Friday, October 22, 2010 Print Edition

With all his heart For Morgan, college was a dream come true

BY MATT JONES | sports reporter Davon Morgan is not the most intimidating player on the football field. His physical size won’t jump out at you, nor will his statistics.

However check under the Nike logo on his Virginia Tech jersey, and you’ll find plenty of one thing — heart.

Morgan, a senior safety out of Richmond, Va., was always the smallest of his cousins when they played football in the backyard.

“Being in the backyard, throwing football with my cousins, I was always the smallest of everybody,” Morgan said. “Everybody was 13 or 14, and I’m the smallest guy out there, I’m six or seven years old. They hit me just like they hit everybody else.”

Yet, the Davon Morgan the Hokies opponents know is the exact opposite. Delivering punishing blows across the middle,

Morgan has turned himself into one of the most consistent players in defensive coordinator Bud Foster’s scheme.

“I’m really proud of him,” Foster said. “From where he’s come from and how he’s worked at it. He’s really been a good football player for us, but even as good a person as well.”

And one of the team’s leaders.

“I really like Davon a lot,” said Frank Beamer, Hokies head coach. “He’s very positive. Always sees the glass half full. I think he comes across to his teammates that way.”

Morgan grew up in the Church Hill area of Richmond, a historic yet poor part of the River City. The temptation of the street lifestyle was with Morgan throughout childhood.

“It was very easy to follow that lifestyle,” Morgan said. “A lot of my family members, it was just a long line of, I’m not going to say bad drug use — just a bad line of violence, stuff like that. It was easy for me to fall into those categories.”

While the lure was there, Morgan had to deal with those issues without the conventional mother and father household.

“I lived with my grandmother, Mary Barlow — she raised me,” Morgan said. “My mom, she had a bad situation with drug use, and my father was murdered when I was two months old.”

Despite the difficult family situation, the role of Barlow in Morgan’s life could not be understated, as she was his primary parental figure growing up. see MORGAN / page four

MICHAEL MCDERMOTT / SPPS

The Collegiate Times’ comprehensive guide to Virginia Tech football

Friday, October 22, 2010

www.collegiatetimes.com

THE

EXTRAPOINT

Hokies look to continue strong play against Duke MATT JONES sports reporter Back in the top 25 for the first time since their 0-2 start, the Virginia Tech Hokies will look to keep the momentum going when the Duke Blue Devils enter Lane Stadium Saturday.

Under the tutelage of head coach David Cutcliffe, first-year starting quarterback Sean Renfree has all the tools at his fingertips to be a big-time player for Duke.

Cutcliffe was the offensive mastermind behind the teams at the University of Tennessee for 17 seasons.

He coached Peyton Manning to Southeastern Conference Player of the Year honors in 1997, and was the Frank Broyles award winner in 1998, an honor recognizing the top assistant coach in the nation.

From Tennessee, Cutcliffe went to Ole Miss, where he would coach the younger Manning brother, Eli, molding him into a first-team AllAmerican and the first overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft.

When Cutcliffe took the job at Duke in December 2007, he inherited another great passer in quarterback Thaddeus Lewis. In 2009, Lewis became one of just two players in ACC history to throw for 10,000+ yards in a career.

Known for his ability to develop successful quarterbacks, Cutcliffe was able to recruit the 3-star Renfree away from schools such as Nebraska, Stanford and Oregon JOSHUA MILLER / SPPS State.

Backup quarterback Logan Thomas played the majority of the second half against Wake Forest due to the Hokies 49-14 halftime lead.

He fi nished 3-8 for 22 yards.

The No. 15 quarterback recruit in the class of 2008, Renfree is already making big strides as the Duke signal-caller.

In six games thus far, Renfree has passed for more than 1,600 yards and added 10 touchdowns.

“You always prepare for the team and what strengths there are, they are very capable, very important contributor is special teams. From dangerous throwing the football,” said Frank NICK CAFFERKY his first game as a Hokie last season, Hosley Beamer, Tech head coach. “So yeah, you prepare sports reporter has been in charge of returning punts for the during the week to counter what their strength Hokies and has been successful in the role. is.”

In a season where the Virginia Tech defense Against Miami last week, Renfree had his His average of 11.2 yards per return ranked has struggled to live up to its reputation, fourth in the ACC last season, and against worst start as a college quarterback. After going sophomore cornerback Jayron Hosley has Marshall, he became the first freshman to 18 of 38 for 157 yards with five interceptions, continued to impress. return a punt for a touchdown in the Frank the sophomore was removed from the game Despite being a first year starter, Hosley has Beamer era. in the fourth quarter for freshman Brandon been one of the bright spots in the Hokies Just like on defense, Hosley has seen Connette. secondary — something that hasn’t gone improved production this season as a punt Renfree’s growing pains have been a big unnoticed by defensive coordinator Bud returner. In the last two weeks, Hosley has reason for the Blue Devils’ slow start. His 14 Foster. sprung returns of 58 and 80 yards, the latinterceptions are the most in the country, yet “He is one guy right now that takes to ter of which went for a touchdown against Cutcliffe still believes Renfree is the man for coaching, takes to what he’s being taught, Central Michigan. the job. and practices it and carries it onto the field,” Yet again, the improvement can be attrib“I don’t think there is any question that a Foster said. “He’s probably, right now, one of uted to his film study, which along with his quarterback is naturally considered a leader on a our more consistent players in his technique instincts, has him making more of every team, not just because of their position, but their and fundamentals of anyone on the football return he gets. commitment,” Cutcliffe said. “I think our squad field.”

“I’ll watch one punt return like 30 times just has confidence in (Sean), I can’t make that hapThough it took him a few weeks to handle to see what else I could’ve done,” Hosley said. pen nor can he. his new responsibilities, Hosley has picked “What other moves I could’ve made, where “You earn their confidence by displaying an up his play on defense each week he’s stepped my blocks were coming from and what angle undaunted belief in who you are, what you do out on the gridiron.

I should have taken. I’m always figuring out a and how you go about your business,” Cutcliffe After missing the game against East way that I can better my return game.” said. “Then ultimately what it comes down to is Carolina, Hosley came back and had his first Though the defense may not be as domiperformance on game day.” career interception against Boston College. nant as usual, being named a starter in the Even though Duke is standing at 1-5, 0-3 in Just seven days later, the North Carolina Hokies secondary as a sophomore shows the the ACC, the team has several bright spots on State offense decided to target Hosley in the kind of talent Hosley possesses. the roster. secondary, which turned out to be a bad idea Out of all the players that Tech is repreAt wide receiver, Duke has three standout for the Wolfpack. The result was Hosley regsented by in the NFL, the bulk of them are players in Conner Vernon, Donovan Varner istering six tackles, seven pass deflections and REBECCA FRAENKEL / SPPS either a cornerbacks or safeties. Hosley still and Austin Kelly. Each averages more than five three interceptions — all career highs. has two more years to perfect his craft, but he catches per game, with Vernon at 6.2 per game, While Hosley certainly looks to be a staple Hosley tip-toes on the sideline during his 58-yard punt return last weekend. is in prime position to be put in that category good for first in the ACC. in the Tech defense for the rest of his time Vernon, a 6-foot-2 sophomore, has quickly long enough so he can be consistent in every- spring ball and was forced to miss much of in the near future. here, his future wasn’t always a sure thing.

“If he continues to play at the level that he’s become one of Renfree’s favorite targets. While At 5-foot-11-inches, 170 pounds, Hosley’s thing,” said Torrian Gray, defensive backs summer practice because of another. not one of the fastest or biggest guys on the With the inability to get actual reps on the playing with the consistency that he can play frame has left him susceptible to injuries coach. “The one thing that he’s going to have field, Vernon has become a Wes Welker-type of which have forced him to miss significant to do is make sure he gets in the weight room field, Hosley has diligently studied film to with, I think that you’ll eventually put him in receiver in offensive coordinator Kurt Roper’s perfect his technique, and that time in the the same stratosphere as Brandon Flowers, and builds up his strength.” time while trying to learn the defense.

Macho Harris and that category,” Gray said.

In order to compete for the starting posi- film room has been paying dividends.

“It’s frustrating as a coach because you can’t see HOKIES / page two One area where Hosley has always been an “I think that is a huge compliment.” see where he needs to grow and he can’t play tion, Hosley played through an injury during

Jayron Hosley making noise in secondary and special teams

page 2

WHAT TO EXPECT

tech vs. blue devils

October 22, 2010

5

WR/#2 Conner Vernon Leads team with 37 receptions, 581 yards, and 3tds on the season.

to Fear LB/#8 Abraham Kromah Has a team-leading 58 tackles, inlcuding 25 solo tackles and 4.5 for a loss.

AP Top 25 1. Oregon (39) 2. Boise State (15) 3. Oklahoma (3) 4. TCU (3) 5. Auburn 6. LSU 7. Alabama 8. Michigan State 9. Utah 10. Wisconsin 11. Ohio State 12. Stanford 13. Iowa

14. Nebraskav 15. Arizona 16. Florida State 17. Oklahoma State 18. Missouri 19. South Carolina 20. West Virginia 21. Arkansas 22. Texas 23. Virginia Tech 24. Mississippi State 25. Miami (FL)

Virginia Tech

Marcus Vick threw 3 TD’s and dominated in Durham

222.7

Rushing

192.4

Passing

415.1

Total

399.0

Scoring (ppg)

25.3

spread attack.

