Friday, February 27, 2009 Print Edition

COLLEGIATETIMES

friday february 27, 2009 blacksburg, va.

www.collegiatetimes.com

sports TECH HOSTS ACC TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS The ACC Track and Field Championship will continue this weekend at Rector Field House, beginning with the heptathlon and decathlon competition on Thursday. Tech track members begin their participation on Friday. The Hokies women will attempt to claim a third consecutive conference championship.

GOLF’S SPRING SEASON BEGINS IN PUERTO RICO The Tech golf team will open its 2009 spring season schedule with the Puerto Rico Classic in Rio Mar. The 54-hole event, to be played on Friday and Saturday, takes place at the par 72, 6,902-yard Rio Mar County Club River Course.

Taking part in the tournament will be four of the top five teams in the nation: No. 2 Georgia, No. 3 Oklahoma, No. 4 Alabama and No. 5 Florida.

news DIVERSITY SUMMIT TODAY IN GLC Between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m., the 12th annual Diversity Summit will be held in the GLC’s Multipurpose room. The conference is being put on by the Commision on Equal Opportunity and Diversity, SGA and the Alliance for Concerned Students. Its aim is to allow the community and university populace to discuss diversity.

tomorrow’s weather RAIN high 44, low 30

corrections In the article, “Contemplating grades versus evaluations,” (CT, Feb. 26) Hampshire College was incorrectly referred to as New Hampshire College.

The article “Task force calls for healthier body images on campus” (CT, Feb. 26) incorrectly referred to the date of Pollack Ann Williams’ death. She committed suicide last year.

University announces preliminary plans for April 16 remembrance events SARA MITCHELL

university editor The University Steering Committee for this year’s Day of Remembrance recently released a list of events scheduled for April 16.

An activity new to this year is a 5K Run in Remembrance. The run will take place on campus, and participants will soon be able to register online.

The Steering Committee decided to replicate events from 2008’s April 16 Day of Remembrance.

As last year, memorial events will begin at 12:01 a.m Thursday morning with the lighting of a ceremonial candle at the April 16 Memorial on the Drillfield. The candle will burn

4/16/09 SCHEDULE To schedule a memorial event on April 16 call the Office of Recovery and Support at 540.231.0062 12:01AM Candle is lit at the April 16 Memorial 8:00AM 5K Run in Remembrance will begin NOON Commemoration on the Drillfield SUNDOWN (around 8:00PM) Candlelight vigil on the Drillfield 11:59PM Candle is extinguished

See photos from Girl Talk last night. The concert, which sold out in under 10 minutes, took place last night in Squires Student Center’s Commonwealth Ballroom.

index News.....................2 Features................3 0pinions................5

Classifieds..............8 Sports....................7 Sudoku..................8

An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 106th year • issue 24

KYLE MAXEY/SPPS

A student paints a small stone in remembrance on April 16, 2008.

Alcohol class prices are a major buzzkill GORDN BLOCK

ct news reporter Students required to enroll in alcohol education classes at Virginia Tech are now paying more than ever before.

The costs of the classes have hit their highest levels since the office opened.

For Reality Check: Party Positive, the costs have increased to $63 in 2008-09 from $30 in 2006-07. Another course, Making Positive Choices, increased its price to $100 in 2008-09 from $60 in 2006-2007.

Students are assigned to courses when they are processed through office of Judicial Affairs. The specific class is assigned through the student’s hearing officers.

Byron Hughes, assistant director of Judicial Affairs, noted that the issue of payment for classes was not a common problem.

“The class chosen for the student is based on the result of the case, not the cost of the class they would be assigned to,” Hughes said Steven Clarke, director of Virginia Tech’s Campus Alcohol Abuse

Prevention Center, said he has noticed the prices rise in the past decade.

“It’s been going up each year for the 10 years that I’ve been here,” Clarke said.

Rick Ferraro, assistant vice president of Student Affairs, said that the growth was directly connected to an expansion in the classes offered. Ferraro cited the Making Positive Choices class, which increased its run time.

The increase in price may also reflect a rise in the cost of running the programs. For one-on-one interviews, which rose to $200 in 2008-09 from

Statistics from Judicial Affairs Annual Report Class

06-07

07-08

08-09

Reality Check

$30

$50

$63

Making Positive Changes

$60

$85

$100

Positive Alcohol Choices and Strategies

$150

$190

$200

One on One Inteviews

$75

$190

$200

$75 in 2006-07, the average number of counseling sessions for each student has risen from two sessions to potentially three to five sessions.

“We weren’t charging enough,” Clarke said. “Most students were averaging at least four sessions. It is relatively expensive.”

Clarke also noted that the classes offered through the center are free for those who sign up voluntarily.

“The classes we have are not always full,” Clarke said. “We have to offer so many classes since we try to get everybody through in 60 days that adding an extra person really doesn’t hurt our bottom line.”

Ferraro noted that only students enrolled in specific alcohol abuse programs should pay for the classes, not the entire student body.

“It would be unfair to have someone who doesn’t have to take the class to have to subsidize those who are in the classes,” Ferraro said.

Clarke said that the office had added staff in the past year, possibly explaining the price rise further. Before the 2007-08 school year, the office consisted of Clarke and a single graduate student who worked part-time.

“For a school this size, one person to

do all that work doesn’t provide what you need,” Clarke said.

Thee office has added an assistant director along with an administrative assistant. Clarke noted the staff was still small for a school of over 30,000.

Also included in the office’s expenses is a new Alcohol-Wise course. The course, provided by 3rd Millennium Classrooms, is an online class on alcohol consumption that incoming freshman must take before coming to Tech.

The 2008-09 school year was the first year that freshman were required to take the course. The class cost $12,000 for a one-year license and was considered a cost-efficient way to disseminate information on alcohol consumption.

“The ideal way would have a relationship established through an in-person class,” Ferraro said. “The problem is, that is very expensive. Doing it online is much less expensive, and it gives the basic information necessary.”

Ferraro stressed that the prices of the alcohol classes weren’t excessive.

“We’re not looking to gouge people,” Ferraro said. “We always try to keep costs down, but we’re also looking for good services. You’re paying a price, but we hope it will be worth the cost.”

KELLY HARRIGAN/COLLEGIATE TIMES

Blacksburg venues prepare for smoking ban SCOTT MASSELLI

ct news staff writer The Collegiate Times regrets these errors.

16 in Burruss Hall Auditorium.

The Steering Committee passed on the specific financial and location planning to an implementation team.

“There’s someone from parking, someone from police, someone from transportation, someone from UUSA. It’s that kind of planning, people that can make the things happen on campus, can reserve the space, get things staffed and things like that,” Day said.

The team of about 20 members will meet on a weekly basis up until April 16.

“The implementation team kind of has its marching orders from the Steering Team and we’ll be figuring out exactly how to get the information out,” said Mark Owczarski, university spokesman and a member of the implementation team.

Day said a “large student contingent” is present because “part of the exercise is to have student involvement.”

Members of the Student Government Association, the Residence Hall Federation and others will organize student-run events, such as the 5K. If an organization or department wants to set up an event for the Day of Remembrance, it should contact the Office of Recovery and Support, Day said.

“They will help work it into the fold of other events,” Owczarski said.

“The key is wanting to make sure that nothing conflicts schedule-wise and that everyone is on the same page and tone” of the day.

As events are finalized they will be available at www.weremember.vt.edu.

until 11:59 p.m.

Additionally, the university will commemorate victims and survivors at noon on the Drillfield. Similar to 2008, the 32 students and faculty members killed will be recognized individually.

The day will conclude at sundown with a candlelight vigil on the Drillfield.

The Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention hopes to open its doors inside Norris Hall by April 16. The Center currently resides in Wallace Hall, but renovations to the second floor of Norris should be finished in time for the second-year anniversary.

Jerzy Nowak, director of the center, said plans include an open house, which will first be limited to victims and families and later available to the public.

Additionally, Students for Non Violence will host a breakfast for families of the victims in the Hahn Horticulture Garden.

Activities across campus will allow students to individualize their remembrance. Last year included an exhibit in the Perspective Gallery within Squires Student Center and a Remembrance through Dance performance by the Contemporary Dance Ensemble of Virginia Tech.

Debbie Day, of the Office of Recovery and Support and a member of the Steering Committee, said that there would be similar acts and exhibits, but the plans aren’t yet concrete.

A Remembrance Through Dance will take place again this year on April

Just a few miles off Interstate 95 in Richmond, littered with JR Tobacco billboards, the newly elected State Legislature passed a statewide ban on smoking in restaurants. By Dec. 1, 2009, smoking sections will be limited to independently ventilated rooms, outdoor areas and private membership clubs.

Local Blacksburg spots have already designed their buildings to guarantee a smoke-free environment.

