Revised April 16 report reveals new details Friday, December 4, 2009
BY ZACH CRIZER | nrv news editor revised version of the on the web
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Virginia Tech Governor’s Review Panel report on the April 16, 2007 shootings has been completed and released to families by Gov. Tim Kaine and independent information systems company Tri-Data. Kaine agreed to revise the report, originally released in late 2007, at the request of victims’ families following the discovery of shooter Seung-Hui Cho’s mental health records at the home of former Cook Counseling Center director Robert Miller in July.
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Go to the CT’s Web site at www.collegiatetimes.com to see the revised documents.
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All revisions were completed by Tri-Data. Kaine refused to reconvene the original panel, a measure that many families of the victims called for. Submissions of corrections were also collected from family members. The revised report, obtained by the Collegiate Times, contains a new introduction explaining the
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revision process. “Some families had personal knowledge of the events that were not previously shared,” the introduction to the revised report said. “Some families requested new interpretations of certain findings or revisions to some of the Review Panel’s recommendations in light of the new information. Virginia Tech officials also submitted comments requesting some corrections.” Unlike the original report, several family members were interviewed. see REPORT / page two
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On the road to reinvention Middle school property released by school board
ZACH CRIZER nrv news editor The Montgomery County School Board let go of the vacant Blacksburg Middle School site this week, leaving its future in the hands of the county’s Board of Supervisors. Many Blacksburg residents and town council candidates have pitched ideas for development on the site, which has been vacant since 2002. A resolution passed Tuesday by the school board allows the Board of Supervisors to work with the Blacksburg Town Council to sell the property to a developer. The school board removed a clause that would have given it input on the future of the property. Funds from a potential sale would go toward the Montgomery County Public School system’s debt or building new facilities.
The new school facilities in the Prices Fork area have allowed the school board to feel secure about releasing the property, said board member Phyllis Albritton. “They’ve just been waiting for the time to come when they could have the land for the new school at Prices Fork,” Albritton said. She said the debate over whether to give up control of the land parcel, which is just less than 20 acres, has been heated since before she joined the board two years ago, but an uncertain future for county facilities motivated the board to hold on to the land until this week’s meeting. Albritton said the county has determined population patterns are moving out of Blacksburg. She said that while she may not have been
on the school board for an extended period of time, she remembers when Blacksburg Middle School was full of life. “There’s a lot of nostalgia for a lot of us about it, but as we’re told, the population is moving out into the county,” Albritton said. “Having it sit vacant for 15 years while we see if we need it is not a wise decision.” Montgomery County’s Board of Supervisors now owns the land, but the town of Blacksburg still determines the zoning of the property, said Blacksburg Town Attorney Larry Spencer. The parcel’s assessed value, as listed by Blacksburg’s Geographic Information System, is over $4.4 million.
Rezoning the site, a process controlled by the town, to allow commercial or mixed-use development could increase the sale price, which would benefit Montgomery County. “The county would be in the position of the landowner and the developer would be in the position of contract purchaser,” Spencer said. Blacksburg would only have “zoning power” over the property. The site is currently zoned as a low-density residential parcel, which would make single-family homes the only development that could be built without rezoning. It sits adjacent to a commercial zone. Any development of the site will need to meet the town’s zoning requirements, but the land must be purchased from Montgomery County. see SCHOOL / page two
FILE/SPPS
Police seek indecent exposure suspect
news staff writer A memorial has been established in the lounge of Litton-Reaves Hall to Emily Hilscher, one of the 32 Virginia Tech students shot and killed during the events of April 16, 2007. The Emily Jane Hilscher Student Lounge is located in the busy first floor of the building, where all students who enter are able to view a large bronze plaque, saddle and renovated lounge area. The lounge centerpiece is a “bronze plaque with a picture of Emily, and a horse,” said Cindy Hixon, executive secretary of the Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences. “On the plaque are the words written that literally came from her mother. ... It’s beautiful.” Hixon also said beside the plaque is a saddle that was donated and signed multiple times by Hilscher’s horse-loving friends. The saddle remains in its own custom-designed side cabinet. The memorial’s official dedication ceremony was held Sept. 19. At the ceremony, the plaque was unveiled as friends, family and past faculty admired the newly dedicated area and received T-shirts
with an “A.O.K” symbol embellished across each one. The symbol stands for “acts of kindness,” which is said HILSCHER to symbolize Hilscher’s personality who is remembered as a dedicated and passionate person dedicated to serving others, as said by her parents. In addition to the creation of the special lounge, a memorial fund, the Emily Jane Hilscher Memorial Classroom Renovation Fund, has also been established. Jacques Klempf of Jacksonville, Fla. established the fund, whose main purpose is to raise money to repair and refurbish educational spaces within the building of Litton Reaves itself. Emily Hilscher was the daughter of Eric and Elizabeth Hilscher. She was originally from the town of Woodville, Va., and was a freshman when she was killed. She wished to major in animal and poultry science, with the hopes of becoming a veterinarian. Hilscher was also a member of Tech’s equestrian team.
Criminal charges against Tech team doctor progress T
he felony property destruction charge against local physician Marc Siegel, who has served as a surgeon for Virginia Tech’s athletes, has been certified to a grand jury. Siegel, 56, was arrested in October in connection with a damaged vehicle at Montgomery Regional Hospital.
The charge is one felony count of property destruction with intent, where damage totaled more than $1,000. He was listed as a member of the Tech Sports Medicine Department as an orthopedic surgeon. by zach crizer, nrv news editor
Virginia Tech Police are investigating two cases of indecent exposure it believes were perpetrated by the same suspect earlier this week. The crime alert posted by the university indicates the first incident occurred at 8:20 p.m. Monday night between Femoyer Hall and Major Williams Hall. The second was reported at 7: 15 p.m. Tuesday night in the parking lot between Derring Hall and Pamplin Hall. Police describe the suspect as a “white, fair skinned” male in his mid to late 20s. The man is of a
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thin build and has unshaven dark brown hair cut in “an ear-length bowl-style.” The alert said he left the scene Tuesday night in a blue sedan that could possibly be a later model Chevrolet Lumina. It also stated he was wearing black dress pants and a white shirt at the time of both incidents.
Where the incidents took place .
LAURA JENSEN
on the web
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Tech Police at 540-231-6411 or Detective Robert Taylor at 540-231-8121.
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nrv news editor
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ZACH CRIZER
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Tech dedicates memorial to April 16 shooting victim
Monday at 8:20 p.m. Major
Whittemore Hall
Hancock Hall
Whittemore Hall
Cowgill Hall Tuesday at 7:15 p.m.
Derring Hall
Femoyer Hall
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Pamplin Hall
Mcbryde Hall Holden Hall
Norris Hall Patton Hall
Burruss Hall Virginia Tech
JOSH SON/COLLEGIATE TIMES
Americans turning sharply toward isolationist sentiments, polls find STEVEN THOMMA mcclatchy newspapers WASHINGTON — At the very moment when President Barack Obama is looking to thrust the U.S. ever more into global affairs, from Afghanistan to climate change, the American public is turning more isolationist and unilateralist than it has at any time in decades, according to a new poll released Thursday. The survey by the Pew Research Center found a plurality of Americans, 49 percent, think that the U.S. should “mind its own business internationally” and leave it to other countries to fend for themselves. It was the first time in more than 40 years of polling that the ranks of Americans with isolationist sentiment outnumbered those with a more international outlook, Pew said.
