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Campus Conservatives fight uphill battle I would like to praise the Campus Conservatives. During this year, they have organized and sponsored a number of events to bring better understanding of political, economic and security issues to the CMU community. The amount of efforts they dedicated to it was much greater than what one would expect from a modestsized student group.
Sign petition to replace confusing, ineffective tax code That wonderful date of April 15 is less than a week away. Some of us are getting refunds from the state and federal government, some of us have to pay the state and federal governments and some are getting a refund from one government that has to go toward paying the other (which is the situation I’m in). The shame is that we never know how much we are actually going to be taxed due to the complex mess of tax laws on state and federal books. As Michigan residents, the issue of state taxes is certainly a sour one given the recent increase. This unfortunate event is going to do nothing but further hurt Michigan’s already-stunted economy. The creation of the Michigan Business Tax is doing nothing but confusing business owners — even my dad’s accountant wasn’t quite sure what all had to be paid under this replacement for the SBT. However, the Michigan Fair Tax initiative offers a simple way to fix the complexities and other problems surrounding Michigan’s current methodology of taxation. With this Fair Tax policy in play, in exchange for a 3.75 percent raise to the state
Teacher conference was well-organized success On Saturday, April 5, approximately 475 people attended the third annual Learn Today, Teach Tomorrow professional development conference for pre-service teachers. It was a highly successful conference, well-organized and featuring an engaging keynote speaker and 55 sessions presented by educators from all content area fields and from around the state. I would like to commend all who attended the conference, giving up a beautiful spring day to advance their knowledge of teaching and to learn more about the profession they are about to enter. And they attended the conference well; as one presenter wrote the day after the conference (to the steering committee), “As a presenter, I was amazed and gratified at the number of people who showed up for my session. Every seat was filled and much of the floor space as well, and the audience
Central Michigan Life || Friday, April 11, 2008 || 7A
[Voices] Unfortunately, the playing field is by no means level for them. For example, the political science department sponsors a number of activities, including the panel at which students were given credit for listening to statements like the preposterous one made by Dr. Motaz Fattah, that the Islamic conquest of the Mesopotamia in the seventh century was undertaken to get rid of the Roman occupation (“the pizza people,” as he called them. I can only imagine what he teaches in his classes). The same department pro-
moted a student who willingly served as a human shield for Arab terrorists, and on the official departmental Web site. But they would never support any conservative event. I would like to encourage those who care about the future of this country to pay more attention to both sides. Whether you agree with either of them or not, staying informed helps to make educated decisions and recognize misinformation when you see it.
sales tax (bringing it to 9.75 percent), the Michigan Business Tax, Personal Property Tax, 6 mill School Education Tax and Michigan Income Tax would be eliminated. The move to a consumption-based tax policy like this is going to be nothing but good news for the state. For one thing, it’s going to eliminate a considerable amount of taxes that currently aren’t seen due to black market happenings given that taxes are collected at the cash register. Another benefit is the simplification of the tax code, which in turn would lower the overhead required for the collection of these funds. There of course is also the important fact that state legislators couldn’t be gamed by lobbyists for special tax privileges. This tax wouldn’t be regressive, either. Built into it is a ‘prebate’ paid out monthly that reimburses that 9.75 percent based on poverty guidelines. So for example, let’s say we have a family of four that earns right on the poverty line ($21,200) and spends 100 percent of that on goods in-state. Their effective taxation would be 0 percent due to the fact that they are paid $172.25 monthly, which summed over the course of a year comes out to $2,067 — 9.75 percent of their spending and directly countering taxes paid on goods needed to survive.