Hokie House, a popular venue serving Virginia Tech students, made the decision a little over a year ago to turn the entire lower half of its establishment into a non-smoking section. Lunchtime business has picked up since the policy change, manager Brian Palmer said.

However, it also acknowledged that a strong majority of Hokie House’s patrons gravitate toward the upstairs floor, where smoking is allowed.

“We’ve had a year and a half of no smoking downstairs; there’s no difference in our clientele, but lunch hour picked up a bit,” said Palmer. “We still have about a 60 to 40 ratio of people upstairs to downstairs.”

Palmer added that Hokie House’s dining areas are already separately ventilated.

Bogen’s Steakhouse and Bar on North

Main also implemented a smoking policy prior to the new bill. Dave Edmonds, the manager of Bogen’s, said he believes the restaurant’s policy has positively affected business and supports the new legislation.

“People who don’t want to be around smoke shouldn’t have to be,” Edmonds said. “If people go into a bar, they have to expect smoke,” he said, noting that most of the restaurant’s smoking patrons are students and young adults.

Edmonds estimated that Bogen’s ratio of smoking patrons to non-smoking is also about 60:40. Operating in a renovated house, the dining area and the bar are divided by the host desk. Edmonds said the separately ventilated rooms are the only way to guarantee customers a smoke-free environment.

“You have restaurants like Applebee’s that have one dining room; I don’t see how you could have a smoking section in the same room as a non-smoking section,” Edmonds said.

Champs Sports Bar, a chain restaurant in Blacksburg, has a similar design to Hokie House; however, it currently allows smoking on both floors.

Manager Samantha McDonald said she had not decided what action the bar will take before the Dec. 1 deadline.

“We haven’t discussed it yet,” McDonald said. McDonald did not share Edmonds’ optimism about the non-smoking policy. However, she did not expect the ban to have much of an

effect on Champs’ business.

A local restaurant that may be especially compromised by the bill is SheSha Hookah Lounge. While the owner of She-Sha was not willing to comment on the bill, Associated Press Reporter Matthew Barakat wrote that at a similar establishment in Falls Church, sales to smoking customers accounted for 80 percent of the restaurant’s revenue.

There is hope for the Draper Road establishment and its sister restaurants.

Barakat reports that the Long Beach California City Council, which was among the first to outlaw smoking in public eateries, recently voted to allow hookah bars to operate outside the ban.

In a Gallop poll, most smokers said they supported the restaurant ban. The Washington Times reported that Gov. Tim Kaine signed the bill saying that it was not in the exact form he wanted, but it was a good bill. The Times also reported that Speaker of the House William Howell, a Republican from the Stafford district, said that the ban represented a compromise between the two sides, which had been divided along party and geographic lines for years prior.

With the bill’s signing, Virginia became the 24th state to ban smoking in restaurants and the first Southern state to do so. The bill had been rejected by lawmakers in the Commonwealth for several years prior to its passage earlier this month.

Overtime stinger

CHRIS STACK/SPPS

The Tech women team fell in overtime, 83-78, to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets on Senior Night at Cassell Coliseum. Look for the game story online.

have a news tip? want to see something in the CT? e-mail newstips@collegiatetimes.com

page 2

friday, february 27, 2009

Surplus auction sells cars, chairs, occasionally horses

Tech’s Web site is ranked in top 1 percent of all universities WILL THOMAS

ct news staff writer Virginia Tech’s Web site stands in the top 1 percent of universities worldwide, a January ranking indicated.

The Cybermetrics Lab, an international research group concerned with scholarly Web content, published a January 2009 ranking which placed Tech’s Web site (vt.edu) 26th out of 4,000 universities. This ranking is based on four main factors, including the number of pages recovered from popular search engines and the accessibility of academic research information.

“People from all over the world will come to Virginia Tech, vt.edu, to seek out information or resources,” said Mark Owczarski university spokesman. “The ranking really refers to how an academic unit will put up information or research data and allow educators from around the world to use it.”

Because of the vast number of Web pages Cybernetics analyzes, it is impossible for all factors leading to a great Web site to be taken into account. Tech’s Web site is a lot more than just a repository for research documents.

The Web site is used as a means of communication between the university and its many audiences, including

students, faculty, staff, parents, alumni and the community, Owczarski said.

“We are very proud of our Web site; it is growing in a consistent and wellorganized manner. There are a lot of quality pieces of information. It is becoming more and more coherent, which is beneficial to the users.”

THE TOP FIVE 1st: MIT 2nd: Stanford 3rd: Harvard 4th: University of California — Berkeley 5th: Cornell University Director of Web Communication John Jackson said a content management system called Ensemble provides the publishing interface for most of the vt.edu domain. The system is accessible on the VT network by clients who have been granted access. Ensemble works much like a blog in that it uses a Web-based page creation tool. Users login to the content creator and are given an array of features and options, including fonts, colors or the ability to insert a picture.

Behind the scenes, the Web site is run on a popular Web server platform called Apache. The servers are housed in the Corporate Research

Center.

Multiple people are involved with the Web site’s administration, content and maintenance.

“At the university level, to deal with the content management system effort, there are approximately three and a half people on my team,” Jackson said. “On the IT side, there are primarily two people that administrate the content management system.”

It is a collaborative group of people working together to keep the whole Web site running.

“There are also IT people and people who are affiliated with Web development throughout the various colleges and departments,” Jackson said.

The vt.edu domain is constantly being updated.

“We’re certainly getting into the field of more multimedia production. We’re also working to get more involved in social media,” Jackson said.

For instance, Tech has its own YouTube channel, and VT News now features a Twitter account. Several departments even have their own Facebook pages.

“We also are trying to build out our mobile site, mobile.vt.edu, that primarily pulls in news feeds, calendar feeds, campus notices and a mobilefriendly version of the directory,” Jackson said.

PHILIPP KOTLABA

ct news staff writer An institution the size of Virginia Tech is bound to generate a large number of excess items. The university will host a surplus auction tomorrow at 9 a.m. at 1425 South Main Street, across from Gables Shopping Center.

If one needs a new filing cabinet, desk or table among other things, the surplus warehouse on 1425 South Main Street probably has something to fill that void.

This is because excess university property, by law, must be reused or sold by auction, with money going back to the state or relevant collegiate departments.

Saturday’s auction will showcase several vehicles, computers, and an assortment of other miscellaneous items.

Those wishing to attend can preview items beginning at 7:30 a.m.

“A public auction is technically the fairest way to sell items to the general public,” said Tom Kaloupek, director of materials management at the Purchasing Department. “The theory is, if you have a whole room full of people, and they’re competing against each other, then there’s a fair price being paid for what the item is worth.”

In addition, an auction collects the top dollar for items, which saves taxpayer money and avoids indiscriminately sending items to the landfill.

The surplus warehouse enterprise has steadily grown over the years.

When Doug Sheppard, the warehouse

manager, first arrived on the job in 1989, Tech generally had two or three auctions per year. In 2008, the warehouse had 10 auctions; nine are scheduled for 2009.

On top of the normal selection of surplus items, more exotic properties occasionally show up.

“We sell horses ... and maybe large, unusual pieces of machinery and things like that,” Kaloupek said.

The surplus warehouse has developed dedicated customers over the years.

“We have a guy who comes regularly from Missouri who buys Apple computers,” Sheppard said. “He’s here about every Saturday. He doesn’t miss many, but he only buys the Apple.”

The university’s policy mandates turning in excess or unnecessary items over to the surplus property organization, and the warehouse collects its inventory from campus and from extension offices throughout Virginia.

However, unlike ordinary citizens, the university and state entities can visit the warehouse anytime and claim things to “essentially bring them back into service,” Kaloupek said.

“So if you were a new professor coming in and you needed to outfit your office, and there wasn’t a lot of budget available, you could go over to surplus and pick out a good desk and a filing cabinet or two and perhaps find a good chair,” said Kaloupek. “Instead of that stuff being sold, it would be recycled back into the university.”

In the second stage of the two-step process, anything that doesn’t make it

H

E

S A I

D

back to the university then goes on to be auctioned to the general public for starting bids set at a minimum of $2.50.

But where do the proceeds go?

“I keep them,” joked Kaloupek. In truth, “They go to the university fund ... that the central budget office controls.

Sometimes they’ll go back to the department that generated the items, especially if they were costly items.”

Not everything always sells, but such an occurrence is rare.

“We can either roll it into the next auction, or we can list it on GovDeals.com,” said Kim Starkey, administrative assistant at the warehouse.

“Typically, just about everything sells, even if it only sells for a couple of dollars.

There’s somebody out there that wants it,” Kaloupek said.

