COLLEGIATETIMES
tuesday october 2, 2007 blacksburg, va.
www.collegiatetimes.com
bulletin board HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL TOUR TO STOP IN ROANOKE For true “High School Musical” fans, “High School Musical: The Ice Tour” is being performed tonight and Wednesday, October 3, at 7 p.m. at the Roanoke Civic Center. The show will feature world-class skaters and music from “High School Musical 2.” For tickets, call 1-888-397-3100.
CELEBRATING HISPANIC HERITAGE In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Virginia Tech Mexicanos presents a film screening of “Cassandra” and a conversation with director Mauricio Chernovetzky at The Lyric today, Tuesday, October 2, at 4 p.m. Admission is free.
Budget cuts hit university hard MEG MILLER
ct campus news editor Governor Tim Kaine announced yesterday about $300 million in state saving and spending reductions, including a $10.7 million reduction in Virginia Tech’s budget and 19 Tech personnel layoffs. The budget reduction report was created to address a $641 million revenue shortfall in the state’s current budget period, which ends June 30, 2008. According to a news release issued by Kaine, the shortfall is a result of a slow-down in revenues because of the weakening housing market. “In August, it became clear that more belt-tightening would be required to balance the budget,” said Kaine in the release. Part of that “belt-tightening” will be to cut the budgets of state-funded
colleges and universities. “We have combed through the budget, looked at spending, found ways to do things more efficiently and made some tough choices about where to cut back on spending,” said Kaine. Kevin Hall, spokesperson for Kaine, said that Tech is given about $171 million annually from the section of the state budget that needs to be cut. Of that money for this year, the state is taking 6.25 percent back to help compensate for the shortfall, which totals to $10.7 million. Larry Hincker from university relations, said that the university was given between two and three weeks to tell the state how they are going to cut that amount of money from their budget. He said that it was hard to make up a plan with any level of specific detail in that amount of time, so the university still doesn’t
know exactly how those reductions are going to be implemented. “We don’t yet have a hard and fast plan,” said Hincker. “We have planning scenarios.” However, he said that if the university implements the budget the way that it is being hypothesized now, there will be 19 layoffs. The budget reduction plan detailed report stated that in addition to layoffs, compensation for budget reductions at Tech will include increasing class sizes, offering fewer courses and decreasing efforts in instruction, research and outreach activities, among others. These actions will help fill vacant positions at a lower level and reduce personnel costs. Hincker said that University President Charles Steger has stated that the budget reduction will not result in an across-the-board hiring freeze.
Hincker also said that Tech is at about 88 percent of the state funding level that the state says Tech should have. “Now with the budget reduction, it will be even lower,” Hincker said. Hall said that the only difference in budget reductions in different statefunded universities is between those that are at or above base-adequacy and those that are below. The budget reduction in the plan will impact approximately 100 agencies and result in the elimination of 386 positions and approximately 74 layoffs of current employees. Kaine will propose addressing the $641 million shortfall through the use of the Revenue Stabilization Fund, which currently holds about $1.2 billion. The maximum allowable amount to take out of the Revenue Stabilization Fund is $303 million.
sports MEN’S BASKETBALL LOSES FRESHMAN
high 77, low 51
coming up WEDNESDAY’S CT Check out our concert preview of Gogol Bordello, a performing artist who is playing at the Lyric Theater on October 18.
ON THE WEB Check out our inverview with Anousheh Ansari, the first female private space explorer to visit the International Space Station. You can see video of the interview and pieces from her presentation last night at www.collegiatetimes.com.
index
News.....................2 Features................4 0pinions................5
Sports....................6 Classifieds..............6 Sudoku..................6
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 104th year • issue 145
The state gives Tech about $171 million a year in funding Of that, they are cutting about 6.25 percent, or $10.7 million The plan calls for $3 million in reduction of Tech’s personnel expenses and 19 layoffs BEN MACDONALD/COLLEGIATE TIMES
ct news reporter
In a court hearing yesterday, Kevin Federline won custody of his sons, Sean Preston Spears and Jayden James Spears, over his ex-wife Britney Spears effective Wednesday. After filing for divorce in 2006, the couple was officially divorced in July 2007 and previously shared joint custody of the children.
PARTLY CLOUDY
The governor has implemented a plan for about $300 million dollars in state saving and spending reductions
MICHELLE RIVERA
BRITNEY SPEARS LOSES CUSTODY
weather
The state has experienced a $641 million shortfall in the current budget
April 16 forensics report released
news
The Virginia Tech men’s basketball team will permanently be without Darrion Pellum after the freshman was ruled academically ineligible by the NCAA. Pellum is currently enrolled at Tech but will likely transfer to a junior college next semester. Pellum could conceivably be one of five Tech freshmen over the last two years to miss at least the first semester of the season following his high school graduation. Tyrone Appleton was also ruled ineligible while current freshman Jeff Allen opted for a postgraduate prep year after failing to have the academic credentials required for admission to Tech. Current freshman J.T. Thompson is awaiting a NCAA ruling regarding his eligibility while fellow newcomer Dorenzo Hudson hopes to complete his high school coursework and be admitted for the spring semester.
How State Budget Cuts Could Affect Virginia Tech
SHAOZHUO CUI/SPPS
Calling for “Justice for Jaz,” about 30 students gathered to protest in the police treatment of a student referred to as “Jaz” on Sept. 21.
Students protest police actions ASHLEY OLIVER
ct news reporter Approximately 30 students gathered in front of Burruss Hall yesterday to silently protest against the Blacksburg Police Department. They marched from Burruss Hall to the police station on Clay St. for two hours displaying signs, among which some read “Justice for Jaz.” The Virginia Tech student referred to as “Jaz,” was allegedly pepper sprayed and forcefully arrested on Friday, Sept. 21. He was seen speaking out to a police officer about the recent Jena 6 case, which involved six black students charged with assaulting a fellow white student at their
high school in Jena, La. Witnesses say that “Jaz” was outside an apartment when the police officer came to address a noise issue. After the police officer didn’t leave, “Jaz” yelled “free the Jena 6” to the officer, who subsequently pepper-sprayed him, grabbed his dreadlocks, and arrested him while he had been sitting down. “He was charged with noise disturbance and an obstruction of justice,” said Officer Kit Cummings of the Blacksburg Police. He also noted that “Jaz” now has an upcoming court date. While the police department declined to comment on any specifics, friends of “Jaz” were open
to telling their side. “It was not just a pepper spraying event,” said Brittney Tennyson, a junior psychology major. “It was more so an injustice and a brutal action by the police.” Tennyson participated in the protest and also helped create the Facebook group, “Justice for Jaz,” which currently holds about 290 members. Flyers around campus, the Facebook group, an email circulating around campus, and the protest were all used to make students aware of the incident. “It was just something we feel Virginia Tech did not do a good job of informing the community about,” Tennyson said.