Another thing to note is that the prebate is paid to all households, not just those on or below the poverty line. This has the consequence of lowering the effective tax rate. If that same family of four made $75,000 and subsequently spent all of it, their effective tax rate is really closer to 6.99 percent (taxes paid being $5245.50 after prebate). Also, one must keep in mind that those who can conserve their money and spend less see even better effective tax rates. I urge everyone to visit fairtaxmi.org and get further information about the initiative. In addition to offering additional information about the tax, the Web site offers contact information for organizers of the initiative as well as an analysis prepared by economics professors from Hillsdale who show this plan would provide a fair, revenue-neutral alternative to the mess our state currently has for its tax system. In order to get on the November ballot, we need to collect 381,000 valid signatures by July 7. Those wishing to get more information or sign the petition may contact me or visit the Web site to find the coordinator for their county. I would be more than happy to address any concerns and answer any questions you may have.
was attentive and courteous” (Carol Sliwka, Secondary ELA Consultant, Monroe Public Schools). While most of the attendees were CMU students, it is also noteworthy that the attendees also represented the following educational institutions: Albion College, Aquinas College, Baker College, Grand Valley State University, Madonna University, Michigan State University, Oakland University, Olivet College, Spring Arbor University and Saginaw Valley University, as well as Mount Pleasant High School students and previous CMU graduates and SVSU graduates. I would particularly like to commend the 16 representatives of the eight professional student organizations who gave up almost a year of their Sunday evenings to plan and deliver such a successful conference: Deidra LaPointe, Bridgette Patrona and Barbara Larkin from AEYC; Stephanie Hilliard and Katie Rockentine from CLASS-IRA; Crystal Brownrigg and Susan Smydra from CMLACMU; Courtney Harless, Christina Stanley and Renee Heinz from KDE; Tori Steerzer and Elecia Miller from KDP; Ash-
ley Bendert and Stacy DeSanto from NSTA; Shannon Pardon from SCEC,;and Cassandra Gillenwater and Katie Loftus from SMEA. Each one of these representatives took on part of the tasks necessary to pull off such a large and successful conference -— contacting speakers, registration, name tags and badges, breakfast orders, lunch orders, conference programs, signs, presenter luncheon, presenter gifts, volunteers and more. Whatever it takes to deliver a professional conference, they did it, and they did it well! I feel very privileged to have worked with them this year and I tip my hat to their successful effort. I believe those who attended the conference — and CMU — should also applaud them, because their efforts continue to support the reputation that CMU has in teacher education.
George Kaminski Assistant professor of chemistry
Jason Gillman Jr. Traverse City junior
Norma Bailey Professor of Middle Level Education
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Religion in the race Many commentators have talked about the influence of religion in the presidential race. But few of them give a context of the current religious population in America. Using Pew Forum’s religious affiliation numbers released in March, we can see how many people are in each candidate’s specific religion. Of course, the limitation here is in using only broad categories and ignoring how active or likely to participate each sect will be. Still, numbers help to get a picture of what each candidate’s ground support could be. John McCain was raised Episcopalian and now is a non-baptized Baptist who attends services at a Southern Baptist Convention church. That sect is 14.6 million strong, with the larger evangelical Baptist tradition boasting an additional 9 million. The broader category, “Evangelical Protestant Churches,” is the largest faith group in the nation, with 57 million members. Hillary Clinton is a United Methodist (disclosure: so is the author), a denomination that has 5.1 percent of the population. That’s 11 million people who make any gathering into an opportunity to eat — trust me on that one. Barack Obama is a United Church of Christ follower, a denomination that’s 0.5 percent of
Renovations not worth multi-million dollar price tag Is the project of remodeling the Bovee University Center, costing $10.9 million, really in the best interest of CMU students, or is there a better way to spend such a large amount of university funds? It seems that the most logical way of determining this would be to ask for students’ opinions of how to appropriate these funds before making such a large-scale decision. While it’s great that the developers want to keep “the student’s point of view in mind,” I wonder how much the university is really considering the students’ voice in making such decisions.
