COLLEGIATETIMES
friday october 5, 2007 blacksburg, va.
www.collegiatetimes.com
bulletin board OCTOBER SKY FESTIVAL
Gym Class Heroes work it out
Best-selling author Homer Hickam and the cast of the “Rocket Boys” and will gather again Saturday, Oct. 6, 2007 for the annual “October Sky Festival” in their hometown, historic Coalwood WV. Hickam will sign books from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.and the other Rocket Boys, Roy Lee Cooke, Billy Rose and O’Dell Carroll will also drop in to sign throughout the day.
news FELLOWSHIPS ENDOWED IN HONOR OF SLAIN PROFESSORS Virginia Tech’s College of Engineering was presented a $300,000 by General Electric Company check to create three endowed fellowships in memory of its three slain engineering professors killed on April 16.
CAMPUS SIREN SYSTEM TO BE TESTED
The outdoor Campus Warning Siren System will be tested on Monday, Oct. 8 at 10 a.m. The warning will sound like an ultra-loud, long-lasting, deepersounding police or rescue-squad siren, and will be followed by an audible announcement. During this test, the audible message will be, “This is a test of the Virginia Tech Campus Warning Siren System.”
KYLE SWANSON/SPPS
Travis McCoy (ABOVE), lead vocalist of the alternative hip-hop group, rocked Burruss auditorium last night while Eric Roberts (BELOW) displayed his guitar skills and some vocals.
TERESA TOBAT
ct staff writer While many might not have the most romantic visions when they think of gym class, Gym Class Heroes may give hope to the physically challenged everywhere. The eclectic sound of the band, coupled with the talkative lead singer Travis McCoy make for a concert experience unlike any other. Because this concert was sponsored by Verizon Wireless, the lobby of Burruss Hall was abuzz with activity starting at 6 p.m. when the doors opened. Not only were there merchandise tables selling shirts and CDs from all of the acts, but two different Verizon
stations. Under one, attendees could “dance” with lead singer of Gym Class Heroes, Travis, behind a green screen and then have that image e-mailed to their Verizon phones. Under the other, participants were given more information about using 411 Connect. The night began with the Burruss auditorium about one-third full at 7 p.m. when DJ Abilities took the stage. Abilities donned a maroon baseball cap and gave his performance primarily shrowded in darkness. He started off by working the turn tables and eventually spun more popular songs, starting with Nirvana’s “Heart Shaped Box,” and continuing with other hits such as Kayne West’s “Testify (Touch the Sky),” and “Stronger.”
see HEROES, page six
EDWARD LUPIEN
ct staff writer
KARLIN HONORED FOR COURAGE
word of the day per • snick • et • y (adjective) 1. overparticular; fussy 2. snobbish or having the aloof attitude of a snob. 3. requiring painstaking care The students spent hours preparing a project that would satisfy their persnickety professor.
weather PARTLY CLOUDY high 82, low 59
index News.....................2 Features................4 0pinions................5
Sports....................7 Classifieds..............9 Sudoku..................9
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 104th year • issue 148
In a few years Virginia Tech will break in two new residence halls. According to the Virginia Tech Fact book, during the 2006-2007 school year, 8,903 undergraduate students lived on-campus in residence halls. This year that number has grown to over 9,000 with one of the largest incoming classes. There are currently 27 residence halls to support students living on-campus. The first addition to the residence halls has been dubbed “New Residence Hall 1.” According to the Board of Visitors minutes for April 6, 2007, the new residence hall will be located parallel to Washington Street between Harper Hall and the Career Services Facility. The residence hall will amass 93,300 square feet. On the inside, the first floor will consist of residential support programs, and on the second through fourth floor, the residence hall will have approximately 256 beds. It was originally estimated that the construction of this new hall will cost around $22 million. In the budget for the 2007-2008 year, “New Residence Hall 1” will cost approximately around $23 million. The second residence hall is nicknamed “New Residence Hall 2” since it is further behind in its planning. The location of the “New Residence Hall 2” is currently unknown. According to the Virginia Department of Planning and Budget Project request, this residence hall will hold around 250 beds. It will be approximately 80,000 square feet. It will be air-conditioned and have state-of-the-art power, lighting and telecommunications infrastructure. According to the budget for the 2007-2008 year, the “New Residence Hall 2” will cost approximately $27 million. Also according to the Department of Planning and Budget Project request, these two dorms will serve as housing for students who will be displaced during renovations to out-of-date residence halls. -Andrea Woods, CT news staff
Expulsion for mental health evaluated by Women play to draw against Hurricanes universities
sports Lester Karlin, the equipment manager for Virginia Tech’s football team, has been nominated for the FedEx Orange Bowl-Football Writers Association of America Courage award. Karlin, who is a member of the Blacksburg Volunteer Rescue Squad, was nominated for being one of the first responders to Norris Hall on April 16th, and helping to set up triage units and preparing the scene for the large amount of medical personnel. The winner will be announced at the conclusion of the 2007 season.
Additional residence halls in the works
SHAOZHUO CUI/SPPS
Miami players swarm Virginia Tech’s Robin Chidester during last night’s game.
Virginia Tech’s women’s soccer team played to a tie with the conference-leading Miami Hurricanes last night. The tie gives the Hokies an overall record of 4-4-2 with a conference record of 0-2-1. Miami, a team that was predicted to finish dead last in the ACC preseason poll, has turned many heads this season with their superb play. Nevertheless, the Hokies did not pay attention to the Canes’ play earlier in the season. “We kind of take every game as an exponent,” said goaltender Ashley Owens of the team’s game mentality. “We focus more on us and less on what the other team is doing.” Miami came out firing and did not stop until the final whistle sounded signifying the end of the game. The lone goal in the first half came within the 14th minute when Hokie goalie Ashley Owens made a diving save but deflected the ball to the Hurricanes’ points leader Brittney Steinbruch, who had a wide open shot with Owens still out of place. Owens, who had a total of nine saves on the night, had to deal with the speedy Miami forward all night. “I think we did a really good job of shutting her down,” said Owens of Steinbruch. “Part of our plan was to man-mark her and let her know our presence.”
see SOCCER, page eight
Roanoke neo-Nazi tests First Amendment ASHLEY OLIVER
ct news reporter The FBI is currently investigating whether or not William A. White has taken advantage of his First Amendment rights. After the Jena 6 rally on Sept. 20, where thousands of protestors joined in support of six black students charged with assaulting a white student, White took his views on the issue to a different level by posting the addresses of each defendant on a website.
“There is a problem with using freedom of speech for inciting hatred of anger toward other people.” - RAY WILLIAMS DIRECTOR OF MULTICULTURAL PROGRAMS He made suggestions in the Web site www.overthrow.com about displaying nooses because of the Jena 6, “lynching the Jena 6,” and that there is “nothing wrong with” attempting to murder them at their houses. White has links on his Web site to detailed noose spottings, blogs containing strong opinions and suggestions about the Jena 6, and notes
that what he does is not against the law; and that if it is, he is prepared. “They should recognize that … I have plenty of money, experienced attorneys, and have beaten several efforts they have made in the past to sue me or bring charges against me for various nonsense,” wrote White in a letter on his Web site. Mark Potok, director of the Intelligence Project at the Southern Poverty Law Center, explained that White has not yet crossed the line. “By and large, he is almost certainly protected by the First Amendment, but the FBI is looking into it,” said Potok. “He basically stops just short of falling outside of the first amendment.” The FBI’s investigation is ongoing, as it is looking to see if a case can be made about his overstepping the boundary lines of the first amendment. “There has to be either criminal incitement or criminal threat for him to be crossing the line,” Potok said. He explained that criminal incitement is when there is a more immediate element present and the situation is excited. It would involve someone urging and pressuring to make the crime happen. With criminal threat, the standard of the threat of crime must be extremely high and the probability of danger occurring must appear to
be impending. “You have to ask the question, ‘would a reasonable person in the shoes of the target of that threat feel that it is real?’” Potok said. Many people are wondering how far White is going to go, but as Potok noted, he has the tendency to speak in a very conditional voice. However, as Ray Williams, director of Multicultural Programs, pointed out, one can only hope he doesn’t act on his words. “He does enjoy living in this country as it comes with certain freedoms, but he needs to be careful about abusing his freedom,” Williams said. Many, like Williams, feel as if White’s approach to expressing his views on the Jena 6 has twisted the current interpretations of the First Amendment. “There is a problem with using freedom of speech for inciting hatred of anger toward other people,” Williams said. How to deal with White is a question people must ask themselves while the investigations of his address postings and threats on his Web site continue. “I think one important thing is to stay informed so we always know what he’s trying to say and who he is saying it to,” Williams said. “With the irrational position he’s coming from, there is no rational way to approach it.”
