Thursday, November 12, 2009
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COLLEGIATETIMES Check out page 2 for a preview of Virginia Tech’s production of ‘Othello.’ 106th year, issue 115
Features, page 2
Opinions, page 3
Q&A: ‘Hearken back to ... your youth’
REBECCA FRAENKEL/SPPS
Kevin Carroll speaks to Tech students in the Graduate Life Center auditorium Wednesday night.
SPEAKER DISCUSSES LASTING IMPORTANCE OF PLAY FOR DEFINING GOALS IN ADULT LIFE GORDON BLOCK news reporter Author and motivational speaker Kevin Carroll was in town Wednesday to speak about his message of play and finding one’s life passions. The writer of “Rules of the Red Rubber Ball: Find and Sustain Your Life’s Work,” “The Red Rubber Ball at Work: Elevate Your Game Through the Hidden Power of Play,” and “What’s Your Red Rubber Ball?,” Carroll’s message of play has been spread to countless groups worldwide. Carroll also spoke at the inaugural Beyond Sport Summit, which took place in London in July 2009, along with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Nobel Peace Prize winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Before speaking at the Graduate Life Center at Donaldson Brown, Carroll took time to speak with the CT.
COLLEGIATE TIMES: A good deal of your books revolves on a focus on red rubber balls. It seems very simple, but why is this something you have put so much focus on? Kevin Carroll: It’s at the inception and the epicenter of meaning in my journey. I started to realize that it could play a role as a metaphor for anyone in what they’re chasing, and I started to recognize the iconic ball had a global appeal. The more that I traveled, the more I realized that sport and play had a tremendous responsibility and role in a lot of lives and communities. I also saw that having something, a source of passion, source of purpose, a source of inspiration every day for something they’re chasing could also be that same thing for people. So I just started using that word, that icon as a literal thing for me and for anyone involved in sport and play, but for others, meta-
phorically what they’re chasing every day. It works so well because it is such a simple thing, and we all have a play history, so we can all relate to play on a fundamental level. CT: So should Virginia Tech students be tossing aside their textbooks and finding the nearest jungle gym? CARROLL: It wouldn’t be a bad thing. One of the top five global trends through the Mintel News, which is one of the global trending organizations; they identified playfulness as one of the trends for 2009. One of the reasons it was identified was that it allowed people to deal with uncertainty, upheaval, challenging times, and they said that people were using playfulness to develop resourcefulness and their resolve, and I thought it was really interesting that play was being seen as a valuable coping mechanism. I absolutely think there’s value for Virginia Tech students to make sure they have a moment
REBECCA FRAENKEL/SPPS
Carroll displays a ball made from banana leaves that he traded with children during his travels.
Sports, page 6
of play, and recognize it’s not just frivolous, it’s not just blowing off steam. There’s great value in those moments of joy and playfulness in what seems to be frivolous. CT: Do you think people in general are losing sight of the idea of play in their everyday lives? CARROLL: Well, I think as you get older, there’s some other things you’re facing, and other challenges and responsibilities. What’s happened even more so now is that we’re being challenged with so many things, we may not necessarily know how to deal with that uncertainty or to solve that problem or how to deal with that obstacle. I’m hopefully reminding people that you have the wits about you, sometimes you just have to hearken back to what you were able to do in your youth, and how you were able to do a lot with a little, and how you were really resourceful, and how you could use materials and how you could repurpose those. How can you find the solution to something that’s seemingly impossible to solve? Well, we’re facing those types of challenges, and we’re facing really difficult times. The more that you can take a deep breath and tracking the fact that you have within you the ability, maybe you allowed it to atrophy. You just need to reawaken it, and keep it strong, agile, and nimble. I truly believe the human spirit can transcend out of any circumstance, given the opportunity to work that problem out to find a solution. CT: You’ve been able give your presentation for groups of all ages and backgrounds, how does the reaction change from younger people to older people? CARROLL: Younger people, I don’t have to talk to them about play, they get it. I can talk to them about passion, purpose, inspiration, and identifying what you’re going to play. When people get older, they start to marginalize play, and push it to the weekend, if you think of the term ‘Weekend Warrior’. I want to remind adults on the role of having play daily, so I have to pull out more research and more of those types of things for an adult audience. That’s the two differentiating things: I don’t have to tell you to go out and play when you’re in your youth, and when you’re older I have to remind you of why play is important and don’t forget about its role and value and purpose. CT: So what do you hope the college age students of Virginia Tech can take from your message? CARROLL: First, I hope I can bring a level of energy and inspiration to demonstrate that you can live your passion every day if you’re willing to be clear and committed to it. It’s a lot of times we’re not quite sure what it is that inspires us. If you do that work in college, and you figure out exactly what tickles your brain, and what you really find joyful on a regular basis, it’s really important for young people to understand that. Why are you majoring in what you’re majoring? Do not major in it because of hiring. I think you’re going to be disappointed. Major in something you find inspirational, something you find intriguing, that you find compelling, that you want to stay forever curious about. I want them to really understand that’s what sport and play has always been for me. All different tangents I’ve taken around sport and play, but I’ve never lost the epicenter. I’m all about a ball. I’m always finding ways to be surrounded by that. Never lose sight of the thing that’s really is your primal passion and joy. Whether its writing, if its science, if its math, if its arts, if its music, just don’t lose sight of that. If you get pressured to study something else, minor in the thing that gives you joy. At least you’re still feeding yourself. I think that would be really important for college students to recognize, that we need to make sure we’re feeding our creative soul, feeding our other passions, and that we’re finding a way to have moments that are inspirational and that really are personally inspiring. That will allow us to be more effective in our personal lives, our communities, and our professional lives.
