Friday, April 22, 2011 Print Edition

Friday, April 22, 2011

The Collegiate Times’ comprehensive guide to Virginia Tech football

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EXTRAPOINT

great

expectations

JOSHUA MILLER / SPPS

After seeing only limited action in mop-up time last season, Logan Thomas has been handed the task of replacing the seemingly Irreplaceable Tyrod Taylor as the face and leader of the Hokies offense.

Offense adopts new style for a new face at quarterback

The return of the Hokies’ prodigal son MICHAEL BEALEY sports editor

NICK CAFFERKY sports reporter With the 2011 spring game, the Virginia Tech faithful will get to see the beginning of a new era in Hokie football — an era without Ryan Williams and Darren Evans. But perhaps more importantly, it’s an era without Tyrod Taylor.

After four years with Taylor running the offense, the Hokies will finally turn to Logan Thomas, who must now follow in the footsteps of the quarterback that owns just about every Tech record that exists for the position.

The daunting task of filling those shoes is something that will certainly be difficult for Thomas, and is a reason Bryan Stinespring, Tech’s offensive coordinator, wants to shy away from comparisons for right now.

“I don’t really compare Logan to Tyrod — I think a lot of people are going to do that already,” Stinespring said. “They are both good quarterbacks, and I think Tyrod has shown it over time, and that’s what (Thomas) needs to do.”

The change won’t be hard to miss when the spring game starts, as Thomas is a drastic change in body type from the small and elusive Taylor.

Originally slated to be the Hokies’ next superstar tight end, Thomas stands at 6 feet 6 inches, 245 pounds — he looks more like an offensive lineman lined up behind the center than Taylor’s replacement.

With that body build, Thomas is also being compared to another quarterback looking to be drafted on April 28 — former Auburn standout, Cam Newton.

“It’s definitely an honor, just because of all of the awards (Newton) has,” Thomas said.

“I wouldn’t say I am as dynamic of a player as Cam is. Obviously he did it all — he had to, to win a national championship.”

Thomas’ frame will also lead to the Hokies’ offense changing a bit because he doesn’t have the elusiveness that helped Taylor excel in a Tech uniform. With that being said, don’t expect Thomas to be the stereotypical pocket quarterback.

“Once I get going downhill, I have a little bit of speed and have a little more power than (Taylor) would run with,” Thomas said. “I can escape a little bit, and I can get out into space.”

When Thomas does get out into the open field, the opposing secondary will have the difficult task of bringing down a quarterback that played safety in high school and is not afraid to deliver punishing blows himself.

“There is nothing more fun than play see LOGAN / page three

COURTESY OF HOKIE SPORTS

Even as a young boy, Shane Beamer was working for his father on the sidelines.

Perched on the family’s deck and using his sister’s toy walkie-talkie, a young Shane Beamer pretended to call plays down to one of his friends.

While the young offensive coordinator’s schemes may not have made it into his father Frank Beamer’s playbook, Shane Beamer’s passion for the game of football and admiration for his father was evident at an early age.

Now, at 34, he has returned to the sidelines of Lane Stadium 11 years after graduating as a player, to become the new running backs coach and associate head coach for his father’s team. He was hired this year on Valentine’s Day BEAMER and took over for longtime assistant Billy Hite.

Hite coached for 34 seasons on Tech’s staff and has moved into an administrative role this season.

“It’s neat to be back. Obviously a lot of things have changed since I left, but a lot of things haven’t,” Shane Beamer said. “A lot of the same people (are still here), and that’s what makes this program special is the stability of the people, and it’s good to be back with those guys.”

Growing up, Shane Beamer participated in all the different recreational league sports offered. However, his true passion was following in his father’s footsteps as a football coach.

“I think he always knew he wanted to coach, be it high school level or college,” said Cheryl Beamer, Shane Beamer’s mother.

During one Saturday when his father was coaching at Murray State, Shane Beamer had the opportunity to go down on the field before the game. Father and son stood identically with their knees bent smiling for the camera

— a moment that particularly stood out for Cheryl Beamer during her son’s early years.

“I have a picture someone took of them,” Cheryl Beamer said. “He’s standing exactly like his daddy with his arms in his back pockets and his knees bent like his daddy.”

When he was 12, Shane Beamer carried his father’s headset cord to keep it from getting tangled with other players and coaches. As Frank Beamer put it, while they are coaching together for the first time, they’ve had experience on the sideline working with one another.

“Well, we’ve been on the sideline together before because before he started playing at Virginia Tech, he carried the cord for me on the sideline,” Frank Beamer said smiling, remembering his son’s help. “So we’ve been together on the sideline before. You always wanted it to happen, but it had to be the right situation for it to happen.”

“He just admired his father so much,” Cheryl Beamer said.

Although Frank Beamer’s stature as a football coach put him in the public eye more than the average parent, he still held true to his values.

“Frank had a TV show with Murray State and at the time, (Shane) and his sister just thought that was really neat their dad had a show,” Cheryl Beamer said. “He told them from the very beginning, ‘I’m no better than anybody else’s dad, I just happen to be in a profession where I’m on television sometimes.’”

While at Blacksburg High School, Shane Beamer played on the football team as a wide receiver and defensive back. However, he didn’t get to see much of his father because of his coaching commitment.

“A lot of times he didn’t get to see his dad, especially when he was in high school,” Cheryl Beamer said. see FAMILY / page three

Secondary looks to ‘lock down’ opposition MATT JONES sports reporter For decades, America’s most violent and disturbed criminals were sent to Alcatraz Island, a maximum-security prison in California’s San Francisco Bay. Inside, prisoners were separated into different areas of the facility. D Block housed the worst of the worst criminals — people who would never see the light of day again. Inmates slept on cold

steel floors and had no contact with the outside world. No one ever escaped from D Block — it was the definition of lock down.

In 2011, Virginia Tech’s defensive secondary has taken on the name “D Block,” only without the prison guards. However, there is still the same feeling of isolation and helplessness.

“That’s just how it is,” said Detrick Bonner, a redshirt freshman cornerback. “You have to have a name for yourself.”

In 2010, the Hokies’ secondary

“

Everybody has their own playing style, how they approach the game. I approach the game like I’m the best player out there.

JAYRON HOSLEY CORNERBACK

finished third in the country with 23 interceptions. Corner Jayron Hosley led the country with nine interceptions.

It’s that kind of production that

has given Tech a reputation as a top school for defensive backs.

“You’ve got guys who see Virginia Tech, and they see the success — it makes it a lot easier to recruit,” said Torrian Gray, the defensive backfield coach. “With the success that we’ve had, I think that definitely helps.”

Many successful groups in sports history have given themselves nicknames. The Pittsburgh Steelers’ defense of the 1970s was “The Iron Curtain.”

The 2004 World Champion Boston Red Sox were “The Idiots,”

and the Washington Redskins’ offensive linemen of the 1980s were “The Hogs.” Those groups enjoyed unparalleled success on the field, something the D Block hopes to achieve.

“With Kyle (Fuller) maturing, with Jayron as focused as he is, Eddie (Whitley) is going to be steady and solid, and Antone (Exum) coming along, you’ve got guys there who say, ‘We want to be great, coach,’” Gray said. “You call yourselves D Block, and we see D BLOCK / page six

page 2

april 22, 2011

After spring practices, depth chart starting to take form ZACH MARINER sports reporter As spring practice comes to a close for the Virginia Tech football team, a depth chart harboring new faces and several position battles begins to take shape.

Headlining those battles are the two interior linebacker positions, referred to by the coaching staff as “mike” and “backer.”

Despite sitting out most of spring practice with a shoulder injury, redshirt junior Bruce Taylor remains the frontrunner to start at mike for the second consecutive season.

Taylor led the team in 2010 with 91 total tackles, while also recording six sacks.

“I know that I’ll play if I go out there and do what I’m supposed to do,” Taylor said.

However, his injury has given former starter Barquell Rivers a chance to prove his worth over the past several weeks. The senior, who started all 13 games in 2009, sat out the entire 2010 season recovering from tendinitis in his knee as a result of a ruptured tendon in his left quadriceps.

“I’m real happy for Barquell that he’s come back,” said Bud Foster, defensive coordinator, “He gives you solid play back there. He’s not in great shape, he needs to get that leg a little stronger, but he’s doing the right things. He gives us added stability in there.”

Redshirt sophomore Jack Tyler – who showed signs of promise in limited playing time last season, and got his first start in the Hokies Orange Bowl loss to Stanford – will also look to compete with Taylor and Rivers for the starting job.

“I think it’s good for the team to have depth,” Taylor said, “At the mike position we have three guys that can be trusted to go out there and make plays.”

At backer, Tariq Edwards has been given the majority of the snaps this spring and is the leading candidate to replace Lyndell Gibson, who transferred after starting 18 games over the past two seasons.

Edwards played mostly on special teams last season, but also saw some time at linebacker, including the Miami game, where he caught his first interception.

“He’s been productive all spring,” Foster said, “He’s taken his game to another level.”

Pushing Edwards for the number one slot on the depth chart are Chase Williams and Telvion Clark.

Williams – the son of New Orleans

WEI HANN / COLLEGIATE TIMES

Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams – sat out last season while redshirting, but he has gotten significant action in both scrimmages so far.

Clark, a redshirt sophomore, has also received significant reps this spring despite playing sparingly on special teams last season. He comes into the spring game after recording a team-high eight tackles in the most recent scrimmage on April 15.

“I like where Telvion Clark’s come,” Foster said, “He gives us an athlete and a playmaker. He’s got to be consistent in his performance, but he wants to. He’s a guy that’s changed his life as much as anybody in the last couple years as far as getting everything in order to be successful on and off the field.”

Tight end is another crucial spot that still has no clear-cut starter.

Senior Chris Drager looks to be

the man as of right now to replace the graduating Andre Smith. Drager played 11 games at tight end in 2008, including one start, before switching to defensive end for two seasons.

Besides Drager, the only two tight ends to have actually seen action in a game are Randall Dunn and Eric Martin – who have only one catch between them at Tech.

Despite the inexperience, their coach seems happy with their performance in spring practice thus far.

“I’m pleased with them,” said Bryan Stinespring, offensive coordinator and tight ends coach, “I’m pleased with what they’re all about right now.

I really like the group.

“I think Chris and Eric are our two primary starters. Randall Dunn has really worked himself into the mix.

