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DANIELLE BUYMAK / COLLEGIATE TIMES
Friday, February 4, 2011
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Crime warning e-mails received: 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
6 6
Types of crimes reported: 8
Larcenies/Robberies/Burglaries
4
Assaults
8 4 4
5
Sexual crimes Murders
3
Incidents involving knives and guns that did not result in murder Other
4 3
WEI HANN & KATIE BIONDO / COLLEGIATE TIMES
JAY SPEIDELL news reporter Virginia Tech officials are linking increased caution and federal regulations to an increase in e-mail crime notifications in the past two months. The notifications are sent out to comply with the Clery Act, a federal law named for Lehigh University freshman Jeanne Clery — who was raped and murdered in her residence hall. The rule requires universities receiving federal financial aid funds to report crime statistics and provide “timely warnings” for campus crimes. The Department of Education determined in December that Tech violated the Clery Act in its response to the campus shootings on April 16, 2007. “That’s kind of brought it to the front
of people’s discussions and people are noticing the (timely warnings) coming out a little bit more because of that,” said Lieutenant Deborah Morgan of Tech Police. But Mark Owczarski, university spokesman, said the standards for compliance with the Clery Act are changing. “The Clery Guidelines, as determined by the federal government, have changed over time,” Owczarski said. “There are standards, there are new interpretations, there are new protocols and policies, so there are many variables out there.” Gene Deisinger, deputy chief of Tech Police, said the warning e-mails are used to spread information, not just to warn about active threats. Several other factors have contributed to the increase in notifications, including the number of crimes that justify it as well as new technologies.
“There is another factor that has changed over recent years, and that is the rapidity with which information, accurate or inaccurate, about an incident occurring in the community flares around the community outside of official notifications,” Deisinger said. He said this rapid flow of information was the reason behind the Jan. 19 notification about a man seen carrying an assault rifle. “Blacksburg (Police) cleared that as unfounded,” Deisinger said, “but there was so much misinformation about that incident that they chose to put out a release and we chose to ask University Relations’ assistance in getting that out to the community. Not because we believed there was a threat, but because of the misinformation people believed there was a threat.” “Ten years ago you didn’t have that speed of information going out through text messaging,” Deisinger said. “So that’s become
a factor that was never anticipated in the formulation of the law.” Morgan said there aren’t clear indicators as to which incident necessitates an alert, and that the process for making that decision is constantly changing. A recent notification brought attention to a forcible fondling that occurred in November, but had only been recently reported. “When the incident goes out on our daily crime log, the automatic assumption when they see a forcible fondling or a sexual assault, people just have these images that they make in their mind based on their experiences or news or whatever, and that is, ‘Some stranger jumped out of the bushes and attacked this person,’” Morgan said. “We just want the community to be aware of what’s going on. They may hear information, they hear pieces of information, and by the time that information gets to the third person it’s nowhere even close to what it
started like.” Owczarski said there is often a need to find a balance between enough information and too much information, and that the balance is hard to achieve. “One of the things I’m concerned about is getting to a number of crime reports that desensitizes the community, which stops listening,” Deisinger said. “In regard to the timely warnings that have been sent out this past month or so, the police department gets a whole range of responses to those, from ‘Take me off your mailing list, I don’t want to be bothered with this stuff’ to, ‘Thank you for keeping us informed, it’s satisfying to know that we’re kept up to date about it.’” Deisinger also said the department receives tips in response to some of the notification, and that the tips can help solve crimes. “The intent of the law is to keep the community as aware of ongoing safety issues as possible.”
Task force hopes to curb student drinking habits GORDON BLOCK associate news editor Virginia Tech administrators are lamenting a negative change in the drinking culture of students as they prepare to assemble an alcohol task force for its first meeting of the spring semester. Ed Spencer, vice president of student affairs, formed the task force in October. Spencer said high levels of student drinking, which he called “staggering,” and the death of Tech student David Gayle on Sept. 25, 2009, were some of the reasons for forming the group. Gayle, a sophomore political science major, died after falling from a balcony at the Whipple Drive apartment com-
plex. The Roanoke Times reported Sunday that Gayle’s official cause of death was post-traumatic apnea due to a cerebral concussion and acute alcohol intoxication. Spencer also spoke of the need for the university to be proactive in working with students about responsible drinking. “I started to think — can we not simply get other students to intervene when somebody is drinking too fast?” Spencer said. “How do we be proactive about this issue?” The task force, led by assistant vice president for student affairs Rick Ferraro, has representatives from several Tech departments, the Town of Blacksburg, and the student body. Several students will also take part
Alcohol Beverage Related Student Conduct Cases 1,364 cases in 2009-2010 905 cases in 2008-2009 1,543 cases in 2007-2008 in the task force. Ryan Smith, a graduate student studying organizational psychology, said he had seen a lot of changes since he arrived at Tech as an undergraduate.
“I’m really passionate to reduce some of the harm that comes with that,” Smith said. Smith, who assists with alcohol research on Tech students, said he frequently observes students in downtown Blacksburg with blood alcohol content levels over the legal driving limit. Figures for drinking patterns of Tech students were not readily available, and alcohol-related caseload totals from the Office of Student Conduct are not conclusive toward any long-term trend. Records from student conduct show the office took in 1,364 alcohol-related cases in the 2009-10 school year, up from 905 cases in the 2008-09 school year and down from the 1,543 cases in the 2007-08 school year.
“It’s tough to draw real definitive conclusions,” Spencer said. “The student conduct data is just the tip of the iceberg.” Steven Clarke, director of Tech’s Campus Alcohol Abuse Prevention Center, said his office had seen 650 students for the 2010-11 school year, on pace to pass last year’s mark of around 950 students. Clarke cited statistics from a 2007 study that claimed 20 percent of patients at Tech’s Schiffert Health Center came in from alcohol-related injuries, including sprains and bruises to the arms, head and legs. “We are seeing what represents a serious amount of injuries,” Clarke said. Several task force members talked about a policy modeled after the
Actively Caring program, which rewards good behavior through the distribution of green wristbands. “It would be a matter of making people aware of bystander effect and how they can intervene in these situations,” Clarke said. “Students are in the best place to recognize these problem. I’m not there at the party on Friday night.” Smith said Gayle’s death may have been avoided had someone spoken out at the alleged party Gayle was attending when he fell. “A life could have been saved that day,” Smith said. The task force’s Friday meeting will not be open to media or the general public, with Spencer saying inviting media would “stifle” discussion.