Classifieds, page 4
Sudoku, page 4
Veterans Day
LUKE MASON/SPPS
Members of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets honor Veterans Day at the War Memorial pylons Wednesday.
[news in brief] Dance to initiate International Week A showcase of international dance Friday night will kick off International Education Week at Virginia Tech. The Dance of Nations, at 6:30 p.m. in the Commonwealth Ballroom of Squires Student Center, will feature 18 different student groups representing a vast array of cultures. Other events related to International Education Week
include an international movie screening at the Lyric Theater on Nov. 16 and speaker Jean-Marc Hachey in the Graduate Life Center auditorium Nov. 18. The Cranwell International Center and the Council of International Student Organizations are sponsoring International Education Week. by liana bayne
Edgar Allan Poe bicentennial to be marked with concert performance Tech’s music department is to hold a concert commemorating the 200th anniversary of poet Edgar Allan Poe’s birth on Saturday, Nov. 14 at 8 p.m. in the Squires Recital Salon. The event will feature music spanning over a century of styles and inspired from Poe’s work. The music was composed by award-winning composer George J. Hutter of DePaul University; pianist Tracy Cowden commissioned the songs. Performers will include Cowden, faculty members Ariana
Wyatt and Benjamin Wyatt, and Patricia Raun, director of Tech’s School of Performing Arts and Cinema. The concert is a part of the ongoing University Chamber Music Series. Tickets cost $5 for students and $15 for the general public, and can be purchased at the UUSA ticket office in Squires Student Center, on its Web site, or by calling (540) 231-5200. by philipp kotlaba
Tech stages modern ‘Othello’ Tech’s Department of Theatre and Cinema is to present a modified version of William Shakespeare’s play “Othello” on Nov. 13-15 at 7:30 p.m. in Squires Haymarket Theatre. Directed by Bob McGrath, the play, part of the department’s “Mainstage Theatre Series,” will depict protagonist Othello as a basketball team captain.
Original music composed by Daniel Bernard Roumain and a live DJ will accompany the presentation. Other showtimes include Nov. 15 at 2 p.m. and Nov. 17-19 at 7:30 p.m. Both are also to be held in Haymarket Theatre. Tickets are $7 for students and $9 for the general public. by philipp kotlaba
2 features
editors: topher forhecz, teresa tobat featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
Tech’s latest play puts new twist on Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’ LIZ NORMENT features staff writer Following the grand opening of the new building on College Avenue, the Theater Department at Virginia Tech continues on a path of progression with an upcoming modern adaptation of “Othello.” Director Bob McGrath’s vision for the production attempts to cast a refreshing light on the timeless tragedy. “I wanted to do something totally different with it,” McGrath said. A theater professor and professional director, McGrath splits his time between Blacksburg and his theater company in New York. His background in theater boasts over 25 years of experience, but this performance is his first time directing Shakespeare. His take on the classic story sets the stage in modern day Venice and Cyprus, with Othello as an African-American basketball coach played by Michael Anthony Williams, professor of theater. Williams, who is also a working actor, jumped at the chance to act in one of McGrath’s
productions. “We’ve admired each others’ work from afar for a while and were both very anxious to work together,” Williams said. McGrath’s style is exemplified in his use of projections to build a set. He creates an original setting with combined images projected onto long drapes called scrims. These create an ethereal atmosphere of light and color. The images are paired with an original score of electric violin written by HaitianAmerican artist Daniel Bernard Roumain. The unique ambience presented a challenge to senior theater major Megan Carey, who designed all of the costumes for the actors. She had to create garments that both stood out and blended well with the luminary projections. Every single item had to be in gray scale to match with the set backdrop. Despite the difficulties, Carey said she was intrigued by McGrath’s concept for the play. “Once I started talking to him I got more excited,” Carey said. “He wanted high fashion, which I love. I was able to make the actors look glamorous.” Othello, played by Williams, will
LooP
check it out
[ ] When: Nov. 13-15 at 7:30 p.m., Nov. 15 at 2 p.m., and Nov. 17-19 at 7:30 p.m. Where: Squires Haymarket Theatre Cost: The cost is $9 for the general public and $7 for students and senior citizens.