MENTAL HEALTH LOOPHOLES THAT CAME TO LIGHT AFTER APRIL 16 HAVE PROMPTED UNIVERSITIES TO TAKE AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THEIR STUDENT POLICIES ROSANNA BROWN
ct news reporter Based on the events in April, some schools are making efforts to reevaluate the treatment, specifically concerning the dismissal, of students who may be showing symptoms of mental instability Radford University is one of these schools taking a critical look at their system. Dan Bowman, Radford associate dean of students, said their process is under evaluation and they will make some new decisions relating to students who are incurring mental instability. “We are certainly well aware of different things that are going on there (at Tech) and we are communicating about this unfortunate situation you guys had this past year,” Bowman said. Depending on the circumstances, Radford may encourage off-campus or on-campus support.
Any student placed on leave must come back with evidence that they have assessed their problem in order to return to campus. “Based on what has happened at Tech, those are the kinds of things that we are evaluating and making decisions about,” Bowman said. Currently, if a student at Radford has engaged in a major offense such as sequel misconduct, drug violation or a violation of law, they will be subject to dismissal, Bowman said. Bowman said that Radford has a solid, fair and consistent process for their judicial affairs. Each situation has different circumstances, which the university fully investigates to be fair. However, student dismissal is not a common practice throughout the year. “We average somewhere, probably in the neighborhood of five dismissals a year,” Bowman said. As for William & Mary, their assessment of students with mental instabilities is entirely separate from their judicial system. “We don’t have anything in the judicial procedures about mental health because we have a separate system where we address students if they are not able to keep themselves safe or unable to keep others safe,” said Patricia Volp, dean of students for William & Mary. In a really serious situation, a student is put on medical leave from the university. Any student placed on leave must come back with evidence that they have assessed their problem in order to return to campus. Ultimately, a student has to be able to explain to a committee how they have addressed their behavior. The committee will be looking for stability in mental health. Also, doctors must give recommendations as well as a plan that is reasonable and supports the student’s optimal success
have a news tip? want to see something in the CT? e-mail tips@collegiatetimes.com
see MENTAL HEALTH, page three
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new river valley editor: kevin anderson email: nrvnews@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw 1 - 3 p.m.
october 4, 2007
Virginia students shine in nation-wide testing PETER HURLEY
ct news reporter In recent results released by the U.S. Department of Education, Virginia students show proficiency in math and reading well above the national average. Since 2005, Virginia students have increased their math scores by five points at both the fourth and eighthgrade level, while reading scores have remained relatively stable. Administered by the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), the Nation’s Report Card not only compares the educational performance among states, but also urban districts, private schools, and demographic groups. A sample of 7,000 Virginia fourthgraders, and 5,400 eighth-graders was collected to take the test, which is distributed nation-wide and not dependent upon each state’s curriculum to allow a comparison among states. Virginia’s above-average scores could, in part, be a result of its long-standing tradition of standardized testing, dating back to 1994 when the NAEP scores showed the largest drop ever in fourthgrade reading (score of 224 in 1993 to
213 in 1994). Those scores were described as a “wake-up call” by Charles Pyle, the director of communication for the Va. Department of Education. Since that call, fourth-grade reading scores have increased steadily each year, with an average score of 227 in these most recent tests. Eighth-grade testing, however, has shown less than optimal improvements, decreasing by a point since 2005. “That’s one of those things that you look at when you look at NAEP,” Pyle said, “which is to not just find the good stuff and celebrate that but that it shines a really bright light on those areas that really require attention.” Pyle said this will be an “increasing focus” for officials at both the state level and individual school divisions. There are also professors at the university level who have also noted a lack of preparedness among incoming students of recent years in the areas of reading and writing. “Many haven’t been exposed to the kind of writing and reading that is expected of them,” said Bob Cantor, an English professor at Tech. “Institutionally there hasn’t been enough communication.”
campus news editor: meg miller email: campusnews@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Quixtar courts independent minds SARA MITCHELL
ct news reporter Words on its opening page read, “The land of hope. The land of opportunity. The land of will. Quixtar.” This opening for the Quixtar company site has already seduced hundreds of thousands of people across the nation who hope to become wealthy Independent Business Owners (IBOs). Quixtar.com is an e-commerce business site where people can apply to become an IBO. IBOs make money through selling the site’s various products, ranging from beauty to apparel to home care. Quixtar sells name brand products such as Levis, Dell and Adidas. Ranked No. 22 in e-commerce sites in Internet Retailer magazine, Quixtar’s payment pattern is simple: the more you sell, the more you earn. The registration agreement
states, “Sales to a customer are a requirement to receiving compensation.” “This is a valuable business opportunity for anyone who is willing to put the time into it,” explained Anna Bryce, public relations for Quixtar. Money is earned by directing customers to Quixtar.com to order products, or they can order products through the IBO. The IBOs buy the products at a special cost and then sell the products for retail price, keeping the difference. Monthly performance bonuses are also rewarded, which can range from a three percent bonus to a 25 percent bonus. According to a Quixtar independent survey, the average gross income for each IBO was about $115 per month. For a college student, an extra $115 each month is extremely helpful if he or she has the time to invest in Quixtar. Because the business is completely
based on how much time one wants to put into it, it is an opportunity for students to make some money without being required to devote any specific amount of time to Quixtar. “(The time put into Quixtar) depends on what someone’s goals are when starting a Quixtar business,” Bryce said, adding that people put in “a wide variety of time.” Bryce stressed that Quixtar is not a pyramid scheme because the IBO does not earn money from sponsoring a new IBO. No “front loading” is involved, which is where an IBO would be required to stock mass inventory. If an IBO decides to discontinue his or her Quixtar business, Quixtar will buy back any leftover inventory. “No one earns money until a product is sold,” Bryce said. There is a registration fee of about $60, with the option to spend about
$80 more for a product intro pack. An IBO must re-register and re-pay a registration fee each year. Students can register on the Web site. An e-commerce business could be a way for students to make money without having to work in retail or in an office. Because profits come from time put into the business, it can be a flexible way to earn money when you have time to spare. However, students need to be careful about which business to choose. There could be hidden fees or requirements to become a member of an e-commerce site. A pyramid scheme is illegal, so sellers are advised to watch for any requirements of recruiting others or having to stock mass inventory. Quixtar.com made over one billion dollars in revenue in 2006, and students have the opportunity to be a part of it if e-commerce is right for them.
