COLLEGIATETIMES
june 2, 2011
what’s inside News .............2 Opinions........5 Features ........6 Sports ...........8 Classifieds ...11 Sudoku ........11 108th year issue 60 blacksburg, va.
I-81 shootout ends in death
Police may be forced to release documents on missing person CALEB FLEMING news reporter
COURTESY WDBJ7
Helicopter lands to transport shooting victim to Roanoke Hospital.
DEPUTY KILLS EX-WIFE, LEADS TO HOUR LONG PURSUIT AND ENDS WITH TWO INJURED, ONE DEAD. CARA MCBROOM news editor An off-duty Franklin County deputy shot and killed his ex-wife in a Roanoke convenience store parking lot Monday morning. Jennifer Louise Agee, 30, pulled into the parking lot of the Sheetz store on Williamson Road, according to Roanoke Police Chief Chris Perkins. Perkins said Jonathan Agee, 32, of Boones Mill pulled into the parking lot behind his ex-wife’s car and shot her several times with a rifle. Jennifer Agee was pronounced dead upon her arrival at Roanoke Memorial Hospital. According to authorities, one of their two daughters, age 12, was in the vehicle with the ex-wife during the shooting but was unharmed. Agee fled from the scene in his
marked car and was pursued by Sgt. Matthew Brannock, 35, who was later shot in the pursuit. Agee was shot several times by the unmarked cars involved in the chase. The chase lasted approximately one hour and ended in Montgomery County, where Agee was finally stopped by police gunfire. Agee was taken to the Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital and was listed as in critical condition, Brannock was also taken to Carilion. His wound was not life-threatening. A northbound section of Interstate 81 shut down for hours during the investigation. Authorities say to expect more delays throughout the week due to the recreation of the chase. Agee has been charged with murder according to Roanoke Police Chief Chris Perkins.
The thirteen-year-old missing person case of a former Virginia Tech student remains unsolved, but a W. Va. judge could force state police to relinquish important documents by the end of the year. A Kanawha County judge will hear testimony later this year before deciding the fate of a Freedom of Information Act KOVACK request filed by the Educational Media Company of Virginia Tech. Robert Kovack was a graduate architecture student when he was reported missing nearly 13 years ago. He vanished without a trace somewhere between Blacksburg and his hometown of Rivesville, W. Va. Kovack’s Geo Tracker was found abandoned four days after he was last sighted alive on Sept. 22, 1998 on U.S. Route 19 near Fayetteville, W. Va. But while investigators have followed thousands of leads, none have provided closure in the case. In 2009, the Collegiate Times published a ten chapter in-depth piece regarding Kovack’s disappearance. The newspaper was denied its request for information from the West Virginia State Police and subsequently filed a lawsuit claiming FOIA violation. The US government enacted FOIA as mandated disclosure of certain government documents. There are exceptions to FOIA, including information that would compromise a criminal investigation. The West Virginia State Police
claim this case falls under such an exemption. The department argues releasing information would be harmful to the investigation and rejected the FOIA request. Brian Wheeler, the attorney representing EMCVT, argues that the West Virginia State Police “cannot keep the documents secret forever simply because they remain unsolved.” “What have they done recently to solve this case,” Wheeler said. “Who knows if anything has been done in the last decade?” Ultimately, these questions will be answered in court. The presiding judge, Wheeler said, will have to determine if the case fits the parameters of an ongoing investigation. There are no precedent cases.
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Each day you hope that something breaks and you can put this part of your life to rest, or that he is out there somewhere and he comes back,” MICHAEL KOVACK BROTHER
The West Virginia State Police did not return calls to the Collegiate Times. Lt. Steve Taylor with the Blacksburg Police Department said the investigation remains open locally. “I can’t go so far as to say we get valid leads, but there are times we receive leads that we investigate,” Taylor said. Taylor declined to comment further on the investigation. Michael Kovack, Robert Kovack’s older brother, said he had not heard information regarding his brother’s case in years. “There is nothing new; nothing
has changed,” Michael Kovack said. “Realistically, after a while, you have to face the facts. You may never know what happened.” Michael Kovack said that two years ago the family officially declared Robert deceased, despite the fact that there was no official confirmation from police. The declaration kept bill collectors at bay but was a challenging decision for the Kovack family. “That was tough, but you have to move on,” Michael Kovack said. “It’s either you let it consume you or you move on with your life.” Michael Kovack admitted that his brother’s memory invades his mind daily. “Me and my father went fishing last weekend, and that was something the three of us used to do together,” Michael Kovack said. “It came up. The little things bring back memories.” Michael Kovack commented on the nature of the relationship his brother had with his mother and father, furthering expressing the emotional stress of the disappearance. “My mother sat by the phone day after day,” Michael Kovack said. “I told her she had to live her life; not saying to give up, but moving on with life. You accept fate for what it was or let the obscurities get the best of you. You have nothing, and that’s probably the hardest part.” “Each day you hope that something breaks and you can put this part of your life to rest, or that he is out there somewhere and he comes back,” Michael Kovack said. But for the Kovack family, closure is the only thing that will full satisfy. “For the past 12 years we have lived in limbo,” Michael Kovack said. “It’s something that I would not wish on anyone.”