be wearing a combination of fitted three-piece suits and athletic gear to emphasize the transition of Shakespeare’s classic character to McGrath’s Moorish basketball coach. Williams researched for the main character part by reading various versions of the famous play. He said one of the biggest challenges of getting into character was letting go of all his past perceptions of Othello. “I’ve had to release myself and my brain and my thoughts from every staging of ‘Othello’ I’ve ever seen,” Williams said, “creating my own character to fit with Bob’s vision.” Prior to being hired as Tech faculty, Williams worked as a guest artist for part of 2006 and 2007. Living
[Monday, November 16]
In the
Wondering what's going on around the 'burg? Check out the events of the upcoming week.
[Thursday, November 12]
[Friday, November 13]
What: Open Mic Where: She Sha When: 8 p.m. Cost: Free
What: Relay for Life “Dirty Dancing” Competition Where: Graduate Life Center Multipurpose Room When: 6 - 9 p.m. Cost: $4 in advance, $6 at the door.
What: Fever to Sing presents: German Noise Invasion Where: Champs Cafe When: 8 p.m. Cost: $5 If you would like an event featured in our calendar, e-mail featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com with event details, including cost.
with his family in the area, Williams was touched by the Blacksburg community and felt that he left much of himself here upon leaving. “My work here as a guest artist ended April 15, 2007, and I left the following morning,” he said. “I was driving up to DC with my family when I heard the news.” He said he felt punctured — that day being one of the hardest of his life. When he got the call to return to Tech, Williams came with no hesitation because he felt that the community needed healers. “Working as an actor has done wonders for me,” he said, “and it was the best way I felt to give back to a community in need.” In anticipation of the event, Williams also remarked on this first work with McGrath as a collaborative effort. “It’s been interesting finding each other’s pulse through this performance,” Williams said. “But all I can say is that Blacksburg needs to brace COURTESY OF SUSAN SANDERS themselves because we’ve only just Professor Michael Anthony Williams plays the title character Othello. begun.”
[Saturday, November 14] What: Downtown Breathalyzer Fundraiser hosted by Phi Sigma Pi honor fraternity Where: Sharkey's When: 10 p.m. Cost: $1 to be breathalyzed What: Josh O'Brien Where: Gillie's When: 7 p.m. Cost: Price of food
What: Kyle Hollingsworth Band Where: Attitudes When: 8 p.m. Cost: $12 Note: 18+
[Tuesday, November 17] What: Law Enforcement Panel (for anyone interested in Law Enforcement) Where: Robeson Hall Room 210 When: 5:30- 6:30 p.m. Cost: Free
Experience the Department of Theatre & Cinema at Virginia Tech's Mainstage Production of Othello by William Shakespeare. Showtimes are Nov. 13-15 at 7:30 p.m., Nov. 15 at 2 p.m., and Nov. 17-19 at 7:30 p.m. All shows will be held in Squires Haymarket Theatre and ticket prices are $9 general, $7 senior/student.
