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Wednesday, April 7, 2010
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COLLEGIATETIMES 107th year, issue 42
News, page 2
Delta Zeta stripped of charter, housing
Features, page 5
Opinions, page 3
Sports, page 6
Classifieds, page 4
Written in stone
Religious leaders to shun WBC protesters GORDON BLOCK news reporter
ZACH CRIZER nrv news editor Virginia Tech’s chapter of Delta Zeta is no longer recognized as a student organization by the university and will lose its housing in Oak Lane at the end of the school year. Byron Hughes, Tech’s assistant director of student conduct, said Delta Zeta has lost recognition for the next two years because of multiple alcohol violations, the most recent of which occurred in January. A statement from Hughes to the Collegiate Times said the chapter was disciplined because it had multiple offenses in the past three years, a standard that is similar to the individual policies of the Office of Student Conduct. “For the Delta Zeta chapter, there was a history of risk management related infractions stemming back to 2006, and the latest violation in January 2010 involving the consumption of alcohol by ofage students in their chapter house was considered a violation of both University and national policies for the organization,” Hughes’ statement said. Delta Zeta is not the only organization to be sanctioned by the university this year. Hughes listed six organizations that had been stripped of university recognition since the beginning of the fall semester. Five were fraternities or sororities, and the men’s club rugby team was also sanctioned. He said all offenses were alcohol related. According to the Office of Student Conduct policy, the “loss of recognition” sanction “means that the organization must cease all operations and activities in the Organization’s name including but not limited to, any recruitment of members, any social activities, correspondence or communication, and any financial transactions. We expect that the organization will follow the letter and spirit of this sanction. Thus, alter-egos of a similar name and function of the organization are prohibited.” Of the organizations stripped of recognition, only Alpha Epsilon Phi was leasing housing from the university. Hughes said the fraternity did not move out. Its recognition was stripped for only one year. Because of this, the group was able to negotiate with the housing department to remain in the house. Delta Zeta will lose its housing at the end of the school year. Adam Cantley, Tech’s assistant director of fraternity and sorority life, said some members would not be punished by the national organizations. “Individual members were allowed to keep their membership, but this is at the discretion of the national organization,” Cantley said. He also said the university worked with the national organization, and the decision to strip the chapter of its recognition was a joint decision. Delta Zeta’s national organization did not return calls from the CT. Hughes’ statement said the school never wants students to feel alcohol consumption is a required activity of a student organization. “Virginia Tech is committed to student learning and academic success and we have created a conduct system, which allows us to address activities by individual students and registered student organizations who engage in activities that are counter to this learning experience,” Hughes said. “Of particular concern for registered student organizations is the use of alcohol and its relation to high-risk behavior, as well as situations that would cause a new member to believe that participation in these activities is necessary for membership.” In addition to Delta Zeta and Alpha Epsilon Phi, Delta Kappa Epsilon, Tau Kappa Epsilon, Pi Kappa Psi and Alpha Tau Omega have lost university recognition during the current academic year.
Sudoku, page 4
ROY T. HIGASHI/SPPS
Michael Osborne, sophomore mechanical engineering, major uses his Fujitsu Tablet PC to study in Torgersen Hall.
TABLET COMPUTERS TO REMAIN A REQUIREMENT FOR INCOMING COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING STUDENTS NATHAN DENNY news staff writer Students in the College of Engineering have mixed feelings about the tablet computers they are required to have, but the college intends to continue the use of tablet technology. On March 27, the College of Engineering updated computer requirements for the 2010-11 school year. Once again, incoming freshmen and transfer students are required to purchase a tablet computer. The Fujitsu Lifebook and the Toshiba Portege are recommended models. The college updates requirements each spring for the following year. Since fall 2006, incoming engineering majors have been required to purchase a tablet PC. The tablet was chosen for engineers based on its advanced technological features, such as the inking technology — that is, using a stylus to write on the screen — as well as its compatibility with the required software. Alex Schneider is a sophomore aerospace engineering major and is a member of the Student Technology Council. The STC collaborates with administrators to determine technology requirements within engineering courses. “The tablet is very convenient for active note taking,” Schneider said. “It’s just more intuitive to be able to touch something rather than using a mouse.” Schneider says that some students complain about the cost of the computer package.
Engineers have the option of several brands of tablets, including Toshiba, Fujitsu and HP. With a software bundle and warranty protection, these computers can cost anywhere from $1,700 to $2,500. Incoming engineering majors are required to buy two software bundles: the Microsoft campus agreement software bundle, which is $99, and the engineering software bundle, which is $136. Glenda Scales, the associate dean of international programs and information technology, said the College of Engineering is very interested in the collaborative and interactive abilities that the computer has. “The tablet use is really changing the nature of our teaching and our learning process,” Scales said. The college hopes to move in the direction of electronic textbooks, or e-textbooks, which could reduce textbook cost for students. This purchase, though, comes with some perks. For example, the college has an in-house Software Assistance and Triage, or SWAT, Team. This team of undergraduate students works exclusively with students in the College of Engineering when students encounter computer problems. The SWAT team aids students with software installation, operating system installation, driver issues and hardware problems. Ethan Scholl is freshman engineering major, and he feels differently about the tablets.
“I have a Fujitsu. I use the inking feature to take notes, but when I write, the scroll bar is in such a place that my hand will unintentionally hit the scroll and screw up my notes,” Scholl said, adding that the tool was more frustrating than helpful and too expensive. The college issues a statement on its Web site about the consequences of deviating from the computer requirements. If a student does not purchase a tablet or the required software package, that student is no longer eligible for technical support from the college. In addition, professors that require tablet technology can penalize any student with a non-tablet computer however they see fit. Georgia Tech and UC Berkeley’s College of Engineering, two top-five engineering schools according to U.S. News and World Report, do not require tablets. Neither school requires a specific laptop. Tablet technology is getting even more mention with the release of Apple’s iPad. Macintosh computers are not as prominent as Windows PCs in the College of Engineering, but according to Scales, they are very open to the new technology. Currently, the college is testing the iPad for potential use by students and faculty within engineering. Dale Pokorski, the director of information technology, said the iPad, while very functional, would not meet the requirements for engineering software, but could still be considered as a secondary system. “It’s important that the students be exposed to the kind of technology that they are going to use when they graduate,” Pokorski said.