Former student drowns in New River Governor Bob McDonnell CARA MCBROOM news editor A former Virginia Tech student was found dead in the New River at McCoy Falls Sunday. Kevin E. Ocampo-Arias, 27, drowned after swimming in the rapids. This isn’t the first drowning at McCoy Falls. Over a year ago, a man was reported to have drowned. Sgt.
Dirk Compton of the Virginia State Police said two witnesses were present. One of the witnesses, a roommate of Ocampo-Arias, called in the incident and said Ocampo-Arias went into the water, went down in rapids and did not come back up. Sgt. Compton suspected that the water came a little over OcampoArias’ head and drowned him. The body was taken to Carilion Giles
Community Hospital in Pearisburg, Va. Alcohol was not suspected to be involved. The family was notified and arrangements are unknown. McCoy Falls is a class II rapid, meaning it is of moderate difficulty. The water is medium to quick speed with regular waves. There are clear and open passages between rocks and ledges, but maneuvering required.
to give keynote address ESKII KEBEDE news staff writer Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell will be making a trip to Blackstone, Va. Saturday, June 11, to deliver a keynote address at the Virginia United Methodist Assembly Center. The church will be hosting the
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inaugural Founders Day event “Faith of Our Founding Fathers,” a controversial yet appealing topic. Once elected for office, McDonnell declared April as confederate history month. The controversy around the matter arose from the major role slavery held in colonial times. Many see FOUNDER’S DAY / page three
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what you’re saying //comments from online readers... On President Obama’s empire: Ironic>> I have seen what your article discusses mentioned in the media from time to time. However, reading them all in once place, as you did with your article, is very depressing. People in this country need to wake up and realize that the leadership of both parties are for screwing us over.
On Detour confusion: Anon>> If you’re new or from out of town then it’s easy to get lost. Although I agree the detours shouldn’t get you too confused if you know where you’re going. I admit, though, I’m frustrated by this construction project mostly because it’s taking so long. I would think a project like this initially would just take a year. I remember it starting last summer and it’s not planned to end until fall of 2012. That’s total years of traffic congestion. I just use 460, or go around campus to avoid the mess altogether. It’s annoying but actually faster. I just hope this project proves to be worth it when it’s all said and done.
On Bleak outlook for Republicans: Anonymous>> It’s funny that Tea Parties like Herman Cain. HELLO! He was chairman of the Federal Reserve branch in Dallas! He also supported the TARP banker bailout that Bush, Obama and McCain shoved down our throats. Cain is a wolf in sheep’s clothing and I wish that conservatives would do more research. Sorry Newt, but good leaders do not marry half a dozen women. We all makes mistakes, and thank God for forgiveness. However, we need somebody who is leadership material to be president. You did not lead in multiple marriages, and you did not get your Contract with America past. Both of these candidates are a joke. TimPaw = Status Quo, Ron Paul = awesome but people too dumb to vote for him.