When tragedy struck the Virginia Tech campus in April, the events were recorded in print and on TV from a number of different perspectives including friends, family, students, faculty and the state government. But in an article published in a medical journal on Sept. 27, the Va. chief medical examiner reported on the way forensic investigators handled the gruesome incident from the scene of the tragedy to the morgue 30 miles away. The American Medical Association journal Disaster Medicine and Public Health Preparedness published the special theme issue this September to honor National Preparedness Month. The articles in the issue explore a range of topics, from the regional health system response and ethics to law and policy issues regarding the Tech tragedy. Chief Medical Examiner Marcella Fierro wrote the article at the request of the journal editors and the Virginia Department of Health. “Their thought, and I reluctantly agreed, was that such an event was so uncommon and so overwhelming in terms of its impact on the responders, university community and the nation at large, that the ‘lessons learned’ ought to be shared,” said Fierro in an e-mail. “It was important to explain the rules of management, identify gaps in management, recount the tremendous pressures brought to bear on all concerned and describe the impact on the responders so that others might take heed and ensure that their systems would be able respond in an appropriate manner.” In her report, Fierro described the steps of the forensic investigation process taken on April 16 and concluded that the medical examiner staff executed their duties as planned. The report said that there were moments when the day became emotionally overwhelming, even to the morgue staff. “The deaths at Virginia Tech were such a profoundly sad experience that the medical examiner staff will remember them all their lives,” said Fierro in the e-mail. “It will take a long time for all concerned to work through their grief.” The scene described in the report was a gruesome one where the medical examiners had to tread carefully for fear of disturbing crucial evidence. Blood had pooled throughout Norris Hall’s hallways,
see FORENSICS, page two
First female private space explorer speaks at Tech KATIE MCLAUGHLIN
ct staff writer Anousheh Ansari, the world’s first female private space explorer to visit the International Space Station, spoke yesterday at 7 p.m. in the Haymarket Theatre in Squires Student Center. She was also the first female Muslim astronaut of Iranian descent in space, as well as the first person to ever keep a blog while on her space exploration. Ansari immigrated to the United States from Iran in 1984. She earned her bachelor’s degree at George Mason University and her master’s from George Washington University. Ansari is the CEO of Prodea Systems, a consumer technology company headquartered in Plano, Texas, and before founding Prodea, she was a co-founder and CEO for Telecom Technologies, Inc. Q: What made you decide that you wanted to go into space, and how exactly were you able to accomplish this? A: It was a dream I have had since I was very young. I was a child in Iran dreaming about going to space, coming to the U.S. and being an astronaut. Coming here, life took a different turn and instead I became an engineer and made a career in telecommunications for myself and built a successful enterprise. This endeavor paid off and helped me accomplish my dream in a roundabout way. Finally, when we sold our company I had an opportunity to go after what I was really passionate about, and that was going to space. I was then able to fly to space through the Russian space program. Q: How did being the first female private space explorer affect your space exploration goal? A: I wasn’t after making a record or accomplishing this because I wanted to be the first anything. I was doing it because it was something that I felt passionate about and that I had wanted to do since I was a child. I felt that I could bring a lot of atten-
tion and focus to space because all my life I have thought that space studies and space exploration is very important. Q: Did you face any hardships being a Muslim woman going into space? A: Nothing specific because I was a Muslim woman, but rather overall being a woman. I faced difficulties because when I arrived in Moscow and I went to Star City to start my training program, people there were not used to having a woman in the program. There were only three women who had trained there before, and they trained through the early years of the space program, so for a long time they only had men training there. Having a woman was a big adjustment for all of them and they were not so welcoming at the beginning. All throughout my life I learned that I just do what I think is right and go after what I want and just do my best and usually the people change their minds. They saw my passion and how excited I was, and my excitement finally transferred to them and they were excited for me. I felt welcome after about the first month and a half. Q: How many times have you gone into space and where exactly did you go? A: I flew only once, on September 18, 2006. I spent 11 days in space and I went through the Russian space program. I went to the International Space Station and spent nine days on board the space station. Q: Are you going to go into space again? A: I would love to. I loved being in space and I felt at home. If I get another opportunity to do it, I will. Q: You said in a previous interview that you wish the world leaders could go into space to get the perspective that we are all members of this planet. Why do you think this? A: I believe if they see the world from space, they will become different and better leaders. If you can have that image with you when you are making
MIKE SHROYER/SPPS
Anousheh Ansari spoke to students yesterday about her 11-day journey to space in 2006. decisions, it would be great. I really wish the candidates for the 2008 election could go to space and see it for themselves. I bet they would have different policies when they return. Q: How were you feeling at the final countdown? A: I thought I was dreaming. I couldn’t believe that it was really happening. I was sitting there and I was in my suit and the countdown started. I thought, ‘am I going to just wake up and this will all be over?’ It was very, very exciting and it’s hard to describe the feeling. I had all these images in my head of what I had done to get to this point, and of course I was thinking about my loved ones and everyone who had helped me get there, and it was just a feeling of pure joy and excitement. Q: You have already accomplished so much; what else do you wish to accomplish in the future? A: There are two passions I am pursuing right now. One is education. I believe that we need a lot of focus on changing the way we educate our young all over the world. Specifically, I want to encourage people to look at how they can help
flourish the imagination in our children and let them carry that imagination with them through adulthood. As the children go through the school system now, we slowly mange to suck that imagination out of them. I think in order for us to succeed and be able to build the next generation of technology, we need a lot of imagination and to think outside the box and come up with radical solutions. If children are not able to think this way, then we are not going to have the right sources. My other passion is that after going to space and seeing that there are really no borders separating us, I want to convey the message that we are all just citizens of planet Earth and we should look at it that way. We should not try to draw lines and separate ourselves and think that that will not affect us because it does. You can see that from space. We are all citizens of this planet. Anousheh Ansari’s visit was sponsored by the Iranian Society at Virginia Tech, the College of Engineering, College of Science, Center for Vehicle Systems and Safety, and the departments of mechanical, aerospace, ocean, and biological systems engineering.