Days away from a protest from the Westboro Baptist Church, religious officials around the Virginia Tech community are speaking out against the church’s message. The church, known for its protests of funerals of American soldiers, actively rallies against other religious groups both in person and online, running sites dedicated to denouncing Judaism and Catholicism. The church also runs the Web site GodHatesTheWorld.com, which features a world map where visitors can “find out why God hates that country.” Reggie Tuck, pastor at the Blacksburg United Methodist Church, said he struggled “to discern an appropriate and redemptive response” to the protests. Tuck said he had been in contact with groups targeted by the church, including the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Alliance. Westboro Baptist Church has frequently targeted gays in addition to other religious groups in their protests, with signs such as “God Hates Fags.” Tuck said he wondered how to “be a representative of Christ in a situation” such as the protest. “How can you engage them constructively to say that this is not our understanding. God loves all people,” Tuck said. “That sort of ‘God hates’ whatever group you’re going to tag ... we’ve been struggling to figure out where they drive that understanding from.” John Grace, campus priest for the Catholic-based Newman Center at Virginia Tech, complained of the crudeness of the WBC’s protest. “People have free speech, but there is a violation of sensitivities,” Grace said. He also disagreed with the WBC’s description as a Christian group. “They call themselves Christian, but so does the (Ku Klux) Klan,” Grace said. “Anyone who advocates hate and violence separates themselves from the teachings of Jesus.” Tommy McDearis, pastor at Blacksburg Baptist Church, said he felt “embarrassed” that his church could be linked with the WBC. “They are not connected to any Baptist group in the nation,” McDearis said. McDearis disagreed with the church’s style of protest. “Jesus wasn’t a promoter of hate,” he said. see WBC/ page two
Famed musician campaigns for conservation KELSEY HEITER copy editor A world-renowned keyboardist known for his roles in the Allman Brothers Band and the Rolling Stones has been using his creativity for a new purpose — leading the environmental conservation movement. Chuck Leavell, co-founder of the Mother Nature Network, signed copies of his book, “Forever Green: The History and Hope of the American Forest,” at the Inn at Virginia Tech yesterday. Afterward, he gave a presentation on preserving forests. He also sat down the Collegiate Times to talk about how everyone — from rock stars to college students — is playing a part in the conservation movement. COLLEGIATE TIMES: How did you come to get involved with the Mother Nature Network? CHUCK LEAVELL: My friend Joel Babbit,
from Atlanta, has had a stellar career in advertising and public relations and he built up two different companies that were sold to larger companies, and he started this up with me. He is the CEO of GCI, and a lot of big companies such as Dell, Coca-Cola, Miller, were coming to him and saying, ‘Look, the Internet is becoming more and more popular getting messages out about what we are doing and these issues, so where do we need to go on the Internet?’ and Joel did some research and he called me up and asked me if I looked at any environmental sites online, and I told him I did and he told me that he couldn’t really find a place where he was comfortable putting ads on. They were some sites, such as Tree Hugger and Grist, and a lot of mom-and-pop sites, even Al Gore’s environmental site it is just technologically advanced. Joel was looking for something more comprehensive and I told him that it sounded
like a good idea. He was well connected and within 48 hours he had commitments from big names from Pete Carroll, Doug Hertz, Tom Bell, a well as commitments of $10 million to fund the Web site. Joel started putting a staff together and we hired a webmaster. Our vision was predicated on a number of things: We wanted a very clean site, accurate and comprehensive. We have a very unique sponsorship model — instead of selling those ads we came up with these categories, so each category has a sole sponsor. That is Joel’s vision of engaging the sponsors — when you go to the categories you get these video boxes, and we helped produce these videos, but one might be their CEO’s talking about green initiatives, one might be employee recognition, so it is a more personal relationship with the company that is sponsoring and the visitor of the Web site. It has been a little slow to catch on and the economy went to hell in a hand basket at
the time we started this thing, but, when we visited these companies and they saw what it was all about, we got to sign some top tier companies — we just signed Best Buy, and I helped bring them to the table. They have a really great recycling program for electronics in the country, and if you think about that it is a really big program and they know how to deal with it and they are better at it than anybody else so we are proud to have them on board. Aflac is also on board with us. They have a new slogan that is “You don’t know a quack about Aflac,” and we are going to use that and say, “You don’t know quack about the environment” and try to engage young people. It has been a heck of a journey so far, only 15 months, and after that time we have had a meteoric rise and we are now the No. 1 most visited independent environmental Web site in the world. see LEAVELL/ page two
2 news
new river valley news editor: zach crizer university editor: philipp kotlaba newseditor@collegiatetimes.com / 540.231.9865
april 7, 2010
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blacksburg headlines
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Police seek suspect in Tuesday robbery of Tech student Blacksburg Police are investigating a robbery that took place on Falcun Drive near University City Boulevard Monday night at 9:30 p.m. The 20-year-old victim, a Virginia Tech student whose name police would not release, was approached from behind by the suspect as he was about to enter his parked car. The suspect placed an object believed to be a gun at the victim’s back and then proceeded to take the victim’s wallet, which contained an undisclosed amount of cash. Although the suspect told the victim not to turn around, he turned around after the suspect was fleeing with the victim’s wallet. The victim described the suspect as a male of medium build, about 6 feet 3 inches, weighing 170-190 pounds. He was wearing black pants, a black shirt and a mask. The victim was not injured in the incident. The investigation is ongoing. by liana bayne, news reporter
CORRECTIONS JUSTIN GRAVES -Contact our public editor at publiceditor@ collegiatetimes.com if you see anything that needs to be corrected.
COLLEGIATETIMES
WBC: Local groups to ignore protest from page one
Despite a uniform opposition to the Westboro’s message, opinions were mixed on whether or not to engage in the church in counterprotest. Grace was adamant in his stance that the church’s protest should be ignored. “What does a group like this want other than attention?” Grace said. “The best thing to do with groups like this is give them no attention.” Jeff Highfield, director of Campus Crusade for Christ, said his group would not organize against the church, but he left the option to counterprotest to students.
“If they feel they need to do that that’s great,” Highfield said. “We support them in doing that.” Tuck recounted the challenge of creating “authentic engagement” in dealing with a similar group with a hateful message. “What I found is there was no dialogue,” Tuck said. “We were just talking past each other.” Some of the officials interviewed expressed hope that the protest would bring about a positive outcome. Highfield said he hoped the protest would foster campus religious discussion. Grace said he hoped the WBC’s negative tone could serve as
a “reminder as far as how we treat people.” “I hope this triggers a sense of being civil and respectful to any of us on campus,” Grace said. Members of Westboro Baptist Church, after protesting in downtown Blacksburg and outside Blacksburg High School, will end its protests in Blacksburg with a rally outside the Blacksburg Jewish Community Center on East Roanoke Street from 3 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. The Jewish community has mostly ignored commenting on the WBC’s protest.
