Friday, October 1, 2010
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
www.collegiatetimes.com
COLLEGIATETIMES check collegiatetimes.com/bestof to vote and enter to win an 8 GB iPod Touch 107th year, issue 96
News, page 1
People & Clubs, page 2
Opinions, page 3
Sports, page 6
Classifieds, page 5
Sudoku, page 5
In the form of a question
One-show record on game show “Jeopardy” set by all-time wins leader Ken Jennings.
Total Roger Craig earned in the show’s Sept. 14 episode.
Amount of money Craig amassed in his seven-day run on the show.
JOSH SON / COLLEGIATE TIMES
Tech alumnus Roger Craig becomes third-most successful contestant in longrunning game show “Jeopardy”’s history “ ANDREW REILLY features staff writer
Roger Craig doesn’t have to explain anything. It’s laughable to think the nation’s latest “Jeopardy” sensation needs to justify any decisions made during his historic run. When you hold the show’s record for single-day earnings, you don’t have to clarify your logic to anyone, much less a college newspaper reporter. Yet the 34-year-old doctoral student can’t help himself as he explained the rationale behind a notable missed answer. “The question wasn’t this team won the Super Bowl in 2010. It was a little more subtle than that,” he said, launching into an explanation that it is at once very reasonable and very unnecessary. It’s surreal to hear the third most successful contestant in the show’s long history discuss the error as if you are an intellectual equal. This is like Godzilla recognizing the fleeing CRAIG Tokyo masses as peers. Craig may lack airs but make no mistake: he is smarter than you. In fact, if success is the yardstick, he is smarter than all but two other players in the long history of “Jeopardy” This is no small accomplishment. “Jeopardy” is not a game for the mentally frail. It is the nation’s foremost gladiator arena of intellectual escapism, and — just like on the blood-soaked Coliseum sand — only the strongest contestants prevail. Despite his success in this cutthroat environment, Craig is far from a calculating quiz show Terminator. Affable, with a surprisingly sharp sense of humor, he seems more like your intelligent coworker than an organic encyclopedia. You wait for the socially stunted spelling bee champion stereotype to emerge but it never does. Rather, Craig is proof that supermen sometimes walk among us. Before his celebrity — and subsequent appearances on Perez Hilton’s blog and the Yahoo! front page — he was a Virginia Tech student who graduated in 1999 with degrees in biology and biochemistry. Like current Tech students, Craig went to football games, read the Collegiate Times and ate at the dining halls. He participated on the Quiz Bowl team and hosted a WUVT radio show; he was by all accounts a regular Hokie. There was no eureka moment where Craig transformed from mildmannered undergraduate to quiz game extraordinaire. He regards his immense skill as the cumulative result of life experiences and lessons others have taught him. “No man is an island,” he said.” You don’t just like pop up one day, and you’re there.” Craig’s stay in Blacksburg is singled out as a fundamental building block of his success. He credits Quiz Bowl with
I totally didn’t expect to break the single game record. Even in the middle of that game, you have to realize, I wasn’t even thinking about it. I knew I had a big lead, but I was thinking I just want to win. ROGER CRAIG TECH ALUMNUS
developing his aptitude for trivia into competitive skill. He stayed active in Quiz Bowl postgraduation as he began working on his advanced degree at University of Delaware. The introduction of Jeopardy’s online audition system in 2006 convinced Craig, a lifelong fan and Teen Jeopardy applicant, to pursue a spot on the show. The online process — answering 50 questions on a given night in January — facilitated this desire. His first attempt in 2006 was a success, and he was invited to an in-person audition at a city of his choice. The two-hour audition process consists of another written test and a mock game, complete with buzzers and a projected board. A personality test is given to screen out the stiffest contestants — Jeopardy may be about intellectual battles, but it is still televised entertainment. Prospective contestants who meet the criteria for show appearance are put in a nationwide pool for a yearand-a-half. Craig did not hear from producers during that time and thus was allowed to restart the audition process. An attempt in 2008 yielded the same frustrating result. For the most part, Craig took it in stride. “Basically every time I got into the pool I figured I wasn’t going to get picked,” he said. He estimated that the show needed about 400 contestants a year; since nearly 10 times that many audition, he knew his odds were slim at best. Craig’s third attempt proved to be the charm, though. A successful May in-person audition was rewarded with a phone call weeks later inviting him to fly out to Los Angeles in July to appear on the show’s 27th season premiere. A lifelong aspiration was finally going to come true. Before the show, Craig met Alex Trebek, the silver-haired Canadian host famous for his stoic demeanor and subtle showmanship, which he deems as one of his two big “wow” moments, the other being the initial walk out to the famous purple set. “It feels like you stepped inside your television,” Craig said. For a man that was so unflappable during the show, Craig sounded vaguely star-struck when recounting his first interaction with Trebek. “He just walks out and here’s this guy you’ve been watching on TV for 20 years in front of you, and you’re going to talk to him,” he said. “It’s pretty cool.”