SURPLUS AUCTION WHERE: Surplus Warehouse 1425 S. main Street, Blacksburg WHEN: Saturday, Feb 28, 9:00 AM WHAT: VT Surplus Auction. All purchases must be paid for in full on the day of the auction.

WHO: Virginia Tech Surplus Property Management

ON THE WEB See collegiatetimes.com for PDFs of the list of auction items

S H E S A I D

In stands every Friday!

Milk

R

February 27-28: 7:00 & 9:30 March 1: 3:00, 7:00, & 9:30 March 2: 10:00am, 7:00 & 9:30 March 3-5: 7:00 & 9:30

The Lyric Theatre 135 College Avenue ~ Movieline: 951.0604 www.thelyric.com

page

features 3

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.

february 27, 2009

An appl(ication) a day After non-stop exams and papers, waste your weekend away with party-centric apps. These are just a sample of the giant world of apps so keep on the lookout.

French film festival in final year of funding ALEXANDER PETTINGELL

ct features staff writer 5800+ Drinks and Cocktail Recipes Free by Webworks Description: Get the night started off right with this cleverly named app. You can search by categories or, if the minibar is low on the goods, by ingredients. Find out how to make favorites like Mai Tais and Mojitos, but discover new drinks like a Warm Woolly Sheep (scotch, Drambuie, milk) or a Fart in the Ocean (almond-flavored tequila and 7-Up). Well, maybe not that last one.

Price: Free Device: iPhone Wertago by Wertago Description: Part social network, part party finder, Wertago (as in “where to go”) allows you to locate the best clubs, bars and parties based on user-created tags. Searching events allows you to define exactly what you’re looking for. Want something more upscale?

Type in “classy.” Maybe something less stuffy? “Trashy” might be just what you’re looking for. That, or “hot girls,” combined with “18 and over.”

Price: Free Device: Android, iPhone version in development Urbanspoon by Urbanspoon Description: Don’t fight with your beau over where to eat dinner. Leave that to the cold, calculating logic of a computer. The app displays three options you can lock-in or leave to chance: city, type of food and price.

Shake the phone to trigger a slot machine-like wheel that presents you with an option that best fits your choices. Either learn more about the suggestion — including phone number, directions, menu choices and reviews — or keep on shaking until you find something appealing.

Price: Free Device: iPhone iPickupLines by Internet Inferno Description: Here’s an app that so cheesy it doubles as queso dip.

Discover gems like, “Are you a parking ticket? Because you got fine written all over you.” Or how about, “Let’s make like fabric softener and Snuggle.” Some of the lines are stupid, and some are really, really stupid:“If you were a booger I’d pick you first.”And ladies, if some creeper ever asks, “Hey girl, what’s your sign?” put an end to his advances and respond,“Stop.”

Price: Free Device: iPhone

PETER VELZ

ct multimedia reporter

This is the fourth year that Virginia Tech has participated in the Tournee Festival, a program sponsored by the French-American Cultural Exchange to bring French films to colleges and universities across the United States.

Janell Watson, an associate professor of French, has been the principle organizer of Tech’s festival. Watson has raised funds from various sources including academic departments, the office of Multicultural Affairs, and the provost’s Women and Minority Artists and Scholars Lecture Series grants in order to help make the festival possible. For the past two years, the Cercle Francophone, Tech’s student-organized French club, has received funding from Student Affairs to help make the festival possible.

Tech is eligible for only one more year of funding from the Tournees Program and will need additional financial support if the festival is to continue.

The films are chosen for this festival with the intention of directly appealing to students. They represent not only France but also a number of French-

speaking countries, especially those in Africa and the Caribbean. Films are also chosen for their diverse points of view, or for their ability to address contemporary social issues. Some of the films are big-budget mainstream productions, while others are smaller, independent films.

“When the school brings that kind of diversity to Blacksburg in the form of foreign art, I think that that is something interesting and it makes it seem like Blacksburg is not just a provincial college town,” said freshman HNTM major Amanda Gurley.

Students who had been to see the film festival generally expressed that they were pleased to have the opportunity to see something that differed from their average movie experience.

“It’s interesting to be able to see these types of movies. I liked the fact that they cover very particular parts of your people’s daily lives,” said junior engineering major David Steinburg after seeing “L’Orgine de la Tendresse” and Other Tales, a program of short films.

Freshman mathematics major James Burns commented on the same program and said that the films impressed him.

“I thought that they were each enter-

taining in some way, that they were so different was something that always held my attention,” Burns said.

Other audience members, however, were not as impressed with some of the films’ composition. Tatiana MacMartin, a freshman music major who understands French fluently and has been to French film festivals in the past, said of the film “L’intouchable” that it “hardly held my attention” and that “the film lacked any substantial plot”.

Watson has also expressed the educational value of the festival to students pursuing careers in all areas.

“Internationalizing the curriculum has long been a goal of Virginia Tech, and I think that the festival helps by exposing people to other ways of making movies, and to settings outside of the United States,” Watson said.

“Hearing a foreign language, even with subtitles, also reinforces the reality that not everyone on the planet speaks English. We live in a global world, and it is important to realize that there are many perspectives from which to understand it.”

“Une vieille maitresse” will play at the Lyric on Saturday at 3 p.m. Admission is free and the film will be subtitled.

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friday, february 27, 2009

He Said, She Said: The battle over video games Video games really are a boy’s sport. Just like baseball, it is an activity associated mostly with men.

To further this point: Every girl TOPHER can give you a FORHECZ rough play by play features of what happened reporter to them their fall semester of 2007, but most guys only have vague recollections of energy swords, sticky grenades, the Forge and hours that blended into one experience.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned about girls, it’s that they do not understand video games. Now, there are those few who shine through, such as a hidden Counter Strike diva or a girl who quivers at the sight of Solid Snake. Like a health pack behind some boxes in Half Life, these women are to be cherished and coveted — unless you’re playing. In which case, you are allowed to say pretty much anything to them. Go into any place where boys are playing a PS3 or an XBOX 360 and you will hear them casually throwing insult upon death threat upon legal action at each other, without even thinking about it. Accepting to play with any guy in video games is pretty much a “play at your own risk” type of situation. At any moment, that cool and calm demeanor could give way to a shouting, raving lunatic who is declaring what various gardening implements he is going to put inside of your mother all because you simply pressed up on the joystick and the B button at the same time.

Anyway, most girls react to be handed a controller the same way they would a jockstrap. I think really the big division when it comes to girls and video games was the introduction of the additional joystick on the controller.

At first I wasn’t sure about that addition acting as such a huge deterrent — I figured girls could rise to that little challenge. I’ve been on the Internet. But for some reason, that was it. With every generation their ranks decline.

Indeed, they are an endangered species, the gaming girl. Why they are so precious to guys is because the gaming girl is the ultimate combination of girlfriend and buddy.

She’s like the all-purpose Swiss Army Knife of dating.

Of course, there are the girls that

do game. But more often than not, the games that girls do choose to play are terrible, and I mean atrocious. Essentially, most girls only play games that have basic functions. Take for example, Dance Dance Revolution (which is also the way through which management discourages studying at Squires BreakZone). You’re supposed to put your foot down on the pad when a corre- sponding arrow

lights up on the screen. On an easy level of DDR, it’s hard not to wonder whether they’re going to test your verbal skills afterward.

Secret: T h e way t o

the culture of guydom. For instance, video games can act as a system of law amongst guys. The truth is guys aren’t really good at communicating with one another (see above). We’re also just incredibly lazy. Thus, guys have figured out how to incorporate video games into figuring out how things get done — video games, of course, being their initial reason for neglecting everything else in the first place. Who should do the dishes? Round of Street Fighter IV. Who’s going to drop off the rent check? NFL Blitz it is. Guys can essentially live by the commandment: “Thou Shalt Play You For It.” It’s right before “Thou Shalt Wear Used T-Shirts Only Two More Times” and “Thou

Playing video games and subs e quent ly being inducted into the rivaling gangs known as Nintendo, Playstation BETHANY and Xbox is BUCHANAN typically — and features undoubtedly — a guy thing. editor Come to think of it, it’s the one activity that males can bond over without having to fret about explicitly saying, “no homo,” after that long hug when they, as a team, defeat Bowser or shoot down the assassins in Halo, whatever.

It’s guy-love at the peak of its glory and it’s a moving — but slightly creepy — moment to behold.

Now, whether a girl fiends for her DS as she would for a Chanel tote while she’s

stuck in her organic chemistry lecture learning about electrophilic aromatic substitution is as mysterious or mythical as whether girls fart or really wake up in the morning as beautiful as you witness them walking across the Drillfield. But I’m here to tell you, gentlemen, to beware.

We girls got game.

And why don’t guys realize this until they’re forced into tears when a lady takes them down in a round of Super Smash Brothers (be it Gamecube or 64, we all know there’s a profound difference between the two) playing as Pikachu? We’re all about protecting your delicate egos, of course.