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2 news
new river valley editor: kevin anderson email: nrvnews@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw 1 - 3 p.m.
october 2, 2007
campus news editor: meg miller email: campusnews@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
2009 Ring Design revealed tonight LIZA ROESCH
ct staff writer Tonight at 7 p.m. in Burruss Hall, the class of 2009 ring design will be revealed and available to order for the first time. The class of 2009 has continued the long-standing Virginia Tech tradition of each class designing their own unique ring. The tradition, which began in 1912, consists of two parts: the designing of the ring by a student committee and the presentation to the rest of the class. Tech is one of only four schools in the country to have such a tradition. “It’s so unique,” said Casey Windmuller, human nutrition, foods and exercise major and member of the ring design chair committee. “I won’t have the same ring as my mom or dad or any other person who’s graduated from Tech.” While the ring represents a new and unique design, it also represents the hard work of many people over the last year. The ring design committee is
composed of eight people, including class officers and a few positions that are open to anyone in the class. Class officers hold interviews in October of their sophomore year for anyone wishing to be a part of the committee. The group begins work immediately. “We start from scratch and design it from the ground up,” Windmuller said. “But just being able to be a part of it and celebrate everything we’ve experienced together as a class makes it worth it.” In addition to a year of work designing the ring, members of the group also have to make sure no one else sees the design before it is revealed. “It’s a huge secret we have for over a year,” Windmuller said. “It’s the biggest secret I’ve ever kept.” Members of the ring design committee said not only does having a new ring each year get people excited about the uniqueness of the ring, it also probably increases the likelihood that students will want to buy one. “We’re the second or third top leading school in ring sales,” Windmuller
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said. “That’s just amazing in itself.” Even though lips are sealed about this year’s design, ring design committee chair and hospitality and tourism management major Ryan Gleeson said juniors will be impressed with what they’ve created. “I’ve looked at a lot of rings over the past year,” Gleeson said. “But this one will definitely be one of Tech’s greatest.” At the premiere tonight in Burruss, the ring design committee will give out a photo printer, a Bluetooth, an iHome and $50 and $100 gift certificates good toward a class ring. In addition, each junior will get a free T-shirt for attending. But if a free T-shirt isn’t enough motivation, Gleeson said the class of 2009 should come see the ring just for the experience. “You only get to go through college once,” Gleeson said. “This is just one of those things you should take advantage of while you’re here.” Rings will be on sale beginning tonight from 8 to 11 p.m. and sales will continue for the next 15 days.
Jeanne Clery Act keeps records public Virginia Tech is now one of the hundreds of federally funded institutions that will be required to keep public records of all crimes in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Act. Under this act, schools must publish records of crime statistics that have occurred in the past three years, publish school safety policies, and make prompt and timely warnings about ongoing threats that may affect the campus community. According to Tech’s Clery report from 2006, liquor law arrests accounted for the majority of campus-related crimes. There were 187 arrests on campus and zero arrests off campus, although 189 arrests occurred on public property. Burglary was documented as the second most common crime with 41 arrests for on-campus cases, zero offcampus cases, and ten reported from public property. Eleven cases of forcible sexual assault were reported in 2006. Only three of those cases occurred on public property; the rest were on campus assaults. According to the Clery report, available on the Tech Police web site, no hate crimes have occurred on or off campus since 2004. -Lauren Morrison, CT news staff
ERIC NORRIS/SPPS
The Collegiate Inn held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday, celebrating their initial renovation phase.
Collegiate Inn cuts ribbon PETER HURLEY
ct news reporter At a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, officials of the Collegiate Inn at Blacksburg highlighted the renovations to the Holiday Inn on Prices Fork Road. The ceremony was intended to increase public awareness. Following the cutting of the ribbon, those attending the ceremony were invited to view some examples of the renovated rooms, which include 42-inch flat screen televisions and custom furniture featured in Disney and Donald Trump
hotels. The first renovation process is scheduled to begin at the end of the football season and should be completed by the beginning of the 2008 season. Rental program director Kirk Johnson said phase one of the renovation process will increase the value of that area of the hotel by $12 million. Managing partner Shivon Dosky stressed the fact that this property provides the opportunity for “hassle-free ownership.” With tens of thousands of visitors and alumni coming into Blacksburg on game days, many are forced to stay in either Christiansburg or
Roanoke. With the addition of this hotel-condo, these visitors can have peace of mind knowing they have a place to stay in an excellent location right next to campus, Dosky said. The Hokie Bird mascot also made an appearance at the ceremony, posing first at the cutting of the ribbon and then in some of the model rooms. “The development of this property will benefit the town when the football team is away as well,” said Blacksburg Mayor, Ron Rordam, who also spoke at the ceremony. “It allows different people to be able to come enjoy our town and be a part of it.”
Forensics: Staff searched for evidence from page one
rooms and floors, and deformed bullets, cartridge cases and ammunition clips delineated with plastic evidence markers riddled the floors. There was also a jumble of bodies, some on top of others, and some intertwined with desks. Fierro wrote that medical examiners, homicide detectives, firefighters and funeral directors are among the few who shared the experience of working with dead, maimed and cruelly devastated bodies. The report said emergency medical services vehicles traveled 30 miles in successive trips to deliver the victims to the Roanoke western district office of
the medical examiner system. Morgue staff logged in the last body at 8:37 p.m. on April 16. “They were, however, unsettled by the ringing of the decedents’ cell phones, with the recognition that family and friends were calling seeking reassurance that the decedents were alive,” the report said. Some bodies arrived without identification, some with knapsacks containing effects with differing names, and one was labeled with the presumed identity of a student who was actually alive. Families of decedents expressed complaints regarding the process despite a meeting held with them the day after the event to explain the process and the
anticipated timeline. However, the chief and her superiors stood firm, saying that scientific methods in identification were necessary and that risking misidentification out of haste was unacceptable. “Two families expressed religious objections to autopsy,” Fierro wrote. “They were accommodated with an agreement to restrict examinations to outside body surfaces and recovery of forensically significant materials.” The report concluded that because the Virginia Medical Examiner System is a statewide, centrally administered but regionalized death investigation system, the medical examiner staff was able to competently handle the events of April 16.