2 spring break guide septemberfebruary 23, 2009 4, 2011
B news editors: philipp kotlaba, liana bayne, gordonpage block newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
GABBY VALDESPINO / COLLEGIATE TIMES
Students advised to travel safely ERIN CHAPMAN news staff writer Warm weather approaches, and soon students in Blacksburg will take a much needed spring break. Beaches are always popular destinations, but some college students will take this time off from classes to spend time in a foreign country doing service work. Those who will be using an airport to reach their destination should be aware of security concerns and travel procedures. Sherry Wallace, manager of marketing & air service development at Roanoke Regional Airport, says the airport will be prepared to deal with extra travelers throughout March. “We are expecting heavy traffic during the spring break period, we make sure to have extra staff on
hand to have people move through the airport as quickly as possible” Wallace said. Roanoke Airport is not using the controversial new body scanners, but will be implementing random pat downs of travelers. Travelers on international flights should plan to arrive at the ticket counter two hours prior to departure to leave enough time to board their flights. Wallace also expects the Smart Bus that brings students to Roanoke will be crowed during peak travel times. As of January 2003, everyone traveling by air between the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and Bermuda needs a passport for travel; students planning a tropical vacation for their spring break should already have a passport or have it on the way. Packing light is essential to international and domestic traveling.
Travelers can take 3 ounces or less of liquid through the screening checkpoint, and all liquids must fit in a one-quart zip lock bag. To stay healthy in unfamiliar locations, students should consider putting together a kit that contains prescribed medication as well as over the counter medicine, sunscreen and insect repellant. Hand washing in foreign places is essential to staying healthy. Travelers should be sure they are up to date on routine vaccinations and be aware of any other required vaccinations for their country of destination. Wallace also said if students are traveling to a foreign country, it would be helpful learn basic phrases of the local languages. Above all, college-aged travelers should be aware of their surroundings when traveling and always travel in a group.
Stick with your New Yearʼs Resolutions!
Lose weight for Spring Break!
Students avoid routine locations, seek exotic foreign destinations MICHELLE SUTHERLAND news reporter Students are excited to travel in the United States and abroad this spring break. Sarah Anderson of University Travel said the most popular destination this year is Cancun, Mexico. “The price is very good,” she said, “Most prices are inclusive, so all of the meals and drinks are already paid for.” Other popular destinations are Jamaica, Mexico’s west coast and the Bahamas.
She said there has been a decrease in numbers of travelers this year, but it is only slightly lower than years past. Molly Morris, a Virginia Tech sophomore, is taking a tour of the South with friends for her spring break for a different type of adventure. “I’m excited because I get to go to six states I’ve never been to before,” she said. The trip will take her from Staunton, Va., through several cities such as Birmingham, Little Rock, Louisville and others.
The estimated total driving time, according to Google maps, will be 24 hours over the entire break. Tech student Bitty Haydu is going to Disney World with her family. “Now just seems like the perfect time,” she said. “I have a lot of little siblings and they’ll be old enough to remember it. And it’s Disney World! That’s always fun no matter how old you are.”
february 4, 2011
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Cruise with unlimited alcohol gives Tech students unique opportunities ANDREW REILLY features staff writer Groaning at the prospect of another spring break in Panama City? You’re not alone. The panhandle town may be a college hot spot, but forgive some upperclassmen if crowded beaches and empty wallets aren’t their idea of a good time. This time last year, senior industrial engineering major John Bryant was stuck accompanying the freshman hordes to Florida when his original plan fell through. He enjoyed Panama City but vowed to do something better this spring break. “It just wasn’t the same,” Bryant said. “I took it upon myself to make sure it happened this year so we didn’t miss out.” True to his word, Bryant has toiled since October organizing a seven-day cruise around the Caribbean with hundreds of students from Virginia Tech and nearby colleges. The Norwegian Cruise Line trip revives a tradition started by Delta
Sigma Phi brothers in 2008 when Bryant helped assemble a party of 35 for a week aboard a cruise ship leaving from Charleston, S.C. From that point on, he knew that no other break destinations could compare. The brothers wasted no time in planning a follow-up cruise for the next school year. “I personally think going on a cruise is the best spring break you can have,” he said. After a one-year hiatus, Bryant dedicated himself to organizing the largest Hokie cruise yet in 2011. Mission accomplished: 94 people, nearly twice the 2009 total, will arrive in New Orleans during the first week of March for a weeklong jaunt around the Caribbean. In a scheduling coup, the group will also be spending a weekend smack-dab in the middle of Mardi Gras. Bryant was offered the New Orleans departure option while negotiating with the cruise line and leapt at the opportunity. “I figured two days for Mardi Gras and seven days on a cruise — you can’t
“
I figured two days for Mardi Gras and seven days on a cruise, you can’t really ask for a better spring break than that. JOHN BRYANT TRIP PLANNER
really ask for a better spring break than that,” he said. The students will spend break being whisked around the Caribbean to exotic locations in Belize, Honduras and Mexico. The variety of settings are central to the cruise trip’s appeal for Bryant. “When you’re (at a set spot) for seven days and you wake up in the same spot seeing the same views, by the end of the week, you’re ready to go home,” he said. “Whereas on a cruise, every other day you’re in a new country seeing completely different things, it keeps the vacation a lot more interesting. I’d rather stop at five different paradise spots than
stay at one spot for seven days.” Much of the trip was planned around the alcohol deals offered by competing cruise lines, or lack thereof. Only Norwegian offered an all-inclusive group drink package allowing unlimited alcoholic beverages throughout the week. For an additional $350 on top of the cabin price, participants over age 21 can indulge in as many poolside daiquiris as their hearts desire. “The package was definitely the way to go,” Bryant said, noting that friends with different cruise reservations are worried about crippling bar tabs at the end of their trip. While this particular ship is booked, there are still different cruise options available for students scrambling to make plans. Bryant said those who missed out this year should not fret; his beloved Hokie cruise will return. “Next year I’m going to still be around, and more than likely, I’ll be setting something up again,” he said. “It’s definitely something that I think anyone should look into for next spring break.”