It’s kind of like the reason why we ask you for help on our math homework. Not only is it a classic flirtation maneuver that our mothers probably used to reel in our fathers, but also we think you’re hot, for one, and what better way to start a conversation and

Shalt Sleep

beat the game is to just take a nap on the pad while it’s on.

High score.

Maybe it’s because girls only see what is externally going on when guys play video games that they don’t get why guys love them so much. Video games serve a deeper purpose and help mold

find out if you’re datable material than to see you solve a complicated equation that we already know how to do ourselves.

You think you’re just checking your work as you sweat bullets at the Empo? Honey, we’re checking you out. It’s totally a win-win situation: You feel good that you helped

Through Only 10 percent of Class Time This Semester” which is harder to calculate if you slept through math.

Maybe it’s something the sexes will never be able to agree upon. Game over.

JOHN KAYROUZ/COLLEGIATE TIMES

out a lovely lady in need, you feel smart and we learn whether you’re good enough to keep around. And, my goodness, don’t you look so cute trying to explain why x equals this and y is that because the graph kind of looks like that’s what it would be — kind of. Although that may not be the case, a personal connection has been made.

And then we change your answer on the practice quiz and get a four out of four.

Girls like to keep their talents so deceptively cached so that when you’re just about to trip on that big head of yours that your ego has so kindly pumped up to grossly Godzilla proportions, we can tenderly, lovingly and oh-so-happily burst your bubble of excessive pride. (It’s not a Greek tragedy for heaven’s sake, there’s no need for hubris in this drama we know as life.)

We do it for your own good.

Plus, it’s just fun sometimes to watch your ego deflate in rapid fashion.

Besides, girls don’t like to flaunt their nerdy tendencies on their sleeves; that privilege is undoubtedly reserved for when your relationship with her passes the three or four month mark — you know, just about when you feel comfortable letting one rip in her all-too accepting presence.

Until then, she probably won’t admit that she has the coveted, old-school Super Nintendo in her bedroom or that she has hot pink magenta heels that look like the ones that Princess Peach wears to kick ass in Melee (there’s no need to judge me).

And even when you do learn about it — you will for sure freak out and tell all of your video game play dates about how cool she is — and challenge her to a duel, she’ll probably let you win a couple times, just so you can feel better about yourself and your manly gaming abilities.

That is, until you hit the one-year mark. Then the games will really begin.

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editor: laurel colella email: opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com phone: 540.231.9865 office hours: mw 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.

february 27, 2009

EDITORIAL

National Center for Campus Public Safety is a positive addition Virginia Tech students know better than most the importance of campus safety.

From the escape of William Morva in August 2006, to the tragic day of April 16, 2007, and most recently the stabbing death of Xin Yang in the GLC at Donaldson Brown, we have experienced our fair share of campus security breaches. It is events like these, and others on campuses all over the nation, that led the House to unanimously pass The Campus Safety Act. The bill amended the Title I of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 by adding to it a new part detailing responsibilities and functions of a National Center for Campus Public Safety. The bill allows for the creation and control of this center by the Director of the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services.

Some of the functions of the center include providing education and training, research, information, and development of protocols at institutions of higher education, all related to violence on campus, to name a few.

Now the question is, will this new center really work? Is it possible to stop people such as Seung-Hui Cho from carrying out their crazed plans?

No matter the answer, The National Center for Campus Public Safety is definitely a step in the right direction. Having

a nationwide, uniform way of handling emergencies on campus will leave time-wasting questions out of the equation.

The education and training of those in charge of our safety is also a major plus for colleges all over the country.

One stipulation of the bill looks to foster an increased amount of cooperation between law enforcement, campus safety agencies and mental health agencies. This function of the National Center for Campus Public Safety could be extremely important in the prevention of events such as April 16.

Keeping an open dialogue might help safety professionals spot, and help, members of the community in need, before it is too late.

Although it took a significant loss of life to create, the National Center for Campus Public Safety is a welcome addition to college life. Hopefully, the new center will help minimize or even prevent these tragedies from happening on college campuses. College has always been seen as a place to enjoy amazing life experiences. It is a time to meet new people and find novel ways in which to view the world. Let’s keep it that way.

Drastic climate change risks harming our environment PAIGE PINKSTON regular columnist A study published this week by the scientific journal “Geophysical Research Letters” has demonstrated that Alaskan coastlines are currently deteriorating at startlingly rapid rates, more than twice what has been observed in the past.

This deterioration is because of both the melting and the consequential breaking off and drifting to sea of large pieces of the coastline. Some northern stretches of the coast were reported to have receded by more than 80 feet in the summer of 2007 alone, a year when the Arctic Sea was at a record low.

Shoreline erosion is a natural and inevitable ceaseless process, and sudden surges can generally be attributed to large storms. However, there were no major storms to have caused this damage in 2007. This phenomenon, described by research geographer Benjamin Jones at the U.S. Geological Survey as a “shift in the forces driving erosion,” points heavily to the influences of global warming.

Not only is this occurrence reshaping the Alaskan shoreline, it also carries large potential threats to the area’s wildlife and endangers the existence of historical landmarks, many of which represent places of early human settlement.

The melting occurs because of the rise of ocean temperature, which eventually wears down ice in the surrounding per-

mafrost. The melted permafrost, in the form of water, carries sediment with it as it makes its way into the ocean, causes deterioration of the land and facilitates additional permafrost melting. Between the years 1955 and 1979, this process caused coastline recession at a rate of approximately 20 feet a year. During the period from 1979 to 2002, this number grew to 30 feet a year. Though this increase may seem slight, the amount of ice roughly equates to an area twice the size of Texas. Then in just five years following, the average rose to around 45 feet a year, just before the drastic leap in summer 2007.

The permafrost around this region in Alaska contains a particularly large percentage of ice, making it considerably more vulnerable to weather and temperature variations. Much of the surrounding Arctic permafrost possesses a similar makeup, promoting some anxiety about what may be in store for other, similar regions, such as those around Canada and Siberia.

As this region is particularly susceptible to the consequences of climate change, its inhabitants have already begun to feel many of its effects, in areas ranging from aquatic systems, vegetation, and wildlife, to health, economy, and culture.

The polar bear population of the Arctic region has decreased dramatically as temperatures have been on the rise, and the species was quite belatedly

listed under the Endangered Species Act in May of 2008.

The damage resulting from the coastline deterioration has already covered the remains of the historical trading post of Esook entirely in water, and swallowed the shore near the town of Lonely, where a whaling boat that had remained on the beach for almost 100 years is no longer visible. Wetlands in certain areas have decreased by 88 percent from their 1950 levels. Photosynthesis has declined, stunting plant growth in boreal forests.

Rising ocean temperatures have caused oyster populations to become infected with Vibrio parahaemolyticus, which has caused an outbreak of a cholera-like disease when consumed by humans.

These results are already dramatic, and they represent only examples of the beginning of what Alaska and surrounding areas will face as a result of climate change and rising temperatures.

Alaska is a unique and beautiful state, and its scenic coasts are simply irreplaceable, but unless the Unites States begins to takes action against global warming immediately, these areas simply may no longer exist.

We have all heard of the rapid and frightening disappearance of the continent of Antarctica, though this has not apparently prompted any particular burst of action. Perhaps now that it is one of our own states we are losing, the population will find motivation to move to action.

The editorial board is composed of David Grant, David Harries, Laurel Colella, Alexandra Kaufmann and Jenna Marson.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR The idea that killing animals for meat is unsustainable lacks truth As a beef producer, I feel it is my responsibility to respond to the many misconceptions presented in Mr. Huling’s letter to the editor, “Other Effects of Sustainability” (CT, Feb. 25). First of all, the notion that “raising and killing animals for meat is inherently unsustainable” is completely untrue, especially in the United States. The United Nations report that Mr. Huling references studied carbon dioxide emissions worldwide, and a large percentage of those are attributed to deforestation in South America. The entire American agricultural sector contributes only about 6 percent of this nation’s carbon emissions.

Also, grains fed to animals are varieties of grain not intended for human consumption, and the land on which most animals are raised is land that is not suited for other agricultural production. The animals that graze such land are actually helping the environment by reducing erosion and preventing range fires, which can be quite a problem in many areas of the country.

Finally, much of the waste that animals excrete is mixed into the soil as a natural fertilizer that helps maintain quality and creates an environment for plant growth.

Also, Mr. Huling encourages eating vegetarian or vegan meals.

