COLLEGIATETIMES
thursday november 13, 2008 blacksburg, va.
www.collegiatetimes.com
news OBAMA LAUNCHES CHANGE.GOV President-elect Barack Obama has started a new Web site to further his attempts at reaching out to the American people. Change.gov allows its visitors to suggest ideas for the new administration, OBAMA asking for the input of Americans on every aspect of his agenda. The site also features a countdown to the inauguration and will provide blog updates on the transition from President-elect to President.
sports WOMEN’S SOCCER OPENS NCAAS AGAINST BYU Tech women’s soccer will make its second appearance in the NCAA Tournament when they take on the Brigham Young Cougars tomorrow at 9 p.m. The opening round meeting, to be played in Provo, Utah, marks the first time that the Hokies have played a team from the Mountain West Conference.
Financial aid eases tuition pains AS TUITION INCREASES ACROSS THE COUNTRY, CHEAP LOANS AND EXPANDED FINANCIAL AID PACKAGES FOR LOW-INCOME STUDENTS FILL THE VOID. ZACH CRIZER
ct news reporter Students around the country have seen tuition and fees rise considerably, and may become dependent on financial aid to come to the rescue. According to the College Board’s Trends in College Pricing, four-year public institutions saw a 5.7 percent increase in total charges this year for in-state students, versus a 5.2 percent increase for out-of-state students. The Consumer Price Index, a sur-
National average tuition increase for public in-state students: 5.7% National average tuition increase for public out-of-state students: 5.2% Increase in Consumer Price index: 5.6%
vey of prices on a variety of goods and services, however, rose 5.6 percent from July 2007 to July 2008. Therefore, in constant dollars, out of state students actually saw a decrease in charges. Virginia Tech Director of Scholarships and Financial Aid Barry Simmons said families would feel the pinch that is being put on colleges. “Any time consumer prices go up, colleges costs can be affected,” Simmons said. “There is less discretionary income for families to use
Tech students whose families make over $100,000 per year: 41.8% National average of college students whose families make over $100,000 per year: 22.71% Subsidized Stafford Loan interest rates: 2006-2007: 6.8% 2011-2012: 3.4%
see TUITION, page two
SARA SPANGLER/COLLEGIATE TIMES
In shift, Change afoot: Local group wants a longer Huckleberry trail town OKs Sonic at 1st and Main Connection to National Forest Trail Network
Downtown Blacksburg
Virginia Tech Campus
The Huckleberry Trail
Montgomery County Public Library
CALEB FLEMING
Hethwood
nrv editor
Planning Phase Construction Phase Design Phase Current Huckleberry Trail
TECH’S THOMPSON OUT FOUR TO SIX WEEKS
Virginia Tech Airport
Proposed Connection to New River Trail State Park
Montgomery Regional Hospital 460
Peppers Ferry Rd.
New River Valley Mall
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Hokies men’s basketball forward J.T. Thompson is scheduled to THOMPSON have surgery Friday morning to remedy an inguinal hernia and will miss four to six weeks. Thompson was diagnosed with the injury on Wednesday.
Tuition from 2007-2008 to 2008-2009
SARA SPANGLER/COLLEGIATE TIMES
corrections The photographer of yesterday’s feature picture was Brian Clay. In the article “Author Thomas Laird shares lesson from the Dalai Lama,” his book The Story of Tibet: Conversations with the Dalai Lama should have been referred to as nonfiction. The Chicago Klezmer Ensemble will perform a free concert on Wednesday, Nov. 19. The Collegiate Times regrets these errors. If you see something in today’s paper that needs to be corrected, please e-mail our public editor at publiceditor@collegiatetimes.com, or call 540.231.9865.
weather RAINY high 57, low 47
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Classifieds..............7 Sports....................4 Sudoku..................7
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 105th year issue 104
JUSTIN GRAVES
ct news reporter Plans remain in the works to extend one of the most popular pedestrian trails in Montgomery County. The Huckleberry Trail, an asphaltpaved bike and pedestrian path, currently runs all the way from Blacksburg Library to the New River Valley Mall shopping center. With distance markers at every half-mile, it currently tops out at 5.762 miles. The trail also has several benches so pedestrians can sit and enjoy the scenery when not walking. “I think that people, for a variety of reasons, are thinking of easier ways to commute to and from campus,” said Debby Freed, Tech’s
Alternative Transportation manager. She is primarily responsible for the extension of the trail relative to Tech. “They are looking at their bicycles and thinking it’s a good way to do it,” Freed said. “It’s environmentally friendly. It’s a great source of exercise.” The Huckleberry Trail project doesn’t just have support on campus. A non-profit organization, Friends of the Huckleberry, is instrumental in endorsing the extension and promotion of the trail. Current plans are to extend the trail along Route 460 to the Hethwood community. Bill Ellenbogen, twice a Tech graduate, is president of Friends of the Huckleberry. “We organized this particularly for the purpose of extending the Huckleberry Trail and
promoting it to the community,” Ellenbogen said. To make it easier for pedestrians, work is being done so that all of these trails can travel through town, county and university property. “One of my jobs on campus is to promote bicycle use, and one of the ways to do that is to extend the trail network,” Freed said. “I’m really excited about it.” In 1990, the year Friends was founded, the Huckleberry consisted of a mile of trail from Blacksburg Library to Margaret Beeks Elementary School. At the time, the goal was to extend the trail all the way to Christiansburg. With the railroad that already ran such a path, there was a lot of right of way available. This
see TRAIL, page two
Professor takes a look at violent women RILEY PRENDERGAST
ct news reporter Laura Sjoberg, a professor of political science, weighed in on her theories of how violent women are treated differently than violent men last night. She took a few minutes to sit down before her lecture to give an overview of her research Q&A into the gender gap between men and women in the area of global political violence. Q: Has (women’s violence) been a main area of your study? A: It’s kind of half of what I do. The other half of what I do is feminist theories of international security, and this is the empirical stuff that proves why the theoretical stuff is necessary. Q: This lecture series is being put on by the Women’s Center and women’s studies program; do you often work closely with this department? A: I’m an affiliated faculty with women’s studies. This is my second year here, so I’m really just really starting to get involved, but I think that it is a very important part of the academic life on campus. Q: Now what is the most important focal point of your lecture, if you could possibly sum it all up? A: The focal point for the lecture is that
violent women are treated in the media and scholarly accounts as if, first, they don’t have any agency in their violence and, second, that violent women are no different from real or “normal” women who are still innocent and peaceful and pure. Q: What do you feel is something that can relate to women on campus? A: My sound bite for women on campus is that this matters to you, and it matters to you because it shows that even though the spectrum of what we think women can do has widened. They can work outside the home, they can go to college, but the boundaries are still there and you can see that when you look at how we treat women who commit political violence. Q: What are some of examples of this political violence? A: The lecture is based off of a book that we published last year, and there are four empirical chapters. One is based on women who commit war crimes as soldiers in the military, for example in the women in the prison abuse scandal in Iraq. The next is suicide bombers in Palestine and Iraq. One is on women suicide bombers in Chechnya. Then the fourth chapter is on women who lead or participate in genocide and genocidal rape, and it focuses on two examples, one in Rwanda and one in former Yugoslavia. Q: So, you’re touching on these women who
have been involved in this type of violence, and are not being looked at the same as the men who have been involved in this type of violence? A: Yes, people think that the men did it for politics. But the women did it because their husband left them, or because she can’t have children, or because their husbands told them to. So there is no emotion in the men and there’s no politics in the women. And I want to deconstruct that for reasons of both understanding gender and gender equality better. Also because I don’t think that you can understand violence unless you break down that rational/emotional dichotomy. Q: Are there any major points that you would want people to know about this topic? A: I would say that kind of the important thing to know is that one of the things I’ve learned about violence from studying women’s violence is that sometimes gender separations may sometimes exist where you can’t always see them and where you wouldn’t think. And who would want to defend a woman suicide bomber, you know? On the other hand, by letting people characterize a woman suicide bomber as a depraved or killed herself because her husband told her to; that, as opposed to any interest in the political reasons for which she died. That also lets people categorize you, and I think that that is something important to pay attention to.