Randall really brings a dimension to it. We’re workmanlike in some spots, we have a really talented guy who’s further away in some other aspects

of the game, so it’s a unique bunch.”

Back on the defensive side of the ball, the defensive line returns only one starter, in junior defensive tackle Antoine Hopkins. The graduations of defensive end Steven Friday and defensive tackle John Graves, along with Drager’s departure to the offensive side of the ball, leave three spots up for grabs.

Sophomores James Gayle and J.R. Collins, who both played extensively last season, appear the favorites to take over the starting defensive end roles.

“Those guys were productive players (last season), J.R. and Gayle,” Foster said, “But now you’re seeing them take another step. They didn’t start all over (this spring), they started off where they left off. Their footwork is so much better. Just the little things their position demands as far as their technique and fundamentals have really improved tremendously.”

Although Gayle and Collins will certainly get the majority of the snaps, three hungry freshmen seem poised to see playing time as well.

Zack McCray, Duan Perez-Means, and Justin Taylor have all shown signs of promise in their short time in maroon and orange. They, along with sophomore Tyrel Wilson, will probably end up battling more for spots in the rotation than they will the starting jobs.

“Everybody on the D-line’s been making plays,” Collins said. “Gayle’s been making plays, our D-tackles are making plays, our backup D-ends are making plays. I like the way the D-line’s working hard right now.”

As far as the defensive tackle position is concerned, Derrick Hopkins appears ready to join his older brother in the starting lineup. The sophomore, who played in 13 games last season, is just another one of the many young Hokies showing off his

talent this spring.

“At defensive tackle, really, I feel good about three guys right now – the two Hopkins and Kwamaine Battle,” Foster said, “But, we’re a ways away with those other guys right now. We need some guys to grow up and get consistently good.”

Battle, who started the first two games last year before an ACL injury against JMU cost him the rest of the season, will probably see plenty of time in the rotation as well.

The secondary, despite having to replace standouts Davon Morgan and Rashad Carmichael, will fill those spots with players not unfamiliar to the starting lineup.

Antone Exum takes over the rover spot for Morgan after starting five games in 2010, mostly as the fifth defensive back in the Hokies’ “nickel” and “30” packages.

Exum performed well in his freshsee DEPTH / page six

april 22, 2011

page 3

Family: Shane Beamer finally back by father’s side from page one

“From the time Frank got home at night from (working), he was usually in bed, and Frank would be gone before he got up.”

Nonetheless, when Shane Beamer graduated high school in 1995, he walked on at Tech as a wide receiver.

“When he walked on here to play for his dad that was kind of neat too,” Cheryl Beamer said. “He did get to see him every day, which he didn’t always get to do in high school, and Frank didn’t get to see him play that often too.”

During Shane Beamer’s first year, he was on the scout team but moved to long-snapper shortly after. He held the starting duties for three seasons. His career culminated with the Hokies’ loss in the 2000 national championship game against Florida State.

Afterward, he decided to start his own career path, rather than work as a graduate assistant at Tech under his father.

“Really I think anybody that he’s coached for will tell you, too — he really works hard,” Cheryl Beamer said about her son. “He’s very proud of who his daddy is, but he also wanted to go out and make a name for himself. Ideally I would have said, ‘Stay here and be a graduate assistant,’ but he knew the way he needed to do it was leave here and make a name for himself.”

Shane Beamer began his coaching career in 2000 as a graduate assistant for Georgia Tech, helping with the wide receivers and quarterbacks.

After one season with the Yellow Jackets, he was hired a graduate assistant with Tennessee and worked under Phillip Fulmer, whose Volunteers won the 1998 National Championship.

Shane Beamer helped with the cornerbacks, place kickers, punters and long snappers.

In 2004, he was hired to Mississippi State’s staff under head coach Sylvester Croom, as the team’s cornerbacks coach and recruiting coordinator. He worked for two seasons in that role before switching to running backs coach in the spring of 2006. He kept his recruiting coordinator duties.

After three seasons, Shane Beamer was on the move again — this time to South Carolina, where he was hired by legendary head coach Steve Spurrier.

Spurrier won one national championship and six SEC conference titles with Florida from 1990-2001. He also coached the Washington Redskins for three seasons before returning to college football in 2005. “‘Let the score just take care of itself,’ that’s a cliché you hear a lot, but he really preached it, and that was his thing,” Shane Beamer said about his time with Spurrier. “He’s such a competitor, whether it be on the golf course, or whether it be on the football field.”

Shane Beamer started in 2007 as the outside linebackers coach and co-coordinator of special teams at USC. He worked with the cornerbacks during his second year in Columbia before becoming the special teams coordinator, recruiting coordinator and helping with the safeties in his final two years.

“It’s been great. I’ve been around a lot of guys, and I’ve taken a little bit from everybody — good and bad,” Shane Beamer said. “Things you see that you like, things you don’t like and what not.

It’s been really good to be around Hall of Fame coaches like that.”

As a recruiter, Shane Beamer was highly regarded, particularly at USC. He landed players such as wide receiver

“

He really works hard. He’s very proud of who his daddy is, but he wanted to go out and make a name for himself.

CHERYL BEAMER SHANE’S MOTHER

Alshon Jeffery, who was the runner-up for the Biletnikoff Award in 2010 and defensive end Devin Taylor, who was named first-team All-SEC in 2010. He also oversaw the signing of top prospects, including running back Marcus Lattimore and defensive end Jadeveon Clowney — both considered five-star recruits by Rivals. Clowney was rated the nation’s top prospect for the 2011 recruiting class by Rivals.

Although, as Shane Beamer put it, recruiting coordinators receive too much limelight for the responsibility they have.

“That recruiting coordinator, to me, he gets way too much credit when recruiting goes great, and he gets way too much blame when recruiting goes bad,” Shane Beamer said. “Every coach is responsible for his recruits, his area.

The recruiting coordinator just organizes everything.”

Nonetheless, the respect for him in recruiting circles, from prospects to coaches, has been overwhelmingly positive.

“I remember one of the South Carolina high school coaches (who coached a player Shane Beamer recruited) told me ‘Shane Beamer was the biggest reason he went to South Carolina,’” said Chris Clark, a recruiting analyst for South Carolina’s Rivals main site GamecockCentral.com. “He was really

well respected, and frankly, outworked a lot of the recruiters.”

Clark went on to explain that recruits appreciated how Shane Beamer “kept it straight” with them, and he built good relationships with the families and coaching staffs at the high schools.

“I’m not going come in and try to change the wheel,” Shane Beamer said about helping with recruiting at Tech.

“But if there’s things that have been important, or things that have been good (at) other places I’ve been. I’ll be certain to mention that if I think it can help us.”

As the Hokies’ season wrapped up with a disappointing loss to Stanford in the Orange Bowl this January and national signing day passed, staff changes took place in Blacksburg.

Shane Beamer replaced Hite, and Cornell Brown — a former Tech standout — joined Frank Beamer’s staff after Jim Cavanaugh stepped into an administrative role.

“I think Shane is a really good coach, and he’s been at some really good places,” Frank Beamer said. “He’s your son, and you’re on the staff together, (so) you get to spend some time together and coach together. That’s special too.”

Although conventional wisdom would suggest Cheryl Beamer was involved in the decision to bring her son on board, she has denied coercing her husband to hire him.

“I know absolutely nothing about telling (Frank) how to coach and who should be coaching,” Cheryl Beamer said. “Obviously I’m thrilled on a personal level, but I never once said a word to (Frank).”

“She’s very happy about having her two grandkids here, and she’s happy to have Shane back,” Frank Beamer said.

“But she would be the first one to tell

you she never wants to get involved with a professional decision, and she would never even suggest that.”

Regardless of who suggested bringing Shane Beamer aboard, Hite mentioned his desire to spend less time in the office as a main motivation for moving into his administrative role.

“I thoroughly enjoyed 37 years of working 80 hours a week,” Hite said.

“It’s time to step aside, and I’m very happy with my new role.”

Hite also expressed his support for Shane Beamer moving forward, and he said he believes he will be a valuable asset to the staff.

“He’s a bright, young coach,” Hite said.

“I can tell you right now he doesn’t put up with any crap from anybody. He coaches the kids hard, like they want to be coached, but he adds a lot to the game.”

While Shane Beamer only had one year of experience working with running backs at Mississippi State, he said coaching in other areas is an advantage when approaching his new position.

“I’ve now been on the defensive side of the ball. I know how offenses are trying to attack you or how defenses are trying to attack offenses,” he said. “So I feel like I can help and bring something to the table from that standpoint and help those guys from the position standpoint too.”

Despite being on the job for a short period of time, Shane Beamer already has running back David Wilson’s admiration because of his ability to catch up on the terminology and plays.

“He came in, and he caught up and passed us as far as knowing the plays,” Wilson said. “We’ve been in the system, and this will be my third year, and he tells me stuff that I’m doing wrong.

This is his first year knowing the plays,

so you’ve got to give him credit on that — being able to adapt. His intelligence level must be real high for him to catch on that quick.”

As far as the biggest difference between Shane Beamer and Hite, the junior from Danville pointed to their personalities.

“I say they’re complete opposites,” Wilson said. “Coach Hite was more laid back at practice, and coach (Shane Beamer) is a young guy, he’s more fired up. But both of them are good coaches.

They both get the job done.”

As Shane Beamer transitioned into his new coaching role, he said he turns to Hite for advice. Hite is an obvious choice, considering he’s coached nearly every one of Tech’s great backs, including Cyrus Lawrence, Lee Suggs, Kevin Jones, Darren Evans and Ryan Williams.

“I’ve really used him as a sounding board,” Shane Beamer said. “I watched him coach up close and personal for a lot of years, so I had a good idea about his style of how he handled backs. Even when I was at Mississippi State, I really tried to pattern myself after the ways Billy Hite handled the running backs, just because he had been so successful.”

As Shane Beamer adjusts to his new coaching role this spring, his wife, Emily, and two daughters, Olivia and Sutton, will be in a new setting, albeit around familiar faces.

“He definitely loves being home with his little girls and his wife,” Cheryl Beamer said. “They’re just a precious family, and that’s very valuable to him, so he knows how to separate the two.”

This fall, Shane Beamer will put on the real headset and coach by his father’s side — a dream come true for a boy that wanted nothing else but to follow his dad.