[Wednesday, November 18] What: Symphonic Wind Ensemble and Campus Band Where: Squires Commonwealth Ballroom When: 8 p.m. Cost: Free
Check out the YMCA @ VT Craft Show this weekend at University Mall. It will be held from noon to 7 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
opınıons 3
november 12, 2009 editor: debra houchins opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
page B
COLLEGIATETIMES
november 12, 2009
Dim and Wit: A little compassion goes a long way for future elections
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 Collegiate Times Editorial Staff Editor in Chief: Sara Mitchell Managing Editors: Peter Velz, Bethany Buchanan Production Manager: Thandiwe Ogbonna Public Editor: Justin Graves News Editors: Zach Crizer, Philipp Kotlaba News Reporters: Liana Bayne, Gordon Block News Staff Writers: Hope Miles, Billy Mitchell, Katie Robidoux, Allison Sanders, Claire Sanderson, Priya Saxena Features Editors: Teresa Tobat, Topher Forhecz Features Reporters: Ryan Arnold, Mary Anne Carter, Dan Waidelich Features Staff Writer: Joyce Kim Opinions Editor: Debra Houchins Sports Editors: Joe Crandley, Alex Jackson Sports Reporters: Ed Lupien, Ray Nimmo, Ryan Trapp, Melanie Wadden, Thomas Emerick Sports Staff Writers: Garrett Busic, Matt Collette, Hattie Francis Copy Editor: Kelsey Heiter, Dishu Maheshwari, Mika Rivera Layout Designers: Kelly Harrigan, Josh Son, Lindsey Bachand, Sara Spangler, Cecilia Lam Illustrator: Mina Noorbakhsh Multimedia Editor: Kevin Anderson Multimedia Reporter: James Carty, Riley Prendergast Online Director: Jamie Chung Online Programmer: Zach Swasey Collegiate Times Business Staff Business Manager: David Harries
[
This is the first in a series of cartoons satirizing opposing college stereotypes: the over-caring intellectual and the self-centered slacker who gets by on looks. E-mail opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com with comments or suggestions. Created by Rohit Elwadhi, illustrated by Mina Noorbakhsh
Your Views [letter to the editor]
Letter from Seth Greenberg
L
et the games begin! I hope you, the Cassell Guard, are ready for the start of the basketball season. We need the Cassell Guard out in full force as we open the season on Sunday at 4:00 pm. As in the past, you are not spectators but are an important part of our team. We don’t want you to spectate, but participate! We have Generals to help lead the way and set the tone for our student sec-
tion. Our players have had a tough, physical off-season. They are ready and you need to be too! Please come early and set the tone. Ownership, energy, passion and winning atmosphere is what we need! Let’s work together to have a great season. It’s great day to be a hokie!
SETH GREENBERG head coach men’s basketball
we’re YOUR newspaper. send a letter to the editor and express your views.
send an e-mail to opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com with your letter or guest column attached.
]
Center right, moderates key for Republican party With the Republican’s defeat last fall, the party as an organization has since been leaderless. Unlike most people, I do not necessarily think it is a bad thing for them and possibly for the entire nation in the long term. The public’s complete reversal over Bush’s policies and the neo-conservative ideals has forced the Republican Party to look inward to understand what it might mean to be republican without being a neo-conservative. The GOP has found that it has a choice to make, one of two directions: become more ideologically entrenched by purging the moderates in their ranks or try to increase their base by embracing moderate people and ideas. For anyone reading the news, it’s obvious which road they have started down. A group known, rather ironically, as the “Tea Baggers” has taken over as the voice of the base of the Republican Party. These people are in large part no longer influenced by the ideas of Goldwater or Reagan. Instead they are influenced by the demagoguery of Glen Beck and Rush Limbaugh. And it’s not just the GOP supporters who have taken this view; it is also the party, the politicians. In both the upcoming congressional elections and the most recent elections, we find a plethora of candidates who not only embrace these people’s ideas, but also advertise their allegiance to them as a main part of their political platform. It would be unfair of me to define the Republican Party only by its right wing, so we should ask ourselves what of the moderates of the party? If we look to last week’s elections, we find a very interesting development in the
special election for New York’s 23rd District. In NY-23, the Republican candidate, Scozzafava, was forced out of the race by the conservative independent candidate, Hoffman. The Republicans, instead of standing up for one of their own, spent as much time as the Democrats trying to talk down their own candidate in favor of another, more conservative, candidate. When Scozzafava finally bowed out of the race, she was so disillusioned with her own party that she endorsed the Democrat over Hoffman. Looking at the sitting members of Congress, we see a similar trend. In this weekend’s historic vote on health care in the U.S. House, one Republican, Rep. Cao of Louisiana, voted his conscience in favor of the bill. U.S. House Republicans, even before the bill even cooled and before its outcome was determined in the Senate, began talking about bringing sanctions against him, including not supporting his next bid for Congress. Similarly, when Sen. Olympia Snow of Maine voted to bring the Senate’s version of the health care bill out of committee to be voted upon before the American people, the Republicans and their kin defamed her. This is the sign not of a party that wants to build a national coalition, but of one that wishes to cultivate a regional, vocal minority. The Republicans stand ready to suffer the fate of the Dixiecrats of the previous generation — disgraced and out of touch with reality, hanging on to old bigotries and offering no forward looking ideas. Even in this very state we just elected a governor who thinks
that working women are a detriment to society. Surely these are ideas that are past their time — while there will always be parts of this nation that are sympathetic to such abhorrent ideas, it will not be one that can ever be sustained in a national platform. The question is not if this will last, but how it will fail. Will the Republicans cease to exist or will some more reasonable wing of their party finally grab the reins? As a Democrat I worry that in their search for a new soul, the Republicans might be willing to take us down with them before they find their new direction. We have so many important issues that need solving today and yet the only thing that the Republicans have to offer us is obstructionism. While they may see this as an effective political strategy, it is not one that benefits our nation. As an American I firmly believe that having multiple parties to rationally debate all possible positions benefits us. However, in their current condition, the Republicans are unable to do so as a party. Nor do people like Beck and Limbaugh do the nation and their followers any favors when they encourage and suggest the behavior seen in this summer’s town halls and in subsequent protests. The people of this great country deserve better from the Republicans.