“The U.S. public is turning decidedly inward,” Pew said. The U.S. is also growing more unilateralist, with 44 percent saying that the U.S. “should go our own way in
international matters, not worrying about whether other countries agree with us or not.” That was the highest percentage since the question was first asked in 1964. The country also has grown pessimistic about U.S. clout in world affairs. By a margin of 41 percent to 25 percent, Americans think the U.S. is playing a less important role in the world than 10 years ago. It was the first time since the 1970s, when the U.S. had withdrawn from Vietnam, been hurt by an Arab oil embargo and seen its citizens held hostage in Iran, that a plurality of Americans thought their country was weaker than it had been a decade before. The shift in sentiment comes after more than eight years of war in Afghanistan and almost seven in Iraq, and in the midst of the worst economy
since the Great Depression. Just 32 percent of the public favors increasing U.S. troops in Afghanistan, and only 46 percent say it’s likely that Afghanistan will be able to withstand the threat posed by the Taliban. The survey of 2,000 U.S. adults was taken from Oct. 28-Nov. 8, before Obama’s speech on Afghanistan Tuesday night. It has an error margin of plus or minus 3 percentage points. The public turn toward isolationism comes as Obama plans to escalate the U.S. role in Afghanistan with more troops and as he engages with other countries and international institutions on issues ranging from climate change to the economy. Next week, he will visit Denmark to attend an international conference on climate change, then Norway to accept the Nobel Peace Prize.
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university editor: philipp kotlaba new river valley news editor: zach crizer newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
december 4, 2009
COLLEGIATETIMES
Report: Revision expands details in timeline of events from page one
“After completing an initial review of the comments from all parties, TriData submitted a number of questions to Virginia Tech and also interviewed several family members for clarification of their comments, and to crosscheck information and corroborate facts,” the report said. Despite a wide range of changes, the report said there were no corrections that warranted altering the original recommendations. “The new and additional information has tended to reinforce the Review Panel’s original findings and recommendations,” the report said. “In several instances, emphasis was added to findings where strongly supported by the facts. While some of the findings have been modified slightly and one added, none of the new information merited changes to any of the recommendations in the original Report.” One major change to the report was the revision of a timeline that many families said was flawed in the original report. “This Addendum contains an expanded timeline with virtually all of the additions suggested by the families,” the report said. WEST A.J. SHOOTINGS The revised report more specifically explains how Cho may have selected and entered West Ambler-Johnston Hall, where he killed Emily Hilscher
and Ryan Clark, his first two victims. “Some students were assigned mailboxes located in a different dorm from their own,” the report said. “They could access their mailbox after 7:30 a.m. Cho was one of these students. He lived in Harper Hall but his mailbox was in West Ambler Johnston where he committed the first two murders. He had access and reason to be in the mailbox area of WAJ, which may help explain why he chose it. It also was a short walk from his dorm. His motivation for the initial killings still has not been determined. He had no known relationship with Emily Hilscher, nor with her roommate.” The revised timeline continues to document the discovery of the first two victims. Ed Spencer, who was then associate vice president for student affairs, was the first member of the university administration aware of the shootings. An addition to the report said a housekeeping worker in West AJ called a Burruss Hall housekeeping worker, who informed Spencer. He notified other officials, including vice president of student affairs Zenobia Hikes. He did not reach university President Charles Steger. One policy group member, unnamed by the report, e-mailed a “Richmond colleague” informing them that one student was dead and another critically injured.
“Gunman on the loose,” he said. “This is not releasable yet.” It continues to say the Policy Group began composing a notice to the campus about the shootings at 8:50 a.m. but was unable to send it initially because of technical difficulties with the alert system. Blacksburg public schools and Steger’s office were locked down at 8: 52 a.m. Classes for the second period in Norris Hall began at 9:05 a.m. The report said Tech canceled trash pick up at the same time. The shootings began around 9:40 a.m. and ended when Cho committed suicide at 9:51 a.m. At 10:17 a.m. the university canceled all classes. Hilscher’s boyfriend, Karl Thornhill, who had been initially labeled a person of interest in the shootings, was stopped at 9:24 a.m. Six minutes later, police informed the Policy Group he was likely not the shooter. A correction to the report said Steger spoke with Virginia Tech Chief of Police Wendell Flinchum at 8:11 a.m. At that time, the report said Flinchum told Steger “that two students were critically wounded, that no weapon was found, that there were bloody footprints, and that the incident seemed to be domestic in nature. Chief Flinchum did not offer a recommendation about an alert or closing the campus at that time nor was he asked his opinion about doing so.”
Police on scene had not yet interviewed Hilscher’s roommate, from identified Thornhill as a person of interest. From this information, the report adds that the Policy Group did not delay issuing an alert because of the person of interest, as they did not have that information. However, another correction states that after being informed Thornhill was a person of interest, the Policy Group was never told he was cleared. A test for gunfire residue on Thornhill had to be taken to a lab for analysis, and did not produce results on scene. Thornhill was told Hilscher was shot, but not that she was severely wounded. He was given no further information about his girlfriend. An addition to the revised report detailed the university’s failure to issue a timely notice to Hilscher’s family. The report said the university knew her identity around 8:15 a.m. from interviewing her roommate. Hilscher lived about three hours following the 7:15 a.m. shooting. Her family was informed Hilscher was a victim from Thornhill’s mother. They were unable to receive any update of her condition from hospitals because hospital personnel did not want to disclose information. DISCOVERY OF CHO’S RECORDS Miller’s discovery of Cho’s records is also corrected. The original report
Comcast will buy controlling stake in NBC BOB FERNANDEZ philadelphia inquirer PHILADELPHIA — Comcast Corp. announced Thursday morning that it will acquire a controlling interest in entertainment giant NBC Universal Inc. from General Electric Co. for an initial $6.5 billion in cash and, in a bid to neutralize criticism of the deal, pledged in a letter from high-level Comcast executive David Cohen that the cable giant would respect the editorial independence of NBC News. The company also sought to calm shareholders, who have seen the value of stock holdings decline substantially since news leaked in late September that Comcast was negotiating to acquire NBC Universal. In a conference call with analysts, Comcast chief executive Brian Roberts said the cable giant would boost its annual cash dividend 40 percent, to almost 38 cents a share, in early 2010. Comcast stock was up 96 cents a share, or 6.43 percent, to $15.90 in morning trading. Roberts said a Comcast-NBC
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Comcast founder Ralph J. Roberts, right, and his son Brian Robert. Universal merger would make the Philadelphia company “strategically complete” and that investors should view Comcast as two distinct companies: cable-TV and broadband distribution, and entertainment. It was potentially a “terrific transaction,” Robert said, but he warned that if the government mandated conditions that undermined the deal’s busi-
ness logic, he wouldn’t move forward with it. Roberts said he believed the merger would be “pro-consumer” and he expected full review by the federal government, which he said was appropriate. Roberts and Comcast executive Stephen Burke discussed at length that the main reason for purchasing NBC Universal was the company’s highly
profitable cable-TV channels, which include USA, Bravo, CNBC, MSNBC and Syfy. But they also said they did not expect to sell other parts of NBC Universal, which include the broadcast-TV network, movie studio and Universal theme parks. According to details disclosed Thursday, Comcast will pay General Electric $6.5 billion for a 51 percent ownership interest in the joint venture. The Philadelphia cable company has the option of purchasing the remaining ownership in the joint venture after three years and seven years. Comcast expects to pay for those remaining ownership stakes from profits in NBC Universal but has guaranteed that if those profits don’t materialize it will pay General Electric $5.75 billion from a special fund. GE will benefit from the initial cash payment at a time when it needs the cash. The industrial concern also will borrow $9.1 billion and leave that debt on joint-venture books when it hands control over to Comcast. The deal appears to close GE’s foray into the entertainment and news business, which began in 1986.
