8.25.10

the butler

Vol. 125 issue 1

Established 1886

Indianapolis, In

COLLEGIAN

the Butler university student newspaper | Wednesday august 25, 2010 | www.thebutlercollegian.com Tomorrow’s Weather

Mosque pg. 5

High: 76° | Low: 56°

clowes pg. 7

GooooAl! pg. 9

bY MOLLY KORDAS mkordas@butler.edu | staff writer

Multiple renovations and projects are well underway on campus as Butler University prepares for the 2010 Fall semester.

Among these projects are improvements and additions to the Butler Bowl, Hinkle Fieldhouse, Clowes Memorial Hall and some residence halls, Vice President of Operations Michael Gardner said.

“Improving freshmen housing facilities, science facilities and Hinkle Fieldhouse are the top three priorities,” Gardner said.

The press box and bleachers in the Butler Bowl were newly remodeled and new landscaping was added over the summer.

The Butler Bowl has been relandscaped and remodeled to improve the soil, particularly on the north hill of the bowl where the grass was eroding. This work is still in progress but is hoped to be finished soon, Gardner said.

“It will definitely need to be done for the start of football season in September, but right now we’re scrambling to get it mostly done for an August 28 soccer game,” Gardner said.

In addition to the Butler Bowl, the softball facility was also remodeled. It received a new press box and new bleachers.

The scaffolding work on Hinkle Fieldhouse was also completed in July.

Several other renovations were made around campus over the summer: The outside of Robertson Hall was re-painted; a new roof CHANGING THE BOWL: A new press box and bleachers are just a few of the renovations made to Butler University’s campus this summer. Other was installed on Lilly Hall; offices were remodeled in both changes include new housing options for sophomores that were made to accommodate the growing student population. (Photo by Rachel Senn) the Jordan Hall faculty areas and the Information Technol- housing and facilities and the possible necessity of addition- dents, more living space was made available. ogy offices in Holcomb. al residence halls and other facilities due to the increased “Forty beds at the Christian Theological Seminary were In Ross Hall, wireless internet was added to all of the size of the incoming freshmen class. offered primarily to sophomores and filled up fairly quickdorm rooms. Schwitzer Hall now has card access.

Vice President of Student Affairs Levester Johnson chaired ly,” Gardner said.

The Office of Operations has started designing a new per- a specific group to ensure that all service departments are on Extra furniture was also added to the residence halls to forming arts facility and intend to break ground in Spring the same page with regards to the incoming freshmen class. create triples in rooms that used to be doubles.

2011.

This group was assembled in order to make sure that ButThe commissions created by the Master Facilities Plan Along with the remodeling and building of new facili- ler creates as positive an experience as possible— be it finan- continue to monitor the issue of space in residence halls and ties the Board of Trustees also ratified the Master Facilities cially, residentially or academically— for the large freshmen classrooms in order to create the best experience possible for Plan in May. This created commissions to look into freshman class. In order to create such an experience for all Butler stu- all Butler students.

More campus parking available

BY ALLYSON DOBBERTEEN adobbert@butler.edu | staff writer

Over 75 additional parking spots will be available for on-campus parking this year.

The majority of these spaces are on-street parking on the west side of Sunset Avenue.

Butler University Chief of Police Ben Hunter said street parking is different than it was before.

“Before we didn’t zone out the city streets, but I worked with the Department of Public Works and we passed a board resolution,” Hunter said.

Hunter said zoning the streets will “guide university faculty, staff and students where to park.”

Assistant Chief of Police Andrew Ryan said the resolution allows BUPD to better manage the street parking.

The streets are zoned using a new lettered system. Vehicles are allowed to park in lots and street spaces that correspond with the letter on their permit.

WELCOME WEEKEND: Freshmen exit Clowes Hall through student orientation guide tunnels. Freshmen wait in line at the Welcome Tent to get a schedule of Welcome Week Events and information. (Photo by Rachel Senn)

Bigger Freshman class does not mean big cuts dents to be concerned about.

“We were looking for almost exactly the same size This year, Butler will be class as we had last year— ushering in the largest fresh- about 950—and we acceptman class in the university’s ed almost exactly the same history, a record-breaking number of students as last 1,067 stuyear, but dents. more stuThe indents accrease in cepted our students offer of adhas left mission,” some upWeede said. perclassWeede men wonwent on to dering say that the changes on whether campus to they will accommoexperience date the ina decrease in finanTom Weede coming students will cial aid VP for Enrollment Management not affect dollars. the finanT o m cial aid of neither the current Weede, vice president for enstudents or students in the rollment management, said future. that while the office of enWeede said that the adrollment was not anticipatditional money it will take ing or striving for a class of to cover financial aid for the this size, it’s nothing for stuBY SARAH HOLCOMBE

Higher student volume brings changes in course offerings New requirements change core curriculum

BY AJA CACaN

acacan@butler.edu | staff writer

Due to this year’s record setting freshmen class, many additional resources will be expended to accommodate a large influx of students. While some changes can be seen in new housing options, others, like changes in course offerings, may have slipped past the eyes of students.

As early as last spring, plans were being made to make sure students had enough courses to choose from.

The trend has been towards adding classes, particularly core classes and classes at the 100 and 200 levels, which are mostly filled by freshmen and sophomores.

“We added more core sections than we did other sec-

tions because it was clear that that’s where the demand was going to be,” registrar Sondrea Ozolins said.

When it comes to the new core, it has established some of the classes that were previously pilot courses, such as First Year Seminar.

Students are now required to fulfill both an Indianapolis community requirement and a cultural requirement. The idea, Ozolins said, is to encourage students to venture outside their comfort zones.

Ozolins said that other measures were taken to get an idea of what the university would need to do to make sure students got into the classes they needed to take.

One measure, temporarily closing down registration for all lower level classes, allowed incoming freshmen to register.

“It gave us a cooling-off period so that we could actually look at exactly what the demand had been and how to serve that demand,” Ozolins said.

Ozolins reassured students that they should not be worried about enrollment difficulties, because the amount of classes being added greatly outnumbers the classes that have been cut.

To keep the low studentto-faculty ratios, Butler has also added more adjuncts to teach the new courses.

“We don’t know what the ratio is going to be exactly until the dust settles and that will be the second week of class,” Ozolins said.

Ultimately, Ozolins said, what matters is that the needs of students are met in terms of which courses they are planning to take.

“A” permits were given to faculty, staff and other university affiliates; “B” permits are for students living in the residential dorms; “C” permits were given to commuting students, including the students living at the Christian Theological Seminary; “HV” zones were given to students living in the Apartment Village; “G” permits were given to Greek students.

Ryan said visitors can still use the Clowes Memorial Hall lot, meters on campus and the overflow lot at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

Hunter said BUPD is continually looking to improve the parking situation for future students and staff.

“In an effort to encourage sustainability, a new and cheaper ‘MC’ permit was created for those operating motorcycles and scooters and new spots are being created for these vehicles,” Hunter said.

Hunter also said that the university is in the process of creating “MC” spaces along the curb of Butler Way and the north loop of Clarendon Avenue.

sholcomb@butler.edu | assistant editor

We’re just glad that students want to come to Butler, we’ll make the accommodations we need to make.

opinion 5 | Arts & Entertainment 7 | Sports 9 | Photos 12

new students is essentially coming “from the students themselves.”

“Financial aid is the largest budget item in the Butler budget,” Weede said, “So when a student pays tuition, part of that goes toward the financial aid budget.”

Indiana state funding has been cut by over $150 million due to declining state revenues. Weede said that the cuts in the state’s budget have forced the university into making cuts in other departments.

“Instead of buying a new truck for the facilities program or raising salaries, we’re putting money into financial aid, because if we don’t have students, we don’t have salaries,” Weede said. “We have to make sure that we do what we can to help our students.”

“We’re just glad that students want to come to Butler, we’ll make the accommodations we need to make.”

page 2 | the butler collegian

wednesday, august 25, 2010

Fong addresses freshmen

BY JILL MCCARTER

jmccarte@butler.edu | news editor

Butler University President Bobby Fong welcomed students to Butler University with words of encouragement during his President’s Convocation on Aug. 22.

Fong spoke about the record-breaking number of incoming freshmen, saying that while the men’s basketball team may have encouraged perspective students to accept the offer of admission, it is not all that Butler had to offer.

“Sports are the front porch to a university and our front porch was very crowded this spring,” Fong said. “But when people on the front porch looked through our window, they found a pervasive sense of academic seriousness and a commitment to excellence in all our educational endeavors.”

Fong said that the members of the basketball team went to class the day of the Championship Game and changes in practice schedules kept them from missing any class.

The same commitment and dedication is expected of all students, Fong said.

“Butler has high hopes that each student will achieve great things, while at Butler and after graduation,” Fong said.

Fong said that the addition of a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa last fall is a reflection of “the rigor of the curriculum, the credentials of the faculty, the resources of the library, and the focus on student learning.”

The staff and faculty of the university are striving to maintain the traditional academic excellence that it is known for, while adapting to the changes in careers, demands and technology, Fong said.

“Students, one-third of you will one day work at jobs that don’t yet exist,” Fong said.

“We want to prepare you for that work.”

Fong said that while college is a time for mastering a body of knowledge, it’s also about exploring different views and values.

“At Butler, we hope to add to the stock of those people whom you admire and respect, after whom you can model parts of your-

by amber sapp

MCT

LOS ANGELES—Older generations often accuse younger ones of not being up to snuff in many ways, such as upholding values and morals, but they may be onto something.

A new study found that college students may be seriously lacking in empathy that previous generations apparently had in spades.