However, when one switches to this type of diet, he or she is severely reducing his or her potential to consume proper amounts of certain nutrients. By cutting out animal protein, one loses many nutrients that cannot be gained through vegetarian products. For example, beef contains essential vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, and B-vitamins, which exist in much higher percentages than in plant protein. One can obtain much of the recommended amounts of these nutrients in one three-ounce serving of beef; if one tries to acquire the same amount of those nutrients in a vegetarian diet, he or she has to extensively plan a diet and may need to take supplements.

In conclusion, healthy, delicious meat products continue to be on the market, and more are being developed every day. College students, who often do not have time to plan a complex diet, can get many nutrients they need from these products and can rest assured that the meat they are eating is being produced by the most efficient and sustainable animal agriculture system in the world.

Brad Copenhaver Freshman, agricultural econ & political science

Letter from men’s basketball coach This is an exciting time for our basketball program. As February comes to an end and March Madness is upon us, the intensity level in college basketball is at its zenith. The time is now for teams to build their resumes for the NCAA Tournament.

Duke will come to Cassell Coliseum on Saturday afternoon for a game televised by ABC. Over the past four years, the DukeVirginia Tech series has produced some memorable games and great competition.

You, the student body, have helped make this a special season.

Your energy and enthusiasm make Cassell one of the toughest home courts in all of college basketball.

Your passion and ownership of our program has helped us on the court all season. To say we need you to bring it Saturday is an understatement. Cameron may have the Crazies, but I’ll take the Cassell Guard any day.

Please know how important our fans are to our continued success.

Let’s show these national television audiences just how special the Cassell truly is. Make the Cassell rock. We need you early and we need you loud. Remember that Saturday is a “White Out,” so wear your white to show support of Herma’s Readers.

It’s a great day to be a Hokie.

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, Sara Spangler Public Editor Cate Summers Special Sections Editor Meg Miller News Editors Caleb Fleming, Sara Mitchell News Reporters Gordon Block, Zach Crizer, Justin Graves, Riley Prendergast, T. Rees Shapiro, Rebecca Thomas News Staff Writers Shannon Aud, Ryan Trapp, Gabe McVey Features Editor Bethany Buchanan Features Reporters 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, Thandiwe Ogbonna, Kristen Walker, Michelle Rivera Layout Designers Go-Eun Choi, Kelly Harrigan, Rachel McGiboney, Mina Noorbakhsh, Josh Son Illustrator Mina Noorbakhsh Multimedia Editor Phillip Murillas Multimedia Producer Matthew Langan, Becky Wilson Multimedia Reporters Candice Chu, Bryce Stucki, Peter Velz Online Director Sam Eberspacher Collegiate Times Business Staff Business Manager Ryan McConnell College Media Solutions Staff Advertising Director Patrick Fitzgerald Asst Advertising Directors Tyler Ervin Jenna Given, Katelynn Reilly Ads Production Manager Anika Stickles Asst Production Manager Alyssa Peltier Ads Production/Creation Breanna Benz, Alllison Bhatta, Jennifer DiMarco, Lisa Hoang, Rebecca Smeenk, Lindsay Smith, Lara Treadwell National Account Executive Account Executives Libbey Arner, Aaron Brock, Maggie Crosby, Brandon Collins, Oran Duncan, Judi Glass, Alex Iskounen, Kendall Kapetanakis, Marcello Sandoval, Amanda Sparks, Jennifer Vaughn Assistant Account Executives Kaelynn Kurtz, Carissa Nichols, Diane Revalski, Tyler Terhune Marketing Manager Office Manager Student Publication Photo Staff Director of Photography Sally Bull Business Manager Paul Platz

NATE BEELER/THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

There are definite dangers in placing politics ahead of people C. RICHARD CRANWELL JR. guest columnist I am disappointed. I am very disappointed that Congressman Bob Goodlatte and the Republican members of the Virginia Congressional delegation chose to boycott the annual congressional delegation meeting with Gov. Tim Kaine on Feb. 9. This annual meeting is held to give our Congressional representatives an opportunity to better work with state government officials to better serve all of us, and to give the people representing us a chance to work together for the sake of everyone in this Commonwealth.

With a horrific economic crisis, multiple wars overseas, rising health care costs, and many of our localities facing painful budget cuts to our schools and services, it is inexcusable that any member of our congressional delegation would deliberately boycott this meeting.

Not only that, it is childish, irresponsible, and alludes to an adherence to the partisan style of politics that has paralyzed our nation and our Commonwealth for the last eight years. It is one thing to disagree, but it is entirely another to be an obstructionist based on ideology.

For whatever reason the Republican Congressional delegation chose to put partisan politics before the needs of the people and I would like to know why they felt the need to behave in such a manner.

Goodlatte, who represents part of Roanoke and Salem, cited a scheduling conflict as his reason for not attend-

ing this meeting. If that was the case, it was his responsibility to make sure he was represented at that meeting.

Congressman Rick Boucher also had a scheduling conflict, but managed to send his chief of staff to the meeting, and also talked with Kaine on Sunday to ensure that he was included in the discussion. It concerns me that Goodlatte will often send a staff surrogate to fairs, fundraisers and other events he cannot attend, yet he was unable to send a representative to a discussion with our state’s governor and the congressional colleagues he will need to work with to help represent all of us better.

Goodlatte had a golden opportunity here to set himself apart from his partisan colleagues and attend the meeting. If Goodlatte truly cared about Southwest Virginia and the 6th district he just won reelection to represent, he would have stood on his own and at the very least sent a representative to that meeting. The fact that he went along with the pack is further evidence that Goodlatte has become a career politician who cares more about following his party and the lead of other Washington insiders than serving the people of this district.

Now is not the time for partisan squabbling. We are in the middle of an economic crisis the likes of which this nation has not seen since the Great Depression, yet Mr. Goodlatte chose to put allegiance to other politicians first, rather than meet with Kaine and his administration to seek out bipartisan solutions to the many problems we face.

Senator Mark Warner noted that when he was Governor, these annual gatherings were some of the most important and useful meetings he held and that the participation of the entire delegation was of the utmost importance. The fact that Goodlatte and his colleagues are not even willing to come to the table shows an arrogance and ideological point of view which is one of the main reasons we find ourselves in this current situation.

I do not seek Democratic or Republican solutions and neither should any of our elected officials; rather, we should seek solutions that will work and work for all Virginians.

At this point, Goodlatte’s lack of participation, and that of his GOP colleagues, is both reckless and dangerous.

While our state is affected every day by decisions made in Washington, when thousands of Virginians are suffering and the economic crisis deepens, it is more important than ever that the people representing us on both sides of the aisle work together.

Goodlatte is using as his road map partisan ideology , the same ideology which has not worked in the last eight years and the same ideology which prefers confrontation over consensus building. Combine this with the special interests he relies upon to keep him inside the beltway and you have a recipe for ignoring the voters. This unbending attitude and tunnel vision is not what the citizens of the 6th District, the Commonwealth of Virginia and the United States need in this hour of uncertainty.

Seth Greenberg men’s basketball coach

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opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com NATE BEELER/THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

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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.

february 27, 2009

Bill Connelly: A lighthearted rendition of everyday life RYAN ARNOLD

ct features staff writer I went with a cup of the macadamia nut. He opted for the Mill Mountain blend along with a turkey sandwich.

“Would you like a pickle with that?” the person behind the counter asked.

“Not really. Unless …” looking over his shoulder, “Ryan, would you like a pickle with your coffee?”

Bill Connelly slyly smirked; his eyes gently rose in a moment of reflection, mentally cataloging the peculiar question.

Connelly, a senior studio arts major, thrives on such one-liners; ostensibly fleeting phrases that, when dissected, can actually enlighten. This is where his art begins.

“A lot of titles are so elitist,” Connelly said. “I want [mine] to have an everyday quality.”

“Hold On To What You’ve Got” and “Just When You Thought It Was Safe” are the catalytic paintings in Connelly’s recently developing series.

Humans, nature and human nature are the three phenomena that propel Connelly’s artistic pursuits, and these latest pieces clearly portray each one.

“Hold On To What You’ve Got” offers a dialogue between a youthful bird and the limb of a tree. This typically neutral scene is capsized as the limb morphs into a tentacle, sweeping across the wooden canvas to forcefully grip the winged prize.

In an excerpt from his thesis statement, Connelly wrote, “Birds are so innocent and engaging. Sitting. Flying.

Enjoying a freshly discarded french fry. Birds are like those enlivening relationships that come and go. My own personal goal is to find meaning in my relationships. Hoping to bridge the gaps between my relationships.”

Connelly is enthralled with the unending motion of his immediate environment. For him, the bird embodies the wayward influences of our collegiate journey. The aggressive tree branch is struggling, just as we do, with how to soundly absorb the insights of these many transient associations.

How strong — and possibly harmful — is your grip?

Regarding his process, Connelly said, “Most relationships don’t begin with a bleached canvas.”