Students pursue alternative spring break plans MIA PERRY features reporter The picture that comes to mind when people hear “Spring Break” often includes a lot of partying, warm beaches and half naked people. That’s all good and fun, but there are a lot of students using their spring breaks differently, whether it be to serve others, or just do something fun that doesn’t break the bank or involve a weeklong hangover. Catholic Campus Ministries is an example of a group sponsoring some alternative spring break trips right here at Virginia Tech. “We actually have seven trips going this year,” said Joshua Milas, a senior biological sciences major. In all, there are about 70 students going on the campus ministry sponsored during spring break. The group will send students to U.S. locations in need such as Louisville, Ky., Mound Bayou, Miss. and Flint, Mich., as well as overseas to Mexico and Haiti. The students participating in these trips are ready to serve the respective communities however they can. The trip to Louisville will concentrate on helping refugee immigrants and their
resettlement. The group traveling to Flint will help various local service groups, spending about half a day with each one. “Our policy is to just go where they are, and meet their needs as best we can,” said Milas of the people the group aims to serve. “We don’t build them huge houses in a week or anything, we are just there to see what they need us to help with.” While the trips with Catholic Campus Ministries are all booked, it is not too late to join other trips with Tech-affiliated groups. Hillel offers service trips to both Israel and Los Angeles. The Los Angeles trip partners with City Year, a service organization. Hillel is still taking applicants for these trips. The YMCA has also organized an alternative spring break trip. Right now, it is accepting applications for a trip to Wild Meadows Farm in Bedford County, Penn. This trip also focuses on the community service and learning experience. The farm is embedded in the Alleghany mountainside, and is surrounded by beautiful landscape and forest. While on the trip, students will participate in various farm activities to learn a plethora of skills, ranging from sustainable
D E T N WA
agriculture to regenerative entrepreneurship. There are also groups outside the university community offering alternative trips. Alternativebreaks.org is the site for Break Away, an organization that hosts a plethora of service trips. Students don’t even necessarily need to travel to do some service work. There are plenty of places in every town that could use volunteers. Check out local YMCAs, homeless shelters, food kitchens and other organizations to help closer to home. But alternative breaks don’t necessarily have to be about service — there are many other ways to enjoy the springtime hiatus in a not-sotraditional — not to mention cheaper — way. ROAD TRIPS Take a road trip. Money for gas and food is really all that is necessary. Explore a nearby town, or just see how many state lines can be crossed in a day. Visit food venues from “Man Vs. Food” — the popular Travel Channel show where Adam Richman visits little-known restaurants and consumes their gargantuan portions and deli-
Agricultural Technician
Temporary, wage positions not to exceed 1500 hrs/yr.
Location: Virginia Tech Southern Piedmont AREC, Blackstone, VA
Duties: Provide support as agricultural technician. Duties will include collecting research information, planting and maintaining research plots, and driving to research plots on and off research center grounds. Qualifications: Experience and/or education in agriculture or basic science; ability to perform duties required in the production and research of crops in fields, greenhouses, and laboratories; ability to work in adverse weather conditions. Must have a valid driver’s license and pass a criminal background check. Review of applications will begin February 21, 2011 and continue until all vacancies are filled. Access our web site at www.jobs.vt.edu to submit an application. Search on posting number 0110043. For questions, contact Betty Lou Mayton, Southern Piedmont AREC, 2375 Darvills Road, Blackstone, VA 23824 (434) 292-5331 Ext. 222.
cious foods. Another “food trip” could be to Pink Cadillac Diner, a nearby diner off of Interstate 81 that was featured on Guy Fieri’s Food Network Show, “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.” Visit friends in another city. Maybe their spring break is a different week — it’s a good time to catch up and visit other schools, or hometowns friends have moved to. Their couch may not be the most comfortable place to sleep, but at least it’s free. Take a road trip to a major city. Opting to stay in a youth hostel rather than a swanky hotel can save a lot of money. Visit the cities museums, monuments, parks and shopping districts. OTHER OPTIONS Go camping. It’s getting a little warmer — but whether you camp in your backyard or a national park, someone snuggling in your sleeping bag is sure to make for a hot trip. Take a fishing trip. Even if you’ve never fished before, it’s not hard to learn, and it is a relaxing way to have fun with friends. Girls, be sure to bring some guys along if you don’t want to bait your own hooks.
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news editors: philipp kotlaba, liana bayne, gordon block newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
february 4, 2011
COLLEGIATETIMES
what you’re saying //comments from online readers...
virginia
On National Signing Day:
W&M professor given 15 years on sex charges
John>> you can pretty much recycle beamer’s comments for each year’s recruiting class because they are the same each year. “it’s a good class with potential.” and notice all the four-star recruits were on the defensive side.
Anonymous >> This team will never contend on a national scale if the recruiting stays the same.
Thomas >> This article is timely in light of the loss to Stanford and the glaring weaknesses in our linebackers and O and D lines versus Stanford. Unfortunately, our class this year really is mediocre, we are ranked below Florida State, Clemson and UVa and probably other schools. I don’t get it. According to some Hokie observers such as Bill Roth, Tech is the “shining star” of the ACC. Why are kids like Grant (OSU), Hughes, Turner and Holts (UNC), Anthony (Clem) and Thourogood(Vandy- for God sakes!) not signing with VT? Is it because they don’t like Blacksburg or maybe they don’t see Tech as a serious national contender? Not surprising, I don’t think anyone else does outside of the Hokie Nation. The article closes with a very salient statement regarding our inability to take our program to the next level by pointing out that the teams who have won the NC in the past decade have had top 5 recruiting classes in the years prior to winning it. We need to stop kidding ourselves that we’re getting good recruits because we have a handful of 4 star athletes sprinkled in with 2’s and 3’s. We need to find a way to keep the guys mentioned above from going anywhere except Tech. Shouldn’t be too hard- we are a “shining star”.
NORFOLK -- A former professor at the College of William and Mary was sentenced in federal court Thursday to 15 years in prison for enticing a 14-year-old Ohio girl to send him naked pictures of herself online. Justin B. May, 34, an assistant professor of economics who was terminated following the charges against him, pleaded guilty in October to production of child pornography. Several other charges dismissed as part of the plea agreement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
U.S. District Judge Raymond A. Jackson sentenced May to 15 years in prison, which was the mandatory sentence for the crime under law. Jackson termed May “an Internet predator -- that’s one who preys on young people,” Jackson said. “This crime has a lasting impact,” Jackson said. “It ... inflicts psychological pain and misery to a lot of people.” But May could think only of his “self-gratification,” not the pain he caused his family, friends and victim.