The excitement of the morning quickly gave way to anxiety as the crew prepared them for the show. Suddenly, there was real money at stake. Craig may have earned plaudits for his “cool as a cucumber” demeanor throughout his run on the show, but the first game had him jittery and on edge. After winning the first game, which he assumed he’d probably lose, he was the happiest he ever was during the whole game. When the outcome was no longer in doubt, Craig gave his most exuberant celebration: a drawn smiley face on the answer tablet. With the weight of that first game off of his shoulders, Craig executed his strategy with full confidence. He used his background in behavioral economics to avoid common psychological pitfalls game show contestants face. For example, the subliminal effects money has on risk-aversion. “I never thought of it as money because that will mess up your brain,” he said. “As soon as money starts entering the equation, you turn on a certain part of your brain that deals with money, and people act very differently.” Instead, Craig viewed the monetary value as points, a key to his willingness to make large wagers. He played, as football coaches preach, to win the game. Similarly, he studied question trends from past Jeopardy seasons to know what to focus on. While a wide range of knowledge is necessary, he said, some subjects like capitals and literature were more likely to appear than others. Craig figured his preparation and high-roller attitude set him apart from other contestants on the show’s history, but he didn’t know by just how much. In Jeopardy’s previous 26 seasons, the highest single-day take was $74,000. It took Craig only two games to shatter that record. Safely ensconced in his comfort zone after the initial victory, Craig took the board by storm. He missed the opening answer about the Beatles but immediately bounced back. By the end of the second round he had won three Daily Double wagers and provided 39 correct responses, including all but one of the Double Jeopardy answers. It was a dominating performance. So great was Craig’s focus that he said the gravity of the moment didn’t hit him during the game. “I totally didn’t expect to break the single game record. Even in the middle of that game, you have to realize, I wasn’t even thinking about it,” Craig said. “I knew I had a big lead, but I was thinking I just want to win.” Craig was told before Final Jeopardy about his opportunity and wagered $30,000 of his $47,000 total on what seemed to be a favorable category: “Literary and Movie Title Objects.” The grin on his face as his answer appeared on screen said it all. Trebek read his correct response, “Bridge on the River Kwai,” out loud and narrated the historic moment: “I hope see JEOPARDY / page five
Full parking garage to open in early October SARAH WATSON news reporter The Perry Street parking garage will open in full capacity during the first week of October, according to Bo Frazier, assistant manager of Parking Services. After losing 402 spots during construction of the structure, the garage at full capacity will provide a total of approximately 1,300 spots. “We created an excess of space to cover the loss of space,” Frazier said. The lot first opened Aug. 23, with 800 spaces in the structure available. Parking Services saw a demand for additional parking spots as both the Perry Street and Prices Fork Lots remained at maximum capacity, especially on Tuesdays and Thursdays. “Tuesdays and Thursdays are our busiest days,” said Steve Mouras, director of transportation and campus services. Parking officials hope the structure will also relieve much of the parking congestion placed on the academic side of campus resulting from the construction of future buildings, including the Signature Engineering Building. According to Mouras, the goal of the parking structure is to provide additional spaces to the location of campus
with the highest demand, managing parking when buildings are added to the campus in the next five years. “We wanted to increase capacity before we lost it,” Mouras said. Mouras said that Tech tries to maintain a stable number of 15,000 parking spaces on campus, adding his office is trying to find a balance between parking availability and distance between lots and classrooms. Currently, a 10 to 15 minute walk to classes is designated reasonable by the university. “To a certain degree its unrealistic for folks to expect that there will be an empty and convenient parking space adjacent to their classroom and office,” Mouras said. The costs of building additional structures must be addressed, according to Mouras. Prices of parking permits would rise, green space would be lost and traffic in Blacksburg would increase with the construction of more garages. Mouras encouraged faculty, staff and students to take advantage of other options offered by transportation and campus services, including carpooling, biking and Blacksburg Transit. “They are more environmentallyfriendly and reduce congestion,” Mouras said. Frazier noted that while building a parking garage is more expensive per
“
To a certain degree its unrealistic for folks to expect that there will be an empty and convenient parking space adjacent to their classroom and office. STEVE MOURAS DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION AND CAMPUS SERVICES
space than building a surface area lot, there is little additional space for surface area parking lots on campus. “We have to go up instead of out,” Frazier said. Parking permit holders experienced a notable increase in fees, based heavily on the establishment of the parking garage. Student permits cost $189 this year compared to $136, an increase of $53. Prices will continue to increase next school year, but Frazier hopes that they will level out after the 201112 school year. Parking Services will also incur the debt from the Virginia Tech Foundation’s parking garage project on Turner Street. According to Frazier, Parking Services will pay for the Turner Street garage for approximately 10 years.
Concession stands begin to assess local meal tax JAY SPEIDELL news staff writer At Virginia Tech’s home football game versus East Carolina University, Tech charged the local Blacksburg meals tax on concessions for the first time. Supporters of the tax called it a step for local businesses toward leveling the playing field with the university. The meals tax in Blacksburg is six percent and is added on top of the Virginia sales tax rate of five percent, meaning off-campus restaurants add 11 percent tax to their customer’s bill. The local meals tax is only applied at on-campus dining halls for cash or credit purchases. The tax does not apply to purchases made with student dining plans. “I think it’s very unfair that those places don’t have to pay meals tax.” Ranae Gillie, owner of Gillie’s and Bollo’s, said. Gillie said that not having to pay the tax makes the on-campus dining harder to compete
with. “When I went to college there were no fancy food places on campus. It was the dining hall,” Gillie said. “That I don’t think should be taxed.” Paying the local meals tax is optional for Virginia’s 15 public universities, but Tech is the only university that opts out. “The money is needed to help the community, and it’s a community effort,” Gillie said. “If Virginia Tech wants to be part of the community, then they also have to contribute.” Not all businesses on campus have decided to take advantage of this policy. Burger King, when it occupied the Johnston Student Center, opted to collect the local meals tax. Gillie said local taxes help pay for essential services, such as road maintenance and law enforcement, that the students use like full-time residents. The Blacksburg government is currently discussing the issue with the university. “The town and the university have a very unique working relationship,”
“
If Virginia Tech wants to be a part of the community, then they also have to contribute. RANAE GILLIE OWNER, GILLIE’S AND BOLLO’S
said Blacksburg mayor Ron Rordam. “We’re just trying to sort out where we need to go to reach an agreement.” “But I want to make clear that we are not trying to tax meal plans,” Rordam said. Breslau said most of the students she spoke with didn’t notice local businesses had to collect taxes the university did not, and they were willing to do their share by paying the meals tax. “It’s a matter of awareness,” Breslau said. Tech’s spokesman Larry Hincker said that the university is currently preparing an official response to the issue but gave no timetable for the release of the response.
2
people & clubs
[
he ] she
editors: lindsey brookbank, kim walter featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
october 1, 2010
virginia headline
UVa police probe Wednesday assault
Charlottesville police are investigating two incidents in which University of Virginia students were accosted Wednesday night, just hours after UVa officials issued a warning that three other students had been the victims of a recent string of attacks. At 7 p.m. Wednesday, a female UVa student was walking in the 1200 block of Wertland Street when a black male described as 20 to 23 years old placed his hand on her shoulder and told her not to move. After a brief exchange, the victim was able to walk away from the suspect, who was wear-ing a grey hoodie and blue jeans, without further incident. Then, at 9:50 p.m., another female UVa student was walking in the 2100 block of 15th Street Northwest when a male approached her from behind and pressed something she believed to be a gun into her back and demanded money under threat of violence. The robber walked the victim to several locations to obtain money with the victim’s ATM card. At one point, police said, the man fondled the victim. After receiving a small amount of cash, the robber ran away and did not harm the victim further. The suspect in the second incident was described as a black male, thin build, medium height and wear-ing a grey hoodie and dark-colored pants. Anyone with information on these incidents is asked to call Crimestoppers at 977-4000. brian mcneill, mcclatchy newspapers
CORRECTION -In “VT Bus Tracker looking to expand capabilities” (CT — Sept. 29), the correct spelling of Alex’s last name is “Obenauer. “ the collegiate times regrets this error.
JUSTIN GRAVES -Contact our public editor at publiceditor@ collegiatetimes.com if you see anything that needs to be corrected.