blacksburg Former colleagues remember Jim Tait The passing of onetime University of Richmond football coach Jim Tait did not go unnoticed by his former colleagues at Virginia Tech. Tait, who had suffered from Alzheimer’s before his death Friday at 75, worked at Tech from 1980 to 1986. He started out as an assistant athletic director under his former Mississippi State teammate Bill Dooley before taking over as quarterbacks coach. “He had a great football mind,” said Billy Hite, who coached the Hokies’ running backs from 1978 to 2010, “but what stands out mostly about coach Tait was, he knew everybody. “You’d go anywhere in the state to recruit, and people would always tell you, ‘Say hi to coach Tait.’ “ Tait was the head coach at Richmond from 1974 to 1979 and took the Spiders to the 1975 Southern Conference championship. He was dismissed after an 0-11 season in 1979. “I think what happened was, they got out of the Southern Conference and had difficulty scheduling,” Hite said. The 1979 Richmond team
played such current Division I-A teams as Virginia, Virginia Tech, West Virginia, Duke, Cincinnati and East Carolina. His Tech stint coincided with Dooley’s departure, after which Tait returned to Richmond, where he coached at two private schools (Benedictine and St. Christopher’s) and spent 10 more seasons as an assistant at Richmond. “He didn’t scream and yell and holler a lot,” Hite said. “He was a laid-back coach but always got his point across to his players. He was very well-respected.” “I think he had six children. One or two of them grew up in Blacksburg, and they always wanted to come back for a game. So, we’d always hear from him when he needed tickets.” It was Hite who passed along the news of Tait’s passing to Dooley, who recently was named to the Wilmington (N.C.) Sports Hall of Fame. Hite attended the induction ceremony, as did 60 of Hite’s former University of North Carolina teammates and close to 20 former Hokies’ players. -doug doughty mcclatchy newspapers
nation
collegiatetimes.com june 2, 2011
Free vs. fee: Push is under way to collect for Internet content The axiom about free lunches got tossed out by the Internet. Web downloads have delivered all manner of no-pay music, news, movies and software. Years of trying to put them behind a cash register have mostly failed. Now though, a new push is on to collect online cover charges to pay the musicians, journalists, actors and code writers who make the content. Notably, The New York Times this spring started charging people who want unfettered access to its work online. It has erected a “paywall” costing $1.88 to $4.38 a week, depending on how many devices you want to read it on --and limited nonsubscribers to viewing 20 articles a month. It’s hardly the only daily newspaper to try. From Manhattan, Kan., to Santa Barbara, Calif., from Long Island’s Newsday to Little Rock’s ArkansasOnline, dailies as early as
2001 have asked from $4 to $35 for monthly online subscriptions. Just none with the wide reach of The Times. The Old Grey Lady is making a digital-age gamble: That money from online subscriptions from a smaller audience will offset the lesser amounts of money made from online ads. How well The Times’ experiment fares may signal whether other companies can move beyond advertising as a source of online income. Success depends on an endless number of variables, including whether the content is consumed on a desktop computer or a smartphone, found on iTunes or the Android Market, produced by a blue-chip brand or a startup. Which companies can profitably erect virtual tollbooths, many analysts think, will turn on the longvexing problem of how easy it is to find similar content for free and on
making the payments hassle-free. “You get to this peculiar psychology of why people will pay you,” said Ken Doctor, a media analyst at Outsell Inc. and author of “Newsonomics: Twelve New Trends That Will Shape the News You Get.” “We’re still figuring out what the answer is.” By April, The Times was reporting 100,000 digital subscribers (lured partly by a 99-cent introductory offer for the first month). Analysts think it will need five or 10 times that number to make the paywall pay off. Visits to The Times’ website dropped as much as 15 percent and page views fell as much as 30 percent after it throttled access for freeloaders in March. Both loathed and esteemed, The Times’ brand stands alone for news. Success in charging for access, a question that may take years to satisfy, doesn’t necessarily mean that less prominent media will have the same
brand power to sell online subscriptions. Analysts are decidedly split on the way to profitability. Well-regarded news organizations might be able to persuade readers that their content is more than a commodity that’s free across the Web and persuade them to pay, said Steve Outing, a media analyst and director of the University of Colorado’s Digital Media Test Kitchen. Or, he said, they might not: “The jury’s still out.” He sees entertainment media stumbling by not giving more options to buy their stuff a la carte. Outing thinks cable networks that don’t let people pay for downloads of their shows, for instance, could be losing revenue and making the download of pirated material all the more inviting. “You look back to what happened to the music industry in the early days of the Internet, and it’s pretty catastrophic,” he said. “Part of it’s because
they waited so long to take advantage of the digital media world and fought against it.” Others, like Amy Gahran, a founder of news startup Oakland Local in California, said the subscriptions and paywalls showed a lack of imagination. She said advertising sold specifically for Web pages --not as extras tacked on with print sales --or advertising targeted specifically for cellphones could bring in more money. Paywalls, she said, will chase away more advertising dollars than they will draw in subscriptions. “Paywalls are stupid to the point of being suicidal,” Gahran said. “That’s only going to work where you have highly specialized information that’s not available anywhere else. General news content, I don’t care how good it is, is still a commodity.” -scott canon mcclatchy newspapers
Founder’s Day will have governor as guest of honor at assembly center from page one
There will also be a silent auction during the event with items donated from VUMAC varying from artwork to vacations at Smith Mountain Lake. Jennifer Wall is one of many working hard to put together the event. “This event is anyone who would like to come throughout the state of Virginia and celebrate the history of not only our founders but also Blackstone,” Wall said.
The assembly center is a well-recognized building with a strong Virginian history and the purpose of this event is in it’s honor. Funding for the event will come through ticket sales as well as several sponsors. All proceeds will go to the assembly center for future renovations for the facility. This event is open for all ages and will
be a night to remember. As controversial as some would deem this evening topic, the purpose of the event is to celebrate the history of the United States, particularly Virginians in the most patriotic of times. Those interested in attending Faith of Our Founding Fathers should contact Jennifer Wall at (434)392-7799 or via email detailsco@kinex.net.