PATRICK BUTLER -regular columnist -graduate student -computer science
Concealed carry permits are too easily obtained F
or the safety of the students and faculty at Virginia Tech, I hope Ken Stanton is wrong in his prediction that our state legislature will pass legislation this January that will force universities to allow concealed handguns on campus (CT, “Concealed Carry is Coming to Virginia Campuses,” Nov. 8). After a new law passed earlier this year allowing Virginia residents to satisfy the “training” requirement for a concealed carry permit by taking an online course, I was curious to see how easy it is to obtain a permit online. My first step was to complete an online training course from the Concealed Carry Institute. Let it be clear that I have never touched a gun, never mind fired one. The closest that I have ever been to a gun is when being under attack in Norris Hall on April 16, 2007. The “training” I received was simply to watch a 30-minute instructional video on handgun safety and to successfully answer 15 out of the 20 questions on the mul-
tiple-choice test. The following is a question that actually appeared on my test: When talking about semi-automatic handguns, the magazine is: a) A brochure that describes the firearm b) An instruction manual for the firearm c) The part of the firearm that holds ammunition d) The mechanism that puts the firearm on safety Needless to say, I passed the test. Although the test is not difficult, and I can retake the test many times, there is a great potential for cheating online. Anyone can easily have another person take the test for them, or one can open a separate Web browser to search for the correct answers. My next step was to apply to my local circuit court and pass a computerized background check. Despite my total lack of experience with firearms, in a few weeks I had received my concealed carry permit. That was it. There was not a
firearms instructor to show me, in person, how to use a gun, and no requirement to fire at a shooting range and demonstrate my proficiency with a handgun. This is the training regimen that Students for Concealed Carry on Campus (SCCC) want us to believe will “protect” us in classrooms if facing a lethal threat. Ken Stanton lauds these requirements as “some of the best measures in the country to ensure responsibility when carrying,” but is the bare minimum truly enough to protect you? SCCC claims that all concealed carry permit holders are law abiding citizens, but it is possible to qualify for a concealed handgun permit in Virginia even with multiple misdemeanor convictions on your record. Individuals who have previously been the subjects of restraining orders, convicted of drunk driving, or treated for mental health illness can also obtain a permit. It’s shocking but not surprising that there have already been four confirmed shootings this year by
concealed handgun permit holders: Michael McClendon in Alabama (killed 10, wounded six), Frank Garcia in upstate New York (killed four, injured one), Richard Poplawski in Pittsburgh (Neo-Nazi who killed three police officers, injured one) and George Sodini in Pittsburgh (health club shooter who killed three women, injured nine). Like the Editorial Board of the Collegiate Times, I was deeply disturbed when the SCCC invited Eric Thompson to Tech shortly after the one-year anniversary of the shootings. The online gun dealer sold guns and accessories to the Tech shooter, to the Northern Illinois University shooter, and to George Sodini, the aforementioned concealed carry permit holder and mass murderer. SCCC’s featured speaker on Monday night, Philip Van Cleave of the Virginia Citizens’ Defense League (VCDL), is equally such an extremist on the gun issue. Van Cleave and the VCDL have pushed to force guns to be allowed everywhere, including in
government buildings, restaurants where alcohol is served, and now on school campuses. At a recent speech at Liberty University, Van Cleave noted with pride: “At the end of the day, I don’t think there should be restrictions of firearms. Period.” That means no background checks to help prevent dangerous individuals, like the Virginia Tech and NIU shooters, from wreaking havoc with easily obtained handguns and assault weapons. SCCC and VCDL might be content to settle matters by engaging in shootouts with disturbed individuals who have gained easy access to firearms, but the rest of us deserve more thoughtful, practical solutions on how to prevent violence on America’s college campuses.