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friday, october 5, 2007
Advisers lend unique voice and support to student organizations MICHELLE RIVERA
ct news reporter All students have advisers within their departments who they can go to for advice. However, for those students running the large student organizations on campus, the question arises as to whom they should turn. The answer lies with the student organization’s educational adviser. According to Monica Hunter, the educational adviser of the Student Budget Board and Homecoming Board and associate director of campus programs in the Department of Student Activities, there are 13 University Chartered Student Organization advisors. These advisers are hired to advise one or more student organizations in their job descriptions. The 90-plus other regular student organizations do not require advisers. Hunter offers information and advice to the students on the Student Budget Board and Homecoming Board. “My main role with the Student Budget Board is to convene over the
meetings to make sure students are allocating the student activities fees fairly, that they are listening to the requests in an unbiased way, that they are not over-programming and not duplicating programs,” Hunter said. As an adviser, Hunter does not vote. She said her sole purpose is to make sure students are informed to the best of their abilities to make appropriate decisions with money. Kim Timpany, Student Government Association adviser known as the associate director of leadership development, is also a UCSO adviser. One of her main responsiblities, like Hunter’s, is to advise members of the SGA. “Sometimes I’ll be a content expert and other times a cheerleader,” Timpany said. However, her main role is to act as a liaison between the administration and the SGA as well as between the SGA and other student organizations. “My main day-to-day job is to keep the lines of communication open,” Timpany said. “I work closely with
the SGA president and make sure that I’m getting the students the resources that they need, which they wouldn’t necessarily get as a student, by connecting them to my peers and the administration.” Timpany said that the SGA is in a unique situation in comparison to a special interest club because its specific task is to be the voice of the student body. “The students are able to work pretty independently and I’m there to support them,” she said. Meredyth Kenney, public relations director of the SGA and junior English major, said that Timpany likes to be active along with the students and takes part in many things that they do. “Kim’s been wonderful this year,” said Kenney. “She volunteers along with us and is really a great source for help. She helps in any way she can but she realizes that the decisions are those of the students.” For Virginia Tech Union, it is also the students who make the decisions. According to Laura Bedenbaugh,
Student Organization Advisors at Virginia Tech Organization Student Budget Board Student Government Association (SGA) Names of Monica Hunter Kim Timpany Advisors Acts as a liaison to What their Convenes over advisor does meetings and ensures keep lines of communication open the board allocates student fees fairly and between officers and in an unbiased manner helps officers get resources they need.
ct campus news editor Accounts of the incident in which a Virginia Tech student was arrested on Sept. 22 differ between students who witnessed the arrest and the Blacksburg Police reports. Some witnesses say that excessive force was used during the arrest, while Blacksburg police officers claim they used no more force than was necessary. Capt. Bruce Bradbery of the Blacksburg Police Department said that officers went to Ascot Lane for a noise violation call around 2:45 a.m. on Sept. 22. While talking to the driver of a car from which the noise was coming from, the police report alleges Nathanial Lewis, 22, began yelling at the officer from the steps of a nearby building. Bradbery said the officer told Lewis to stop yelling because he was there on account of a noise violation. Lewis continued to yell so the officer told him he was being charged with a noise violation and to present his identification so the officer could write him a ticket. Lewis refused to identify himself, and because of that, was taken into custody. During the arrest, Lewis, also known as “Jaz,” began to struggle and fight so “chemical was introduced (pepper spray),” Bradbery said. Some students who witnessed the arrest had more to add to the story when questioned at a petition of the
incident held on Monday in front of the police station. “It was not just a pepper spraying event,” Brittney Tennyson, a junior psychology major said in a recent Collegiate Times article. “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 316 members According to the Facebook group, Lewis was “grabbed by his locks (hair), and yanked down a few stairs onto the ground by Blacksburg police for exclaiming “free the Jena 6.” Bradbery said that there is information in the police report of what Lewis was yelling. “(The officer) didn’t go after him because of the content,” said Bradbery. “It was because of the volume.” Bradbery refused to give the CT a copy of the police report. Bradbery also said that it does not say in the report whether Lewis’ locks were grabbed or not. The Facebook group also claims that Lewis was maced again while on the ground and in handcuffs, was yelled at by the officer, and was not read his Miranda rights. Bradbery said that Lewis was taken before magistrate and charged with obstruction of justice and a noise violation. He said that Lewis was held without bond because he refused to participate in a bond hearing.
VTU adviser and assistant director of student programming, VTU students must go through a program proposal process. For the six committees, the directors of each work with the members of the committees to see what events the student body will like. The director will then create a proposal with the help of Bedenbaugh. Once the proposal is created, it is sent
examine their policies from page one
back at campus, Volp said. Most of the medical leave cases on the campus at William & Mary are psychological, not physical, Volp said. There are varying degrees of medical emotional emergency procedure at William & Mary. The policy that states students have to be reported and assessed if anyone on campus learns that they have made a threat or attempted to harm themselves, have experienced
Laura Bedenbaugh Assists in the creation of proposals and acts as a liaison between agents and students. BEN MACDONALD/COLLEGIATE TIMES
Police dispute claims Mental Health: schools MEG MILLER
Virginia Tech Union (VTU)
a severe psychological distress, or even if their health has deteriorated to such a point that they can not keep themselves safe, Volp said. The 30-year-old program at William & Mary is sought after by many institutions across the country, Volp said. As a means to improve their program, William & Mary will be setting up police training this week to inform them of what to do when dealing with a student experiencing mental illness.
to the account manager, who keeps the budget in line and determines whether the event will be monetarily feasible. From there, the VTU president looks over the proposal in what Bedenbaugh described as a checks and balances system to get secondary student feedback. The final step in the event planning process is sending the proposal to Bedenbaugh, who goes over the pro-
posal with the director who created it. Together, they make sure that the proposal has gone through all the proper steps. “Laura is a great liaison between agents and students in case we have any technical issues,” said Maureen Lawrence, president of VTU and senior English major. “The big responsibilities lie with the students. Laura is there to help out when she can.”
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editor: sharon pritz email: features@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
october 5, 2007
Pick ups, hit ons, and the ways we attract the opposite sex CHRIS GUSTIN regular columnist Picking up girls would be a lot easier if that’s literally all you had to do: walk into a bar, physically lift one over your head and lug her from place to place. Looking back, the cavemen definitely had it easy in that respect. Of course, they also got eaten by prehistoric cats a lot, but at least they were getHE SAID ting some. The point is, things have changed. Skills like being able to create fire or win a fight aren’t enough to demonstrate that you’re swinging a big club anymore. And forget about drawing stick figure murals of yourself hunting – that road will end in nothing but misery. I don’t care how life-like your trapezoid antelope is, girls don’t like crayon on their walls. So what are we to do? It’s time to grow up, little caveman, and learn the terrain. Here’s your brief reference guide to modern day pick-ups.