Mike Ellis Columnist the population. From the info his campaign uses, 99 percent of the UCC is white, meaning Obama’s traditionally black church experience is directly relevant to 0.005 percent of the U.S. population. That’s an infinitesimally small 10,890 people in the black tradition of the UCC. The larger, not traditionally black, part of the UCC still numbers only one million faithful. The UCC falls under the same umbrella (“Mainline Protestant Churches”) as Clinton’s faith. Those Protestants total 39.4 million. They are outnumbered only by McCain’s blanket faith (those 57 million mentioned above) and “Catholics” (52 million) (disclosure: I’m getting married to a Catholic this summer). But I am adding two groups with which Obama polls exceedingly well: “Historically Black Churches” is the fifth biggest category, with 15 million, and “Unaffiliated” is the fourth biggest, with 35 million. It is difficult for me to see the long-term (or short-term) benefits to adding foosball tables and a video lounge when the money could be spent on things that would enhance the reputation of the school, such as increased research positions for students. Additionally, I don’t think that it’s necessarily a bad thing that more students prefer spending time at the library over the UC. While decision-making regarding school budgets is indeed a complex process, I think it’s time CMU starts considering what the students actually want when making funding decisions rather than asking for input after the decisions have already been made. Catherine Currell Graduate assistant
Again discounting the significant differences, and likely crossovers, between several faiths and judging only by their banner groups, McCain’s support numbers 57 million, Clinton’s 39.5 million and Obama somewhere between 51 million (unaffiliated, black and UCC) and 89.4 million (adding the rest of the mainline Protestants). Clinton cannot count on the unaffiliated against McCain, and voting behavior of blacks in recent contests indicates the black support might not carry over to her if she is the nominee. So despite being the only candidate with no major religious controversies, she seems the weakest religious candidate on paper. The Republican who also happens to shy away from religious talk, McCain, has either a moderate advantage or a devastating disadvantage against Obama — at least on paper. Next week I’ll look at the numbers for the religious problem areas for candidates, including Obama’s problem with Judaism and the Rev. Wright as well as McCain’s with Catholicism and the Rev. John Hagee; Clinton pretty much gets a pass. news@cm-life.com
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9. CHARLOTTE BOBCATS
WELCOME TO DOLLIWOOD
White may not sparkle, but he’ll shine
JOE ALEXANDER SF, 6-8, 220 pounds, West Virginia
I
PF, 6-10, 200 pounds, LSU
n an IU season marked by forgettable personalities, D.J. White stood out as a man. He made the calculated decision to return for his senior season, hoping a promising recruiting class led by Eric Gordon would make the Hoosiers contenders. With questions surrounding his health and ability, White hoped to restore the old image from his McDonald’s All-American days and re-establish himself as an NBA Lottery pick. Defenses came after him every night, but the man amongst boys (his teammates) dominated the boards and the opposition nightly. Despite the distractions surrounding the program, IU’s “main attraction” never let up. There were no three-game suspensions for No. 3. No nights taken off for Tuscaloosa’s finest. During the last three games of the season, when the entire basketball team essentially quit on interim coach Dan Dakich, White busted his you-know-what, averaging 21.7 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. But odds are the Big Ten Player of the Year will not be selected in the first round of this Thursday’s NBA Draft. Unfortunately for White, he is a known commodity, which is as sexy to NBA general managers as Illinois coach Bruce Weber is to the opposite sex. White is a good scorer (17.4 ppg) and a tenacious rebounder (10.3 rpg) in an undersized body. Although 6-foot-9, 251 pounds equates to Hulk-status in the Big Ten, it is rarely
WE SAY: With an aging Brad Miller, Sacramento jumps at the chance to get an athletic big man who can provide a spark to a team in desperate need of one.
RUNNING THE FLOOR
WE SAY: Michael Jordan has a tradition of drafting college stars. Alexander comes in to replace the injured and ineffective Adam Morrison. Alexander can play either three or four, and is the best player left on the board.
10. NEW JERSEY NETS
DANILO GALLINARI SF, 6-9, 210 pounds, Italy WE SAY: The Nets, no stranger to selecting foreign players (see Nenad Kristic), draft this year’s Dirk Nowitzki clone.
11. INDIANA PACERS
D.J. AUGUSTIN PG, 5-11, 170 pounds, Texas WE SAY: This underrated point guard could be a little bit like a better scoring Jameer Nelson from Orlando. He’s a good character guy and a perfect fit for a team who desperately needs to fill Conseco Fieldhouse. At this point, Pacers fans will take anyone to start at PG, just as long as it’s not Jamal Tinsley.