ELITA HABTU -guest columnist -tech alumna ‘07 -injured survivor of German class
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ACROSS 1 FBI sting that began during Carter’s presidency 7 In this way 11 Tapped-out message 14 Sheep herder 15 Old World Style sauce maker 16 Hawaiian Punch rival 17 All-big-gun battleship 19 It might be pale or brown 20 Blackguards 21 Powerful health care lobbying gp. 22 Budget noodle dish 24 Deeply ingrained habit 28 TV sched. notation 31 Most piquant 32 Extremely cold 34 Birthplace of “Wayne’s World,” briefly 35 Cheese in a ball 39 Shanghais 42 Gap subsidiary 44 “The Time Machine” leisure class 45 Org. with the blog Greenversations 47 Further off the beaten path 48 Convenience store 52 Hard-rock filler 53 Cuba or Puerto Rico, e.g. 57 Parisian’s “Presto!” 58 Family nickname 59 “__ the hint!” 63 Lat neighbors 64 Human fingerprint, and what’s hidden in five puzzle answers 68 __ Percé: Pacific Northwest tribe 69 Irish Rose’s beau 70 Prepare to slip off 71 Museum filler 72 Barbecue site 73 Singer Sheena DOWN 1 Type of elec. adapter
By Kelsey Blakley
2 Afghanistan’s Tora __ region 3 Huskies’ burden 4 School group 5 Help 6 Serious threat 7 Unauthorized absentees 8 Broom rider 9 Exclamation with a shudder 10 Buddha’s teachings 11 SeaWorld celebrity 12 Carrier of crude 13 Dramatic segment 18 Songwriter Tori 23 Show up 25 University founder Cornell 26 Pebbles’ pet 27 “Little” Dickens girl 28 Pay-as-you-go rd. 29 Cook, in a way 30 Gucci of fashion 33 Mink or sable 36 Pop, to baby 37 Parade rtes., maybe 38 Vidal’s Breckinridge
11/12/09 Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved
(c)2009 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
40 Remain undecided 41 Pirouette 43 Inflict on 46 Gathered up 49 When Rome wasn’t built? 50 Play to __: draw 51 Off-color 53 Trump with a cameo in “The First Wives Club”
11/12/09
54 Not even tipsy 55 “Faust Symphony” composer 56 Physicist Bohr 60 Swarm insect 61 Nestlé cereal beverage 62 High schooler 65 Jazz org.? 66 Balloon filler 67 Italian “a”
features 5
editors: topher forhecz, teresa tobat featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
Cultural, ethnic diversity showcased through movement in ‘Dance of Nations’ DAN WAIDELICH features reporter International Education Week will kick off with the Dance of Nations, a celebration of diversity and culture at Virginia Tech. Dance of Nations is a gathering of international organizations and clubs that explores various folk traditions and cultural backgrounds present in the Tech community. The Council of International Student Organizations sponsors the event. “It’s a showcase of different cultures through their dances,” said Lubna Chowdhury, a public relations officer for CISO and a junior industrial systems and engineering major, “and this year we have had a really good response.” The event is held annually and has been a success for CISO, Chowdhury said. All who attend will have the chance to sample food and hear music from around the world, but the centerpiece of the evening is the 15 different student organizations and two solo performances that will showcase a variety of international folk dances.
check it out When: Nov. 13 Time: 6:30-9:30 p.m. Cost: Free Where: Graduate Life Center The number of performances in the show is up from past years, Chowdhury said. In previous events, only around 10 organizations would be represented. CISO encompasses 55 groups at Tech, each of which is invited to stage a performance for the Dance of Nations. The increase in participating groups has largely been because of publicity, Chowdhury said. “Last year really bumped it all up,” Chowdhury said. “There was just way more turnout.” The groups appearing in the event practice their respective routines separately from each other until the day before the event when they come together for a final rehearsal. Every group is responsible for getting their performance in order and
COURTESY OF COUNCIL OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
Salsa Tech members dance at a past Dance of Nations. Fifteen student organizations will perform this year. telling CISO what is needed to put on a routine. Performing for the first time at the event will be members from the Global Ambassadors, a program designed to assist international students in their adjustment to life at Tech. The Global Ambassadors will be performing a debka, a type of folk line dance found throughout the Middle East. Previous Dance of Nations events had little Middle Eastern influence, said Joolan Saroor, a global ambassador with Tech’s Global Ambassador Program and a sophomore biochemistry major. “All of us are from the Middle East,” Saroor said. “It’s something that we know and can promote for cultural awareness.”