Shay Nevo, president of Tech’s Hillel group, declined comment on the protest. Joshua Shallom, president of the Blacksburg Jewish Community Center, declined an interview request, instead e-mailing a statement to the Collegiate Times. “The Blacksburg Jewish Community Center (BJCC) — and Hillel at VT — support the Constitutional rights of all individuals, be it for or against contentious issues,” the statement read. “The BJCC believes and supports freedom of religion and practice, and does not support discrimination in any form.”
Leavell: Rock artist takes on new cause from page one
CT: There are a lot of video segments on your Web site, specifically the “In the Green Room” segment, where you have had celebrities come on before — how do you think that has impacted your Web site? LEAVELL: I wish I could say that we had huge hits of visitations, but we have not had as many as I would like, but the interviews that I have done have been very helpful for the Web site. I think the most visited was the interview with John Bell from Widespread Panic, because they are very popular on campuses, and they also have a very loyal fan base, so anything that one of those guys does, people are very interested in — we are looking to do more of that. There is another video called “Love of the Land,” and I think we are just going to try and morph the two together because it is a little confusing for the visitors and just name it “In the Green Room.” CT: So you received the most viewers from the Widespread Panic interview, and I know you have local reporters in colleges, so how do you think the college scene is responding to green initiatives? LEAVELL: I am so glad that you brought that up because, although people might not be as concerned with penguins and glaciers, but they are really concerned with what is going on in their local community. We thought to tie in colleges and
universities and get students, and a lot of these students are looking for a journalistic career, and so we give them a Flip camera and they can go out and do these reports. They are required to do a certain number of reports per month and each state has at least one reporter, and it has been a very popular part of our site. CT: Do you hope to expand that program in the future? LEAVELL: We do hope to do more on that and we hope that in these reports we can spread the good word and get information to others. It is very important on MNN to stress news, education and information — we want to stress ways for people to make changes to lower their carbon footprints and make it a better world. CT: Do you see the world of rock and roll going green any time soon? LEAVELL: You have seen concerts in the past promoting these initiatives but these bands have taken some flack about this because they are flying in on their planes and leaving a big carbon footprint — but, for right now, that is the way of the world. Can these things be changed? Yes. Do I think it is worthwhile for bands and artists to engage in things like this? Yes. It is great to put the message out there, they have a lot of fans and those fans listen to what they say. CT: Do your fellow Stones support
you in your efforts? LEAVELL: They do — they are interested in all this. I think everyone is interested in this, I don’t think anyone wants to destroy the world. We all want to find positive changes. CT: It’s been almost 10 years since your book “Forever Green” came out — do you think it has impacted people? How have you changed because of it? LEAVELL: I hope it has helped a little bit just to bring awareness to what trees and forests have done to us. It is mainly about forestry issues — so I thought it was important to get people to have a better understanding of these things. It has been a heck of a research deal. CT: Overall how do you think farmers markets have been doing in this economy? LEAVELL: Well it’s tough isn’t it? People are so addicted to going to their grocery store and not paying attention to where that broccoli comes from or where that carrot comes from and they just pick it up, throw it in their basket and go on their way. I think there is growing interest in these matters, for health as well. I think it can be more and more successful. I would like to see the larger grocery chains have more engagement with the local farmers. You’ve got your local doctor don’t you, so why wouldn’t you have your local farmer or dairyman and so on.
CT: Do you think that starting to teach children from an early age about bettering their health and local community will impact them in the future? LEAVELL: I certainly hope so. The obesity level is so rapid in this country, and it is so sad. I am glad to see Michelle Obama taking the initiative and trying to do something about it. We are not eating well — and you are seeing some schools getting better about what they are offering. I think it is time for us to take a real hard look at that. CT: How can college students play a bigger part in the overall scheme of things? LEAVELL: We need to have better options for campuses, better recycling centers, etc. If businesses lead the way and if we find ways that work for them, they can translate them to campuses. If Coca-Cola makes that better plastic bottle, you are going to be better off here. But, the obvious things are there, having the lights on whether you think they are needed or not. A lot these technologies are still too expensive, so that makes it difficult. When you bring the attention to the public of issues then you can pressure to make changes. Master switches that shut a lot of things off at once are a great idea. It would be best if we could do these things through new structures that we are building to lower that energy use.
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nation & world headlines
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Mining company has record of violations WASHINGTON — Massey Energy has been cited for repeated mine safety violations in recent years, racking up hundreds of penalties at the Upper Big Branch mine where an explosion Monday killed at least 25 workers. Federal prosecutors also have brought two criminal complaints for violation of worker protection rules at other mines run by the company, the nation’s sixth biggest coal mining firm. Massey officials say they have an above average safety record, receiving awards for their performance at individual mines. Last October, Massey President Baxter Phillips touted company safety awards and said, “We are very proud of this accomplishment and our members who work so hard to make Massey’s mines among the safest in the industry.” But Davitt McAteer, former head of the Mine Safety and Health Administration during the Clinton administration, offered a caustic evaluation of Massey’s safety record. “Massey has for some time had a problem with safety compliance and dealing with some of the really ordinary safety and precautionary issues,” he said in an interview. The explosion this week sends a clear message, he said. “They had an explosion that killed 25. Your system is not working.” The company’s claim is also challenged by legal opponents who have waded into internal documents of the criminal cases. “They placed profits over safety repeatedly,” says Tonya L. Hatfield, a lawyer in the coal mining town of Gilbert, W.Va., who has sued Massey in cases resulting from a 2006 fire at the Aracoma mine, where 12 miners were trapped and two died. In that case the company agreed to pay $2.5 million in criminal fines. The fine, when combined with $1.5 million in civil penalties was apparently the largest ever imposed in a coal mining death case. by tom hamburger and andrew zajac, mcclatchy newspapers
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editor: debra houchins opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
april 7, 2010
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
Your Views [letters to the editor]
PDA on campus worthy of notice
I
read John Driessnack’s recent column “Open sexual expression should be extended to all” (CT, March 24), and found that it was pretty accurate. Society nowadays is thriving with PDA all over the place, and this campus is no different. I agree on the fact that most, if not all, the PDA that I have seen around campus is between heterosexual couples. For some reason being heterosexual is common and accepted in our society, and being homosexual is completely out of the question. However, I feel like society is changing because of our generation. Homosexuality is becoming more widely accepted, compared to a decade ago,
Response to WBC protest
By
now, most students here at Virginia Tech, living both on and off campus, have heard about the planned protest of the Kansasbased religious faction known simply as Westboro Baptist Church. After hearing of its planned “visit,” I immediately had a flashback to a news story about four years ago when members picketed the funeral of Cpl. Matthew Snyde, a casualty in the War in Iraq. Words cannot describe what exactly I was feeling at the time, but a safe assumption would be a mixture of pure rage, astonishment and sorrow. I feel that the suggestion made by Ed Spencer, vice president for student affairs, is absolutely dead on and more than likely best for the Hokie community. When I still believed that my fellow students and I would be counter-protesting near the
but you still don’t see much PDA at all. The majority of heterosexuals are hypocritical like the author said in the column, but I honestly don’t think you can rate all heterosexuals the same. Personally speaking, I hate showing PDA with my boyfriend in public, just because it is a personal “bedroom” issue and I don’t want to be a hypocrite. This is the same reason why I hate when people put kissing pictures up on Facebook. I feel like that kind of stuff needs to be kept between you and your partner. I know a lot of people that share the same feelings about the PDA issue as I do, so in reality you can’t judge every heterosexual equally. They aren’t all hypocrites.