Varner and Vernon were high school teammates at Gulliver Prep in Miami, Fl. The two have combined for 169 receiving yards per game this year, better than any other duo in the ACC. While the receivers are carrying the offense, weakside linebacker Abraham Kromah is holding his own trying to stop the opposition. The redshirt senior tallied 58 total tackles through six games, 12 of which came in the Blue Devils’ game against Miami.

If Kromah stays on his current pace of 9.7 tackles per game, he will eclipse the 100-tackle mark for the season. Only 55 players in Duke history have done it, most recently in 2008 when both Michael Tauiliili and Vincent Ray hit the mark.

Cutcliffe believes his team can build off the positives and have some fun doing so.

“I want Duke football to have a swagger, but I want it to be backed up with competitiveness and preparation,” Cutcliffe said.

121.8 277.2

defense

Conf 4-0 2-1 1-1 1-2 1-3 0-3 Conf 3-0 3-1 2-1 2-1 0-3 0-3

Overall 6-1 5-2 4-2 3-3 2-5 2-4 Overall 5-2 5-2 4-2 4-2 2-4 1-5

142.3

Rushing

210.8

212.4

Passing

223.7

Total

354.7

36-0

Tech’s defense blanked the Blue Devils and registered eight sacks

We’re not surprised at winning five straight games, this is what we knew we were capable of.

EDDIE WHITLEY SAFTEY

While the Blue Devils have gone on a five-game losing streak after winning their opener, the Hokies have done the exact opposite. Dropping the first two games to Boise State and James Madison certainly wasn’t ideal, but it didn’t destroy all the goals Tech had.

“We never expected to lose a game, so this is what we planned on doing,” said Eddie Whitley, junior free safety. “This is what we want to do, this is what we were supposed to do.

“The first two losses were heartbreaking, last-minute-type deals,” Whitley said. “We’re not surprised at winning five straight games, this is what we knew

434.5

Scoring

21.9

37.8

special teams 37.4

Net Punting

12.9 22.6

Punt Returns

Turnover Margin

9.0 20.7 -11

2008

43-14

Sean Glennon passed for 2 TD’s and 258 yards for the No. 12 Hokies

32.6

Kickoff Returns

+3

Hokies: Look to continue rebounding from slow start “ from page one

QB/#19 Sean Renfree Second in ACC with 1621 passing yards.

Has 10tds on season but 14 interceptions.

offense

the last five Duke-Tech game results 2005 2006 2007 45-0

K/#96 Will Snydrwine 2nd team All-ACC last year. Connected on 11-12 kicks and all 17 extra points so far this year

Duke

36.0

ACC Standings Atlantic Florida State North Carolina State Maryland Clemson Wake Forest Boston College Coastal Virginia Tech Georgia Tech Miami (FL) North Carolina Virginia Duke

WR/#26 Donovan Varner Preseason All-ACC selection. Has 35 receptions, 436 yards, and 1td on the season.

14-3

Tech cornerback Macho Harris returned an INT for a TD to seal a victory

we were capable of.”

Senior cornerback Rashad Carmichael thinks this is a prime position for the Hokies.

“We’re right where we want to be going into this ACC stretch,” Carmichael said. “Duke plays us tough every year, so ACC play is going to be tough.”

While both teams respect each other, it might be a little tougher for the Blue Devils to get a win come Saturday.

“We obviously are facing a huge challenge going to play an extremely talented Virginia Tech team,” Cutcliffe said.

However, Cutcliffe knows he has the right players and right people in the program to turn things around in Durham.

“They’re willing to do what it takes to get better,” Cutcliffe said. “As long as they maintain that willingness, we have an opportunity to take this team and turn things in our direction.”

The Blue Devils and Hokies will face-off in Lane Stadium at noon on the ACC Network.

2009 34-26

Tyrod Taylor passed for 327 yards in Tech’s win

October 22, 2010

page 3

Hokies disproving early-season doubters with recent play

JOSHUA MILLER / SPPS

Everyone got in on the celebrating after receiver Danny Coale hauled in a 25-yard touchdown pass against Wake Forest. Coale finished with five receptions for 103 yards on the day to go along with the score.

FOR ALL OF YOU WHO WERE READY FOR NEXT YEAR AFTER THE JMU LOSS, THINK AGAIN AS THINGS ARE CLICKING NOW oubters were coming out of the woodwork when the Virginia Tech football D team lost the first two games of the season, the latter against FCS opponent James Madison University.

Everyone from college football analysts to daily sports bloggers to “so called” faithful Hokie fans counted Tech football out and shifted their attention to next year.

Head coach Frank Beamer was criticized for scheduling a top-flight opponent like Boise State for the first game of the year, and then turning around to play a game on four days’ rest. Offensive coordinator Brian Stinespring was denounced for the early red zone woes and questionable play calling. Running back Ryan Williams blamed his offensive line for the lack of rushing success in the early going.

Six weeks later though, the Hokies are first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference Coastal

Division and have won five games in a row, three coming against ACC foes. Even better, Tech finally cracked the AP top 25 poll for the first time since the loss against JMU, as they are sitting at 23rd. The Hokies are also ranked 25th in the first BCS standings of the year.

Six weeks ago, sports enthusiasts had the Hokies playing in the dismal Meineke Car Care Bowl, and now many are choosing them to win the ACC and advance to the Orange Bowl. People said the Hokies were done when Williams went down against East Carolina, now many are drooling over the talents of sophomore David Wilson and are having flashbacks to Darren Evans’ record-setting 2008 campaign.

Why the sudden 180 degree switch in opinion?

The emergence of special teams play has a lot to do with the recent success. Tech’s special

teams got off to a rough start. The first punt attempt was blocked and the first field goal attempt was missed. A kickoff sailed out of bounds, and Tech ran into the punter three times in the first four games. Lately, though, things have been looking up, with kick or punt returns of 92, 80 and 58 yards in the last three games.

Kicker Chris Hazley has hit 10 consecutive field goals and ranks 12th nationally in percentage at 90.9. Punter Brian Saunders has shown strides himself, with an average of 44.5 yards, which ranks 20th nationally.

How about the play of Tyrod Taylor? Taylor, who set the Virginia Tech record for wins by a starting quarterback with his 27th in a 45-21 victory against Central Michigan, has put the team on his shoulders.

He leads the ACC in passing efficiency at 159.5, is third in total offense at 257.4 yards per game and is coming off a career day against Wake Forest where he threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score. His one-yard sneak mid-

way through the second quarter gave him 21 career rushing touchdowns, tying him with Bob Schweikert (1962-64) for most career rushing touchdowns by a Tech quarterback.

On the season, Taylor has accounted for 1,802 total yards, 15 total touchdowns and only four turnovers.

The rushing game has not missed a beat without Williams, as the Hokies have rushed for an average of 279 yards in the last three games. Evans and Wilson have picked up the slack, each rushing for more than 400 yards so far this year and combining for 11 touchdowns.

In order for the Hokies to stay perfect in conference play, they must continue the recent offensive success, but also show more consistency on defense and not give up the big play.

Wake Forest running back Josh Harris rushed for a career-high 241 yards on 20 carries and scored two touchdowns on runs of 33 and 87 yards. His rushing total was the most by a running back against a Tech defense.

On the bright side, the Hokies forced Wake

Forest to go three-and-out on five possessions.

The Hokies hope to stay on track when the Duke Blue Devils come into town this weekend. Duke 1-5 (0-3 ACC) should not be a problem for Tech. Since joining the ACC in 2004, the Hokies have outscored the Blue Devils 213-60.

However, the last two games against Duke have been a different story as the Hokies have won by just 11 and eight point margins.

Therefore, Tech cannot overlook Duke, a team hungry for its first conference win of the year. Let’s continue to give the critics reasons to praise Hokie football.

GEORGE TILLERSON -sports staff writer -sophomore -communication major

North Carolina, Miami have critical Coastal Division battle. Count the loser out ast weekend, the league’s top team, No. 17 Florida State (6-1, L 4-0), managed to squeak by a Boston College squad that has now lost four in a row. The Seminoles were very unimpressive at home, but give them some credit for overcoming quarterback Christian Ponder’s four turnovers.

Virginia Tech has now won five straight and is ranked No. 25 in the BCS Standings. At least the Atlantic Coast Conference has two teams in the rankings. As a final opening thought, North Carolina at Miami should be a great game and has huge implications in the Coastal Division standings. Each team already has one conference loss, and with the way the Hokies are playing, two conference losses isn’t going to cut it.

DUKE AT NO. 25 VIRGINIA TECH (NOON, ACC NETWORK/ESPN3) Duke (1-5, 0-3) has been a bit of a

disaster this year. Their only win was against Elon in the season opener and they are giving up 38 points per game.

Enter Virginia Tech. The Hokies (5-2, 3-0) have won five in a row and have been blowing out their opponents. Granted their best win was at a mediocre North Carolina State team, but Duke should not pose a single problem. The Hokies offense is 17th in the nation with 36 points per game and quarterback Tyrod Taylor has been outstanding. He threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns against Wake Forest last week.

Hopefully we will see backup quarterback Logan Thomas for much of the second half.

PREDICTED WINNER: VIRGINIA TECH MARYLAND AT BOSTON COLLEGE (1 P.M., ESPN3) Maryland (4-2, 1-1) is coming off an embarrassing 31-7 loss at Clemson

and has a lot of doubters out there because of its lack of quality wins. On the bright side, the Terps only have one conference loss and have won twice as many games as last year.