SAID
He said: Party thievery remains biggest peeve ood thing hypocrites aren’t a personal pet peeve because I am G one. It took less than a week for me to break my “stick to what you are good at” rule with a misguided foray into the world of fashion. The consensus appears to be that I have as much business offering clothing advice as the characters on “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” do providing ethics training. Fair enough. Luckily, for all involved, I return to more familiar ground this week: embracing my inner curmudgeon with a list of complaints. I’ll start with a universal grievance regarding etiquette. For years people have made fun of me for my infamous “phone walk,” where upon answering a call I proceed to wander around an area like a spastic puppy. Rarely are my social graces so prominently displayed. Still, I would rather look like a human Roomba vacuum than impose my conversation on those around me. I’m dumbfounded by how many people think it’s acceptable to take a call while in a car or a crowded space. It’s fascinating that you’re going to play Halo later at your main boy’s pad, but is it necessary to pass along that information to everyone on the bus? And as obnoxious as that is, it pales in comparison to couples that feel compelled to share their verbal PDA with unlucky bystanders. Over the summer, my best friend had a very intense relationship that apparently could not be maintained with less than eight hours of daily communication. It drove me crazy listening to their faux-fights and gagworthy seventh grade cooing, especially when we were stuck in a car together. Cell phones provide the ability to talk anywhere, but as the scientists in Jurassic Park learned, “can” doesn’t always mean “should.” No one cares that you and pookie bear will finally get some alone time. Save it for the bedroom, lovebirds. Similarly aggravating is the ever-
popular fishing for compliments. This takes all forms and is exclusive to neither gender; the guy asking seemingly innocuous questions about physique (“Think my biceps are getting bigger, brah?”) is just as guilty as the girl subtly bringing attention to her figure (“I really shouldn’t eat Chik-fil-A today, I’ve been looking so gross lately ...”). There’s no shame in seeking validation from peers, but it gets absurd after a while. You were skinny last week; I’m pretty sure you didn’t blow up in seven days of skimpy salads and amphetamine-fueled study marathons. I’m a particular fan of the female exam ritual: proclaiming that the last test was a failure, only to act surprised when it comes back as an 86 percent. My assumption and hope was that this trend would die after high school, but unfortunately, I was incorrect. Really though, these annoyances mostly reflect on my own idiosyncrasies. I may judge the perpetrators, but it’s hardly a deal breaker as far as relationships are concerned. That’s the beauty of pet peeves — everyone gets ticked off about certain things, but for the most part, we don’t let these irritants interfere with our lives. The same can’t be said for my ultimate turn-off: stealing. To paraphrase my favorite stand-up comic Aziz Ansari, if you’re the kind of person who steals from parties, do me a favor and put this newspaper down because you’re a horrible person, and I don’t want comedy bringing any satisfaction into your miserable existence. I’ll never understand what mysterious force turns otherwise pleasant people into kleptomaniacs when provided with a little alcohol and access to a house full of other people’s possessions. It’s a rotten habit: more disgusting than picking your nose, sneezing into the air and watching pornography in the library combined. There was a Terrace View party last year that made me never want to let strangers into my house. The followsee HE SAID / page five
She said: Bikers must back-off, and boys must conjure up new pick-up lines lthough I like to consider myself an upbeat person, I’m going to A take a minute to get some of my pet peeves off my chest. It seems as if we’ve forgotten our manners in a shallow attempt to prove how important we are, and it’s time to recognize how our daily routines are perceived by others. I can’t stand the Blacksburg Transit and how it brings out the worst in people. I’m lucky enough if I end up making the bus on time. But if I do make it, I realize that I’ve set myself up for misery. I’d love to know why people start phone conversations once they get on a bus. We’re already close enough in proximity — I don’t need to hear your drama. It seems as if every girl decides that it is the appropriate time to argue or complain to her boyfriend as she steps on the BT. And when you’ve hit the jackpot and the bus isn’t insanely full, why do strangers still sit next to you when there are several seats open? You’d think they would want to strike up a conversation, but no, they just awkwardly sit there. I loathe bikers. Stop trying to rule the street and the sidewalk. We all
need to get to class, and your weaving in and out of students puts my life in jeopardy just about every day. There are no “excuse me’s” or “I’m sorry’s” either. Sorry Lance Armstrong, but the sidewalk’s mine, so take your Tour de France to the street. But don’t think pedestrians are that innocent either. You may have the right of way, but that doesn’t mean you should just walk out on the street assuming drivers can see you. So stop giving me that death stare when I have to slam on my breaks because you’ve decided to risk your life. Use your common sense, please. Dealing with the math emporium is aggravating. Last year as a freshman I was required to spend several miserable hours at the empo each week. I’d find myself waiting forever, with a cup above my computer screen, to learn how to do what I felt like was an impossible math problem. And when the quiz deadline approached, I’d make my way over to the empo and wait in a neverending line. Once I finally made it inside, I would find several students
sitting at the computer desks with their own laptops on Facebook. Are you kidding me? Don’t request a computer if you aren’t even going to use it. I’m unimpressed by how guys attempt to hit on girls these days. Stop asking what my major is — you’re not going to remember, and you don’t really care. Just get creative and come up with anything else please. When a teacher gives an assignment, I am bothered when students are not paying attention. Whether you can’t follow instructions or you need to hear yourself talk, stop asking questions that have already been answered. Your pathetic attempt to brown nose is backfiring in all directions, and you know who you are. I may love the food at West End, but the atmosphere blows. People are constantly running into you and acting as if you’re at fault. They’ll walk around holding their food while texting, but they’ll give you a look of disgust when you cross paths. And I agree that one’s food dropping would be traumatic, but it’s rare that it actually happens — so see SHE SAID / page five
opınıons 3
editors: scott masselli, gabi seltzer opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
october 1, 2010
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
Your Views [letter to the editor]
Column needs better argument ednesday’s column by W Jason Campbell “Lewis execution underscores immorality of death penalty” (CT Sept. 29), regarding capital punishment exemplifies the fact that his intellectually dishonest and inflammatory comments require a little perspective. While it is OK to have a certain point of view on a controversial issue, his statements are completely irresponsible to be put in the school’s newspaper and also just don’t make sense. The irresponsibility of the column has nothing to do with what side of the issue he is on, but rather the hypocrisy in his statements. While it is OK to be against the death penalty, his opposition to the immorality of capital punishment is insincere, particularly in light of his stance on abortion. No matter where one stands on an issue it is important to remain consistent in terms of supporting something on moral grounds. It reduces the argument to an ideology driven position rather than a consistent one. Secondly, Mr. Campbell referred to the execution of Teresa Lewis as murder multiple times. He clearly lacks understanding of the definition of the term. Murder, as defined by Webster’s, is the “crime of unlawfully killing a person especially with malice aforethought.” Clearly, capital punishment is not unlawful in Virginia so the use of this word is inaccurate and serves no purpose other than to inflame. As a columnist, it is important to use the appropriate terminology rather than use the phrase “savagely murdered” just to stir an emotional response. If he is going to say that the United States is one of the five countries responsible for 88 percent of the world’s executions, it is important to cite a source and provide proper context.