The study, a meta-analysis, looked at 72 studies of American college students conducted from 1979 to 2009.

Those studies measured empathy on the Interpersonal Reactivity Index, a 28-item scale that gauges aspects of interpersonal sensitivity: -Empathic concern (feelings of sympathy for others’ misfortunes) -Perspective taking (how people imagine others’ points of view) -Fantasy (how people identify with fictional characters in books or movies)

Welcome week arrived and Butler’s campus teemed with first year students. But they were not the only ones on campus who were experiencing new roles at Butler.

After a year of searching for new deans, both the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (LAS) and the Jordan College of Fine Arts (JCFA) are transitioning this year after filling both of those positions.

Dean Jay Howard became the new dean of LAS as of June 1, 2010 after “stumbling across the job advertisement on the Butler website the day before applications were due,” he said.

Howard received a bachelor’s degree in sociology at Indiana University South Bend.

He then went on to earn both a Master’s Degree and a Ph.D. in sociology at the University of Notre Dame. During his schooling, he specialized in different areas of sociology including sociology of religion, sociology of culture and popular culture, sociological theory and sociology of work.

Prior to starting work at Butler, Dean Howard worked at Indiana University Purdue University Columbus (IUPUC) for 18 years, working his way up from assistant to full professor of sociology. He also authored 50 publications of various types. Howard also found himself holding a variety of administrative positions, including assistant dean for budget and planning and head of the division.

Howard has many projects planned for his first year at Butler and has many new ideas to implement for LAS. “I want to raise the profile of LAS. There are many outstanding faculty, students and programs in LAS which perhaps have not been given their due recognition,” Howard said. “We want each of our departments to stand out from departments at our peer institutions.”

As a parent of Butler senior theatre major Amalia Howard, Howard became attracted to Butler’s deliverance “on its promise of a high quality, challenging education with lots

of opportunities for students that extend beyond the classroom” he said.

Michelle Jarvis was appointed to be the interim dean of JCFA, also as of June 1.

Dean Jarvis has been a part of the Butler community for many years. She graduated from Butler twice, the first time with an undergraduate degree in dance and the second time with a graduate degree in dance. Ten years after graduating from Butler, Jarvis returned to Butler as a professor. “[Prior to becoming interim dean] I was the associate dean of JCFA and before that, I was the chair of the dance department here,” Jarvis said.

Jarvis will serve as an interim dean for the 2010-2011 school year only. The position of interim dean means that her current contract is only a year long.

However, she is still excited about the many new changes to come.

Jarvis said her major goals for the year will be to bring together the faculty to capitalize on exposure of the NCAA tournament last year to bring in more perspective students to the college, prepare for the first Michelle Jarvis students studying for Dean, JCFA their master of fine arts in dance and to plan for the new 450-seat recital hall, which is scheduled to be completed by 2012.

“I am very excited about the new performance hall,” Jarvis said. “We have been meeting all summer and are getting closer to finalizing plans for the building. We are all looking forward to it.”

Jarvis also said she is excited for the JCFA’s incoming class. She said she was thrilled to meet with them as a college and to see that, “They are so enthusiastic and so ready to be contributors to the university.”

Jarvis also intends to focus more this year, “not only towards teaching and learning,” she said, “but on [continuing] to train students well in their disciplines and to be thinking of their future careers.”

Jarvis is anticipating a successful and exciting year in JCFA. “We need to give students the opportunity to create, be it right or wrong,” Jarvis said.

“We need to be on the cutting edge.”

Back to Butler: Michelle Jarvis will serve as Interim Dean of JCFA for this year. (Photo courtesy of M. Jarvis)

FOCUS ON TEACHING: Jay Howard will serve as Dean of LAS this year. (Photo courtesy of Jay Howard)

asapp@butler.edu | staff writer

PRESIDENT’S address: Butler President Bobby Fong welcomed freshmen on Sunday. (Photo by Rachel Senn) self,” Fong said. “But ultimately, your own best self is one you fashion by your choices and commitments.”

Fong assured parents that the students are in good hands at Butler University.

“In the end what your children learn at Butler will be determined by what choices they make. And the hardest thing for parents to do is to shift the authority for making wise choices from ourselves to our children,” Fong said.

In closing, Fong said he encourages students to take advantage of the time they will spend here at Butler, saying that it is an opportunity most do not get.

“You have an opportunity denied 99 percent of the world,” Fong said, “I say to you, make the most of your time here.”

College students may be lacking in empathy, study finds

by jeannine stein

JCFA, LAS welcome new deans with new ideas

-Personal distress (how people feel when they see the misfortunes of others) From 1979 to 2009, college students’ scores on empathic concern and perspective taking declined overall. There were no substantial changes in fantasy or personal distress.

Converting the changes in scores to percentiles, researchers found a 48 percent decrease in empathic concern and a 34 percent decrease in perspective taking through the years.

In another associated analysis, the study authors found that Americans have noticed changes in peoples’ kindness and helpfulness throughout the same time period.

To what do the researchers attribute these changes?

A number of social and cultural changes, including an increasing emphasis on the self, an overactive media that bombards people with violent, horrific images and gradually desensitizes them

and the growth of social media.

On that, the authors wrote, “With so much time spent interacting with others online and not in reality, interpersonal dynamics like empathy might certainly be altered.

“Perhaps it is easier to establish friends and relationships online, but these skills might not translate into smooth social relations in real life.“ “College students today may be so busy worrying about themselves and their own issues that they don’t have time to spend empathizing with others, or at least perceive such time to be limited,” said University of Michigan graduate student Edward O’Brien, in a news release. O’Brien was one of the co-authors of the study that was presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Psychological Science held in Boston this week.

We need to give students the opportunity to create, be it right or wrong.

We need to be on cutting edge.

Photo by Rachel Senn

By Molly Kordas

mkordas@butler.edu | staff writer

Last fall, Earth Charter Butler (ECB) proposed the creation of the Butler Campus Farm.

The student organization approached the Center for Urban Ecology (CUE) with the idea of a campus farm The campus farm proposal developed from the organization’s interest in local and organic foods and food safety, according to the CUE. An area near Butler Prairie was selected to be the site of the campus farm

in January 2010.

The Butler Campus Farm is a halfacre agricultural project founded by the CUE and ECB, and sustained by Butler University volunteers and volunteers from the surrounding communities.

The mission of the campus farm is to allow students, volunteers and all participants to more fully understand food safety and how to grow local foods through organic farming techniques.

The Butler Campus Farm volunteers have already been busy working all spring and summer.

The farm housed events such as a Soil Prep, Fence Raising and Summer Harvest Potluck to enjoy the food and company of those involved with the Butler Campus Farm.

The campus farm will be having farm stand sales in the fall in the Butler Gazebo between Atherton Union and Jordan Hall on Tuesdays 4-6 p.m. and Thursdays noon-1 p.m.

The Butler Campus Farm also welcomes volunteers Tuesdays noon-1 p.m., Wednesdays 5-7 p.m. and Saturdays 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

wednesday, august 25, 2010

A scoot towards green

BUPDBEAT August 21

10:15 p.m.—Jordan Hall: Liquor law violation and trespassing.

10:45 p.m.—TKE Parking lot: Vehicle theft.

11:39 p.m.—849 Berkley Road: Noise complaint.

11:39 p.m.—Sigma Nu: Violation of university policy.

August 22 10:29 a.m.—Apartment Village #H: Fire alarm activation.

10:16 p.m.—Sunset Ave. and 49th Street: Liquor law violation.

August 23 12:08 a.m.—Schwitzer Hall: Injured person.

12:55 a.m.—Lambda Chi: Recovery of stolen property.

11:39 p.m.—Sigma Chi: Violation of university policy.

page 3 | the butler collegian

by Allyson dobberteen adobbert@butler.edu | staff writer

Butler University Police Department is testing an electric scooter as a possible option for another patrol vehicle.

The Vectrix scooter is 100 percent electric, traveling about 55 miles on one charge, Chief of Police Ben Hunter said.

“I’m always looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint and that’s important,” he said. “But, it’s secondary to the fact that I want to save money.”

The Vectrix scooters would cost between $7,500 and $8,500.

Hunter said the scooters would be a one time only cost.

“It’s no gas. That’s why I love it. That’s why I love the segways. The segways were a great investment for us,” he said.

BUPD purchased two segways at the beginning of the last school year.

Hunter said the segways each have about a thousand miles on them.

“That’s a thousand miles in gas that I didn’t have to pay for,” he said.

Assistant Chief of Police Andrew Ryan said that the segways have their limitations.

“You can only go certain

places and only get there so fast,” he said.

Hunter said the segway has a top speed of 12 miles per hour, but the Vectrix wouldn’t have that drawback.

“It goes from zero to 68 in 5.5 seconds,” Hunter said.

He said that the Vectrix is actually considered a motorcycle under Indiana law.

“I’ve never seen a scooter go 70 miles per hour,” Hunter said.

The Vectrix scooter even has advantages over the traditional squad car.

Hunter said, “It has a life expectancy of 10 or more years, unlike a police car where the life expectancy is about 4 to 5 years on a good cycle.”

Hunter said the scooters main maintenance concerns are the tires and brakes.

“They virtually are maintenance free,” he said.

Ryan said the scooter would offer better visibility for the community than a patrol car.

“Historically, we’ve been in patrol cars,” he said.

“People would say ‘we never see BUPD.’ Then we got the segways.

“When people see the segways, it encourages interaction between our staff and the university population in general because people are

A green option: This Vectirx scooter would be the type of new “green” vehicle BUPD may invest in. The scooter would make BUPD more visible on campus and save them money on gas. (Collegian photo from MCT) curious about them.