Meanwhile, Boston College (2-4, 0-3) suffered a tough 24-19 loss to Florida State last weekend in a game in which they had a 4th quarter lead. It really hasn’t mattered who has played quarterback for the Eagles as nobody has done well at the position.

However, look for Boston College to find a way to win this one in an extremely low-scoring game. I really don’t believe Maryland is a legitimate ACC threat.

PREDICTED WINNER: BOSTON COLLEGE GEORGIA TECH AT CLEMSON (3:30 P.M., ABC/ESPN/ESPN3) This is a rematch of last year’s ACC title game, which Georgia Tech won 39-34.

This year, Georgia Tech has quietly snuck its way to a 3-1 conference record. The Yellow Jackets’ (5-2, 3-1) early-season win against North Carolina is looking better and better, yet they still haven’t been impressive in any of their victories so far.

Clemson (3-3, 1-2) tore apart Maryland last week to snap a threegame skid. They had consecutive losses to then-No.16 Auburn, thenNo. 16 Miami and North Carolina.

However, the Tigers lost those games by an average of six points.

Clemson allows 143 rushing yards per game while the Yellow Jackets’ offense averages 328 yards on the ground. Look for the Tigers to build on last week’s momentum and hold Georgia Tech’s offense in check.

PREDICTED WINNER: CLEMSON EASTERN MICHIGAN AT VIRGINIA (6 P.M., ESPN3) Eastern Michigan (1-6) is the joke of

the Mid-American Conference. They give up 43 points per game while only scoring 21. I do applaud them for last week’s overtime victory against Ball State. At least they know what it feels like to win a game.

For UVa, this is its easiest game remaining on the schedule. The Cavaliers (2-4, 0-3) will look to stop their three-game losing streak and pick up their first win against an FBS school. I sure hope, for the UVa fans’ sake, it happens.

PREDICTED WINNER: VIRGINIA NORTH CAROLINA AT MIAMI (FL) (7:30 P.M., ESPN2/ESPN3) This is the conference’s marquee game of the week, and also the most pivotal.

North Carolina (4-2, 2-1) has an identical record as Miami, with both teams in the same division. The Tar Heels have seemingly overcome the early season scandal and have won

four in a row. Their defense has been playing well and senior quarterback T.J. Yates has been the leader on offense.

After getting drilled by thenNo.23 Florida State, Miami had a very mediocre performance in their 28-13 win at Duke. Miami fans can thank Blue Devils quarterback Sean Renfree for throwing five interceptions. This should be a close game, as both teams’ shot at a conference title is on the line. I only give the edge to the Hurricanes since the game is at Miami Gardens.

PREDICTED WINNER: MIAMI (FL)

GARRETT RIPA -sports editor -sophomore -mining engineering major

page 4

october 22, 2010

Morgan: determination kept him on right path, off streets from page one

“She did everything possible she could do to provide for me, her and my great-grandmother both, Mary Barlow and Daisy Williams,” Morgan said.

Balancing a job and taking care of four grandchildren was plenty of work for the now 87-year-old Barlow.

The biggest challenge of all might have been keeping an eye on Davon.

“My grandmother and great-grandmother did a good job trying to raise me, keep me out of the streets and everything like that,” Morgan said.

“But just think about it — a grandmother trying to raise a young teenager.”

Luckily for Barlow, Morgan was blessed with athleticism. While his peers might have been in the streets pressuring Morgan to follow their dangerous lifestyle, he always found shelter on the athletic fields.

“Sports were my way to vent,” Morgan said. “At the same time, I still had my friends influencing me to ‘come do this’ and ‘come do that’, do other things. Sports just kind of kept me going.”

Throughout grade school and his freshman year of high school, Morgan attended Richmond city schools. The atmosphere was simply not conducive to winning and was devoid of the competitiveness in football Morgan desired.

“Half the guys wouldn’t come to practice,” Morgan said. “They were hanging out around the projects because the school was located around four of them. A lot of guys just showed up on game day.”

Between his freshman and sophomore year of high school, Morgan decided it was time for a change. He wanted to take football more seriously, and transferred to Varina High School.

Varina, a regular in the state championship race, was home to Morgan’s cousin and former Michigan standout Brandon Minor. Minor was instrumental in helping Morgan transition between schools.

“He played a big role helping me stay out of trouble,” Morgan said. “He obviously had his mom and his dad, and he was heavy into sports.”

It wasn’t long before Morgan started to put up big numbers at Varina. As a junior quarterback, he passed for 1,402 yards and 20 touchdowns, while rushing for more than 500 yards and scoring seven times. On defense he was just as lethal, picking off nine passes. It wasn’t enough however, as the Blue Devils failed to qualify for the playoffs.

However during his junior cam-

DANIEL LIN / SPPS

Now a respected leader on the football team, Morgan defied the odds by making it to Virginia Tech. He overcame a long line of family violence, including his father’s murder. paign, Morgan experienced something he never thought he would.

“One day, I just got that call,” Morgan said. “I just heard the first scholarship offer was from Virginia Tech. When I just heard that, it was a blessing.

“I never thought I would be going to college. When I heard I got an offer from Virginia Tech, I just cried.”

Morgan’s hard work and dedication to staying out of a life in the streets paid off. One of the main reasons Morgan was so emotional was because he thought about the others who could have received a scholarship offer over him.

“There’s just a lot of guys, with a lot of talent that could’ve got that offer, but I was blessed to get it,” Morgan said. “It’s just a dream come true to be able to play at the collegiate level.”

Morgan admitted that although he watched Virginia Tech games as a kid, he never thought he would end up playing for the Hokies.

“To be honest, I watched Tech when I was younger, when Michael Vick and those guys played,” Morgan said.

“Being from the city, I never paid it any mind that I would end up going to Virginia Tech. I never thought I

“

I never thought I would be going to college. When I got an offer from Virginia Tech, I just cried.

DAVON MORGAN SAFETY

would be going to college.”

Although his senior season was abbreviated because of injury, Morgan continued to rise up the recruiting rankings. Rated the No. 33 athlete in the country by Rivals.com, Tech recruited Morgan to play safety.

Additionally, Tech has made Richmond one of its main recruiting areas, usually pulling in the top two or three players from the city every year.

In just the past five years, Tech has recruited Ju-Ju Clayton, John Graves, Cris Hill, Theron Norman, Alonzo Tweedy and Kenny Younger from the state’s capital.

The Hokies are also targeting linebacker Curtis Grant, one of the top recruits in the class of 2011 from Hermitage High School in Richmond.

Grant is ranked the No. 9 prospect in

the nation according to Rivals.com.

“When you’re recruiting these guys, you get to know them pretty well,” said Jim Cavanaugh, Tech recruiting coordinator. “(Davon) was a quarterback on the field on offense and defense. He has a certain toughness — he’s a good player.”

Morgan’s freshman year at Tech was unlike that of many others in that he made the dress squad, and was a significant contributor on special teams.

In a game against UVa on Nov. 24, 2007, he blocked a punt — a moment that Morgan remembers fondly.

“Being a freshman and making a play against a rival team,” Morgan said. “That was just big.”

In 2008, Morgan started the first five games of his sophomore season before a torn ACL during the game against Nebraska sidelined him for the rest of the season. Battling back from that was something Morgan believed he could handle himself.

“To be honest, I’m very self-motivated,” Morgan said. “Where I come from, not too many people get this opportunity. I had a lot of my old coaches, especially (Varina coach)

Kevin Hollins, he helped me out when I had my surgery and everything.”

Morgan eventually recovered from his knee injury to win back the safety job, starting the final four games of 2009. This season, he has started all seven games in 2010 and recorded his first career interception against Central Michigan.

As great of an impact Morgan makes on the field, he might be a more influential figure off it.

This past summer, Morgan, a human development major, had an internship at the Christiansburg Head Start, a local daycare and nursery.

“It was just a good experience for me to get in the work field, and just learn from some of the women that work there,” Morgan said. “I learned a lot working with children. My goal was to just comfort the children and a lot of those were from single-parent homes. It was just good to see a male in the classroom for some of the children. It looked like they were very excited. I just wanted to help out any way possible.”

Cavanaugh is aware of Morgan’s involvement in the community, and

thinks he can use his life experiences to help others.

“He has come from a tough environment, so he knows what some of these kids are going through, things some other people may not know,” Cavanaugh said. “He has a great way of relating with high school kids, grammar school kids, older people.

He’s just got a good way about him.”

While Morgan dreams of playing in the NFL, he has aspirations beyond football.

“I want to actually build a daycare and build group homes and things like that for children in need,” Morgan said. “I remember being young, and I used to ask why a lot. ‘Why me?’ I mean it helps.”

“He’s got quite a story,” Cavanaugh said. “With all the turmoil that has existed — it’s pretty neat.”

Morgan didn’t get caught in “the game” out in the streets that so many fall prey to and as Omar Little put it in so poignantly in The Wire, “Out there it’s play or get played.”

So when Tech straps it up this Saturday against Duke, Davon Morgan will play, just like he always wanted to.

Students encouraged to vote in 9th district ERIN CHAPMAN news staff writer On Tuesday, Nov. 2, those who are registered to vote in Blacksburg will have the opportunity to vote for a member of the House of Representatives for the 9th District.