Logan: Stoic Thomas ready to take reins of experienced offense from page one

ing defense and hitting someone,” Thomas said. “I love to have physical contact and hit people, so I kind of take that on the offensive side too.”

Along with the change at quarterback, there has been a change in the coaching hierarchy, as quarterback coach Mike O’Cain has taken over play-calling duties from Stinespring.

The change was made because of O’Cain’s familiarity with Thomas after working with him for almost two years. “(O’Cain and I) know each other really well, and we talk well together,” Thomas said. “He knows my strengths, knows my weaknesses, knows what I like to do, what routes I like, so hopefully, it plays to my advantage.”

Also working to Thomas’ advantage is the experience his receivers DANIEL LIN / SPPS have, a luxury Taylor didn’t have New playcaller Mike O’Cain and Logan Thomas must be on the same page for the offense to succeed when first stepping into the role.

“You really can’t put it into words — they know what I should do before I know what I should do,” Thomas said. “It really does help because they come to the huddle and say, ‘What did you see there? Well, this is what I saw,’ and you take it into consideration, and you look at it the next day and say, -‘Oh, OK. I see where they’re coming from with that.’”

One area where the Hokies’ offense might change is in the types of routes those receivers run. Taylor is only 6 feet 1 inch tall, so routes inside the hashes were sometimes difficult because he had trouble seeing over his offensive line. Because Thomas is five inches taller, it won’t be an issue.

“I can see the middle of the field a lot better than he could just because of my height,” Thomas said.

However, aside from a few more passes over the middle, most of the offense is going to be the same from last year.

“I think there will be a lot that’s similar,” Thomas said. “But it will

also be a little bit more throwing down the field, making bigger plays and scoring faster touchdowns.”

That confidence comes from the fact that he has a very experienced team around him. Although he will be a redshirt-sophomore when the season starts, he already has the respect of the older players.

“When he comes into the huddle, people know to listen to him,” said David Wilson, a junior running back. “Even though he’s younger than a lot of people in the huddle, they feel younger by his presence, being 6 feet 6 inches with the attitude to match it.”

Come the start of the new season, Thomas will put his name on the same list as Michael Vick, Bryan Randall and Taylor, as people who have started at quarterback for the Hokies.

If Tech fans are lucky, they will be asking, “How can anyone replace Logan Thomas?” three years from now.

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page 4

april 22, 2011

Snap Judgement: Your new Hokies insider those that don’t think they’re athletic enough For to play division one football, they should consider being a long snapper.

Take me, for example. I am easily the slowest, weakest, least coordinated human to ever step foot on Worsham Field.

Seriously.

My claim to fame, or lack thereof, is simple — I can throw a ball between my legs.

When I look around the locker room at some of the freaks of nature that I call teammates, all I can do is laugh and thank God for bringing me here.

During pr a c t i c e, while my t e a m mates are sprinting, colliding, bleeding and sweating profusely, I mosey over to the ice cooler and make a Gatorade snow cone. Some of the guys give me a hard time, but I know they’re just jealous.

The truth is, long-snappers only get noticed when they screw up.

When I have a great snap, nobody cares. When I butcher a snap, people want to wring my neck. Honestly, that’s the way it should be.

On days when I feel my job is insignificant, and I’m not contributing enough to the team, I am reminded of something my younger brother told me, “Dude,

judgement

FILE / SPPS

A long snapper, Carroll doesn’t have the fame of a Tyrod Taylor -- only being noticed if there’s a miscue you’re basically an upside-down Tyrod.”

The bottom line is, I am living my childhood dream. In high school, I realized that playing offensive line was not going to be my ticket to a scholarship. My dad put together a highlight film of my punt and field goal snaps, and Frank Beamer gave

me a chance.

Long snapping at Virginia Tech has been the most thrilling experience of my life. It is a miracle and a blessing I did nothing to deserve. I get to run out of the tunnel at Lane Stadium in front of 66,000 of the best fans in the world. I have played in two ACC Championship games

and two Orange Bowls.

Not bad for an un-athletic ginger from Minnesota.

Wow. I’m sick of hearing about myself.

This article, and the ones that will follow, are about my team. I want to be a voice for the rest of the guys on the football squad. We

want students, faculty and fans to know how much we appreciate them. Without their encouragement and support, playing football wouldn’t mean nearly as much to us.

My goal is to bridge a connection between the players and fans. I want give fans an inside look into the lives of their football players.

First of all, I’m really sorry about the Orange Bowl. We wanted to bring you home a victory, but we just ran out of steam in the second half. It was a strange experience for a team known for storming back in the third and fourth quarters.

Secondly, I would like to say thank you. After the Boise State game, and the following game that I won’t mention by name, most fan bases would have given up on us. You stood by us, defended us, supported us and believed in us. It’s amazing what a downtrodden team can accomplish when its fans still have faith in it.

The 11 consecutive wins, capped off by the ACC title, was an inspiring comeback. However, this fact remains — we didn’t finish strong.

To ensure we start strong and finish stronger in the next season, we have been doing a lot already in preparation for next season.

When school started back up in January, we hit the weight room — hard.

We lifted four days a week, completing every workout with agility and conditioning work. Our strength and conditioning coach, Mike Gentry, is making sure we have endurance for the fourth quarter. He always finds unique ways to motivate us, whether it be with Chuck Norris jokes or disco music.

We signed a stellar recruiting class, headlined by defensive tackle Kris Harley, who is an absolute hoss.

He attended Warren Central, the Indianapolis high school that produced former Tech running back Darren Evans.

I wouldn’t be a true Minnesotan if I didn’t give a shout out to James Farrow, an electrifying cornerback and kick returner from my rival high school, Minnetonka. He took two kicks to the house in his game against the team my younger brother now plays for. Yikes.

There is not enough ink in the printer to detail the nuances of our offseason coaching changes, so here is my attempt at a synopsis. Shane Beamer is our new running backs coach and associate head coach, Cornell Brown coaches the outside

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linebackers, Mike O’Cain calls the plays, Bryan Stinespring now coaches the offensive tackles in addition to tight ends and Curt Newsome focuses on the guards and centers.

I sincerely miss having coaches Jim Cavanaugh and Billy Hite on the field every day. They are two of the most respected coaches in college football.

Thankfully, they are still very involved with the team. Coach “Cav” is now the director of recruiting, and Hite is the assistant to the head coach and senior staff advisor.

As much as Cavanaugh and Hite will be missed, Cornell Brown and Shane Beamer are the future of Virginia Tech football. They are players’ coaches, and they know the game inside and out. They relate to us, understand what it’s like to be in our shoes and bring an unmatched energy to the practice field.

They haven’t been here long, but they have already earned the trust and respect of the team.

We were able to relax over winter break, but every day inched us closer to the inevitable — winter workouts.

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for two weeks, we arrived in the field house at 6 a.m. Think of it this way, Gentry woke us from our slumber and danced with us in the six-sided ring of fire. As they say, gold isn’t refined unless it’s put through the furnace.

Waking up was the easy part. Once we arrived, we were subjected to a grueling hour-long conditioning boot camp. Each coach led a different workout station, which tested our speed, stamina, hustle and focus.

I can still smell the vomit.

I am hoping to work out a deal with the coaches, where on the last day of winter workouts, the players put the coaches through the drills.

Something tells me this idea will never come to fruition.

Spring ball has flown by, and although I could give you a position-by-position breakdown of our team and what I think, I will let our performance on the field during the spring game speak for itself.

I look forward to seeing you in the stands on Saturday, and hopefully, you are as excited about next season as we are.

COLLIN CARROLL -sports columnist -senior -long snapper

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page 5

Q&A with Wes Bunting: Hokies look to be drafted into NFL getting. He’s a nice soft-zone guy. He’ll throw his body around. He’ll tackle if you need him too — I just like the guy.

MATT JONES sports reporter

CT: What kind of teams might be looking at Carmichael?

BUNTING: Cover-two teams and teams that do these “fire-zone” blitzes, like the Pittsburgh Steelers. Even a team like the Philadelphia Eagles — when they bring pressure, they play a lot of zone behind it. He would be great in that Asante Samuel-type role. I would say Rashad goes in the second to third round, in that area.

For a few days in April, the NFL opens its doors to college football’s best players.

After a strenuous four-plus months of training, interviews and tests, a handful of Virginia Tech Hokies will listen for their names to be called among the hundred’s eligible.

The Collegiate Times spoke with Wes Bunting, the National Football Post’s director of college scouting, about some of the Tech players entering the draft.

COLLEGIATE TIMES: What are your thoughts on former Tech quarterback Tyrod Taylor, and what is his NFL future?

WES BUNTING: I think he goes late — fifth, sixth, seventh round — somewhere in there. He reminds me a bit of Seneca Wallace; I think he can have a similar career to Seneca. He can run some wildcat, give you some options on trick plays. I don’t think he’s ever going to be a starter — someone you can win with. He’s good enough to be your No. 3 and mature into someone’s No. 2. I have heard the Dolphins really like him, to be honest.

CT: Ryan Williams will likely be the first Hokies player off the board. What stands out about him?

BUNTING: When healthy, he’s a vioLUKE MASON / SPPS lent, slashing runner that has a bit of Although a quarterback at Tech, Tyrod Taylor will most likely be a second-gear to his game to make people miss. This past year, granted he converted into a receiver and wildcat quarterback once in the NFL.

LUKE MASON / SPPS

was banged up, but he seemed to run a little harder and behind his pads a little more. Granted he wasn’t the same kind of explosive athlete, but long-term, I think it helped him learn to run behind his pads a bit more.

CT: He’s the National Football Post’s No. 3 running back. Where do you think he gets drafted?

BUNTING: Somewhere in the second round. I think the Patriots would be a really good fit for him. He can run from the shotgun formation, catch the ball out of the backfield, and all those Virginia Tech backs have to be able to help out in blitz pickup — which he can do.

CT: What is your opinion of Williams attending the NFL draft in New York City?

BUNTING: If he wants to. I don’t think he goes in the first round, but there were

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CT: What are your thoughts on Darren Evans and his draft stock?

BUNTING: I don’t think he gets drafted.

He’s got the medical concern, and he’s just not a gifted athlete. He runs hard, but he runs upright. He’s just going to expose his body to a lot of violent hits.