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activists were against the governor celebrating a time in American history in which others suffered. Known to be a scholar on George Washington, McDonnell works hard to promote tourism in the state as this year marks the 150th anniversary of the beginning of the civil war. With such
a pride in preserving colonial history, VUMAC is excited to have McDonnell speak as the guest of honor. Events for the evening include a colonial style dinner, as well as an appearance from Virginia Patriots interpreters Kevin Grantz as President George Washington, and Michael Wells as Governor Patrick Henry, participating in what should be a lively debate.
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Man walks across nation to raise awareness for MS JAY SPEIDELL news writer A Tech alumnus is walking across the country, from Massachusetts to California, to raise awareness for Multiple Sclerosis, more commonly known as MS. Stephen Homsey, who graduated in 2008, is making a documentary of his walk and the people he encounters to raise awareness and money for MS victims. “I’m filming a documenHOMSEY tary as I walk for MS throughout the country in different regions,” Homsey said. “Seeing what people have access to, what they’ve gained and what they’ve lost.” Homsey doesn’t have MS himself, but he got involved with the cause after experiencing a fall two years ago in which he broke his back and several other bones. This accident left him immobilized for two months. “I knew I was getting better, but
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on the web Check out Homsey’s blog at steps4ms.org
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STEPHEN HOMSEY TECH ALUMNUS in the hand, another could have loss of vision, and another could progressively get worse and eventually pass away from it.” Homsey is interviewing individuals who suffer from MS across the country to highlight their specific situations. He has already seen a variety of cases and treatments, but no easy solutions. There are medicines available to treat MS, but they often have severe side effects. “You might have one week out of commission in the month, but the rest of the month, you might feel as good as normal,” Homsey said. “So for three weeks out of the four they can function normally, but that other week they’re completely out of it.” Homsey spoke with one woman who chose to forgo medication and manage her MS with diet and exercise. This decision was met with positive results. “If you work out every day, it lessens the severity of the attacks, reducing the rate of atrophy in yourmuscles,”Homseysaid.“That’snot scientifically proven to reverse the effects of MS, but a lot of people are having success improving their quality of life.” Homsey said he hopes the documentary will bring a focus to individuals, as well as to research. A few patients he has already spoken with said that their biggest issues were with insurance coverage, as well as finding doctors who were able to assist them. Homsey’s path will take him through Blacksburg around June 19th and he is planning on hosting an event. For more information, check out Homsey’s blog at steps4ms.org.
collegiatetimes.com june 2, 2011
a thought I had was if ‘I wasn’t ever going to get better, what would it be like?’” Homsey said. “It’s the same concept with MS, when you have an attack it limits what you are able to do. A majority (of victims) are unable to do those functions for the rest of their life.” Homsey’s experience inspired him to create Steps4MS, a charitable organization to raise awareness for the disease. The causes of MS are still a mystery to science, and treatments are limited. “Every attack of MS is different,” Homsey said. “One person could just have numbness
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I’m filming a documentary as I walk for MS throughout the country in different regions
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Gym to open at First and Main Shopping Center JOSH HIGGINS news staff writer A new fitness and workout facility is opening in Blacksburg this summer. Anytime Fitness, a fitness gym chain with locations across the country, signed a contract in mid-April to lease a space in the First and Main Shopping Center in Blacksburg. Soon after the lease was signed, construction began on the new gym’s facility. A 5,700 square foot state-of-the-art facility, expected to open for members in June, will be constructed to house the new gym. Anytime Fitness will include the latest in cardio and weight training equipment. The new facility will be equipped with treadmills, elliptical machines, stair climbers, and free weights. It includes amenities such as personal trainers, exercise classes, televisions, wellness programs, and private bathrooms and showers. The gym features a new, unique approach to fitness, by providing members the opportunity to create their own custom-made, unmanned workouts anytime they are at the facility. “If you wanted to take a class at two in the morning, you could,” Anthony Ferguson, a manager of the new fitness facility, said.