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4 features
editor: sharon pritz email: features@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.
october 2, 2007
‘Eastern Promises’ promises drama, mystery and mafia Choosing to become part of a crime family is something that can’t be changed. Once the choice is made, it becomes permanent. A life EVAN of crime is tempting; it’s full of danLUZI ger, money and ct features sex. Its rewards reporter are great but the risks are usually greater. To join the Russian mafia, people must be able to strip down and show MOVIE REVIEW their resumes. In the underground world of Russian crime a person’s story and life is told through tattoos. The idea of tattoos as a form of biography is one that is prevalent in David Cronenberg’s newest film. “Eastern Promises” is a movie that chronicles the life of a hospital nurse named Anna (Naomi Watts) who unknowingly crosses paths with the Russian mafia operating out of London. When a hemorrhaging young girl named Tatiana, who is about to give birth, is brought into the hospital, Anna takes Tatiana’s diary, intrigued by the fact that it’s written in Russian. The baby is delivered, but Tatiana dies. Anna keeps the diary and has her Uncle
Stepan (Jerzy Skolimowski) begin translating it to English from his native tongue. Searching through the diary, Anna finds a business card for a local Trans-Siberian restaurant and immediately seeks it out. When Anna arrives at the restaurant, the owner, Semyon (Armin MuellerStahl), and two of his henchmen are there to greet her. She explains how she managed to obtain the diary to Semyon, whose curiosity and fear lead him to set up a time to meet and discuss its contents with Anna. What Anna doesn’t know about Semyon, however, is that he is the head of a large Russian crime family and group named the Vory v Sedenko, or “thieves in law.” While Anna is occupied searching for Tatiana’s remaining family, the movie also follows Semyon’s driver, Nikolai (Viggo Mortenson), who is slowly increasing his power within the Vory. Even though Nikolai is simply the driver, it becomes apparent very early on that he spends more time watching over Semyon’s erratic son, Kirill (Vincent Cassel), who is supposedly Nikolai’s superior within the Vory. This relationship is full of tension and power struggle as Semyon begins to realize that Nikolai is much better at executing tasks than his lush of a son. Much of the film’s Vory storyline focuses on this triangle of shifting power between Nikolai, Kirill and his
EASTERN PROMISES DIRECTED BY: David Cronenberg STARRING: Viggo Mortenson, Naomi Watts, Vincent Cassel, Armin BuellerStahl RATED: R for strong brutal and bloody violence, some graphic sexuality, language and nudity SYNOPSIS: A ruthless man named Nikolai who is part of the London based Russian mob crosses paths with a hospital nurse named Anna who has put the crime family into jeopardy. Now they both must work to correct the wrong in their own way. GRADE: B+ SHOWTIMES (for Tuesday): 2:15 p.m., 5:10 p.m., 7:45 p.m., 10:40 p.m. at Regal New River Valley Stadium 14 father, Semyon. Kirill has a constant need for approval from both Nikolai and Semyon, who no sooner wishes to be rid of Kirill’s foolish behavior. Often, Kirill creates more problems for the Vory than he solves and Nikolai is left to clean up his mess both literally and figuratively. As the film begins to progress, however, Anna’s story and Nikolai’s story begin to overlap. Anna’s uncle has translated some of the text from Tatiana’s diary, which is littered with words like “rape” and “drugs” and
“prostitution.” Suspiciously, Semyon sends Anna back at their first meeting, requesting she bring the real diary in exchange for the address of Tatiana’s relatives. Anna complies, but her curiosity doesn’t let the film end there. The strongest point of “Eastern Promises” is in its acting. The three Russian men played by Viggo Mortenson as Nikolai, Vincent Cassel as Kirill and Armin Mueller-Stahl as Semyon are nearly perfect in their roles. While Mueller-Stahl is easily the best actor in the movie, mixing a likable grandfather quality with the ruthlessness of a mafia boss, Mortenson does equally as well as the strong and silent type. He does an excellent job of creating a mystery about his character that excites the audience whenever Nikolai is on the screen. Another strong point of the film is the screenplay. It is rich in characterization and full of interesting dialogue. The characters say what they need to say and the scene moves on. This film doesn’t feel slow at all, usually, with a few scenes becoming the exception. Perhaps the best part is a powerful fight scene that comes late in the film. It looked so natural and realistic; each aspect of the fight was a natural progression from what was happening at the moment. This film is violent when it needs to be, but never just for the sake of violence. The film drags a bit in the beginning before Anna’s story is intertwined with Nikolai’s. The Vory v Sedenko is far more interesting than listening to Anna’s drunk Uncle Stepan rant and rave about how she shouldn’t be dating
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the man she is. I found myself sometimes bored when no one from the Vory was on screen, though it made it that much more exciting when the film came back to those characters. Anna’s storyline is essential to the film as a whole, which is the only reason that I sat through it, but the Russian Vory is where the film has its most brilliant moments. September is usually a slow month for the film industry; how-
“Scarface” directed by Brian de Palma: Al Pacino at his best in this rags to riches story and all he wants you to do is “say ‘ello to my little friend.”
ever, “Eastern Promises” is something worth watching. Its story is “Godfather”-esque, its acting superb, and as a whole it is not overly violent. David Cronenberg made an excellent film, full of intrigue, mystery and insight into the Russian mafia. After watching “Eastern Promises,” you might be tempted to take a few shots of vodka, get some tattoos, and start your own rise of power through the Vory v Sedenko.
Finding laughs amidst a clash of cultures ROBERT LLOYD
los angeles times HOLLYWOOD — In the winning “Aliens in America ,” premiering Monday on The CW , a small-town Wisconsin family decides to host an exchange student in an attempt to “guarantee” a friend for socially inept teenage son Justin (Dan Byrd ). (Writing that, I suddenly feel I should explain that it is not a reality show.) Expecting a version of the tall, blond uber teen pictured on the brochure proffered by Justin’s guidance counselor, the family is surprised (to say the least) to meet instead Raja Musharaff (Adhir Kalyan ), who in the
middle of the Chippewa Falls Airport sets down his bags, raises his hands to heaven and cries, “Thank you, Allah, for the Tolchucks!” Albeit at bottom a standard “strange-neighbors” comedy, “Aliens in America” is a hopeful sign that we may finally be emerging pop-culturally into the post-post-9/11 age — or, at any rate, a post-”24” age, in which we are ready to find a little humor in the Clash of Civilizations, rather than just wanting to bathe in bloody fantasies of prophylactic super spies. Created by David Guarascio and Moses Port (“Just Shoot Me!”), the show is consistently clever and lively, well played and directed, its corners filled with nice throwaway lines
and small visual jokes. “Raja, you are so different from us —how does that feel?” asks a teacher who has just introduced him to her class as “a Pakistani who practices Muslimism.” And when he replies that he doesn’t understand the question, she continues: “How does everyone else feel about Raja and his differences?” “I guess I feel angry because his people blew up the buildings in New York,” says one girl to approving noises. In the hall, someone yells, “Apu, where’s my Slushie?” Mother Franny Tolchuck (Amy Pietz , from “Caroline in the City ,” nicely mixing suspicion with politeness) at first plots to send him back.