When you expose your body to violent hits, you have more of a chance to get hurt. Nothing against him personally, I just don’t think he gets drafted.

CT: You talked in February about Rashad Carmichael and his NFL future.

Has much changed with Rashad?

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guys there last year that went in the third round. It’s a celebration of these guys, of all their hard work. I really have no problems with it at all, to be honest.

CT: There are a few other Hokies that might be drafted (John Graves, Steven Friday, Davon Morgan, etc.). Do any of those players get drafted?

BUNTING: I’m not a big Graves fan — I just don’t think he gives you a ton.

I think he goes in the sixth or seventh range, but I would give him a free agent grade. He has a better chance of getting drafted than Friday, but I really like Friday. He’s got a great first-step. He’s not real comfortable sitting in his stance at this stage, and he’s undersized, but if you let him play as a 34 rush guy, let him show out a bit, let him learn how to play football. He’s trying to learn, and you can tell he’s trying to change direction. He doesn’t understand how to use his hands yet, but he’s got a great firststep and some natural fluidity. I don’t think he gets drafted, but I like him. I think he has a chance to do the practice squad route and possibly mature into a starter down the line. I like him that much.

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page 6

april 22, 2011

D Block: Defensive wardens of the gridiron from page one

Its leader, Hosley, was an All-American corner as a sophomore.

Now that he has been through an ACC schedule, Hosley said he can impart some of his football knowledge on the younger guys.

“When I first came here, Roc (Carmichael) was like a brother to me,” Hosley said. “He walked me through the process, how to watch film. I’m doing that same thing for guys like Kyle Fuller.”

In Alcatraz’s D Block, prisoners were only allowed one hour of exercise per week, giving it the nickname “The Hole.”

Opposing offenses might feel the same as those prisoners who lived in seclusion when trying to pass the ball against Tech.

“I can’t really say much about it,” Fuller said. “You just come into it and just hop in. Everybody AUSTEN MEREDITH / SPPS that comes through here is part of Jayron Hosley, Antone Exum and Eddie Whitley are three of the D Block’s starters that will look to make the gridiron a modern day Alcatraz. D Block.”

While D Block has a collective confidence about it, don’t confuse it with the 21st century term “swagger.” In D Block, a vast array of talents are on display, with each different player bringing something to the table.

“It’s just about how you go out there and do your thing — how you do it,” Hosley said. “Everybody has their own playing style — how they approach the game. I approach the game like I’m the best player out there.”

Gray, a former Tech defensive back himself, is a huge reason why the Hokies have put multiple defensive backs in the NFL during his tenure. The current DBs on the roster have unlimited potential, and Gray sees this group doing big things.

“Those guys have really embraced that,” Gray said. “And I love the way they’re attacking it.”

This fall, when D Block takes the field, his reputation will be on the line. For this group of guys, they’d have it no other way.

Depth: New starters full of experience from page two

man year, recording 45 total tackles, nine pass breakups, and a forced fumble. He will look to build on that success in his first year as the fulltime starter.

Kyle Fuller will probably take over the field corner position, while Jayron Hosley moves over to boundary corner, the spot the Carmichael occupied last season.

Fuller also showed promise in his freshman year, with 32 total tackles, four tackles for a loss, and six pass breakups.

Rounding out the positions still in contention is the backup running back spot. With the departure of Ryan Williams and Darren Evans to the NFL, junior David Wilson is the obvious choice for the starting role.

However, Frank Beamer and Co. always like to have a solid backup

to avoid overworking the premiere back.

Senior Josh Oglesby and sophomore Tony Gregory are the two leading candidates to take over that role.

After spending last year at fullback due to an overcrowded backfield, Oglesby – who has 472 career rushing yards to accompany two touchdowns – moves back to the running back spot to provide more depth.

While both are promising runners, Gregory, who has sat out this spring after recovering from surgery to repair a torn ACL in November, is more of a speed back, while Oglesby is more of a power runner.

“I want to get out there and show what I can do (this spring),” Gregory said, “But right now, I’m just getting mental reps and making sure I keep up.”

Because their styles are so drastically different, it’s possible that both could see significant action this fall.

“I would like for it to be me,” Gregory said, “But it’s not our decision. It’s the coach’s decision. But, I’m going to do everything in my power for it to be.”

Saturday’s annual spring game will provide ample opportunity for these rising stars to prove to coaches and fans alike their worth to this football program.

“We have one of the larger environments in college football for a spring game,” Foster said, “You get guys that all of the sudden, when the lights come on, they like that environment. They’re focused.

It doesn’t get to them. They don’t panic. They go out and perform. I’m hoping that’s what the spring game will do.”

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COLLEGIATETIMES 108th year, issue 51 News, page 2

People & Clubs, page 5

Opinions, page 3

Sports, page A1

Ahead of cancer

BY MALLORY NOE-PAYNE | news staff writer

Classifieds, page 4

Sudoku, page 4

Open source group to map Blacksburg

T

he first time she went to class baring her bald head, rather than a wig, Iona Parks was afraid.

“It was hard. Everyone was staring at me. I looked like I was trying to be Natalie Portman — but I know I can’t pull that off,” Parks said, laughing.

Unlike Portman, Parks’ hair choice wasn’t a statement of style but a result of four rounds of chemotherapy.

Parks, a sophomore communication major, was a freshman when a 10-pound tumor attached to her ovary was removed. Six months later she would buy her first wig.

Parks began to feel stomach pains after returning to school from winter break her freshman year. Prescribed painkillers failed to help — the pain sharply increased. One afternoon it became too much, and Parks’ sister rushed her to the ER. Doctors quickly noticed a tumor on her right ovary and immediately took her to surgery.

“I was just happy it wasn’t the freshman 15,” Park said, joking.

Her humor seems to be an integral part of her strength.

After surgery, the recovery was slow and painful, scattered with routine checkups. However, one checkup wasn’t so routine. By June another mass appeared, this time the size of her fist.

“Basically, I just thought I’d walk in and the doctor would be like, ‘Oh yeah, you’re fine,’” Parks said, tearing up. “But they didn’t take me to my normal office. They took me to a small room that was basically a table, a chair and a box of tissues.”

This time the growth was cancerous.

KATIE BIONDO / COLLEGIATE TIMES

Students will gather geographical data to add detail to the map.

MALLORY NOE-PAYNE / SPPS

After four rounds of chemotherapy, Iona Parks now embraces her new full head of hair. Parks, a sophomore communication major, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer during her freshman year.

The doctors said she would begin to lose her hair about two weeks after her chemotherapy start date in July — the exact day Parks was scheduled to move into her apartment.

“I decided to stay in school and try to do something. I just didn’t want to be wasting away,” Parks said, “I wanted to still try to be part of everything.”

Enrolling in two online and one inclass courses, Parks was able to spend two weeks at a time in Blacksburg, returning home to D.C. every 12:00 a.m. third week for a round of Grand Club chemotherapy.

11:15 p.m. Appreciation 1:20 a.m.

“The night I moved Bethany and Queens Return into my apartment, I the Guitar, 1:50 a.m. moved in with a full Cake Walk German Club head of hair,” Parks 10:00 p.m.

Linedancing said, doing her REMEMBER best to get a hold 2:00 a.m.

Ceremony of her emotion.

AM FIGHT BACK “And literally Ceremony the morning I woke up, I had 3:00 a.m. nothing.”

Minute to Win It She quickly 8:00 p.m. joked about her Caleb Hawley and immediate trip 4:00 a.m.

Brent Night to Party City, Hula Dancing Wing Eating searching for an Contest 6:00 p.m. appropriate wig 4:25 a.m.

Opening through all the afros 7:30 p.m.

Ceremony Cardioboxing and mullets.

Lowtechs “I got a French maid 5:40 a.m. wig that was slightly darkClosing Ceremony er than my real hair,” she said. “(I) rocked that for a few days.”

Parks eventually acquired a LL EG human hair wig — her pride and joy.

IAT ET She said she depended heavily on her IME hair to feel normal. The wigs helped S Considering how quick and large it grew, the doctors recommended immediate chemotherapy.

“I was completely shocked. I never thought I would have to go through anything like that,” she said. “The first thing I thought about was my hair — it sounds superficial.”

Relay

/ AH SH YA MA

CO

Beer site mimics Facebook MIA PERRY features reporter Ryan Flynn is trying to mirror the success of Facebook with another social network — for beer.

Kaljaa.com is what Flynn, a 2009 Virginia Tech economics and hospitality and tourism management alumnus, and his team hopes will be the next big thing — a social network that “puts the entire beer world at your finger tips.”

Kaljaa.com is the first website of its kind designed specifically for beer and the aspects of the brewing world.

The website’s name, Kaljaa, is Finnish for “beer.”

“Pretty much all English words are taken in the domain name world,” Flynn said. “That’s why you have site names like ‘Google’ or ‘Twitter.’

You pretty much have to make up a word.”

Flynn said the name is somewhat fitting, considering the Fins “probably drink more than most Americans.”

Flynn’s passion for fine beer was noticeable as he poured a German Pilsner for tasting. When he spoke about the specialty beers his website will revolve around, his face lit up.

“All beers have the same four main ingredients: yeast, water, hops and barley,” listed Flynn. “This beer is pretty much a better version of Coors Light or Bud Light.”

Flynn said Kaljaa.com will introduce its viewers to a vast range of beers. The site will also provide information about Indian Pale Ale, which has a higher alcohol content than traditional beers.

“They’re called IPAs because when Britain would ship beer to India they would up the hops, which in turn increases the amount of alcohol content,” Flynn said. “So the beer would keep during the trip over.”

Flynn has an impressive list of his favorite fine beers, but he said his favorite college beer is Natural Light because of the nostalgia.

When Flynn was an undergraduate student at Tech, he and some friends

took a stab at brewing their own beer.

Their creation recieved positive feedback from others, and it was enough to inspire Flynn to travel to Colorado to see what starting his own brewery would be like.

“But while I was out there, I was doing a bunch of research and was trying to find breweries and stuff like that. And I realized there was no one central place for everything to be together at once — that’s how I came up with Kaljaa.”

Flynn had also been reading an article about the founder of “Plenty of Fish,” an online dating site. The founder hit it big and now earns millions of dollars from advertisements, while doing about an hour of work each day.

“I thought, ‘Well this is dumb. If this guy can do it, I certainly can,’” he said.