On Tuesday evening, the Blacksburg Town Council unanimously approved a Sonic Drive-In restaurant at the First & Main center on South Main Street in Blacksburg. The decision came after the council had previously denied Sonic’s application on a 4-3 vote in June, citing concerns of noise pollution, unsafe walkways for pedestrians and poor access to the property. Councilmen Al Leighton and Ron Rordam, as well as former councilman Paul Lancaster, voted yes on Sonic’s original application. Council members Susan Anderson, Donald Langrehr and Thomas Sherman, along with councilwoman Mary Holliman, voted no. The council agreed to hear an amended application for the Sonic on Nov. 11, and subsequently approved the special-use permit to build in a unanimous 7-0 vote. The 7-0 vote includes two new council members, Vice Mayor Leslie Hager-Smith and councilman Derek Myers. The plan was approved with a dozen modifications from the original, including sidewalk connections from Sonic to adjacent restaurants and retail shops, and the banishment of lighted signs. Additionally, “Sonic radio” announcements that are native to the restaurant are banned from the Blacksburg store. “We (initially) turned down the project because we weren’t happy with the noise that would emanate from the site and with the lack of pedestrian access,” Langrehr said. “They remedied those plans and we approved it.” Myers began his position on the council in July, but had attended prior work sessions and was familiar with the Sonic proposals. “I liked the changes; the fact that they were going to encourage customers to turn off their engines and discourage idling,” Myers said. “And that they discontinued ‘Sonic radio.’ I’m also glad they have a bike rack out front.” Myers added that he would have voted against the proposal in June, and still doesn’t feel it represents the kind of sustainable business that is needed in Blacksburg. Yet, Myers said he “admires how the corporation came around and made good-faith efforts to make the place more pedestrian accessible. Without just totally altering the nature of their business, they’ve been really accommodating.” With the passage of the permit, the remainder of the project will be worked out in the town’s planning department. Langrehr said that there are no additional approvals to be passed through the council, rather just building codes to follow. Fairmount Properties, the developer for Sonic and First & Main, filed a lawsuit in July that stated the council had acted discriminatorily and out of vengeance for the current legal battle over an 186,000 square foot bigbox store on Country Club Drive. Sherman said that Tuesday evening’s approval would almost certainly end the legal proceedings. Sherman, who had previously voted to veto the proposal, was pleased with the alterations made to the application. “They made a number of positive changes in the proposal, mostly involving pedestrian access,” Sherman said. “It is important for people to be able to get there on foot as well as in cars.” Langrehr added that the council’s passage of the special-use permit shows that there was no bias or ulterior motive behind the council’s denial in June. “This decision proves that that is false,” Langrehr said. “(The developers) came back with a plan that remedied those problems, and the decision is final; we’re done with it.” Sherman said that the Sonic would be beneficial to Blacksburg, noting that residents will be pleased to no longer need to drive to Christiansburg for their Cherry Limeades. The Sonic special-use permit was one of five that was approved unanimously, something that Langrehr said is not uncommon. “Fairly often, when a plan is submitted that meets a lot of our design standards, we often approve projects unanimously,” Langrehr said.
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november 13, 2008
editor: ashley oliver email: universitynews@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw 1 - 2 p.m.
editor: caleb fleming email: nrvnews@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw 2 - 3 p.m.
Tuition: Loan rates a financial boon from page one
on college.” Colleges in Virginia have also been affected by state budgeting. “One of the other things is that the share of state budgets going to higher education has consistently decreased, which is one of the reasons you have seen an increase in tuition costs,” Simmons said. Simmons said in-state students would likely be able to find financial aid. “To some degree we do have more financial aid available for in state students due to the Virginia General Assembly,” Simmons said. Virginia Tech’s in-state students pay between $13,674 and $15,900 in tuition, fees, room and board annually, roughly equivalent to the national average of $14,333. However, out-of-state students, often eligible for less aid, pay more than the national average for fouryear public institutions.
Tech’s out of state students pay anywhere between $26,301 and $28,527. The national average is $25,200. Simmons said that financial aid cannot match everyone’s tuition increase, but students already on need-based aid will not feel a crunch. “Not necessarily on a one-to-one basis, but yet we do have Funds for the Future, which is a program for students with financial need. It offsets increases in tuition,” Simmons said. Some studies suggest Tech has fewer students in financial need than many universities. According to the Profile of the American College Student, families of Tech students show a comparatively high yearly income. Only 14.2 percent of Tech students report their family makes less than $50,000 per year. The national average is 32.3 percent. Tech’s most highly populated income bracket contains households that make between $100,000 and
$250,000 per year. About 34 percent of Tech students fall in that bracket. The national average for the bracket is 17.5 percent. Over 41 percent of Tech students’ families make more than $100,000 per year.
“...the share of state budgets going to higher education has consistently decreased, which is one of the reasons you have seen an increase in tuition costs.” - BARRY SIMMONS DIRECTOR OF SCHOLARSHIPS AND FINANCIAL AID Private loans have seen a drop in volume, Simmons said, adding that colleges often encourage students to use government aid before private aid. “Private loans are decreasing in
volume for a couple of reasons,” Simmons said. “Colleges and universities in general have always discouraged private borrowing. Also, payments for government loans cannot be combined with those for private loans. That can cause financial hardship.” Government aid, particularly federal Stafford loans are increasing in volume, as interest rates for subsidized Stafford loans are dropping. They will be 3.4 percent in 2011-12, as compared to 6.8 percent in 2007-08. Simmons said the new interest rates would not provide any instant relief, but students will have less to pay off in the future. “More than likely it won’t help families immediately, but it will definitely help students long range,” Simmons said. Many Tech students currently do not take advantage of financial aid, and Simmons said he encourages all students to fill out a FAFSA form. “The one thing that I’d like to put out there is that a lot of people self select out of the financial aid process,” Simmons said. “We don’t get as many people to apply as we’d like.” Simmons said federal loans are not as limited as state and private loans. Students have a good chance of receiving aid, even if they are not in dire need.
editor: t. rees shapiro email: campusnews@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw 11 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., tth 12 - 2 p.m.