Jackson also imposed a probationary term of 10 years after he gets out of prison. The probation will carry several terms, including not being able to be alone around minors and not being allowed to use a computer without prior authorization from the probation officer. May’s father and former girlfriend both declined to comment after the hearing. -peter dujardin, mcclatchy newspapers
world Cairo violence spills out of Tahir Square CAIRO — Gunfire erupted in downtown Cairo Thursday when anti-government protesters broke out of their barricades on the edge of Tahrir Square. It was the second day of clashes between opponents and supporters of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. A larger confrontation loomed Friday, when protest organizers
called for a redoubling of efforts to force Mubarak to step aside. On Thursday, the principal flash point remained near the Egyptian Museum. Foreigners were menaced by roving groups of proMubarak forces. At impromptu checkpoints, people were ordered to produce identification — a token of the vigilante system that
has taken over the city. “Yesterday was a slaughter,” said Mahmoud Mustafa Mohammad, who helped defend the square. “I will be here until Mubarak leaves, or I die.” -timothy m. phelps, ned parker & laura king, mcclatchy newspapers
opınıons 5
editors: scott masselli, gabi seltzer opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
february 4, 2011
The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903
VIRGINIA GREENE / COLLEGIATE TIMES
Our Views [staff editorial]
Super Bowl stadium: over the top gluttony As
many of you may know, this year’s Super Bowl will be played in the new home of the Dallas Cowboys, Cowboys Stadium. I’m sure there are objections to the location from super fans and the like, however, another objection — one that might be too late — is the excess of Cowboys Stadium. This is the inaugural year for Cowboys Stadium, which was officially completed in May 2009 and cost $1.15 billion. Yes, $1.15 billion. Now, what are those who attend Cowboys games getting that’s so special? First of all, they are getting the world’s largest high-definition video display. The world’s mosttalked about video screen spans from 20-yard line to 20-yard line — preventing people sitting in those seats from seeing the entire stadium. Also, the stadium has about 80,000 seats, is able to hold a variety of events and even has some cool looking arches. On the other hand, the stadium that was replaced by Cowboys Stadium, Texas Stadium, was built in 1971 and housed decades of Cowboys football history. It held about 65,000 fans and hosted a number of events other than football. Basically, it seated about 15,000 fewer people and didn’t have a TV screen that belongs in the Guinness Book of World Records. Aside from additional seating and a new marketing schtick, nothing really changed. During the team’s time in
Texas Stadium, the Cowboys won four of their five Super Bowl titles, eight conference championships and numerous additional titles. Texas Stadium had an amazing history and housed dedicated fans for decades. What happened to the era of going to watch exceedingly talented — yet somewhat humble — athletes play in stadiums that housed legendary players such as Troy Aikman and Babe Ruth? Is there really something wrong with having the opportunity to attend a game played by your favorite team in the stadium that your father and grandfather sat in when they were young? Moving into the 21st century, it is very important to recognize and keep up with current demands and technological advances, but there are also consequences to forgetting a rich past with classic heroes, honorable competition and valuable memories. People should look back and remember sports started as competitions among men, not who can have the most incredible stadium or biggest salaries. Sports are about more than money. They are about history, love of the game and, perhaps most importantly, a bridge between the past and the future, as we work daily to leave our mark on the present. -the editorial board is composed of peter velz, scott masselli and gabi seltzer
Obama choosing sides on game day lmost everyone has a favorite football team — almost. I A would be lying if I said the Super Bowl caught my attention, and the last thing I care about is who’s playing. But that’s the point of the Super Bowl, right? To see those two teams that have made it so far, that is what it’s about, right? Regardless, someone who cares about the teams and game much more than me is President Barack Obama. The former senator from Illinois and long-time inhabitant of the Windy City made a candid statement about attending the Super Bowl if the Chicago Bears made it to the game. Well, they didn’t. So what’s the big deal? First of all, had the Bears won the NFC Championship Game, and Obama actually attended the Super Bowl, he would be the first sitting president to attend — ever. Now, I may not be well versed or familiar with the world of football, but I certainly know it is an American pastime. Why else would it be the only country that calls it football? America’s love affair with the sport would make you think that every president would attend the acclaimed event. And maybe, just maybe, Obama will. Coming in at a close second to the Bears on Obama’s list of teams, is — wait for it — the Pittsburgh Steelers. From what I’ve heard, everyone loves them. But the president claims that this isn’t a bandwagon interest, saying he has followed the team for years, and a few team members and the Steelers’ coach supported his campaign. Making a decided statement that he would be supporting the Steelers this coming Sunday, you have to wonder if maybe he wants to go. After all, Obama claims to have supported the Steelers for quite some time, and as his second team, you have to think he would support them as much as possible. What more support would the Steelers need at a national event than the president of the country actually
being at the game, and better yet, rooting for them? While Obama only committed to attending if the Bears were in the game, there might still be hope. Of course, when planning the security for such a massive event, I doubt his presence would be announced prior to the actual game if he did make such a decision. Apart from security measures, the president’s interest in the game is striking for more than one reason. The first reason is just the possibility of him attending, but also how close he is to a team that almost made it and his second favorite that did. However, if the Bears were in the Super Bowl, I wonder what he would have done with himself. Given Obama’s commitment to the Bears, I have to wonder if maybe he doesn’t want to go just because of the Green Bay Packers; after all, it is the team that knocked the Bears out of the Super Bowl. If this were my sort of thing, I wouldn’t want to see them play either. When meeting with the Packers to congratulate them on the win against the Bears, Obama made it clear that he didn’t plan on attending the Super Bowl this year. However, the players did prod him to come anyway, saying that if they didn’t see him at the game, they would see him at the White House once they beat the Steelers. Whether they intended that to be another jab at the president’s football preferences, I am not sure, but I think it’s safe to say they didn’t think of it as a joke. Maybe Obama would honor the tradition of allowing the winning team to visit the White House if the Packers do win. I mean, first they beat the Bears, and then they take out the Steelers? I guess we’ll have to wait and see.