Kaljaa.com is up and running, but the site has been an ongoing two-year process. Although it is functioning and has over 100 users, not all of its see BEER / page five

her have the strength to do things in everyday life, such as going to class and football games.

After four rounds of chemotherapy, lasting from August to October, Parks’ treatment was successful.

However, she is a rare case.

According to the American Cancer Society, about half of women diagnosed with ovarian cancer are 60 years or older. Less than 20 percent of all ovarian cancers are found at an early enough stage for high hopes of success. Parks was a member of this minority — she now has a 93 percent survival rate.

“Even though I have a full head of hair, I still think about it everyday,” Parks, who has a full head of her own hair, said. “I don’t want to have cancer define me, but it’s still very much a part of who I am — I’m not like, ‘Hi, I’m Iona. I have cancer,’ but I don’t want to ignore it either.”

Parks said she feels most comfortable when someone can relate to her experience. However, it is difficult for her to find survivors her age.

Parks is excited about the chance to meet people at Relay for Life.

She said she knew the moment her chemotherapy started she would participate in Relay, an event she has never attended.

“I think it’s lucky and really great that I belong to a school that finds (fighting cancer) so important,” she said. “It’s nice to know that there’s this huge community supporting one thing. And it feels like, in a little way, they’re supporting you.”

STUDENTS ENHANCE TOWN AND CAMPUS MAP WITH LOCATIONS OF BIKE RACKS AND RECYCLE BINS JAY SPEIDELL news reporter An open source group at Virginia Tech will map the streets of Blacksburg this weekend.

The VT Linux and Unix Users Groups will gather open source code about Blacksburg and the Tech campus to add to the OpenStreetMap, which already contains more detail than the official campus map.

Open source code, or data, means it can be used freely by anyone. The data can also be modified and distributed if the original author is credited and the license remains the same.

The problem with maps is that many are copyrighted.

“So if you really want something you can use anywhere, you have to wait for it to be public domain, which can take a hundred years,” said James Schwinabart, the VTLUUG president, “And after that it’s not really useful anymore.”

VTLUUG’s mission is to expand the use of Linux and open source code on campus, said Schwinabart.

OpenStreetMap is a global, open map project that its users created.

A Creative Commons AttributionShareAlike licenses the project.

“The idea behind OpenStreetMap is to combine all this open data — stuff people do themselves — into one map anyone can use,” Schwinabart said.

OpenStreetMap already contains most geographical data from

Blacksburg and the Tech campus, including streets, apartment complexes, house numbers and even staircases. VTLUUG is also working on an overlay that adds live Bus Tracker data when users access the map through map.vtluug.org.

“In some areas the coverage is better than Google Maps,” Schwinabart said.

“It really depends on who’s active in the area.”

During the event, people will walk around town and campus gathering more data to enhance the detail of Blacksburg on the map. This will include adding more data about streets, stairs, walking paths, the locations of bike racks, recycling bins and benches, as well as anything else they can think of.

Schwinabart said the event isn’t just for tech-savvy students, and anyone can walk around and record data on paper maps or use GPS devices.

VTLUUG is also working on Gobblerpedia.org, a Wikipedia style encyclopedia covering Tech. The project started two months ago and is still in its infancy, but like Wikipedia, anyone can edit it — VTLUUG encourages students to go on the website and add entries.

The Mapping Day event is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 23, and will be based in 1080 Torgersen.

VTLUUG meetings take place Thursdays at 8:30 p.m. in 261 Durham Hall. More information can be found on vtluug.org or in the IRC channel #vtluug.

A bloody drag

MAZIAR FAHANDEZH / SPPS

Jason Ryan, a Radford student, performs ‘Paparazzi’ by Lady Gaga at the LGBTA Drag Show.

2 news

university editor: philipp kotlaba, liana bayne, gordon block newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

april 22, 2011

COLLEGIATETIMES

On Tech introducing a new meterology degree: Anon>> If only they offered this 6 years ago I would have majored in this. I almost went out of state to find a meteorology program before I just settled for an engineering degree at tech (it’s cheaper). They should have had this offered decades ago, I don’t understand why they just started this now.

Anonymous>> Why “should” they have offered this decades ago? Just because you wanted it? These things take time to develop and to ensure that they are supportable. Universities need to be fiscally responsible just like any other organization. Also, in many cases you can get in-state tuition status to attend an out-of-state school if your home state doesn’t offer a particular program. I know someone who did this at VT and enrolled in 1998, so it’s been around for a while (search Southern Regional Education Board Academic Common Market). Sorry to burst your bubble...

On The Bar Blacksburg opening this weekend: chunks>> “The Bar will be the only bar in town run by college students, for college students.” Finally, a place in Blacksburg for students!

anonymous 2>> “Finally, a place in Blacksburg for students!!”get real...downtown is overrun with students already. If you are a student I fear for the future

Anonymous >> It’s called sarcasm, buddy.

Anonymous >> Beamer is going to let a starting player be a bouncer? I don’t think so.

crime blotter

blacksburg Tech names new Corps Commandant Maj. Gen. Randal D. Fullhart will be the next Commandant of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets.

On June 25, Fullhart will take over for Maj. Gen. Jerrold Allen, who has served as the Commandant for the past 12 years.

Fullhart brings 32 years of experience in the Air Force, which included experience in training and education.

He served as the Commandant of the Air Command and Staff College

and the Commander of the College of Aerospace Doctrine, Research and Education.

The search for a new Commandant began shortly after Allen announced his retirement in October, said university spokesman Mark Owczarski.

Fullhart’s selection was released on Thursday.

During the search process, Fullhart said his plans for the Corps will continue the work Allen has done.

“I also think there are exciting opportunities, as we anticipate growth in the civilian track of the Corps,” Fullhart said, “as well as seeking partnerships with other elements of the university to increase leadership development for students across the entire campus.”

-claire sanderson, news reporter

nation Attorney General: Pabst ‘Blast’ unsafe HARTFORD, Conn. _ A new fruity alcoholic drink called “Blast” by Colt 45 packs so much kick that attorneys general are going after the Pabst Brewing Co. for what they call “binge drinking in a can.”

Connecticut Attorney General George Jepsen joined attorneys general in 15 other states in writing a letter to Pabst urging the company to reduce the alcohol in a single-serving container to eliminate public safety risks. The attorneys general also urge Pabst to make sure the drink isn’t marketed to people who are under the legal drinking age of 21.

“The health risks pose a particular threat to youth, given that about 90 percent of the alcohol consumed by Americans under age 21 is while binge drinking,” Jepsen said. “A product that makes it easier for young people to drink to excess, particularly a high

c-

alcohol, “binge-in-a-can” product like Pabst Blast, does not encourage responsible drinking.”

Blast is sold in 23.5-ounce cans and has an alcohol concentration of 12 percent by volume, which is equal to 4.7 servings of alcohol. Tossing back a can in less than two hours qualifies as binge drinking by public health standards.

“Despite the company’s admonition to purchasers to drink responsibly, the product’s design promotes excessive consumption,” the attorneys general wrote.

“Blast is only meant to be consumed by those above legal drinking age and does not contain caffeine,” said Pabst spokesman Mark Semer. “To that end, the alcohol content of Blast is clearly marked on its packaging, we are encouraging consumers to consider mixing Blast with other beverages or

enjoy it over ice, and we are offering a special 7-ounce bottle for those who prefer a smaller quantity, among other important initiatives.”

Blast is packaged in bright purple, red and blue cans and comes in flavor combinations such as strawberry-watermelon and blueberrypomegranate. The cans have an illustration of a bucking horse on a back drop of either tiger stripes or lightning.

The cans also have the signature Colt 45 logo associated with Pabst’s malt liquor sold in 40-ounce bottles.

The company hired rapper and hip-hop icon Snoop Dogg as a spokesman and it is running promotions on Twitter and Facebook.

-matthew sturdevant, mcclatchy newspapers

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april 22, 2011

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

The oil spill one year later gulf one year later: waiting for love TA heStill year after the Gulf oil disaster, Sue Galliano doesn’t want our pity. She just wants us to act like grown-ups.

Especially Congress, which still hasn’t allocated a dime to restoring the Southeast’s natural storm buffers. Those wetland barriers protect places, but they also cradle a uniquely American way of life that has mixed gumbo and oil for generations.

Whacked by Katrina, hammered by Gustav and nearly drowned by Ike, Louisiana’s Grand Isle is the spit of sand and wetlands that President Obama used as a backdrop for his Gulf photo ops last year. With the country in a budget cutting mood, there’s somewhere between $5 billion and $20 billion in found money that can be used to restore the gulf found because BP owes America for what it broke.

Sue is head of the Grand Isle Community Development Team and she had a simple message for us last week. We were 50 miles away from the gates of hell we came to know as Deepwater Horizon.

Rebuild the gulf’s natural barriers, she told a group of New York-based activists called Women In Conservation. Her message: This isn’t rocket science. It’s about water and mud and rocks and concrete.

Media from around the planet have reached out to Audubon’s scientists because the gulf is the Grand Central Station for birds. More than 200 species that migrate to and from Central andSouth America rely on its beaches, marshes and forests to fatten up before and after their epic flights. Hummingbirds weighing one-eighth of an ounce drop out of the sky after non-stop trips across the Gulf of Mexico, hungry and burning body fat and muscle.

And millions of birds including brown pelicans breed in these rich coastal lands.

Assessing the damage from a year ago continues to be challenging. Birds that never want to be found still haven’t been.

Thousands of birds became shark food or were eaten by other predators. And somewhere near 7,000 pelicans, plovers, terns and other birds were found dead.

Just as we’re seeing the impacts of the Exxon Valdez spill 20 years later, we don’t know yet what effect an oilinfested food chain will have.

But we do know that tar balls are still washing ashore on Grand Isle, and that endangered birds are eating the worms in the tar balls. Wellmeaning clean-up workers have trampled sandy nesting

grounds. They’ve shaven the beaches to remove oil — and in the process taken away the miles-long lines of seaweed and ocean-growing plants that always wash ashore to serve as food sources and nesting sites.

Last week, Sens. Mary Landrieu, D-La., and David Vitter, R-La., introduced a bill that would finally use BP penalties — blood money, for sure — to rebuild America’s richest delta system and the entire coastline of the Gulf of Mexico damaged by the BP spill. I encourage all the lawmakers from the region to come together a craft a solution that addresses this massive disaster. Get together and get it done. A quarter of our energy supplies come through these waterways and their communities; so does 40 percent of the seafood from the continental United States.