Trail: Additional branches face right-of-way hurdle from page one
would also make the trail more functional and recreational. “I was very avid and interested in recreation and still am,” Ellenbogen said. “I wanted to see a nice trail developed that could serve more people in a better way.” With the new Hethwood-community stretch, many hope to turn the trail toward the north instead of its present path to the south. Some of the land for this particular project goes through Tech’s property. To make this link, the school received some federal funding. It is also known as phase four of Hokie Bikeways. “That’s going to be a very important link, and we have received notification for funding for that,” Freed said. Extending the trail poses problems of right-of-way over private property. “The most difficult thing to do is to acquire the right-of-way, or the dirt path that would be built on top of,” Ellenbogen said. “There is private property there; it’s always very sensitive. People like their property that
way, and if you put a trail on it, it’s no longer as private as it was.” Funds to extend the trail come from private donations, local government contributions and grant money from the Federal Transportation Enhancement Act. Ellenbogen said that federal funds have constituted the majority of the trail’s extension funding. Joe Meredith, president of Tech’s Corporate Research Center, is an advocate of the project and future extension. He has worked with Ellenbogen continuously in providing funds and strategy for the trail. “I think it’s a huge part of the quality of life in the area,” Meredith said. “It’s something that I’d definitely love to see grow.” Hopefully, two new sections of trail will be in place in the next three or four years. Once the trail is extended to the National Forest, it will be nearly nine miles in length. This is a large change from its initial one-mile length. There are also plans to connect it to an additional 30 miles of trail once it reaches the forest. “On a nice day in the spring or summer, it’s used by a ton of people,” Ellenbogen said.
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editor: bethany buchanan email: features@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: w 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., f 1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
november 13, 2008
Relay for Life organizes ‘freeze’ to raise awareness TOPHER FORHECZ
ct features reporter At first it may seem that Chris Armstrong has magical powers. While standing in the middle of the Drillfield, he raises a white and maroon umbrella 12 minutes after noon and suddenly around 50 people freeze in place all over the Drillfield. It’s not sorcery, just careful planning by the Relay for Life committee. “Essentially what we’re going to do is freeze for two minutes and then hand everyone one of these,” said Armstrong, a senior and co-chair of the Relay for Life Committee before the time freeze, referring to a stack of purple pamphlets with information. Armstrong is seated on a bench in War Memorial, where he has arrived early to wait for everyone to meet. Before trapaising onto the Drillfield, Armstrong stood up on the bench,
went over the game plan, and made sure every was equipped with a hearty supply of pamphlets. The time freeze was inspired by a video that Armstrong saw online of a flash mob performing the same situation in Grand Central Station. Similar activities, which can be viewed on YouTube, have occurred on the Tech Campus as well. The event is the beginning of a marketing blitz for the committee as it attempts to generate interest in the student body. The committee has planned an intense campaign for the relay: An information session was held on Monday and booths in both Squires and Newman will be set up for the rest of the week to answer any questions or get people started; then, in February, the committee plans to have “Purple Week” as well as an event called “Kick Off” that will hopefully jump start people to start fundraising.
“You never really saw stuff around campus,” he said about last year’s campaign, in which he participated. “So, the whole goal of this jump start relay is to get the word out early — we have over 200 signs around campus, a lot of them falling down, unfortunately.” The different campaign style is something that Armstrong hopes will motivate people earlier. “The whole message that we’re giving out this year is that it’s a movement,” Armstrong said. “We want people to join the movement and be a part of this. It’s much more than an event. I guess the way that we explain it is that it’s a year-long fundraising effort, it’s us working hard together, and then on April 24 we all come together to celebrate everything we’ve done.” Many of the participants of the time freeze felt that it was a good way to help garner some buzz. “I thought it was very effective,” said
Allison Parker, a junior hospitality and tourism management major, about the flashmob activities. “People noticed us. For the first time, I think it went very well.” “It’s a great cause that makes an impact on everyone’s everyday life,” she said about the reason behind the run. “And everybody has reason to relay.” “It’s a really relatable cause,” said Alexis Cohem, a junior management major who was standing next to Parkeron the Drillfield in the aftermath of the time freeze. “It’s such a strong program here, it really inspires other people.” It is this program that has made Tech the second largest relay out of 717 colleges nationwide. “When we go to conferences and things like that,” Armstrong said, “everyone’s asking us questions about what we’re doing and how we do things.” Both Parker and Cohem are mem-
bers of the marketing portion of the relay committee. A lot of their efforts in the last weeks have been put toward setting up this week and recruiting teams. “We want people to get involved now so that they can fundraise all year and then celebrate in April versus just having the event be in the spring,” Parker said. Armstrong said becoming part of Relay for Life is a simple process. “Get involved by starting a team or joining a team,” Armstrong said. “The easiest way to do that is go to vtrelay.org and click ‘sign up.’ It’s really easy – you just click that button and there are easy steps to get involved.” The differences between team captains and regular teams members is that captains are obligated to organize the team, manage it as well as fundraise as regular team members. There were around 300 teams last year and this
year each team captain will be assisted by a mentor who will guide them. The time freeze is only the start for the teams, as it’s looking for several different ways to get the word out. For Armstrong, his purpose for helping to orchestrate all of this is to give researches the money they need to get closer to beating cancer. “There’s proven research that our generation is the first one that can say ‘we can find a cure for cancer,’”Armstrong said. “Sixty percent of cancer is curable right now. Through scientific research, and this is a tough thing because it took me a long time to grasp that, they see where the cure is, they know how to get there, they know where the cure is, it’s a matter of time before they can work out the scientific process to get there. So they know where it lies, it’s just a matter of money and time till they get there. “That’s our motivation for really jumping everything up this year.”
Music-mixing programs facilitate personal production JONATHAN YI
ct features reporter Junior Chris Yoon, a general engineering major, first heard about FL Studio over six years ago. Initially using Sony’s Sound Acid, Yoon found his vice. “After some research on the internet, I found FL Studio was the most respected program,” Yoon said. “Sound Acid is a simple loop program, so you cannot actually create loops, only lay them out, while FL Studio allows the users to create their own loops.” But the program doesn’t end with creating loops. It features a mixer, turntables, keyboard, synthesizer, drum packs, EQ’s, filters, sampling, transposing and layering. Image-Line Software’s FL Studio, formerly known as Fruity Loops, is a digital-audio workstation developed by a Belgian company that has garnered respect from musicians from all landscapes. Originally the creation of Didier Dambrin, who is now the lead programmer responsible for the overall development of the program, FL Studio features a fully automatable workflow centered on a pattern-based music sequencer.
FL Studio includes MIDI support and incorporates editing, mixing and recording of audio from a massive database of sound clips. Completed songs can be exported to WAV and MP3 formats. Although the demo can be quite limited, FL Studio allows you to save your projects to come back to later. “FL Studio has everything your basic studio would have,” Yoon said. “There are just so many things you can do with FL Studio; it proves to be the ideal starter program for any young aspiring producer or artist. What makes FL Studio really stand out is how user friendly it really is. At first glance, all the capabilities might overwhelm you, but eventually you learn what you can do, and also what you can’t do, forcing you to think creatively rather than simply relying on technology to do all the effects for you.” Sampling is a major asset of FL Studio. When finding an appropriate sample, many producers have their own form of excavating. Some will burrow through old vinyl in basements while others look for their inspiration in the digital front. “Sampling is about borrowing a sound from the past and putting your own perspective on it,” Yoon said.
“A violin sampled from a disco song might have a happy feel to it but, when sampled, the sound of the violin can be manipulated to evoke any type of emotion. To all the critics, listen to the beat “New York State of Mind” by DJ Premir and tell me that isn’t music.”