The Global Ambassadors group is participating as a community service project to promote international awareness, Saroor said. It will join its fellow organizations in the first event of International Education Week at Tech. Middle East folk dancing will be represented alongside performances that celebrate the cultures of South America, Africa and Asia. The celebration of worldwide diversity is sponsored in part by CISO and the Cranwell International center. After the Dance of Nations, events are planned throughout the week to encourage members of the community to think about global diversity. There is a planned International Movie Night at the Lyric on Nov. 16,
Lubna Chowdhury said. The film is still to be decided, but the screening will be free. On Nov. 18, CISO is hosting a presentation by Jean-Marc Hachey in the Graduate Life Center. Hachey will discuss education COURTESY OF COUNCIL OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS abroad and international job oppor- Hill and Veil belly dancers perform at a past Dance of Nations event. tunities.
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editors: joe crandley, alex jackson sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
november 12, 2009
Young Beamer creating his own legacy
FRANK BEAMER HEAD COACH Until then, Shane had only ever had experience working for coaches with philosophies marked by great defense and power running games, let alone growing up as the son of one. Spurrier was a horse of a different color, though. In the 1990s he made Florida great by instituting his “Fun ’n’ Gun” offense, which emphasized passing more times per game than Elvis had No. 1 hits. The change in styles was an adjustment for Shane, but his new boss and his father had many more similarities than differences. “They are both great competitors, whether its football or golf, they both hate to lose,” he said. “Their strategies might be different, but they are both intense and want to win in everything they do.” After the 2008 season, Spurrier named Shane his recruiting coordinator — perhaps the toughest job at any SEC school. Nevertheless, he was well fit for the job. “He is so good about writing handwritten notes to recruits,” Cheryl said. “When he calls them, he knows their whole life history it seems. His attention to detail is great, just like his daddy’s.”
aren’t performing at a high level will hear the raves and rants of the fans all week. Being the son of a coach is even worse, though, as you can be accused of only keeping your job because of your dad. If that “right situation” ever does occur, you can bet Shane will be on the Lane Stadium sidelines once again — this time with a big-boy walkie-talkie, coaching real players instead of his sister.
Shane’s eventual return would only make sense for the Beamer family, whose impact on the university and community is indescribable. Should he ever return, very little would change around the Tech program. When asked to name a difference between her husband and son, Cheryl Beamer was at a loss for words. “Let’s just say this: The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”
shane beamer 1996-1999
VIRGINIA TECH
1999-2000
“
I said ‘You’ve lived in this house your whole life and you want to do this - are you nuts?”
Obviously, signing high school kids to play for South Carolina takes more than a simple note, and Shane goes to great lengths to secure the best prospects he can. “Recruiting in the SEC is cutthroat, lasting 365 days a year. You have to be up to it every day,” Shane said. In the first recruiting class since taking the coordinating job, South Carolina’s commitments were ranked 12th in the country, according to rivals.com. Even with their busy schedules, Shane and Frank manage to keep in touch during the season. The two speak on the phone at least once a week, usually on Thursday nights, and the subject rarely deviates from football. “We’ll talk a lot about Xs and Os, the previous game and the upcoming one,” Shane said. “When we do talk, it’s usually about football.” Through hard work, persistence and some ultra-strong bloodlines, Shane, 32, has developed into one of the strongest up-and-coming assistant coaches in the country, which begs one obvious question: When will the father bring his son back to Blacksburg? “I think they would love (to coach together),” Cheryl said. However, several obstacles stand in the way of Shane’s possible return to Blacksburg. One is the continuity of the staff at Tech. There have only been four coaches who have left Frank’s staff since 2000. The loyalty of the assistants to the Tech program is unparalleled, and the head coach is hardly one to break that up simply to hire his son. “It has to be the right situation, but I do think he is a great coach,” Frank said. The second roadblock in Shane’s path home is the scrutiny he would face as a part of his father’s staff. Just 120 miles away, Virginia coach Al Groh, under tremendous pressure from the fan base to make a change, had to fire his son and offensive coordinator Mike in 2008. Several other sons of great coaches have always been under a close watch. Terry and Tommy Bowden were both head coaches at Auburn and Clemson, respectively, and had to constantly deal with the pressure of being Bobby’s son. Jay Paterno has caught great criticism at times over the years for the lack of production from the quarterback position at Penn State. Obviously, any coach whose players
2000-2003