We can create a gulf coast that rebuilds itself by working with the power of the Mississippi River instead of against it. The Army Corps of Engineers broke this river system in the name of more efficient shipping. Increasingly, a new generation of Corps leaders know they can undo the damage and make those water highways even more useful.

And the human benefit to the gulf region? It’s the restoration of a rich way of life where food and family seamlessly mix with pipelines and energy production. And that way of life thrives when natural fresh and saltwater wetlands create the homes for shrimp, oysters, birds and fish. This is the way of life in the steamy Southeast that we’ve heard in the melodies of Cajuns and jazz masters for generations.

A year later, we still grieve for the 11 lives lost; we know greed and recklessness caused the BP Horizon blowout, and January’s Oil Spill Commission report told us that the drillers have deep, systemic issues to fix.

Sue Galliano, a life-long resident of Grand Isle, is a survivor. So are the other 1,500 people who call Grand Isle home. We owe her an answer.

We can use BP penalties to restore the gulf’s way of life by rebuilding its wetlands and its coastline. There are seeds of hope here. Not a wishing kind of hope, but real potential for change. So, what can you do?

Yes, this is a “write your representative” plea at www. audubon.org. Make a ruckus for Sue Galliano, for the critters that call the gulf home, for a way of life that is a part of America’s soul.

DAVID YARNOLD -mcclatchy newspapers

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.

VIRGINIA GREENE / COLLEGIATE TIMES

Released budget proposals show different deficit plans he battle of budget has begun.

The government has nearly T shutdown and the debt ceiling debate is already in full swing.

I think most Americans agree the national debt needs to be cut, and if it remains unchecked, it could cripple the economy.

How American’s will do it, however, is another story.

Representative Paul Ryan proposed a plan to cut America’s deficit, and days later, President Barack Obama unveiled his own budget proposal, which was met with approval.

Each offers a path to cut the deficit, but both have serious questions that need to be answered.

Ryan’s deficit proposal focuses mostly on changes in health care reform. Starting in 2022, beneficiaries would receive a voucher for private insurance.

However, this voucher would force citizens to pay 61 cents for the same benefits for services they would have received when paying only 27 cents before.

Not to mention, the voucher grows slower than health care costs, so by 2030 the government will be paying just 32 cents, while the beneficiary is paying 68 cents for that same set of services.

On the upside, total federal spending drops to 20.25 percent of the GDP in 2022 and 14.75 percent by 2050.

The budget swings from a deficit of 2 percent in 2022 to a surplus of 4.25 percent in 2050. The federal debt declines — it doesn’t soar.

Although the catastrophic consequences of unrestrained entitlement spending are avoided, Ryan’s plan needs to be taken with a grain of salt.

Although Ryan instructed the Congressional Budget Office to assume that tax revenues remain at 19 percent of the GDP, revenues are more likely below 17 percent.

His plan also “would accrue overwhelmingly to the most affluent 20 percent of American families, mostly because Ryan exempted capital gains and dividends from taxation.” What does all that mean?

It means Ryan’s budget plan would cut the deficit by placing the financial burden of health care costs on middle class families, while expanding benefits for the wealthiest Americans.

Obama’s plan has even more questions. His plan would cut deficits by $4 trillion over the next 12 years, still less than what Ryan, who promised to cut the deficit by $4.4 trillion more over 10 years, offers. On taxes, Obama’s proposal seeks to raise tax revenue by lowering rates and broadening the base.

He proposed the creation of “debt failsafe” triggers, which are also at the center of a plan. Obama’s plan would impose across-the-board cuts to spending and tax increases if the public debt is not declining as a share of GDP from 2014 onward.

Bush’s tax cuts raised the proportion of American families that pay no federal income tax (or are net recipients of tax credits) from 33 to 38 percent — Obama’s will raise it to 44 percent, according to the Tax Policy Centre.

Both plans have their flaws.

The Ryan plan moved the debate to the right, and it looks like Obama’s plan was more of an attempt to move the debate back to the center and give him a stronger

negotiating position.

Liberals have accused conservatives of being irresponsible, while turning evasive about the massive tax increases their own vision requires.

Conservatives have attacked liberals for being spendthrift, without proposing any serious spending reductions of their own.

The best plan moving forward looks to be the Simpson-Bowles deficit plan.

The plan calls for spending to be cut to 20.5 percent of the GDP by 2040, a significant reduction from the 32.9 percent level projected without reform, while increasing taxes from about 18 percent of the GDP to 21 percent.

Most notably, the plan calls for price controls in Medicare spending to repeal the sustainable growth rate formula (which would be an automatic and dramatic reduction in doctors’ payments under Medicare) and looks to cut military spending by $100 billion. Ryan’s budget plan threatens the centrist and bi-partisan Simpson-Bowles deficit plan, so Obama deftly and purposefully geared his budget further to the left.

This gives Obama a better negotiating position and will most likely lead to a more moderate budget compromise, something both liberals and conservatives can look forward to.

JEFF HOMAN -regular columnist -sophomore -history major

Conservation easements can benefit taxpayers in our area the New River Valley, we face a huge challenge: How can we In preserve the bounty of nature and rich natural resources, the envy of many on this planet?

Retirees and others from all parts of the country are moving to (or staying) in this area because of its natural beauty and the lifestyle that comes with close proximity to nature.

To maintain this appeal, and ultimately for survival, peoples’ biggest challenge is to find ways to preserve renewable resources so that they can be used indefinitely into the future.

There are numerous organizations that have this goal, from private nonprofits to government agencies, with each occupying a niche in the effort to preserve, maintain and enhance natural resources.

The New River Land Trust is a non-profit organization committed to conserving farmland, forests, open spaces and historic places in Virginia’s New River region, which includes Bland, Carroll, Giles, Floyd, Grayson, Montgomery, Pulaski and Wythe counties, as well as the cities of Galax and Radford.

We preserve precious land by educating landowners and others about the benefits of voluntarily donated conservation easements and help those donors make the most of the state and federal government’s land conservation tax incentives.

An easement is typically defined as a right, such as a right of way, given or sold to another to make limited use of one’s real property. An easement only confers the right of use, not ownership.

There are many kinds of easements for just about any use a person can think of, such as utility, drainage

and slope easements. A conservation easement gives people the right to perpetuate existing conservation values on one property to another, usually to a bonafide federal or state affiliated agency capable of monitoring and maintaining those values.

The most common way to perpetuate existing conservation values is to limit development on the property.

The agency holding the easement doesn’t necessarily pay for it — the payment comes in the form of tax incentives that state and federal governments provide.

Since 2002, the New River Land Trust has worked with 188 landowners to protect over 39,000 acres of farms, forests, historic places and open spaces, including almost 21 miles along the New River.

This land will forever be maintained as rural, contributing to the landscape, livelihood and heritage of the region.

Both the state and federal governments, acting for the general welfare of the country and its citizens, offer significant tax incentives to easement donors.

The governments provide the incentives to partially offset the loss of land value from the development restrictions associated with conservation easements.

Absent from other considerations, an elderly couple might be hardpressed to refuse a developer’s offer of $500,000 for their beautiful 100-acre farm on the New River.

By putting their land under a conservation easement, they would receive a portion of its value in tax credits from the state and a 50100 percent federal income tax deduction.

After placing the easement on the property and receiving the tax credits, the couple would still own the land.

They could continue to live on and farm the property, lease it or pass it on to heirs or sell it to the next generation of farmers.

Thus, the land would remain forever open, and those prime soils would be available to continue feeding people in the future.

Housing developments and other residential areas actually cost counties more to service than the real estate taxes generated. Open areas generally cost less to service than the taxes generated.

The New River Land Trust has recently started an initiative to work with county governments and others to identify and to prioritize the most critical areas for conservation.

These areas would include important water resources, prime agricultural soils, forest resources, wildlife habitat, areas of historic or cultural importance and scenic views. By prioritizing the important areas and working together, we can maximize our efforts to preserve what we value most and to help keep our country strong. Look for future articles discussing Land Trust and conservation issues. If you have questions or comments about this article or would like information about conservation easements and tax credits, please contact the New River Land Trust at 540-951-1704 or e-mail nrlt@newriverlandtrust.org.

DAVID G. YOLTON -guest columnist -new river land trust board member

Collegiate Times Editorial Staff Editor in Chief: Peter Velz Managing Editors: Zach Crizer, Katie Biondo, Josh Son Public Editor: Justin Graves Senior News Editor: Philipp Kotlaba Associate News Editors: Liana Bayne, Gordon Block News Reporters: Claire Sanderson, Jay Speidell, Michelle Sutherland, Sarah Watson News Staff Writers: Erin Chapman, Meighan Dober Features Editors: Lindsey Brookbank, Kim Walter Features Reporters: Chelsea Gunter, Mia Perry Features Staff Writers: Andrew Reilly, Nick Smirniotopoulos Opinions Editors: Scott Masselli, Gabi Seltzer Sports Editors: Michael Bealey, Garrett Ripa Sports Reporters: Nick Cafferky, Matt Jones, Courtney Lofgren, Josh Parcell Sports Staff Writers: Alyssa Bedrosian, Alex Koma, Ashleigh Lanza, Zach Mariner Special Sections Editor: Bethany Buchanan Public Information Director: Dishu Maheshwari Training Director: Kelsey Heiter Copy Editors: Taylor Chakurda, Thandiwe Ogbonna, Spenser Snarr, Brittany Kelly, Debra Houchins Layout Designers: Danielle Buynak, Victoria Zigadlo, Wei Hann, Maya Shah Online Director: Jamie Chung Collegiate Times Business Staff Business Manager: David Harries Distribution Assistant: Ryan Francis Student Publications Photo Staff Director of Photography: Sara Mitchell Business Manager: Luke Mason Lab Manager: Mark Umansky College Media Solutions Ad Director: Nik Bando Asst Ad Director: Brandon Collins Account Executives: Emily Africa, Matt Freedman, Connor Geiran, Mario Gazzola Inside Sales Manager: Wade Stephenson Assistant Inside Sales Manager: Diane Revalski Assistant Account Executives: Maddie Abram, Katie Berkel, Kaelynn Kurtz, Erin Shuba Creative Director: Chloé Skibba Asst Production Manager: Casey Stoneman Creative Services Staff: Tim Austin, Voice your opinion. Readers are encouraged to send letters to the Collegiate Times.