said “ultimately all records that were requested (from Virginia Tech) and still existed were provided.” “At the time, Cho’s file at the Cook Counseling Center was missing,” the revised report said. “An extensive search by Virginia Tech, including contact with the previous CCC director, Dr. Miller, did not turn up the file, and no one knew if it still existed. The file was found two years later by Dr. Miller in his home in response to a discovery request by attorneys involved in a lawsuit.” Miller was not included on the original report’s list of interviewees. A correction in the revised report said further information was brought to light by the discovered documents, showing a lack of attention to red flags in Cho’s mental health history. “The finding that there was lack of adequate attention by Virginia Tech to the red flags raised by Cho’s actions is reinforced by further examination of communications among faculty and Virginia Tech staff,” the report said. “The Review Panel faulted Virginia Tech for not connecting the dots. Since then, more unconnected ‘dots’ have come to light.” Specific examples include female students complaining about Cho’s odd behavior. He is believed to have continually made unwanted attempts to contact a female student in East Campbell Hall in December 2005, writing Shakespeare quotes on a whiteboard outside her room and instant messaging her. However, in a response to a comment on the revisions, the revised report downplays the importance of the Cook Counseling Center records found in July. “The papers in the file on Cho pro-
vided very little information that the Review Panel did not already have,” the report said. It continued to cite earlier medical records as being more helpful in “connecting the dots.” “The records from practitioners who treated Cho before he attended Virginia Tech are far more informative and relevant than the intake forms in Cho’s file from CCC,” the report said. Other papers, submitted to the police by Professor Bob Hicok, were also examined for the first time as part of the revision. The Virginia State Police did not release the papers to the panel in the original investigation because they were part of their investigation file. The papers included a play that “described an anguished student’s internal dialogue as he contemplates shooting students in a classroom.” The report also responds to families’ allegations that the university hindered the report by appointing former official Lenwood McCoy as the point of contact for all university personnel in regards to the original Review Panel. “Some victims’ families questioned whether Virginia Tech should be characterized as ‘extremely cooperative’ with the Review Panel, and whether having a point of contact to obtain information and arrange interviews was a barrier imposed by Virginia Tech,” the report said. “In fact, it was the Review Panel staff that requested a point of contact to facilitate such things as finding and scheduling Virginia Tech faculty and staff for interviews.” The same clarification also said some university employees were “guarded” in discussions with the panel.
School: Town, county now seek to cooperate from page one
“The town and county will be working together on the sale of the property,” Albritton said. “The town zones it, but the county owns it.” Spencer said this dynamic does not complicate the process legally. He said a form of development other than single-family homes would require Blacksburg’s regular rezoning process. “There would have to be a process to rezone the property and it would have to be reviewed by the planning commission and the town council,” Spencer said. He said rezoning the site to gen-
eral commercial would be “the most intense” process, while other zoning densities that encourage a mix of commercial and residential use would likely be easier to pass through the process. Potential ideas for the site include a recreation center and a mixeduse land development. Results of a design competition for the site begun in February have not been revealed. Albritton emphasized the town and county must work together, and said she is optimistic they could find a plan that would satisfy the needs of both.
Corrections
- In “Tech architecture program best in US” (CT – Dec. 3) the headline did not to reflect the story. The landscape architecture program received a No. 1 ranking, not the archi-
tecture program. Additionally, DesignIntelligence is an annual report, not bi-monthly. The Collegiate Times regrets these errors.
editors: topher forhecz, teresa tobat featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
features 3
Tech non-profit dons tacky, festive sweaters for charity LIZ NORMENT features reporter While scouring Goodwill stores for a wool V-neck that lights up and sings is creative procrastination, this year tacky sweaters can be used for more than just embarrassing Facebook photos. Tech alumnus Dan Phipps has spent no time in local second-hand stores for this season’s sweater — his has been waiting since last year. Phipps’ one-of-a-kind sweater was made by Maggie, the elderly lady who lives beneath him. “She made it last year from her Christmas tree skirt,” Phipps said. He said its details include jingle bells, a snowman on the back and one particularly unique feature. “The pocket is one of those cards that sings when you open it,” Phipps said. He said he plans to wear his festive frock to this Saturday’s Sweaterfest, a fundraising event hosted by the Poverty Awareness Coalition for Equality. PACE is a non-profit organization dedicated to fighting the causes of poverty and working for social justice. The group will be at Champs Restaurant and Sports Bar celebrating the holidays in their favorite printed turtlenecks and tacky sweaters. Tech alumna Allison Jarnigan, the Web and graphic designer for PACE, said Sweaterfest has no strict organization. “We all just dress up in really ugly sweaters and holiday gear and dance,” she said. The ultimate purpose, though, is to raise money. This year the Sweaterfest proceeds will help send mosquito nets to Sri Lanka to minimize the spread of malaria. Jarnigan said PACE uses the money differently each year. “The project depends on whatever the interests of the members
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What: Sweaterfest Where: Champs When: Saturday at 9 p.m. Cost: $5 at the door
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are that year,” she said. “We evolve to whatever the group is passionate about.” Tech graduate student and PACE Vice President Allian Griffin said donating money to Sri Lanka had a specific influence. “We had a new member come this year, a freshman from Sri Lanka,” Griffin said. “He did a presentation to the group members and everyone thought it was a great cause.” In addition to this global project, PACE is involved locally. The group works with the Montgomery County Emergency Assistance Program, which aids local families by running a food and clothing bank. “We’ve had canned food drives and clothing drives,” Griffin said, “and this August we collected school supplies that went to Montgomery County schools.” Mary Francis Czarsty, a graphic designer for Tech’s athletics department, decided to become a member of PACE after learning about the group’s different efforts, some of which ring close to home. Czarsty’s father is a family doctor who has worked with Hatian refugees in the Dominican Republic. “I always admired my father’s passion for the refugees in Haiti,” she said. “When I heard that some of the founding members (of PACE) had been to Haiti to do volunteer work, I thought it was a cool connection.” Czarsty said she is looking forward to her first Sweaterfest.