“Mastering the basics will help the artist discover more about their own taste and style in music, and allow any artist to really understand the infinite possibilities out there when it comes to making a beat.” -CHRIS YOON JUNIOR ENGINEERING MAJOR But the supply isn’t anything exclusive to these big-time producers. “In today’s world, digging has been made digital and there are many Web sites available in which to look for music. It can be time consuming, but it is always worth it,” Yoon said. “Many more-established producers go through the process of digging, in which they dig through old records,
looking for the next sample to utilize.” But sampling can often be somewhat of an intricate and tedious process. It involves a good ear, a determined mindset and, most importantly, vision. “When you get a sample that you like, usually the first step is to match it up with some drums,” Yoon said. “This is only to find the timing and speed of the sample. Some people don’t start with that, some immediately start chopping up the sample, putting effects on it, reversing it, basically anything possible to make that sample sound different. It’s about sampling out the sounds you want and arranging them over a beat. Once you are satisfied with your loop, you can start messing around with the structure of the song.” The FL Studio Demo, which is available for download off flstudio.com, is a great alternative for producers who’d like to get their foot in the music-producing door without paying a pretty penny. The demo version does not allow you to save your project, but does include all of the program’s features. Still, you can export your creations, rendered to WAV, MIDI and MP3. “Unless you have the money for a studio with all the equipment needed for it, I would suggest Fruity Loops,”
Yoon said. “It is a good starting point, because you get to become familiar with a lot of the terminology that is involved in producing a beat.” But it’s always important to keep simplicity in mind. When given sudden access to a program of this caliber, especially first-time users, people must work their way up before breaking the mold. “Artists need to start with the basics so that they eventually strive for more. If someone just threw you into a multimillion-dollar studio and told you to make a beat, you wouldn’t know where to start — too many possibilities for a beginner to comprehend,” Yoon said. “Start with a basic program, master it and then move on to the next step. Mastering the basics will help the artist discover more about their own taste and style in music, and allow any artist to really understand the infinite possibilities out there when it comes to making a beat.” The great thing about FL Studio is that it’s open to all genres of music at all points in time. Once you learn how to facilitate and make use of all its resources, you should be able to fabricate something remarkable. “FL Studio is a good program for making beats, but other than that, it
lacks what Cake Walk and some other programs have,” said junior human, nutrition, foods and exercise major Travis Dodds. Dodds finds the most success combining several software programs together. “I’ve seen the most success when beats are made on Fruity Loops then exported to Cake Walk for editing and adding in recorded audio,” Dodds said. “Fruity Loops has all the tools you need to make and record your own music, but it can be difficult to just pick up and start using.” It’s free to try out and the possibilities are endless. Perhaps you can start the next music revolution right from your dorm room. “Music is all about the groove,” Yoon said. “As long as people are grooving to the music, it should not matter whether it’s sampled or not. “ Yoon, whose inspirations vary from 9th Wonder (another exclusive FL Studio user), Madlib, Daft Punk, Justice and RZA, tries to be open-minded about sources of motivation. “My inspirations in music and life come from people with original ideas, who are not afraid to be themselves and people who live life to live it,” Yoon said.
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editor: thomas emerick, brian wright email: sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: w 12:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.; t 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
november 13, 2008
Evans brings family to Tech, hurt to opposing defenses JOE CRANDLEY
ct sports reporter The fact that Virginia Tech was able to smuggle coveted recruit Darren Evans out of the heart of Big Ten country still surprises running backs coach Billy Hite. “(It’s) unbelievable, it really is, to get a kid of that caliber from that far away,” Hite said. “That one day we got to spend a lot of time together, I had a chance to work him out on the field. I came back in and I said, ‘I want to see that film again.’ I watched the film, and we obviously called his high school coach and offered him a scholarship.” Despite Evans’ rapid emergence in 2008, culminating with a 253-yard school-record rushing performance in only his ninth collegiate game, his redshirt season at Tech last year was difficult to endure without football or his two-year-old son, James. He even briefly considered transferring closer to home to be with his family back in the Midwest. “It was real hard, just because a lot of people know I have a son, and not being able to see him, and not being able to do the one thing I’ve been doing all my life, you know,” Evans, now a 20-year-old redshirt freshman, said. “I just felt like it was kind of like the two things you love the most were taken away from you. It was real hard, real tough for me to finally get through that, and it was a long year, one of the longer years of my life.” What a difference a year can make, though. Taneesha Lange — Evans’ girlfriend and the mother of his child — and James have moved to Blacksburg where they live together in an off-campus apartment. The coaching staff at Tech understands Evans’ situation and is impressed with the way he has managed to juggle football, schoolwork and his obligations as a father. “It’s a full load, it really is, but that’s the thing,” Hite said. “He’s found time to keep his schoolwork up. He’s getting good grades, he has time to get the class work done and at the same time he has time to be a father, too … and all the meetings we have, the weightlifting. It’s just amazing, but he’s that kind of kid. He’s disciplined, and he knows what he has to do to be successful, and he’s going to be successful.” As a native of Indianapolis, Evans normally would not be on Tech’s
recruiting radar, but he had some special connections. “His high school coach was great friends with (Defensive Coordinator Bud) Foster and (Defensive Line Coach Charlie) Wiles. He brought four kids through, and they made a tour that summer. They went to Big Ten schools, SEC schools, and their last stop was Virginia Tech. In fact, they decided at the last minute just to come to Virginia Tech,” Hite said. With his family nearby and football back in his life, Evans worked hard through spring and fall practices, waiting for his time to shine. Since the season-ending injury to Kenny Lewis Jr., Evans has seized the opportunity, totaling 772 yards and nine touchdowns in the team’s nine games. Evans does realize the expectations of being the starting running back at Tech, especially now they’ve perhaps heightened. “I wanted to come in and play early, but to be starting right now and breaking the record and all that, you really think about that,” Evans said. “You really kind of think about that towards your senior year you want to have stuff like that accomplished, but for it to be done now, it’s kind of hard because you know the bar is going to be set higher for you.” His emergence couldn’t have come at a better time, though, with questions surrounding the quarterback position and a struggling passing offense. “Right now with the different injuries we’ve got going on, having a good running game is critical, and I think it helps us throw the football a little. I think being able to run it like that has helped us to throw it,” head coach Frank Beamer said. Evans rumbles for extra yards by dishing out some pain at the end of his runs. “It’s just like if you’re little and a guy’s picking on you, you’re going to try to avoid him as much as you can because you don’t want to get picked on. That’s what I try to do,” Evans said. “My dad told me when I was little, ‘Bring the wood before they bring it to you, and toward the end of the game they won’t want to hit you anymore.’ So, that’s kind of been a staple on the way I run throughout my career” By punishing defenders, he weakens the defense, putting some fear in the next guy up to tackle him. “Sometimes, it’s just about the way they come up to hit me. You can just tell, you can see it in their eye … after
TOP LEFT: MICHAEL SHROYER/SPPS; BOTTOM LEFT: KYLE SWANSON/SPPS; RIGHT: NICK JEREMIAH/SPPS
Top left: Darren Evans braces for contact with a Maryland defender during his school-record 253-yard rushing performance in a win last Thursday. Bottom left: Evans takes a hand off from quarterback Tyrod Taylor against North Carolina. Right: Evans searches for an open running lane. a while they don’t want to play anymore, just trying to get in my way, or hopefully they can slow me down or something,” Evans said. Evans’ size and strength will again play a factor tonight against Miami’s fast, physical defense — ranking fourth in the ACC in rushing defense. “Sure, really, and the big thing is too, is he’s a load to tackle being that big. By the end of the game, he’s wearing people out. They got tired of tackling him the other night,” Hite said. “So, obviously, we’re going to have to con-
tinue to run the football late in the game especially if we have the lead.” Hite wants to see the game controlled tomorrow as it was last week against the Terps. “We need to control the football like we did against Maryland. The other team can’t score if they don’t have the football, and we had the ball against Maryland for 37 minutes the other night, and that’s what you’d like to see for every ball game,” Hite said. Even Evans’ physical nature in his running style has inspired the big boys
on the offensive line to up their game. “As an offensive line, you see a guy breaking tackles, getting 20-yard carries, stuff like that, you kind of feed off that,” said redshirt senior offensive guard Nick Marshman. “You like that and you want to see him excel. You kind of feed off of what he’s doing, and you just feel better and you keep blocking better.” As all major college athletes, Evans expressed a desire to improve his performance and address his flaws. “Just understanding not only our
offense the best I can, but the defense that we go against,” Evans said. “How different blitzes run, how different teams run their defense, being able to know what they’re going to do and how it will affect the way our play turns out.” Hite understands and appreciates Evans’ early success, but he hopes he can be even better in the future. “Right now, he’s off to a great start, he really is,” Hite said. “And it’s not how you start, it’s how you finish to me is the most important thing.”