12. SACRAMENTO KINGS
ANTHONY RANDOLPH
THURSDAY, JUNE 26, 2008
MATT DOLLINGER is a senior majoring in journalism.
viewed as ideal by NBA scouts and other powers-that-be. No, White doesn’t have the high ceiling of LSU’s Anthony Randolph or the athleticism of Texas A & M’s DeAndre Jordan. He doesn’t have the lure of the Lopez twins or the bag of tricks that UCLA’s Kevin Love owns. What White has is production. His wingspan and ability to get up quickly make up for the literal inch or two too short he is of making Jay Bilas salivate. He’s a better shooter than most big men his size and, most importantly, he cares. He’s loyal. He’s the type of player you can root for. And given the right opportunity, he could be a solid rotation player in the NBA. He’s not going to be a star, but he’s someone who can contribute. In 2006, a player in the mold of White made a similar transition into the NBA. Despite leading the NCAA in rebounding three straight seasons, Louisiana Tech’s Paul Millsap didn’t receive much consideration on draft day. At
6-foot-8 258 pounds, Millsap was seen as too short to translate to the next level. Despite averaging 19.6 points and 13.3 rebounds per game his junior season, Millsap wasn’t selected until the second round when the Utah Jazz stole him with the 47th overall pick. You see, Millsap didn’t have the high ceiling of Bradley’s Patrick O’Bryant (ninth overall) or the athleticism of Senegal’s Saer Sene (10th). Heck, he didn’t have the lure of Connecticut’s Josh Boone (23rd), let alone the low-post moves of the United Kingdom’s Joel Freeland (30th) ... wait, why did they take Joel Freeland? Do you see where I’m going with this? While most of the above-mentioned players are busts, awful or still overseas (most likely forever), Millsap has emerged as one of the top bench players in the league. In his first two seasons with the Jazz, Millsap appeared in every single game while averaging 7.4 points and 5.4 rebounds in under 20 minutes a night. Looking back on the 2006 Draft, Millsap would easily be a top-10 pick. White and Millsap aren’t exactly tomato and tomato (doesn’t really work in print, does it?), Millsap is a slightly better rebounder and is more athletic, while White has more shooting range and is able to play with his face to the basket. But the two have similarities that shouldn’t be overlooked. Especially if you happen to have a first-round pick Thursday.
Gordon: A mix of NBA talents 13. PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS
DONTE’ GREEN SF, 6-9, 220 pounds, Syracuse WE SAY: What is this guy all about? He was solid at the ‘Cuse. He has incredible upside and an upstart franchise like Portland can afford to draft a guy to fit into their system. They might take Brandon Rush here, but he’s injury prone and the scare of having another first rounder out next year (a la Greg Oden) might make the Blazers a little hesitant.
14. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
ROBIN LOPEZ C, 7-0, 245 pounds, Stanford WE SAY: A team in desperate need of defense, they reach here to take the lesser-acclaimed of the Lopez twins. This high-energy, defensive-minded northern California guy will fit in well off the bench.
15. PHOENIX SUNS
BRANDON RUSH SG, 6-7, 200 pounds, Kansas WE SAY: Because of the absence of Shawn Marion, Phoenix goes guard here to make up for a lack of scoring. Also, an aging Steve Nash makes GM Steve Kerr think about the long term. This pick is critical for Kerr after Phoenix’s 1st round loss in the wake of the Shaqtrade debacle.