“Hold On To What You’ve Got” is executed upon discarded wood from a barn. The texture and unique history of the wood are incapable of replication.

KYLE MAXEY/SPPS

Bill Connelly shows off his art in the Armory Gallery, located on Draper road. The work will be on display through April 14. The senior studio arts major is currently working on his thesis.

Connelly sees the recycled material as a facilitator of the conversations he is crafting; the literal tree enlivens the voice of the illustrated tree.

There is a level of modernity in Connelly’s color applications. He aims to utilize vivid schemes that afford the “directness” of street art. He mindfully scours hardware stores for enticing mistake tints or the abandoned cans of homeowners. Spray paint is also a favored medium, as the excess drips cascade with unintended personality.

The same means of manufacture are used in “Just When You Thought It Was Safe.”

A relatively narrow, vertically oriented piece of dark wood rests atop a sprayed black background. The wood’s middle section has endured a subtraction akin to the first bite of a sandwich. Lining the circumference of that void are several disfigured teeth shaped from a lightercolored wood. Another adolescent bird hesitantly peers out from behind the mangled molars. “(The painting) developed from thoughts of instability,” Connelly said.

“Thoughts of being on the fence.”

Connelly said the piece highlights periodic — or sometimes constant — risk aversion: fashions, romances, careers and the like.

Connelly has been told that his crouching bird in “Just When You Thought It Was Safe” looks like a baby or an egg.

“I guess those images still carry that innocent notion about them,” he concedes, “but they can’t really fly on their own accord unless thrown. Maybe I should paint babies being thrown?”

Connelly wishes for his art to be accessible to a broad audience. He doesn’t envision himself as an elevated creator; rather, he strives to directly express universal perceptions. In his thesis writing, Connelly describes his repertoire as “routinely simple, while containing a certain level of ambiguity.”

“If you don’t leave room for interpretation,” he says, “you might as well just make posters.”

Connelly briefly pauses; his eyes descend in regret.

“That’s great,” he said with a sigh. “I’ll piss off the graphic design kids.”

As our cafe rendezvous nears its end, my gaze is drawn to Connelly’s attire.

His vintage 1991 Pittsburgh Penguins jersey looks affectionately worn. The flightless bird swiftly skates across his chest, its hockey stick poised to strike.

Birds. Motion.

Have I discovered Connelly’s Antarctic muse? If so, then go Pens.

The Armory Gallery (across from “The OC,” next to “She-Sha”) will host his exhibition of eight to 10 pieces on April 14. You’ll meet the two paintings described here alongside their new complements, as well as a handful of his engaging sculptures (“Parallelus,” an exhaust pipe tree).

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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.

february 27, 2009

Bracketology with ESPN’s guru Weighing in on ROGER GONZALEZ

ct sports staff writer As Demontez Stitt’s three-point attempt fell just short on Wednesday night, the Hokies could breathe a little. Virginia Tech battled as it picked up a priceless victory, edging No. 13 Clemson, 80-77, on the road.

With the Hokies getting payback on the Tigers and ending a threegame losing streak, they enhanced their chances of making it into the NCAA Tournament.

The Hokies (17-10, 7-6 ACC) have three games left in the regular season, starting this Saturday against Duke. After Kyle Singler and the Blue Devils visit Blacksburg, Tech will host North Carolina and travel to Florida State for its final contest of the year.

Many wonder whether the win against Clemson solidified the team’s ticket to the big dance.

As the search for an answer to whether Tech is worthy continues, there’s no better man to ask than Joe Lunardi, the ESPN bracketologist?

In an over-the-phone interview, Lunardi, who projected all 34 at-large bids correctly in last year’s bracket, discussed what the Hokies needed to accomplish in order to be in the field on Selection Sunday.

Before the contest with Clemson, Lunardi posted on ESPN.com that the Hokies were in the last four teams to miss, teams 66 to 69, because they failed to beat Florida State on Feb. 21.

Looking ahead, Lunardi gave his prediction as to what head coach Seth Greenberg and his group must do to earn a bid. As Lunardi viewed Tech’s remaining games, the analyst realized Tech’s remaining schedule is one of the most difficult.

“Oh, man,” Lunardi said of the Hokies’ demanding final three.

Lundardi said he would include Tech if it were to win two of its final four games (at Clemson, vs. Duke, vs. UNC, at Florida state) before Wednesday’s game. The Hokies have since toppled the Tigers and are looking to finish the season strong.

He projected Tech would go 1-3 in its final four games, which wouldn’t put in, unless they made noise in the ACC tournament.

“That would still leave them with work to do in the conference tournament,” Lunardi said, if Tech finished as he predicts. “I think they are just going to miss.”

With the Clemson game out of the way, it appears that if Tech can win one of its remaining three, it will be in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since earning a No. 5 seed in 2007.

Lunardi said the Hokies need to play strong at Clemson and Florida State.

“Two road wins would be huge,” Lunardi said as he considered the RPI. “That would be better in that the committee really puts an emphasis on away games. Numerically, a home wins counts as 0.6 wins and a road wins counts as 1.4.”

Regardless, with a win against the Devils on Saturday, Tech may firm up their invitation to March Madness.

In most seasons, fans would probably view the Hokies as not having earned a berth in the top 65.

However, since the mid-majors aren’t excelling as they usually have, teams such as Tech, Michigan, Georgetown, Notre Dame, Miami, Cincinnati and Maryland still have legitimate chances of landing a spot.

When assessing the resume, one aspect that jumps out is Tech’s close losses. Losing seven games by 15 total points might make Greenberg cringe, but it may not be too bad when the committee is deciding between a teams with otherwise similar resumes.

Lunardi discussed a possible scenario that may arise as the committee selects the field.

“Let’s say it was the last spot between Tech and Cincinnati,” Lunardi said.

“Cinci (17-10, 7-7 Big East) doesn’t have the one win like (Tech had over No. 1 Wake Forest). Against the better opponents of the league, they’ve lost big (85-69 vs. Pittsburgh, 71-50 vs.

Villanova, 84-50 vs. Marquette). Tech’s always right there. In that comparison, maybe it goes to Tech because of the close losses, but you have to have enough wins to get into the conversation before the close losses even make it into the discussion.”

That is exactly what the Hokies must do: earn enough wins. Claiming victory in two of their last three regular season games might be enough.

One win in the final three may do it, and a win or two in the ACC tournament would almost make it certain.

But if it weren’t for Jan. 21, the Hokies wouldn’t be in consideration. Had Tech not shocked No. 1

Tech’s recruiting RYAN TRAPP

ct sports staff writer Virginia Tech had the 24thranked recruiting class in all of college football as rated by Rivals.com, landing some of the top high school talent in the Commonwealth.

But did the team do everything it needed to do?

The question is now who in the class could step up when the regular season starts this fall and where should some of those versatile players could line up on the field.

Mike Farrell is the lead national recruiting analyst at Rivals.com, and is regarded by some to be the nation’s foremost recruiting analyst.

He joined Rivals in 1998 to cover the happenings of the Big East, but now his coverage spans all of college football.

He’s made several appearances on College GameDay and ESPNews and was willing to talk with the Collegiate Times to give his opinion on Tech’s 2009 recruiting class.

LUKE MASON/SPPS

A.D. Vassallo dunks, putting the Hokies closer to victory over N.C. State.

Tech is one of many teams in question of NCAA Tournament qualification.

Wake in Winston-Salem with a 7871 win, Lunardi believes the Hokies wouldn’t be in the conversation for an at-large bid at the moment.

“No, not a legitimate shot,” he said.

Now in the home stretch, many teams are fighting to get their noses in front. Lunardi selected the teams he considers just out of contention in his recent update of his Bracketology page on ESPN.com.

The teams on that list with the Hokies are St. Mary’s, Michigan and Oklahoma State. The teams just ahead, which have earned a spot in his projected field, are Cincinnati, Notre Dame, Temple and UAB. Lunardi said he envisions the ACC sending seven clubs to the NCAA

Tournament.

With Carolina, Duke, Clemson, Florida State and Wake Forest considered locks and with Boston College seeming like a good bet, that makes six teams.

The last three still in contention are Maryland, Tech and Miami, even though the ’Canes are behind North Carolina State in the league standings. But because of some very solid wins and very close losses, Miami is still in contention.

“I think one of those three (Maryland, Tech and Miami) will make it,” Lunardi said. “One of those teams is going to somehow win two games and make it to the semifinal of the (ACC) Tournament.”

CollegiateTimes: On a scale of one to 10, how would you rank Tech’s recruiting class and why?

Mike Farrell: Based on what Frank Beamer has done in the past, I would say an eight. It’s a top-25 ranked class nationally and they addressed a lot but not all of their needs through their recruiting.