According to the Death Penalty Information Center, while there have been roughly 1,200 executions in the United States since the capital punishment ban was lifted in 1976, his dishonest portrayal that the United States is a country that rejects “freedom and human values” is crazy. Has he not paid attention to the government-sanctioned mass killings in the Sudan and Darfur? Has he not heard about the disgusting executions that take place in Taliban controlled areas under the authority of quasi-government agencies? The stonings and other primitive forms of execution that take place in third world countries can be labeled as “savage,” not the use of lethal injection in the United States, whether you support the death penalty or not. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is the new standard for moral judgment? Seriously? Clearly a man who denies the Holocaust and believes Sept. 11 was an inside job has absolutely no standing to define the moral compass of our country. Why are we degraded by giving that tyrant credibility in his condemnation of the United States? Finally, it is intellectually dishonest when an opinion piece does not stay on topic but rather tries to include every unrelated hot topic issue one can. The fact that Mr. Campbell tried to include same sex marriage, health care, flag burning and education into a column about capital punishment is ridiculous and makes the column lose all credibility and appear as nothing more than an ideological diatribe. His stance on these issues and my personal beliefs have nothing to do with my objection to the piece. The fact that the Collegiate Times has lowered its standards to allow the column to be published is disappointing.
Michael Wendt Architecture graduate student
Names should not be forgotten with higher use of social media T
he moment I recognize someone and can’t remember his name is always uncomfortable and incredibly awkward. Not only do I feel as though I am insulting someone, I know that when someone forgets my name, I respond to it as though I am being insulted. How is it that we can interact with people on a regular basis, via face to face contact, calling, texting, or the ever-looming Facebook, yet not remember the names of individuals we meet? As part of a social society, our identities are not only the things we do, or how we act, but are also our names. Does anyone think about this? Am I the only infuriated victim of mispronounced, misspelled name? I doubt it, because we are not all Smiths, or Joes, or Jills. Our names are defining, given to us when we have no distinguishing features, but growing with us and attaching itself to the traits and qualities we learn and develop. The lines, “Oh, you look like a ‘insert-name-here,’” or “That’s such a ‘insert-name-here’ thing to say,” feed into the idea that our names are the most characteristic and defining attribute we have. How sad is it that we’re only as good as our names? Add to that the fact that most names are forgettable, whether it be because we simply can’t remember, or the first impression was so forgettable that the next time we see the person nothing comes to mind. I would imagine while we lack the ability to remember someone’s name, we maintain the ability to at least spell it correctly — at least I hope so. Our names define us, as an identity and as a collection of traits.
Yet most people fail to match the word to the definition — we are not memorable; our introductions fail our titles that have become more than names. Or, more likely, most individuals have lost the ability to remember someone — they’ll just find them on Facebook later. The role of Internet-ease for Facebook stalking or finding that person you ran into somewhere else is a whole other, negative, loss of memory issue. It is possibly more detrimental to our memories than cell phones were to our ability to remember a phone number. Regardless, our names are our descriptors, defining us through our attributes that slowly become qualities of our names. To forget someone’s name is to forget the person, at least it might as well be. Misspelling a name is probably worse, especially if it is repeated. It is insulting and demeaning to any person to continuously misrepresent or forget his name. We are a society of individuals labeled with repetitive names that are distinguished only by our actions, and as such to be forgotten or incorrectly labeled is one of the biggest insults one person could make toward another.
SEAN SIMONS -regular columnist -junior -English major
we’re YOUR newspaper. send a letter to the editor and express your views.
[opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com]
MCT CAMPUS
Boucher not adequate representation for district he Congressional race in Virginia’s 9th District between T incumbent Democrat Rick Boucher and Republican challenger Morgan Griffith has quickly become one of the top political races to watch for in the 2010 election cycle. Since Virginia Tech is located in the 9th district of Virginia, students have the ability to play a part in this historic election. Many people often feel inclined to vote for the incumbent, especially for someone like Boucher who has been in office for 28 years. However, voting for Boucher would continue to hinder Southwest Virginia and restrict growth in the part of the state we Tech students like to call home. For starters, Boucher has failed as Southwest Virginia’s Congressman to bring job growth to this end of the state. The Boucher campaign released a TV ad where Boucher boasts about starting the program Showcasing Southwest Virginia, with which he has created “5,000 good jobs.” He doesn’t mention the time span in which these jobs were created, but they weren’t enough to offset the net loss of 18,000 jobs the 9th district has experienced in the last 10 years. With little job growth has also come little population growth. In the past 10 years, Virginia’s 9th district has only grown 0.9 percent in population while the rest of the state has grown 12.5 percent collectively. For the ninth district to have representation in Washington on the same level as the rest of Virginia, the district would have to absorb an additional 65,000 people next year. All of this is thanks to a Congressman who has not adequately represented his district and has supported job killing policies. Perhaps the most detrimental vote to Southwest Virginia that Boucher has cast in Washington was his vote for cap and trade. Cap and trade is nothing more than a government
monstrosity of a power grab that would raise energy prices and targets coal and other natural resource industries. Boucher has been credited with helping to write the current version of cap and trade by adding several amendments before he voted in favor of the measure to help pass the bill in the House of Representatives. Boucher claims that energy price changes in response to this bill would be minimal, however, President Obama has been quoted saying that home energy costs would “skyrocket” under this bill. Not only will energy prices rise, but job losses will reach entirely new levels for the 9th district. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that 2 million jobs would be lost in the country in 2012 if cap and trade became law. Further, the CBO estimated that out of all 435 congressional districts in the country, Virginia’s 9th district would be in the top five in the country for amount of jobs lost. Clearly Boucher’s vote for cap and trade was a vote for his party and not for Southwest Virginia. Rick Boucher putting his party before his district goes much further than cap and trade. Boucher consistently votes against what is in the best interest of the 9th district and the country as a whole. He voted for President Obama’s $787 billion stimulus bill that promised to keep the national unemployment rate below 8 percent, and still rose above 10 percent despite its passage. He voted against the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001 and the Patriot Act also in 2001, despite both bills being passed in Congress with more than 75 percent of House members supporting it. He voted against a measure to provide info to schools on the dangers of tobacco use, which passed with more than 80 percent of House members supporting it. This may very well
be because big tobacco companies are major contributors to Boucher’s re-election campaigns. The National Taxpayer’s Union, which bills itself as “America’s independent, non-partisan advocate for overburdened taxpayer,” has graded Boucher with an “F” for the past 11 years. Finally, while Boucher voted “no” on the final vote for the health care reform bill earlier this year, he voted for what was called the Slaughter Rule, which allowed House Democrats to vote in favor of the bill in a procedural vote without having to vote yes on the final vote. This was simply a strategy that helped pass the bill while allowing Representatives from more conservative districts to vote “no” on the final vote. The facts speak for themselves; Rick Boucher rarely has the best interest of his district in mind when voting on Capitol Hill. I have lived in Virginia’s 9th district my entire life. I have seen firsthand the struggles this region has faced and I have had to put up with a Congressman who fails to help the district grow despite those struggles. Southwest Virginia needs a Congressman who is pro-business, will promote job growth, will protect the coal industry, and will stick up for the 9th district despite what his party asks of him in Washington. I firmly believe that man is not Rick Boucher. I urge all Virginia Tech students who are registered to vote in Blacksburg to honestly think about Boucher’s history as a Congressman, put Southwest Virginia first and help retire Rick Boucher by not supporting him on Nov. 2.