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editor: laurel colella, david mcilroy email: opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
november 13, 2008
EDITORIAL
Many things to take into account when scheduling courses As college students, for the first time in our lives we are given the privilege of choosing our own classes at times convenient for us. Unlike high school where we had a set course schedule for seven hours a day, five days a week, in college students can formulate an academic schedule that works best for them. With course request recently taking place, students were given the opportunity to request classes for the upcoming spring semester with specific dates and times. Some students choose classes based on what they need to complete their core curriculum and major. Some students choose classes at times most conducive to sleeping in late, or getting straight A’s while putting forth a minimum of effort. Some students have had their college schedules planned out since their freshman year, with hopes of graduating with a double major and triple minor. Some students would even prefer to have five classes in a row on Tuesdays and Thursdays to give themselves a four-day weekend as well a mid-week break. When it comes to choosing courses to take, friends’ former experiences in the classes are key. Using a friend’s advice about what to do and not to do, or how to study for a test, can go a long way toward achieving success. The other, sometimes credible, source for getting the dirt on potential teachers is ratevtteachers.com, which provides students with the perspective of former students who have taken classes in the past. To a lot of students, the teacher’s reputation actually outweighs the scheduled day and time of the class. College students are fairly familiar with this practice and most are probably perfectly capable of picking out their own schedules. But with course request over and drop add opening up in a few weeks, we began thinking: Do tools designed to help students pick the easiest teachers and courses possible, actually help students, or hurt their quest for knowledge? For most of us, the purpose of college, after all, is to better ourselves both academically and socially, while working toward obtaining a specialized degree. For many of us, mom and dad are footing at least part of our college tuition and probably aren’t paying for us to take a semester’s worth of creative dance, weightlifting and basket weaving.
However, in the interest of our social lives, we sometimes do take easy classes (some people more than others), as to not completely kill ourselves with coursework. Students can even check out the CT’s Web site to view a copy of our faculty grade database, where it is possible to check out the easiest and hardest courses, by GPA. Coupled with knowledge obtained from ratevtteachers.com and friends, we have all the tools necessary to create the easiest schedule possible for ourselves. Ultimately it’s a personal decision. In the interest of our academic lives, some students prefer to enroll in highly touted classes, with the intention of actually learning something. To other students, a high GPA is the most important thing and classes taken reflect this philosophy. And some students are able to simultaneously manage both. It’s nearly impossible to glide through college without taking at least a few challenging classes, regardless of major. Required major courses, in addition to a core curriculum keep us in check. We should feel lucky to have as many scheduling options as we do for taking elective classes. Many students at other universities are not as lucky. This semester, the Department of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences received a decrease in students taking advantage of course request to sign up for classes. As a result, many planned courses for the spring run the risk of being canceled all together. Many of these classes will likely fill up once drop/add opens up, but the alarmingly low current enrollment hurts students within the department by forcing class cancellations. Signing up for courses early is important to keep the system running smoothly. Department heads have to make guesses based on previous semesters to determine students’ academic needs. When we fail to do our part it affects course enrollment. Whether you trust friends or your own personal preferences, sign up for classes that won’t cause you to be too embarrassed to at least show Mom and Dad your schedule. And, if you’re feeling brave, take a class with a teacher not already evaluated in the ratevtteachers.com database. The editorial board is composed of David Grant, Laurel Colella, David McIlroy, Sally Bull and Jackie Peters
LETTER TO THE EDITOR Come out and support men’s basketball It seems like only yesterday the Cassell was rocking and we were preparing for Ole’ Miss in the quarterfinals of the NIT. That was last year and here we are, about to begin a new season. With that new season comes a new expectation but, hopefully, the same commitment from our student body. Seeing you line-up outside the Cassell last March, seeing your ownership, seeing your passion, seeing your energy once again proved that we have the best fans in the ACC. When I say we, rest assured that we are in this together. We can only be as good as you are. You make us better. You create the energy. Your passion creates our passion. When the season opens up on Friday night, we need to treat each and every night as if it’s the most important game. To make the NCAA Tournament, you must
eliminate reasons for the committee not to invite you. I do not look at any games as preseason games; they are all “must-wins.” To play our best, we need your support. We need you there early, we need you loud and we need you committed. If you have not gotten tickets, it seems to me there are always tickets available. We need you to fully utilize the individual game lotteries. In addition, the university is working to help make sure that every student seat is filled. I know some of you are disappointed in the season ticket policy, but hang with us. This is your team and we need you with us each and every night. Don’t give up, we can find our way through this ticket dilemma. We can find a way to get you back in the Cassell. I look forward to seeing you there Friday night. It’s a great day to be a Hokie!
Seth Greenberg Men’s basketball head coach
Your letter could be here. E-mail us at: opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com
During historic election, youth showed their mettle RYAN KIRWAN regular columnist Last Tuesday, the world witnessed history — a historic event many people never expected to occur, especially not within their lifetime. I will admit to having my own doubts about the direction and intentions of the American people. I am proud to say I believe a bit of that faith has been and will continue to be restored. I have always wondered what it would have been like to live through the ’60s, a time in history where more drastic social change took place in this country than at any other time. The young people of that generation fascinate me with the way they were able to make a difference in their country — standing up for the ideals they believed in. Regardless of whether people agreed with the ways these students handled their passion, no one could deny that they were able to get their messages out and heard by the masses. As our country has slipped into another period of troubling times — a financial crisis, environmental disasters and a war — I have watched the people of my generation be pushed into a corner. Over the past few years, the college-aged group has been labeled with a slew of unflattering tags, including lazy, uninformed and disconnected. My generation definitely has not taken on the role of the passionate youth looking to change the world as people saw from college campuses throughout the ’60s and ’70s. However, I think people will feel differently after this week.