They’re normally within the top25 to top-40 recruiting classes;

but being able to pull in two of the top 100 prospects, which are impact players on offense, pushed them into the top-25.

CT: How does this year’s class compare to other top recruiting classes in the country?

MF: They don’t have as much star power as a lot of the other classes. They’ve got five guys ranked four stars, and the rest of their class is made up of mostly three-star players. In the Atlantic Coast Conference, there’s a little bit a drop off after Florida State, Miami, North Carolina and Clemson in terms of four- and five-star recruits. Tech didn’t grab as many high impact players but (gained) a lot of depth.

CT: Were there any needs the team didn’t address?

MF: Quarterback without a doubt; they needed one pretty bad.

They went after Kevin Newsome pretty hard, but he wound up at Penn State. Since they really put all their eggs in that one basket, they didn’t have a whole lot of other options. I think they should have spread out their interest a little more. Also, they probably should have gone a little deeper on the offensive line; they picked up two guys but should have signed on one or two more. Other than that, they did very well.

CT: Which player can have the most immediate impact? see RIVALS, page nine

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Now hiring for all positions at all offices. Visit www.mworth.com for more information and an application

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LEGAL TROUBLES

Free Consultation with Attorney. Traffic, Alcohol and Drug Charges, VT Judicial Review. Joel S. Jackson, PC. jsjackson99@hotmail.com, 540-961-5297.

Attention Seniors!

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sports 9

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.

february 27, 2009

In hardwood debate, Big Rivals Q&A: Tech aquires East with edge over ACC solid group of newcomers from page seven

If you tuned in to ESPN’s college basketball coverage the past few months, you have surely heard the latest CHAD bandwagon MOSESSO proclamation staff uttered by almost every writer on-air personality on the network.

“The Big East is the best conference in all of the land!”

This newly formed cliché, which is rarely backed by any analysis or statistics, has become the apparent theme for more than a few halftime shows.

As the season teetered along, many “experts” accepted this claim as fact without re-examining the conference, especially after many so-called “Beasts of the East,” (see Georgetown and Notre Dame) seemingly fell off the map.

But a few brave souls dared to inspect this contention a bit more closely, and their discoveries have spurred a heated debate.

There is no doubt that the Big East is a premier conference, but when compared to the rest of the NCAA, it’s wrong to assume it is unrivaled.

When deciphering which conference can claim superiority, one glaring quandary arises: The Big East vs. the Atlantic Coast Conference.

I began this tough comparison by looking at Rating Percentage Index rankings and was surprised by my findings. Particularly true of teams near the top, the conferences hold nearly identical rankings.

This week, both conferences boast three teams in the top 10. The ACC had five teams in the top 25 and seven in the top 50. The Big East, meanwhile, had six teams in the top 25 but only seven in the top 50.

The ACC boasts a No. 1 ranking as a conference compared to the Big East’s surprising No. 3 ranking.

Somehow the Big Ten is No. 2, which reaffirms my conviction to stay away from statistics nerds.

Lacking complete understanding or confidence in the RPI system, I turned to the quintessential measuring stick of any sports debate — the eye test. I broke down each conference into categories using a combination of a team’s overall body of work and how solid I actually believe them to be.

(RPI in Parentheses)

Tier 1- Title Contenders Big East: Connecticut (6), Pitt (1) ACC: North Carolina (2), Duke (3) These teams have a great chance to cut down the nets in March.

Not much debate here; all four teams have showed dominance and consistency while retaining a top 10 ranking the entire year.

Tier 2 - Final Four Hopefuls Big East — Louisville (12), Villanova (9) ACC — Clemson (10), Wake Forest (17) All of these teams have shown the ability to beat anyone in the country and have multiple premier wins. A few slip-ups along the way combined with some flaws (lack of experience or top-notch talent) have me reluctant to promote them to the nation’s elite.

Tier 3 - Dangerous Tournament Teams

Big East — Marquette (21), Syracuse (24), West Virginia (14) ACC — Florida State (19) No one wants to face these teams in March. Though the overall body of work may not be optimal, they have shown the capability to play with anyone on a somewhat consistent basis. I was close to putting Marquette in Tier 2, but the loss of Dominic James hurts them too much to be considered a Final Four hopeful.

Tier 4 - Bubble Teams Big East — Providence (71), Cincinnati (55), Notre Dame (73) ACC — Boston College (48), Maryland (54), Miami (46), Virginia Tech (65) The next few games for these

teams will unquestionably be a huge factor in deciding which conference does, in fact, reign supreme.

Providence’s RPI will soar after its win against Pittsburgh; the same goes for Tech’s win against Clemson.

You can bet that one or two of these teams will gain momentum after a few wins and then do some damage in the tournament — it happens every year. The question is, which ones?

Tier 5- Bottom-Feeders Big East — Seton Hall, Georgetown, St. John’s, DePaul, Rutgers, South Florida ACC — Virginia, Georgia Tech, NC State These teams aren’t RPI worthy, and this is where the ACC closes in on the Big East. Although Georgetown and Seton Hall field decent clubs, the other four are somewhat laughable.

At least the ACC teams have a few notable wins. DePaul doesn’t even have a conference win, and Rutgers’ only conference win came against DePaul. This is where having a 16team conference can hurt you.

The Big East versus ACC comparison, at this point, is too close to call. While it is clear the Big East has a few more teams who have a good chance to go deep in the tournament, the bottom of the Big East is abysmal.

It looks like the Big East will get seven or eight teams in the tournament and, similarly, the ACC could field anywhere from six to nine.

The next month and a half will put many questions to rest, but for now we can only speculate.

At this point in the season I would have to say the Big East has a slight advantage simply because the abundance of high-quality, consistent teams.

The debate this season will rage on until a champion is crowned, and unless either conference plays superior in March, perhaps longer.

With tradition, first-rate coaches and the best recruits in the country, the Big East-ACC deliberation should be a mainstay for years to come.

MF: Logan Thomas; he’s just a rare athlete. At 6’6” and 240 pounds, he’s very athletic. He can play out at wide receiver or in the slot at tight end and create an immediate mismatch. He can just do so much and he’ll have an immediate impact on the team.

CT: Where

should Logan Thomas

play?

MF: I think he should play tight end.

I don’t think he has the flat-out speed to be a wide receiver, but he doesn’t need to line up next to the tackle and do a lot of blocking. He should be utilized in the slot like a lot of NFL tight ends these days. I also think they should put him at quarterback in some packages like they did with Greg Boone, who Thomas is a much better athlete than. It could help in the redzone where they utilize all his abilities.

CT: Who do you think could prove to be a pleasant surprise in the fall?

MF: Jerrod Williams. Hard to say he’ll be a surprise cause he’s a fourstar kid. But because of his size and his ability I think he can step in a lot sooner than most people would think and have an impact. Not necessarily as a starter but maybe on special teams and in the two-deep packages.

CT: What could they have done better?

MF: Gone after more quarterbacks.

I’ve seen it before in a lot of situations where a team puts a lot on one QB and they miss out on a lot of players.

They just didn’t have a back-up plan at quarterback after Newsome fell through and they definitely needed to bring in someone to be ready to play in a backup role.

CT: Who do you feel like is the most dynamic athlete picked up by the Hokies?

MF: David Wilson by far. He’s a triple jump champion at state, and he could probably attempt to qualify for the Olympics in track. He’s very powerful, low to the ground, and has fantastic speed. He’s going to be a guy that will be heard from in the future.

CT: How can we expect running back

COURTESY OF DANVILLE REGISTER & BEE

Playing with George Washington High School in Danville, Tech running back signee David Wilson finds an opening through the offensive line.

David Wilson to be used?

MF: I don’t know if he will be right away; it depends on (current redshirt freshman running back) Ryan Williams, really. They’re pretty happy at what they have right now. I do think that physically he is better than Oglesby right now, but there is a lot more to it than going out there and running the ball. There’s going to be a learning curve for Wilson just like everyone else. He is a more powerful than Williams, but if Williams can develop as expected they may not need Wilson right away. He’ll need to develop the mental aspects of the game and get develop the intangibles.

CT: Can D.J. Coles help out a wide receiving corps that struggled last year?

MF: Yes, he’s had that extra year in prep school to play against older kids. So, physically he’s ready; it’s up to if his mentality is right. I think the young wide receivers like Boykin and Roberts will develop and step up more next season. Coles is not as specialized as Thomas, but he can be a big physical possession receiver.

CT: What was the smartest move Tech made?

MF: I think it goes back to recruiting

Jerrod Williams early on. He’s from a program that generally sends kids to Clemson or one of the Carolinas, but Virginia Tech got on him first. They were one of his first offers, and getting him on him early was a smart move to getting him get locked up. He wasn’t a four-star prospect when they got him; (at that point) he was an unknown, but he developed into a really talented player.