Of course, Raja appreciates his new family more than its members do each other, and he helps out in a way that is as inexplicable to them as his praying to Mecca. He clears the table and does the dishes and actually listens to what other people have to say, even when it’s nonsense. Soon, despite himself, Justin — whose usual response to stress is not to pray but to “eat a brownie or buy a CD” -- finds himself telling Raja “stuff I wouldn’t even tell the guys from chorus.” They bond. For all its engagement with what might be called political unrealities, “Aliens in America” is at heart just another series about kids on the margins of high school society, whose battles all are local and whose experience of terror is largely confined to bullies, the opposite sex, the possibility of public ridicule, social ostracism and the nagging sense that you actually may be the awful person you imagine other people believe you to be. The plural “Aliens” of the title is not incidental: It includes Justin, a pickedupon “weirdo” who finds himself listed among the school’s “10 most bangable girls,” alongside sister Claire (the marvelous Lindsey Shaw , from “Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide”). Claire has her own problems: She may be kept off the cheerleading squad, to keep it from looking “soft on terror.” (Cheerleading is about leadership, she’s told: “When you yell, `Go Muskies!’ what you’re actually saying is that in this country, there is absolutely nothing any boy can do that a girl can’t cheer for.”) The CW has scheduled it alongside “Everybody Hates Chris ,” another show about kids but not made specifically for kids. It shares DNA with “Malcolm in the Middle ,” “Clarissa Explains It All “ and “The Adventures of Pete & Pete ,” cartoonish stories narrated by young folk whose parents are almost surrealistically strange and in which most everyone in authority is trouble. (Christopher B. Duncan is superbly smooth as a guidance counselor-cum-car salesman.) There are all kinds of enemies in this world.
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opinions 5
editor: laurel colella email: opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
october 2, 2007
Fighting for the good of the town we have all come to love As the WalMart issue continues to be battled in the courts, it’s important to remember to fight the good fight while still DEVIN having fun. This STONE Saturday at Henderson Lawn, regular the good folks columnist at Blacksburg United for Responsible Growth are having a fun rally around 2 p.m. to promote smart, sustainable economic growth in Blacksburg. The stakes are already high as grassroots organizers and residents of the town have the deck stacked against them. There are some very wealthy developers, such as Fairmount Properties, Llamas, LLC and Diversified Investors XIII, LLC, who plan on using their very deep pockets to radically change the nature of this town. These developers want to build a Wal-Mart, and the only thing they have to lose if they are defeated is the money they could have made off the land. If the developers win, the stakes
for the town of Blacksburg will be far greater and much more precious. A Wal-Mart in Blacksburg will devastate the downtown that so many college students have come to love. The locally owned and independent stores, which cater to the unique market niches that are prevalent on college campuses, may potentially have to close up shop without the support of their more mainstream customers. The Beast of Bentonville will be the death knell to the friendly Mom and Pop stores and the end to many businesses that pay employees a living wage, which is far greater than the “always low price” Wal-Mart pays its employees. Building a Wal-Mart in Blacksburg means that profits will be going to a chain store based in Arkansas and a development firm based in Cleveland. This would be a dramatic break in the glue of our community. When someone shops at a store that is locally owned and independent, it means that the profits are going to an owner who is a resident in Blacksburg (who is most likely raising a family); someone who has a direct stake in the health, future and quality of life of the community.
A transition away from locally owned stores toward a behemoth corporation means the end of stores that were born in this community and a move toward a big box that views “community” as a public relations game to help the bottom line. Bigger stores may mean economies of scale over their smaller competition, but it also means bigger costs for the environment. A Wal-Mart trans-
A Wal-Mart in Blacksburg will devastate the downtown that so many college students have come to love. lates into far more traffic problems as the tractor-trailers necessary to supply the big box every day will result in a less pedestrian and bicycle-friendly Main Street. The air will smell more of carbon dioxide from the idling cars. The daily operations of a Wal-Mart will mean more runoff, energy use and pollution. Symbolically, the Wal-Mart Supercenter will stand as nothing more than an aesthetic eye-sore demonstrating that our town has
taken a strong stride toward the boring homogeneity that can be found anywhere in the country. What will be lost is the privilege of living in an area that has something more to offer than Wal-Mart, Starbucks and stereotypical franchise, sitting on every corner. There’s already a Wal-Mart Supercenter in Christiansburg that’s only 5 miles away, a second within a 10 miles in Radford, and a third within a 20 mile radius. It’s even more important to know that someone lives in a town where residents have control over the future of their community. Residents are angry with the developers for good reason. The town was told of these lovely site plans that would bring in new upscale stores. Many residents in Blacksburg supported the original idea only to have the developers change the game halfway through. The site plans became radically altered to allow for what nobody wanted: an ugly big box not too far from a local elementary school. Standing against this Wal-Mart isn’t simply an economic or environmental argument; it is an issue of morality. The community was lied to in what
Editorial
The opposing viewpoints of the ‘Stick It In’ cheer AMANDA ELLIS guest columnist Stick it where? Who’s sticking what? Why are we “sticking” anything in? Do these commonly unanswered questions ring a provocatively, sexually explicit bell? If you think so, then you join the thousands of people who are questioning the ethics of our Hokie cheer. This hip-thrusting football chant is designed to make students feel exhilarated, raunchy and somewhat like a tease while adults participate as an attempt to clutch and grope their past. When broken down to the logistics of these chosen words, this chant is quite vulgar and shows a great misrepresentation of both sexes. Not only does this suggest the raping and pillaging of women, it also suggests that man’s only purpose is reproduction and establishing dominance. On the other hand, this football chant is out of facetiousness and is to be taken as a drop in the bucket. Yes, it is uncouth, uncivilized and animalistic, but whatever happened to the freedom of expression? Are we just going to disregard the college standard of upholding the first amendment through tattoos, piercings, free love, and Stick It In, come hell or high water? There is also yet another problem with the chanting dilemma: our actions not only reflect ourselves, but the university. If Virginia Tech were to become the streaking capital of college campuses, the approval and acceptability of the institution would plummet faster than a drunken girl’s panties at a keg party. Is it that we’re grooming a society full of four-inch mini skirts and boxers on parade? Or are we merely becoming too uptight about a few words in our “free” college community?