SEAN SIMONS -regular columnist -English major -junior
Commercials detract from favorite American pastime Feb. 6, an estimated 130 million people will tune On in to Super Bowl XLV between the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. If previous years are worth statistical accuracy in determining the nature of this year’s Super Bowl, almost 51 percent of those viewing will watch the nearly four-hour game exclusively for the commercials. This does not seem like too much of a surprise; we all know the Super Bowl commercials are by far some of the most entertaining 30-second slots on television. For advertisers, however, the Super Bowl is not merely an entertaining event to watch, but a goldmine of possibilites for imprinting their message of consumption even deeper into the consumer psyche. Over the years, advertising during the Super Bowl has morphed into an almost distinct science and business of its own. During the past decade alone, seven hours of commercial time has occurred during the game at a cost of $1.62 billion. The top five advertisers during the Super Bowl (Anheuser-Busch, Pepsico, Disney, General Motors and Coca-Cola) spent $592 million, accounting for 36 percent of total advertising revenues. Since 1967, when NBC broadcasted the first Super Bowl, the cost for advertising time has increased more than 6,000 percent. NBC charged companies $37,000 for 30 seconds in 1967. This year, costs reached an all-time high as Fox charged companies nearly $3 million for the same 30 seconds of airtime. This proved to be no deterrent to companies purchasing precious airtime, however, as Fox had sold nearly all of the available time by October. In the midst of all this, of course, is the actual game, which has been shrinking over the past decades as advertising time comprises nearly an hour of the television event. The result is the Super Bowl is not so much the epic game between the NFL’s best teams, but rather a circus of propaganda that sings one word in a
united voice toward home viewers: Consume. For many reasons, the Super Bowl stands as a wonderful symbol of many aspects of American life. The quality of competition that seems to be nearly intrinsic to the American ideology stands as a foundation to this single event and the entire season that serves as its context. We as Americans love competition. This sense of competition and the addiction we have to it very comfortably transmits itself into the foundation for our entire economy. The result is a socio-economic ideology constructed with the single purpose of getting people with money to spend it. Nearly every day of our lives is spent in an almost overwhelming force of advertisement, as millions of businesses attempt to convince us their product or service is worth our time and money. TV is one of the most effective modes of transmitting the plea for consumption that companies survive on, yet we have become so accustomed to our consumer culture that most people do not even pay attention to the ads presented. Only 17 percent of viewers reported actually focusing on commercials during regular programming. Interestingly enough, however, the Super Bowl has become the single event in which we voluntarily and happily give advertisers our attention and time, as more than 45 percent of people reported focusing on its commercials. The capitalist mentality that has constructed the entire social perspective of the American psyche is certainly a far more complex phenomenon than we are normally accustomed to seeing. We love the cheapness and ease with which we can acquire products, but express dismay over the lives destroyed by their construction. We love the luxury we live, yet feel hatred over the loss of the more precious and simple things that seemed to give life more value. Within all of this, the Super Bowl
has been reconstructed to better fit the needs of our ideology, and so with it we see gain and loss. As a four-hour event, there are few other events as effective at bringing such a wide array of people together. But as the product of the marriage between consumption and production, the Super Bowl serves as a more effective propaganda machine than the Third Reich could have hoped for. As the capitalist mentality has restructured itself in the preceding decades, it has also restructured the Super Bowl. No longer does the simple beauty of humane and honorable competition guide market decisions, but rather the formation of deeper restrictions on behavior in an effort to bring about control over all aspects of a free game (see, for instance, the increasing level of by which new rules are being written into NFL guidelines). In Super Bowl advertising, the love for competition is not the rule companies follow in presenting their products; rather, it is the desire to achieve complete domination over the market, as time slots are priced at such high levels only the chosen elite can enter. Beyond this, the drive to make advertising less about persuasion and more about entertainment has resulted in the blurring of lines between artistic quality and economic consumption. We are, as always, the greatest benefactors and victims of our own system. Whether we should praise ourselves in the technological and economic achievements or lament the loss of the precious qualitative aspects our lives once had is a decision left up to each person. All that can be said is this Sunday, the world will focus its attention to the greatest presentation of the American ideology. Should we be proud of that or not?
JASON CAMPBELL -regular columnist -philosophy major -sophomore
Halftime show hopefully beginning of a new era et ready to actually be able to sing along to this year’s Super G Bowl halftime show. Finally, The Black Eyed Peas — a band that has released an album during the past year — will be performing during the show. While at one point in time, amazing and relevant halftime shows by interesting duos and radio-topping musicians were the norm, merely having heard of the band on the radio in our lifetime seems to be a gift worth celebrating. Ever since the infamous “wardrobe malfunction,” (which I still refuse to believe was not premeditated) sent shockwaves through the hearts and eyes of Americans sitting with their children in front of their TV screens, the Super Bowl higher-ups have attempted to regain trust by having squeaky-clean halftime shows in the years since. Recalling that the fiasco occurred in 2004, it makes me wonder how it took this long for America to forgive the Super Bowl creators for the mishap. Even to this day, some people seem wary of the show when it is obvious this would be the one time they would be more careful than ever. Realistically though, more shocking things have happened on TV that have recovered quicker than this — just think of Madonna and Britney’s kiss or even the daily explosions on Jerry Springer. Let alone more shocking things, but many things that used to be considered shocking simply aren’t any more. Back in Elvis Presley’s time, he was often only shown on television from the waist up because his gyrating moves were considered too vulgar for television. In pointing this out, I don’t mean to dismiss the mistake that was Janet’s overexposure, but
instead to bring attention to the quick forgiveness we often have that has been lacking for years in regard to this particular case. Frankly though, as unfortunate as it may be, the things children hear and see on TV these days, from “The Bad Girls’ Club” to “Jersey Shore,” can hardly be much competition with a Super Bowl halftime show. As a matter of fact, the amount of Jackson’s breast that was exposed in 2004 is actually relatively similar to some of the outfits JWoww wears on the latter of the two popular television shows. Simply because family members are sitting together while watching does not change the fact that many children are exposed to these types of images on TV, in magazine stands and on the Internet regularly. While these themes feel a little more awkward for parents while sitting next to their children during what is considered a family-friendly show, I’m sure most children today wouldn’t be so flabbergasted by the stunt, because they are used to such things. The real solution relies on becoming vigilant adults who promote the correct ideals in children so they recognize the issues present in today’s media, not going up in arms over seeing something vulgar. I also wonder what the return of a current band means in terms of censorship. While I do agree that keeping things shown on TV to a tastefully appropriate level is important for family shows, paranoia over losing a good image is not productive, which is most likely the factor that kept current bands sidelined for so long. There is also a large population of people who believe censorship has gotten completely out of hand. In
reading comments on YouTube clips of the 2004 halftime show, some people even comment saying they were shocked by the uproar generated while living in a land where free speech and liberty are held sacred. Either way, I imagine Fox, the network televising the event this year, will be very careful in planning the show, as it is an opportunity to prove itself and gain viewers back. Perhaps Fox may have reason to be slightly worried, however, as Black Eyed Peas member will.i.am has recently been quoted saying, “We’re known for doing outlandish things and we’re going to make this a big spectacle.” He may be right after all, as Fergie did wet herself on stage during a performance back in 2005 — something she may believe (or hope at least) that most people have forgotten about. The group also mentioned it is not trying to win over new fans or change anyone’s mind with this performance, but hopes everyone will watch it in awe. Here’s hoping The Black Eyed Peas’ performance will be the start of many more entertaining shows at the Super Bowl — a part that many people used to enjoy almost as much as the commercials — before they became the main event themselves. Either way, I will be watching with pretty high expectations, as it should prove to be an interesting performance, and hopefully one without any accidents.