MAZIAR FAHANDEZH / SPPS
A showroom with equipment that is going to be installed at the new facility to attract new members. These new innovative workouts will allow members to set the length and the content of these workouts to their own taste Ferguson also said the gym will offer the privacy sometimes not offered at other gyms. “People don’t feel as intimidated – there is a sense of privacy,” Ferguson said. The
24 hour a day, 365 days per year facility features a security access card system that will allow club members to swipe into the facility at any time, even with no staff on hand. Surveillance cameras and security systems will be installed in the building to protect gym property and members when no employees or staff members
are on site. Anthony and Johanna Ferguson, both managers of Anytime Fitness, were allured to Blacksburg due to the closeness in proximity to their home and the hospitality of the locals. Ferguson said, “It’s (Blacksburg) really nice, and everyone is super friendly.” The new fitness facility is
expected to increase business at First and Main Shopping Center in downtown Blacksburg. Rappaport Companies, the managing company of First and Main, believes that Anytime Fitness will attract more regular customers to the shopping center and increase revenue for all of First and Main’s tenants. “I think it’s going to have a positive effect on the businesses there,” Sheryl Simeck, vice president of marketing and communications for the Rappaport Company said. “Because it’s a fitness center, you’ve got people that are going to come there on a regular basis, and that is going to bring regular traffic to the center.” Although the new facility is expected to attract new business to the area, some have reservations about the success that the facility will have in enticing Virginia Tech students, who all have available access to the on-campus gyms. Natasha Chadha, a sophomore English major and regular exerciser, said, “As cool as it sounds, I would most likely stick to the free on campus facilities. The gyms are huge, readily available, and at the end of the day is the same workout you’d pay more for at the new gym.”
Severe weather strikes concern, intrigue in local residents JOSH HIGGINS
collegiatetimes.com june 2, 2011
news staff writer A series of severe thunderstorms have been occurring across the Midwest and the East Coast over the past few months, causing devastation in many cities and towns across the U.S. Many locals are getting involved to understand the cause of this violent weather. Recent thunderstorms have brought severe lightning, heavy rain, strong winds, and even large hail. These storms have been responsible for some of the destructive and fatal tornadoes that decimated many cities and left many homeless and injured. Southwest Virginia has fallen victim to severe thunderstorms that spawned tornadoes across the region, causing heavy damage in Glade Spring, VA and nearby Pulaski County, VA. Local students and professors are using the opportunity of severe weather to study conditions causing the weather. During the summer, a group of students have the opportunity to travel the country and conduct research by going out and searching for severe weather to get a hands-on study of meteorology. The Hokie Storm Chasers, led by Virginia Tech meteorology instructor David Carroll, have been trekking
across the Midwest tracking huge storms, studying weather conditions in order to understand the creation of severe weather patterns. The group also learns skills in forecasting. In addition to their storm search, the group finds time to update their website and Twitter feed with information about their location and the weather they’ve seen. The National Weather Service office in Blacksburg has also been studying the local weather. According to Robert Stonefield, an official from the National Weather Service office in Blacksburg, the region has experienced above average severe weather. “In the last 12 months, we have seen more severe weather than we have had for quite some time,” Stonefield said. However, meteorologists aren’t alarmed. Weather experts say that the amount of severe weather fluctuates on a year-by-year basis. As summer begins, weather experts predict that severity and likelihood of thunderstorms will diminish. Most of the tornado-stricken areas of Southwest Virginia are still recovering from the destruction caused by tornadoes earlier in April. Some residents believe that new emergency plans should be implemented to help facilitate relief should a severe storm cause problems in the future.
COURTESY OF CJ YUNGER
A bright bolt of lightning strikes during an evening rain storm in Roanoke, Va. on May 22, 2011.
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West Campus Dr and Duckpond Dr, it was on July 30, 1755, that a group of Shawnee attacked the nearby Draper settlement. The exact location of the settlement is unknown. Most believe that it was located between the Drillfield and the Duck Pond. On the walkway between the golf course clubhouse and the Duck Pond there is long concrete wall with the inscription, “The Draper’s Meadow Massacre.” The two foot high wall is half-buried in dirt and you can barely make out the date of the massacre. William Ingles was away working his wheat fields when the attack happened. Four settlers died in the attack, including Mary’s sister-in-law Bettie Draper’s infant son and an elderly man who was beheaded. During the raid the Shawnee captured Mary Draper Ingles, Mary’s two sons, Bettie Draper and settler Henry Leonard. The five hostages were taken up the New River before following a series of rivers through West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio. During the month-long trip to Ohio, Mary tied knots in string to keep track of days while she memorized landmarks along the way. In Ohio they met white prisoners from other raids. Bettie Draper, Henry Leonard and prisoners from the other raids were forced to run the gauntlet. According to Blue Ridge Country magazine, this meant, “passing between two parallel lines of Indians wielding clubs and whips.” Adults who survived the gauntlet were sold as slaves to other tribes. The children, including Mary’s two sons, were traded, sold or adopted out to various families. Mary and an “old Dutch woman” ended up at Big Bone Lick near present-day Cincinnati.