“I think the Vectrix would be the same sort of thing.”

Ryan said the scooters would offer good visibility for BUPD. “Visibility is a key thing for us,” he said.

Ryan is also concerned about how the way the public would perceive the scooters.

“I think that would look extremely outrageous if they had these scooters because they already have the segways that are quite outrageous as well,” sophomore Gina Vera said.

“Since they’re electric it

would be for a good cause, but I’m not sure if they need them.”

Sophomore Jamie Ostrem is less than concerned.

“If they let me ride it, I’m okay with it,” she said.

But there is another catch.

“Now the big drawback for us is that we would only be able to use it nine or 10 months out of the year,” Hunter said.

“You can’t use them in the winter when ice is on the ground.”

Ryan said he also has a safety concern.

“It’s not a patrol car,” he said.

CAMPUSBRIEF

“There is a certain skill to driving these.

“We want to make sure the people driving them are taking them seriously and aren’t getting too relaxed.

“Not that the scooters are dangerous, but I suppose you could fall off a segway too.”

Hunter isn’t sure whether or not BUPD will invest in one of the scooters.

“It has trade-offs and I don’t know that we will definitely purchase one but it was neat testing it,” he said.

“It’s on my radar to possible look at in the future.”

BUPD give freshmen safety tips

by Allyson Dobberteen adobbert@butler.edu | staff writer

Freedom.

It’s the first time you take a nap on the mall just because you can.

It’s the first 4 a.m. bedtime that isn’t followed by a stern lecture in the morning.

It’s the first time you decide which ice cream flavor best compliments your cereal selection for dinner.

This carefree sense of freedom carries over when it comes to personal safety, said Andrew Ryan, assistant chief of police.

“Incoming students feel free for the first time and they sometimes take things to the

Go With Your Gut

extreme when they probably shouldn’t,” Ryan said.

Director of Public Safety Ben Hunter said the biggest mistake freshmen make is having tunnel vision.

“The easiest thing to do to stay safe is to have situational awareness,” Hunter said.

“Make sure you are aware of your surroundings.”

Hunter and Ryan suggested some other simple ways to stay safe while experiencing the new thrills of college life:

Don’t Leave Backpacks or Laptops Unattended

If something doesn’t feel right, chances Remove the opportunity to be the are it’s probably not right. victim of a property crime.

Treat Your Door Like an Apartment

Make sure you lock your dorm room when you leave.

Find Friends You Can Trust A welcome hand: President Bobby Fong high fives his way through the student orientation tunnel after his convocation. Freshmen left the convocation to find their places for the class photo (Photo by Rachel Senn)

CAMPUSBRIEF

Butler earns more recognition

by Tara McElmurry

tmcelmur@butler.edu | news editor

Along with all the recognition the university got this past spring, this summer Butler picked up some more titles of recognition with The U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review and NUVO. The U.S. News Best Colleges ranked Butler as No. 2 in the Midwest for the second year in a row.

This ranking also makes it 22 years of Butler being ranked in the top 10.

Butler was picked No. 1 in the peer institutions ranking of the “Up-and-Coming” universities of the Regional Universities Midwest.

Just as is in 2009, Butler was named one of 37 schools nationwide that has a study abroad program that is a strong contributor to students’ success.

There were 572 schools considered for the 2010 Re-

gional University Rankings, and only 18 of those schools tied or got a higher ranking than Butler.

There was also a first for Butler among all these rankings in the U.S. News & World Report. The university was acknowledged in the category of “A+ School for B Students.”

That category shows that Butler is a place where 79 percent of the 2009 freshman class was ranked in the top 25 percent of their high school class, but not everyone is a valedictorian.

For Butler to be ranked in these categories it has to have a full range of undergraduate degrees and some master’s degree programs.

Doctoral programs are not required.

In addition, The Princeton Review’s ranking also includes students’ campus experiences.

They do this through an

80 question survey that asks students to rate their school in different areas such as campus food and accessibility of professors.

Students commented on the survey about the emphasis Butler puts on academic experience.

NUVO ranked Butler as the Best Local College/University in a poll released July 28.

Along with the university getting recognized, the men’s basketball team was named the Best Local College Sports Team by readers.

The team has won this category three different years.

NUVO News Editor Laura McPhee said, “While the Bulldogs’ first trip to the NCAA finals might have helped, it’s not the first time Indy residents have chosen Butler University as the city’s best college or university. We are certain it won’t be the last.”

Call BUPD

They are available 24-7. They’ll escort you anywhere on campus during hours of darkness.

Don’t Leave Valuables in Your Car in Plain Sight

When you’re off exploring campus, go in groups. Go together and come back Hide them in the trunk or store them in your dorm room. with the same people. Don’t leave anyone behind.

page 4 | the butler collegian

wednesday, august 25, 2010

wednesday, august 25, 2010

Opinion THE BUTLER COLLEGIAN

PAGE 5

the butler

COLLEGIAN

The Butler watchdog and voice for BU students

4600 Sunset Ave. Indianapolis, IN 46208 Office Information: Fairbanks Rm 210 News Line: (317) 940-8813 Advertising Line: (317) 940-9358 collegian@butler.edu

Fall 2010 Editorial Staff Arika Herron Editor in Chief Emily Newell Print Managing Editor Hayleigh Colombo Online Managing Editor Jill McCarter Co-News Editor Tara McElmurry Co-News Editor Sarah Holcombe Asst. News Editor Grace Wallace Asst. News Editor Tara Doerzbacher Opinion Editor Mary Beth Sekela Asst. Opinion Editor Lexie Smith Asst. Opinion Editor Dan Domsic A&E Editor Megan Schipp Asst. A&E Editor Ashleigh Taylor Asst. A&E Editor Steven Peek Sports Editor Mike Ellis Asst. Sports Editor Scott Schmelzer Asst. Sports Editor Meredith Lee Head Copy Editor Rachel Senn Photography Editor Erin Drennan Asst. Photography Editor Caroline Johnson Asst. Photography Editor Mary Landwer Graphics Editor Lauren Fisher Advertising Manager Erin Hammeran Advertising Manager Loni McKown Adviser

The Butler Collegian is published weekly on Wednesdays with a controlled circulation of 2,600. The Collegian office is located in the Fairbanks Building, Room 210.

The Collegian is printed at The Greenfield Reporter in Greenfield, Ind. The Collegian maintains a subscription to MCT Services Campus wire service. The Collegian editorial staff determines the editorial policies; the opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of The Collegian, but of the writers clearly labeled.

The Collegian accepts advertising from a variety of campus organizations and local businesses and agencies. All advertising decisions are based on the discretion of the ad manager and editor in chief. For a copy of The Collegian advertising rates, publication schedule and policies, please call (317) 940-9358 or send an e-mail to the advertising staff at advertising@butler.edu.

Direct postal inquiries to: The Butler Collegian-Advertising.

For subscriptions to The Collegian, please send a check to the main address above. Subscriptions are $45 per academic year.

Corrections Policy

The Collegian staff makes an effort to be as accurate as possible. Corrections may be submitted to The Collegian and will be printed at the next publication date.

Letters to the Editor Policy

The Collegian accepts letters to the editor no later than noon on the Sunday before publication.

Letters to the editor must be emailed to collegian@butler.edu and verified by a signature. A signed version of the letter may be dropped off at The Collegian office.

The Collegian reserves the right to edit letters for spelling, style, clarity and length. Letters must be kept to a length of 450 words. Contact The Collegian for questions. Exceptions to these policies may be made at the editorial board’s discretion.

OUR POINT THIS WEEK: Butler’s new cultural requirement is a positive attempt to increase student awareness and embrace liberal arts values | VOTE: 16-5 While not an unusual effort, Butler’s decision to require culture from its incoming class has caused some students and Indianapolis residents to shake their heads and dig in their heels.

Compulsory attendance to campus events such as ballets, theatre productions and speeches may seem oppressive to some, but we at The Butler Collegian believe that Butler’s new requisite is a sign that the university is embracing its liberal arts values and taking beneficial steps toward producing well-rounded, culturally aware graduates.

Cultural requirements are not new to Butler’s campus. Many professors require attendance to cultural events as part of their coursework and several academic departments require the same.

Some students are expected to attend as many as five events in one semester.

However, the new cultural requirement mandates only one event per semester. This is a perfectly reasonable task and one easily completed by most Butler students.

The additional requirement does pose an irritation to students who are already expected to attend several cultural events. As yet another liberal arts requisite, this may seem like overkill to those under pressure.

However, The Collegian staff believes that a requirement which applies to all Butler students, not only those in certain classes or belonging to certain departments, sends the message that Butler takes the arts seriously.

Some individuals have expressed concern that Butler’s new requirement is merely a ploy to fill

Although requiring attendance to campus events may seem to some like an endorsement of the “Butler bubble,” it is in fact a promotion of the hard work and talent of our fellow students. seats at events that are not usually heavily attended. The staff of The Collegian recognizes this concern, but we see no reason to condemn Butler for promoting attendance to such campus events.

Students should be just as proud to take a seat in the black box theatre as they are to fill the seats in Hinkle Fieldhouse.

Although requiring attendance to campus events may seem to some like an endorsement of the “Butler bubble,” it is in fact a promotion of the hard work and talent of our fellow students. Supporting our collegiate peers is important, and this new requirement provides students with an opportunity to show support and enthusiasm where we may fail to do so.

While the new cultural requirement certainly promotes the arts on Butler’s campus, it also poses benefits for students in each and every academic department.

No, viewing a ballet will not help pharmacy students with their chemistry final, but it will give them a break from their science-driven lives.