L
et me begin by asking that you not ridicule me for not knowing Eric Gordon’s wingspan (6-feet-9) or exact height and weight (6-foot-3, 215 pounds). Please give me leeway to continue without offering an opinion on who will take the young man (Milwaukee). No, I am here because I have been tasked with picking out a current NBA player who bears the most similarity to Indianapolis’ latest favored son, and giving you all reasons why I’m right, basically. Well, I’ll be honest with you – I’m copping out. I’ve given this thought off and on at my leisure a few times since the North Central product began gracing soft, white nets with basketballs bearing an NCAA logo on their face, and I honestly just don’t know. I see Gordon’s ability to light up opposing defenses from a long way past the 3-point line and my eyes detect shades of Baron Davis. They only get stronger when I see Gordon hit the droughts that Davis has struggled with in times past. Yet I can’t imagine Gordon as a true combo guard, and that’s where I buy into the popular rhetoric that suggests Gordon is much like a gentleman by the same surname. Bulls fans know him as Ben. As much as I’d like to think Eric Gordon can learn to pass the ball, I can’t imagine him being able to break himself of the urge to use his immense offensive talents to score rather than facilitate scoring. I’d also like to go on record as being the first to call any coach who might force E.J. to do other-
ZACHARY OSTERMAN is a senior majoring in journalism and political science. wise incredibly stupid. But alas, Indiana Gordon is a far more forceful – and far less selfish – offensive player than his Chicago counterpart. Gordon’s ability to force his way to the basket off the dribble either way sets him apart. In that aspect of his game, I see Gordon comparing most favorably to a poor man’s Lebron James – the obvious difference being James has a much higher rate of conversion once he reaches the hoop. Gordon shoots free throws just fine though, so that will cover him. Quick note: STOP READING, and whatever you do, resist the urge to criticize me for the above passage. Please do not take these last words to mean that I think Eric Gordon is the next Lebron James, I said no such thing. I simply said Gordon’s ability to beat a man off the dribble and force his way into the lane reminded me of King James. The comparisons stop there. There are obviously severe weaknesses in Gordon’s game, not the least of which is his propensity for turning
the ball over. I’m not so worried about his ability to travel with a high rate of footsteps. A good friend of mine long ago pointed out that NBA officials are as interested in calling a travel as first-graders are in the Biography Channel. However, that Kobe Bryant-esque ability to turn a foxtrot into the L.A. two-step must be earned through respect for one’s ability, which comes through success. Translation: Gordon will need to play by the rules before he gets good enough to earn those kinds of calls. There are also several other weaknesses to Gordon’s ball-handling ability that will plague him until he tweaks his mechanics enough to where he can confidently move both ways with the ball without letting it become too exposed to defenders. It won’t take Bruce Bowen to eat him alive in a league that – despite players’ preference for taking a play or two off – will still hit Gordon with better defense than the Big Ten ever could. I don’t count Eric Gordon out, oh no. I think he’ll be a fine player, if not an undersized guard. To make one more comparison, he’ll be Jason Terry with more size and less spunk. Yes, I think our former No. 23 will find plenty of success at the NBA level. I think it will just take him a little while to grow – he’s only 19, as someone named Kelvin reminded us – and he has plenty of time to polish the edges down. Until then, consider him the next King Benron James-Terry. Hey, Benjarvis Green-Ellis did it; I can too.
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Cage’s latest adventure film dangerously bad Movie’s downfall lies in choppy storyline, sparse action scenes BY
STEPHEN CHRISTENSEN ArtsEtc. Writer
World Music Network
Etran Finatawa from Niger will bring his soulful, Tinariwen-inspired blues to Madison. Global Music, from page 12B that they can learn more about different cultures, people and art in a very fun way.” And so it is that the artistic lineup of this year’s festival comes as a refreshing departure from the mundane exposures to mainstream American music. Hungary, Niger, Cuba, Syria, Zimbabwe and Turkey are few among the many exciting cultures that are represented in this global hodgepodge of an event. Fascinatingly, many of the musicians exhibit styles that experiment with diverse genres, and many skillfully combine the traditional with the modern. The Russian band Reelroad, with the use of Scottish bagpipes, displays Celtic influences while mixing traditional musical forms with modern rhythms. Furthermore, Nation Beat blends together the styles of America and Northeast Brazil and Indian electric guitarist Prasanna is dubbed by the press as the “Indian Jimmy Hendrix.” Prepare to be dazzled by the spectacle of bright pink
feathers, exotic garments and leggy stilts by the aforementioned Dragon Knights, as they tower over the mesmerized crowd and serve as lively transitions between some of these musical acts. These exquisite puppeteers and jet-setting international musicians, however, will not be the only ones in the limelight. “We want to welcome local and student groups to perform as a part of the World Music Festival and encourage them to connect with their artistic heritage while learning about others,” said Festival Coordinator Rose Gear. According to Gear, the Student and Community Showcase aims to highlight the international connections and talents of the people in the Madison community, thus allowing the international student body to expand its creative vision through the common thread of music. “I think it is a great opportunity to show how diverse our campus is and what unique elements each and every person from all parts of the world can bring to this
community.” said In-Young Oh, president of the Korean Traditional Drumming and Dance Club. “Participating in this big event will help our group have our name recognized by not only by our peers on campus, but also by many others from the Madison community.” Finally, the festival seeks to celebrate world music and culture through additional outreach activities such as educational lectures and workshops in singing and dancing. If you deem the previous activities too handson or time-consuming for your taste, why not stock up on two or three of your favorite artists’ albums and sophisticate your English language-dominated iPod playlist. After all, you won’t be spending any money on tickets at the Madison World Music Festival anytime soon. The Madison World Music Festival will be held Sept. 12 -20. For the full performance schedule and more information about the festival, visit the official web page www.uniontheater.wisc.edu/ worldmusicfest/.