MATTHEW HURT -regular columnist -sophomore -political science major
US prison system needs reform, does not meet intended goals these much anticipated and heated months, there are many Itopicsncampaign that will populate the airways. We as voters will have to prioritize which issues (and buzz words) truly deserve consideration in our debates and voting decisions. The political plate for this November is already overflowing. As a consequence, I foresee the issue of prison reform being overlooked even though it desperately deserves our attention. If politicians have this on their agenda, you can be sure they are not just playing the political game of face time and buzz words. It means they are actually looking at the pressing issues concerning our state and national domestic problems. Our prison system is on its way to disaster. Prisons are overrun with more than 2.2 million Americans who are currently incarcerated, with 38,000 of those being Virginians. Out of all inmates, 52 percent are repeat offenders. The average American prison is found to be 14 percent overcrowded with some prisons carrying 34 percent over their capacity. Our government spends $60 billion annually on corrections. With these numbers increasing every year, state prisons are draining the value of our country’s neighborhoods, economies and families. Overrun prisons not only deplete our budgets, but our society as a whole. Before I start, I want to make it clear this is not a position offering sympathy to the criminals locked up. Our judicial system convicts people that
need to be and deserve to be taken away from the general population and imprisoned. By prison reform, I don’t mean that taxpayers should pay for prisoners to live in five star hotels. But a system that is broken needs to be fixed. Right now with both first and repeat offenders on the rise, something needs to change. In ethics class (and I’ll try to make this brief and simple), you learn the punishment of a crime is implemented for three reasons: prevention, deterrence and retribution. Obviously, we incarcerate criminals to prevent them from committing the crime they committed. Secondly, we hope that the punishment they receive not only deters them from committing a crime once they are released but also deters other citizens from committing a crime. And lastly, we punish criminals because it is what they deserve. It’s the principle of the matter, you break the law, you get punished. It’s justice. Back in the days of gallows and dungeons we had these beliefs, as well. We just carried them out differently. We used to cut off a thief’s hand, threaten to punish a whole village and theatrically execute criminals publicly. Now, you may think we’ve come a long way in the treatment of prisoners, and we have — if you can get through the first couple pages of Foucault’s “Discipline and Punish,” you get a sense for how far we really have come. These three core principles of prevention, deterrence and retribution still dictate our practiced philosophy of
punishment. If we judge our current system against the three standards, we find that it’s failing miserably in the deterrence category, unsatisfactory in prevention and barely passing in providing retribution through imprisonment. Prisons get a “D-” with a bleak future. The high rate of recidivism dismisses any attempt to deter convicted criminals from committing another crime once released. The ever increasing population shows us that first time offenders aren’t deterred from breaking the law. The high rate of violence and criminal activity inside prisons show us crimes aren’t prevented even inside the penal complex walls. Many criminals and gangs use prisons as a headquarters to carry out and recruit for their personal benefit. It’s not a punishment to many of those incarcerated. It may even be required for others. The prison system is fully responsible for all these problems. The individual must bear the vast majority of responsibility for his or her actions. However, legal regulations and society as a whole must take some accountability, as well.
MATTHEW ENGLISH -regular columnist -senior -architecture major
Collegiate Times Editorial Staff Editor in Chief: Peter Velz Managing Editors: Zach Crizer, Michael McDermott Public Editor: Justin Graves Senior News Editor: Philipp Kotlaba Associate News Editors: Liana Bayne, Gordon Block News Reporters: Claire Sanderson, Sarah Watson News Staff Writers: Katie Noland, Jay Speidell, Michelle Sutherland Features Editors: Lindsey Brookbank, Kim Walter Features Reporters: Mika Maloney, Matthew Borysewicz, Majoni Harnal Opinions Editors: Scott Masselli, Gabi Seltzer Sports Editors: Michael Bealey, Garrett Ripa Sports Reporters: Nick Cafferky, Alex Jackson, Courtney Lofgren, Ed Lupien, Josh Parcell, George Tillerson Sports Staff Writer: Matt Jones Public Information Director: Dishu Maheshwari Training Director: Kelsey Heiter Copy Editors: Taylor Chakurda, Thandiwe Ogbonna, Spenser Snarr Layout Designers: Katie Biondo, Danielle Buynak, Cathleen Campbell, Josh Son, Victoria Zigadlo Online Director: Jamie Chung Collegiate Times Business Staff Business Manager: David Harries Student Publications Photo Staff Director of Photography: Sara Mitchell Business Manager: Luke Mason Lab Manager: Mark Umansky College Media Solutions Ad Director: Nik Bando Asst Ad Director: Brandon Collins Account Executives: Emily Africa, Matt Freedman, David George, Melanie Knoph, Hunter Loving Inside Sales Manager: Wade Stephenson Assistant Inside Sales Manager: Diane Revalski Assistant Account Executives: Maddie Abram, Katie Berkel, Kaelynn Kurtz, Erin Shuba Creative Director: Chloé Skibba Asst Production Manager: Casey Stoneman Creative Services Staff: Katie Biondo, Colleen Hill, Jenn Le, Erin Weisiger 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, 2010. 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.
october 1, 2010
page 4
Policies: The Collegiate Times reserves the right to reject or edit any advertisement it deems objectionable, at any time. No refunds are available.