The candidates are Democratic incumbent Rick Boucher, Republican Morgan Griffith and Independent Jeremiah Heaton.

College students could play a pivotal part in the political process, although voter turnout during non-presidential elections is almost always lower than presidential elections.

Both the College Republicans and the Young Democrats at Virginia Tech have organized voter registration drives to get students registered to vote and interested in candidates.

Students who are registered to vote in their

Friday, October 22, 2010

hometowns may vote by absentee ballot, although it is easy for college students to register to vote in Blacksburg, even if they do not claim Blacksburg as their permanent residence.

Lexy Rusnack, the chair for the College Republicans at Tech, has been surprised by the amount in interest that students have shown in this specific election.

“There is a decent size pool of people interested this year, which is surprising,” she said.

Rusnack said she believes college students need to be involved in the elections, even if they don’t consider the current election an important one.

“Our Congressman will represent the campus, they can decide that funding is important or it isn’t,” Rusnack said.

The lack of interest among college students could come from the fact that candidates haven’t reached out to students.

“Young people participate in elections when they are asked,” said Craig Brians, associate pro-

fessor of political science. “They don’t always take the initative to get out and vote.

“I don’t really see students around campus supporting candidates for this election,” he said.

“Politics influence every single aspect of our lives. Students need to be aware of the issues,” said Nicole Faut, president of the Young Democrats at Tech.

“It is important for students to understand where decisions come from and how these decisions affect them,” she said.

Both Faut and Rusnack said students should do their research and understand the issues before they head to vote on Nov. 2.

“Just looking at the polls isn’t the best way to prepare,” Rusnack said.

George Bacon, a junior, plans to vote absentee ballot.

“I want to vote for local issues,” Bacon said. “It’s important for college students to have a say in all Boucher (D), left, is the incumbent candidate being challenged levels of government.” for his House seat by Griffith (R), center, and Heaton (I).

Morgan Jeremiah Rick Boucher Griffith Heaton Democrat Republican Independent

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COLLEGIATETIMES 107th year, issue 107

News, page 2

People & Clubs, page 5

Learning new cultures

GREGORY WILSON / SPPS

Long, left, traveled to Israel in 1990 on the Fulbright Scholarship.

His student, Lu, right, traveled on the same scholarship this year.

McIntyre, middle, helps students with the application process.

PROFESSOR, STUDENT SHARE CROSS-CULTURAL EXPERIENCES, RECEIVE SAME SCHOLARSHIPS MEIGHAN DOBER news staff writer A special international research scholarship has connected a Tech professor and his student to the same university in Israel.

Established in 1946, the Fulbright Scholarship was introduced by the thenSen. J. Williams Fulbright of Arkansas.

The goal of this scholarship was to encourage understanding of dissimilar cultures between people of the United States and different countries. Since then, 294,000 people worldwide have received the scholarship and have been able to study in one of the 155 countries that the Fulbright operates in.

The Fulbright Scholarship allows recent college graduates, graduate students, professors and professionals worldwide to conduct research or further their career in an international environment.

Jessica Lu, a graduate student studying biology at Tech, travelled to Israel for a year to study at the Weizmann Institute of Technology.

Originally, Lu wanted to study in China. However, the project frequently picks the country. Applicants must find a country where their work or research has the best fit.

“I was very much so glad to be in Israel rather than China,” Lu said.

Gary Long, a chemistry professor at Tech, also traveled to Israel from July 1990 until June 1991.

Unlike Lu, who received the Fulbright Scholarship for graduate students, Long received the Fulbright Research Scholarship. With this particular grant, Long had no teaching duties while researching in Israel. He also researched at the Weizmann Institute.

Prior to embarking on his Fulbright, Long visited Israel twice to establish ties.

He said he needed to find a country where his skills could be utilized.

Lu valued the experience of studying abroad while furthering her career in her biological studies.

“There’s something valuable about you as an American abroad — learning culture, outside your comfort zone,” Lu said.

In Israel, Long continued to study chemistry but with an environmental focus. Once he returned, Long continued with his research. He became an environmental analytical chemist, proving the influence of his research while studying internationally.

“You learn as much as you allow yourself to learn,” he said. “We went in with an open mind.”

Lu said she wanted to integrate multiple cultures into her graduate career.

She wanted to learn Hebrew, which

Opinions, page 3

Sports, page A1

Classifieds, page 4

Sudoku, page 4

Now and then MIA PERRY features staff writer Let’s just say 50 years ago, certain present acts of expression were deemed scandalous. And now, those from that oh-so-old time keep their morals in check.

“There are too many tattoos,” said Ginny Gardner, wife of 1960 Virginia Tech graduate Lindsey Gardner. “Only ladies of questionable reputations had tattoos back then.”

Last weekend “old school” was back in business.

Approximately 160 members of the Tech class of 1960 stepped foot on their alma mater’s collegiate turf once again for their 50th reunion.

But for these older and wiser Hokies, Tech and its student body didn’t seem quite the same way as they left it five decades ago.

For a current Tech student, a typical day might include waking up and having breakfast at D2, getting in a workout at McComas, attending class in Torgerson, maybe swinging by the University Bookstore, and if you live on campus, returning to Slusher Tower at the end of the day. And if it’s a Thursday night or Saturday you are more than likely to be with your fellow Hokies, cheering on the football team in Lane Stadium.

But what if none of these buildings existed? Would Tech still be Tech?

For the class of 1960, these establishments were never part of the Hokie experience.

To celebrate the reunion and the school that holds many fond memories, the Alumni Association planned many events for the traditional homecoming parade weekend from Oct. 14 to 16, beginning with a round of golf at the Pete Dye River course on Thursday morning. Among the players was the class’s president Danny Bird. Bob Leigh Grossman, a fellow 1960 alumnus, won the game.

“But Danny won the money on the back nine,” Grossman jested.

The main festivities, however, began Friday. A welcome presentation in the Latham Ballroom at The Inn at Virginia Tech, which was built 45 years after they graduated, was packed with chattering alumni, mostly in their early 70s. Many are grandmas and grandpas or moth-

160 alumni attended reunion

about 1,100 people were in the class of 1960

ers and fathers who have had several generations follow in their footsteps to become Hokies. Regardless of their ages, the elders fit in nicely. Like the wardrobes of currently enrolled students, they proudly sported their orange and maroon, but perhaps with a bit more maturity.

After an introduction, Greg Fansler associate airector of the Alumni Association, turned attention toward the Tech ring tradition, with this year marking its 100th anniversary.

When asked by show of hands that had purchased class rings, half the room held up bejeweled fingers. The rings cost between $50 to $60 in 1960. When the room learned they now cost about $987, the crowd gasped with sticker shock.

A short film titled “A Ribbon Through Time,” documenting the ring tradition’s history was shown, taking the alumni back in time when a strict dress code was enforced — a white, floor-length dress was required for women.

Now held in the Commonwealth Ballroom in Squires Student Center, the Ring dance in 1960 took place in War Memorial Gym, with a formal dance on both Friday and Saturday nights. Many rituals have formed over the years that still occur at today’s ring celebra-

about 7,100 people are in the class of 2011 tions, including a midnight playing of “Taps” and firing Skipper the cannon and fireworks. Although some things have changed, these events are links connecting past Hokies to the present.

What seems to shock the alumni most about Tech now, however, is the sheer size of campus and student body. Bill Laur, a 76-year-old alumnus who started his education here as a 22-year-old after he returned from the Korean War, went to school on the G.I. Bill.

For him, the current population of 30,000 full-time students seems overwhelming compared to the 4,000 who attended Tech in 1960.

“And 200 girls,” Bird noted, chiming in.

“I took an algebra class, and with those odds I still had 13 girls in the class and only five boys. I lucked out,” added Andy Anderson, 1960 class vice class president.

“Don’t forget, they were Hillcrest girls,” Grossman said, pointing out the female students of the time lived in a single residence hall.

Forms of transportation were limited as well since the campus was smaller, which Bird said was so small he could walk from anywhere and still arrive at class on time.

“There were no buses or anything like that. Everything was centered around the Drillfield, and there was one parking lot,” Laur recalled.

Another vast difference between the two time periods is the emergence of civilian life. Up until 1964, membership in the corps of cadets was required for males, but women were not permitted to join.

“It was also mandatory for us to say hello to whomever we passed by, with a smile on our face, even to civilians,” Grossman said, which is something Laur continues to do today.

Alumni were able to experience a blast from the past while visiting old favorite hot spots.

“I went back to Patton Hall, where I was in architectural engineering, to see all the design studios we had and to see the old building, and it’s really changed a lot.

“I also went back to Brodie Hall, my old residence. I go to find my old room, and Rock Roszak has his office in my room,” Laur explained, with fake disdain.

Col. Rock Roszak was present at the luncheon as well, serving as the director for corps alumni see REUNION / page five

see SCHOLARSHIP / page two

VT Alerts constantly changing, growing Basketball garners SARAH WATSON news reporter Since its introduction to campus in 2007, the Virginia Tech Alerts system has continued to learn and modify itself.

The most recent test of VT Alerts on Sept. 30 was similar to previous tests of the system.

The goal of these tests is not only to check the system’s effectiveness but to also provide the community with additional information regarding VT Alerts, according to Mike Mulhare, director of emergency services.

“We want the Virginia Tech community to be aware of what VT Alerts is about,” Mulhare said.