Don’t expect the girl you go home with to be there in the morning. If she is still there, don’t expect her to look like she did the night before. The most important point is to define your objective. If you’re going to a bar, you’re probably not going to find your next long-term relationship. If you’re going to class, it’s unlikely that you’re going to wake up in eight hours hungover and lying next to someone you don’t know. Of course, if you do manage that one, give me a call because I think we should party sometime. But seriously, figure out what you want and be realistic about it; always pick your hunting grounds to suit your goal. And as far as hunting grounds go, you have a couple options, so pay attention. First of all, there are bars. Remember in “The Lion King” how all the animals would gather around the watering hole and chill out and sing songs? Bars are kind of like that. They’re a great place to hang out with your friends and you might meet some cool people there. Most of us go there to make new friends, and the addition of alcohol means that the natural social defenses you encounter during the day will be
non-present. SHARON PRITZ Top Ten: pick up lines regular columnist If it has been a long day, a bar can be a great place to unwind, throw some 1. Come sit on my lap, and we’ll darts, eat some food and enjoy some For a woman, getting ready to go out see the first thing that pops beers. You might even get lucky and on a Friday or Saturday night (maybe up. meet some cute cave-girls. Of course, even a Thursday night) entails a long for those one or two people at the bar 2. list of “to-dos.” Let’s see, there’s outfit Is your a-- a keg? Because I scowling at anyone who talks to them, picking, blow-drying, makeup-applywant to tap it. just go home. ing, etc. I’m sure there’s a nice Sudoku book 3. Baby, I’m no Fred Flinstone, We might spend a good hour chanon your nightstand that’s calling your neling the spirit of Paris Hilton in an but I can make your Bedrock. name. effort to begin The main thing, if you’re going to a 4. Did you wash your pants in a CinderellaSHE SAID bar to pick up girls, is to know what like fairy tale Windex? Because I can see to expect. Don’t expect the girl you go romance that myself in them. home with to be there in the morning. If night. she is still there, don’t expect her to look 5. You must be tired because Well, the only thing that Paris you’ve been running like she did the night before. Hilton and Cinderella have in comDo expect to talk to new people. Do mon is blond hair and having been in through my mind all day. expect to drink things that you don’t lockdown. But somehow we college know the name of (not recommended). 6. You remind me of Pokeman, students seem to believe that expectaI just want to Pikachu. And if you use bad pick-up lines, do tions beyond a quick lay are waiting expect to get slapped or, at the least, 7. Other than being sexy, what for us every weekend downtown or at laughed at. a frat house. else do you do for a living? You should be careful with pick-up So it’s Friday night, and we’re ready lines; it’s OK to improvise a little, but it’s 8. Excuse me, I’m from the to go out. Eyeliner is smudged, heels usually not good to make your own or FBI—Fine Body Investigation are on, and breasts are out. This very mix-and-match. Don’t just walk up to classic, girl-next-door look naturally —I am going to have to ask a girl and go, “Was your dad a thief? attracts guys to our “personalities.” So you to assume the position. Because you have shifty eyes and my of course the first guy we talk to at a wallet is definitely missing.” If you’re 9. Hey, I’m new in town. Do you party is assuredly thinking, “Wow, she’s going to be lame, be professional about so smart and interesting.” And what think you could give me it. screams “I’m a keeper” more than racdirections to your house? But bars may not be for everyone, and coon eyes and a bird’s nest of hair the that’s perfectly alright. There are other, 10. Screw me if I am wrong, but next morning? quieter places to pick up girls. Class, for I am by no means calling us college haven’t we met before? example. If you’re a liberal arts major like females big skanks, nor am I calling BEN MACDONALD/COLLEGIATE TIMES me, chances are you’re outnumbered by college men shallow or insinuating that girls on a daily basis, and with odds like have to see this person for the rest of they are only looking to get in our pants. that your best shot is to talk to people the semester whether you like it or not. I am merely noticing that the fashion in Class is, however, a good place to build which we try to meet potential signifiin class. I’m not advocating being a creep, friendships and meet new people with cant others seems a bit skewed. or being sketchy, but I am advocating similar interests. If you happen to make When you really think about it, we’re being friendly. And girls, there is a big something more out of it than friend- all here at college for four years basically difference. Think and evaluate before ship, then good work. just hanging out with each other. Sure we There really are a wide variety of have classes and jobs, but for the most you use words like “Awkwaaaard,” or “Randoooom,” (speaking of which, I places to meet and pick up girls, so don’t part, we’re chillin’. We’re thrown together want those words back. You’re overus- be afraid to experiment and see what with a group of people who are our age, you like best. And if all else fails, at least probably from similar backgrounds, ing them, and it’s annoying). But seriously, get over yourself go down in flames. It’s a lot funnier for and we all already have something in and consider that maybe that the rest of us. common: we chose to go to Virginia guy is talking to you because he really was confused about the homework. Or maybe he’s just tired of sitting quietly and waiting for class to start and he wanted someone to talk to. Don’t be so quick to imagine that your beauty has captivated his soul and now he wants to get in your pants; there’s nothing more unattractive than vanity. Except maybe those skirt-short combos. Man those suck. And if you approach a girl in class, be respectful. Mind her space and be careful about moving too quickly. You
Tech. The older we get, the more we focus our studies as we narrow our fields within a designated major, thus weeding out the people who fell off the interest-wagon and tightening the group with whom we have things in common. But somehow, the idea of trying to meet someone in a class is something that seems to be scoffed at. I mean really, who wouldn’t expect to meet the love of their lives when half-hammered and scantily-clad as opposed to an environment in which we probably look like ourselves (well, maybe we look like our worst at those Monday morning 8 a.m. classes, but if someone can love you then, you’re golden) and are engaging our heads in something other than a hair toss? Also, a perk of trying to talk to attrac-
I mean really, who wouldn’t expect to meet the love of their lives when half-hammered and scantily-cladas opposed to an environment in which we probably look like ourselves and are engaging our heads in something other than a hair toss. tive members of the opposite sex in a class is the ease with which you can do it. At a party, the amount of alcohol directly correlates to one’s expectations: the more alcohol that goes down, the more our expectations of someone go down. The later into the party, the more qualities such as, “He’s really strong; he was able to hold me up for a keg stand!” or, “Maybe she’d be into threesomes, she was making out with her friend on the dance floor!” trump qualities such
as brains and humor. The classroom allows you to lead a conversation with someone about the quiz you just took or an insight on the readings as opposed to your average undefeated score at beer pong. The idea of meeting someone naturally segues into pick-up lines, and I don’t mean lame pick-up-line-urbanmyths, such as the classic and ever-soclassy, “Did it hurt when you fell down from heaven?” Maybe we’re talking more about pick-up techniques. For instance, a cute guy might say to you, “Hi, can I buy you another drink?” But can we agree that even though it seems innocent enough, many times that can be a little creepy? I mean, the more you drink, the cuter he gets. Isn’t that a sweet story to tell your kids down the road? And we can’t forget college students’ favorite way to pick up/hit on fellow students: Facebook. Whether it is a lowly Facebook friend-add or a full-on personal message, Facebook seems to have become the premiere way to show someone you’re interested without creeping him/her out. Only this time, instead of hiding behind booze in order to feel comfortable, we eliminate all person-to-person contact altogether. Come on, clicking through someone’s recent Facebook “crazy weekend” album is almost the same as actually engaging in conversation about said weekend. So, yes, certain things like a couple beers or an innocent Facebook message can certainly take the edge off for those of us who are extremely awkward. However, these encounters tend to end not with fulfilled expectations but with an embarrassing conversation over brunch the next morning with girlfriends. By all means, let’s go out and have fun, but remember that unlike Belle, our handsome prince charming may indeed be a beast when he sobers up.
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You must sign up online at www.studentprograms.vt.edu by October 7 to participate. For information on upcoming dining events, visit www.studentprograms.vt.edu/dining/specialevents.php. If you are a person with a disability and desire assistance or accommodation, please contact a dining center manager.
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opinions 5
editor: laurel colella email: opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.
october 5, 2007
Democracy: We deliver but restrictions apply Today will mark the thirteenth day of protests against Burma’s dictatorial regime. As the Tiananmen Square massacre of our day unfolds, GABRIEL the American Left MCVEY remains infuriatingly silent as regular authorities estimate columnist that more than 200 protesters have been murdered for nothing more than demanding their liberty. If the American Left is exasperatingly silent, the American Right is hypocritically so. In his second inaugural address, our president declared, “the survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands. The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in the entire world.” I agree, and while the president has (quite admirably) spoken out against the thuggish Rangoon government, he has yet to take any serious action against them. There appear to be two reasons for
this: America’s sick obsession with the Middle East and the institutional paralysis of the United Nations. The American government has oafishly bumbled its way through what was a just and winnable war in Iraq. In the process, bungler-in-chief George W. Bush has estranged our allies and fortified the positions of the thugs, theocrats and tyrants of all political stripes around the globe: left, right and certifiably insane.
Although I would agree that the Iraq War is more about oil than freedom, we mustn’t let that cheap standard lead us to abandon Iraq or Burma, whose principal export seems to be exiled democratic activists. I agree that we must actively promote freedom abroad. Nevertheless, as for Iraq’s more obsequious defenders, I challenge them to answer with a straight face: if Iraq’s principle export were goats, dates or rugs, would we have ever invaded?