The year was 1989. It was late in the fourth quarter as coach Shane Beamer gazed upon the field from above, ready to send in the winning play call. Instead of being inside Lane Stadium in front of 50,000 raucous fans, Frank Beamer’s 12year-old son could only pretend he was in his father’s shoes. He stood on the wooden deck behind his house, looking down on an empty pasture. On this particular day, he was lucky enough to have found a friend to send down to the pasture with one walkie-talkie while he held the other. They used the toys to communicate imaginative strategies, just like Shane saw his father do on Saturdays. He had already spent the morning in the kitchen reading the game day itinerary aloud to his younger sister, Casey. He had spent all week in the back of his father’s office, scanning old playbooks for a tip on this week’s game plan. Twenty years later, Shane Beamer is forging his own path along the sidelines at South Carolina. The son of the legendary Virginia Tech coach is responsible for the strong safeties and special teams, and he is the recruiting coordinator for the Gamecocks. If families are rated on a scale from 1-10 based on frequent stress, those with coaches are an 11. “When Shane told me he wanted to get into coaching after he was done playing, I said, ‘You’ve lived in this house your whole life and you want to do this — are you nuts?’” Frank Beamer said. Despite all the chaos that came from growing up as the son of a Division I football coach, a young Shane took advantage of his resources. He began carrying the cord for his father’s headset on the sidelines at age 10. Around that same time, he began reading through stacks of papers tucked away in Frank’s office. Though he was introduced to the deepest secrets of coaching at an early age, he didn’t always appreciate his good fortune. “If I have any regrets, I wish I had asked more football questions than I did,” Shane said. As a high school player, Shane was
he worked tirelessly to give himself those opportunities. “Having connections helped, but it was writing a lot of letters to coaches and doing everything I could myself that got me those jobs,” he said. Shane’s first full-time coaching job came in 2004 at Mississippi State under Sylvester Croom, the first African-American coach in the Southeastern Conference. Shane coached the defensive backs. Croom’s ruthless work ethic and strong disciplinary background helped Shane learn the work it took to build a successful team from the ground up. In 2007, Steve Spurrier, the former national championship coach at Florida who had returned to the college ranks at South Carolina, hired Shane to coach the outside linebackers.
- Hokies' starting long snapper for three seasons - Bachelor's degree from Virginia Tech
GEORGIA TECH - Offensive Graduate Assistant - Peach Bowl appearance
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE - Graduate assistant football coach on defensive side - Assisted with development of Volunteer defensive backs - Appeared in three straight bowl games - Directly responsible for coaching placekickers, punters and longsnappers
MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY
2004-2006
sports staff writer
never the best athlete on the field, and he had a decision to make as his career drew to an end. He could walk on to his dad’s team and risk never playing a snap, or play for a small school and continue playing football. For advice, Shane looked to someone familiar to his situation: Terry Bowden. At the time, Bowden was the head coach at Auburn University, but long before that he had been a walk-on for his own father, Bobby Bowden, at West Virginia. Shane wrote to Terry, asking for consultation on what he should do after high school. Bowden explained to him that if he ever wanted to coach, he should stay with his father where he would learn much more than if he played at a lower level. It was the first sign of the motivation Shane had to become a figure like his father, yet his parents never knew he had such drive at that time. “We never knew he sent that letter until Terry came up to us at a camp and told us,” Shane’s mother Cheryl said. Shane went on to play for Frank at Tech, where he would become the starting long-snapper for the punt team, or the “Pride” team as it is known in the Hokies’ program. Fittingly, Frank has plenty of pride for what his son had accomplished even before graduating college. “It was a real treat to get to see him every day for four years,” he said. After graduating, Shane decided to trade the Blue Ridge Mountains of Blacksburg for the skyscrapers of downtown Atlanta, accepting a graduate assistant job at Georgia Tech. In his only year with the Yellow Jackets, he worked on the offensive side of the ball with Ralph Friedgen, now the head coach at Maryland. After a season where the Jackets finished 9-3, including a seven-game winning streak to finish the regular season, Shane moved to Knoxville to work under Philip Fulmer at Tennessee. It was under Fulmer where Shane learned the defensive side of the football, as well as recruiting in the cutthroat SEC. “Coach Fulmer was very influential from a recruiting standpoint,” Beamer said. “He was very intense when it came to recruiting.” Landing a graduate assistant job at a big-time program is nearly as easy as going 12 rounds with Mike Tyson. Those who don’t know Shane might assume he let his surname carry him to such great schools, while in reality
Coached MSU cornerbacks - Guided three defensive backs to All-SEC accolades - Moved to running backs coach in '06 - Served as program's recruiting coordinator
SOUTH CAROLINA UNIVERSITY 2007-Present
JOSH PARCELL
- Hired in '07 to coach outside linebackers and serve as as co-coordinator of special teams - Asssumed recruiting coordinator duties after 2008 season - Currently is the special teams coordinator and works with "spurs" and strong safeties LINDA NGUYEN/COLLEGIATE TIMES