“I think it’s going to be a really fun event,” she said, “and we’re kind of starting off the holidays with a good cause.” Providing entertainment for the tacky knitwear party will be the upbeat bluegrass sounds of local band The Jugbusters. It has performed at every annual Sweaterfest since its inception three years ago. “They were really excited to be asked to play,” Griffin said. “They play such high-energy bluegrass. It keeps everyone dancing all night.” In addition to flat-footing and two-stepping to The Jugbusters, Sweaterfest attendees will have the chance to buy raffle tickets to win prizes from local merchants, including Bull & Bones Brewhaus & Grill and On a Whim gift store. There will also be a contest for donning the tackiest holiday garb, which is judged by the crowd’s reaction to a COURTESY OF POVERTY AWARENESS COALITION FOR EQUALITY dance-off. The Povery Awareness Coalition for Equality will use this year’s Sweaterfest fundraiser to provide aid. Phipps offered advice for this year’s contestants. “If you know how to flat-foot that helps,” he said, “but I’m pretty sure last year the guy was doing the robot and the girl was doing some sort of Riverdance.” To find a sweater worthy of the coveted ‘’Tackiest Sweater’’ title, there are always treasures to be found at the Blacksburg Goodwill and YMCA Thrift Store. However, Jarnigan recommended visiting the Montgomery County Thrift Store to find the perfect festive frock. “Everything there is 50 cents or a dollar,” she said, “and all proceeds go to help local families who are in need.” Jarnigan herself is already prepared for the event. “My sweater has big teddy bears all over it and little bear buttons,” she said. “Plus I’m wearing my deer antlers again. It’s pretty ridiculous.”
december 4, 2009
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She said: Creativity can make the holidays fun for everyone T
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He said: Endure shopping woes for good company I
asked for only two birthday gifts last month, and my letter to the North Pole remains blank. This does not please my mother who is amped to slip bedazzled boxes under our (fake) tree, the presents complete with falsified labels (To: Ryan, From: Santa). I just don’t often catalog material desires. And further, the money my parents drop makes me feel somewhat guilty. So as a mental defense mechanism, I’ll put off my wish list until crunch time. It’s a tactic that makes me contemplate the supposed theme of the holiday season. Is it really all about cheerful giving? It plays a big part, but I’d say many of us also devote a lot of time to avoiding. The notion of avoidance has a strong presence in the very act of shopping, or even thinking about shopping. While there’s gratification in the smiles of friends and family as they unwrap your offerings, acquiring the goodies can be unpleasant. I hesitate before venturing out to scout the sales shelves, imagining the congested mall traffic and the sardine-packed aisles of music and bookstores. Yet the sacrifice must eventually be made, and you stride reluctantly toward department store doors. And of course, the Salvation Army will be ready to receive you with incessant bell ringing (Those steadfast volunteers have truly tireless wrists). I’m not discounting that this is a good cause. I certainly support their efforts to assist those who are less fortunate, and I’ll slip change into the bin
when possible. But my funds are slim, and the bells are ever present. Soon you start heading to the door farthest from their jingles, and you stare at the asphalt the entire way. If you peer up, you know you’d see a pleading face like that of an endangered animal on the verge of becoming a winter jacket — much like what hangs on the racks of the very shop you’re visiting. Having snuck by the gatekeeper, you are free to navigate the merchandise. Sort of. I’ve never worked retail, but I sense the training involves watching videos of vulture-feeding methods and taking notes. You can’t even unzip your coat before having an employee materialize seemingly from nowhere to ask if you need anything. I suspect most people don’t enter shops expecting to have their hand held through the gift hunt. Yet after politely declining the initial offer of assistance, you will likely encounter that mini-dialogue again. Eager staff are scattered around the market floor like a game of Minesweeper, and you try to plan your path accordingly. But they can be foxlike, springing from the juniors’ to men’s section in a blink. You’ll swallow your annoyance as you ensure another worker that you don’t need help reading the labels of Levi’s. Once those jeans are back home and topped with a bow, there are still internal factors you may hope to elude. If your abode is host to a family gathering, there’s
likely youth who will seek you for entertainment. Cousins know you’re technically an adult, but they still relate best to your energy. And while it can be fun to observe their tiny minds at work, there’s only so much joy to be had playing 17 rounds of Connect Four. As they beg for just one more, you’re scanning for an escape. You may not know cooking beyond a microwave, but suddenly you find yourself helping grandma weave the top crust of a mean apple pie. But once winter break draws to a close, a final episode of skirting is rather telling. Many families put up decorations, and at some point they must be torn down, however reluctantly. The process is commonly bittersweet. For one, it can be time consuming and boring. More importantly, though, it forces you to reflect on the season, which (hopefully) carried an aura of warmth and camaraderie. That value is greater than any stack of knickknacks I get from my parents. Or Santa. Whoever is truly behind the tags.
RYAN ARNOLD -features reporter -has a potato chip bag signed by Shaquille O’Neal -has yellow shoes
he weather in the New River Valley has finally turned cold. To many readers, this temperature shift indicates the start of the holiday season. Gift-giving! Garlands! Snow! Lights! Mall madness! To me, it means I suddenly have a wonderful, long break from fall semester. Now, don’t think I’m a total Scrooge. I genuinely like those old claymation Rudolph movies. And those Royal Dansk cookies that come in a tin? To die for. But maybe I’m exempt from most of the holiday chaos and glamor because I’m Jewish. A few years ago, I met a former beau’s family for the first time around Christmas. Soon after meeting and greeting them, his mother and his sister began a conversation I’ll never forget. His mom, who worked in a little boutique of collectible crap, recounted how a lady came in looking for “the perfect Hanukkah gift” for her sister. The mom passed her judgment. “Why a ‘Hanukkah’ gift? Why couldn’t she have just said ‘Christmas’ gift and left it at that? How ridiculous.” “Well,” the sister chimed in. “Hanukkah’s the most stupid holiday ever. It’s eight days of a big candle. Oh, that’s so impressive, that you’re going to celebrate a candle.” I probably should have said something — at least clarified that it was oil, not a candle — but I’d known these two birds for less than five minutes. I just stood there with my mouth open, mortified. Those are some brash opinions. On the other hand, I think Hanukkah is great (Also, I might be slightly biased). Hanukkah is an eight-day excuse to get your family and friends together, eat heart-stopping amounts of latkes and other fried delicacies and watch Adam Sandler’s “Eight Crazy Nights.” Pretty low-key stuff. And, of course, there’s the driedel. Everybody knows “The Dreidel Song.” (My fat dog also knows it, thanks to her favorite dreidel toy that annoyingly plays the song over and over again in her slobbery jaws.) Most of my gentile friends think it’s a good idea to bust out the dreidel and witness true Hanukkah magic. But a dreidel isn’t a Tickle Me Elmo, a Nintendo 64 or any of those
other cool toys from our childhoods. It’s a top. With Hebrew letters on it. And you’re supposed to gamble with pieces of chocolate shaped like coins. Kind of archaic, right? So in the true spirit of a college Hanukkah party, we amplified the rules a tiny bit. Now it’s not a gambling game — it’s a drinking game. Now, since most of my friends can’t read a lick of Hebrew, we were slightly less-than-creative when it came to assigning the rules. Land on the Yiddish word “nun,” and you do nothing. Gimel, which looks like a boot, means that everyone but you drinks. Pei means you pick a person to drink with. And shin, the one that looks like “W,” means you have to drink. The game is over when your drinks are gone. Whether you’re a winner or a loser depends on how you like to roll during the holiday season. Even if “dreidel drinking game” makes an element of Hanukkah accessible (and more appealing) to the college-aged demographic, this shouldn’t discount the fun and importance of the other holidays. A certain joy accompanies seeing kids eagerly awaiting Santa’s arrival, and who doesn’t like lighted houses covered in snow? Kwanzaa’s feasting and gift-giving tighten family bonds and celebrate important values. New Year’s Eve is a time to make positive resolutions and celebrate a fresh start. The joy surrounding these holidays — and others that may be celebrated — is that they bring you together with the people you love and care about most. No matter how you choose to celebrate, relax this season and go with the flow. Just view your winter break as one big party filled with the best family and friends. So whether you’re caroling in the snow, lighting that kinara or menorah, putting up your Festivus pole or you’re just in it to have a good time: Be thankful for those special people you have around you, and happy holidays!