Letter to the editor Column on minorities in politics was misleading The article, “Looking to the successes of American minorities in politics,” (CT, Oct. 3) was at best misinformed and misleading. The title of this piece seems completely uncontroversial and naturally drew me into reading what I thought was going to celebrate the accomplishments of minorities in politics (fairly obvious given its title, right?). What I had begun to read was a vicious partisan attack that was completely unfounded in fact. The author of this article began by audaciously describing the confirmation process of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas as a “shameful” and “organized” effort to “railroad him.” To describe a single woman who courageously stepped up and admitted to having been sexually harassed as shameful and then further imply conspiracy by calling it organized when nothing to indicate the veracity of that claim has ever been proven is truly shameful. In fact, the great hero of the right wing during the time of Thomas’ confirmation, journalist David
Brock, has since apologized to Hill for the book he wrote, “The Real Anita Hill,” and called his own book “character assassination” from “a conservative hitman.” The next portion of the article was so hypocritical I would have laughed if it was on the Colbert Report. He describes how the democrats expect the black population to march in “lockstep behind them,” indicating the democrats perceive them as sheep, and then insults their ability to think independently, describing them as “entrenched in liberal culture.” If he truly believes that the values of the Republican Party are aligned with the interests of black Americans, then he should argue honestly about positions his party holds today. Finally, citing the republicans as the party for black leadership and naming four individuals when all 43 members of the Congressional Black Caucus are democrats (not to mention state and local officials or the countless influential African Americans liberals who don’t hold office) is laughable. Jeff Lieberman senior, business management
Editorial local issue
Responsibilty of advisers in student organizations Many student groups and departments at Virginia Tech have educational advisers to oversee their activities. For students who need somewhere to turn with questions or advice, the advisor of the student organization can provide input and guidance. Unfortunately, in situations where it is the students’ responsibility to plan and make decisions for the organization, the adviser sometimes takes too much responsibility into his or her own hands. At Tech there are 13 University Chartered Student Organization (UCSO) advisers. According to the Collegiate Times, “these advisers are hired with the advisement of one or more student organizations in their job descriptions.” The 90-plus other student organizations on campus do not require advisers. Organizations are learning opportunities for students outside of classes. It is hard to learn how to make decisions, plan events and lead others when an adult is overshadowing and taking part in every process of the organization. The skills learned that come with being a part of a student group carries on to the real world; it’s important that students are able to develop the skills independently of the adviser. Different advisers maintain varied levels of involvement in student activities depending on the organization and its needs. Some advisers insist on making all major and minor decisions for the group, whereas some advisers don’t take part in any of the decision-making. Then there are advisers who strike an effective balance. These advisers keep a fair distance from the organization’s affairs but are present when a student needs assistance. Good
advisers are ones who wait for the students to come to them and then are available to give advice. Kim Timpany, Student Government Association adviser associate director of leadership development, is also an adviser at UCSO. Her main responsibilities include advising members of the SGA and acting as a mediator between the administration and the SGA as well as between the SGA and other student organizations. Our SGA does an excellent job of doing this. In complex organizations such as student government, it is important to have an advisor standing by to step in when needed, but to also allow the student government be what they are: a student government. This idea crosses over into other student organizations as well. When advisers have too much power, the organization stops being about students making decisions for themselves. An adult who has experience in what the group is specializing can be an effective adviser when guidance is needed and sought after by the students. Sometimes students will need a final, experienced opinion. We don’t know everything, which is why an adviser is certainly useful for an organization, but in the end they are student organizations, which means that students should be the primary source for ideas and decisions. An organization is taken more seriously by members of the student body when the students are the ones making decisions for themselves and on behalf of other students. The editorial board is composed of Amie Steele, Joe Kendall, Saira Haider, Laurel Colella and Sara Mitchell.
Although I would agree that the Iraq War is more about oil than freedom, we mustn’t let that cheap standard lead us to abandon Iraq or Burma, whose principal export seems to be exiled democracy activists. So while the best of a generation bleed for the criminally avoidable blunders of our president and his advisers, democracy activists bleed in the streets of Rangoon and Mandalay. Had Iraq been handled at least competently, we wouldn’t be in the weakened position in which we find ourselves, morally or in fact. Then there’s the neoconservative obsession with Iran. Norman Podhoretz, the doyen of the neoconservative movement, has alleged along with the New Yorker’s Sy Hersh that the Bush administration has already given the green light to some form of military campaign against the Islamic Republic. Setting aside the nuclear issue for now, there remains the patent idiocy of attacking what could be a cultural and economic ally given some measure of patience and diplomacy. Attacking Iran will make militant nationalists of more or less every
Iranian. It will unleash Hezbollah, the terrorist “A” team, which has global reach and a fundraising network that Al Qaida can’t begin to match. Finally, it will provide further encouragement for those that paint promotion of liberty as a clash of civilizations, further fueling Islamic militancy and followon terrorism. Then there’s China. Behind every atrocity, every dictator and every bad guy, there’s China. When China isn’t backing and funding bloody dictators, it’s shielding them from international censure. From Slobodan Milosevic to Robert Mugabe to Saddam Hussein, it’s hard to list a modern outrage against human rights and simple human decency without flipping it over to see the sickening hallmark: “Made in China.” Using their U.N. veto power, China has stymied nearly every effort to employ the United Nations for its intended purpose: the maintenance and enforcement of global peace and human rights. The United Nations has become a mausoleum, the crypt of democ-
racy. Without serious overhaul, this professed bastion of freedom will continue to allow the most oppressive regimes in the world to abuse its liberties to preserve their own grip on power. As a consequence, we lack international legitimacy to act on Burma because our moral authority is compromised by amateurish neoconservative fumbling and because the relevant institutions are not, in fact, relevant. As a result of this and the simple fact that our military apparatus is engaged elsewhere, we are left to meaningless gestures against a government quite happy to ignore such token action and to engage in real, homicidal action of its own. If we’re reduced to tokens, let us use one that will place the Beijing regime and its Rangoon subordinates in the glare of publicity. We ought to boycott the 2008 Olympic Games. Beijing is so proud of this meaningless spectacle, and this action is not without precedent: we boycotted the 1980 Moscow games to protest the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan. If we are left to pointless gestures, can we at least cry “no blood for sport?”
Despite flaws in the program, children deserve health care On Wed., Oct. 3, President George Bush vetoed a bill that would have increased the national child health care budget $35 billion over FLASH the next five years. CLARK Under the current policy, four million regular American children columnist are covered by health insurance provided by the government. Under the program’s extension, those who would qualify would be typically lower middle-class children belonging to a family subsisting on or below a mean annual income of $52,000, or the equivalent of 250 percent of the nation’s poverty line. Democrats’ proposed increase would double the number of children covered by the program to 8 million. Proponents of the legislation hope that the increase will assist families who earn too much money to qualify for Medicaid insurance, but do not have an income that affords them private insurance. In the rough this sounds like a sensible and humane solution to a problem that invariably embarrasses one of the most industrialized and socially developed country in the world. The problem is, no one realizes just how fundamentally flawed the program is. Democrats contend that the funding for this endeavor would be raised through the taxation of cigarettes. The bill would raise the federal tax on a package of cigarettes by 61 cents, a 156 percent increase over the 39 cent tax already levied by the federal govern-
ment, and that is in addition to the taxes levied by individual states and localities. Despite the good intentions of legislators to protect the nation’s youth, the employment of this proposal by penalizing unhealthy behavior is rife with inadequacies. Opponents rightfully assert that it will become the burden of the poor and poorer in this country to foot the bill for the added insurance. The larger smoker demographic is, and traditionally has been, consumers who are quite politely deemed the “lower class.” So life, which is a financial struggle, becomes an even greater struggle. This in itself brings up a catch-22. If the bill had passed, the poor would have been affected disproportionately; however, the children of those disproportionately-affected families would at least have had coverage. Conversely, a presidential veto means non-coverage for an additional four million children, but more concerning is the fact that a portion of those children are living in smoking households, granting them even greater need for health coverage. Additionally, smoking is on the decline in America. This means that educational programs are working and public awareness is growing. In fact, according to the Washington Post, since the “Big Tobacco” lawsuits in 1998, the national rate of cigarette consumption has dropped 20 percent to levels similar to those in the early 1930s, and in 2005 alone there was a 4.2 percent decline in consumption. This means that supporters of the bill are planning to fund it with a resource
that is being depleted at an accelerated rate. It is analogous to the idea of warming a home by burning its timbers in the hearth. So in essence, the program has the potential to starve during the interim of its long-term benefits. Adding to the controversy is the inexplicable reasoning of proponents to exclude the children of illegal immigrants, supposing that we are all created equal only if born within U.S. borders or made equal by naturalization. This in itself is ludicrous considering children don’t illegally immigrate here by themselves, so while it may take on the appearance of a bill designed to provide a measure of humanity, it is nonetheless a bill still characterized by partisan politics. Many will undoubtedly vilify Bush for his recent veto, but it should at least be noted that the program’s expansion is not as perfect a creature as the democratic and republican backers make it seem to be. What is clear is that children should have health care coverage in this country. That’s just the way it should be, and in the shadow of President Bush’s resolution to kill this program’s expansion, it would be in his best interests to see to it that some similar and effective measure is taken to protect, at the very least, those who would have benefited from the legislation. Similarly, democrats must realize that they were foolish for building their house on sand and begin designing a solid, sustainable plan based on positive revenue generation instead of specifically targeting one harmful behavioral trait that is on the decline and capitalizing on it.