I awoke on Tuesday morning with a rush of excitement — one that I have never felt before on an Election Day. I made my way to the polls in Blacksburg and stood in line until just after 7 a.m. Although I was there for more than an hour, the feeling in the air and the fusion of all different types of people was an experience that I will never forget. This was the first election in which I voted in person instead of using an absentee ballot. There were young students, some in high school, standing in the lines waiting to vote for the first time. The television that morning showed clips from across the country of long lines and people waiting excitedly. News reporters began to comment on the number of young voters seen in lines that day. By the time polls closed, there had been 14 million more young voters than had voted in 2004. As I watched the news all Tuesday evening, I, along with every other American, watched as more blue would pop up on the map as President-elect Barack Obama won electoral votes in another state. At about 11:30 p.m. my television began to flip to different locations across the country, as the announcer proclaimed that Obama had made history. Barack Obama would be the next president of the United States. My phone began to ring as family members and friends started to call, in tears and screaming with joy. I sat in front of my television, mesmerized by the scenes that were unfolding. I listened with pride and happiness as people went screaming through the streets,
elated with the news. I was still watching the news around 3 a.m. and began to realize that I still felt numb — numb with shock, happiness, and pride. I also noticed that this was the first time when I had felt so numb for a good reason. Our generation has seen its fair share of tragedies in the past 10 years, from Sept. 11 to Hurricane Katrina, to events that hit close to home. I know I will always remember where I was and exactly what I was doing on those days that are etched in my brain with tragedy. But I will also remember every moment of Tuesday night and the feeling of hope that I now have. Tuesday was an incredible day for the history books, for Americans and for the entire world. Obama has run an incredible campaign, has encouraged the masses to get out and vote, opting to choose change. This man was able to light that passion that is in every young person. I watched and felt the pride as people my age celebrated the election. We finally feel as though we have made a difference and that maybe our thoughts and opinions do matter. As he addressed the American people late Tuesday night with his acceptance speech, Obama mentioned that the road ahead will not be easy, that there are still tremendous problems and issues facing our country. But perhaps now we might take this opportunity to come together and work to fix those problems. After watching the events of Tuesday unfold, I can say nothing more than I am proud to be a young American.
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 Collegiate Times Editorial Staff Editor in Chief David Grant Managing Editors David Harries, Sharon Pritz Public Editor Cate Summers Special Sections Editor Meg Miller News Editors Caleb Fleming, Ashley Oliver, T. Rees Shapiro News Reporters Gordon Block, Zach Crizer, Gabe McVey, Riley Prendergast, Rebecca Thomas News Staff Writers Shannon Aud, Laura Duke, Justin Graves, Michelle Rivera, Lindsey Taylor Politics Editor Candace Sipos Features Editor Bethany Buchanan Features Reporters Kirsten Gravely, Topher Forhecz, Teresa Tobat, Jonathan Yi Opinions Editors Laurel Colella, David McIlroy Opinions Staff Sally Bull, Jackie Peters Sports Editors Thomas Emerick, Brian Wright Sports Reporters Joe Crandley, Justin Long, Ed Lupien, Melanie Wadden Sports Staff Writers Garrett Busic, Matt Collette, Lindsay Faulkner, Hattie Francis, Alex Jackson, Mike Littier Copy Editors Erin Corbey, Sara Mitchell, Thandiwe Ogbonna, Kristen Walker Photo Editor Kelly Harrigan Associate Photo Editor Go-Eun Choi Layout Designers Christine Fay, John Kayrouz, Ben MacDonald, Josh Son, Sara Spangler Illustrator Mina Noorbakhsh Multimedia Editor Phillip Murillas Multimedia Producer Matthew Langan, Becky Wilson Multimedia Reporters Candice Chu, Bryce Stucki, Peter Velz Online Director Christopher Ritter Web Developer Jeff Klassen Collegiate Times Business Staff Business Manager Ryan McConnell College Media Solutions Staff Advertising Director Patrick Fitzgerald Asst Advertising Directors Sarah Ford Jenna Given, Katelynn Reilly Ads Production Manager Anika Stickles Asst Production Manager Alyssa Peltier Ads Production/Creation Breanna Benz, Alllison Bhatta, Lisa Hoang, Kaiesha Morgan, Mike Payne, Lindsay Smith, Lara Treadwell National Account Executive Joey Mazzei Account Executives Libbey Arner, Oran Duncan, Tyler Ervin, Jennifer Heimlich, Kavish Hemrajani, Jimmy Henderson, Dustin Hurst, Alex Iskounen, Kelli Lyman, Marcello Sandoval, Amanda Sparks, Jennifer Vaughn, Amanda Whitt Assistant Account Executives Alexandra Boddie, Lauren Klooster, Kaelynn Kurtz, Carissa Nichols, Molly Vaira Marketing Manager Robert Zayaz III Office Manager Joey Mazzei Student Publication Photo Staff Director of Photography Sally Bull Business Manager Paul Platz
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We should continue to support fellow Hokies after graduation BRIAN SWANN guest columnist As an alumnus of Virginia Tech’s English Department, class of 2008, I left feeling proud of the strong educational community upon which our school is built. After events in recent years, that community was pulled even closer. Some, however, forget what that community means. After graduating I was accepted into the VCU Brandcenter in Richmond, a master’s program similarly founded on the belief in a strong educational community, and one that is highly collaborative. Here, we are expected to provide large amounts of research for our projects — but our resources are limited, and how we produce said research is left to our creativity. A portion of this research includes quantitative surveys. “A-ha,” I thought, “I have just graduated from a school that would surely be receptive to helping out an old friend.” Sadly, I was wrong. When the first instance came about that I was required to survey consumers in the age range of college students, I quickly found all the old listservs I was still subscribed to on my Tech account, and sent out the survey link. Obviously, I explained the situation — that I, like them, was a student, an alumnus of Virginia Tech, and that of course taking the survey is in no way mandatory, but it would be a great help. This first survey was on the Virginia Lottery. I have since sent out two more, one on Oreos, and another specifically for men on menswear. None of them have asked questions regarding financial or marital status, race, religion, or any other borderline inappropriate inquiries, nor have any been used outside of the classroom. I have made this clear each time. Perhaps the most inappropriate question asked regarded the respondent’s personal style of eating an Oreo. Still, I ran into some trouble. Late
last Sunday night, Nov. 2, I received an e-mail response from my menswear survey from the student president of a club at Virginia Tech I had been a member of for two years during my time here. It was not pleasant. Calling my request for help an “aggressive abuse of (the) listserv,” he went on to say this would be the last bit of “spam” he would “tolerate.” He accused me of “abusing this list for the advancement of (my) own purposes and agenda.” Frankly, I was shocked. While I agree it was used for my own purposes (the advancement of thought and my continued education), I’m still a little vague on what he means by “agenda.” I don’t know where he got confused, but the information I gathered on cookie-eating habits and whether young men owned suits will not be used to hatch my own evil plan. My “agenda,” if there is one, is merely calling on fellow Hokies to help me as I continue in higher learning. In the end, I was removed and blocked from the listserv. Still, if that wasn’t enough, another member of the same club chastised me. This young man made a mockery of my education, and sarcastically claimed that my “clutter” and I “do not deserve Virginia Tech’s attention.” Whether his e-mail was inherently contradictory to what he was saying is beside the point. I would like to cite two passages: “…The discovery and dissemination of new knowledge are central to its mission. Through its focus on teaching and learning, research and discovery, and outreach and engagement, the university creates, conveys, and applies knowledge to expand personal growth and opportunity, [and] advance social and community development…,” Virginia Tech’s Statement of Mission and Purpose, http://www.vt.edu/ about/about-university.html. “The club is open to students from all majors and offers an opportunity
for them to further their education and interpersonal skills outside of the classroom. As a socially and event focused organization, we seek to provide a relaxed outlet for student networking, career education, and interaction amongst students and faculty with an interest in finance,” Virginia Tech Finance Club “About” Page, http://www.finance.org.vt.edu/ about.html. Virginia Tech likes to tell itself it is a large, tight-knit community. I would like to believe that, but in order for that to happen we must begin acting like one. I am not saying that everyone must take my surveys, because I know they can be annoying. So if you don’t want to, that is perfectly fine, you don’t have to. Just click delete. It’s over. Done. I’m not mad, you’re not mad, we move on with our lives. Then there are a few people who don’t mind taking a minute to help out an old friend, a fellow Hokie, as he embarks on new challenges. No big deal. But for those who for some reason are angered by my calling out for help, I ask you, what is so terrible about what I am doing? It is not spam. It is not inappropriate. It is not being used for my financial benefit or any other personal gain, and I am not manipulating or taking advantage you. I am simply asking for help as I might ask for help understanding a certain idea being discussed in class. You either help or you move on, end of story. Why make a big fuss about it? Why must I be painted as a pest when all I have done is gone to my family for support? Let’s practice what we preach. We are all part of an educational community. One such as ours is supposed to welcome the advancement of thought and the continued pursuit of knowledge, and we are expected to help foster new ideas. It is a shame that this is not a place to which I can turn. We are a family. Let’s act like one.