University spokesman Mark Owczarski believes the educational

component of VT Alerts is an essential part of the testing process.

He said the alerts test familiarize students, faculty and staff with the system and provide information of what to do in an actual emergency.

“We want to make sure that the student body, faculty and staff know what to do in the case of an emergency,” Owczarski said.

Tests are completed once every semester by Tech Police, the Office of University Relations and the Office of Emergency Management. About 40 people are necessary to complete one test.

All components of the system are tested, from desktop alerts to voicemail messages.

While university-wide tests are done once a semester, smaller scale

tests are done multiple times each day, Mulhare said. “(VT Alerts) is continually being tested to ensure a state of readiness,” he said.

VT Alerts has matured since its instatement in 2007.

In fall 2006, Tech released a request for proposal for an alert messaging system that would “utilize the emergence of text messages and cell phones,” Owczarski said.

In spring 2007, the university purchased a multi-platform product from Everbridge. Desktop alerts were not added until 2009.

Over the past two years, signs with LED displays that can show alert messages were added to 400 classrooms across campus.

VT Alerts currently sends messages

through text messages, telephone calls, voicemail messages, desktop alerts, outdoor sirens, public address, the VT hotline and the university’s homepage.

All alerts include information about the nature of the incident, location and actions to be taken.

“The great thing about desktop alerts is that anybody can go to the site and download the widget,” Mulhare said.

The availability of the desktop alerts platform allows Blacksburg residents, family members and other interested parties access to the alert system.

According to Owczarski, the university has also built in redundancy to make sure the messages reach stusee VT ALERTS / page two

preseason ranking GARRET RIPA sports editor The Virginia Tech men’s basketball team is ranked No. 23 in the USA TODAY/ESPN preseason coach’s poll, which came out Thursday afternoon.

This is the Hokies first appearance in the rankings since the end of the 2006-07 season, when it made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

In the Atlantic Coast Conference, Tech is ranked

behind No. 1 Duke and No. 9 North Carolina.

However, in the ACC media poll released Wednesday, the Hokies were picked to finish second in the conference, ahead of the Tar Heels.

Senior guard Malcolm Delaney was named preseason all-conference and leads a squad with all five returning starters.

With expectations as high as ever, the Hokies kickoff the season by hosting Campbell on Friday, Nov. 12.

2 news

news editors: philipp kotlaba, liana bayne, gordon block newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

october 22, 2010

[

nation headlines

]

California to protect for American pika A judge in San Francisco on Tuesday ordered California to reconsider — for the third time — whether to extend endangered species protection to the tiny American pika, a mountaindwelling mammal whose population may be declining because of climate change.

Superior Court Judge Peter Busch ordered the California Fish and Game Commission to review scientific data and determine whether the pika qualifies for listing under the state endangered species law. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declined to list the species earlier this year.

The pika is the first animal in the lower 48 states to be considered for endangered listing solely because of climate change.

Jon K. Fischer, the commission’s acting executive director, said the agency was still considering the legal implications of the ruling.

“Pikas have been surveyed in other parts of the nation and the world,” Fischer said. “They haven’t, unfortunately, been surveyed in California. Thatå’s one of the problems in California: How do we survey for all of these species when we have this budget problem for the last year and a half?”

Greg Loarie, an attorney with the environmental group Earthjustice, which sued the state, said the judge did not order new studies but told the commission to consider existing analyses.

“The lion’s share of this material they have had in front of them for three years,” Loarie said.

-julie cart, mcclatchy newspapers

CORRECTIONS JUSTIN GRAVES -Contact our public editor at publiceditor@ collegiatetimes.com if you see anything that needs to be corrected.

COLLEGIATETIMES

VT Alerts: System Top U.N. official in headlines nation ] [ functioning well Iraq escapes bomb Facebook, Amazon from page one

dents, faculty and staff regardless of their location.

Owczarski said during a time when students may not have access to their phones or computers in class, they would still receive the message via classroom LED signs.

In addition, all systems are now integrated. Therefore, one message can be sent out through all platforms. This makes the system easier for those in charge of sending alerts and quicker for those receiving them, Owczarski said.

The goal of VT Alerts is to keep the community safe, most often by alerting them of adverse weather conditions, Mulhare said.

“Most of the time, the alerts aren’t of a criminal nature,” said Tech Police Lt. Deborah Morgan.

One notable alert, sent out in fall 2008, warned of shots fired near Pritchard Hall. This was a false

alarm, Morgan said. Students were detonating a nail gun cartridge, and construction from the basketball practice facility added to the noise.

Another situation in spring 2010 brought attention to a problem with the system.

Before seniors graduates, they are asked to unsubscribe to VT Alerts.

However, this year’s commencement exercises had to be altered because of bad weather, and a VT Alert was sent out about these changes. Some seniors had already unsubscribed from the service and did not receive the alert. Mulhare said in following years, students would not be asked to unsubscribe until after commencement.

Word of mouth played an important role in spring 2010. Owczarski and Mulhare both placed emphasis on sharing information received through VT Alerts.

“It is important to talk to each other and to help each other stay safe and maintain a safe environment,” Owczarski said.

JANE ARRAF

mcclatchy newspapers BAGHDAD — A roadside bomb hit the convoy of the top U.N. official in Iraq after a meeting with revered Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani in Najaf on Tuesday. U.N. envoy Ad Melkert was unhurt, but the blast killed an Iraqi policeman and wounded three others.

A U.N. spokeswoman said the bomb went off as Melkert’s convoy, accompanied by an Iraqi security detail, headed to the Najaf airport Tuesday afternoon on the outskirts of the city.

“It was after meetings were concluded with Sistani,” she said.

Melkert, the special representative to the U.N. secretary-general, is one of the few Western officials with whom Ayatollah Sistani meets.

The cleric, who does not appear in public, has played an influential role in Iraq.

Although he avoids direct involve-

ment in politics, his edicts helped lead to direct elections in 2005 and strong voter turnout, including by women. He has also directed followers not to retaliate after sectarian attacks that have rocked the country.

Melkert was shown on Iraqi television emerging from the meeting at Sistani’s modest home, urging political leaders to quickly come to an agreement on forming a new government. Seven months after Iraqis went to the polls, a deadlock among political leaders has prompted fears that violence could increase if a government which includes Shiites, Sunnis, and Kurds isn’t formed soon.

Najaf, home to one of the holiest sites in Shiite Islam, as well as one of its four main centers for religious learning, is traditionally much calmer than Baghdad. Access to the city is tightly controlled through a series of checkpoints to protect hundreds of thousands of religious pilgrims, many of them Iranian.

Scholarship: Brings students to new cultures from page one

surprised many Israelis that she would want to learn a language that had no economic significance.

Everyone is eligible to apply for the Fulbright Scholarship at some point in their career. However, the application process is a long one.

Christina McIntyre, Fulbright Program adviser for the U.S. Student Grant Program at Virginia Tech, helps students prepare for and work through their applications.

“The process is a process,” McIntyre said.

The application process begins in May, the year before the application is due and involves letters of recommendation, several steps of local and national interviews and interviews with international contacts.

“It comes down to if that person has a compelling reason to go to that country and do that project,” McIntyre said.

Outside of her research, Lu was

able to connect with the Israeli community. Being a Christian, Lu went to the local church.

“I came away with a greater understanding of the way the three monotheistic faiths interact with each other,” she said. “I have a different perspective of what life is like in Israel.”

Lu had many obstacles that she was forced to overcome. The first was the language differences.

“Being a Fulbrighter, you should interact with the community,” Lu said.

Despite this, not everyone speaks the same language. Not being able to fully participate in every conversation was a big challenge for Lu. In addition to the language obstacle, the Jewish practice of Shabbat took getting accustomed to. In Israel, everything shuts down, from public transportation to shopping. People take this time to focus on family and their God. During this time, Lu and her fellow Fulbrighters got together and held their own personal version of Shabbat.

“Those who practiced Shabbat were still very friendly and accommodating,” Lu said. On occasion, Lu was invited to join Israeli families in their Shabbat.

When Long went abroad, he brought his wife and two children who were six and four at the time.

He said it was a good experience for his children, who learned a second language before the age of seven, and who were exposed to an area outside of the U.S. “To this day, my children say they made good friends and had a good experience,” Long said.

During Long’s visit, the Gulf War was occurring, which proved to be the biggest challenge.

“I still felt safe there, safer than most other places,” Long said.

Occasionally during rough times, he and his family were evacuated to a deserted area and learned to use gas masks as precautions.

Despite the war obstacle, Long still interacted with the Israeli community.

In Blacksburg in the 1980s, Long and his family met an Israeli family on their sabbatical. Once Long and his family were in Israel, the two families reunited.

“They were friends we made for life,” Long said. He said members of that family functioned as “interim grandparents” for his children.

In the past 10 years, 15 Tech students and several Tech faculty received the scholarship. This past year, 16 applications were submitted for the student aspect of the scholarship, and it is realistic to say that four or five students will be recipients.

“My goal is to each year grow the number of people who are applying,” McIntyre said. She believes Tech should be submitting at least 30 student applications per year.

Long, who now teaches Lu at Tech, was able to see both sides to the Fulbright Scholarship. “(It) came full circle,” Long said.

“One of my students came to do something I did 20 years ago.