Place An Ad Today
CLASSIFIEDS WWW.COLLEGIATETIMES.COM 540.961.9860
Visit our business office at 618 N. Main St. 9am–5pm 9am 5pm Monday–Friday Monday Friday,, or place an ad online at collegiatetimes.com.
The advertiser assumes full responsibility for his or her advertisements and agrees to hold the Collegiate Times harmless for the content of all advertisements authorized for publication and any claims that made may be against the Collegiate Times.
Deadline: Three business days prior to publication by 3PM.
Rates:
Any questions concerning ads, please call the Better Business Bureau at 1.800.533.5501.
Rates as low as 32¢ per word, contingent on the number of days to run. Prepaid. 15 word minimum. Cash, check, Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express.
We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity. To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at 1.800.669.9777.
FREE CLASSIFIEDS FOR VT STUDENTS! students must come to 618 N Main ST to place the ad Sub-Lease Travel Rides Campus
Childcare Tickets for Sale Tickets Wanted Volunteers
Textbooks for Sale Textbooks Wanted Lost & Found Help Wanted
Legal
Furniture for Sale
LEGAL TROUBLES?
BRAND NEW mattress sets: twin $89, full $99, queen $119, king $169 We can layaway/deliver 540.260.9091
Call for Free Consultation with Attorney on Alcohol, Assault, Drug, Traffic Charges, and VT Student Conduct Referral. Joel S. Jackson, PC. www.joeljacksonpc.com. 540.961.5297 TRAFFIC/CRIMINAL CHARGES? DUI? Contact VT Alum, Jennifer Wolz, Esq. at Wolz Law, PLC, for a free consultation. www.wolzlaw.com jwolz@wolzlaw.com 540.494.3819
For Sale AVON Buy or Sell AVON Call your representative today, Jordan Perdue at 540-256-3679.
HALLOWEEN COSTUMES, WIGS, MAKEUP AND ACCESSORIES. SHOP EARLY AND BEAT THE CROWD. PARTY CENTRAL, 1701 S. MAIN (NEXT TO WENDY’S). 9531170
Travel GETTING COLD TIME to Plan your Spring Break 2010 Get Away! Learn how to travel to beautiful locations like Jamaica, Acapulco and the Bahamas on a party cruise. Find out what other Virginia Tech Hokies are headed to your destination. -Adrian Email: Awhite@Studentcity.com for more information
Events BRIGHT OUT DAY! Brighten your day, brought to you by ReadyU at VT and Zeta Tau Alpha! On October 6th, 2010, wear your BRIGHTEST BRIGHTS in support of breast cancer awareness. Come out to the drillfield and other ZTA booths around campus for free sunglasses, and Cheer product if you’re caught wearing neon!
For Sale Events Health & Fitness Automotive
Personals ADOPTION Pediatrician and hubby in northern Virginia wish to adopt newborn. Approved by licensed child-placing agency. Med/legal expenses. Loving home! Contact us toll free 1-866581-5494 www. EdandMargaretB. freehomepage.com ADOPTION Loving couple, approved by agency, promises baby secure future. Grandparents, cousins, outdoor sports and travel opportunities. Expenses paid. Call Jenny/Geoff 1-888-466-6470.
For Rent FOR RENT UNIVERSITY TERRACE 4Bdr.2bathCondo wide screen tv Available Aug.1st.2010. $1,100 mo. reduced, Clean, nice Call 540-230-2964.
Notices Wanted Musical Roommates
Greek Notes For Rent Personals Furniture for Sale
Downtown Living South Main Living North Main Living Prices Fork Living
Patrick Henry Living Christiansburg Living
Health & Fitness ZUMBA CLASSES Dance-Tech, 1101 North Main St. Blacksburg Mondays & Wednesdays 9:30 a.m., Thursdays 3:30 p.m., Saturdays 8:15 a.m. 540-241-1061
Help Wanted *****BARTENDING***** MAKE UP TO $300/ DAY. No Experience Necessary. Training Available. 1-800-965-6520 EXT210
Notices HEATING FUELS Best Price - Prompt Service We deliver to all of the New River Valley. Call BELL OIL COMPANY 540.381.1023
now on your cell phone at m.collegiatetimes.com
ACROSS 1 Moved on all fours 6 “Snow” veggie 9 Action film high point 14 Break off completely 15 Select, with “for” 16 Like Cheerios 17 Open-mouthed 18 Watch or clock 20 Second floor of a home, say 22 Your and my 23 John who played Basil Fawlty 24 QVC competitor 25 Town, informally 26 Animal fat 27 Keats or Yeats 29 Brighton buddy 30 Ear: Pref. 31 Ernie’s Muppet pal 32 Amt. still owed 33 With 35-Across, real McCoy 35 See 33-Across 39 Got ready for a lap dog 40 Ink stain 41 Accelerate, with “up” 42 Gets nosy 45 Bump off 46 Arrived 47 Swedish soprano Jenny 48 Tyrannosaurus __ 49 Element used in dating rocks 51 Actress Gardner 52 Where to begin adding numbers 54 Daily publication where you’d read the ends of 18-, 20-, 33/35and 52-Across 56 Microwave alerts 58 Speechify 59 Perrier, to Pierre 60 Cybercommerce 61 Justin Timberlake’s boy band 62 AAA suggestion 63 Aromatic compound DOWN 1 Civil War org.
By Lila Cherry
2 Control, as temperature 3 Argentine leader played by Madonna 4 Livened (up) 5 Ancestral diagrams 6 Pans partner 7 Nickname 8 Maximally 9 Xerox 10 See 25-Down 11 Enjoyed a diner 12 Tie tightly 13 Pizazz 19 Directional suffix 21 Regret one’s sins 23 Drain obstruction 25 With 10-Down, “South Pacific” song 28 Calif. neighbor 29 Damon of “Good Will Hunting” 31 Skewed view 32 “Bucking” horse 34 Secondhand 35 Baba who stole from thieves 36 Dungeness delicacy 37 Tart dessert 38 All square
10/1/10 Thursday’s Puzzle Solved
(c)2010 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
40 Costlier ballpark spot 42 Expect to happen 43 Funny Joan 44 Sort of 45 Farther below the water’s surface 46 Salad oil bottles 48 Cell “messenger,” briefly
9/6/10
50 “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” playwright 52 Oil cartel acronym 53 Nikki Sixx/Tommy Lee group Mötley __ 55 RR depot 57 35mm camera type
people & clubs
editors: lindsey brookbank, kim walter featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
october 1, 2010
5
He said: Party snatchers Jeopardy: Risky wagers paid off big remain biggest peeve from page one
from page two
ing day, the host, who celebrated his birthday the night before, sent out a Facebook message thanking everyone for coming. He also had some choice words for lowlifes that nabbed his new copy of “Modern Warfare 2,” along with a controller. Then, proving that no good deed goes unpunished, he sent out another message a day later reporting that someone had also taken his Wii as a party favor. Apartments that have generously hosted events are riddled with tales of M.I.A. iPods, clothing and even textbooks. It’s easily my least favorite thing about Virginia Tech, and it needs to stop. It’s not funny to stuff wine bottles in your purse or snatch a keg tap. It’s
pathetic. Your “hilarious” escapades are going to ruin someone’s day and likely discourage them from ever hosting a party again. Is that worth the cheapest of thrills? If you see someone trying to commit party heist, then don’t just watch; stop them. I’m tired of seeing our Hokie community dragged down by bottom feeders. Let’s all make stealing a personal pet peeve and turn Blacksburg into a better place to work and play.