Long ago, Nicholas Cage made some good movies. I’m sure of it. However, in Cage’s body of work, successes like “The Rock,” “Con Air” and “Adaptation” can only materialize as wisps amid the dense and obscuring fog of recent abominations “Ghost Rider,” “National Treasure” (and its sequel), “World Trade Center” and “The Wicker Man,” to name a few. “Bangkok Dangerous” continues Cage’s litany of failures in the most spectacular way. From the story, to the acting, to the dialogue, to the cinematography and to Cage’s ill-conceived greaseball haircut, the movie drips with oily desperation and mediocrity. The film’s problems begin with a story that lacks coherence, drive or any heightened sense of conflict. “Bangkok Dangerous” follows the exploits of hitman Joe (Cage) as he travels to Bangkok and murders his way across the city for the gangster Surat (Nirattisai Kaljaruek). Joe is a self-described callous loner — he “eats alone, sleeps alone and works alone.” However, not 20 minutes into the movie, Joe takes on a peppy sidekick Kong (Shahkrit Yamnarm) and a love interest who cannot speak or hear, Fon (Charlie Yeung). The contradiction is not the problem. The problem is that the writers, directors and actors cannot offer a plausible reason for Cage’s new friendships. One minute he says he doesn’t need anyone, the next he has a pupil and a girlfriend with no great change of attitude, plausible character quirk or desire that explains the dynamic shift. It’s entirely inexplicable. The movie then lazily meanders through various montages of Joe teaching Kong the art of assassination and attempting a labored courtship with Fon. I don’t know why such a sullen man bothers to tutor Kong, and neither will you if you choose to see the movie. His relationship with Fon is awkward, as he tries to negotiate dating someone with whom he can’t communicate. The premise of a foreigner, socially inept and aging, finding love with a girl who cannot hear or speak in Bangkok is full of potential, but, in the hands of directors Oxide Pang Chun
Film Bangkok
It’s not just the script that makes ‘Bangkok Dangerous’ an awful film — Cage’s hair is a significant distraction. and Danny Pang, it borders on impotence as Joe’s attempts to communicate with Fon on any level are pathetic. Ultimately, you cannot believe any sort of connection exists between the two. The cinematography, often the saving grace of abysmal thrillers, is just as bad. The movie appears overly dark and murky, with green, grey or blue filters as the modus operandi. It can be difficult to make out the actions, facial expressions or indeed, the people themselves at various points throughout the film. The editing hops from night to day and event to event without any clear unity or focus, adding to the film the disjointed qualities of a schizophrenic nightmare. The sparse action scenes provide none of the spectacle you’d want from a hitman flick. The assassinations are pretty standard — sniping from a bell tower, driving up to a parked car in a motorcycle — offering nothing visually new or dramatically exciting. The inevitable chase scenes are just as dull, with Cage performing some minor theatrics on the aforementioned motorcycle, or driving a boat really fast while barely noticing that people are shooting at him. Without intriguing action, a movie about
gun-toting maniacs is fairly pointless. Lastly, whoever styled Nicholas Cage’s hair for the movie is either blind, has no arms or really, really hates Nicholas Cage. Method actors have been known to put on large amounts of weight for roles or let their bodies go to waste — some don’t bathe for weeks or months during a shoot — but no one ever looked as bad as Cage does in “Bangkok Dangerous.” There is nothing redeemable about, and there is no excuse for, “Bangkok Dangerous.” With a slew of projects slated for release in the next few months and years, I can only hope that Nicholas Cage has returned to making more enjoyable movies, because as it stands, he’d have a very hard time making them worse.