“I would go back in a heartbeat.”

back ‘social’ fund SAN FRANCISCO — Amazon.com Inc., Facebook Inc. and others including Comcast Corp. are investing in a new, $250 million venture-capital fund targeted at start-ups building services designed to better connect people online.

The social, or “S Fund” unveiled Thursday will be overseen by Silicon Valley venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, an early investor in both Amazon and Zynga Game Network Inc. — the online gaming firm that is also contributing to the investment vehicle.

At a media event held at Facebook’s Palo Alto, Calif. headquarters, Kleiner Perkins partner John Doerr said the fund has so far made one investment, in contact management software start-up CafeBots Inc. Doerr said the fund is intended for backing companies designed to emphasize social resources on the Internet, rather than impersonal sources of content and information. Other backers of the S Fund in addition to Facebook, Amazon, Zynga and Comcast include Liberty Media Corp. and investment firm Allen & Company LLC. Facebook Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg said that over the next five or so years, many disparate industries will seek out ways of better tapping the social capabilities of the Internet.

Having a venture firm like Kleiner Perkins behind the S Fund will be “really powerful for encouraging entrepreneurs in this area,” Zuckerberg said. “There’s going to be an opportunity over the next five years or so to pick any industry and rethink it.”

Zynga CEO Mark Pincus suggested that many of the new start-ups in the social networking market will, like his firm, pursue a revenue model that relies on payments from users, rather than online advertising.

-john letzing, mcclatchy newspapers

opınıons 3

editors: scott masselli, gabi seltzer opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES

october 22, 2010

Chilean miners provide hope in desperate times unny thing about journalism: It’s really difficult to write about F a positive topic. As much as we all have to be thankful for, the world has a long way to go before we can all sit around and sing “Kumbaya.” With an abysmal economy, young teenagers being bullied literally to death and politicians who line their pockets rather than represent the needs of their people, we could all use a little light at the end of a very long tunnel.

Yet once in a long while, an event occurs that unites people from around the world in the spirit of hope.

For 69 days, the world watched in anticipation as thirty-three miners stood 2,000 feet underground in hopes of a miracle. On Oct. 12, that miracle came to fruition as the first miner saw daylight for the first time in over two months. And 22 hours later, the last miner reached the surface.

Around the world, people rejoiced for the lives saved and for a moment, it seemed that for once, we all could unite in celebration of victory and heroism in the face of grave peril.

It doesn’t seem to happen too often anymore. Most of us learned a long time ago that “happily ever after” rarely ends the stories that fill our all-too-real lives. After all, it seems like yesterday the world watched as 29 West Virginia families laid to rest their loved ones in April of this year.

Reading the stories about the miners praising God as they reached the surface, kissing the earth, hugging their loved ones, and thanking those who had saved them made me realize how much we all take life and the positives for granted. In a world where stories detailing the latest death and destruction plaguing our country are a dime a dozen, is it not revitalizing and refreshing to finally hear some good news?

Come to think of it, when is the last time the mass media unanimously celebrated an event as whole-heartedly and passionately as they did the Chilean miner rescue? Events such as the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, Apollo 13’s successful return home, and the release of 52 American hostages from the United States embassy in Iran all come to mind, none of which occurred in the 21st century.

Peering through a looking glass

at the last decade, it is quite evident that modern America, and the rest of the world for that matter, is on a “bad news binge.” Only out of earthshattering tragedy has our society been able to unite under a blanket of optimism for the future.

In the face of everyday toils and struggles, we all tend to lose sight of the common humanity that pervades all societies and cultures, regardless of nationality, sexual orientation, gender, race or creed. Between hunting down jobs, paying bills and discovering the meaning of life, positive thinking can seem like a fruitless task while in the throes of the latest crisis plaguing our lives.

Yet, if positive news became the routine instead of the exception, perhaps the course of our journeys could more frequently resemble that of the Chilean miner rescue and less like most other events that capture our attention on a daily basis.

The power of positive thinking has been remarkable and ubiquitous, spanning civilizations and centuries.

It has even been proven to encourage medical recovery in patients faced with staggering odds. We can only imagine what courage and determination the miners demonstrated as they waited in darkness for what must have seemed like eternity.

Instead of dismissing the Chilean miner rescue as merely a glimmer of hope amid the bleakness that pervades reality, we should look to their survival for inspiration and proof that, contrary to popular belief, not all trials end in defeat.

Perhaps on a small level, their rescue can act as a testimony to the power of optimism and belief in the efforts of humanity to serve the common good. As Anne Frank once said, “I don’t think of all the misery but of the beauty that still remains.” If we wish to change the tides of devastation that seem to be the staple of our generation, we must first transform our paradigms.

BROOKE LEONARD -regular columnist -junior, -economics

Your Views [letters to the editor]

Rail line would benefit region

in a faster trip. The rail would offer day trips to Lynchburg, Charlottesville and Manassas and easy weekend trips to Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York.

The greater connectivity will improve Tech’s ability to recruit and retain students and decrease its carbon footprint. In tough economic times, many students who currently have cars on campus would rely on them less.

On Wednesday, Oct. 27, 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., a meeting titled “The Future of Rail in Western Virginia” will be held at the Link Museum in Roanoke. At this meeting, state rail officials will inform attendees of the latest developments in restoring rail to the Roanoke and New River Valleys and will also answer questions. Students can use the Smart Way Bus to attend the event (but leave early to catch the last return bus at 6:50 p.m.) or follow press accounts in the Roanoke or Collegiate Times.

On Oct. 1, 2009, Amtrak launched its first Northeast Regional Train to Lynchburg and first area intercity rail service in 30 years. In two months, the train (with direct service to DC, NYC, and Boston) was self-sufficient. Now the state is studying a bus link to Roanoke, with an option of continuing to Virginia Tech via the Smart Way bus. The link could potentially start as early as July 2011.

If Tech and Radford University supplied the state with projected ridership data, the bus might originate in Radford, Christiansburg or Blacksburg instead of Roanoke, thus making an even smoother northeast link for the area’s underserved 300,000 residents and 40,000 students. A train could replace the bus in a few years.

The bus and rail connections would provide students, faculty, staff and the greater community with a daily link to home and friends, and safer, less Daniel Peacock, Member Virginia Association of Railway Patrons stressful and often cheaper (17 Manassas, Virginia cents per mile) transportation

we’re YOUR newspaper. send a letter to the editor and express your views.

send an e-mail to opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com with your letter or guest column attached.

The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903

MCT CAMPUS

Forced identification policy endangers students As

a public institution, Virginia Tech is implicitly committed to protecting its students’ basic rights.

On the other side of that balance, it’s necessary for the university to have rules above and beyond the law. It really does benefit the community as a whole.

Still, not all the rules at this university make sense. Some of the policies are quite bad and certainly don’t have the student welfare as their primary motivation. The debate rages every semester regarding the extent of zero tolerance, honor courts, firearms and even free speech. Like many state functions, Tech sometimes abuses its power in an effort to control students.

Even the policy regarding a failure to comply with university rules is loaded with rights abuses. To quote the failure to comply policy from the student handbook: “Failure to comply with a request and directives of university officials acting within the scope of their authority. This includes, but not limited to: failure of a student to present his/her university identification card, failure to keep or attend a required meeting, and failing to leave an area when requested by an authorized university official. Upon the request of the student questioned, university officials must identify themselves and state the source of their authority.”

This policy demands you show identification. Immediately this strikes me as an absolute abuse of your rights.

I understand that the university identification card is given to all students with an implicit contract to follow certain rules. However, your Hokie Passport is required in order to access university services. In some instances it’s actually required in order to take an exam or enter a classroom — you absolutely need that card and cannot possibly function without it.

Essentially, you are required to have the Hokie ID card, and it’s an identification card given to you by a state institution. If there is a contract in place where you sign away rights when in order to have the card, it is at best a contract under duress.

The idea Tech can have a policy that demands students show identification, even in situations where they otherwise legally would be within their rights not to, is absolutely shocking.

Considering that the term “university official” is vague beyond all compre-

hension, this rule could be in direct contrast to student safety and wellbeing — a right to remain anonymous often keeps you safe.

My roommate is a manager at one of the campus dining centers. If you’re asked to show him your ID, you must comply with his request. It just so happens my roommate is an incredibly nice guy. But for all you know he could be a perverted weirdo. Maybe he is asking for your ID because you’re an attractive lady and he wants to search for you using the “Hokie stalker” people directory on the university website.

Well, you don’t want to break the rules. He works at the university, and he may very well be a university official. A failure to comply will result in disciplinary action. (The incredibly unfair trial you will receive is worthy of a column all its own.) Basically, you have to comply or you will be punished.

In order for this policy to be written for the general welfare of the students, university officials must be making an assumption that everyone who works for the university are a good people who would absolutely never abuse their positions. This reasoning should then be applied to each and every student — it only makes sense.

The only way you can protect yourself is to have the university official identify themselves. There’s no loophole in the policy regarding the safety of giving anyone who claims to be a university official your personal information.

This policy is likely written to make it easier for university personnel to catch students stealing food in dining centers. It certainly isn’t written with student safety in mind. I’d love to hear an argument as to how this policy exists for the general welfare of all Hokies.

So how will we catch mozzarella stick thieves in dining halls if we don’t force all students to show ID on command? Well, the same way any business does. Employees at Food Lion cannot demand you show ID at risk of punishment. In no other way is it acceptable to take away a basic right, like the right to not identify yourself to anyone who asks, just to make things easier for everyone.