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 Collegiate Times Editorial Staff Editor in Chief Amie Steele Managing Editors Joe Kendall, Saira Haider Production Manager Claire Craft Public Editor Colleen Webster News Editors Kevin Anderson, Meg Miller News Reporters Rosanna Brown, Michelle Rivera, Peter Hurley, Ashley Oliver, Andrea Woods Features Editor Sharon Pritz Associate Features Editors Caroline Black, Drew Jackson Features Reporter Katelyn Lau Opinions Editor Laurel Colella Sports Editor Ryan McConnell Associate Sports Editor Charles Barrineau Sports Reporters T. Rees Shapiro, Torrey Smith, Bryan Wright Head Copy Editor David Harries Copy Editors Mary Hardbarger, Kati Ann Leonburger, Cate Summers, Photo Editors Sally Bull, Kyle Swanson Layout Designers Josh Son, Krystal Stevens, Melanie Welzel, Jenna Wolfe Graphic Designer Ben MacDonald Online Director Christopher Ritter Multimedia Editor Colin Smith Multimedia Producer Christina Pfeifer Senior Web Producer Tim Tutt Web Producers Jon Boblitt, John Edstrom, Gabreil Martinez Community Content Editor Sean O’Mara Web Staff Timothy Lee Collegiate Times Business Staff Business Manager Robert Bowman Marketing Manager Whitney Ludvik College Media Solutions Staff Advertising Director Xavier L. Herrera Ads Production Manager Anika Stickles Asst Production Manager Ashley Shoemaker Ads Production/Creation Kristin Claeys, Sarah Ford, Kaiesha Morgan, Alyssa Peltier, Catherine Worsham Assistant Advertising Directors Ashley Culbreth, Patrick Fitzgerald, Katelynn Reilly National Account Executive Robbie Zayas Account Executives Jenna Given, Don Janocha, Beau King, Katy McCall, John Welch Assistant Account Executives Kayla Clements, Blythe Dalton, Tara Darby, Amy Guzewicz, Ashlee Goodwin, Jennifer Himlich, Kelli Lyman, David Ross, Mike Walsh, Suzanne Watkins Marketing Manager Devin Armstrong Student Publication Photo Staff Director of Photography Shaozhuo Cui Business Manager Jim Dickhans
Voice your opinion. Readers are encouraged to send letters and comments to the Collegiate Times. 365 Squires Student Center Blacksburg, Va. 24061 Fax: (540) 231-9151 opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com Students must include name, year, major and phone number. Faculty and staff must include name, position and department. All other submissions must include name, residence, and if applicable, relationship to Virginia Tech (i.e. alumni, parent, etc.). Letters should not exceed 300 words, and should be in MS Word (.doc) format if possible. Letters, commentaries and editorial cartoons do not reflect the views of the Collegiate Times. Editorials are written by the Collegiate Times editorial board. Letters to the editor are submissions from Collegiate Times readers. We reserve the right to edit for any reason. Anonymous letters will not be printed. To order a reprint of a photograph printed in the Collegiate Times, e-mail spps@vt.edu. Have a news tip? Call 231-9865 or e-mail: tips@collegiatetimes.com Collegiate Times Phone Numbers News/Features 231-9865 Sports/Opinions 231-9870 Editor-in-Chief 231-9867 College Media Solutions Phone Number Advertising 961-9860
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The Collegiate Times, a division of the Educational Media Company at Virginia Tech, was established in 1903 by and for the students of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The Collegiate Times is published every Tuesday through Friday of the academic year except during exams and vacations. The Collegiate Times receives no funding from the university. The Collegiate Times can be found online at www.collegiatetimes.com. Except where noted, all photographs were taken by the Student Publications Photo Staff.The Collegiate Times is located in 365 Squires Student Center, Blacksburg, Va. 24061. (540) 231-9865. Fax (540) 231-9151. Subscription rates: $65 semester; $90 academic year; $105 full year. The first copy is free, any copy of the paper after that is 50 cents per issue. © Collegiate Times, October 5, 2007. All rights reserved. Material published in the Collegiate Times is the property thereof, and may not be reprinted without the express written consent of the Collegiate Times.
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friday, october 5, 2007
Inside the Blacksburg Transit: Don’t get left behind in the a.m. PLANING A MORNING ROUTINE BETTER CAN ENSURE THAT STUDENTS GET TO CLASS ON TIME LAURA INGLES
ct staff writer
KYLE SWANSON/SPPS
The Gym Class Heroes performed last night in Burruss Auditorium to an enthusiastic crowd.
Heroes: The Pack provides opening entertainment from page one
his act to say “Virginia Tech, you sit down-motherf------.” This brought most of the crowd to its feet. DJ Abilities gave a focused performance and welcomed audience participation. Screams from fans brought smiles to Abilities’ face. “DJ Abilities fused rock and hip-hop. He started with little to no crowd enthusiasm … I went and bought a shirt; he sold me,” said senior Alex Leatherman industrial and systems engineering major. The Pack opened at 7:45 p.m. and came out in bright lights and flashy accessories, which included white bug-eyed sunglasses, Ray Bans, low-slung pants, and silver chains. Each of the four members were in constant motion throughout the entire performance and more than welcomed audience participation. The Pack concluded the night with “Vans,” with one of the band members holding up his sneaker while singing “got my Vans on, but they look like sneakers.” The band concluded by thanking Verizon and Tech as they exited in near darkness to the Who’s “Baba O’Riley.”
This was freshman Reece Fasick’s first time seeing The Pack in concert. Fasick came to the concert wearing one of the band’s concert T-shirts and expressed enthusiasm for them. “I thought it was better than what I had expected. There just very down to Earth guys. They were just having fun up there. I liked how they slowed down the chorus of ‘I Look Good’ so the audience could sing along to it,” said Fasick after their performance. At 8:30 p.m., one of the eightmember Gym Class Heroes came out waving a blue Gym Class Heroes flag with Burruss a little less than half full. Lead singer Travis McCoy interacted mostly with the crowd, while other members made sure that the keyboardists and drummer in the back were not ignored by “visiting” them periodically. Travis introduced every song was by explaining the origins of each one. McCoy took one of his longer pauses to talk to the audience about women and relationships. He even went as far as beckoning two VTU volunteers, one of whom was Jordan Gregg, to come on stage. Both nervously came
on stage as McCoy held Gregg’s hand and began serenading her with “Beautiful Girls.” This song provided a segue into Gym Class Heroes’ hit “Cupid’s Chokehold.” The entire crowd was up on its feet and singing along. “I had a lot of fun, I like songs that I can sing along to. Before I came, I asked one of my friends what the genre of this band was and she was like it was a mix of hip-hop, and rap infused with funk. I don’t think that there is a way to describe them, its just all different genres,” said civil engineering graduate student Seyran Celik. Attendees were constantly entertained even during set changes. Behind the stage was a big projection screen where attendees could text and send pictures to between acts. Texts that elicited strong reactions from the crowd included “UVa in the house,” and “Glennon 4 heisman.” “VTU has always prided itself on bringing artists to Tech that get bigger. We started looking into booking Gym Class Heroes in May. We were thrilled when they won best new artist at the VMAs this September,” said business major David Silberstein, Concerts Director for VTU.