LAKEN RENICK -features reporter -middle school cheerleader -hates baklava
opınıons 5
editor: debra houchins opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
december 4, 2009
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
Your Views [letters to the editor]
What is Hokie Respect, again?
I
n response to “‘Generals of the Cassell Guard’ Storm the Coliseum” (CT, Nov. 12), by Joe Crandley, I would like to pose the question: Whatever happened to Hokie Respect? Sure it’s great to have an intimidating sports venue where opposing teams dread to play, but sportsmanship should not be sacrificed to obtain this fear-provoking atmosphere. Getting to the point, what I am referencing to are the chants and jeers that are incorporated at the Virginia Tech basketball games. I attended the men’s basketball season opener against Brown on Sunday, Nov. 15. As a freshman, this was my very first Tech basketball game, so you can imagine that I was pretty excited to see our Hokies out on the court. That excitement soon faded once I was able to observe some of the new chants, led by the Cassell Guard’s “Generals,” at the game. Not only did these chants come across to me as
Message from Greenberg
O
ur players are excited to return to Cassell Coliseum and begin an extended stretch of home games in front of the greatest fans in the country; the Virginia Tech students! It has been 19 days since we last played a game in Cassell and the team and I can’t wait to get back on our home court. We are coming off a very productive road trip, where we improved our record to 5-1 and capped the trip off with a victory in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge at Iowa on Tuesday night. I believe the “light went on” with this team in the win against the Hawkeyes. Sunday, we will host Georgia from the Southeastern Conference at 3:30 p.m. The game is the first of the special promotion games this season, The Maroon Monsoon. We have worked with a number of groups to make this day a special event for our loyal students. When I started in this business, the first thing I learned was that the best way to get students involved was free gear and free food. All students attending the game will receive a free Maroon Monsoon T-shirt, courtesy of the SGA. Also, when you pres-
Rational debate is still needed
R
esearch universities pride themselves on making arguments and decisions based on logic, reason and facts. However, some members of our University Governance here at Virginia Tech seem to think they are above that. First, I pose a question: If you were asked by friends to go on a cruise, would you say yes before you knew how much it would cost, where you were going, and when it was? Of course not. Since this is true, last night’s vote by the Commission on Student Affairs should concern you. With a serious issue due for a vote, one member asked to table the resolution until some confusion could be resolved and sufficient information made available to make an informed vote. About 10 members agreed, but more voted to continue discussion. A few more members made comments, admitting along the way that they were unsure about some things. Then, the irreprehensible action – they called the question, bringing the resolution to a vote. For those who’ve assumed
unsportsmanlike, but they also seemed rather unintelligent and somewhat uncreative for the most part. For example, during the game, Tech fans would jeer at opposing players by chanting “air ball” again and again if the opponent completely missed a shot. Also, there was a chant that in my opinion was in terrible taste that involved fans calling a Brown player, who happened to be a green engineer, a “tree hugger.” These chants mock Tech as a university because they are making light of the value of a good education. Being nothing short of a Hokie sports fanatic myself, I love to cheer on our teams to success while rattling the opponent, but some of these chants and jeers arise out of almost complete disrespect for the opponent. Like any other Hokie, I love nothing more than seeing our team win, but we cannot forget the initial core values of Hokie Respect.
ETHAN REVERE freshman engineering major ent your Hokie Passport at the student gate, you will receive a coupon for a $1 hot dog at the concession stands. And at halftime, the Chicago Boyz will perform. It should be a full day of excitement for our fans. In watching the other games in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge this week, it was obvious that the schools with the most involved student bodies created the strongest home court advantage. I am counting on you to bring that same energy and ownership to the Cassell. Our players are counting on a large and invested student turnout to help us protect the Cassell! Sunday’s game is the first of a stretch that will see us play five of six games in Cassell. We can’t wait until January to create this environment. We must be loud and proud and out in full force each and every game. Our students bring a great passion and energy to the game that our players feed off of. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday. I would also like to send out a special thanks to SGA for making Maroon Monsoon possible. It’s a great day to be a Hokie!
SETH GREENBERG head coach men’s basketball our leadership has been making informed and objective decisions, this should be a wake-up call. Not that this is a surprise to most who have been engaged in recent national news, but as long as we sit aside, our leaders both near and far will take their accountability lightly. The topic of discussion Thursday night was a proposed ban on individuals storing their ammunition, including paintball and airsoft, on campus. With safety in question, concern was warranted. I will refrain from getting into the specific arguments here in favor of saying there was disagreement on three issues: research about ammunition being a fire hazard, the Tech Police Department being able to store people’s ammunition in addition to the firearms they already store, and some people having fears of ammunition on campus. Instead of delaying the vote to gather the necessary information, they moved forward without the requested information. Assume they will do it again, unless we express concern.
KEN STANTON vice president, students for concealed carry on campus
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JAMIE MARTYN/COLLEGIATE TIMES
VP of Student Affairs talks hours, budget and courses J
ust before Thanksgiving Break, I spent two hours interacting with a group of students who chose to meet with me during my second “The VP is In” session. Here’s a capsule summary of what was on their minds that day. 1) Why not a 24-hour study facility? Some pointed out that we already have this at the Math Emporium (although transportation to and from, for some, during the early morning hours might be needed). Others noted that Torgersen Hall almost serves this purpose; they reported that some rooms there appear to be available until at least 5 a.m. We bantered about the feasibility of keeping the library or D2 open 24 hours, but the consensus was that Torgersen was more central and that in this time of budget cuts, it did not make sense to increase staffing and utility costs by keeping another facility open. 2) Why not a 24-hour food facility? I explained that we already have Dining Services facilities that open as early as 7 a.m. (e.g., D2) and stay open as late as 2 a.m. (e.g., DXpress). My impression is that most students find these hours sufficient and, if not, “stock up” to cover any anticipated 2 a.m. to 7 a.m. needs. The students present agreed and again suggested that this was not the time to be adding operational costs. 3) Do we have a say in what classes are cut? Actually, yes, because departments try to respond with “supply”
[
on the web
E-mail Edward Spencer at espencer@vt.edu with your suggestions.
]
based on your “demand.” After you submit your course requests for the next semester, the Registrar and the academic departments do an analysis of the requests and try to add or delete courses and sections in response to the pattern of requests. As always, if there are concerns about the need for a particular course, I encourage you to make these known to the appropriate department head. 4) What will be the impact of budget reductions on classes? By necessity, I believe that we will have to see some larger sections and some courses not offered as frequently. However, I know from discussions with the college deans that to stave off some of this, we are also looking at alternative class formats such as more online offerings and “hybrid courses,” which involve less frequent actual class meetings and more use of virtual technology and out of classroom experiences. 5) Will we see other impacts of budget reductions? Sure, there will inevitably be other impacts as we look at the potential need to reduce hours and/or days of operation in our various facilities. While we are trying to avoid this,
some reductions may be necessary. If you have suggestions on ways to reduce costs and/or generate new revenue, I encourage you to let the appropriate department head know. If you do not know whom to contact, send your suggestions to me (espencer@vt.edu), and I will get them to the appropriate official. We discussed a variety of other issues, such as changes in student football ticket procedures over the years, concerns that the hours of some downtown Blacksburg stores are not very student-friendly, and ideas about a Spring Forum for students with university officials. It was also reassuring to hear that the Student Government Association already has 65 undergraduates signed up to participate in “Hokie Day” with the General Assembly in Richmond in February and expects a strong group of graduate students to join them as well. My thanks to the students who joined me before the break. Good luck to all on your upcoming finals. See you around the campus!