If analyzed, the salute to scoring has several assorted meanings; however, we will only thrust ourselves into the main arguments of scoring and “scoring.” To take the matter firmly in sports terms, the fans mean to say, “Would you please score a touchdown.” This is a generally accepted form of talking about scoring; even the ESPN announcers say stick it in the end zone. Does this mean it is reasonable to say so? It’s probably not the best choice of language. On the other
When broken down to the logistics of these chosen words, this chant is quite vulgar and shows a great misrepresentation of both sexes. hand, the hand that’s flicking off “The Man,” we have the purely carnal interpretation; man sticks penis in woman. Whether wanted or not, society depicts the man as a piece of meat and the girl as a soft, lost lamb who is vulnerable to the male species. This could also be taken a second and third way as well. The woman could be considered a whore for “sticking” it in because obviously overt comfort with sexuality is a terrible trait for women. In addition to the above, this could also be a slogan for rape; not something for which anybody wants to become the poster child. Men are supposed to show their masculinity by maintaining control over their women and keeping them fenced in. Meanwhile, women are expected to organize the household and maintain composure using methods that would make a diagnosed OCD patient crazy. These kinds of detail-specific gender roles are too heavily played up in contemporary society and
was nothing more than a strategy of bait and switch. The individuals pushing for the Wal-Mart are not your friendly neighbors. Instead, the developers chose to sue the town to push through a project that the overwhelming majority of the community is adamantly against. The battle against this Wal-Mart means fighting for a town where winning is not a matter of having deep pockets to afford expensive lawyers, but is a matter of honesty, working with the residents of the town and supporting what is ethically right. The permanent residents in Blacksburg have already expressed their outrage at the idea of a WalMart being built; it’s now necessary for students to step up to the plate and help out. The rally will take place during the middle of the day leaving plenty of time available to pregame for the football game. So go to Henderson Lawn on Saturday, bring a hot date, bring some friends and meet new people who have a common interest in keeping Blacksburg a special and unique place. Most important of all, have fun while helping a good cause.
local issue
Handling budget cuts responsibly
furthermore, they contribute to the multitude of stereotypes that place completely irrational labels on groups of people. Men and women should not be expected to adhere to standards that have been neatly folded and placed in their hands like clean laundry. However, they should pave their own way by taking different ideas from various people and merging them to form their own opinions. The cheer represents that which is salacious, flippant and frivolous, and as a by-product, society has diverse opinions on the matter. Struggling between the roles we’re supposed to play and the ones we’d like to cast ourselves in creates a kind of surface tension in society. The cheer causes problems with the uptight end of the community as well as super-concerned members of the female sex. No doubt there are serious implications with this chant, and the issues of rape, male or female dominance, labels, and stereotypes should never be taken with alcohol, only water. Personally, I can’t decide if I feel violated enough to want to stop the chant, or if I take it with such frivolity that it doesn’t make sense to get rid of it. The shout definitely brings unity to the stands and is undoubtedly rousing to the crowd. Young and old alike enjoy acting immature and giggling at the seventh grade gestures. However, on the critical flip side, it encourages the flagrant violation of women as well as the beef cake effect for men. Downsizing rape and playing up “getting laid” is certainly not anyone’s idea of a wonderful football game. “Stick It In” represents the entire Hokie nation. Do we really want to let the posttragedy image of Tech be Stick It In?
Governor Tim Kaine announced state agency savings and spending reductions yesterday, creating a specific plan for Virginia Tech and requiring us to give $10.7 million of our allocated budget back, 6.25 percent of our general budget. Larry Hincker of university relations said in an interview with the Collegiate Times that Tech is already considerably under-funded, emphasizing that we only get 88 percent of what we are supposed to be receiving from the state of Virginia. With these new budget cuts, the funding for Tech is going to be even lower. As of right now, the university is deciding what we need to do in order to make these budget cuts happen. According to the 2008 budget reduction plan, Tech’s tentative strategy includes budget cuts in the following ways: decreasing use of wage positions, reducing operating support expenditures in academic and support programs, reducing research funding, transferring the cost of activities to auxiliary operations and delaying filling vacant positions. Currently, the different university departments are getting together to figure out what they can afford to cut. The plan now also includes laying off 19 people to account for the millions of dollars in the budget cut, in addition to reducing the number of the same classes being offered and increasing class size. While Tech needs to account for budget cuts, we should
focus more heavily on the other alternatives, including class size and decreasing the use of wage positions, especially with graduate assistants. Especially after April 16, Tech has come together and shown the world what it means to be united as Hokies. With that said, we feel that there are better ways to account for the budget cuts that need to be made instead of laying off faculty; faculty who were here at Virginia Tech in our darkest hour and came back this semester filled with optimism and hope for the future. Especially right now, we feel the university could use 19 extra professors who care about their students and want to be here. The other areas where budget cuts are taking place should receive more emphasis rather than taking away teaching positions from those already here. There is currently a huge push for research and progressing forward as a research institution. Research is obviously a huge priority at Tech, with millions and millions of dollars being dedicated toward it every year. However, right now, with the need to cut back our spending on a huge scale, we feel that other areas of university life should receive funding cuts before we lay off valued members of our university or increase tuition even more. The editorial board is composed of Amie Steele, Joe Kendall, Saira Haider and Laurel Colella
Have an opinion? write a letter to the editor at opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com
Letters to the editor Walmart threatens Blacksburg community This past weekend, I returned to Blacksburg for the Homecoming football game against North Carolina. I was amazed at how downtown Blacksburg has grown since I graduated in the spring of 2005. Although saddened to see that Crossroads, my favorite music store, had moved, I was relieved to see that the turnover of business has kept the balance of small-town beauty and college town fun in check. I also got a chance to explore the additions to University Mall, which will undoubtedly revive a less-traveled side of town. However, my nostalgia and admiration were quickly stifled by the proverbial swift kick to the stomach that is the plan to build a Wal-Mart in Blacksburg. Are we not better than the likes of Charlottesville, Harrisonburg, and Williamsburg? Do we dare destroy the tradition of our unique home? Many of us came to Virginia Tech to escape “Box” stores littering 460-Business in Christiansburg, including the WalMart there. However, there is no need for
another. Saving a 15-minute drive isn’t worth the traffic, trash, and no-skill jobs that this store will bring. The Town of Blacksburg has voted unanimously against it. The local businesses are united against it. It is time for the Hokies to join the fight and say no to the new WalMart. We already spend our money there … must we give them our pride, too? For more information, visit www.bburg.org and join your fellow Hokies in a rally against the new store at Henderson Lawn, College Avenue and North Main Street on Saturday, October 6, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Christopher Banks alum, class of ‘05