Jessica Drenson mechanical engineering major WBC protestors, I contemplated not going, because I was concerned that my emotions would get the best of me, and I would do something I would later regret, which is one of the reasons why I think this is a smart move. Some may argue that this takes away from the impact of the protest, that this would seem as if WBC had “won,” and to some extent I agree, but I also disagree as well. As it appears to me, the WBC feeds on attention, both media and otherwise, and protesting nearby gives the group exactly the attention it desires. I am just glad that this movement, under the hegemony of Spencer and SGA President Brandon Carroll, can keep a clear head in spite of all the hostility and animosity. Class of 2013
Ryan Livolsi computer science major
MCT CAMPUS
House of Delegates should pass legislation that works N
early three years after the massacre at Virginia Tech, the lower house of the Virginia legislature has neither the will nor the backbone to pass truly effective legislation to make the state’s college campuses safer. In a state that has suffered two of the most serious school shootings — the Appalachian School of Law (three dead and two wounded) and Virginia Tech (32 dead and 17 wounded) — the lower house shies away from its duties to the citizenry. The lower house does just enough to say it has done something; not enough to make a difference. Most recently, the Virginia house significantly weakened state Sen. John Edwards’ bill to amend and reenact the Code of Virginia relating to crisis and emergency management for public institutions of higher learning. Specifically, members of the lower house took exception to univer-
sity presidents and other school officials having to certify they comprehend and understand the school’s emergency plan — a plan that they play a role in creating. Stop to think what members of the Virginia legislature have done, they have said that presidents of our colleges and universities do not have to comprehend and understand a document that is critical to the security of our children. Incredible, absolutely incredible. While the state Senate had passed the original bill unanimously, the House of Delegates balked over a critical detail. The two strongest opponents of the legislation — they wouldn’t vote for it in any form — were Delegates Dave Nutter (an employee of Tech) and Anthony Poindexter, a far right-wing politician who tried to derail the reappointment of Judge William Alexander, the judge who ruled that the lawsuit
against Tech President Charles Steger and other school officials could go forward. If you read the official reports of both the shootings at Columbine High School and Tech, there is repeated emphasis on school security plans and the role of those plans in preventing campus shootings. Now, according to the Virginia lower House, the presidents of the state’s colleges and universities do not have to understand those plans. The House of Delegates should be ashamed of itself.
DAVID CARIENS -guest columnist -former CIA officer
As
and implacable and let you know exactly where you stood. Nor did I get all that upset when my mother would warn us that Dad would beat us when he got home. What upset us was when Dad didn’t beat us when he got home. Now we had no way of knowing whether he had merely forgotten, or if he was using this delaying tactic as an additional measure in the reign of domestic terror he mistook for parenting. Either way, it added a level of uncertainty to our lives that we did not need. If you were going to make a threat, you were honor-bound to go through with it. Otherwise, you were merely confusing the issue. Throughout my life, I have tried hard to avoid issuing idle threats. For the most part, I have done a pretty good job. I once told a local pharmacist who charged me twice to send the same fax that if he didn’t give me my money back, I would never come into his store again. He thought it was an idle threat. Twenty years later, I was still snubbing him, right
up until the day he went to prison for Medicaid fraud. Ha! I also told the guy in the 7-Eleven that I would stop coming into his store, and I’d forbid my children to patronize the establishment, unless he stopped calling me Boss. For two years I honored that threat and kept a close lookout to make sure that my kids did the same. One day he got so fed up he quit. Or so I like to believe. Then, after a typically crummy, phoned-in Buddy Guy concert, I said that I would never again set foot in New York’s tourist trap B.B. King Blues Club, a promise I have kept. I also avoided Shea Stadium for the last seven years of its existence, declaring that I would never attend another Mets game until they tore down that hideous rat trap out in Queens and replaced it with an upscale, plastic replica of Camden Yards, which they have. And three years ago I told everyone I knew that I would stop patronizing Starbucks if they didn’t stop disrupting my Starbucks client experience by stacking the counter to
overflowing with lame Paul McCartney CDs and touchy-feely twaddle like “The Kite Runner.” They never altered their policy. Neither have I. Serious, non-idle threats have been a major component of my daily life for as long as I can remember. A few years ago, I threatened to boycott all future Kate Hudson movies until she finally made a good one, and thus far I have honored that commitment. Admittedly, honoring it wasn’t that hard, nor was going through with my threat to abstain from cauliflower for the next 50 years. And my son is about to find out the hard way that when I drew that mythical line in the sand, vowing that I would never pay a nickel toward either of my children’s graduate school education, this was no idle threat. He can go to law school on his own dime. Last week I read about a new poll indicating that if the health care bill passed, 46 percent of primary-care physicians would close up shop. Well, it’s passed, so now it’s time to put your
money where your mouth is, physicians of the republic. The same goes for you, Rush. First you threatened to leave New York City if a new tax on the rich got passed. The legislation is now law, but it took you a year to put your Manhattan apartment on the market. Then came the Costa Rica threat, but two weeks after Obamacare passed, you’re not there. This is unmanly and unconscionable. If you tell everybody that you’re so fed up with the direction the country is headed that you’re going to leave, then you are morally obligated to leave, or at least give your fellow Americans a timetable for your departure. Otherwise, the rest of us find ourselves in a Boy Who Cried Wolf scenario, wondering what whopper you’ll tell next. But unlike the boy, who only told a fib, you committed a truly unforgivable crime. You got people’s hopes up.