It will expose them to an aspect of our unversity they are not usually involved in and maybe even inspire a previously unrecognized love for the arts.

No matter what, attendance to such cultural events will broaden horizons and increase awareness, which is what a liberal arts education is all about.

Our Changing Faith day morning rituals in the back of my mind. In the last year I have learned that college includes taking time for For most of us, reli- yourself. That is when I have found gion has been a part of myself to be the most spiritual. our lives since we were The recently released movie Eat, little. My family is Pray, Love, based on the book by ElizaPresbyterian, very sim- beth Gilbert, takes a look at the idea of ilar to most other prot- being personally spiritual and finding estant religions and the peace in life through a spiritual balCatholic religion. ance.

People in every corner of the world What I took away from this film is practices some sort of belief. that spirituality is a different process Since I have been at college, I have for everyone. It might be easy for one seen a different pattern of faith that is person to feel balanced and mentally simply spiritual. On a day to day ba- sound in their faith, but take years for sis, I have found spiritually and sim- others. ple faith to be most important—not a For me it is taking a while. I find title, like Presbyterian. Being exposed peace in little things in life, like my to so much knowledge dog Willow.

The and differing opinions simplicity of her life the last few years here I have learned to reminds me to think at Butler has changed release the past more simply and to my thinking greatly. not take things too seCollege has consumed and not give in riously. so much of my time to imagination Sometimes I won- No rest for the faitful: It becomes increasingly difficult to find a religion’s that I only have time der if I will continue stuctural home, so look within yourself to find ultimate spiritual balance. (Illustration from MCT) for personal faith rath- or the future. my family tradition er than group practicof Sunday worship. It Monk, Myokei Caine-Barrett, wrote give in to imagination or the future.

Myokei Caine-Barrett seems to me that many of her struggle through life trying to Buddhism taught me that there is es like going to church BUDDHIST MONK families in the U.S. are find her place in the spiritual world. only now, the present moment.” services.

Our school offers choosing other ac- Caine-Barrett, of Japanese and AfIn Eat, Pray, Love, Gilbert‘s jourreligious services evtivities on Sundays. It rican descent, is the only ordained ney to find her mental and physiery Sunday and I know several people makes me sad that such a powerful Western woman and the first fe- cal balance through meditation who take time out of their busy sched- and life-changing part of our culture male priest in the Nichiren Order of and devotion sheds light on the ule to practice their faith each week. is dwindling, but I have hope that North America. possiblities of our generation’s fuHowever, I have found myself—and peopele can continue to put themCaine-Barrett wrote, “Buddhism ture—you can be religious without most of the people around me—to be selves and their mental and physical has been the mainstay of my life, a religious title. Caine-Barret chose sleeping in, studying or working on a balance first, whether this is in church enabling me to understand life’s to put a title on her spirituality, but Sunday morning.

Sunday morning or not. reality and providing a practice of she still purports the idea of havAt first, I disregarded my own spirIn a recent editorial on CNN.com, faith to deal with that reality. I have ing mental balance and living in the ituality completely and left my Sun- the first woman to become a Buddhist learned to release the past and not present.

Tara Doerzbacher

tdoerzba@butler.edu | Opinion Editor

PAGE 6 | THE BUTLER COLLEGIAN

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010

Tar kills economy LEXIE SMITH

lhsmith@butler.edu asst. opinion editor

On April 20, 2010, BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil rig burst into flames due to a methane leak.

Two days after the explosion, the oil rig sank into the sea, and thus began the story of the now legendary “BP oil spill.”

Recently, the federal joint investigative panel is reviewing communications between Halliburton and BP in the days before the oil spill.

According to C-SPAN.org, the Halliburton “technical adviser who warned BP that the company’s well design posed a risk of gas flow will testify Tuesday.” Another Halliburton official has reserved his right to the Fifth Amendment, so his attorney will be testifying in his place.

After 85 days of constant news feed, coverage of the rig furiously spewing oil from the bed of the ocean and picture after picture of oil-soaked wildlife, the leak is finally contained.

From Aug. 3-12, the well was pressure tested and ultimately sealed to confirm that the leak had been stopped.

The damage, according to federal estimates, is hovering somewhere between 93.5 million and 184.3 million gallons of oil clumping and spreading across the Gulf of Mexico, killing every living organism in its path.

After this damage to the economy of the Gulf and the affected wildlife, it is hard for me to feel confident in the cap that BP attached to the spewing well. Perhaps BP will prove my skepticism wrong, I have my doubts.

According to the Huffington Post, “Pressure from the oil gushing out of the ground could fracture the well and make the leak even worse.”

I sincerely hope the cap stays on the well and that, slowly but surely, we can put this disaster behind us.

But after this catastrophe, I’ve learned to disregard absolutely everything BP says.

They dragged their feet coming up with a plan to fix a leak that they should have already been prepared for.

In this situation, BP should have heeded the old saying, “actions speak louder than words.”

Instead of spending billions on ad campaigns assuring the public that they were exercising every option in their power, while gallon after gallon of oil spread over the ocean’s surface, they should have been avidly, and silently, working to plug the leak.

But besides just wondering if the cap will hold, I’m concerned about the dwindling economy of the Gulf.

When this disaster happened, I know I was not the first person lining up to purchase seafood. But there are so many other businesses that were ruined by the BP oil spill.

Restaurants and fishermen have been put in a perilous position, unable to make enough revenue to sustain their businesses or even feed their families.

Florida is a hot spot for summer vacations.

Although I’ve never been, I know several of my friends visit annually.

Unfortunately, this year I also know several friends who cancelled their summer Florida vacations due to the oil spill.

With Florida’s reducd tourism, the economy is definitely feeling the pain of BP’s carelessness.

We can help prevent disasters of this kind by reducing our dependence on oil. I know we have E85, but the ethanol fuel is not really reducing our oil addiction; it’s just adding corn to the mix.

What we need is serious research that moves us to a point where we are not relying on an energy source that is so dangerous to retrieve and poses such a threat to both wildlife and our still-fragile economy.

If we could utilize a new source of energy that would eliminate the need for natural oil, we would be saving the Earth and increasing our self-sufficiency.

After 85 days of photos of dying wildlife and 85 days of watching my mother pace the living room floor wringing her hands, hoping the leak would stop, it has finally come to an end. Hopefully this cap can contain the oil and we can try to reverse the damage BP has caused to the Gulf coast’s wildlife.

Remember, the question is not “How do we improve our oil rigs?” The answer is research for clean energy sources and more regulation on deep-well drilling. After BP’s disastrous performance, I’m not so sure that the public will be comfortable with traditional drilling methods.

Freedom greater than pride, anger at Ground Zero MARY BETH SEKELA

msekela@butler.edu asst. opinion editor

Another day, another ridiculous controversy. The setting? New York City, of course. The issue? One as old as organized religion itself: Muslim objectives versus Christian values.

Let’s face it, even in this super tolerant Amer can society of ours, both pride and prejudice determine much of our social interaction.

This is especially true when it comes to religion, and even more so when the religions in question are Islam and Christianity. What else could we expect when a mosque and Islamic center are built two blocks from the site where thougsands of Americans died?

Now I, like any intelligent individual, realize that many persons of many religious backgrounds died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. I also realize that although the men responsible for these attacks were Muslim, their actions do not reflect the values of every Muslim individual, or of the Muslim religion itself. So why the argument? Why, exactly, should Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf feel disinclined to build a mosque in his chosen location?

Naturally, the first answer to this question revolves around the concept of respect: respect for the dead, respect for the United States and respect for religious values.

According to many, Abdul Rauf should respect the fact that building an icon of the Muslim religion in such close proximity to Ground Zero would shock and offend the American people, Christian or otherwise.

I would, however, like to point out the obvious. One people cannot demand respect from another people while denying to return that same respect. The only way to foster understanding, and create an environment of dignity and peace is to allow the followers of all religions to practice wherever they please.

Even if this ideal were not represented in our Constitution, religious freedom is essential to the American way of life and opposing this freedom is not only intolerant but quite obviously un-American. Americans have the right to

mourn the 9/11 tragedy, and Muslims have the right to worship in New York City.

Many U.S. citizens oppose the mosque for personal and spiritual reasons, but some have far more earthly concerns.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich recently wrote, “For radical Islamists, the mosque would become an icon of triumph, encouraging them in their challenge to our civilization.”

It appears that our civilization is in danger. We’d better tear down all the mosques in New York City right quick, before disaster strikes.

Come on, people. Let’s be reasonable, shall we? The United States is not at war with Islam. As far as I am able to discern, Islam is not at war with the United States. So why so

FOR A CAUSE: At the site of the “Ground Zero mosque,” protestors from both sides gather to support their causes. (Collegian photo from MCT)

PawPrints

BY CAROLINE JOHNSON

“Meeting new people, moving in and getting to take part in orientation activities.”

Katie Wachel freshman

much panic? Why these rumors of endangered civilizations?

It’s borderline absurd!

Adherents to Islam may be extremely dedicated to their values, but this does not indicate a desire to destroy any other way of life. It is only the most radical, violent followers of Islam who hate and condemn non-believers. Every religion has followers such as these. Should every religious person be identified by the actions of their peers? I think not. Should every mosque be identified with terrorism? Of course not!

Although Gingrich does make an interesting point concerning the so-called “Ground Zero mosque” as a triumphant icon, what radical Islamists think about the controversy is barely relevant. Who cares if they see the erection of this building as a victory? What they perceive is only a reality if we make it so.

Instead of looking at this situation and thinking, “One point to the radical Islamists,” we should be welcoming the opportunity to show the depth of our own tolerance.