EDWARD SPENCER -vice president, student affairs
Accountability for comments necessary even in online forum I
t used to be that if someone believed in something then they said it — they said it proudly and were accountable for their words. People today, however, seem to think that they are entitled to opine without inquisition or scrutiny. You are only entitled to that if you keep your thoughts to yourself. But when you decide you are going to make those thoughts public, then you need to be prepared for criticism, for backlash and for the potential praise or congratulations. If the architects of our Declaration of Independence decided to remain anonymous instead of signing their names, we would be living in a very different world. Freedom of speech has nothing to do with one’s supposed “right” to remain anonymous. I guess anonymity is preferred so one does not have to pay the piper after his bigoted and ugly statement has been forced upon the public. This isn’t just about a poor taste of words or, for that matter, a poor ideology all together, but about something greater. It is about the ethics of being a civil human being and taking responsibility for your thoughts and actions. This is about choices and the difference an option can make when it comes to accountability. When you are forced to ally, it could be argued that anonymity is licensed because you are not opting for the potential danger of scrutiny. But when the decision is yours and no one asked you if you thought women were subpar to men or that you can’t be Catholic and be pro-choice, then that is a horse of a different color. I’d like to think that the people of this campus have a little conviction, but I am beginning to see that possibly it is not the case. It seems people want to stand up for something or they wish to say what’s on their mind, but only if they can accrue all the benefits and none of the
repercussions. I guess this is the kind of lukewarm nation America is turning in to. Recently, a column was published in the Collegiate Times that discussed changes that were being made to the Web site by public editor Justin Graves titled, “Moderating comments an ongoing concern at the CT” (CT, Dec. 1). One of these changes included monitoring or mediating the comments. I thought a variety of things were very amusing in this piece: first and foremost, that because the CT does not moderate commentary until after it has been posted it absolves itself of any hate speech that may occur. This is a safe stance for the CT no doubt. Too bad precedent has already been set for institutions and the accountability they have for the forums or functions they provide. We hold leaders responsible for the actions of their people, executives responsible for the actions of their company, doctors responsible for the effects of their prescribed drugs and diagnoses, despite the fact that in all these scenarios the individuals responsible never have all of the information to warrant full accountability. A professor of mine recently stated in the classroom that he is asked to sign hundreds of papers a day in his position and that he cannot read all of them. He must trust the people giving him the papers, but at the end of the day he is held responsible for their content and effects. Why is the CT different? It provides a forum through which people can say anything they want, how they want to, and to whomever they please. They can even claim to be someone they are not. Another concern regarding the destruction of this anonymity clause was that it would truncate the number of commentators. This is both true and untrue. It would certainly curb
the needless comments of those individuals that enjoy spewing hate speech and vacuous insults that say nothing of the actual quality of the article. It, however, would not curb the commentary of desired criticism, such as constructive reviews posted by individuals that believe in what they say enough to put their name to it. There was also the mention that by removing anonymity that this was somehow curtailing freedom of speech, which I do not think I need to explain to my readers how little sense that makes. There is nothing in the Constitution regarding anonymity. We do have laws, however, against libel — a regular offense on the CT forums. A solution to these issues is the supposed moderation by CT staff. This “post moderation” is ineffective and pointless since the damage is done before it can be redressed, and many comments go unnoticed. Further, this “moderation” includes nothing more than veiling the comment but still allowing access to it, possibly lending to it greater attention because of the attractive nature of its crypsis. I believe these actions are well intentioned, but they fail to pass muster. I am willing to meet halfway though. I think that if people wish to remain anonymous to the campus then so be it, but for the sake of integrity (if nothing else) commentators should also have to submit their Virginia Tech e-mail, have it substantiated and then be allowed to comment. In this way, if impertinent behavior occurs, the CT staff can identify the individual while keeping his identity a secret to the campus.
JOHN DRIESSNACK -regular columnist -junior -biology major
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, Katie Robidoux, Allison Sanders, Claire Sanderson, Priya Saxena Features Editors: Teresa Tobat, Topher Forhecz Features Reporters: Ryan Arnold, Liz Norment, Dan Waidelich 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, Hattie Francis Copy Editors: Kelsey Heiter, Dishu Maheshwari, Mika Rivera Layout Designers: Kelly Harrigan, Josh Son, Sara Spangler, Cecilia Lam Illustrators: Mina Noorbakhsh, Jamie Martyn Multimedia Editor: Kevin Anderson Multimedia Reporters: James Carty, Riley Prendergast Online Director: Jamie Chung Collegiate Times Business Staff Business Manager: David Harries College Media Solutions Advertising Director: Tyler Ervin Asst Ad Director: Kendall Kapetanakis Account Executives: Nik Bando, Brandon Collins, Lee Eliav, Wade Stephenson, Kelly Burleson Inside Sales Manager: Judi Glass Office Manager: Kaelynn Kurtz Assistant Account Executives: Maddie Abram, Katie Berkel, Diane Revalski, Spencer Martin Creative Director: Sara Ford Asst Production Manager: Chloe Skibba Creative Services Staff: Jenn DiMarco, Kara Noble, Jennifer Le, Laiken Jacobs Student Publications Photo Staff Director of Photography: Luke Mason Lab Manager: Mark Umansky Voice your opinion. Readers are encouraged to send letters to the Collegiate Times. 365 Squires Student Center Blacksburg, VA, 24061 Fax: (540) 231-9151 opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com All letters to the editor must include a name and daytime phone number. Students must include year and major. Faculty and staff must include position and department. All other submissions must include city of residence, and if applicable, relationship to Virginia Tech (i.e., alumni, parent, etc.). All letters should be in MS Word (.doc) format, if possible. By submitting a letter, you hereby agree to not engage in online discussion through comments on the Collegiate Times Web site. Letters, commentaries and editorial cartoons do not reflect the views of the Collegiate Times. Editorials are written by the Collegiate Times editorial board, which is comprised of the opinions editor, editor-in-chief and the managing editors. Letters to the editor are submissions from Collegiate Times readers. We reserve the right to edit for any reason. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Have a news tip? Call or text 200-TIPS or e-mail newstips@collegiatetimes.com Student Media Phone Numbers Collegiate Times Newsroom 231-9865 Editor-in-Chief 231-9867 College Media Solutions Advertising 961-9860 The Collegiate Times, a division of the Educational Media Company at Virginia Tech, was established in 1903 by and for the students of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The Collegiate Times is published every Tuesday through Friday of the academic year except during exams and vacations. The Collegiate Times receives no funding from the university. The Collegiate Times can be found online at www.collegiatetimes.com. Except where noted, all photographs were taken by the Student Publications Photo Staff. To order a reprint of a photograph printed in the Collegiate Times, e-mail spps@vt.edu. The Collegiate Times is located in 365 Squires Student Center, Blacksburg, VA, 24061. (540) 231-9865. Fax (540) 2319151. Subscription rates: $65 semester; $110 academic year. The first copy is free, any copy of the paper after that is 50 cents per issue. © Collegiate Times, 2009. All rights reserved. Material published in the Collegiate Times is the property thereof, and may not be reprinted without the express written consent of the Collegiate Times.