ANDREW REILLY -features staff writer -junior -communication major
She said: Cyclists and pedestrians irk drivers from page two
relax. And why can’t people make decisions? You have at least a 15-minute wait for most dining sections, so know what you want when you actually get to the front of the line. The wait could be shaved to 5 minutes if everyone actually knew what they wanted once it’s their turn to order. You’re killing me people. I am concerned about our addiction to technology. I love Facebook and my cell phone, but it seems to be ruining our lives. I can’t tell you how many times a day I walk past a group of students hanging out, yet they are all texting other friends on their cell phones. Put down your phone every once in a while. You’ll be OK. So now that I’ve just expressed my
hostility toward a lot of students here, I feel it is necessary to tell you how much I do love Tech. People can get annoying, and I’m sure I may be somewhat hypocritical and cynical, but you do have to learn to sweat it off. I could go around and vent as I just did every day, but where would that get me? Learn to pick and choose your battles because you’ll soon realize your life is not as truly dramatic as you make it out to be.
CHELSEA GUNTER -features staff writer -sophomore -communication major
he wagered a lot. He did! New record — $77,000.” Craig shook his opponent’s hand and smiled at the camera. There was no time to celebrate — five shows are filmed each day. He would have about a half an hour to savor the victory before starting the next game. While Craig appreciates the serendipitous conditions that aided his success, he isn’t surprised he made so much money. He ignored typical Jeopardy survival-first tactics in favor of a probability-based game plan he knew had potential for large earnings. “I really played the game differently than anybody has ever played it, nobody has ever made bets the size I did,” Craig said. “I went in, if (there is) a high enough probability to get it right, you should just bet it all, bet huge amounts.” Emboldened by his success, Craig proceeded to make one of the most successful runs in Jeopardy history. There was nothing the contestants on the last three shows could do to
stop him. When the dust had cleared, Craig had earned about $195,000 in six hours of buzzer bashing, 19th century quotation identifying brilliance. Exiting the competitive mindset for the first time all day left him stunned at all that had transpired. “You were just like whoa ... what just happened?” he recalled. Despite his mental exhaustion, Craig didn’t manage to get much sleep that night. It was the first failure he’d experienced that day, and he is convinced it led to his sloppiness during the second day’s games. In his tired condition, he wasn’t as sharp as the previous day, misreading both Final Jeopardy questions. Still, he had one last spectacular game in him: a $35,000 triumph that extended his stay to seven days. The next game appeared to be following suit. Craig held the lead going into Final Jeopardy, looking poised to come back and add to his recordbreaking total. Alex posed the now infamous question: “On Feb. 8, 2010 the headline in a major newspaper in this
city read, ‘Amen! After 43 Years, Our Prayers Are Answered.’” The crowd gasped when his answer was revealed: “Chicago.” The mighty champ had fallen at last. Now that the adventure is over, it is time for Craig to step back and analyze the results to find ways to improve his game, because after all, he is a scientist by training. The producers told Craig he is invited back for the Tournament of Champions taking place sometime within the year. Already he is targeting areas of perceived weakness, including cooking and furniture. “I have to get back to my real life and real responsibilities,” he said, “but at the same time I’m probably going to prep for this Tournament of Champions.” Jeopardy, however, will return to fitting around his regular life. Craig has enjoyed the media buzz but knows it will soon dissipate. He has already returned to school to finish off his doctorate in computational biology so he can graduate at the end of this semester. After that, a job search beckons — he didn’t win
Ken Jennings money ($2.5 million) after all. Still, $231,000 is hardly chump change. Craig plans on paying bills and putting a large portion of it aside but he has a few treats in mind for himself. A new car and some vacation time are his current plans, which will be well earned. It’s not every day you become the third most successful contestant in “Jeopardy” history. Craig may be vastly intelligent, but even he could never have foreseen the dizzying heights he would reach on his favorite show that day in July. “Multiple times that day I really thought I was in the middle of a dream. I was like this is crazy I’m just going to wake up any second now,” he said. For the record, Craig is very much aware that the New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl. He mixed up the Saints’ triumph with the 2010 revival of another long-suffering franchise, the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks. It makes sense. It is also completely irrelevant. Craig doesn’t have to explain his logic to anyone. Not anymore.