Fortunately, the American press has been present throughout this conflict, covering all aspects of the issue and providing the enthralled public with all necessary information.

Oh, wait. Not quite. Coverage of this situation has been predictably iffy. Instead of asking the obvious questions (Is this wrong? Is this right?), many news writers and talking heads are asking the un-obvious ones: How will this affect the 2012 elections? What do voters think of President Obama’s comments? Should the president have supported the building of the mosque?

For once, let’s not make this about politics, please. Let’s not lose ourselves in projection and agenda setting. This situation is bigger than elections and polls. This is about rising above differences, coming to terms with the past and planning for a better future.

This is about a moment of peaceful cooperation between two great peoples. While I believe that the conflict itself should never have arisen, its publicity is a platform.

The American people, Christian, Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist, should take advantage of this opportunity to promote our most precious possession: freedom.

What is your favorite part about Welcome Week?

“Meeting new students and seeing everyone move in.”

“Reuniting with my Butler Family!”

“Getting to celebrate the start of the year with my best friends.”

Kelsa Reynolds sophomore

Xavier Ellison junior

Lissa Phillips senior

wednesday, august 25, 2010

a&E the butler collegian

page 7

Challenging the ‘bubble’s’ world view

Clowes Memorial Hall ushers in new season schedule by megan schipp

mschipp@butler.edu | Asst. A&E Editor

Clowes Memorial Hall is bringing in a new line-up of performers in different genres and backgrounds.

This season at the concert hall, students in the “Butler bubble,” will be exposed to different culture and forms of art.

The fall 2010 schedule features concerts from “American Idol’s” Adam Lambert and Indiana’s own John Mellencamp.

Other musical performances include Cats, Blue Man Group and Butler’s own symphony orchestra.

Beyond music, other guests will include the Travel Channel’s Anthony Bourdain along with Bravo’s Eric Ripert. High-lights for the upcoming month include:

Aug. 31: Adam Lambert

2009 “American Idol” runner-up Lambert will bring some glam rocking entertainment to Clowes when he makes his Aug. 31 appearance. Lambert’s hits include “Whataya Want From Me” and “If I Had You.” Showtime is 8:00 p.m., but unless you jumped at the opportunity, you might be out of luck. According to Cloweshall.org, tickets for the performance are sold out.

Sept. 12: Jordan College of Fine Arts Music Showcase

Support your Butler peers as they mix classical and modern music in this concert featuring the Wind and Jazz Ensembles.

This is also an opportunity to fulfill the freshman class’s new arts requirement.

The Butler Symphony Orchestra is under the direction of Richard Auldon Clark.

The BSO has performed

classics including Holst’s The Planets. The show is Sept. 12 at 3:00 p.m.

Sept. 15: An Evening with Coach Brad Stevens

Listen to the Butler men’s basketball Coach Brad Stevens talk about life before Butler basketball, the Bulldogs unbelievable road to the Final Four, and his lifelong dedication to coaching.

Stevens is also in the running for this year’s commencement speaker.

This is a great chance to hear personal stories from the leader that has shown the NCAA that the Butler Bulldogs are never the underdog.

The talk will take place Sept. 15 at 7:00 p.m.

Sept. 23: Yusef Komunyakaa

Hear Pulitzer Prize winning poet Komunyakaa discuss his collection of written works including Pleasure Dome: New & Collected Poems, 1975– 1999, Talking Dirty to the Gods and Thieves of Paradise.

Komunyakaa comes as part of the Vivian S. Delbrook Visiting Writers Series.

The kick-off will be Sept. 23 at 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 30: An Evening with Anthony Bourdain and Eric Ripert

Hear the Travel Channel’s Bourdain and “Top Chef” guest judge Ripert share stories about their adventures in food from a global perspective.

These two chefs explain life while wearing the apron.

The conversation will take place Sept. 30 at 7:00 p.m.

Oct. 2: Eric Johnson, Andy McKee, and Peppino D’Agostino

pvc percussion: The Blue Man Group is takes the stage at Clowes Memorial Hall November 12-14. Along with the classic Blue Man Group, John Mellencamp is gracing Butler’s presence with a show at Clowes, as well as a second performance at Hinkle Fieldhouse. (Collegian photo from MCT) The guitar trio will grace the stage of Clowes October 2. Johnson, McKee and D’Agostino perform at 8:00 p.m. Johnson is known for his song on electric guitar, “Cliffs of Dover.”

For a preview of McKee and the other two artists, search their Youtube videos for performances, including McKee’s cover of Tears for Fears’ “Everbody Wants to Rule the World.”

Nov. 8: John Mellencamp

Indiana’s own John Mellencamp will be holding two performances at Butler this November.

Kicking off his “No Better Than This” tour, Mellencamp will perform Nov. 8 at Clowes at 8:30 p.m.

Mellencamp will hold a second performance Nov. 11 at Hinkle Fieldhouse at 6:45 p.m.

Nov. 12-14: Blue Man Group

This November, Clowes is offering up the famous Blue Man Group, shown in cities across the country including Chicago, New York, Las Vegas and Boston.

A mixture of comedy, music and theatre, Blue Man Group is a unique experience that is influenced by modern day art and rock music.

Segments of their shows incorporate neon paint, percussion ensembles and multimedia elements.

The show runs Nov. 1214.

Some of these events are still a few months away but consider buying your tickets early.

Tickets for events can be bought during business hours at the box office in Clowes, or online, by phone, or mail from TicketMaster.

Sizzling Summer Hits 1. Dynamite - Taio Cruz 2. Wavin’ Flag (Spanish Celebration Mix) [feat. David Bisbal] - K’NAAN 3. I Like It [feat. Pitbull] - Enrique Iglesias 4. Say Hey (I Love You) [feat.

Cherine Anderson] - Michael Franti & Spearhead 5. DJ Got Us Fallin’ In Love [feat.

Pitbull] - Usher 6. Club Can’t Handle Me [feat. David Guetta] - Flo Rida 7. Alejandro - Lady Gaga 8. Cooler Than Me - Mike Posner 9. Your Love Is My Drug - Ke$ha 10. Airplanes [feat. Hayley Williams of Paramore] - B.o.B.

the age of the smartphone Samsung Vibrant struggles with glitches, sensitive interface

by Daniel domsic

tends to be touchy or clunky at random times.

On top of that, the phone is so smart it thinks it can do whatever it wants (or I’m just dumb enough to accidentally bump buttons when I set it down or put it in my pocket). It’s not acceptable to set the phone down and have it start playing “Avatar.” Perhaps the screen is a tad too sensitive.

Finally, the battery life is flat-out awful. It is inconsistent at best.

After multitasking and playing around with applications, I had to charge it twice in one day. That may not sound like a big deal, but to me it’s inconvenient. If you expect the phone to last through those late-night excursions to Qdoba or White Castle, make sure you can plug it in somewhere, especially if you’ve been messing around with the software all day. How am I supposed to look up Lolcats.com around 11:00 p.m.? I’m already wondering if it will be necessary to have a car charger for the device in my glove box at all times.

Taking all this into account, the Samsung Vibrant is an average phone when unmodified and straight out-of-the-box.

Have all the texting, internet surfing fun you can before the battery dies.

Hopefully with further research, time, and patience the phone can be upgraded, patched and modified through Samsung and third parties for a better Android experience.

ddomsic@butler.edu | A&E Editor

Kids ride their bikes with one hand, not so they can carry an ice cream cone or a football, but so they can talk on their cell phone and organize important kid stuff. Teenagers and adults get behind the wheel and cause fender benders, products of texting three letter acronyms like “omg.” Welcome to the smartphone age.

I’ve gone over to the dark side and purchased a Samsung Vibrant. There are many pros to this beautiful new device, but it struggles to realize its full potential.

My finger gently compresses the power button. This new phone’s screen is nothing short of brilliant. The colors and the clarity of the Super AMOLED screen let the phone play big budget movies like the pre-installed “Avatar.” Its beauty stands toe-to-toe with the likes of watching a Blu-Ray movie on an HDTV. But the screen is not just for looks.

The phone is completely touch-screen oriented. The highly reactive screen utilizes new texting and keyboard system called “Swype.” The texter simply slides his or her finger across the on-screen keyboard to type a word. This is the T9 texting system on steroids. Complex words are a breeze with Swype and there is not much of a learning curve. It only gets difficult when walking—not that walking is a good time to be texting.

Internet browsing is nice and speedy. Combined with the Swype texting interface, it makes looking up Youtube videos, auctions on Ebay, your Facebook profile and anything else that makes your friends jealous extremely easy and quick. It also offers tons of applications available in the Android Market.

It did not take long for me to find Ebay, Internet Movie Database (IMDB), The Onion, and New York Times applications, and some games just for fun. What is the point of having a smartphone if you cannot play games while waiting for coffee?

The only problem I’ve encountered with the apps in the first week of using the phone is that the preloaded Slacker

Samsung vibrant | Product Review iphone doppelganger: The Vibrant supports web browsing, applications like Google Maps and other multimedia. (Photo by Rachel Senn)

radio (think Pandora internet radio) would not work unless I turned the phone off and on again.

There’s plenty to do with the phone, and it looks wonderful, but there are some major problems with the device straight out of the box.

The phone changes to landscape when the user tilts it on its side, which would be really cool if it worked correctly 100 percent of the time. The mechanism that controls this feature

The Samsung Vibrant is one of the brand’s new Android products in the Galaxy S line. Its ability to web browse, multitask certain applications, and text quickly is phenomenal. The touch screen is a little bit too sensitive, and an inconsistent battery life detracts from an otherwise great experience.