JOE QUEENAN -mcclatchy newspapers
Sexual abuse deserves focus of all, not just Catholics W
hether the victim is a kidnapped sex slave in Thailand, a trafficked child camel jockey in the Persian Gulf states, or a fifth grader assaulted in an American elementary school, the fact that children and young people throughout the world are regularly subjected to sexual and physical abuse is a horror that ought to shock the conscience of humanity. In the United States alone, there are reportedly tens of millions of victims of childhood sexual abuse. In the years between 1991 and 2000, according to Virginia Commonwealth University researcher Charol Shakeshaft, 290,000 students were sexually abused in American public schools. Worse yet, studies indicate that 40 percent to 60 percent of sexual abuse takes place within families — often at the hands of second husbands or live-in boyfriends. Throughout the world, children seem to be the principal victims of lawlessness, wanton cruelty, the sexual revolution, and the hookup culture that treats sex as
a contact sport: one in which everyone, of any age, is a potential player. Yet amid this global squalor, one institution has begun to come to grips with its past failures to protect the young people in its care. One institution has acknowledged its grave failures in the past. One institution has brought perpetrators of abuse to book. That institution is the Catholic Church. Far more than the public schools, far more than the teachers’ unions, far more than other organizations that regularly work with young people, and far more than countries that turn a blind eye on sex trafficking and childhood prostitution, the Catholic Church has addressed what Pope Benedict XVI has called the “filth” in its own house. Catholicism has cleaned house in America, where the church is likely the country’s safest environment for young people today (there were six credible cases of abuse reported in 2009: six too many, but remarkably low in a community of 68 million members). Now, the church has begun to scour
the Augean stables of Irish Catholicism. A March 20 letter to Irish Catholics from Benedict unsparingly condemned abusers and sharply rebuked bishops who failed to take these problems in hand decades ago and who covered up abuse; no one should doubt that a major shake-up of Catholic leadership in Ireland is coming. Yet the global story line of the last several weeks is that the Catholic Church is an ongoing global criminal conspiracy of sexual abusers and their enablers, centered in the Vatican. That the church has too often failed to address past problems of abusive clergy has been frankly admitted by everyone from Popes John Paul II and Benedict to the U.S. bishops in 2002. In 2001, the Vatican put in place new measures that enabled the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (led by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the future Benedict XVI) to deal more swiftly and decisively with clerical abusers. Those procedures are fully operational, and Benedict is determined to make them
work — and to change any remaining sectors of the church that resist dealing with the church’s “filth.” Recent reporting on Catholic sexual-abuse problems, however, has frequently been factually inaccurate and irresponsible. It is charged that the church threatens whistle-blowers with excommunication; that is not true. Prominent news organizations report that Cardinal Ratzinger blocked sanctions against a Milwaukee priest who abused deaf children in his care; that is not true. Contingent-fee lawyers with a direct, financial stake in abuse cases (and in bringing the Vatican’s resource within firing range of U.S. liability law) are cited as credible sources by newspapers that once knew what a disqualified source was. Vicious editorial cartoons, some perilously reminiscent of Nazi-era antiCatholic cartooning, abound. Meanwhile, there is precious little investigative reporting on (much less
cartooning about) sexual abuse in public schools, which is demonstrably far greater than in the Catholic Church. To be sure, the Catholic Church ought to hold itself to a higher moral standard than other similarly situated institutions. But after too long a period of denial, the Catholic Church is now at the forefront of combating the sexual abuse of the young in the United States. And no one in the church has done more, over the last decade, to compel the sclerotic institutional culture of the Vatican to face these problems than Joseph Ratzinger, Pope Benedict XVI. These are the facts. Thus the concern naturally arises, on this Easter, that those who continue to portray Catholicism as a global conspiracy of sexual predators are indulging in the last acceptable prejudice, anti-Catholicism, while aiming at nothing less than the destruction of the Catholic Church’s credibility as a global moral teacher.
GEORGE WEIGEL -mcclatchy newspapers
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Empty threats are counter intuitive, do what you say the battle over “Obamacare” was reaching fever pitch, Rush Limbaugh threatened to leave the United States if the health care bill passed. Well, the bill did pass, and he’s still here. This reminded me of the time one of my friends vowed to change his citizenship and move to Ireland if George W. Bush got re-elected. Bush did get re-elected, but my friend never left New Jersey. Neither did my friend who said she’d move to France if Bush won a second term. Bush got his second term, but my friend never once budged from her New York apartment. Her vow to scoop up her marbles and pack it in, just like Limbaugh’s histrionic vow to become an expatriate, fell into the broad, general category of the idle threat. Ever since I was a child, I have abhorred idle threats. Real threats, like “I’ll knock your teeth down your throat if you tell Sister John Laurentia who put the softball through the stained-glass image of St. Anthony of Padua,” didn’t bother me because they were graphic
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features 5
editor: topher forhecz featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com / 540.231.9865
april 7, 2010
COLLEGIATETIMES
WUVT DJs pick the top dead musicians of our time
people still have the debate between Pearl Jam and Nirvana if Kurt Cobain had not died? Would Miles Davis and Jimi Hendrix have actually fin-
ished the project they were working on? Unfortunately, we don’t know because these musicians died much earlier than we would have preferred. Here are the best musicians who died before their time, brought to you by the Woove editorial board: Todd Stafford, Rosalie Wind, Matt Clark, Stu Ruiz and Ben Woody.
