal connotations that the fans can shout with jubilation: Who Dat! Who Dat! Who dat say they gonna beat dem Saints?!
11 February 2010
Opinion&Editorial
COURTBOUILLON
WORD ON THE AVE
How do you feel about the word ‘Negro’ being added to the census?
Jarrod Little Senior Marketing and Accounting New Orleans
“Negro is not a race. I am African-American.”
Darren Bridgewater Junior Philosophy and Religion New Roads
Shaunessy E. Carr Junior Political Science St. Louis, Mo.
“It’s like a slap in our face. Our forefathers fought to keep that particular word out of use.”
“It is the correct use to describe a black person, and it really doesn’t bother me at all.”
18 QUESTIONS Editor’s note: The column “18 Questions” is a popular one with many Dillard students, who may ask questions serious or facetious, insightful or inane. It is named after the year the university was founded,1869. The following questions were compiled by writer Charley Steward from the offerings of various students recently. If you have a question, send it to ducourtbouillon@gmail.com . 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
WHO DAT?!! How many people are still tired from Super Bowl weekend? Now that the Saints have won, is Reggie Bush really going to marry Kim K? How many women are hoping that the answer is no? Did anyone see their professors in the street in acting a fool? Is it true Melton did not pay the DJ for his services way back in October? How many Q’s go to Dillard again?
8. Is the administration trying to divide the “Divine Nine” Greeks on campus? 9. Why is the girl who works in Cafe a la Cart never at the counter? 10. Has anyone else noticed some of the janitors are always “booted up”? A smile wouldn’t hurt. 11. Why are events held on campus announced the day before? Can you say “planning”? 12. Why don’t some administrators answer their emails? 13. Why do big men think the skinny-leg jeans are sexy? It’s barely sexy for the skinniest, so you know that’s not for you, boo. 14. Does Dillard have us under some new policy? No cell phone, no texting, no hats, no talking, raise your hand, where are you going … Where is all this coming from? I feel like I’m in high school. 15. Where are all the single, smart, intelligent, neat, tall, cute, respectful, straighter-thanstraight men on campus? 16. Did the security guards – oops, I meant police officers – see the last “18 Questions”? If so, why are we still having the same problem? 17. If I leave Dillard with this supposedly $200 ID, will they really come after me? 18. Why does it take a whole month or longer to get a check made?
7
8
COURTBOUILLON
11 February 2010
3-day celebration marks historic win After 43 years, the Saints beat the Indianapolis Colts to win the NFL Super Bowl XLIV on Sunday, leading many to claim a New Orleans renewal of pride and faith. Clockwise from top, linebacker Troy Evans holds a “champions” sign; Taj Rudolph, 8, greets the team; Shannon Sims holds a “Bless You” sign; cornerback Tracy Porter celebrates in Miami; running back Reggie Bush lifts the Vince Lombardi Trophy after the game Sunday. Thousands show up for a parade downtown Tuesday; and quarterback Drew Brees kisses the trophy.
Associated Press photos