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thursday, november 13, 2008
Size and brute force magnify Diakite’s defensive role MELANIE WADDEN
ct sports reporter This year’s men’s basketball program, though a year older than last season, has only one more senior than a year ago. Last year, it was Deron Washington; this year, it is A.D. Vassallo and Cheick Diakite who must bring their senior leadership to the ACC table. Anyone who saw Washington play last year is familiar with his trademark dunking shows. Likewise, Vassallo’s uncanny three-point ability distinguishes him from the crowd. Cheick Diakite, however, plays a different role on the team that is often overlooked. “He kind of started slow but right now he’s doing a great job — he’s learning his role as more of a rebounder and good defensive player,” Vassallo said, who has played with Diakite longer than anyone else on the team. “He’s catching the plays pretty well and he’s catching the ball and closing and dunking the ball really well — it’s something that we as a team definitely need.” Last season alone, Diakite netted a team-high 41 blocks. He also racked up 93 rebounds and played in 34 of 35 games. “If he just concentrates on doing his part of the game – just trying to rebound and play defense – the ball’s going to get to him,” Vassallo said. “He just needs to concentrate on doing those things which will get him on the court a lot more minutes and will allow him to get more points and get post passes
inside where he can play his offensive game.” As a native of Bamacko, Mali, Diakite has struggled with the English language and understanding basketball on a more in-depth level. “I think that obviously Cheick doesn’t have the highest basketball IQ because he hasn’t been exposed to basketball in the same way as most of our guys,” said head coach Seth Greenberg. “… (His) English is very good and his understanding is very good now.” As his understanding of both the language and of basketball has increased, so has his understanding of his not-soglorious roll on the team. Whereas Deron Washington made people jump out of their seats with a windmill slam, Diakite is the one called upon to do a lot of the dirty work. “We need him to have a good season, he needs to be a low-post defender, rebounder, screener, and give us a physical presence,” Greenberg said. Last season, Tech barely missed out on the NCAA tournament and ended up in the NIT. This year, both Diakite and the team’s goal is to make the big dance. “I think last season was really different from this season because we were not playing great defense until the end of the season,” Diakite said. “I think we really have to play and stop people — we need to not take it easy on small teams. We were 9-7 (in the) ACC last year, but we lost a few non-conference games and by losing them, that stopped us from making the NCAA. So we really have to be focused and be ready
PAUL PLATZ/SPPS
Tech forward Cheick Diakite hones his free-throw shooting during practice on Nov. 6. Diakite, a Malian, led the team with 41 blocks last season. to guard people and not take it easy in those kinds of games — be ready every single day basically.” As much as Diakite is respected for his work ethic, some might say that he takes it too far on occasion. When told that there was a rumor going around that he was infamous for injuring his teammates in practice, Diakite chuckled and said, “Oh, really? I mean, some people say I hurt people in practice and sometimes it might happen … but a lot of people hurt me in practice, too, and I’m sure they don’t really say that.”
He then pointed to his upper lip, where there had clearly been some damage. “I have some stitches on my mouth and they’ve hit my ankles — broke one — I have to use ice and those kind of things. I think that the bottom line is that it’s not like payback, I’m just focusing, playing defense and trying to stop the people — trying to make the offensive team work hard when I’m playing defense, trying to play hard. I go 100 percent all the time — that’s me in practice, that’s me in a game and sometimes people get hurt.”
Vassallo also defended Diakite’s position on the rumor. “He’s just a little bit more physical than everybody and that’s something you really can’t teach people — it’s good at times but we would like for him to do it to other people and not to us,” he said. “But I think he’s just a physical guy and he’s big and strong and sometimes he doesn’t know what he’s doing and he might bump into you and you’ll get hurt but he doesn’t do it for any bad reason. He’s just a guy that plays strong all the time.” It is easy to see how — off the court — Diakite would be nostalgic for his home country. One comfort he has had over the years, despite the distance from Mali, is former women’s basketball standout and current WNBA player Nare Diawara. “Me and Nare, we have grown up together — we went to the same elementary school back home and my house is about two blocks from her house in Mali,” Diakite said. “ So, we knew each other pretty well even before we came here. She’s the one who came here first and then she helped me to come over here - I have a very great relationship with her.” Diakite’s known around Cassell for his defensive stops and his athletic ability, but does not always beat Diawara on the court. Although he denied ever playing one-on-one with her, he did admit to something else. “We sometimes play knockout shots and she says that she’s a better shooter
than me and I say that I’m a better shooter than her … So we kind of make the jokes,” Diakite said. While Diawara’s already made it to the professional arena, Diakite has some work to do before he can join her. “I would really like to go play basketball after I graduate if I could, that’s my main goal,” Diakite said. “That’s why I left my country to come over here and learn the game, so I’m really happy to be here. And since I came here, I’ve learned a lot about basketball — my plan is to have a great season and then to move forward to go play somewhere after I graduate.” If Diakite can have a good season this year the coaching staff thinks it’s possible for him to move to a higher level. “I think Cheick has a chance to play overseas,” Greenberg said. “ I think that first of all, he’ll be a college graduate, which is important. I think he will have no problem graduating in May and walking across that stage, which will be really exciting. I think that if he embraces his role, then he has a chance to play overseas some.” Regardless of whether he is able to continue his basketball career, Diakite will be graduating in May with a degree in agricultural economics. “Cheick is an amazing person — I mean, he came to this country knowing pretty much no one and not really speaking the language and now he’s in a position to graduate in four years — it’s very rewarding for me. It’s bigger than basketball, he’s getting an experience of a lifetime,” Greenberg said.
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thursday, november 13, 2008
page 8
EYE OF THE STORM Key players Key Player: RB Graig Cooper, 6-0, 202 So
Hurricane Offense
The sophomore set season highs when he ran for 131 yards on 24 carries in Miami’s Nov. 1 win over Virginia. Cooper already has the most touchdowns by a Miami player in a single season since 2005.
Hokie Defense
Key Player: DE 90 Orion Martin 6-2, 255, Sr
A regular on the Hokies defensive line, Martin has started in 23 consecutive games. He also has recorded a quarterback sack in five of his last six contests.
Key Player: LB 3 Glenn Cook 6-0, 228, Sr
Hurricane Defense
With 55 total tackles and seven for loss, Cook leads the team in both departments. The 'Canes, 15th in total defense, have not allowed a score in the second half in each of their previous two games.
Hokie Offense
Key Player: RB 32 Darren Evans 6-0, 210, Fr
It will be a tough act to follow. Evans ran for a school-record 253 yards against Maryland last Thursday and his nine scores have already matched the Tech record for rushing touchdowns by a freshman.