CT: As usual, Tech went for players at the defensive back and running back positions. How has this helped them in the past seasons?

MF: Some of these guys wind up at different position. They recruited Dyrell Roberts at running back, now he’s at receiver. Most of these guys aren’t just flat running backs; the best all-around athletes typically come from the running back, defensive back and wide receiver positions. These guys can be used on special teams. It’s just Tech’s style to load up on athletes; it gives them a lot of speed and a lot of flexibility. Jerrod Williams could be a corner, a rover, or a safety and play well at either position.

They like to get guys that can play on either side of the football. It’s what makes Tech so good: their overall athleticism.

friday, february 27, 2009

page 10

ACC weekend preview: For Hokies, victory over Terps can make their case Devils would be heaven ED LUPIEN STEVEN MALIK

ct sports reporter

ct sports staff writer No. 5 North Carolina vs. Georgia Tech Saturday, Noon Seven straight losses plague the Yellow Jackets as they head to Chapel Hill. Gani Lawal is the lone bright spot on the basement dwellers of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

He averages a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds per game.

North Carolina comes off a heartbreaking overtime loss to Maryland in which the Terrapins bench outscored the Tar Heels reserves by an astounding count of 41-5. With a tough game at Virginia Tech, which is fighting for its postseason hopes, and an always-draining battle at the Smith Center with Duke coming up, North Carolina could use this game to rest its starters and to get its bench involved — especially if things get out of hand early.

No. 25 Florida State vs.

No. 13 Clemson Saturday, 2 p.m.

Florida State relies on slowing down its opponent, while Clemson prefers a fast-paced, high-scoring style of play. The team that sets the tone early will win this matchup. Tiger Guards K.C. Rivers and Terrence Oglesby each score about 14 points per game and shoot around 40 percent from behind the arc. Toney Douglas leads the Seminoles with 20 points per game.

He is the only FSU player to average in double figures. Saturday, for both the Tigers and Seminoles, is about establishing seeding for the ACC Tournament. The winner of this match-up begins to gain momentum for March, with both clubs in the hunt for a slot in the NCAA Tournament.

Virginia vs. No. 14 Wake Forest Saturday, 8 p.m.

After taking on N.C. State Thursday night, the Demon Deacons have one day of rest as they travel to Charlottesville. The Cavaliers, who defeated Clemson and Virginia Tech just a week ago, will be playing on short rest, too, as they host Miami on Thursday before playing on Wake Forest Saturday night. The young Virginia

ETHAN HYMAN/MCT

In a 72-67 victory over Virginia on Feb. 21, North Carolina State forward Tracy Smith puts down an uncontested slam dunk. team, led by Sylven Landesberg (18 ppg), would certainly love to burst some bubbles this weekend and continue the mix-up of the ACC, but Jeff Teague, the ACC’s thirdleading scorer, plays for the Deacs.

Wake also owns two of the top six rebounders in the conference, AlFarouq Aminu and James Johnson, who each average eight points per game. At 20-5, Wake Forest is a lock for the tournament and needs the win simply for seeding and momentum. At 9-14, Virginia has to settle for upsets and building for next season.

N.C. State vs. Maryland Sunday, 7:30 p.m.

There are few teams that can say they beat North Carolina and Duke in consecutive games, and Maryland was 11 points away from taking down the ACC

powerhouses. Based on their record, the Terrapins are teetering on the edge of the National Invitational Tournament and the NCAAs. Beating North Carolina certainly helped, but losing to the Wolfpack would damage an improving reputation. North Carolina State is not out of the picture, but it certainly needs to beat the Terps when they come to town. Maryland is led by the intense guard Greivis Vasquez, who erupted for 35 points against North Carolina. Vasquez also leads the Terps with 5.6 rebounds per game (23rd in the ACC). N.C. State, however, is led by its big men: Brandon Costner, Courtney Fells and Ben McCauley, who each average more than 11 points per game.

This match-up, unlike the other ACC battles, is between two schools on the edge of making the tournament.

The team that pulls down the most rebounds will more than likely win this contest.

......radio for

everyone

The Virginia Tech men’s basketball team will look to capitalize on momentum garnered from a tough road upset of No. 12 Clemson as it plays host to the No. 7 Duke Blue Devils on Saturday afternoon.

Wednesday night’s 80-77 win kept the Hokies (17-10, 7-6 ACC) in the NCAA Tournament picture with three games remaining in the regular season.

Sophomore guard Malcolm Delaney led scoring with 26 points in the win, draining 17 of them in the second half.

“Hopefully, this will get us over the edge,” Delaney said. “We had lost three straight, and I’d almost forgot how it felt to win a game, especially one of these close games.”

Tech has played 14 contests that have been decided by five points or fewer this season.

Much as the Hokies’ down-tothe-wire victory in South Carolina, the Blue Devils were able to escape Maryland with a win later that same night, besting the Terrapins 78-67 while pulling away in the final minutes on free throws.

Duke (23-5, 9-4 ACC) has spent every week of the season ranked in the top 10, holding the No. 1 ranking for a week in late January before being upset at Wake Forest.

The loss came exactly one week after the Hokies defeated the Demon Deacons who, at the time, were ranked No. 1 in the country.

Duke’s backcourt features guard Jon Scheyer who is averaging 13.9 points and a team-best 2.9 assists per game.

Freshman guard Elliot Williams is the newcomer to the Blue Devils’ starting lineup, but has already proven his worth since making the transition three weeks ago, scoring in double-figures in Duke’s past three contests.

“He’s given us a huge lift,” said Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski.

Virginia Tech vs. Duke Preview No. 7 Duke at Virginia Tech Saturday, 3:30 p.m., ABC Cassell Coliseum

Projected starting lineups:

#23: G, Malcolm Delaney

#30: G, Jon Scheyer

#10: G, Hank Thorns

#20: G, Eliot Williams

#40: G/F, A.D. Vassallo

#15: G/F, Gerald Henderson

18.8 ppg

2.7 apg

18.4 ppg

#0: F, Jeff Allen 14.0 ppg

#34: C, Cheick Diakite 4.0 rpg

13.9 ppg 3.3 ppg

16.3 ppg

#12: F, Kyle Singler 7.8 rpg

#42: F, Lance Thomas 3.5 rpg

SARA SPANGLER/COLLEGIATE TIMES

“He’s developed so much in practice.

I’ve seen steady progression from him this season. He’s made a commitment to getting better and that is what has earned him that starting role.”

The team’s leader in points scored, forward Gerald Henderson, averages 16.3 per game to go along with 4.7 rebounds per contest.

He scored 19 in Duke’s Wednesday night win in College Park.

C omplimenting Henderson is muchheralded teammate, forward Kyle Singler, who boasts 16.1 points and 7.8 boards per game.

“Gerald’s kind of our catalyst,” Singler said. “If we need a big play, it seems like he comes up with it. That’s who Gerald is. He’s a very good player. If he keeps doing what he’s been doing, we’ll be much better off.”

The Blue Devils’ bench is one of the deepest in the conference with recognizable guard Greg Paulus and 7foot-1 center Brian Zoubek, who leads the team in blocks.

The two clubs have already met once this season with the Blue Devils winning easily, 69-44, at Cameron Indoor Stadium in early January.

Only Delaney was able to score in

double-digits in the Hokies’ worst loss of their season thus far, producing 12 points with classmate and forward Jeff Allen contributing nine points and a team-best five rebounds.

As a team, Tech had 18 defensive rebounds, six blocks and seven steals but shot 36 percent from the field and 58 percent from the free throw line in the hostile environment of Cameron.

“Defensively, at times, I thought we were good,” said head coach Seth Greenberg after the loss.

“Offensively, we were inept at best.

That’s probably a compliment, actually.”

The Hokies made a late run the first half to come within eight points of the Blue Devils at the break, but the second half told a very different story.

Shooting 33 percent from the field in the second 20 minutes of play, the Hokies tallied just 13 points in comparison to the Blue Devils’ 31.

An 11-point lead soon became a 20point lead in less than four minutes. A three-pointer by Paulus began a 12-3 Duke run with 11:12 to go.

Duke never looked back as the Hokies scored only one field goal in the last 8:30 of the game.

“They do a great job at defending,” Greenberg said of the Blue Devils.

“They switch very well and push us out. They don’t allow any easy shots to be taken.”

Saturday’s contest will be the second-to-last at home for the Hokies in the 2008-09 regular season. The final stretch does not get any easier, as they host No. 4 North Carolina next Wednesday night before traveling to Tallahassee the following Sunday to face No. 23 Florida State.

Tech is 2-3 against ranked opponents this season.

Saturday’s tip-off with the Blue Devils is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. and will be broadcasted nationally on ABC.