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ACROSS 1 Begins energetically 8 Went up 14 “Be right there!” 16 Boom 17 “Maybe I can help?” 19 Philippine bread 20 Common opening 21 French possessive 22 Add more brown to, say 23 Cat’s pajamas? 24 Where the ’eart is? 26 Reckon, rurally 31 Removed, in a way 36 Jobs for underwriters, briefly 37 “Now we’re getting somewhere” 39 Farm drier 40 Soft drink order 41 “Bah!” 43 Caesar’s tax form? 44 Solution: Abbr. 45 Levi’s “Christ Stopped at __” 49 Suffix with amyl 50 Try to get in the running 54 “Thanks, __”: “Are you hungry?” response 56 Statement of intolerance 60 Decide is best 61 Commonly receding boundary 62 Chant 63 Words from one closing a door, perhaps DOWN 1 Internet abbr. 2 “That’s the spot!” 3 More frequent changes reduce its likelihood 4 Major followers?
12-4-2009 5/30/09
By Robert H. Wolfe
5 Lip 6 Comparison words 7 Book before Esth. 8 Prospective adoptee 9 Tasks 10 Wall St. hedgers 11 1953 Caron film 12 Of all time 13 Party people: Abbr. 15 Give up 18 Walker, briefly 21 For example 22 Electron transfer process, often 23 Photo setting 24 Photo finishes? 25 Kid’s enthusiastic “I do!” 27 Burrowing rabbitlike mammal 28 Style of Mozart’s “Idomeneo” 29 Elegantly done 30 Colorado’s __ Park 32 Kofi __ Annan 33 Boxer’s scrap
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34 Atom-splitting Nobelist 35 Linen source 38 Bugged? 42 Entered 46 Moisten 47 Six-time N.L. home run champ 48 Wife of Jacob 49 Lagoon border 50 Not final, in law
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51 “Closer” Oscar nominee Clive __ 52 Bubbly brand 53 Dope 54 Personal: Pref. 55 Do to pick 57 Washington MLBer 58 Money pd. for use of money 59 Athletic supporter?
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december 4, 2009
FSU coach Bobby Bowden announces retirement ANDREW CARTER mcclatchy newspapers TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Bobby Bowden, the man who built Florida State’s once-moribund football program into one of the nation’s best, announced on Tuesday that the Seminoles bowl game will be the last game he coaches. Bowden’s confirmation puts an end to a whirlwind of speculation that had surrounded his future since reports leaked on Monday night that he’d be retiring. Bowden, who arrived at Florida State in 1976 and led the Seminoles to national championships in 1993 and ‘99, did not make himself available to reporters on Tuesday. During an interview on Tuesday with the university’s sports information department, Bowden said, “Nothing lasts forever, does it? But I’ve had some wonderful years here at Florida State, you know it. Hadn’t done as good lately as I wish I could have, but I’ve had wonderful years. No regrets.” Bowden’s retirement comes days after Florida State ended the regular season 6-6 following a humiliating 37-10 defeat at No. 1 Florida.
As recently as Sunday afternoon, Bowden expressed his desire to return for another season as FSU’s coach. But during a meeting on Monday morning with Florida State President T.K. Wetherell and FSU athletic director Randy Spetman, Bowden was presented with two options, according to a high-ranking university source: either retire or return in a reduced role that ceded authority to Jimbo Fisher, the Seminoles’ offensive coordinator and coach in waiting. Bowden mulled the offer and decided to retire on Monday night, according to another high-ranking university source. Neither Wetherell nor Spetman made themselves available to reporters on Tuesday, but FSU quarterback Christian Ponder and Dekoda Watson, a linebacker, spoke on the team’s behalf. STEPHEN M. DOWELL/ORLANDO SENTINEL Ponder said it was “weird” that he and Watson were designated the Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden walks off the field after a 37-10 loss to Florida on Nov. 28. university’s spokesmen, and Watson said, “I feel like a lot of people feel he and entered Florida State’s Moore questions and, for the second in the parking lot outside of the Athletic Center through a back consecutive day, walked mostly in Moore Athletic Center. There were deserves better.” Meanwhile, Bowden, known for entrance. With a crowd of reporters silence as reporters attempted to no fewer than seven TV satellite being one of the most accessible gathered around Bowden’s car, two prompt him to provide answers. trucks here, and Ponder and Watson coaches in major college football his- individuals affiliated with the football Spetman said it’d be “a while” before spoke before more than a dozen cameras. tory, avoided reporters. He arrived program drove Bowden’s car out he’d talk. Ponder said he was looking For most of the day, reporters on campus in his black Mercedes of sight. Spetman also refused to answer and television trucks camped out forward to the beginning of the sedan at around 11 a.m. EST,
Fisher era, who will become the Seminoles’ head coach after FSU’s bowl game. Because of Bowden’s retirement, Florida State has now become a viable candidate to play in the Gator Bowl on Jan. 1, according to published reports. The Gator Bowl has the third pick of Atlantic Coast Conference teams but would be interested in selecting Florida State because of the interest surrounding Bowden’s final game. Bowden said he’d had discussions with Fisher. “I talked to Jimbo yesterday and told him what I was going to do, you know?” Bowden said. “And wish him luck and I’ll do anything I can to help him and Florida State. I’ll just be pulling so hard for Florida State. It’s unclear whether Bowden might remain at Florida State in an ambassador role. Bowden, who turned 80 last month, joked that he’d have to find a job for the first time in more than five decades. “We’re going to be happy,” Bowden said about himself and his family. Now, you know I have to go out and get a job? Can you believe that? I’ve got to go get a job. I ain’t had a job in 55 years.”
Internet age takes us where we don’t belong with Tiger Woods’ crash controversy W
ho’s next? Whose life do we watch reduced to rubble now? We’re done with Tiger Woods. He sucked the fun from the gossip by confessing to his “sins” and “transgressions” on his Web site Wednesday. OK, we’re not quite done with him _ and this goes beyond the “Wanna Get Away?” commercial offer coming from Southwest Airlines. There’s also the final step to be performed in the 12-step humiliation today’s world demands: tears. Full, genuine, on-camera tears. We might not get them for Christmas, considering Tiger is busy traveling on his knees to Sweden to find his wife. But soon he’ll sit down with a sympathetic interviewer (Jim Nantz? Steve Phillips?) and address to the world what should be only his family’s business.
Oh, the issue isn’t whether the world should be allowed to look inside Tiger’s bedroom window. That’s irrelevent in the Internet age. Everyone looks. Everyone clicks their mouse and calls their friends for the same reason you rubberneck at a traffic accident or watch the neighbors fight. It’s open season on personal turmoil today. Ten years ago, the big question involving privacy was having a listed or unlisted phone number. Now, it’s whether to leave a phone-mail message that the entire world might hear. Look at the sex lives on parade of late. ESPN announcer Phillips’ family is hounded by his lover. Louisville coach Rick Pitino had sex in a restaurant. Steve McNair. Alex Rodriguez. On and on. Tiger’s affair was just bigger because he’s the biggest athlete out there.