Swirling ACC to settle in Miami CHAD MOSSESO
ct sports reporter The Miami Hurricanes dominated college football for much of the 1980s and 1990s, intimidating opponents with their athleticism and ferocity. But since joining the ACC in 2004, Miami has yet to record double-digit wins in any season, including last year when the ’Canes suffered their first losing season in 10 years and second since 1979. Now that they’re riding the momentum of four straight wins to claim a stake atop the ACC Coastal standings, Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer believes the Hurricanes are back. “You turn on the video now and it’s getting close to that, you know, old Miami,” Beamer said. Regardless of Miami’s recent surge, Tech can still feel confident going into tonight knowing it’s won four of the past five in this series. Tech is in control of its own destiny to win the ACC Championship and is looking to remain undefeated against Coastal Division foes. To earn a win tonight, the Hokies hope to have another big game from running back Darren Evans who rushed for 253 yards and a touchdown last Thursday against Maryland. The emergence of an effective workhorse is vital for Tech, but the success of the running game will likely depend on the play of the offensive line, which has allowed the most sacks in the ACC this season. After Evans’ record-setting rushing output, the line is looking for more. “Anytime you find a guy that runs downhill, runs over guys and stuff like that, it’s nice,” said redshirt senior guard Nick Marshman. “But ultimately it comes down to the offensive line. We got to get him the holes to get him to even be able to work and to do what he does.” Miami’s deep, skilled defensive line will be tough to run inside on, making Tech’s passing attack even more critical. If sophomore Tyrod Taylor,
whose playing status is listed as questionable, can’t play, then the reins of the offense will be given to senior Sean Glennon, who had a successful time managing the game against Maryland. Whichever quarterback gets the start, tight end Greg Boone will no doubt add a pivotal facet to the offense. Boone brings a much-needed experienced target to the air assault, along with being a huge threat in the red zone, literally and figuratively. But with the advent of a new gimmick offense in Tech’s repertoire, receiving isn’t the only way in which Boone impacts the offense. Offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring will try to spur the offense by using the recently unveiled “Wild Turkey” formation, which the offense debuted last week against Maryland. In the formation, Boone lines up at quarterback and Glennon splits out as a receiver. While Beamer wants to make sure the team sticks to the nuts and bolts of its offense, he certainly likes the new dimension this formation can provide for the team. “Now I think you just kind of keep building off it a little,” Beamer said. “Don’t make it too complicated, which I didn’t think we did. But you can attack different parts of the field, which I thought we could. And you’re using talents of people in certain ways in a different situation.” Boone, who played quarterback in high school, didn’t attempt a pass last week against Maryland, but coaches think he has ability to if opposing defenses allow for it. Although Beamer didn’t specify whether the team worked on the Boone-toGlennon connection in practice this week, he believes Glennon is athletic enough to catch the ball if need be. Miami is coming off an overtime win against Virginia, and has had 12 days to rest and prepare for the Hokies. While Beamer knows how important that extra time can be — last week Tech had 12 days to prepare for Maryland — this isn’t the first time this season Tech’s opponent will
be well rested coming into the game. “It is what it is,” Beamer said. “I know we’ve played a couple teams that have had the week off before we’ve played them; that’s happened two or three times. It has just kind of been an unusual schedule this year.” Like Tech, Miami’s offense — ranked third in the ACC — counts on its running attack to move the football. The Hokies’ defensive line will try to neutralize the ’Canes ground game and win the line of scrimmage. “The key is just stopping their offense of line,” said junior defensive tackle Cordarrow Thompson. “Looking at film, they look pretty physical up front.” If Tech can contain running back sophomore Graig Cooper, who has rushed for more than 100 yards in three games this season, Miami will have to depend on its two dynamic passers. Freshman quarterbacks Jacory Harris and Robert Marve have shared snaps this season, but haven’t been the typical dual-quarterback system many are used to seeing. “They’re both pretty similar in how they play,” said senior linebacker Brett Warren. “They can both run the ball, and they are both pretty accurate passers. So I don’t think you can really compare it to say, our system, with Sean and Tyrod.” Both young quarterbacks have seen early success, with Marve leading the way throwing for 920 yards with seven touchdowns through the air and rushing for two more. Though, he has also thrown 10 interceptions to Harris’ three. Harris has totaled 698 yards and seven touchdowns via air while running for two more. The scrambling ability of both quarterbacks is a major concern for Tech’s defense. “The reason we rush the passer is to try to keep them in the pocket,” senior defensive end Orion Martin said. “We can’t let them get outside because they are athletic and they can make plays with their feet as well as their arms.” Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. at Dolphin Stadium, and will be televised on ESPN.
‘Canes host Hokies in vital ACC game LELAN LEDOUX
the miami hurricane MIAMI — Both Miami and Virginia Tech know how to win prime time games on Thursday nights. Tonight, the nation will have its eyes on the Miami Hurricanes, as the ’Canes will host Atlantic Coast Conference foe Tech in a pivotal match up in the Coastal Division. Both teams enter the game at 6-3 and 3-2 in the ACC. The Hurricanes are 12-1 all-time on ESPN Thursday night games, while Virginia Tech is 14-3. However, the ’Canes and the Hokies have never met for an ESPN Thursday night game. “It’s the primetime game, it is the college football Monday Night Football,” running back Javarris James said. “It’s a chance for the rest of the guys in the nation to see what you’ve got. E s p e c i a l ly playing a good opponent, I know there are a lot of people around the nation that will be watching. It gives us all a chance to showcase our talent.” TEADORA ERBES/SPPS Head Coach Randy Shannon knows that Tech will come into Dolphin
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Stadium focused and motivated just because it’s a primetime game. “Over the last five or six years, Virginia Tech is always on Thursday night games,” Shannon said. “Looking at it, I think Coach (Frank) Beamer loves Thursday night games as a coach. They get really prepared for these games. This is a tremendous challenge for us going into another ACC game.” In spite of this, Shannon believes his entire team will be concentrated on the Hokies, including the young players. “These (young) guys, for some reason they are different,” Shannon said. “They are very different. They’re like gym rats around here. Nothing fazes these guys like it used to in the past because they’re used to the big crowds, the noise, what the expectations are. They just accept it and move on.” Last Thursday night, Tech defeated Maryland, 23-13, despite both of its top quarterbacks having lingering injuries. Hokies running back Darren Evans set a school record with 253 yards. The Hurricanes are coming off a bye week and are riding a four-game winning streak, three straight in the ACC. Two weeks ago, Miami was led by quarterback Jacory Harris in a come from behind win in overtime against Virginia, 24-17. But Harris and quarterback Robert Marve were not active players last year, when Tech thumped Miami, 44-14 in Blacksburg, Va., Miami had minus 2 yards rushing on 29 carries
and was also without running back Graig Cooper. The ’Canes will look to establish the run in this year’s game. “It is important to get it going in a game like this,” James said. “We want to take some pressure off our young quarterbacks, and the running game can help those guys out a lot.” Last season, the Hurricanes turned the ball over three times against the Hokies. This week the coaching staff has emphasized hanging onto the football. “The biggest thing for us is not to hurt ourselves,” Marve said. “The turnover ratio, that’s what we’re focusing on.” Over the years, the Miami/Tech game has picked up steam and became an intense battle. “It’s a national TV game,” said wide receiver Kayne Farquharson. “This is turning into a rivalry game. Every year we play them, it’s a tough game. The only language we speak is ‘Beat Virginia Tech.’” Still, there are some who feel this game is just like any other game this season. “To me all games are primetime games,” Harris stated. “When we play against anybody, that’s a primetime game. Virginia Tech is an opponent that’s in our way. Basically we have to win out to go to an ACC Championship. That’s the bottom line.” Lelan LeDoux is a senior sports writer for the University of Miami’s student newspaper, The Miami Hurricane.