As if hitting the snooze too many times, running out of hot water, digging around for a clean-ish pair of jeans and remembering to grab a cereal bar before running out the door isn’t enough, students have to take one more thing into consideration: actually getting to class on time. And for those of us living off campus, this sometimes involves taking the bus. Do you often find yourself tapping your foot and glaring at your watch among thirty other students, only to watch three buses pas by flashing “FULL” on the front? Unfortunately, only so many buses (three or four) run each route at a time. Fortunately, there are actions you can take to use Blacksburg Transit more efficiently. “If students would get out there an extra ten minutes earlier, they’d have a larger chance of getting on one of those empty buses,” said Fiona Rhodes, BT spokesman. Seriously? It’s that simple? Yep. If twenty or thirty others are keeping you company at the bus stop, then you’re trying to get to campus during a “peak time.” During these peak times, because everybody and their brother are trying to catch a bus in order to get to class, obviously the buses are going to fill up more quickly. As much as we all hate dragging ourselves out of bed any earlier, getting to the stop ten to fifteen minutes earlier and beating the “peak time” traffic may just get you a seat on the bus. If you absolutely insist on getting those extra few minutes in bed or in the shower, rather than getting to the bus stop at an earlier time, try waiting at a different stop, even if it is a bit out of your way. Ron Parker, BT operations supervisor, suggests simply crossing the street.
STAFF/SPPS FILE PHOTO
In an effort to get to class on time, students are having to take earlier buses during “peak times” of the Blacksburg Transit schedule. The Hethwood bus, for example, simultaneously runs a bus to and from campus. Catch the bus on its way back from campus as opposed to on its way there; chances are it will be less crowded, even if you do have to go a street or two out of your way. If a bus should seemingly heartlessly fly past you, it’s nothing personal — quite the opposite, actually. Because buses have maximum capacities, drivers have to be aware of the number of students at each stop. If a thirty-foot bus with a maximum capacity of sixty passengers picks up twenty students at one stop and thirty at the next, it cannot stop for another large group and only allow a small number to board. It may, however, stop
for a smaller group of perhaps three or four students at the next stop. So rather than adding to the crowd accumulating at the stop directly outside your apartment, check out the stop down the block and you might just have better luck. Oh, and a note to those who travel on foot around campus: try not to take the “pedestrians have the right-of-way” rule too seriously. Drivers are on a tight schedule and get the most backed up on campus, particularly between McBryde and Burruss halls. If you and a bus reach a crosswalk at the same time, give the driver that little “go ahead” wave; drivers and their passengers will greatly appreciate it.
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editor: ryan mcconnell email: sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw noon - 2 p.m.
october 5, 2007
Ore tries to shake early season troubles T. REES SHAPIRO
ct sports reporter There’s a name that’s whispered among the scattered voices in the parking lot tailgates before games. It’s discussed among television football analysts and cheered with excitement by the sea of maroon and orange in the stands of Lane Stadium. A single man, barely recognized before last year, now carries a reputation and great expectations onto the field every time his hands touch the ball and his feet dance down the yard markers. Mostly, the whisperers wonder, “What’s wrong with Branden Ore?” Ore’s response? “Nothing.” Statistically, however, the numbers aren’t adding up. At least, not in comparison to his performance last season. By game five last year the red shirt junior running back Ore had accumulated 458 yards from 87 carries, and 8 touchdowns. Over the same span this season, he has 298 yards from 84 carries and just 3 touchdowns.
“He’s a special player, no doubt about it. I’ve had a lot of great backs, but they are only as good as the people in front of them.” - BILLY HITE RUNNING BACKS COACH, SPEAKING ABOUT BRANDON ORE His lack of production has caused concern heading into Saturday’s pivotal match-up against 4-1 Clemson, a team that has no problem putting points on the board, being ranked No. 2 in the conference with 19 touchdowns. However, with the addition of right tackle Ed Wang, previously out for the first five games because of a broken ankle sustained during preseason, the running game could see a
ROY HIGASHI/SPPS
Freshman Tyrod Taylor attempts to elude UNC defenders last week. Taylor and the Hokies will take on Clemson tomorrow night.
AL FAYEZ/SPPS
Branden Ore (28) dodges an Ohio University defender in the game three weeks ago in Lane Stadium. After a slow start to the season, Ore hopes to step it up for the remainder of the season. boost in vital statistics, especially with Clemson’s rushing defense allowing 154 yards a game. But for running backs coach Billy Hite, the numbers aren’t first priority, it’s another statistic: wins. “The most important thing is to win. We’re 4-1. The stats are good to have, but the number one goal is to score enough to win,” Hite said. “If we can’t win at Clemson, we’re in trouble. The guys are working hard to prepare. And it’s frustrating; it’s not for the lack of effort, but it’s always somebody different on every play. All eleven players have to execute on every play.” Hite explained several reasons for Ore’s lackluster start to the season. Hite said Ore was not productive during the off-season workouts and has already been riddled with injuries in the first five games. “Branden did not come into camp in great shape,” Hite said. “He’s bruised his ribs, sprained his ankle and hurt his hamstring. All these injuries have been carrying over so
far every game.” After Ore’s breakout sophomore season as Tech’s No. 1 threat on the grass, he’s been marked by the team, and by opposing teams, as the heart of the offense. And he knows it. “I want him to know, to believe, this team depends on him; it’s on his shoulders,” said Hite. “He’s a special player, no doubt about it. I’ve had a lot of great backs, but they are only as good as the people in front of them. We’re going to gel, it’s going to happen.” Much of the blame for this season’s unimpressive running game has been largely dealt to the offensive line. Ryan Shuman, who plays center for the maligned unit, felt that the criticism was fair but tiresome to hear. “We know we can do it,” Shuman said, “Our coaches have confidence in us, and we have it within ourselves. It’s not the personnel, it’s executing our blocks. If we can have every game like the first half of Saturday’s game (against UNC), where we ran for 100 yards in a quar-
ter, it’s good.” Shuman testified that the line was working as hard as possible to open up the running game and that Ore is a “great back, we’ve just got to get him loose.” Ore has felt the eyes of the Hokie faithful on him all along. He knows what’s expected of him now after an 1100-yard season, which included back-to-back 200 yard rushing games, one of those against Clemson. But he asserts he’s still just one man of eleven. “I can’t be Superman on every play,” Ore said. “It’s group effort; it’s the whole of the unit working together. I can’t do it alone. I’m just one person on the play … All I control is to go out and play; if at the end of the game I have 200 yards, it’d be great.” The team roster lists over 120 names. Yet only three letters seem to be the focus of this year’s offense, a fact even Ore can’t ignore. “(The pressure) feels good, but it’s terrible, at the same time” Ore said. “But I like it.”
Clemson: Passing needs to improve from page ten
Duane Brown. “For the younger guys going into (Clemson Memorial Stadium), I think they’ll be a little bit better prepared.” Among those youngsters is true freshman quarterback Tyrod Taylor. While Taylor has shown great promise in scrambling and making plays with his feet since coming in midway through the second quarter in Baton Rouge, La., Tech’s passing game has not drastically improved following the quarterback switch and the Hokies sit 112th out of 119 teams in total offense. As a result, the Hokies could employ a simpler offensive approach in order to accommodate the number of reads the young quarterback needs to make. “I really think, if anything, we need to cut back,” Beamer said. “I think you try to cut back the quarterback reads… and not let (Taylor’s) mind tie up his ability.”
A strong running game will also help Taylor and the offense in a tough road environment. Junior running back Branden Ore has battled illness and injury in the early stages of the 2007 season but has shown steady improvement in recent weeks, including a season high 93 rush yards last week against North Carolina. “Two weeks ago, he was sick on Friday and sick on Saturday,” Beamer said. “Then he had the ankle injury and the hamstring injury, so he’s kind of fighting through some things right now.” A healthy Ore could provide the extra boost that the Hokies need on offense to find some offensive rhythm and ensure that they don’t face the same ominous fortune as Clemson did last season in Blacksburg. The top-25 showdown will be broadcast on ESPN, with kickoff scheduled for 6 p.m.