5 = perfect, 4 = outstanding, 3 = good, 2 = fair, 1 = poor

page 8 | the butler collegian

wednesday, august 25, 2010

Countdown to ‘Reach’ Classic ‘Halo’ franchise turns back the clock for prequel

by Daniel domsic ddomsic@butler.edu | a&e editor

Alien spacecraft bombard a fragile planet with energy cannons. Their troops on the ground threaten to extinguish all human life. It sounds like typical science fiction, but when the new first-person-shooter “Halo Reach” ships on Sept. 14, it will be glorious.

The storied “Halo” franchise, from producers Bungie and Microsoft, has been nothing less than an amazing ride. “ H a l o : Combat Evolved” debuted on the original Xbox console,

an entire generation ago of gaming. People sat down and played through a twoplayer cooperative story mode and a 16 multiplayer ruckus of a game.

A few years later, “Halo 2” gave gamers another chance to play as the stalwart Master Chief and his new alien ally, The Arbiter.

The game’s multiplayer was as fun as ever, but the campaign was an average rehash of old news.

“Halo 3” was created for Xbox 360 with both barrels loaded. Unfortunately, by this time the formula was

replaced hero: The series’ famous hero, Master Chief, is replaced with a squad of tough marines in “Halo Reach.” (Collegian Photo from MCT)

tired. Games like “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare” stole any thunder or clout the game had left.

So why should anyone be excited for “Halo Reach”?

“Halo’s” formula is finally getting a fresh start.

The game’s main character, Spartan Master Chief, has been traded in for an entire team of super soldiers. They defend a human fortress planet called Reach, the last celestial stop before Earth, making the latest installment of the franchise a prequel.

Opportunity for better storytelling runs rampant.

With an almost silent character being eliminated, character development can occur.

Unlike Master Chief, each individual soldier has his or her own known identity. On top of that, their weaponry is more detailed and unique than the famous marine’s gear.

Multiplayer got a revamp as well.

Each player can individually select different armor types (known as Load Outs), which change his or her style of play. Some selections allow a combatant to use a

The Best Of

ndy These local spots in Indy have A&E’s stamp of approval—a new place featured each week!

Details: BRICS - Broad Ripple Ice Cream Station 901 E. 64th Street Open Sunday-Thursday; 11:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Distance from Butler: 10-minute drive to Broad Ripple Specials: Over 30 flavors of ice cream, including Yellow Cake Batter and French Silk Why We Love This Place: BRICS serves up tasty ice cream in a myriad of flavors that are rich and delightful. A variety of cones are available, from the sweet sugar cone to the indulgent waffle cone. They’ll take any flavor of ice cream and make it a shake, or even a Bric-Brac, a shake with your pick of toppings blended in. Classic sodas, hot chocolate, and other treats are served alongside the cold concoctions. BRICS is easily one of the best sweet-tooth indulgences in Broad Ripple.

Want us to feature your favorite Indy spot? Send submissions to ddomsic@butler.edu.

jetpack, invisibility camouflage or other fun toys.

This is a major step in the right direction.

What the new “Call of Duty” games had on the “Halo” series was the high degree of customization during multiplayer. By giving a

game interchangeable parts, the replay value increases exponentially. If there aren’t thousands of people on Xbox Live within the week of launch figuring out how to abuse the new abilities, I will be astonished.

Bungie has the opportu-

nity to make good on all the flaws and let-downs the previous games had.

A generation of gamers, included myself, will either be delighted or devastated.

The latter would be the last nail in the coffin of the almost decade-long series.

Life and death on the big screen Summing up the summer film season’s winners, losers by a&E Staff

ddomsic@butler.edu | a&e editor

Summer 2010 was a rough season for film. For some movies, the hype paid off big time. Others were not so lucky. We’ve rated the best, worst and everything in between.

“Dinner for Schmucks” Decent comedies should leave the viewer asking questions such as, “How does Zach Galifanikas come up with this material?” After the first few scenes of “Dinner for Schmucks,” we were asking ourselves why we paid nine dollars to see this.

Some scenes had the audience laughing while others left everybody wondering what had just happened.

Barry (Steve Carell), the schmuck that Tim (Paul Rudd) is trying to entertain his bosses with, has the ability to ruin someone’s life after spending just a few moments with him or her. Tim is the lucky one who just so happens to run into Barry, literally.

The humor in this movie was great at times but fell short of the others. 2 Stars

“Amanda” Not looking for Mrs. Right, but Mrs. Right Now, Joe Bender (Randy Ryan) plays a 40-year-old stockbroker is soon changed when he meets Amanda, whose life is a mystery.

Joe’s old days of one-nightstands are morphed by Amanda, wishes to stay abstinent until marriage.

The relationship changes when Amanda tells Joe her deepest secrets-she used to be a man. Ties are broken and Joe’s old days soon find him, but he can’t seem to get Amanda off his mind.

Coming to a conclusion that he can love Amanda for who she is now and not who she used to be, the couple reunites to find out what had broken them apart actually brought them closer together.

The twisting plot and the acting in this film is awful. It was a submission to the Indianapolis International Film Festival, and on a positive note, it was shot here in Indianapolis and portrays the city beautifully. 2 Stars

“Iron Man 2” Robert Downey Jr. suits up as Marvel’s billionaire playboy Tony Stark for a second time. This time he’s joined by Don Cheadle, playing James Rhodes/War Machine, and Scarlet Johannson as spy Natasha Romanoff. All three are up against villains Ivan Vanko (Mick-

mind bender: Christopher Nolan’s “Inception” has grossed over $260 million this summer. Inception is our top pick for the summer movie season because of production quality, excellent acting, its psychological implications, and exasperating special effects. Other summer films failed to impress our staff in the way “Inception” did. (Collegian photo from MCT) ey Rourke) and Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell). The movie works but lacks the luster of the original story. Rourke is surprisingly boring as a villain. Rockwell and Downey were a lot of fun to watch together, but one must admit Johannson is solely for eye candy.

Thankfully, tons of action and solid humor keep the plot moving

fast throughout the film. 3.5 Stars

“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” Scott Pilgrim is one of the most unique films this summer season.

Nerdy and awkward womanizer Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) must defeat the seven evil exes of his love interest, (Ramona Flower’s, played by Mary Elizabeth Win-

‘inception’ | A&e staff pick A thief with the ability to make dreams seem like reality, Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) enters the subconscious mind of victims to steal ideas from their heads. In exchange for emancipation of charges and returning home to his children, Dom takes one last plunge at inception­—implanting an idea into someone else’s mind—in an attempt to sabotage the empire of one of his client’s leading opponents.

Forces work against his team when they realize the mind they have entered has been trained to fight back.

Falling deeper into each level of the dream, Dom finally faces his own worst competitor—his own subconscious—when his dead wife Mal shows up to ruin his plans and imprison him within the fantasy world.

Dom is forced to decide between living forever in a land of dreams with his dead wife, or the world of truth with his team and his children.

“Inception” keeps you constantly questioning the world you perceive to be true, andwas by far the best movie of the summer.

5 = perfect, 4 = outstanding, 3 = good, 2 = fair, 1 = poor

stead) to win her hand.

Style gushes from this movie.

Fast camera cuts, video game motifs and clever writing make this adaptation phenomenal. Some critics complain about lack of character development, but the film did just fine for us. Throw an entrancing sound track into the mix, and the viewer forgets how annoying Michael Cera can be. 4.5 Stars

“Toy Story 3” This was probably the most anticipated-by-20-year-old’s children’s movie in quite a long time.

It has been a few years since “Toy Story 2,” so some of the toys are gone. The favorites Woody, Buzz, Slink, Mr. Potato Head, and the always surly piggy bank Hamm are still around.

Andy is all grown up and getting ready to move to college, so the toys go to a day care when their simple world is turned upside down.

This go-around with the famous action figures and dolls is much darker than the previous two installments. There’s a toy prison and a near death experience for almost all of the toys. It felt like the

entire experience was a sad, forced march of a film. Yes, the end of the movie is uplifting, but the film was just too heavy to be called one of Disney Pixar Studio’s best films.

3 Stars

“Please Give” “Please Give” is the story of a couple that buys up vintage furniture from the bereaved and sell it for highway robbery prices to New York City yuppies. They buy an apartment from a woman, and the two furniture sharks are clearly waiting for her to die. Clearly, that angers the older woman’s family.

Kate (Catherine Keener) and Alex (Oliver Platt) play the plundering couple, while Rebecca (Rebecca Hall) and Mary (Amanda Peet) play the granddaughters of the near-death yet scrappy, tenant.

Everyone gives a solid performance, but the only enjoyable character is Hall’s Rebecca.

Acceptance, patience, infidelity, growing up and altruism are central themes to the movie. “Please Give” is a clever and poignant film, but it is just too life-like to enjoy.

3 Stars

wednesday, august 25, 2010

sports the butler collegian

SOCCER HEATS UP

by MiKe Ellis

mellis@butler.edu | Asst. Sports Editor

The Butler men’s soccer team received its first opportunity to play at the new Butler Bowl last night in an exhibition match against Eastern Illinois.

Despite a multitude of scoring opportunities, Butler mustered just two goals en route to a 2-2 draw with the visiting Panthers.

“We’re always pleased to get opportunities to score,” Butler head coach Kelly Findley said. “I think we were very close to scoring on several opportunities and just failed to make the final pass.”

Eastern Illinois struck first off of a header by senior Alex Harrison that beat senior Fabian Knopfler, marking the first goal the Butler keeper surrendered in two games.

The Bulldogs responded in the 43rd minute when sophomore forward Tyler Pollock added a header of his own to knot the score at one, moments before intermission.