I’ve written a column in the past about how Tech will punish students who are arrested for alcohol crimes

(e.g., underage drinking) and force students to attend classes on making better choices.

The idea that a state institution can re-educate you to adopt different ethics is reminiscent of “A Clockwork Orange.” Although I’m sure students don’t have their eyes pinned open, I know you can “fail” these classes, and are even breathalyzed before entering.

All of this is in the hopes that someday you will be the type of citizen who blindly follows laws — including the incredibly stupid ones.

Well, according to the failure to comply policy, you can be punished if you don’t attend a re-education course. If you’re a smart person who doesn’t like the idea of any bureaucratic institution dictating how you act and think, you will be punished for refusing your reeducation. Tech has just taken ownership over your life and required you to do something you may very well be ethically opposed to.

I cannot be the only student on campus who thinks this failure to comply policy has dangerous implications.

If the safety aspect of not wanting to show identification doesn’t bother you, I hope the implicit rights abuses will. There is absolutely no way I will involuntarily show anyone my ID unless I am required by law. There’s also absolutely no chance I would ever attend one of the university’s re-education courses.

I am smart enough to think for myself without Tech helping me.

My hope is everyone will come to understand complying with university policy isn’t always in your best interest. In both the examples I give above there seems to be an unspoken understanding that Tech owns your life. You signed away your rights when you agreed to attend this public university. If you don’t comply, you will be punished.

Is this all for the general welfare of students? I can’t help but think that it’s all about convenience and control. We can’t “Invent the Future” until we put an end to nonsense like this.

CHAD VAN ALSTIN -regular columnist -communication -senior

Increase parking meters on campus to accomodate drivers fter walking out of Schiffert Health Center with my goodie A bag of medicine in hand and wondering how on earth I got sick this early in the year, I came to find an orange gift from Parking Services on my windshield.

With flu season upon us, Schiffert will become the new hub. But with its increasing popularity, parking grows to become a bigger issue. Currently, the only parking lot near Schiffert is the Coliseum lot, which is shared among students and faculty members and is always full.

Parking is a problem everywhere on campus. But what about that day where your nose is running, you’re coughing up a lung, and the idea of changing out of your sweats makes your head hurt worse? For those who live off-campus, you’re not going to want to hike from the Cage to the health clinic. And that is only a problem if you own a parking pass. For those of us who don’t, we have to put our trust in the availability of the metered parking.

We all have our trials and tribulations with Parking Services. And

I have no problem paying that $30 ticket for parking in the wrong lot to avoid being late for a quiz. However, students should not be fined for parking in a spot to go to a doctor’s appointment if all five of the meter spots are taken. Sorry, Parking Services, but five meter spaces for a gym, a health clinic, Career Services, Student Services and West End are not enough.

Riding the BT is not a very appealing option either. As tight as you’re packed in there, you share your germs with about 60 other Hokies.

Furthermore, I personally would not want people to see me in that shape. Chances of being spotted by friends are very high while making that long journey from the bus stop at Burruss to Schiffert, as if walking that half-mile while being sick isn’t enough.

A good alternative to this problem would be to go during a time when you are able to park on campus, the keyword being “would.” Schiffert Health Clinic closes at 5 p.m., which is, inconveniently, the same time you are able to park on campus without

a parking pass. Fortunately, Schiffert is open 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays.

So tell your immune system to stay strong until the weekend.

This is not a rant or tirade on Parking Services, nor on Schiffert. It is a mere suggestion. There should be designated spots available for students who are sick and have doctor’s appointments. It is a pain to find a parking spot in the Coliseum lot, in addition to the pain you are already in for being sick. There is really no way to avoid this issue unless something is done.

Parking should not be a reason that deters students from seeing a doctor.

For the sake of our peers’ immune systems, please go to Schiffert when you need to. To the administration, please rectify the problem by adding parking spaces designated for sick students with doctor’s appointments.

ALIE REICHLING -guest columnist -psychology -senior

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ACROSS 1 “Get going!”

9 Bantam 15 Consort of Gustav I 16 Like many barber shops 17 “Beats me” 19 Bulbs in the kitchen 20 Speed 21 Wins approval 23 Fellow 24 Contraction of a sort 25 Botanical opening 27 “Oh, sure!”

31 Italian classic 34 Many a Middle Easterner 36 Reservation opening 38 Arrives at 39 Vaulter’s target 40 Before, before 41 Cast 43 Gasteyer of “SNL” 44 Main call 45 Points at dinner 47 In the habit of 50 Big fan 52 “And afterward?”

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3 Regardless of the consequences 4 “Star Trek” character __ Chekov 5 Poem with the line “Who intimately lives with rain” 6 Pen emission 7 Stats for QBs

By Robert H. Wolfe

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29 Flammable gas 30 Bright swimmers 32 “O, swear not by ... the fickle moon ... __ that thy love prove likewise variable”: “Romeo and Juliet”

10/22/10 Thursday’s Puzzle Solved

(c)2010 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

33 Outside: Pref.

35 Aurora’s counterpart 37 Three abroad 42 Shooter’s target 44 Literally, “for this” 45 Petulant 46 Laura of “ER” 47 “That’s not good!”

48 Old man of the sea

9/18/10

49 Small tool case 50 Great achievement 51 Tambo Colorado builder 52 Mg. and kg.

53 “Frontline” airer 54 Noon indicator 55 Chess champion who succeeded Botvinnik

5 Reunion: Class of 1960 reminisces about Tech life 50 years ago people & clubs

editors: lindsey brookbank, kim walter featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES

from page one

programs.

While lunch was served inside the warm ballroom, the weather outside turned gray and cloudy — but the alumni weren’t fazed.

“Hey, it’s Blacksburg,” Laur shrugged, like all town residents do when the crazy weather takes a new turn.

“Yeah, you can take a nap, and the weather will change,” Grossman said.

It seems that even 50 years ago, students were anticipating a range of seasons on any particular day. The discussion of weather quickly turned to football, a switch still typical today.

“I want a Hokie win,” Bird said of the Wake Forest football game.

The school spirit abounded throughout the room. However, in 1960, football games were played at Victory Stadium in Roanoke, except for the Thanksgiving Day game, which was held on campus.

“We aren’t playing JMU are we?”

Grossman joked, as everyone laughed.

“You know I can’t remember ever losing a football game when we were up here,” Bird responded, kidding.

“Actually we even lost to VMI. They

october 22, 2010

won twice, and we won twice.”

“Yeah, whenever we were heavily favored, we always lost,” Grossman lamented.

Regardless, the group looks back on its football players with admiration.

“Carroll Dale was our second AllAmerican for Tech, the first since 1903,” Laur said. “He went on to the Green Bay Packers and helped them win the first two Super Bowls.”

As lunch finished and desserts were served, the group also boasted about having the first black cadet, Charlie Yates, as a member of its graduating class, as well as having the first three brides married in War Memorial Chapel.

But what the group is most proud of is each other. The highlight of the trip for them was seeing old friends, classmates and roommates.

“And teammates,” Grossman added, pointing to Laur. The pair was on the same swim team.

Bird is also impressed with his class because they are the only one to hold a reunion every five years — perhaps this is what has kept them close over the years.

“I remember Danny was so proud

of the first reunion’s participation.

But I thought, ‘wait a minute, we had less than 20 percent come back!’

And Danny said ‘I know! It’s great,’” Grossman said.

“But we’ve lost too many,” Bird said, sadly.

With more than 1,100 in the graduating class, it has lost about 400 members over the years. A memorial service was held at War Memorial Chapel later on Friday to honor all the former classmates.

The luncheon concluded with a presentation by Maj. Gen. Jerry Allen about the corps, discussing how far the corps has come since the class graduated.

Later in the day, the group moved to the Drillfield to watch the corps regimental parade, in honor of the class.

At this point the sun was back out, illuminating the chilly but beautiful fall day, complete with a blue sky and orange and maroon leaves on the surrounding trees. The parade concluded with the firing of Skipper.

Following the parade, the class reconvened at the Inn at Virginia Tech for a class picture, and a reunion reception immediately followed.

Lindsey Gardner and his wife spent time talking with other couples, reminiscing. They too noted the changes in size, gender and diversity at the university.

“There were very few bicycles then and very few cars actually,” Lindsey Gardner said, of something hard to picture when every day on campus today seems to be a real life game of Frogger. “Everything is a lot more casual too. We never wore shorts.”

“Yes, we wore heels to football games,” Ginny Gardner added. “Dresses, suits — that’s what we wore.”

But that — and technology use — is only a sign of the times.

“Don’t you ever just wanna turn it off?” Ginny Gardner asked. “I worry about people not having enough face to face contact.”

Gardners recalled the blizzard of 1959 as one of their favorite times, when Tech cancelled classes for three days because 36 inches of snow engulfed Blacksburg.

“But we were still able to make it to the flick,” Ginny Gardner said, explaining that the “flick” was what they called the Lyric back when movies cost 50 cents.

At the time, a lot of married couples and veterans attended Tech and were visiting Claytor Lake for the weekend.

“But because of the blizzard, they couldn’t get back. People started burning furniture, and there were a lot of spring babies that year,” Lindsey Gardner said.

With many women trapped that weekend, housemothers, who kept tabs on their female residents, were most likely squirming.