Showing sportsmanship at athletic events Dear Mr. Weaver, I understand that you are making efforts to increase the sportsmanship of our fans, and generally I commend you on this effort. However, I do take issue with your efforts at times because I feel that there is a certain amount of fan interaction that falls under the categories of a) good fun,
or b) gamesmanship. You often seem to fail to be able to distinguish between these concepts and things that are truly disrespectful. I would agree with you that you should consider the intent of actions. The “Stick It In” cheer is clearly a cheer in good fun and not intended in any way to be offensive. It is simply college students having fun in the manner that college students will. People generally understand this and while some of the older generations may be stodgy enough to actively take issue with this cheer, most people remember their times as college students and correctly laugh off any offense. If this cheer was overtly insulting to the opposing team or threatened them in some way, I would understand your actions against it. Instead, however, it is simply silly fun for college students. Your heavy handedness in this matter brings your likely future actions into question. One wonders what will happen when basketball season comes. Will you seek to deter the fans from chanting “air ball” at opponents when they make a bad play? Will you try to prevent the team from waving their hands and perhaps using spirals and other hopefully distracting actions
when the opposing team is at the free-throw line? These actions have long been a fully accepted part of the game to the point where many schools supply the spirals and other props, and far from being unsportsmanlike, fall under the category of gamesmanship. The interaction of the basketball fans with the opposing team is recognized to be an important factor in home court advantage. This is evident in the choice of several ACC schools, as well as a number of other national programs, in their choice to rearrange the seating in the arenas to get the students as close to the floor as possible. When you reworked the seating when we moved from the Big East to the ACC you did not seem to take this principle into account. I remember sitting in the first row at mid-court during some of our great upset victories in our final years in the Big East surrounded by other students. You have made this impossible. Worse, when you reworked the football seating, you initially placed visiting stands behind one of the goal posts. This action was an inexcusable mistake on your part, giving some semblance of home field
advantage to our opponents. I feel very strongly that you need to let college students be college students unless there is true malice in their actions. The “Stick It In” cheer contains no malice and your actions against it in the name of “Hokie Respect” are heavy handed. You must realize that average alumni of my age don’t have much respect for your performance as an athletic director based on the objections I raised in the previous paragraph. Why do you seek to further antagonize us? I realize that my demographic cannot be counted on for much in the way of financial donations; however, we are the giving demographic of the future. I for one will not donate money to the athletic department while you are athletic director because of your heavy handedness. I strongly urge you to concede to the student’s freedom in this matter as they mean no disrespect in their cheer and should be allowed to cheer in ways of their choosing unless they are being blatantly disrespectful, demeaning or threatening to our opponents or their fans. David Hansch alum, class of ‘05
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october 2, 2007
With Clemson ahead, Hokies must continue to improve Fourteen. That’s how many passing yards Virginia Tech had in the first quarter of Saturday’s game against RYAN the University of MCCONNELL North Carolina. Twelve of those ct sports yards came on editor the last untimed down after a roughing the passer penalty, and both completions were screen passes to Josh Morgan. The rest COMMENT of the game didn’t fare much better for the Hokies’ vertical attack, as they finished with
only 76 passing yards. “We were moving the ball and we were setting ourselves back, moving the ball and setting ourselves back,” said offensive coordinator Brian Stinespring. “Then I think you start to press a little bit or there’s an opportunity to press there a little bit, and between little things here and there, we never got back on track.” Atlantic Coast Conference title contenders don’t finish with under 100 yards passing to a team that is consistently in the bottom third of the ACC in football. Show a little propensity for connecting downfield, and a good team will adjust and focus its resources toward stuffing the run. Against Butch Davis’ young Tar Heels a predictable run and screen pass oriented offense might suffice,
but it plain won’t cut it against the likes of Clemson, Boston College and Miami.
This is easily the strongest and deepest receiving corps to come through Tech in years, maybe the best ever. Opening up the vertical passing game will stretch out defenses, allowing Branden Ore and Kenny Lewis more room to run. That will be key in winning the big games this year. This is easily the strongest and deepest receiving corps to come through Tech in years, maybe the best ever. Justin Harper, Josh Hyman, Morgan
and Eddie Royal are all seniors and are at the peak of their ability and understanding of the offense. Tyrod Taylor, on the other hand, is merely beginning his ascent to mastering Stinespring’s offense. There will be some times when they aren’t on the same page, but as Taylor indicated after the game, the receivers are always working with him on the practice field and in the film room to help him understand their route tendencies and opposing defenses. Taylor has displayed his abundant God-given talent in his three games as starter, but he’s been apt to take off without checking down all of his reads as soon as a play shows an inkling of breaking down. Alas, there is hope inspired by precedent that he will gain patience with age.
There was another freshman mobile quarterback who was similar in his style of play a few years ago. Once he learned to exhaust his passing options before running from the pocket on intended pass plays, he was able to lead his team to a national title. Now Vince Young is making millions playing on Sundays. Whether or not Taylor becomes another Young is still unpredictable without a crystal ball, but it’s a promising measuring stick. For Tech to have a chance against Clemson, Taylor will have to look downfield and utilize the dangerous weapons he has at his disposal. All of his receivers possess game-breaking potential, and it’d be a shame if it went to waste. Clemson is not going to forget how
Ore victimized them last year. On a career night, Ore sliced and diced his way through the Tigers for 203 yards and two touchdowns on 37 carries. One could probably say his performance was the biggest factor in Tech’s win that Thursday night. If I were a gambling man, I would bet that Clemson tries its darnedest to prevent that from happening again. If it takes eight guys in the box to do that, then that’s what they might do, especially after Tommy Bowden sees the game tape from the UNC game. The meat of the ACC schedule starts Saturday in Clemson. If Tech wants to continue to view itself as a legitimate contender for an Orange Bowl berth, it had better get its act together on offense this week. And it starts with the passing game. Policies:
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Weekend Recap MEN’S SOCCER Junior Stefan Hock scored the Hokies’ lone goal for the second consecutive game Friday night as the No. 12 Virginia Tech men’s soccer team tied in-state rival No. 4 University of Virginia 1-1 at Klockner Stadium in Charlottesville. Hock, who was named ACC Men’s Soccer Player of the Week yesterday, scored his team-leading fourth goal of the season off a cross from junior Robert Edmans to give the Hokies a one-goal lead in the 34th minute. UVa later responded on a penalty kick goal in the 70th minute to tie the game, a score that held throughout regulation and both overtimes. The tie extends the Hokies unbeaten streak to eight games (6-0-2) and ensured Tech an undefeated month of September. The current unbeaten streak is the second longest in school history, only behind a 9-0-1 mark that took place in 2005. The Hokies return to action Friday night against No. 1 Wake Forest at the Virginia Tech Soccer Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. with the first 100 fans in attendance receiving free Tech Croc sandals.