BANGKOK DANGEROUS ACTORS:
Nicholas Cage DIRECTOR:
Oxide Pang Chun Danny Pang
ZERO STARS
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Eagle, continued from Page 5 about it – if it hits me right, I know it’ll hit someone else right.” Truthful Beginnings is Eagle’s first solo record, but he said he has plans to make another with a band he’s recently enlisted to begin recording with soon. “I don’t plan on being a superstar,” Eagle said. “I think that’s just ridiculous. I don’t do it for the money, I do it to share my stories with people
through music.” Eagle said the next record won’t be as folky and simple as Truthful Beginnings, but more of a collaborative effort between himself and his band. “[Truthful Beginnings] is me and my thoughts,” Eagle said. “None of it is fictitious. It’s about family, relationships and personal demons. I’m starting anew.” Truthful Beginnings can be purchased for $10 on cdbaby.com or myspace.com/ joshuameagle. It is scheduled for availability on iTunes within the next few months.
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Soccer, continued from Page 8 goals,” Dayes said. “We put him into position to score and that’s what he did.” Redshirt freshman goalie Matt Williams made a strong one-on-one stop to keep Dayton from taking the lead. Right after Williams made his stop, UC marched down the field allowing junior Branden Stelmak to score his first goal of the spring season. The goal occurred in
the 74th minute of play on a breakaway goal giving the Cats the lead 2-1. “That was the turning point of the game when Matt made that save and we immediately were able to transition and caught them with bad numbers in the back,” Dayes said. The Bearcats are set to take the field again on Friday, April 18 when they play the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Jaguars, which takes place in Indianapolis, Ind. at 7 p.m.
Monday, April 14, 2008
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Several members of the Western rugby team competed against the quad-rugby team but they were rarely allowed to score. Most of the team was in attendance and could frequently be heard yelling at their teammates to be more aggressive against their wheelchair-bound opponents. Josh Ferriell is a senior from Western who played against the quad-rugby team. “It was a workout, man. They’re flying by you,” Ferriell said. “It’s a hell of a workout. It’s really fun, though.” Almost any sport that can be played by an able-bodied person has a counterpart in the world of paraplegic and quadriplegic athletics. Whether it’s basketball, football, fencing, swimming or even bowling, there are disabled Americans playing the sport at this very moment. Since the critically acclaimed movie “Murderball” came out in July 2005, wheelchair rugby has arguably received more nationwide attention than any of the other “wheelchair” sports. More than 20 countries around the world participate in wheelchair rugby and almost every state in America has at least one team of wheelchair rugby players. Teams play in national and international tournaments. Coach Michael Sells is looking forward to the Nashville team competing in the national tournament in April. Mike Sells is a paraplegic who has coached wheelchair rugby for eight of the last 12 years. Because Sells still has complete use of his upper body, he is ineligible to play. Only people with damage to all four appendages are allowed to play wheelchair rugby. “I’ve been coaching all my life,” Sells said. “I just sort of fell into it but I love it.” Therewereseveralimpressive Nashville quad-rugby players in the four-on-four games played
in the Preston Center, but one of the fastest was 26-year-old Ernest Chun. Ernest Chun was 13 when he broke his neck while surfing in his home state of Hawaii. A few years later, a friend told him about wheelchair rugby. Two years ago Chun was moving to Nashville and playing on a national rugby team. Chun has played on the Nashville team for two seasons with no end in sight. “I love it,” said Chun. “It keeps me busy and focused, despite my injury.” In quad-rugby, each team has four players of varying disability. Each person is given a number based on their capabilities from the most disabled (.5) to least disabled (3.5). For example Chun qualifies as a 2.0 because he has moderate control of his upper body and in particular his hands. A murderball team can have no more than eight total points on the field at a given time. The team members on a quad-rugby team use a special wheelchair designed to protect both the player and the chair. Each chair is plated with metal sheets and bars so no damage is done to the wheels or players. The rules and training of murderball are very similar to that of other sports but what’s surprising is the inspiration the players get from being active and social. Senior Adam Fleming, who is handicapped, went to watch the murderball games on Thursday and the team instantly took a liking to him. While apprehensive at first, Fleming decided to give the game a try during the student scrimmages. After just four games, Fleming was laughing and racing around the court with the best players on the Nashville team. Gasping for air after the matches ended, Fleming grinned from ear to ear. “I had a ball,” he said. “It brought me back to my old football years.” Reach Aaron Burch at diversions@chherald.com.