6 sports
editors: michael bealey, garrett ripa sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
october 1, 2010
Hokies have red zone blues
MATT JONES sports staff writer A key Atlantic Coast Conference battle will be fought in the confines of Carter-Finley Stadium Saturday afternoon. On the one side will stand Virginia Tech, winner of its last two after a dismal 0-2 start. Coach Tom O’Brien will lead the Wolfpack on the home sideline, a surprise team in the ACC, entering the game at 4-0. A big reason is the play of its redshirt-junior quarterback Russell Wilson. Wilson, a two-sport standout who also plays second base on the baseball team, is entering his third year as the starter under center. A fourth round pick of the Colorado Rockies in the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft, Wilson came to terms with the Rockies which allow him to play football this season. However, it’s on the gridiron where he’s really turning heads. “I’ve watched a lot of his game tape and I like watching him,” said quarterback Tyrod Taylor, Tech’s. “He conducts the N.C. State offense very well.” Wilson can be a devastating matchup for a defense, with his arm and his legs. “He’s definitely a dynamic player,” said Steven Friday, a Tech defensive end. “He has
GREGORY WILSON / SPPS
speed and is consistent at passing. We just have to play our game.” When asked if Wilson should be considered for the Heisman, O’Brien said he needs to just focus on winning. “He’s still got to continue to prove himself,” O’Brien said. “That’s one of those kisses of death that your Heisman Trophy candidate will have a bad game and you’re gone. The best thing we can do is keep winning and he can keep completing passes.” A large part of the Wolfpack’s success this year is due to the overall health of the team. Ravaged by injuries the past two seasons, N.C. State is finally at a point where it can compete at full strength. “When you get a bunch of injuries, it affects how you play,” said Frank Beamer, Tech head coach. “It really affects your total program. But when they did that they probably played a lot of other guys, and now you got all those guys. They’re a very efficient football team right now.” One of the Wolfpack’s more demoralizing injuries a year ago was to linebacker Nate Irving. A preseason All-ACC selection last year, Irving was in a major car accident last June. After suffering a collapsed lung, broken rib, separated shoulder and a compound fracture in his leg, Irving told reporters in August he felt “blessed” to be alive. The 6-foot-1, 231-pound redshirt senior from Wallace, N.C., is already back to his allconference level. In N.C. State’s game against Georgia Tech last Saturday, Irving removed all doubt, posting a career-high 16 tackles in the Wolfpack’s 45-28 win. He also had nine solo hits, two sacks for 11 yards and 4.5 tackles for losses totaling 15 yards. On Sunday, the Walter Camp Foundation named Irving its National Defensive Player of the Week. “Our best players have to play well,” O’Brien said. “Our best players, Russell (Wilson) on offense and Nate (Irving) on defense played extremely well.” If Tech hopes to have success come Saturday, it will need to get good pass protection. The Hokies will be going up against an N.C. State
group that is tied for third in the country with 14 sacks. “We play faster when we’re more aggressive,” O’Brien said. “Sometimes you don’t always get the tackle for loss or a sack, but you get a hurry and get your quarterback thinking about which direction they’re coming from next.” The Achilles heel of the Hokies offense has been its red zone production, where it came away with four second half field goals Saturday against Boston College. Dating back to last season, the Hokies have run the ball 97 percent of the time on first down in the red zone. When asked if he would like to throw more in the red zone, Taylor paused for eight seconds, shifted in his chair and said, “I think coach is doing a good job calling the plays in the red zone. It’s up to us to go out there and execute them.” “Obviously if you don’t score more than three points a drive, teams will outscore you,” said Andre Smith, senior tight end. “We’re fully aware of that, and we’re trying to adjust the situation, trying to make some changes to make it right.” One of the biggest challenges facing the Wolfpack this week has nothing to do with the Hokies. Instead, it will fight another opponent — high expectations. “I think it’s all part of them understanding where they are, how they got to this point, and how they have to continue doing what they’ve done for the past month,” O’Brien said. “If they don’t, they’re not going to be able to continue winning football games.” With a win Saturday, Taylor will move into a tie for first with Bryan Randall on the all-time quarterback career wins list at Virginia Tech. Taylor, who is the first senior starting quarterback under Beamer since Bryan Randall in 2004, sees some matchups his offense can exploit against a young Wolfpack secondary. “I think our wide receivers have a good chance of going up there and making plays, and that’s what we plan to do.”` The Hokies hope to tame Wilson and the Wolfpack when they kick off Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on ABC.
Tech continues searching for complete performance F
our games into Virginia Tech’s season, there have been more ups and downs than a Sunday drive down Interstate-81. The Hokies have bounced back from an 0-2 start to even their record, but they’ve yet to convince anyone they are a complete football team. When the struggling defense pitched a shutout last week against Boston College, Tech’s offense managed only one touchdown despite seven trips inside the Eagles’ 40-yard line. Quarterback Tyrod Taylor is frustrated with the team’s lack of explosiveness so far. “Whatever it takes to get in the end zone we need to do that,” Taylor said. “It’s about everyone coming together and staying focused on every play.” In losses to Boise State and James Madison, as well as the first half of the win over East Carolina, Tech’s young defense looked confused, if not overwhelmed. But since halftime of the game against the Pirates, the defense has been sensational, allowing three points in the past six quarters. “In the beginning we had a lot of young guys who just needed to get
experience under their belt,” senior rover Davon Morgan said. Now that the defense is starting to gel, it is time to face what head coach Frank Beamer describes as “the best group of receivers” they will face all season when they play at North Carolina State this Saturday. Wolfpack quarterback Russell Wilson is the hottest quarterback in the Atlantic Coast Conference. His 278 passing yards per game average and 11-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio speaks for itself. While the Tech defense seems up to the task, the pressure falls back on an offense to keep up the pace in what could be a high-scoring shootout. If you asked players like tight end Andre Smith whether that would be a problem four weeks ago, he’d have answered no way. “There was a lot of anticipation as far as (having) a high-caliber offense this year,” Smith said. “It’s frustrating not being able to move the ball down the field and convert.” The Hokies have twice been held under 20 points in a game this season, once coming against an FCS opponent.
GREGORY WILSON / SPPS
Chris Hazley kicks a field goal against East Carolina Sept. 18. There were signs of life in the 49point outburst against East Carolina two weeks ago, but the struggles against Boston College have refocused the talented unit. “There is a huge urgency,” Smith said. “We were happy to have a win (last week) but at the same time there’s a lot to improve on.”
Nobody, including the players themselves, expected there to be a shortage of points on the Hokies’ side of the scoreboard this season. “I guess you could say we had a slow start,” Taylor said. Whatever the problem is, it’s not Taylor’s fault. He is currently sixth in the country in yards per completion
(9.9), and tops the ACC in passing efficiency. With a win this weekend, Taylor would tie Bryan Randall for the most wins in the school’s history, as starting quarterback. “He means a lot to this football team,” Beamer said. Taylor has been the model of consistency, while the rest of the team is still seeking that standard. The wealth of talented running backs, notably Ryan Williams, Darren Evans and David Wilson, have struggled to emerge on a consistent basis so far. Collectively, they average 4.3 yards per carry. In 2009, when Williams was the featured back, he averaged 5.7 alone. The consistency issue may simply be a matter of putting the ball in the right man’s hands. It wouldn’t hurt to give Wilson the ball more often. He leads the team with a 5.7 yard-per-carry average, yet he has fewer attempts (32) this season than Evans, Williams and Taylor. Throughout the week, players and coaches alike have preached the phrase “staying on the same page.”
Beamer noted following the Boston College game that several plays broke down because simply one player didn’t execute his assignment. “Everyone has to execute their job for the play to go right,” Taylor said earlier this week. “We need to play well each play. I don’t know exactly what (the problem) is, but I don’t think we are pressing.” The pressure of keeping up with an offense firing on all cylinders like N.C. State’s can lead to “over-doing it,” as Beamer put it. “Our players want to be more consistent and our coaches do too, and we’re working like heck to get there,” Beamer said. With a trip to a confident team in an unfamiliar environment on the horizon, they better work fast.
JOSH PARCELL -sports reporter -junior -communication major