NOOR KHALIDI -regular columnist -economics major -junior
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february 4, 2011
page 6
Free trade: U.S. corn flows south, Mexican farm towns export men TIM JOHNSON
ary school, they leave for the United States or other states of Mexico,” Duran said. His cousin, Jesus Duran, said young men see little future as corn farmers and observe with dismay how the government aims subsidies at medium and big farms, leaving only a trickle for small family farms. “If you go to the offices over there and ask for help,” Duran said, nodding to the local agriculture agency, “they say there isn’t any to give.” Mexican negotiators who signed the NAFTA agreement hoped that small corn farmers thrown out of work by rising imports of cheap U.S. corn would be absorbed into jobs in the fruit and vegetable export industry or in manufacturing. “That turned out to be incorrect. The numbers of people displaced from family farming were much, much higher than the number of new wage jobs,” said Jonathan Fox, an expert on rural Mexico at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Then U.S. corn imports crested like a rain-swollen river, increasing from 7 percent of Mexican consumption to around 34 percent, mostly for animal feed and for industrial uses such as cornstarch. “It’s been roughly a tripling, quadrupling, quintupling of U.S. corn exports to Mexico, depending on the year,” said Timothy A. Wise, the director of research and policy at theGlobal Development and Environment Institute at Tufts University in Medford, Mass. “Is that a river? Yeah, that’s a lot of corn.”
Fox and Wise are among the collaborators on a study, “Subsidizing Inequality: Mexican corn policy since NAFTA,” released last autumn. Representatives of small farmers say Mexico’s policymakers tossed the dice that trade-spurred growth would take care of rural disruptions — and lost. “The great failure of this supposition is that there wasn’t economic growth that would absorb these people,” said Victor Suarez, the executive director of the National Association of Rural Producers, which represents 60,000 small farmers. “The result has left rural areas increasingly populated by the elderly and women.” Faced with deepening poverty, rural migrants have tried to escape regions of Mexico that never used to be sources of emigration. “In Chiapas, there was hardly any migration before NAFTA,” Suarez said, referring to Mexico’s southernmost state. “Farm laborers were even brought in from Guatemala. Now, more than 50,000 rural people from Chiapas go each year to the United States.” Corn imports from the U.S. are only one component of what scholars say is a complex picture. In fact, Mexican corn production has risen since the trade pact, driven by domestic agribusiness and supported by subsidies biased to favor large producers that by one estimate surpassed $20 billion in the past two decades. The Mexican government also has cash-transfer subsidies, known as ProCampo, for small farmers who are considered the free-trade pact’s losers. But they reach only a portion of small
corn growers, a quarter of whom are indigenous. Some rural farmers no longer have enough corn to sell, sinking into subsistence living for themselves and their families. “Of my generation,” said 33-year-old Baldemar Mendoza, a Zapotec small corn farmer in the Sierra Juarez area of Oaxaca, “many people want nothing to do with farming because it doesn’t pay. With all the changes in the weather, there is no certainty that your harvest will be good.” Unless the central government tweaks subsidies to make more small family farms economically viable, the result may be sustained migrant flows, experts said. “The government didn’t so much pull the plug on corn. The government pulled the plug on family farmers who grow corn because the big guys who grew corn got massive subsidies and protection from imports,” Fox said. Under the free-trade umbrella, several Mexican agro-industrial companies have become muscular global conglomerates. “Before NAFTA, Grupo Bimbo was a big company. Now it is the largest industrial user of wheat in the world,” Suarez said, referring to the world’s No. 1 bread maker. “Maseca was a big company. Now it is a global company with a strong position in cornmeal worldwide.” Their powerful position in the market has kept prices high for consumers, while in the countryside, the social fabric frays as families disperse to find jobs. The impact, Fox said, “unravels rural
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mcclatchy newspapers Look around the rain-fed corn farms in Oaxaca state, and in vast areas of Mexico, and one sees few young men, just elderly people and single mothers. “The men have gone to the United States,” explained Abel Santiago Duran, a 56-year-old municipal agent, as he surveyed this empty village in Oaxaca state. The countryside wasn’t supposed to hollow out in this way when the North American Free Trade Agreement linked Mexico, Canada and the U.S. in 1994. Mexico, hoping its factories would absorb displaced farmers, said it would “export goods, not people.” But in hindsight, the agricultural elements of the pact were brutal on Mexico’s corn farmers. A flood of U.S. corn imports, combined with subsidies that favor agribusiness, are blamed for the loss of 2 million farm jobs in Mexico. The trade pact worsened illegal migration, some experts say, particularly in areas where small farmers barely eke out a living. That is the case in the rolling hills of western Oaxaca state, ancestral lands of indigenous Mixtecs who till small plots of corn, beans and squash between stands of jacarandas, junipers and eucalyptus. Eagles soar in the brilliant blue skies. Clumps of prickly pear and organ cactus attest to the sporadic nature of rainfall. When a visitor arrives, the grayhaired men on the veranda of the village hall talk about the exodus of young men. “When they hit 18 and finish second-
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The agricultural elements of the NAFTA pact were brutal on Mexico’s corn farmers. A flood of U.S. corn imports are blamed for job losses. communities, separates families and makes it difficult for young people to see a future in their communities of origin.” Josefa Soriano, 74, doesn’t need an explanation of what’s happening. She sees it with her own eyes. As a rural exodus unfolds, families keep fewer of the animals such as goats, cattle and burros that provided manure for fields. Such livestock must have caretakers. “You have no choice but to buy fertil-
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By Doug Peterson
33 Ready for another voyage 36 Fibonacci, by birth 37 Makeup of Martha’ s Vineyard’ s Gay Head Clif fs 43 Hardest to get hold of 45 “Twilight” protagonist 46 Got by 47 Bane of liberal religio n 48 Doomed 49 Piece in th e game Reversi 50 Pad opener 51 Simpsons creator Groening 52 Inventory abbr. 55 Tech sch. overlooking the Hudson 56 Solo in sci-fi
2/4/11 28 __ Bass Fishing: video gam e 29 And such: Abbr. 31 “Haven’t decided yet” 32 Battle of Salamis victors 34 Tenn. awards org. 35 Surprises for some swingers 38 Gallic title: Abbr. 39 Take over 40 Breakfast item 41 Penn. is on it 42 Change one’s positio n 43 Philippics 44 “‘Tis he, that villain Romeo” speaker
46 Time for action 48 Composed 49 A-line designer 50 “That’ s odd ...” 53 __ Mountains: Mt. Narodnaya’ s range 54 Military foothold 57 Diamond with records 58 Bath additiv e 59 Nut for drinks 60 Ad exec’ s pith y description of 1-Across?