“These days, it doesn’t matter if you girls are gone for three days, but back then, we had to get back,” Ginny Gardner said. “We had housemothers, and they wanted to know where we were.”

It’s hard to imagine having such restrictions these days. Most students view college as an escape from rules and watchful parental eyes.

“But I got you to the train just in time,” Lindsey Gardner said, smiling.

“Barely,” his wife jested.

But despite these changes, the Gardner’s still feel that coming to Tech is “like coming home.” Even April 16, 2007, when 32 Hokies were killed, deeply affected the alumni.

“That day felt like 9/11,” Lindsey Gardner said.

Many alumni had multiple family members and friends who attended Tech the year of the shootings and received dozens of phone calls offering condolences just for being previous students.

“By the way, is the professor who started the chant still here?” Ginny Gardner asked, referring to Nikki Giovanni, a distinguished English professor whose speech inspired a Cassell Coliseum full of Hokies to chant “Let’s Go Hokies” the day after the tragedy.

“I would have loved to have taken a class with her.”

Mingling was put on hold for dinner however, and everyone returned to their seats for the banquet, when President Charles Steger spoke.

It is certainly hard to imagine a campus without the Lane Stadium we all know and love, or some of the residence halls and academic buildings we see every day. But since 1960, Hokie stone has continued to unite the campus throughout the years, no matter what its size. And really, it is the people who make Tech what is it.

october 22, 2010

page 6

he she

SAID

He said: A girl’s bod, where man has never dared to go he strangest thing happened the other day: I woke up as a T girl.

The bedroom’s dainty lavender aroma was my first tip-off that something was amiss. That night I had fallen asleep to “SportsCenter” in the man-castle, Firehouse Pizza box on my lap and empty two-liter nestled near my feet.

There were plenty of smells I’d expect to wake up to the next morning and none of them could be described as flowery.

Something else was odd — my first class wasn’t until 9 a.m. Why would the alarm clock go off at 7:30 a.m.?

Unless ... oh no. Was I waking up for the absurd female morning preparation ritual?

The thought of wasting sleep on something as trivial as straightening hair for a 200-person lecture class sent me jumping out of bed in a cold sweat, heart pounding as I took in the scene.

This room did not belong to a man. The absence of clothes on the floor, a neatly arranged collage of beach week pictures and “Grey’s Anatomy” DVDs on the desk were dead giveaways that I was trapped in a strange, estrogen-fueled nightmare.

A glance down at the large flotation devices protruding from my chest confirmed these suspicions.

The initial shock gave way to an exciting realization: I was where no man had ever been.

Wasting this opportunity to learn about the female existence would be an insult to millennia of men who spent their lives failing to understand these strange, heftily bosomed creatures.

In honor of my forefathers, I eschewed the hair straightening in favor of an extensive scientific evaluation of my new form, focusing specifically on the mammary glands. Satisfied with their buoyancy and ceaselessly entertaining physics, I decided to continue my first-hand look into the female college experience.

The first order of business was looking the part — my journey into girl world would quickly be derailed if I stood out like a Cowboys player in this season’s Pro Bowl.

Luckily my closet contained the official girl uniform: leggings and a sorority sweatshirt. Rocking my ZBZ pride and questionably appropriate skin-tight layer of fabric, I headed to

the bus stop well aware of the irony of my discomfort at the leering eyes following my hips.

The reward for successfully navigating a sea of ogling engineers — and the camera phones of VTNoPants. com contributors — was a class period spent on Facebook.

My research for last week’s column led me to conclude girls feel obligated to use the Internet to publicly prove their friendship — how else do you explain gratuitous posting between people who live with each other?

In one 50-minute marathon session, I wrote on seven walls, “liked” 15 statuses about the upcoming weekend and commented on the attractiveness of four profile pictures (even a homely one — clearly girl law had buried my snarky outlook).

I was pretty pleased with myself until finding out that this is considered a slow Tuesday by female standards.

By the time classes were over, I was exhausted from the non-stop socializing.

There was hardly a minute of down time between the constant inane texting (“miss you roomie,” “miss you more, snuggle when I get back”), Facebook chats and perky conversations with anyone and everyone.

To put it into perspective: My gregarious female instincts led me to induce extended Drillfield discussion with the high school classmate that everyone from my hometown avoids. It was actually more tolerable than expected; my chest did most of the heavy lifting.

The morning’s preparation convinced me I was ready for the gauntlet for girl socializing: lunch at Au Bon Pain. Here, surrounded by half of Tech’s Greek population, my female bonding skills were put to the test as I bounded from table to table making the smallest of talk and chucking compliments every which way.

Meeting up with a few bros in Owens Food Court doesn’t compare. It’s hard work making the social rounds while feigning more interest than Harrison Ford in any movie from the last 10 years.

Finally having earned the right to eat, I took a wistful glance at my beloved Sbarro tomato basil pizza before walking into ABP and pouring a cup of soup. A pack of sorority sisters joined me at a table to discuss

the latest antics of Chelsea Handler and our upcoming social with Kappa Tau Gamma.

After a guilt-inspired cycling session at the gym — chicken noodle soup has carbs, you know — I returned to my clean, brightly lit apartment to nap before margaritas at El Rods and a night on the town.

My previous life had never seemed so distant.

I had come to grips with my new existence and was excited to attend a party from the opposite sex’s perspective. Before drifting off to sleep I reminded myself to wear a parka, trucker’s hat and sweatpants that night to avoid any uncomfortable advances.

Then I woke up to the smell of dried sweat and noxious digestive fumes; in the background Neil Everett was discussing the Giants win and this year’s Philly fake out.

I instinctively reached down to my chest but no jiggle was felt amidst the forest of hair. My adventure in girl world was over.

Good thing, too — it’s a whole lot easier to be a guy. I proceeded to roll out of bed 10 minutes before class and walk to campus with my iPod in, ignoring people that I didn’t want to talk to.

Ladies, you have my respect, though. And, I promise to keep my eyes on your face — or I’ll at least try to.

ANDREW REILLY -features staff writer -junior -communication major

JAMIE MARTYN / COLLEGIATE TIMES

She said: Life as a bro is simple, manly only I had the chance to wake up every morning and not be If judged for throwing on the first visible T-shirt. Oh wait — all I have to do is be a male college student.

What would life be like if I could disregard the daily expectations as a girl?

By neglecting the process of making myself presentable, how much time could be saved? I guess what I really want to know is this: What would it be like to be a guy for the day?

If I were a guy, life would be simple.

I could snooze my alarm up to three times and go with the flow. With sleep as my No. 1 priority, I can play the game guys play every day — what is the longest amount of time I can stay in bed without being too late for class?

My morning routine consists of a shower, blow drying and straightening my hair and finding a cute outfit.

Going without makeup is a sore sight to many eyes on campus.

It’s human nature. While my gender requires me to put major effort into my looks, guys can do whatever they please. Here is my proof with my day in the life of the opposite sex.

Thursday – I roll out of bed and stumble down the hall, with my eyes half closed, to take a leak. Next, I turn on “SportsCenter” while simultaneously checking my Facebook.

Glancing at the clock, I realize I should make my way to the bus. I search the floor seeing an empty Firehouse Pizza box, mix-matched socks and an array of clothes. I grab the first shirt I see and guarantee it is a clean one with a

smell check test.

I then face the difficult decision of sweats or jeans — oh, the agony.

Eyeing my deodorant, I realize I am out of time. No worries, I grab my sweatshirt. It could use a wash, but I plan on sitting in the back of the class anyway.

Lunchtime only leads to more tough decisions. I am at Hokie Grill.

Do I want Chick-fil-A or Pizza Hut? I guess I’ll get both.

I may not be on the level of Tucker Max, but I cannot help but appreciate the female figures across campus. As I make my way to class, I get caught checking out a hot chick whose breasts are on display. When our eyes meet, I casually do the awkward head turn and pretend nothing happened.

Hey, she’s asking for it by wearing a low cut shirt — right?

In class, I surf the ESPN website for updates. What else would you expect?

The kid sitting next to me checks out my screen and asks if I saw the game last night. We discuss key plays and mention how we plan to grab a beer right when we get back to our apartments.

It’s Thursday, and we’re both already thirsty.

When class finishes, I head over to McComas to work up a sweat.

Tossing a towel over my shoulder, I talk sports with my bros. After an hour, I get some quality lifting done.

I take a quick peek in the mirror.

Crap — I can already see the definition.

After a long workout I need some

grub. It isn’t a Tuesday, so I can’t get the half-off special at IHOP. Hokie Grill would be quick. Two times in one day wouldn’t be rare either, but I’m feeling productive. I head back to my place and make ramen.

After finishing a satisfying meal, it’s T-shirt time once again. I hop in the shower and even do a quick shave. I look at my closet seeing a few tees and polos hanging. Feeling classy, I grab the nearest polo and head toward the fridge.

I grab a beer and enter the living room where my roomies are watching “Family Guy.” It’s not “Eastbound and Down” or “Entourage,” but it will do. I chill on the couch for a while until we decide to pregame the night with video games. After a group debate over “Call of Duty,” “FIFA” and “Halo,” we play the one already in the system.

We continue to drink beer and brag about our epic skills. Around 10 p.m., we decide we should probably make a move.

Before we leave, we remember the deodorant, chug a beer and grab some cash to pay for cups. But as always, we play it by year and see where the night takes us.

CHELSEA GUNTER -features staff writer -sophomore -communication major