Butler controlled the ball for the majority of the second half, leading to multiple shots on goal, but the team was unable to capitalize initially.

In the 82nd minute, the Panthers retook the lead off a goal by freshman Shawn Singh, set up by freshman Cameron Lauchner.

Butler did not take long to answer, as sophomore forward Blake Leyden scored to tie the match at two just three minutes later.

“Blake just seems to find a way to score goals, regardless of what position he’s playing,” Findley said. “If you put him around the goal, he’s going to find a way to put the ball at the back of the net.”

The team had better luck last Friday when goalkeepers Knopfler, sophomore Jon Dawson and freshman Andy Holte teamed up to toss a

shutout. The team began its 2010 exhibition campaign with a 2-0 victory at Dayton last Friday.

With the game scoreless 31 minutes into the first period, senior midfielder Kyle Pateros scored Butler’s first goal of the year that also proved to be the game-winner. Pateros was assisted on the goal by senior Brett Heinz.

Senior Michael Clayton added a goal in the waning moments, receiving a pass from senior Dustin Mares to give the Bulldogs a 2-0 lead that they would not relinquish.

Findley said he was pleased with his team’s performance throughout the contest.

“I thought we did a good job of dictating the pace of the game,” Findley said. “The only thing that was disappointing was that we only scored two goals because I felt we had opportunities to score more.

“Overall, I was pleased with the shutout and our effort.”

The match was played under modified rules.

It contained three periods, the first of which was the standard 45 minutes, while the second and third were 30 minutes each.

Butler will face Northwestern University at the Shindigz National Soccer Festival at IPFW on Sunday.

The Bulldogs’ regular season begins Sept. 1, when they face IPFW at the Butler Bowl.

Findley said that although he would enjoy a win over the Wildcats at the National Soccer Festival, he is more concerned about being prepared for the regular season.

“We’re always looking to win every game we play, but in [this game against Northwestern], we’re really after our process,” he said. “We would like to stay injury free, work on our restarts and look to build momentum going into

Back for more: The Butler men’s soccer team is ready to bounce back from a loss last season in the NCAA Tournament as the No. 12 overall seed. The team will be looking to new player (Photo courtesy of Butler Sports)

by scott schmelzer

Sophomore goalie Jon Dawson wasn’t shy when discussing how difficult the team’s preseason fitness test is when he said, “The fitness test that we do as a team is the hardest fitness test I have ever done.”

Dawson and I spoke about the fitness test the whole team needs to complete prior to the season.

Not every player completes the test during their first attempt, but are supposed to.

What could this grueling fitness test be? What requirements could be so difficult that they cause one of the Bulldogs at home this week top ranked men’s soccer teams in the Wednesday nation so much None stress and pain?

The test consists Thursday of running a mile, taking a 90-second None break and then running 400 meters Friday (one lap around the track). It has to Women’s Soccer be run in that order vs. Indiana State and it all has to be 4 p.m. completed in less than eight minutes.

Saturday The best-case None scenario and goal for most of the Sunday players to run a mile in five minWomen’s Soccer utes and ten secvs. Indiana onds and then 1 p.m. an 80-second lap Monday around the track after the required None break.

Tuesday Dawson said he would go to his loWomen’s Volleyball cal track and run it vs. Marian as his training.

7 p.m.

“Most of us play

on

deck

at a high level during the summer anyway, so we maintain our fitness,” he said.

Dawson said maintaining their fitness is a huge benefit to all the returning players.

However, the fitness test isn’t just for getting in shape and testing the team’s running abilities. It has a much deeper purpose.

“From this, we build a sense of toughness,” Dawson said. “We feel that if we can push our bodies that hard, by the time the game comes, for that 90-plus minutes, we have all the opportunities to play well and get a result.

“So our best reward is just the satisfaction of knowing we can outlast our opponent.”

After a summer of hearing about the fitness test for the Washington Redskins’ defensive lineman Albert Haynesworth and even ESPN analyst Mike Golic’s attempt, it seems that the Butler men’s soccer team’s test makes the National Football League’s test sound about as hard as shooting a layup.

For those wondering what the Butler women’s soccer team has to do as their fitness test, it gets interesting.

Senior defensive player Cara Burchett said that they call their test “cones.” They line up six cones with five yards between each, making the total distance between the first cone and the sixth 25

overtime

World Cup brings soccer to forefront By steven peek

speek@butler.edu | Sports Editor

Team captain Ben Sippola prepares to fire a pass at Tuesday night’s exhibition match. (Photo by Rachel Senn) Wednesday’s game against IPFW.” Last year, Butler finished with a 14-3-2 overall record and won the regular season Horizon League crown before falling to Green Bay in the conference championship game.

The Bulldogs also qualified for the NCAA tournament where they were defeated by Indiana University in the first round.

Even with the loss of last year’s top goal scorer to gradation Boris Gatzky, Findley said he still has high expectations for this year’s group.

“Our goals this year are to win our league, get to the NCAA tournament and advance as far as we can,” he said. “We lost some quality guys, but we returned a good group of players and have added freshmen who will fill those shoes well.”

College Soccer News selected junior defender Matt Hedges to the preseason All-America team.

Hedges was last season’s Horizon League Defensive Player of the Year.

This year the Bulldogs will play at the newly renovated Butler Bowl, which received both seating and press box upgrades this past spring and summer.

Findley said he and his players are excited for the opportunity to call the new Butler Bowl home this season.

“I think now we have a facility that matches the quality of our athletic programs.”

Fitness tests challenge fall athletes sschmelz@butler.edu | Asst. Sports Editor

page 9

yards.

They start at the first cone, sprint to the second, sprint back to the first, then to the third, back to the first, and so on and so forth until they sprint from the sixth cone back to the first.

They must to do that routine, or one “cone,” in under 35 seconds, and they must complete seven cones, although the ultimate 10 cones.

The fitness test is not without some ounce of mercy. Each player gets a 25-second break between each cone, and there is an extra 15 seconds of break time after the third, sixth and eighth cones.

“My freshman year, I felt miserable after running the fitness test,” Burchett said. “I struggled to learn how much you have to prepare for the season.

“After the fitness test, I had a new respect for the upper classman who passed it,” she said.

“You can be in the best shape of your life but if one mess up occurs while running the test it can throw your off for the entire test,” Burchett said.

The purposes this test serves to strengthen both the men’s and women’s teams in their mental and physical preparedness every time they take the field.

Dawson and Burchett said they wouldn’t share the results.

More than smiles: The Butler women’s soccer team is more than a bunch of smiling faces. Their fitness test, which they simply call “cones,” demands they return from summer break in peak physical condition. (Photo courtesy of Butler Sports)

I am a soccer junkie.

While many are discussing how many points the Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant scored or how many yards the Tennessee Titans’ Chris Johnson gained, I am talking about the newest move

by Christiano Ronaldo, or the latest Chicharito goal.

While others are working on their play calls in Madden 2011, I am working on scoring a hat trick in FIFA 2011.

Living in the United States, where soccer is far from being at the top of the food chain, it is both a gift and a curse to appreciate and love the sport.

The irony is that soccer is hands-down the most popular sport in the world.

Football, as it’s called outside of the United States, is simple to learn and children around the world start playing at an early age. After all, it only requiure a ball and two goals for equipment.

Sitting atop the American sports food chain are baseball, basketball and American football. These giants have made it difficult for soccer to compete for recognition.

In addition to competing for media coverage, soccer also has to compete with American culture.

It is not in the nature of American sports to be patient or to go five minutes without seeing a highly-athletic move that will make the top 10 on “SportsCenter.”

This column is not ____see World Cup page 11

Stadium gets necessary renovations by matt lawder

mlawder@butler.edu | Staff Writer

After years of disrepair and seating shortages, the Butler Bowl is in its final weeks of a complete overhaul.

The Bowl received seating and press box renovations this summer in a project that began last spring with the demolition of the old press box and seating.

According to Butler athletic director Barry Collier, the old stadium was “boarderline embarrassing.”

Collier compared the old Bowl to “the Huck Finn Treehouse or the Local Fruit Stand.”

The new Butler Bowl will have seating on both sides of the field with a capacity of 5,500.

Most of the seats will be bleachers, but there will be several sections with chair backs to allow for more comfortable seating.

Air-conditioning is another favorite feature added.

The bricks for the project came from the same kiln as those used in the Apartment Village and will match them in color and style.

“The design and the material are a perfect fit between Hinkle Fieldhouse and the Apartment Village,” Collier said. “It is very representative of Butler’s campus.”

The final bricks are being laid and the official ribbon cutting for the facility will be prior to the first home football game.

page 10 | the butler collegian

wednesday, august 25, 2010

volleyball returns honored starters The Butler University volleyball team begins its 2010 season this weekend at the Baylor University Classic in Waco, Texas.

The team looks to improve last year’s 21-14 record, which led to a third place finish in the Horizon League.

The squad returns five starters from last year’s team and brings in five freshmen that will bolster the already deep squad. “[The freshmen] are already very talented so we haven’t had to really work with them on all the nit-picky things,” sophomore setter Gina Vera said. “With 13 people on the squad, we can have full six-on-six scrimmages.”

The freshmen will complement a group of returners that have put their mark on the Butler record books during the past several seasons.

Senior libero Katie Daprile racked up 556 digs last year, breaking the all-time Butler single-season record of 541, which Daprile had set herself in 2008.

With the top two digging seasons in Butler history, Daprile is poised to become the career digs leader. She needs only 302 more to pass Megan Knightly’s 1,737 digs.