DOW N 1 Mil. squad leader, perhaps 2 Its Plus version has a lubricatin g strip 3 “The First __” 4 Roman numeral 5 Trojan War survivo r 6 Palminteri of “A Bronx Tale” 7 Hampshire hauler 8 Subtle quality 9 Private entertainers, for short? 10 Place for pins and needles
Thursday’s Puzzle Solved
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Spell the phrase in the grid above it, writing each unique letter only once. The correct solution will spell the complete phrase along a single continuous spelling path that moves horizontally, vertically and diagonally. Fill the grid from square to square - revisiting letters as needed to complete the spelling path in order. Each letter will appear only once in the grid. © 2011 Thinking Machine, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
ACROSS 1 Noted list keeper 11 Deuce follower, at times 15 Depot 16 Isle of Mull neighbor 17 Superhero wh o had an arch foe named Bull’ s-Eye 18 Expeditions, e.g. 19 Latvian chess champ of 1960-’61 20 Biblical reformer 21 “Ri-i-ight” 23 Not well-defined 24 Gets down, in a way 25 They might be stolen
izer now,” she said. “If you don’t fertilize, nothing grows, not even fodder.” As she ambled through the settlement, Soriano offered a running commentary on those who have migrated. “The village is almost without people,” Soriano said. “Many houses are empty. The fathers and the sons have gone.” She turned to a visitor and said, “If the young people always leave, what do you think will happen to us?”
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7 He Said: What happens after the big 21? people & clubs
editors: lindsey brookbank, kim walter featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
SAID
february 4, 2011
he she
a casual estimate of 35 days, eight hours and 53 minutes, I In will reach an arbitrary milestone and
She Said: Friends deliver college birthdays I
remember closing my eyes and crossing my fingers as I made my annual birthday wishes years ago. As I’d open my eyes I would made a quick glance around the room, looking at all the warm smiles before checking out the cake with my name on it. I kept it simple every year — white cake with vanilla icing. Now, laser tag joints, pools and sleeping bags are no longer necessities for birthdays. Instead of making invitations and goodie bags, we use Facebook events to get the word out. We no longer blow out the candles and wish that we get the toy we’ve been dreaming about, and we are no longer swarmed with gifts from our friends that tell us we had the birthday party of the year. The competition of who had the coolest birthday party is no longer relevant. It’s not about whether the ice skating rink was more exciting than the movie theatre. Birthday parties in Blacksburg are about the amount of people that came to your party and how long it lasted. There’s always a birthday party in Blacksburg. Even with Facebook invites, it’s rare for you to know everyone at the party, even if it is your own. People show up and pretend they know everyone to join the party and get some cheap alcohol. It’s not too hard for them to pretend they know the birthday girl
when she’s prancing around wasted in a crown, either. All party favors have gone amiss besides that special crown to let everyone know who the princess is. Facing my first birthday without my parents was slightly traumatic. My family birthday dinner and presents were put on hold until the following weekend when I could make it home. Clearly it wasn’t the end of the world, but an early birthday into freshman year showed me how fast I was growing up. Birthdays in Blacksburg can be a blast, but their success relies on your friends. It’s not about gifts. In fact, presents are numbered now that all of us are poor college students. It’s about waking up and having all of your friends celebrate. It still is your day. Receiving over 100 notifications on Facebook will make you feel special even though you are not even close friends with most of them. And if you’re like me, you may be lucky enough to get two birthdays. Who knew that allowing my friend to use my laptop would end up as a terrible life decision? I was out for the night having a good time like any other weekend when I started getting several text messages. The first “Happy Birthday” text threw me off, but I guessed it was a wrong message. After receiving five text messages I knew something was up. My friend’s face said it all. He laughed
hysterically as he told me that he couldn’t resist changing my birthday settings on Facebook. I had received 60 wall posts by the time I returned home. Half of them wished me a happy birthday, while most of my high school friends made comments telling me that it wasn’t my birthday — I guess they thought I didn’t know or something. My real birthday incorporated the usual for a female in Blacksburg — a Mexican dinner with friends, a birthday party and a crown. Whether you’re 21 or not, a birthday in Blacksburg can be one of the greatest nights of your life. You may not have your parents or that Barbie-themed birthday cake, but you do have your friends to celebrate with. Birthdays in Blacksburg are one of two things: a night to remember or a night to forget. Either way everyone will end up with a large collection of pictures and a few great stories to tell for the remainder of their college years. So go out to dinner, wear a crown and obnoxiously celebrate your birthday. You only live once.
CHELSEA GUNTER -features reporter -sophomore -communication major
transform into an adult. Standing on the summit of 21 is genuinely thrilling. The celebration will taste even sweeter because of the frustrating year leading up to it. Twenty is a cruel tease of an age due to the inaccessible bar scene looming over the proceedings, like a spectral Mufasa in the clouds. Finally it’s my turn to bail from the underage scene and its sweat-drenched freshman dance floors, so why am I not more excited? It’s not nostalgia for lost youth; my childhood was dead the moment Shia LaBeouf commanded battle monkeys in Indiana Jones 4. Nor is it legal concern. March 11 just so happens to be the second Friday of spring break and Daytona, Fla., is a comfortable distance from the jurisdiction of overzealous Blacksburg police. My hesitation comes from thinking about the day after the birthday shenanigans. When the hangover subsides, are there any
future festivities that can compare to the dizzying heights of that first night downtown? Access to bars and casinos is an American citizen’s last right to unlock. These diminishing returns on aging grow even more depressing if you subscribe to Patton Oswalt’s theory on the observance of birthdays. A rotund, geeky Oscar Wilde for modern times, Oswalt satirizes some of the least desirable aspects of our culture through absurdist humor. College students basking in the snarky glow of intelligent 21st century comedy owe him a debt of gratitude. Oswalt was a leading member of the alternative comedy resistance when Americans tossed precedent aside and chose hyperliterate humor over the banal Dane Cooks of the world. Oswalt rode his dorky anecdotes and keen insight into modern life to the top of the stand-up world with hilarious tracks, like, “You Are Allowed 20 Birthdays,” in which he advocates a clampdown on unnecessary celebrations. “Anytime you enter a new set of 10s — 20, 30, 40, 50 — you get a birthday. Twenty-one you get an awesome birthday and then that’s it: a birthday every
10 years. ‘I’m 26!’ Great, go to work, who gives a ****?” This train of thought was damping my spirits before I spoke to my sister, a Navy officer. She had broken the rule the night before by celebrating her 24th birthday with friends. These budding military leaders threw a Gatsby-esque outdoor extravaganza with age-appropriate entertainment including kegs, a tiki bar and an inflatable bouncing castle. The image of 30-year-old marines flopping around inside the castle snapped me out of Debbie Downer mode. You only get one opportunity to turn 21, but so what? There’s also only one prom, one first time and one college experience, but that doesn’t mean life goes downhill after they’re done. Besides, there’s still one event I’ll get to anticipate for decades to come: a Redskins Super Bowl victory.