The two sewed clothing and made salt for their captors. In another first, Mary was the first white person to make salt west of the Kanawha River, and may have been the first white woman to enter Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Mary convinced the Old Dutch Woman to escape. In early October, while foraging for nuts and wild grapes, they made a break for it. With nothing but two blankets and a single tomahawk the two followed the rivers back home. Twice during the trip the starving, mad Dutch woman tried to kill and cannibalize Mary. After Mary wrestled the woman off her a second time, she managed to lose the woman by crossing a river. 43 days and 800 miles later, Mary finally made it back to the New River Valley. When she arrived home, William and Bettie’s husband John Draper were in Tennessee and Georgia seeking help from friendly Cherokees. After the two were reunited they eventually moved to Radford where William operated the Ingles’ Ferry across the New River. Mary lived out the final years of her life in Radford where she died in 1815. The Radford farm—located inside the city limits, on the east side of the river— is still owned by a direct descendent of William and Mary Draper Ingles. There is also a memorial to Mary in Radford’s West End Cemetery, which is constructed out of stones from the chimney of the original cabin that stood on the Radford property. The Ingles’ Ferry Farm is open to the public seven weekends during the summer. Admission is free and operating hours and directions are available on the Ingles’ Ferry website. At the farm volunteers show what life would have been
like in the late 1700s. When I visited the farm four weekends ago, half a dozen volunteers manned five stations. The first person I encountered was dressed like a militiaman and had originals and replicas of weapons from the era. The next man had a couple dozen tools and showed me how to build replica homes and furniture. Next to him was a woman who handcrafted clothing and blankets using the same methods available to the colonists. Across the field from her, a direct descendent of the Ingles and Drapers demonstrated how farming was done. The last station I visited was the replica of William and Mary’s cabin, where a nice lady told me about the life of Mary Draper Ingles. What I found most impressive about Ingles’ Ferry Farm was that the owners stocked the property with the same breeds of chicken, sheep and cattle that the original settlers would have had. The volunteers were extremely knowledgeable about the breeds, and informed me just how hard it was to track some of them down. They also sought out and grow—using eighteenth century techniques — the same strains of corn, flax and wheat that were available to the first settlers. Learning about Mary Draper Ingles was very exciting. If you are in Blacksburg this summer, you may want to visit the historical sites associated with her. Visiting the sites in Blacksburg and Radford take only a few hours out of the day and enable you to learn about a unique piece of Virginia Tech history. Doing so also allows you to get out and explore the beautiful New River Valley.
An ‘Un-Patriotic’ Act on Memorial Day weekend This past Thursday, the United States Congress passed legislation which extended several portions of the 2001 USA PATRIOT Act. Upon hearing of its passage, President Obama was presented with a copy of the bill and proceeded to sign it into law using an autopen. Perhaps the president’s need to use an autopen instead of his actual signature goes deeper than his mere inability to be present in Washington to physically sign the bill. Certainly there is no reason why he could not have taken more time to sign the bill. In fact, a short-term expiration of the bill would not have in any sense hindered any ongoing investigations. By using his autopen privilege, President Obama allowed for the same thoughtless swiftness which allowed for this act to be administered to this country in the first place. Is it possible that the president’s haste was directed less at protecting this nation’s security and more at glossing over his previously stated disagreements with the bill so he would be able to centralize more power in his office? There are fewer insults to the
lives of those lost on September 11, 2001 than the passage of the PATRIOT Act. On October 26, 2001, President Bush smugly signed this bill into law while he was a mere few miles away from the smoking rubble of the Pentagon and not too much farther from the ruins of the World Trade Center. Since that period, this government has expanded its authority in the executive far beyond Constitutional parameters and in the process, made a mockery of our rule of law. Taken with the other crimes of the Bush regime, the PATRIOT Act openly declared that the United States has done away with a legal and ethical tradition extending back to the 1215 signing of Magna Carta. But beyond the legal ramifications of this government’s crimes against its people is the purely moral issue of using the corpses of our lost neighbors to bring about the ruin of our Constitution. And as if to add insult to injury, Mr. Bush and his congressional cronies had the audacity to name such a disgusting piece of legislation the ‘PATRIOT’ Act, as if insinuating that those against it were not loyal to this nation.