R&B. He gained fame with tracks “You Send Me,” “Bring it on Home to Me,” “Wonderful World” and “A Change is Gonna Come.” One of the first black performers to also be involved in the music business, Cooke founded a record label called SAR Records, which has included artists such as Bobby Womack and Johnnie Taylor. One evening in early December 1964, Cooke and Elisa Boyer checked in to the Hacienda Motel in Los Angeles. Boyer later stated she met Cooke that night and he took her against her will to the hotel. He left the hotel room to go to the bathroom, and Boyer escaped with his clothes. Later that night, looking for the fleeing Boyer, Cooke drunk-
enly approached the hotel’s manager, Bertha Franklin. After he allegedly assaulted her, Franklin shot him three times. The act of self-defense has been ruled a “justifiable homicide,” but the testimonies of Franklin, Boyer, and witness Evelyn Carr have all had inconsistencies about that night’s events. Still, under investigation to this day, some Cooke supporters have considered his death part of a conspiracy for his murder. Though his death halted new productions, his popularity remains steadfast. Organizations such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Rolling Stone and National Academy of the Recording Arts and Sciences have all recognized his contribution to music. — Rosalie Wind
NICK DRAKE (JUNE 19, 1948 — NOV. 25, 1974) Saying that Nick Drake died before his time might downplay the extent of his achievements during his time alive: By the mid-’70s he had sold around 10,000 records. Today, his music is widespread, partly in thanks to Volkswagen’s popularization of his catchy tune “Pink Moon.” Though Drake only released three original studio albums, there have been seven posthumous compilations of his music and multiple documentaries about his life. Drake’s tunes are saturated with a kind of creeping, late-night melancholy that refuses the escape of sleep. And ironically, in 1974 at the age of 26, he died from an overdose on psychiatric medication prescribed for chronic
depression and insomnia. While his finger that picked acoustic guitar rarely strayed from convention, it provided a technically accomplished and artfully subdued accompaniment to a distinctly plaintive voice. Over time, this voice has influenced popular contemporary acts such as
Elliot Smith, Badly Drawn Boy and Iron and Wine. Lyrically, Drake preferred minimal and distantseeming material, employing simple images from nature and everyday life to create songs that appeared profound without being inauthentic. In contrast to the in-your-face conscious folk lyrics of Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, Harry Chapin and other musicians of the era, Drake’s words suggest a quiet interiority that allows stark social commentary to originate in the depths of selfknowledge, rather than as a reaction to a world gone wrong. — Todd Stafford
OTIS REDDING (SEPT. 9, 1941 — DEC. 10, 1967) Probably the most dynamic voice of the 20th century belonged to Otis Redding. Redding defined soul music through his emotional, captivating voice, and he has hence earned his legacy as the “King of Soul.” Like typical success stories, Redding’s fame didn’t come overnight, but was rather the result of an enduring journey. His enthusiasm for songwriting along with his vigor-
ous showmanship placed Redding in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, with critics claiming he embodied rock ’n’ roll itself. He never claimed to be a great singer, but he strived to improve himself as a vocalist. Redding’s most famous single, “(Sittin’ on) The Dock of the Bay,” was recorded only three days before his death in an airplane crash
KURT COBAIN (FEB. 20, 1967 — C. APRIL 5, 1994) Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain earned mainstream recognition by selling more than 25 million albums in the United States and more than 50 million worldwide.
Popularized by albums “Bleach” (1989), “Nevermind” (1991) and “In Utero” (1993), Nirvana gained attention for its skill, sound and socially progressive music. Though Cobain despised this description, his fans have called him the “spokesman of a generation.” Diagnosed with attention deficit disorder as a child and bipolar disorder as an adult, Cobain struggled with emotional, mental and physical debilitation. The enormous media attention from Nirvana’s fame, his publicly tumultuous marriage with Courtney Love and an unmanageable dependence on heroin led to Cobain’s death. After numerous
overdoses, rehab visits and suicide attempts during his career, Cobain finally agreed to a detoxification program. He fled the facility April 1, 1994 and was unseen for days. On April 8, an electrician discovered Cobain’s body in his home with a shotgun pointed at his chin. There was a supposed self-inflicted wound aimed at his jaw. Autopsy reports note that Cobain’s body contained three times the lethal amount of heroin. In 2006, Cobain surpassed Elvis Presley as the top-earning deceased celebrity, signifying his importance and influence even after his death. Documentaries and books have been made about his life and talents, and conspiracy theories about his death are rampant. Unfortunately, one can only accept the suicide and drug overdose of a talented, but immensely troubled, singer-songwriter. — Rosalie Wind
tery and compositional acumen that clearly demonstrated how far the creative musician had transcended his influences. On the seminal albums “Red Horse, White Mule” and “Opium Musick,” Rose contrasted kaleidoscopic opentuning meditations with classicsounding rags in subtly swung time, which seemingly pointed an accusa-
tory finger at the derivative crooners and frat-inspired jammers that made “solo acoustic” a hostile epithet circa 2000. Rose’s early contributions to the drone and noise jams of the lesser known avant-rock band Pelt showed his versatility as a multi-instrumentalist and collaborator, which continued until his death of a heart attack late last year. In southwest Virginia, Rose may be best remembered for a popular series of inspirational acoustic shows with the local progressive old-time favorites The Black Twig Pickers, which culminated in collaborative 7” and LP records with the band during his last two years. Long-time listeners of WUVT-FM 90.7 Blacksburg, where his years as a volunteer DJ inspired many, will always remember Jack Rose’s voice. — Todd Stafford
SAM COOKE (JAN. 22, 1931 — DEC. 11, 1964) A true pioneer in soul music, Sam Cooke has influenced notable musicians such as Otis Redding, Smokey Robinson and Marvin Gaye. His music features beautiful arrangements, rolling tempos and emotive lyrics that have helped to shape today’s gospel, soul and
JACK ROSE (FEB. 16, 1971 — DEC. 5, 2009) Nationally, Jack Rose will be remembered for his highly original and inventive acoustic and lap guitar performances. He managed to simultaneously incorporate microtonal drones from eastern music and sounds from traditional ragtime, country and blues with an effect that has been compared to avant-guitarist John Fahey. But this comparison is unfair — Rose’s early covers of Fahey’s tunes notwithstanding. Jack Rose’s unique sound showed technical mas-
into Lake Monona. The single was released posthumously and was Otis’ only No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite his death in the late ‘60s, Redding’s voice still continues to fascinate listeners today. — Matt Clark
BUDDY HOLLY (SEPT. 7, 1936 — FEB. 3, 1959) Buddy Holly’s endearing, lovesick and boy-next-door sound has been a source of inspiration for a number of music superstars including the Beach Boys, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, the Clash and the Grateful Dead. One of the first rock artists to write his own songs, Holly played an enormous role in the conception of rock ’n’ roll. Before his death at the age of 22, the music visionary created hits like “Peggy Sue Got Married,” “Crying, Waiting, Hoping,” “Love is Strange” and “True Love Ways.” Buddy Holly and the Crickets created the rock ’n’ roll sound that music artists will forever revere, remember and emulate. After only two years of music and performing, Buddy Holly and the Crickets went on a three-week tour across the Midwest for “The Winter Dance Party.” The band found touring on a bus grueling and chartered a small plane to Moorhead, Minn., for its next performance on Feb. 2. The plane crashed soon into the flight, killing Holly, Ritchie Valens, J.P. Richardson and the pilot, Roger Peterson. Referred to as the “day the music died” in Don McLean’s song “American Pie,” this devastating crash has been suggested to have occurred because of poor visibility brought on by the day’s bad weather conditions.