From the strange early-morning traffic accident outside his home to the stonewalling of police to that desperate voicemail left on the L.A. cocktail waitress’ phone (“Hey, it’s Tiger, I’ve got a huge favor to ask”) right through the website confession, this was a story you couldn’t turn away from, even if you knew you should. The funny part was listening to mainstream media explaining how it actually was newsworthy. Police involvement. Possible domestic violence. Then there was the old fallback that because Tiger is worth $1 billion thanks to a carefully crafted image, no part of his life is off limits. Just because the Tiger pitches Buick doesn’t mean you should be allowed to ride in his Buick and peek inside his marriage. It means he’s being paid a lot of money to sell a Buick. That’s it. Grow up.
The reason Tiger’s story was followed so closely is why Jerry Springer gets ratings, the mentality behind Balloon Boy and this deep need for Meredith Baxter to go on national TV and say she’s gay. (Yeah, so?) There is nothing honorable or newsworthy about Tiger this past week other than he skipped out on his charity event because of the furor. And no one cared about that. Nor did anyone really care that he was unfaithful. Come on, you’re not really going to play that game. You’re not really going to judge or condemn someone you don’t know from a thousand miles away, are you? I’m going to ask my wife to leave the room for this next sentence: The percentage of men who don’t do what Tiger did in some manner given his status and the temptation it affords is small. And half of them are lying.
No, the reason this became a story is that everything is a story now. Privacy is only a name on Tiger’s boat. The world moves as fast as your Internet connection allows. So we’ve gone from knowing nothing about Tiger Woods’ private life a week ago to knowing far too much today. At least I have. In his statement, Tiger said he has “let my family down,” “not been true to my values” and is “dealing with my behavior and personal failings behind closed doors.” Then he said: “Personal sins should not require press releases and problems within a family shouldn’t have to mean public confessions.” Who can’t agree with that? Yet who didn’t follow this story? Here’s the good news: We’re used to indiscretions. Kobe Bryant and Ray
Lewis had far worse charges against them and all was forgiven. Beyond the personal embarrassment and public giggle factor, the world will move on quickly. His first tournament back, there will be a standing ovation for him, the kind that’s become routine for athletes returning from something sordid, even if no one knows quite why they’re applauding. Of course, by that time, everyone will have moved on to someone else, with some other seamy story.
DAVE HYDE mcclatchy newspapers
december 4, 2009
page 8
Hokies seek revenge against Bulldogs sports editor
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to Start C / #34 Albert Jackson 3.2 ppg 3.2 rpg
G / #3 Dustin Ware 8.2 ppg 2.3 rpg
G / #10 Ricky McPhee 9.5 ppg 3.5 rpg
G / #1 Travis Leslie 11.8 ppg 5.8 rpg
F / #33 Trey Thompkins 15.0 ppg 7.8 rpg
The Virginia Tech men’s basketball team will look to build on a two game winning streak Sunday afternoon when it takes on the Georgia Bulldogs in Cassell Coliseum. After dropping the fourth game of the season to Temple University, the Hokies (5-1, 0-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) have bounced back nicely with wins over Delaware and Iowa in the past week. The Bulldogs (4-2, 0-0 Southeastern Conference) enter the game on a threegame win streak of their own. After a close loss to Wofford and a tough 72-56 loss to the University of Alabama-Birmingham on Nov. 21, Georgia reeled off three straight wins against UNC-Asheville, Jacksonville State and St. Louis to reestablish a winning record. Hokies fans may remember the last time the two teams faced off. Last season in Athens, Ga., the Bulldogs defeated Tech 67-66, handing the Hokies their fourth loss early in the season thanks to the work of Georgia’s current starting center, Albert Jackson. After the Hokies took the lead with 57 seconds remaining, Jackson hit a layup to re-gain the lead for the Bulldogs. When the Hokies got the ball back, they missed a pair of shots that would’ve given them the win, but a defensive rebound by Jackson with 0.5 seconds remaining sealed the win for Georgia. Jackson returns this season along with a solid Bulldogs starting lineup that includes star sophomore forward Trey Thompkins. Named to the SEC’s AllFreshman team last year, Thompkins has returned as Georgia’s goto-guy in the paint. Averaging 15 points and 7.8 rebounds per game, the sophomore has been consistent throughout the year. In a win against New Orleans, Thompkins dropped 25 points and hauled in 12 rebounds, and last week against Jacksonville State, he added 19 points and seven rebounds to his line. Adding to the Bulldogs’ production along with Jackson and Thompkins will be senior guard Ricky McPhee. Originally a walk-on at UGA, McPhee has earned a starting role on this year’s roster and has the nickname “McThree” for a reason. McPhee is currently making 38.7 percent of his three-point attempts and is averaging 9.5 points per game for the Bulldogs. While the Bulldogs haven’t had the
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Go to www.collegiatetimes.com on Monday morning for full coverage of the Virginia TechGeorgia game and more.
toughest road to a 4-2 start, the Hokies won’t take them lightly. Tech hasn’t found much consistency this season outside of the production it has found from junior point guard Malcolm Delaney. Delaney is averaging 21.2 points per game and is currently the leading scorer in the ACC. To say the junior has been carrying the Hokies at times this year would be an understatement. In Tech’s loss against Temple, Delaney scored 32 of the Hokies’ 50 points, while the rest of the team shot eight for 36 from the field. Slowly, however, the Hokies are seeing more production from the players surrounding Tech’s star. In Tech’s win over Iowa in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge Tuesday, the Hokies had four players end in doublefigures. Junior for ward Te r r e l l B e l l scored 13 points and added six rebounds in the game,
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stepping up for the Hokies with some late scoring to put the game away. Junior forward Jeff Allen and sophomore forward Victor Davila each contributed 10 points in the game as well. While the Hokies have gotten off to a good start, they have been outshot by opponents this season 42.4 percent to 39.8 percent from the field. The Bulldogs enter the game Sunday shooting a solid 44.1 percent from the field. To avenge last season’s heartbreaking loss and improve to 6-1, the Hokies will undoubtedly need to stop Thompkins and Georgia’s frontcourt while pressuring the Bulldogs on the defensive side. The Hokies enter the game ranked 23rd nationally in scoring defense while the Bulldogs clock in at 79th. Tech’s matchup with Georgia is one of seven games remaining before Tech faces North Carolina in Chapel Hill on Jan. 10 to begin its tough conference schedule. Georgia and the Hokies will tip off at 3:30 p.m., and according to the sports information office, fans are encouraged to wear maroon to the game. The first 1,500 non-student fans will receive a free “Maroon Monsoon” Tshirt, and all Tech students will receive a free shirt as well. Also, Tech students will receive onedollar hot dogs all night long with their Hokie Passport.
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to Start F / #0 Jeff Allen 11.7 ppg 8.0 rpg
F / #1 Terrell Bell 7.2 ppg 6.3 rpg
C / #14 Victor Davila 7.7 ppg 4.7 rpg
G / #23 Malcolm Delaney 21.2 ppg 3.7 rpg
S / #1 Dorenzo Hudson 6.7 ppg 4.3 rpg
TRA VIS CH UR CH /SP PS
ALEX JACKSON