President Obama promised this country ‘Change’ and ‘Hope’ and yet with his criminal reauthorization of this legislation, he has proven himself to be little better than his predecessor. This nation is quite accustomed to our presidents conducting themselves with illegality yet not at such a mockingly public fashion. The president’s refusal to use his actual signature adds to the horror of his action by showing not merely his disrespect for our system of governance but moreso his weakness. While I have often agreed with this president and feel that he has overall conducted himself in a manner becoming of his office, when he reauthorized this horrifying bill he showed himself to be no greater than the criminals who held his office before him. Principles only matter when they are difficult and dangerous to uphold. At the foundation of this nation, are the inalienable rights that all men have, most of all their right never to live in fear of their government. By attempting to protect this nation the Bush Administration and Obama Administration have brought about the
ruin of our Constitution. The document which was the only thing they promised to defend and protect when they assumed their office has been made a joke by their actions. And so the principles upon which this nation was founded upon and continued to have been brought to eradication by reckless nationalism and dictatorial fearmongering. Upon this week following Memorial Day, it is important to remember the voices of those who have died serving the flag of this nation. We can hear them call from Valley Forge and Gettysburg, to Normandy and Baghdad asking ‘have we given our lives for this?’ Have these brave men and women sacrificed their lives for a nation who carries no respect for the sanctity of our Constitution? The time has come for us to seriously reflect upon this question and ask ourselves if we are willing to live in a world more dangerous if it means we can hold our heads with pride and say we stand by the principles which have guided a
JASON CAMPBELL regular columnist
collegiatetimes.com june 2, 2011
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I have taken over a dozen history courses at Tech. In none of these classes did I read or learn about Mary Draper Ingles, or the event known as The CHRIS Draper’s Meadow DUNN Massacre. Instead, regular the janitor at my old place of work first columnist told the story to me. He was in shock that had I never heard of Mary Draper, and informed me that, “to those of us who grew up in the area, she is a legend!” If you are spending the summer in Blacksburg, and have time on your hands, I highly suggest visiting the historical sites about the late Mary Draper Ingles. Mary Draper was born in Philadelphia in 1732. In 1748 the Draper family and a dozen other pioneers settled on what later became the Virginia Tech campus. In 1750, 18-year-old Mary wed fellow settler William Ingles. Her marriage to 21-year-old William was the first white wedding west of the Allegheny Mountain Range. A short time later the couple gave birth to the first white child born west of the Alleghenies. But what really earned Mary a significant place in U.S. history are the events that followed. It was the height of the worldwide conflict known as the Seven Years’ War. In the late 1750s, Great Britain and France battled on North American soil. Because native tribes fought for both the French and the British, conflict between various tribes and white Europeans was not uncommon. According to the historical marker at the intersection of
5 OPINIONS
Collegiate Times Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief Sarah Watson Managing Editor Kelsey Heiter News Editor Cara McBroom Features Editor Ally Hammond Sports Editor Zach Mariner Head Copy Editor Kayla St. Clair Photo Editor Paul Kurlak Online Director Jamie Chung
Mary Draper Ingles: a unique aspect of Tech history
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FEATURES
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The Farmers Market: more than just produce CODY OWENS staff writer The Blacksburg Farmers Market is starting off a summer full of exciting events and sounds for the town. The Farmers Market, open on Wednesdays from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. and on Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., traditionally offers fresh produce, herbs, and artisan goods on a seasonal basis. Over ten vendors regularly set up at the market and offer such diverse summer treats as apples, peaches, strawberries, blueberries and watermelon, among others. However, the market has more to offer than just fruits and vegetables. “If students haven’t been here, they’ll think it’s just a place to get fresh fruits and vegetables, but there is more,” said Helen Stuart of the Farmers Market, as she motioned toward a vendor selling fresh tamales and chimichangas. Vendors offer everything from breakfast foods to dessert sweets. “We have a crepe maker who will come every Wednesday and Saturday to sell savory crepes with everything from sausage and cheese to syrup and sugar,” Stuart said. In addition to food items, vendors sell handcrafted goods such as pottery, soaps, paintings, wood products, and dog treats. Along with the normal market
PAUL KURLAK / SPPS
Patti Chlepas of Bird Song Farm displays her beeswax candles at the Farmer’s Market Wednesday. days, several special events punctuate the summer calendar. The market will have its annual Solstice Chef event on June 18. This free event will feature a guest chef who will prepare a summer salad and treat market visitors with tast-
Give the gift of memories!
Market schedule of events is Breakfast at the Market on July 16. Products available at the market will be prepared as a fresh, hot breakfast. This year’s event will feature Kat Mills, Blacksburg folk singer. “It generally sells out because it’s
ings and recipes. “Last year, the chef prepared a nice, fresh green salad and gave tastings out to over 300 people,” Stuart said. Accompanying the tastings will be the music of Floyd blues guitarist, Scott Perry. Also on the Farmers
really popular,” Stuart said. “It’s a full, hot breakfast with everything coming from the market.” August will close out the market’s summer season with a tomato tasting. This event, which costs $2, features dozens of varieties of heirloom and organic tomatoes. As you decide which tomato is your favorite, you will be serenaded by the music of the Porch Loungers. “We usually have thirty varieties of tomatoes, which you can taste and judge. You can then put your vote in for the best,” Stuart said. In the past, the market has had live music on the first Wednesday of each month and during special events, but this summer Stuart is seeking to change that policy. “We’ve got a real push to have more music at the Market this year,” Stuart said. “I’ve put the advertisement out for any amateur musician that would like to play at the market, put out their guitar case for tips, and get exposure and I’ve gotten a great response. My goal is for every market day to have music.” The Blacksburg Farmers Market is promising to bring to the Blacksburg community local products and a local sound that is all its own. “This is the happening place to be on Wednesdays and Saturdays,” Stuart said. “Most students who visit are pleasantly surprised. If they come, they generally come back.”