Holly literally set the stage for rock ’n’ roll performers everywhere. His band only released three albums but still created an enormous following. Movies such as “The Buddy Holly Story” and “The Real Buddy Holly Story” have commemorated his life. Novels and even a Broadway show have been written about him. Buddy Holly and the Cricket’s immortal and original music remains in today, yesterday and t o m o r r o w ’s rock ’n’ roll. — Rosalie Wind
JIMI HENDRIX (NOV. 27, 1942 — SEPT. 18, 1970) Before Jimi Hendrix, the electric guitar was purely a weapon. It was loud and dirty — a grimy arrow shot in hopes of antagonizing the listener. Hendrix did all of those things, but he also made the guitar beautiful. His compositions were complex and were capable of quiet subtlety and brash attitude inside structures that epitomized American music at the time. Hendrix combined rhythm and blues and rock ’n’ roll to create a new sound that laid the foundation for hard rock, psychedelic, funk and modern blues. The influence lives on today, as his works remain popular among musicians, music fans and stoners alike. With the Jimi Hendrix Experience, he put out three classic albums and a well documented live
show. The “Band of Gypsies” live album saw Hendrix going deep into improvisations and sonic collages with a funk backing. The music has hardly aged in the 40 years since his death from a supposed drug overdose. Despite all of
his accomplishments, what is most tragic about Hendrix’s early departure is that his body of work still feels unfinished, as if it was leading up to a masterpiece that was never realized — one that the world will never hear. — Stu Ruiz
CHARLIE “BIRD” PARKER (AUG. 29, 1920 — MARCH 12, 1955) To the untrained ear, the extent of Parker’s influence would seem rather negative. It’s true that he did play a lot of notes and chords very fast, and he did borrow chord progressions from other jazz tunes. Still, what he did with it was incredible. Parker’s agility and precision on his alto saxophone were unmatched as he and other bebop musicians led the jazz scene out of the commercialized big band-era and into
the smaller ensemble set. Unfortunately, Parker’s breadth of influence extends to musicians and
drug addictions as well. As a teenager, he was seriously injured in a car accident, which led to his prescription for and subsequent addiction to morphine. His addiction evolved from morphine to heroin to alcohol, and it led to his demise in a friend’s house in 1955 with complications from obesity, a liver disorder and a blood ulcer. Parker’s legacy as one of jazz’s most influential musicians was mostly shaped posthumously, though contemporaries such as Miles Davis and John Coltrane attributing much of jazz’s historical development to Bird. — Ben Woody
IAN CURTIS (JULY 15, 1956 — MAY 18, 1980) Ian Curtis became the lyricist, singer and image for Manchester’s Joy Division. Influenced by writers such as Burroughs, Nietzsche and Kafka, Curtis’ lyrics are tales of isolation and urban decay juxtaposed with a deep desire to control his bizarre love triangle between wife, Deborah Woodruff, and girlfriend, Annik Honore. The song “Love Will Tear Us Apart” became his short life’s pursuit. Attempting to fix a failing marriage while combating severe
epilepsy, Curtis committed suicide on May 18, 1980. He was 23 years old. His genius as a songwriter and influence are unparalleled. His meager figure and pale complexion became the ideal standard for male modeling. Joy Division’s two albums created countless rarity and live collections that further influenced acts ranging from U2 to the Cure to Interpol. For further insight into the Curtis, check out Deborah Curtis’ book “Touching from a Distance” or its film adaptation “Control.” And if you are unfamiliar with Joy Division, then I recommend the
JEFF BUCKLEY (NOV. 17, 1966 — MAY 29, 1997) Buckley has my vote as the greatest songwriter of the ‘90s. His 1994 album “Grace” demonstrates his vocal range, hitting a wide range of notes in many kinds of octaves. Though he began his musical career as a studio guitarist, Buckley struggled for the first half of his career as he worked in genres as diverse as jazz, metal and reggae. He was classically trained at the
Musicians Institute, about which his feelings remained ambivalent. But what solidified his career was “Grace” — a 10-song album featuring three covers and seven originals. Although many fans would argue that other musicians wrote nearly half of the material on Buckley’s magnum opus, Buckley’s other songs and his arrangements of these covers are true genius. Buckley’s lyrics are intense, responsible and driven with lines like “I never stepped on the cracks because I thought I’d hurt my mother” from the song “So Real.” His music is entrancing. “Grace” is the album
albums “Unknown Pleasures” and “Closer” for your next music purchase. — Matt Clark
I recommend listening to if life is just kicking you while you’re down. — Ben Woody
sports 6
editor: alex jackson sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com / 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
april 7, 2010
CORNERBACK WILL LOOK TO FOLLOW IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF HOKIES’ GREATS AS STARTER
JOSHUA MILLER/SPPS
Carmichael leaps into boundary role
THOMAS EMERICK sports reporter Rashad Carmichael peers through the windowpane in the Hokies’ Hall of Legends, then points to a group of clouds sitting on a valley in the treetops, above the practice field upon which he spends much of his spring. “I look over there every practice. Like, we’re stretching, I talk to my dad,” Carmichael says. The sun beams down to the grass like it hasn’t since Lane Stadium filled to the brim on Saturday afternoons. “When it gets tough some days, I look up,” Carmichael continues. “That’s my spot right there. Right there. I might be out there running and practicing. I’d be tired and I’d look up, and be like, ‘I need you man.’” Two offseasons ago, “Rock” Carmichael, as he’s known to many, suffered the loss of his father to a heart attack. Last year at this time, Carmichael — then a redshirt junior — battled for the starting field corner position with underclassmen Cris Hill and Eddie Whitley. In this year’s edition of spring ball, Carmichael has already stamped his name to the Virginia Tech boundary cornerback position. Perseverance through two off sea-