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friday, october 5, 2007
Soccer: Gray scores, Owens records nine saves on the night from page one
presence.” Tech’s shooters attacked the opposition’s goal throughout the game with a total of 12 shots on goal. Miami goalie Lauren McAdam did not allow anything to get past her for the entire first half, making diving saves on more than one occasion. Perhaps one of the most promising openings given to the Hokies on the night came early in the second half when freshman Jessica Varela passed
it to forward Julian Johnson who was only a couple feet away from the goal. But McAdam was there once again, as she seemed to be whenever the ball came remotely close to the goal, and robbed Johnson of a golden opportunity. Tech finally figured McAdam out with 29:31 left to go in the second half when freshman Marika Gray scored on a Johnson-assisted goal which tied the game up at 1-1 a piece. The score was Gray’s sixth goal of the season, which leads the
team. The goal by Gray gave the Hokies hope for a win. However, goaltenders for both teams continued with their solid play and did not allow a score in either overtime, which cemented the tie. The Hokies will have the beginning part of the weekend to rest but will see action again on Sunday at 1 p.m. when they host the other ACC team from the Sunshine state, the ninth-ranked Florida State Seminoles.
MARK UMANSKY/SPPS
Marika Gray’s score evened up the contest, leading to a 1-1 draw last night against the University of Miami.
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friday, october 5, 2007
page 10
Battle
BACKS
of the
When Virginia Tech steps onto the field Saturday to face Clemson, they’ll find themselves staring back at a very similar opponent. Both teams sit at 4-1 and desperately need to escape the contest with a win to continue having ACC title aspirations. Both have first year starters at quarterback and stingy defenses. But most importantly, they rely heavily on the ground game. C.J. Spiller and James Davis are the most lethal duo in the country, and Tech’s defense will have to shut them down like they did last year to have a shot at winning. Branden Ore will have to overcome his early season troubles for Tech to have a chance, and Kenny Lewis Jr. will have to be solid in relief.
When Tech has the ball... Hokie Offense QB 5
Tyrod Taylor
When Clemson has the ball...
TORREY SMITH
Tiger iger Offense
Offense
ct sports reporter 6-1, 206, Fr
Key Player: RB 28 Branden Ore 5-11, 205, Jr This year: 84 carries, 298 yds, 4 TD FB 39
Carlton Weatherford
5-10, 230, Sr
WR 4
Eddie Royal
5-10, 180, Sr
WR 81
Justin Harper
6-4, 214, Sr
TE 83
Sam Wheeler
6-3, 258, So
LT 76
Duane Brown
6-5, 308, Sr
LG 64
Richard Graham
6-6, 278, Sr
C 58
Ryan Shuman
6-3, 314, Jr
RG 66
Sergio Render
6-4, 326, So
RT 67
Nick Marshman
6-5, 357, Jr
Tiger Defense
Last October, a highly-ranked Clemson Tigers team, which had strung together several wins following a loss in the second week of the season, entered a hostile Lane Stadium for a crucial conference game in front of a nationally televised audience. Fast-forward to a year later, and the Virginia Tech Hokies are in nearly the same position that Clemson was last season when the two teams met. In the last meeting, the Hokies dominated Clemson from the opening kickoff and cruised to C.J. Spiller a 24-7 victory. Tech’s defense completely shut down the Tigers’ dynamic backfield duo of James Davis and C.J. Spiller, holding them to a measly 71 yards on 22 carries. However, both Davis and Spiller return this season and have rushed for a combined 655 yards and five touchdowns through five games. “We’re playing a really good football team, offensively,” said Tech head coach Frank Beamer. “Those two backs are unbelievable.” The Tech defense will once again look to contain the Clemson rushing attack and force the Tigers to beat them in the air, but that is no small task. “The way those backs are… one missed tackle and it’s a big play for them,” said senior linebacker Vince Hall. “We just got to make sure we secure our tackles when we hit them.” Despite the strong early season play of quarterback Cullen Harper — he enters Saturday ranked 12th nationally in passing efficiency — the Tigers’ offensive rhythm is predicated on the effectiveness of their rushing attack. The proof came last Saturday when Clemson suffered its first loss of the season in a 13-3 loss to Georgia Tech, a game in which Davis and Spiller ran for only 62 yards total. Clemson, though, also missed four field goals, dropped a long snap on a punt and had another punt blocked in that game, which presents an obvious concern for Clemson head coach Tommy Bowden as he prepares for the Hokies. “We spend time on punt protection every day of the week,” Bowden said. “But (Virginia Tech) does create a sense of urgency and attention to detail because of its success, which you might not have with another team.” Tech returns to Death Valley for the second time this season — LSU’s Tiger Stadium is also aptly known by the same name — having gained valuable experience from its first trip to the Valley. “I think LSU was a good learning experience for us,” said senior tackle
QB 10
Cullen Harper
6-4, 220, Jr
Key Player: RB 1 James Davis 5-11, 210, Jr This year: 70 carries, 454 yds, 4 TD RB 28
C.J. Spiller
5-11, 210, So
WR 6
Jacoby Ford
5-10, 185, So
WR 80
Aaron Kelly
6-5, 190, Jr
TE 86
Michael Palmer
6-5, 245, So
LT 79
Barry Richardson
6-7, 330, Sr
LG 68
Chris McDuffie
6-5, 330, Sr
C 71
Barry Humphries
6-3, 295, So
RG 65
Thomas Austin
6-3, 315, So
RT 67
Christian Capote
6-4, 300, Sr
Hokie Defense DE 49 Chris Ellis Defense DT 39 Carlton Powell
6-2, 293, Sr
DR 59
Barry Booker
6-4, 290, Sr
DE 90
Orion Martin
6-2, 256, Jr
LB 11
Xavier Adibi
6-2, 236, Sr
LB 9
Vince Hall
6-0, 238, Sr
LB 41
Cam Martin
6-2, 211, So
ROV 17
Kam Chancellor
6-3, 220, So
6-3, 205, Jr
CB 18
Brandon Flowers
5-10, 200, Jr
Chris Clemons
6-1, 210, Jr
CB 1
Victor Harris
6-0, 203, Jr
Crezdon Butler
6-0, 185, So
FS 25
DJ Parker
6-0, 198, Sr
DE 94 Phillip Merling Defense DT 97 Dorell Scott
6-5, 280, Jr
DT 91
Rashaad Jackson
6-5, 295, Sr
DE 7
Ricky Sapp
6-4, 240, So
LB 20
Tramaine Billie
6-1, 210, Sr
LB 45
Cortney Vincent
6-0, 225, Jr
LB 32
Nick Watkins
6-2, 220, Sr
CB 38
Chris Chancellor
5-10, 170, So
SS 25
Michael Hamlin
FS 22 CB 18
6-4, 320, Jr
see CLEMSON, page seven
6-5, 267, Sr
Kenny Lewis
Branden Ore
4
THINGS THINGS
to watch this
WEEKEND
James Davis
1. FIELD POSITION
2. DEATH VALLEY
3. CLEMSON BACKFIELD
4. TECH BACKFIELD
The Hokies will be successful if they can limit the number of Clemson drives in the red zone. Clemson’s kicker Mark Buchholz is 3-8 this season on kicks of 30 yards or more. He could also have some sore legs after playing in a soccer game at Maryland Friday evening. If the Hokies can keep Clemson to a touchdown they’ll have a decent shot of leaving with a victory.
Saturday will mark the second time this season that the Hokies enter a visiting stadium tagged "Death Valley." The first time at LSU the result was a forgettable one. In their second go around, the environment shouldn’t be much easier, thanks to a raucous crowd of 81,750 at Clemson Memorial Stadium. The Tigers are undefeated at home this season with victories over FSU, Louisiana-Monroe and Furman.
The Clemson running back tandem of James Davis and C.J. Spiller is arguably one of the most talented backfield duos in all of college football. The two backs have started the season with 655 yards and five scores. Add wide receiver Jacoby Ford to the mix, with143 yards on just 10 attempts, and the Tigers have themselves one formidable multidimensional rushing attack.
Branden Ore racked up 203 yards and two touchdowns last year against the Tigers, leading the Hokies to a memorable upset. So far this season he’s been off to a slow start. A solid performance from the workhorse will be crucial to take some of the pressure off Tyrod Taylor. Look for Kenny Lewis Jr. to get more than the two carries he did against North Carolina.
EQUAL HOUSING
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