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april 22, 2011

page 4

Health professionals to take new techniques back to Africa ELIZABETH HAYDU news staff writer Health professionals from Africa are visiting Virginia Tech to learn new ways to fight HIV, AIDS and other health problems in their home countries.

The Global Health Fellows program has brought 14 participants from Zambia and Malawi to the U.S. to study medical solutions for health problems in Africa, as well as health education through the media.

The program is a partnership between Tech, the Malawi Health Equity Network and World Vision, which is based in Zambia.

After two weeks of discussions and seminars, Friday is the Health Fellows’ last day on campus.

Ormond Musonda, a senior producer at the Zambia National Broadcast Corporation, said he hopes to use what he has learned in the program to better educate people about health.

“I look forward to learning about radio broadcasting in the U.S. Radio, (and how it) can educate, inform and entertain,” Musonda said. “But I would like to perhaps combine these functions as I develop health messages to communicate with my audience.”

Before the journey to Tech, Mwila

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and the others attended a seminar where they learned more about the program and then decided if they wanted to participate.

Peter Kayenda, a regional coordinator for the National Association of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Malawi, said he chose to join the program because he wanted to help the most vulnerable in his community.

“We are talking about helping underserved women and children,” he said. “I thought that was beautiful.”

Malawi and Zambia share a common border and health problems.

Over the years, both countries have struggled to reduce maternal and child mortality rates by improving hygiene and nutrition.

Each of the 14 participants has its own reasons for joining Global Health Fellows.

“Because I work with vulnerable populations, especially women and children, my goal is to gain new skills and knowledge that will assist in providing quality care before, during and after delivery,” said St. Petronella Mwila, a project coordinator at St. Kalemba Rural Health Centre in Zambia.

After the participants leave campus, MALLORY NOE-PAYNE / SPPS they will begin an immersion expeSister Petronelle Mwila from Zambia listens to a presentation from a pediatrician in Roanoke.

The Global Health Fellows program brought 14 rience for a week. They will end in participants from Africa to Virginia Tech to learn new ways to fi ght health problems in their home countries through medicine and education.

Washington, D.C. at a conference.

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For Rent

We share your concerns Check us out in the paper or online at collegiatetimes.com

WUVT WEEKEND FRIDAY ed Mix scs Di

7-9

Art Day

9 AM12 PM 12-2

AM

PM

New River Sampler Thompson & Thomson

Steve Nimitz

7-9 AM

SATURDAY

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Sunday Morning Classical

9 AM- Hickory Dickory 11 PM Dock 11-1 PM

1-2:30 PM

The Greek Show The Turkish Show Miko & Starflower

Aaron Horst Sounds Good Skylights

w Day Drinking 2:30-4 Talk at the Ne ic 2-3:30 PM s PM w/ Stacey Table Top 15 u M 3:30-5 The JFK Memorial 4-5:30 Nathan & Jared Tune Talk PM PM Cat Show Tech Talk 5 PM WUVT Newsbreak Actual Miles 5:30-7 Oscar Salguero’s The Entertainment 5-7 z Jaz PM PM Peruvian Chicken & Sports Show Ellenberg y t l Terrence 7-9 a 7-9 i c The Billy Goat Shawn Manns PM PM Torrence Spe t r A 9-12 Brenden Evans 9 PM- The Whatever Symphonies of ht PM & Marc Kravitz 12 AM Nig Hour Sickness y 12-2 t l L’Guida’s 12-2 a Walter Valencia George & JR ci AM Vaudeville Revue AM Spe 2-4 Diesel & Cox Caitlin Belcher 2-4 ed M ix c s Dis

By Elizabeth A. Long

ACROSS 1 __ ef fort 5 W ithout restraint 9 “__ luego” 14 Merrill in movies 15 Microwave 16 “__ Smith and Jones”: 1970s TV Western 17 List maker 18 Swank ’s “Amelia” co-star 19 Stealthy Easterner 20 Fancy greens dish 23 Storm hdg.

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Chris Winfield & 4-7 Angela Huang AM

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4/22/11 30 Spay or neuter 53 __ myrtle: tree or 32 #1 tennis player shrub in the for much of the loosestrife ’80s family 35 “I can help” 54 Skirmish 36 2012 Ryder Cup 55 Where Eth. is captain Davis 57 Chess pieces Love __ 58 Bit of modern 37 News organ? folklore 38 In reverse 62 Howled positio n 66 Upscale hotel 42 Cross over chain 45 Be less than 67 Without thinking, health y with “by” 46 Greek with 68 Tequila plant lessons 69 It often involves 50 Feminist’s steady losses concern 70 Privy to

Andrew Barnes

DOW N 1 Supplementary items 2 He plays Lord Voldemort in Harry Potter films 3 Where the teacher might casually si t 4 Rajah’ s wife 5 Guardian, maybe 6 Vegan’ s morning meal 7 Cajun staple 8 Stabilizing par t 9 “Water Music” composer 10 Clay , today 11 Offense 12 Atlantic City casino, with “The” 13 “__ matter of fact ...”

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28 Mormons, initially 29 Bar option 31 Corrects, as text 33 Instrument in Schubert’ s “Trout Quintet” 34 __ conditioning 39 Provocative sort 40 __ leaf 41 Mother-of-pearl 42 Certain NCO 43 Little, in Lille 44 “Jeopardy!” ques., really 47 Identical ite m 48 Summer shoe style 49 Hanging 51 Gets by 52 Gave one star, say 56 Moves like a moth 59 Portend 60 Exiled African tyrant 61 Dreadful 62 Bit of Lagasse lingo 63 Turkish title 64 Asian ox 65 First lady?

(c)2011 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

4/21/11

Fashion

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Spell the phrase in the grid above it, writing each unique letter only once.

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71 With 72- and 73Across, what this puzzle does literally at si x different intersections 72 See 71-Across 73 See 71-Across

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people & clubs

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

april 22, 2011

5

Tech club uses Japanese technique to Beer: Men form alcohol network send energy within minds and bodies from page one

MIA PERRY features reporter The Virginia Tech Reiki club has found a new cure to treat stress and illness, other than medicine.

Reiki means “universal life energy.”

Those trained in Reiki transmit healing energy to people, producing a calm feeling in a person receiving the energy.

Derived from the work of Japanese Buddhist Mikao Usui in the early 20th century, Reiki deals with energy and spiritual consciousness, and can be used to reverse any number of ailments — stress, backaches, bruises, anxiety and broken bones.

Professor Ed Fox, the club’s faculty advisor and level three Reiki practitioner, said Reiki fits into the world of complimentary medicine or healthcare.

“It’s in some ways similar to Tai Chi and things with energy work,” Fox said. “But what is different here is that Reiki is the practice of moving energy around.”

The movement of energy helps keep people’s systems unblocked.

Like a massage, Reiki can be seen as cleansing and can make a recipient dehydrated, so drinking water afterward is recommended.

When practicing Reiki, club members use one or two hands to focus energy throughout a region of the body, without actually touching the person.

“You can often just hold your hands up when passing someone and feel energy flowing from different points,” Fox said.

As Fox’s hands hover over a bruise, for example, he said he lets energy flow through his body to treat it.

“Sometimes if someone bruises themselves, and you begin the Reiki process immediately, you can almost avoid bruising entirely,” Fox said.

Once the problem begins to be fixed, the energy flow will diminish. If a body needs treatment in another area, then energy spreads to those places.

Fox used working on a person with a bruise on their foot and a headache.

“It might take a long, long time,” he said. “But the energy would eventually travel to your head and help out there after it tried to fix all the stuff in between.”

Fox practices Reiki on his family members who are beginning to feel sick, and afterward, they feel fine.

LUKE MASON / SPPS

Ed Fox, professor and Reiki club advisor, practices moving energy.

“We have people come in who have bad circulation, spiritual concerns or just bad immune systems,” Fox said.

“We also treat many people with cancer.”

However, Fox said club members don’t diagnose people because they are not medical practitioners. But the students participate in clinical trials to study Reiki’s therapeutic effects on patients.

After he came across a book on Reiki, Fox was immediately intrigued by the practice and learned all he could about it. Eventually he followed his passion and went to Washington D.C. for training.

Fox said a student became interested in learning Reiki and started the club.

The club began in 2003. However, it was during Tech’s Staff Appreciation Day that Lois Doherty, a club member who works in the foreign languages and literatures department, found Reiki.

“The club was offering free Reiki treatments to anyone who walked by, so I asked for one,” Doherty said.

Doherty has been involved since.

“I feel much calmer and de-stressed after receiving Reiki, so much so that I’ve decided to continue studying and learning more about Reiki,” Doherty said. “It’s an important part of my life now.”

Doherty and other club members share a passion for the practice that they want others to experience as well.

“We want visitors to feel much bet-

ter after receiving a Reiki treatment,” she said. “And to find a group that is welcoming to them and willing to help them feel better.”

The club meets all year round, even when campus is closed.

“Sometimes we even get visitors who have traveled many miles to meet with us,” Fox said. “We don’t charge anything because this is a sort of service activity.”

Besides treating people, the club teaches the Reiki techniques as well.

“We teach people how to treat themselves, their pets, their families,” Fox said.

Although some of these things may seem too good to be true, Fox was quick to note the benefits of Reiki.

“I don’t get sick. It helps my creativity,” Fox said. “And it’s also just nice helping other people.”

Aside from their weekly meetings in Torgersen 1020 on Wednesdays from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., the club also teaches classes, attends health fairs and participates in other outreach activities.

Doherty said that anyone is welcome to come out and try a Reiki experience.

“We are a unique blend of VT faculty, staff, students and community members,” Doherty said. “It is so great for all these varied people to come together to share energy each week with the unified purpose of helping others.”

capabilities are fully developed.

For now, the users are strictly social.

Very shortly, the website will be complete, and breweries and other users will be able to access the site.

“It’s 90 percent done, and the last 10 percent is the business side,” Flynn said.

But Flynn isn’t worried about business.

“I’ve talked to breweries about the site and they’re like, ‘Oh wow, can I get on?’” Flynn said. “And I have to unfortunately say, ‘Not yet.’”