WOMEN’S SOCCER A double overtime goal by Duke University’s Kelly Hathorn broke a scoreless match and boosted the Blue Devils to a 1-0 victory over the Tech women’s soccer team in Durham, N.C. Sunday. After the two teams were deadlocked at zero for over 100 minutes of play, Hathorn gave the Blue Devils the lead in the 104th minute by sending a shot to the far post from eight yards out and past Tech goalkeeper Ashley Owens. The Hokies couldn’t muster any shots following Hathorn’s goal and left Durham with a tough one-goal defeat. The loss drops the Hokies to 4-4-2 (0-2 ACC) on the season. Owens, a redshirt junior from Greensboro, N.C., finished with six saves, just one shy of her career high. The women’s soccer team will look to rebound Thursday against the University of Miami as they begin a three-game conference home-stand. Kickoff for the Miami game is scheduled for 7 p.m.
CROSS COUNTRY Both the men’s and women’s cross country teams traveled to William & Mary Saturday for the Colonial Inter-Regional Challenge, where the women’s team won the meet and the men finished third. The No. 25 women beat nine other teams, including No. 20 Georgetown, and won their third consecutive meet. Five women’s scorers finished in the top 10 in the 5K race, led by junior Tasmin Fanning, who won the event with a time of 20:21. In three individual races this season, Fanning has finished first in every race. The men’s team was led by sophomore Devin Cornwall, who finished a team-high 10th place in the 8K race. The men finished only behind No. 10 Georgetown and No. 12 William & Mary. The Hokies’ next event will take them to Fayetteville, Ark. for the University of Arkansas’s Chile Pepper Invitational on Oct. 13.
VOLLEYBALL The weekend for Tech’s volleyball team was a rough one, as they suffered two consecutive ACC losses to undefeated conference foes Clemson and Georgia Tech. Clemson dropped the Hokies in just three games on Friday, but junior Kristin Cunningham managed to hit a game-high .462 average on seven kills. Following Friday’s setback, the Hokies could only get one game off of the Yellow Jackets on Saturday, falling by a score of 1-3. Sophomore Taylor Parrish and junior Sarah Munoz were the bright spots of the day, both recording double-doubles in digs and kills for the Hokies.
GOLF The Tech men’s golf team finished 10th overall in the Inaugural Mattaponi Springs Shootout this weekend held at Hermitage Country Club in Manakin-Sabot. The 15-team tournament was hosted by the VCU Rams, who finished 12th in the final standings. Tech posted an 18-over par team score as their lowest scoring round of 289 came on the second day of play. The Hokies fell from 7th place to 10th with a final round score of 303. Tech was one of four ACC teams competing in the tournament. - Torrey Smith and Jacob Minnick, CT sports staff
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Hokies sneak past Tar Heels BRIAN WRIGHT
ct sports reporter Virginia Tech came into its Atlantic Coast Conference opener as a heavy favorite to upstage a University of North Carolina team that had lost its last three games. However, Tech had more than it could handle from the underdog Tar Heels. Nevertheless, the Hokies improved to 4-1 with a 17-10 victory Saturday afternoon. “That’s the way it is in the ACC,” said head coach Frank Beamer after the game. “I don’t believe any of these are going to be easy. I think that in every one of them we’re going to have to work for four quarters. That’s going to be the kind of team we’ve got.” On Tech’s first offensive play from scrimmage, a double reverse to wide receiver Eddie Royal resulted in a 53-yard gain. A few plays later, quarterback Tyrod Taylor stepped out of the pocket and avoided two Tar Heel defenders as he scampered into the end zone from 5 yards out. “It was important for us to come out in that first drive and have success,” said offensive coordinator Brian Stinespring. Success was hard to come by following that seven-play, 70-yard touchdown drive. The Hokie offense only managed 171 total yards on offense for the remainder of the game. Taylor completed 10 of 19 passes for 66 yards with one interception and was sacked
four times. Tailback Branden Ore accounted for a season-high 93 rushing yards on 19 carries. Royal led the team in catches with four, while fellow wide out Justin Harper had 38 yards receiving. Tech is now ranked 112th in the nation in total offense, with an average of 285.6 yards per game. Taylor still feels that improvements are being made.
“The offense is progressing. We’ve been progressing since day one and we want to keep getting better.” - TYROD TAYLOR “The offense is progressing,” Taylor said. “We’ve been progressing since day one and we want to keep getting better.” After the Hokies held a 7-3 advantage at halftime, Jud Dunlevy connected on a 52-yard field goal, equaling the longest by a Tech kicker since Shayne Graham in 1999 against Pittsburgh. Dunlevey has yet to miss a field goal or an extra point this season. The defense would then make several big plays that tipped the scales in the Hokies’ favor. With UNC inside the Tech ten-yard line and in position to score, defensive end Orion Martin knocked the ball loose from Tar Heel tailback Ryan
Houston. Rover Kam Chancellor came up with the recovery in the end zone for a touchback. “When I hit him, I couldn’t really see anything,” said Martin. "I really didn't know I had stripped him because I had made the tackle from behind. I heard fans yelling and I thought he had scored the touchdown. I looked up and everybody was in the end zone piled up and saw that we got the ball back." Later in the third quarter, linebacker Xavier Adibi intercepted a pass from UNC quarterback T.J. Yates. Adibi’s seventh career interception was returned 31 yards to the Tar Heel 12yard line. “It was a big turning point in the game,” Adibi said. “Coaches were preaching to us to focus on each play. Don’t look back to the last play. If we do that, good things will happen.” The turnover led to a 1-yard touchdown rush by Ore, giving the Hokies a 17-3 lead. The senior tandem of Adibi and Vince Hall teamed up for 28 tackles. Tech’s other starting linebacker did not go unnoticed. Cam Martin, Orion’s brother, recorded ten tackles and three sacks, the biggest of which coming late in the fourth quarter. A UNC touchdown by backup tailback Anthony Elzy closed the gap to 17-10 in the fourth quarter; the Tar Heels got the ball back with 4:10 remaining. They drove to the Tech 44yard line before Martin sacked Yates on
ROY HIGASHI/SPPS
Freshman quarterback Tyrod Taylor (5) runs past North Carolina defenders to score a touchdown in the first quarter of Saturday’s game. a critical third-and-two situation. “We knew it was coming down to crunch time,” Martin said. “I knew coach (Bud) Foster was going to call a blitz on that play. I gave everything to get to that quarterback and try to end that momentum.” A fourth down pass from Yates was broken up by Parker and fell harmlessly to the turf, sealing Tech’s third straight win. Tech’s positive plays were countered with their mental mistakes,
including nine penalties that totaled 80 yards. “We can’t have that,” Beamer said. Penalties will be one area that Beamer and the coaching staff will try to address before the Hokies travel south to No. 22 Clemson this weekend. “We’re not quite there together,” Beamer said. “We’re getting closer all the time.” Saturday’s game between the Hokies and the Tigers will be televised on ESPN and will start at 6 p.m.
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tuesday, october 2, 2007