“Katie doesn’t get as much credit as some of the other play-

ers,” head coach Sharon Clark said. “She has really become our X-factor in matches.” “[The records] are something I always remind myself of, but I try not to think about it,” Daprile said. “I want to beat it, but it’s more important to focus on the team goals and success.”

Senior hitter Jessie Wolfe is another top returner for the Bulldogs.

In Wolfe’s junior season, she amassed 471 kills, ranked 47th in the nation in kills per set at 4.01 and was named an American Volleyball Coaches’ Association (AVCA) honorable mention All-American.

“With 326 Division I teams each with 12 or 13 players, getting All-American is such a huge honor,” Clark said. “Jessie does so many things well. She’s a tremendous blocker and a great hitter.”

Wolfe is only the second Butler volleyball player to be named as an All-American. The only other player was Areal Bienemy who was named to the 2003-04 list.

Vera is another Bulldog returner who was nationally ranked last season.

As a freshman, she accumulated 1,338 assists, ranking 10th all-time on Butler’s single season list. Her 10.79 assists per set put her 45th in the national rankings.

Vera said she feels that after a year in the program, she will be able to have an even better season this year and is setting high goals for herself.

“I feel so much better this year,” Vera said. “I’ve tried to come in with a gritty attitude. I’d like to get closer to that 1,360-1,375 range this year.”

Clark attributed much of Vera’s success to her work ethic.

“Gina’s gotten in great shape,” Clark said. “She’s trained hard over the summer.

“Gina’s very much a high achiever. She’s always pushing and she definitely has the ability to be the best setter we’ve ever had at Butler.”

Vera, Daprile and Wolfe all complement each others play, Daprile said.

“Whenever we step on the floor together, we have this trust,” Daprile said. “We know what each other is thinking.”

Returning alongside Vera, Daprile and Wolfe are senior Jalesa Lee, juniors Casey Sines and Maureen Bamiro as well as sophomore Kelly Hunter.

With so many players on the squad, Clark said she likes all the possible lineup combinations.

“It’s such a versatile team,” she said. “We’re going to be looking at multiple options for who we can put out on the floor.”

dig it up: Senior Katie Daprile gets one of her 556 digs last season. She will remain the starting libero entering this season (Photo by Rachel Senn)

High Rise: Senior Jessie Wolfe goes to attack the ball against IUPUI. Wolfe was 44th nationally for points last season. (Photo by Rachel Senn)

Vera nice: Sophomore setter Gina Vera distributes the ball at IUPUI. She had 61 of her 1,338 assists at The Jungle. (Photo by Rachel Senn)

by Matt Lawder

mlawder@butler.edu | Staff Writer

Putting the student in student athlete by lance rinker lrinker@butler.edu | Staff Writer

A popular adage says being older is being wiser.

Don’t tell that to the Butler men’s golf team.

Last year’s squad featured six members who were selected to the 2010 Horizon League Spring Academic Honor Roll: Seniors Kevin Swanson and Ryan Wegeng and juniors Jordan Mack, Josh Ruff, Alex Snyder and Alex Walker. The latter four were sophomores at the time.

The six honorees set Butler apart among the Horizon League Conference.

No other team had more members named to the honor roll.

In addition to individual accolades, the Butler squad attained recognition as one of only 10 Division I teams to receive the President’s Special Recognition status from the Golf Coaches Association of America.

The President’s Special Recognition

was awarded to teams that had obtained a GPA of 3.50 or higher throughout the school year.

The Bulldogs were in good company.

Some other teams that were honored included Duke, Brown, DePaul, Seton Hall and Gonzaga.

Sophomore Matt Vogt estimated that members of the team spend between 15 and 20 hours a week working on their golf game, including two hours a day during the week and playing full rounds on Saturdays and Sundays.

For all incoming college students, the art of time management is tricky.

Balancing the responsibilities of athletics and academics makes things even more difficult.

“We were a really young team and I think we may have had a little trouble adjusting to the college golf schedule.

It is pretty grueling,” Matt Vogt, a sophomore golfer for the Bulldogs, said.

“There is so much to do at college.

You could really lose track of what’s important. Ultimately, it’s academics

first and golf second.”

Snyder described the golfer mentality and how it has helped him succeed on and off the course.

“As a golfer, you have to be an independent person and you have to be a hard worker. You work hard on the golf course and it translates to your studies,” he said.

The Bulldogs, who shot the low round on the final day of the Horizon League Championship last spring, are excited about the upcoming season.

A year older and a year wiser, the Bulldogs, who graduated just one starter, hope to build off last year’s strong finish. When asked about his thoughts on the upcoming season, Vogt said, “I expect improvement and a little more consistency.”

The men’s golf season will get underway on Sept. 13 when the Bulldogs travel to Nebraska City, Neb., to compete in the Fairway Club Invitational.

They finished eighth out of 12 teams in the same event last year.

Women’s soccer loses in extra time by steven peek speek@butler.edu | Sports Editor

It took 103 minutes of play before a goal was scored in last Thursday’s Butler-Dayton women’s soccer matchup.

The Flyers’ Colleen Williams scored the game-winner at Dayton’s Bajuan Field, sending the Bulldogs home in heartbreaking fashion.

“We defended and we were organized,” Butler head coach Tari St. John said. “We found ourselves in a bad position defensively and they scored.”

The loss to the Flyers was the season opener for the Bulldogs.

“We’re never excited about a loss, but we’re excited by

what we saw,” St. John said.

“We have freshmen who are not playing like freshmen.

For us to have a successful season, that has to happen.”

Freshman Olivia Colosimo stood out during the match.

The Ontario native led the team with three shots.

Sophomores Rachael Melendez and Katie Griswold were not far behind with two shots.

The team’s second regular season game is tonight at Xavier at 7 p.m.

The Musketeers are currently 0-2-0, and Butler defeated them 2-1 last spring in an exhibition match.

Butler’s first home match is 4 p.m. Friday when they host the Indiana State Sycamores at the Butler Bowl.

wednesday, august 25, 2010

the butler collegian | Page 11

WORLD CUP: soccer gains popularity after 2010 tournament intended to insult the mere popular sports as I appreciate those too. I just want to find room for soccer in the United States between the home runs, dunks and big hits.

Until this summer, I had nearly lost all hope that the United States could appreciate soccer.

The 2010 FIFA World Cup certainly did not propel soccer to the number one spot, but it did give the U.S. men’s national soccer team an opportunity to capture the hearts and minds of Americans, despite several tough games.

I will be the first to admit that U.S. soccer frustrated me by putting itself in near-impossible, come-from-behind positions. However, the U.S. team found a way to make overcoming early deficits a hallmark of their style.

That style created an interesting combination of nervousness and exhilaration—enough so that Americans began to pay attention to the team and, in turn, the sport. For the first time in American sports history, soccer had a significant number of casual fans.

I went to a few World Cup viewing parties in 2006, but those consisted mostly of people who were year-round fans of soccer.

The 2010 World Cup viewing parties were different because there were people in attendance who were not soccer aficionados, but fans curious about soccer or patriotic enough to give it a chance while cheering for the U.S. team.

That patriotism was evident during the U.S. team’s final group stage game versus Algeria.

The U.S. was once again in a tough spot when it came to qualifying for the Round of 16. Without a win against Algeria, the U.S. would fail to advance. Sure enough, Landon Donovan scored in the 91st minute to clinch a 1-0 victory and first place in Group C of the tournament.

I was in Las Vegas at the time and watched the game at The Mirage’s Sports Book. Luckily, nobody in Vegas ever sleeps so there was a large crowd present despite the early start time out west. The U.S. had a handful of chances to score prior to the goal in stoppage time, but came up short.

Some chances were foiled by the Algerian goalkeeper; some failed due to American errors.

But when Donovan scored the winning goal, the decibel level in the casino was nearly deafening. People were hugging and high-fiving as if they had been lifelong friends.

The U.S. lost a tough game against Ghana in the Round of 16, but the excitement of the World Cup reverberated even after the U.S. was ousted.

Personally, I never thought the day would come when my sister would ask me what “off-sides” meant in soccer. I never thought there would be a day when I heard my dad walking around our house saying, “They’re looking for the equalizer,” in his best impression of English commentator

Stars and stripes: U.S. Soccer fans continue to show their spirit after the World Cup at a recent exhibition match versus international powerhouse Brazil. The U.S. lost 2-0 in the match held in August at New Meadowlands Stadium in East Rutherford, N. J. (Collegian photo from MCT)

Martin Tyler—an equalizer is the tying goal for a team currently behind.

Much to my enjoyment, both of those days came this summer.

Unfortunately, I doubt the energy and interest will last until the 2014 World Cup. I also doubt that I will overhear the common Butler student discussing the latest game involving Celtic FC or FC Bayern Munich during lunch in Atherton.

Still, Americans are getting more and more opportunities every day to learn more about soccer.

Older European stars continue to cross the Atlantic, into the U.S. to finish their careers.

David Beckham was a recent high-profile transfer. Frencman Thierry Henry will be playing for Major League Soccer’s (MLS) New York Red Bulls this season.

Also, the MLS will be adding two teams, Vancouver Whitecaps FC and Portland Timbers FC, for the 2011 season.

Is soccer the most popular sport in the United States?

Certainly not. Is it in the top five? Depends on who you ask.

For now though, I can live with it being labeled a “growing sport.”

That small comfort should tide me over until London hosts the Union of European Football Associations’ final next May at Wembley Stadium.

LOVING THE GAME: Midfielder Landon Donovan (right) and his U.S. teammates warm-up at the 2010 FiFA World Cup. (Collegian photo from MCT)

Collegian photos by Erin Drennan, Caroline Johnson and Rachel Senn Collegian illustration by Rachel Senn