It is clear why Kaljaa.com has taken so long to complete. It offers an array of features and is detailed. The basic design offers five different profiles that divide the beer world.

Kaljaa.com will also offer brewery profiles for licensed breweries and pubs, which will make up a large part of the site’s business. The profiles will display the brewery’s location, activities, and history. There will even be a map where viewers can zoom in on their exact locations. Each profile will show the brewery’s beer selection, special events and customer reviews.

Besides brewery profiles, there will also be social profiles for beer lovers to display their favorite beers and reviews, media and critic profiles for beer magazines, guilds and associations, as well as supplier and distributor profiles. There will also be profiles for restaurants and other vendors.

The website features four different “centrals” as well. The Blog Central allows users to browse forums being created on the network. The News Central leads users to articles and news that are published through the site as well. The Beer Central helps users find the newest beers that are provided on the profiles. The Beer Entertainment Central offers games, jokes and beer stories that users discuss.

The homepage for Kaljaa.com mirrors the Facebook newsfeed page.

On the homepage, users will see top blogs, news stories, beers and beer releases.

“Your homepage shows status updates between you and all of your friends,” Flynn said. “When you friend a brewery, you can set it to show your brewery friends, or you can show your social friends just to see what they’ve been up to.”

Flynn said the site will also utilize marketing. When new beers are released, they will receive instant feedback from other users.

MAZIAR FAHANDEZH / SPPS

Tech students celebrate the creation of their beer social network.

“It’s like a one-stop shop for everybody,” he said. “It benefits everyone in the industry.”

James Cook, a senior computer science major, is the main programmer for the project and has juggled schoolwork while creating the website.

“My main challenge has been strengthening the site against hackers,” Cook said.

Cook, who has been a part of the project for about a year and a half, said his proudest moment while working on the site was when they decided on a “legit” color scheme.

The main color, a shade of maroon, was chosen to resemble a rich shade of Irish beer — although perhaps it is subconsciously the Hokie influence in Flynn and the others.

CJ Norris and George Zhang, both computer science graduate students, are also on board with the ongoing project.

Flynn said elements of the site have “been done before,” but that there is nothing like this. “You have beer blogs, beer review site, some beer social sites, but nothing that just brings everything together and makes it work like this.”

Flynn compared breweries to

Facebook.

“If everyone had their own domain name — their own website — each with a different design, you wouldn’t be able to keep track of more than three friends,” he said. “The beauty of Facebook is the ability to browse.”

Flynn said the same goes for breweries — viewers can visit different pages and check a box claiming they are 21 or older. This way, Flynn can keep track of 50 breweries on one site.

Flynn said he thinks the site has huge potential. He plans to go international with it, adapting different languages.

“We don’t have to sell people on ideas,” he said. “Breweries want it to succeed because it’s such a good opportunity for them.”

Flynn also hopes to apply the sites format to wines next, followed by spirits and then cigars.

“The fun thing about breweries is that they are just a bunch of laid back, fun, crazy guys,” Flynn said.

Beer for Flynn is fun — it’s his passion.

“I eventually want (Kaljaa.com) to be the hub of the whole brewery world,” he said.

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april 22, 2011

page 6

D I SA

he she

MES LLEGIATE TI ARTYN / CO M IE M JA : cartoon by

She said: Don’t forget family on Easter

He said: Church is not for everybody Despite the cynical attempts of candy companies and Hollywood, Easter remains intrinsically tied to religion. That’s not to say that the Easter bunny doesn’t hold widespread appeal, but let’s be serious — the bunny is no Santa Claus. All the Easter egg hunts in the world can’t change the fact that it is a Christian holiday, with no reason to exist other than celebrating the resurrection of Jesus.

Sorry to get all Mel Gibson. I’m not very religious at all, which makes it kind of awkward to write about a sacred holiday such as Easter. A Catholic school education and years spent attending Mass — at least in the physical sense — taught me plenty about the New Testament, but the end result is a nonchalant shrug every spring.

It’s possible I would forget Easter entirely if not for my mother’s special strawberries and cream dessert.

Spoiler alert: I don’t really attend Mass anymore. My parents made sure my sister and I paid our dues, worked our way through the grueling CCD (basically Sunday school) system and were confirmed into the Catholic Church.

I was then offered a choice about going to Mass and never looked back, embracing the CEO lifestyle: Christmas and Easter Only. That’s about as far as my desire goes to spend an hour of precious weekend time singing songs with strangers. However, over the years, this half-hearted dedication slowly faded into indifference to the point where Christmas Mass seems like

a chore. Did I complain like a bratty eight-year-old last December about spending one hour out of the year in church? You bet your Rosary I did.

On a side note, my great-aunt, who happens to be a nun, occasionally asks me to send her my columns. The preceding paragraph should explain why that would never happen — that and all the boob jokes of course.

Anyway, I’m identified within church as a “lapsed Catholic.” You can’t get kicked out of the party once your baptized, so the best thing the community can do is try to shame you into returning. Luckily, shame is one of those silly values like humility that I never had the misfortune of acquiring. My life is wonderfully free of emotion regarding church.

I hope it doesn’t sound like I’m badmouthing religion. Catholicism may not be my current life priority, but faith is hardly a worthless enterprise. In some imperceptible way, I feel like a better person for having been through the religious process as a child. Despite the occasional prodding from my atheist roommate, I think I believe in God, or at least some higher power — preferably one with a crazy beard who wields thunderbolts of fiery judgment, but I’m not picky.

A few nights ago, that roommate questioned the wisdom of following “silly” doctrines that he believes add nothing to a person’s life. I couldn’t disagree with him that the Bible often seems like a pile of malarkey. However, I think he missed the point of organized religion.

My family and friends who attend services go because they receive something from the experience, whether it’s a sense of community, a rewarding faith or just the complimentary donuts served after Mass.

While I have decided that church doesn’t currently offer me anything, they find religion to be a beneficial presence in their lives.

Who am I to tell them otherwise? My great-aunt may find my membership in a fraternity just as bewildering as I find her desire to live in a convent, but that doesn’t mean either of us is wrong.

Besides, I won’t remain a lapsed Catholic forever. When that terrifying day comes that my offspring walk the earth, you better believe we’ll be sitting in church every weekend. They deserve the same opportunity to learn about religion that I had. If they choose to go through the motions and move on — great. If the word of God really speaks to them, and they insist I take them to Mass after they’re confirmed — well, less great, but I’ll roll with it.

Either way, they’re definitely going through those tedious years of CCD. I’d hate to cheat them out of the full religious experience.

ANDREW REILLY -staff writer -junior -communication major

I feel guilty even contemplating staying in Blacksburg instead of going home to spend Easter weekend with my family.

Who scheduled Relay for Life and the spring game this year? Are you trying to get me to break tradition?

What is the right decision — raising money for cancer or spending Easter with family?

Is there a right answer?

I apologize for all of the questions, but really, what is Easter anymore?

Easter has changed for most of us.

When we were kids, we followed the traditions — taking pictures with the Easter bunny, searching for eggs and wearing fancy clothes to church.

I was lucky enough to wear an identical outfit as my older sibling and take family pictures. While those old photos are scary to look at now, I absolutely loved it as a kid.

Easter morning was a replica of Christmas in my family. My sister and I struggled to sleep because we were anxious to see what the Easter bunny would leave in our baskets.

Waking up extra early, we’d race downstairs in our princess pajamas to get the candy. This was one of the highlights of my year — the only holiday where parents permit their children to eat chocolate in the morning.

After looking at our baskets, we had a small Easter egg hunt, which was followed by a huge family hunt at my grandparent’s house.

The hunt at my grandparent’s house was no joke. The kids went first and had different colored eggs to be fair, but then, the adults followed. It was a mini Super Bowl in our family, as everyone raced across the yard to make the most money.

It was ugly. But hey, it was tradition and a way to be together.

But as time went on, our family began to move around the country.

It’s harder to keep in touch and celebrate holidays when you have family members in Pennsylvania, Texas, Florida and Indiana. It’s great that everyone has moved on but it has a negative effect on family traditions.

There is now no hunt, and it’s acceptable for me to stay in Blacksburg to go to the spring game. As a child, I never would have guessed this is how Easter would be.

When my sister and I got older, my parents kept the hunt exciting. Instead of a traditional hunt, we were given clues in our basket about where our presents were.

One would say, “I’m hidden in a place you avoid,” so I’d run to the dishwasher and find my gift inside.

Being able to laugh at ourselves while finding a gift in our dog’s water bowl is something we’ll never forget.

I recently watched an old home video of my cousin Travis jumping in front of the camera singing “Here Comes Peter Cottontail,” as my sister posed in the background. They were no more than six years old, dressed for church and celebrating Easter.

But now my cousin is married and my sister is in medical school.

It’s scary how quickly time goes by.

If you haven’t noticed throughout most of my columns, I am someone who tries to grasp onto my childhood. You may think I’m crazy, but how could I give up taking pictures with the Easter bunny and Santa, while celebrating with my family?

Now I know that the guy behind the costume is most likely some creeper that hits on my mom, but that doesn’t matter. Being a child means you have nothing to worry about.

I’m sure a lot of you think I should get over it and grow up, but have

you thought about your childhood recently? We were so quick to believe in anything and saw our parents as heroes.

As I walked through Target the other day, I passed the card section and paused. I wondered — when was the last time I sent a card?

I casually searched for a “Happy Easter” card for my grandparents just to say thanks. I realized that if it’s sad for me not to celebrate with my family, it must be unbearable for my grandparents who are thousands of miles away. Clearly they are not complaining about living in Florida, but I know they would give it all up in a heartbeat to be with the entire family for Easter.

What I’m really trying to say is when was the last time you wrote a letter? We have e-mail and Facebook now, which makes getting in touch simple. But the Internet will never be able to replace the personal touch of a handwritten letter. Whether it’s a thank you card or a holiday card, take a few minutes to send one.

Your letter is guaranteed to make someone’s day.

It’s time to say thank you for all of the memories our families have left us with. It’s likely that we wouldn’t be here at Virginia Tech today without their help. So take a minute out of your day to show your appreciation and make a huge impact on the one’s you love.

Whether the traditions of holidays change or not, a thank you will always go a long way.

CHELSEA GUNTER -features reporter -sophomore -communicaton major

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