sons of grueling tribulation has certainly paid off thus far for Carmichael. Boundary corner is to the Hokies what the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School is to business. One can rattle off a parade of Hokies’ names that marched onto college fame and NFL success after playing the boundary position. Victor “Macho” Harris started as a rookie for the playoff-bound Philadelphia Eagles. Brandon Flowers quickly found a place in the Kansas City secondary and made a bang as rookie, returning a Brett Favre pass for a touchdown. And those are just the two players Carmichael studied under since arriving in southwest Virginia. During the oxymoronic test of willpower known as the Division I football offseason — an exercise that starts with break-of-dawn conditioning and meetings, arduous weight training, before adding to the schedule like a Jenga tower — Carmichael and many teammates opt to meet their summer tasks at Tech, hoping to be ready for testing when the whole team returns later in the summer. While Rock’s family remains in Clinton, Md., they remain the inspiration that helps him carry the load. “When I do squats, I think I see my baby brother,” Carmichael says. On the walls of the weight room, Carmichael notes, his 40-yard dash time displays alongside those of Eddie Royal, Michael and Marcus Vick, and he is listed with DeAngelo Hall in the Hokies’ top-five all-time rankings — after posting a 4.26-second mark last spring. Now is the time Carmichael, the fastest player on the team, can chase mentors Harris and Flowers. Torrian Gray has presided as defensive backfield
coach over this trio at Tech, and he thinks the current boundary corner has covered vast ground since arriving as a freshman. “He didn’t have instincts like those guys. He still has a ways to go in some respects to be like those guys, but because of his work ethic and demeanor, I think he’s going to give himself a chance,” Gray mused. “He’s definitely a pro prospect. But as far as comparing him with those guys, he’s not quite in their class — but he has a chance to get there if he continues to improve at the rate he’s improving and understanding the game.” Even though spring practice provides a heavy focus on who’s grabbing a bus seat for the traveling squad, it’s still a good indicator for what’s to come later in the offseason for the starters, and for whom it’s all finally coming together. “Last spring, Rock was missing sometimes at practice because of class,” Gray said, “And he would still come out to the scrimmages on Saturdays and perform at a level as, like ... mentally, he’s going through the stuff. “So a guy with his speed and natural ability, once the mental part of it clicks for him, he was able to just play fast. ... He’s discovered he can be a playmaker. He discovered he can run across the field and tackle a guy from one side to the other.” Professional dreams have a difficult time finding room on Carmichael’s plate quite yet, he said. It already features helpings of a 35-hour per week internship at the Head Start Program in Christiansburg, 6:30 a.m. team meetings and practices six out of every seven days during spring ball. Then there’s class. Though, looking at the horizon, it seems that life as a potential NFL star should dwarf any temptations that could
Softball team sweeps doubleheader
LUKE MASON/SPPS
Tech’s softball team beat East Tennessee State twice yesterday. Read the full story online at www.collegiatetimes.com.
derail an offseason. But it does happen. Hokie fans all wincingly remember the reports about the physical shape in which tailback Branden Ore returned following a marvelous 2006 season, his mediocre 2007 output and the plummeting of his draft stock. Carmichael is rated as the second-best cornerback eligible for the 2011 NFL Draft by NFLDraftScout.com and the fourth-ranked returning cornerback by ESPN’s Mel Kiper. The 5-11 speedster assures that he pays no mind to the speculation quite yet, even after seeing close friend and former Hokie Jason Worilds make quite an appearance at this year’s NFL scouting combine. “People ask me, you know, ‘Why you ain’t cut your hair? Why ain’t you cut your hair?’ Because I’m in the tunnel,” Carmichael says, who has one remaining season of eligibility, thanks to a redshirt season in 2006. After securing the field corner position for the opener, he ascended to boundary on Sept. 12 against Marshall after Stephan Virgil, who’s now jockeying for draft favor, was injured. Carmichael backed up Harris at boundary in 2008, and stepped in rather smoothly, leading the team in interceptions while securing the position as Virgil returned. He hit college pay dirt for the first time against Boston College, secured the win over Nebraska with a pick, and he helped bury Miami with a long return. But the moment Carmichael can’t help pausing for came during the 37-14 Chik-fil-A Bowl victory over Tennessee, when he snatched one of his team-leading six interceptions. “I will say that, I’ve seen the Chik-fil-A Bowl, the TV copy,” Carmichael says. “The interception was cool, but when the camera was on me on the sideline and I got to talk to my dad, I got to say what’s up to my dad and my mom — that was the best feeling. “I took a couple seconds right there and was like, ‘Wow, wish I could just keep rewinding and keep rewinding.’ ... Until this time next year, when I’m in (Worilds’) spot getting ready for the combine. Until then, I’m keeping the hair in.” Barber or no barber, nostalgia and reflection make little exception among college seniors, as their long run inevitably reaches its end. “I think about it every day,” Carmichael says. “It feels like I’m on a countdown clock or something. ... We (seniors) were the last people who were here when the shooting happened. “I think about that every day. ... All (the underclassmen) know is on TV. But we’re the few people that were here. You know, that just says a lot of time, a lot of time went past and a lot of friends made and the whole thing, the whole college experience.” Defensive coordinator Bud Foster expects Carmichael to be a leader to his younger counterparts in the offseason and in the weight room. Antone Exum, a blossoming component of the secondary, says he considers Carmichael to be the one he’s closest with on the team. Now, as spring practice pushes toward its conclusion with the Maroon versus White scrimmage on April 24, Carmichael will help lead a young defense that returns six starters to the roster, but only five for spring camp because of mike linebacker Barquell Rivers’ quadriceps injury. The annual event takes place at Lane Stadium, where Carmichael can still find his inspiration. “Even in games, I always look over here, in those clouds, talk to my dad,” Carmichael says. He again points to the spot, this time floating between the north end zone scoreboard and the east stands. “I feel like that’s where he would be at, watching the game,” he says. “It’s like a real conversation. ... ‘It’s football. It’s a game.’ Because that’s the stuff he would tell me all the time. ... ‘It’s serious, but it’s the same game you used to play outside in the yard.’” Until opening night at FedEx Field arrives, when Tech will face the Fiesta Bowl champions, it’s more a game of will. “I think about what my pop would say, ‘This is the fun part in life. Do you want a real job? Do you want to go do something else?’”