ANDREW REILLY -features staff writer -junior -communication major
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8 sports
editors: michael bealey, garrett ripa sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES
february 4, 2011
Wrestling continues ACC title chase ZACH MARINER sports staff writer There’s an old sports cliche that goes something along the lines of, “If you want to be the best, you’ve got to beat the best.” Or, in the case of the Virginia Tech wrestling team, “If you want to be the champ, you’ve got to beat the champ.” The Hokies will host in-state rival and defending ACC champion Virginia Saturday night in Cassell Coliseum. The team as a whole seems confident entering this weekend’s match, and with good reason. It has put together a dual meet record of 15-4, with all four of those losses coming against top-25 competition. “We’ve had UVa’s number,” said head coach Kevin Dresser. “We’ve beat them four out of the five dual meets that this coaching staff has been here.” While it would be great to beat Virginia at home Saturday evening, the Hokies have their sights set much higher than just a victory over the Cavaliers. “We want to make that five out of six, but at the same time our focus is at the end of the year and the ACC Championships and the NCAA Championships,” Dresser said. Tech’s wrestling team is in the middle of the best season in school history, having been ranked in the top 10 for most of the year, and rising as high as No. 3 two weeks ago. The Hokies are trying to maintain that success by establishing a winning attitude. “After we got second at National
Duals and we were ranked in the top 10, and even in the top 5 this year, we have to expect to win now,” said junior Jesse Dong. “Last week, we beat Lehigh, and that was a big win for our team because they just came off beating (No. 1) Cornell, but we need to start expecting to win.” Dong has been one of the keys to the Hokies’ success this season, and is currently ranked fifth nationally in the 157-pound weight class. He is the defending ACC champ in the 157, and has been named ACC Wrestler of the Week twice in the past three weeks. He’s also been an important factor in putting Tech “on the map,” so to speak. More importantly, however, is the level of consistency Dresser and his staff have maintained within the program. This one successful season might have seem to come out of nowhere from a fan’s perspective, but that’s not entirely true. “I don’t think it’s anything thatwe’ve done differ-
ently at all,” Dresser said. “I think we’ve done the same things over a period of time, and generally when you do the same good things over a period of time, it starts to show up.” And shown up, it has. For the most part, the Hokies have steamrolled their competition this season, and appear a shoo-in to take home first place at the ACC Championships on March 5. As far as the match on Saturday goes, the team doesn’t seem too concerned about tripping up. “We think we’re gonna take it,” said freshman Devin Carter. “It’s a huge rivalry, the fans are gonna love it. That’s the biggest rivalry that we have in the ACC, and they won (the conference) last year.” Carter has been another reason for Tech’s success this season. Despite being a freshman, he’s ranked as high as No. 4 in one poll for the 133-pound weight class. And if the ranking
doesn’t speak for itself, his 255 overall record definitely will. While winning the ACC Championship would be a huge accomplishment for the program and the school as a whole, the team still believes it has a shot at competing for a national championship. “We’re right there,” Dresser said. “There are a lot of teams and a lot of individuals that are right there. What we have to do is separate ourselves from the pack, and that’s what we’re striving to do right now.” If the Hokies take care of business over the next month, starting on Saturday, they might just have a chance to take home the national title in Philadelphia in midMarch. “It’s been a long time coming,” Dong said. “We’ve been knocking at the door for a couple years now. Us being right there nationally is huge and it’s something that just happened this year, but it’s been a long time coming.” Saturday’s match starts at 7 p.m. in Cassell Coliseum, and admission is free. The team is hoping to break its attendance record by having more than 5,000 people at the match.
LUKE MASON / SPPS
The No. 7 Hokies host defending Atlantic Coast Conference champion Virginia Saturday evening.
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Packers and Steelers to clash in Arlington Sunday
MCT CAMPUS
Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers will attempt to win his first title.
THESE TWO STORIED FRANCHISES MAKE FOR ONE OF THE MOST COMPELLING SUPER BOWLS IN RECENT HISTORY ALEX KOMA sports staff writer This is as good as it gets. For once in the last decade, the stars have aligned to create the perfect Super Bowl. The NFL’s title fight will feature the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers, and the matchup holds more promise than any in recent memory. The game features the support of two of the largest fan bases in the entire league, and has plenty of history, as these two teams own nine Lombardi trophies between them. What better way to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the game? However, all of the pageantry surrounding the game has obscured the fact that this is one of the most evenly matched Super Bowls in years, and the outcome of the game will have a hand in determining the legacy of several star players. The game presents an interesting example of an elite modern passing attack, as directed by Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, facing off against the similarly modern zone blitz defensive scheme developed by Steelers’ defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau. Rodgers and his receivers excel at short to midrange throws that can pick a defense apart, and this reliance on quick throws has the potential to disrupt Pittsburgh’s vaunted defense. The Steelers are geared toward stopping the run, ranking first in the league in fewest rush yards allowed, but struggle mightily against the pass. Cornerback Bryant McFadden of the Steelers is particularly vulnerable, and thoughts of talented Green Bay receivers such as Greg Jennings and Donald Driver burning McFadden must have haunted Pittsburgh’s coaching staff all week. Additionally, both teams have had well-documented issues along the offensive line. Pittsburgh has experienced some horrible luck in this department, losing their starting left and right tackles over the course of the season, and although rookie center Maurkice Pouncey has been a surprisingly strong addition to the unit, his status for the game is still uncertain. Various sources, including Pouncey
himself, have reported different versions of the extent of his injury, which is believed to consist of a broken bone in his ankle. There seems to be no clear answer about his health. If he is unable to play, then backup center Doug Legursky will take his place, and despite a botched snap in the conference championship against the Jets, he has played well for the team at both center and guard over the course of the season. Green Bay has undoubtedly had its own share of offensive line issues. Left tackle Chad Clifton has been battling health problems for several weeks now, which isn’t a good sign given that his primary responsibility will be to block James Harrison, one of the league’s most ferocious pass rushers. At right tackle, rookie Brian Bulaga had his share of struggles this season. While he has developed considerably since the start of the year, he will be tasked with blocking LaMarr Woodley, who owns a record 10 sacks in only six postseason games. This matchup could be particularly beneficial to the Steelers, as Woodley could have a similar effect on the game as Harrison did in Super Bowl XLIII, when he demolished struggling Cardinals’ tackle Mike Gandy. If quarterback Ben Roethlisberger were to lead the Steelers to their third title in six years, he will likely ensure his entrance to the Hall of Fame. Another championship would be similarly beneficial to other Steelers players, such as Harrison and Defensive Player of the Year Troy Polamalu. For the Packers, a ring on Rodgers’ finger would legitimize his position as a premier passer, similar to how the Saints’ win last year gave Drew Brees credibility. It may be a cliche, but this game may truly be a game of inches. Depending on the play of each team’s offensive line and the performance of both quarterbacks, the result could go either way. The Packers seem to be the prohibitive favorite, but given the Steelers’ championship experience and Roethlisberger’s tendency to step up in big moments, it would certainly be unwise to discount Pittsburgh. All that’s left now is to wait, and most of all, enjoy the game.