October 28, 2008
WHAT’S YOUR STORY?
Basketball a lifesaver for player
AARON BURCH Herald reporter He wasn’t one of those kids who played a sport as far back as they could remember. In fact, his middle school gym teacher had to ask him repeatedly to give basketball a chance. Yet senior point guard Orlando Mendez-Valdez is prepared to take Western’s basketball team to the NCAA tournament for the second year in a row. “We need to go further or at least as far as the Sweet 16 again,” said Mendez-Valdez. “A lot of people think we can’t do it but I’m not worried.” Although it sounds cliché, basketball probably saved Orlando Mendez-Valdez’s life. “If I hadn’t found basketball, I’d probably be in jail by now,” Mendez-Valdez confessed. Growing up in San Antonio, Mendez-Valdez, 22, was the youngest of seven raised by his single mother. As his friends started to get into drugs and alcohol at an early age, he had a choice to make. “I was going down the wrong path, the wrong direction,” Mendez-Valdez said. “I didn’t apply myself. College was never on my mind at all.” He pulled himself away from the negative influences around him and lost himself in a sport he had never before given a chance. By his freshman year at Lanier High School in San Antonio, Mendez-Valdez had already become absorbed into the game. By his sophomore year, he was playing for the varsity team. As a senior, Mendez-Valdez was named Express-News Greater San Antonio Player of the Year. So where would a player like
Brendan Sullivan/Herald
“Not only did I want a brotherhood on the court, I wanted a brotherhood off the court as well,” senior guard Orlando Mendez-Valdez said. Mendez-Valdez, a member of Pi Kappa Alpha, has always wanted to join a fraternity, and was given that opportunity when head coach Ken McDonald said it was OK as long as participation didn’t interfere with school and basketball. Mendez-Valdez go to further his goals? “I was looking for a small town, a community. The support from the fans at Western and my teammates here made me feel right at home really quick.” His first two years at Western continued to show the everincreasing potential from his high school years, but it was during Mendez-Valdez’s junior year that he pushed himself and Western’s Hilltoppers to a new level. With impressive games against Kentucky Wesleyan and North Texas, Mendez-Valdez came into his own as a player and a teammate. As he prepares to be the first person in his family to graduate from college, Mendez-Valdez is balancing more weight on his shoulders than ever before.
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“I’m going to have to step into a bigger role on the team,” Mendez-Valdez said. “They’re going to need me to take a lot more shots and really give it my all.” Along with his now senior role on the basketball team, Mendez-Valdez is currently pledging Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. “I always wanted to join a fraternity,” Mendez-Valdez said. “I think I’m capable now of managing my time effectively. It’s great to make good friends beyond my teammates.” The theme of brotherhood seems to affect many of Mendez-Valdez’s important life choices. “There are actually a lot of similarities between being part of a sports team and being in a fraternity,” he said. “Both groups are dependent
on trust and loyalty. You’d do anything to help these brothers and they would do anything for you.” Along with his basketball and fraternity commitments, Mendez-Valdez is consistently focused on the future. “After I play ball professionally, I could really see coming back to Bowling Green and raising a family here. I think it would be a great place to settle down.” Those are big words for anyone in college, but above all else, Mendez-Valdez seems naturally competitive and confident. “I’ve had several amazing accomplishments and I’m really grateful for the chances I’ve had. I’m truly proud of the person I’ve become.” Reach Aaron Burch at diversions@chherald.com.