Vanilla Iced Coffee A sweet treat to quinch your thirst on a rainy summer day. - sarah watson, editor-in-chief
Frame memorable moments or print them onto tshirts, posters, coffee mugs and more!
collegiatetimes.com june 2, 2011
Visit our website for more gift ideas for Hokies!
CT Recipes Serves:
2
Ingredients: 2 cups brewed coffee 5 ounces sweetened condensed milk 3/4 tablespoon vanilla extract Ice Directions: 1. Combine brewed coffee and sweetened condensed milk into a pitcher. 2. Stir thoroughly until coffee and condensed milk is blended together. 3. Stir in the vanilla extract. 4. Serve in a mug filled with ice.
Social Couponing features editor Daily emails are the new Sunday morning coupons for the spenders of the 21st century. Websites such as Rue La La, Groupon, and Ideeli, just to name a few, have swept the nation, making saving on top-line items easy, as well as incredibly accessible. Fashionistas and Virginia Tech students, Megan Tanney, junior, and Annie Larsen, senior, describe how these popular websites function. Daily emails are sent out to subscribers describing the deals and coupons available for that day. Emails contain details on the brands on sale, or the featured restaurants for that day. Larsen said, “I go on to Rue La La probably everyday, because I get the emails for it. Groupon shows more details in the emails, so you don’t have to look at the websites as much.” Not only do these websites give users a discount everyday, they also add a lot of extra incentives. “Sunday is style-a-thon (on Rue La La) so it’s even more savings,” Larsen said. Also, some websites require an invite from an existing user. “If you’re invited to the site and you join, the
person that invites you, gets a 10 dollar coupon,” Tanney said. These sites aren’t just for everybody though, a membership is required. “You have to be a member, and supply your email. You have to be invited for Rue La La,” Larsen said. While some may be hesitant to supply their email only to allow their inbox to be bombarded daily, frugal shoppers are more than willing. The sites provide deals that shoppers will actually want to utilize. “I would say Groupon has really good deals. Groupon has food and stuff you can buy for a lot cheaper, a $30 dollar meal could become $15 dollars. They have more low-scale things. Rue La La can still be kind of expensive, even though its cheaper for the brands,” Larsen said. “A lot of the high-end name brands are half priced,” Tanney said, adding that these sites are perfect for the broke college student who loves style. However, these sites are targeting more than just frugal college students. Some sites, like Rue La La, offer more than just designer clothes, but vacation packages at a discount price. “My mom also uses it too,” Tanney said. Whatever their audience, these sites are making a name for themselves with shoppers everywhere.
Picture frames: easy décor, presents (hint, hint: Father’s Day…), and excellent holders of keepsakes. Everyone has boring, store-bought frames displaying their cutest pictures, but why settle? By using a simple wooden frame and a single piece of scrapbooking paper, these do-it-yourself picture frames add style, personality, and a personal touch to your favorite photos. - ally hammond, features editor Here’s what you need: -1 wooden picture frame from your craft store (preferably with a wide surface, as to display as much of the paper as possible) -1 piece of your favorite scrapbook paper, also found in a local craft store -paint to cover the frame, preferably one that coordinates with your paper -paint brush -Mod-Podge, gloss finish
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ALLY HAMMOND
DIY: PICTURE FRAMES
Directions: 1) Trace the frame onto your scrapbook paper. 2) Measure in a quarter-inch on each side, so that your scrapbook paper cut out will be smaller than the frame. 3) Cut out the smaller-traced frame in the paper. 4) Position on top of the frame. Now, trace and cut out the middle portion so you can see the picture. 5) Paint the entire frame your desired color. Use as many coats as necessary to get a smooth finish. 6) When paint is dry, place scrapbook paper on top of the frame. 7) Brush Mod-Podge over the scrapbook paper: this will secure it in place, as well as provide a glossy finish. Once your Mod-Podge dries, your new frame is complete! If you’re super-crafty, add a personal touch by paining on an initial, or word. Any additional paint should be covered with Mod-Podge to ensure it does not chip off!
Expired product? Keep it, use it or throw it away ALEXIA ELEJALDE-RUIZ mcclatchy newspapers
Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health. SALINE SOLUTIONS, EYEDROPS: Sterility is the greatest concern. The preservatives used to prevent microbial overgrowth become less effective over time, putting the solution at risk of contamination, said Dr. Thomas Steinemann, ophthalmology professor at Case Western Reserve University. Patients who have used outdated or contaminated product can get eye infections or worsen a problem they aimed to treat, he said. Also, especially once a bottle has been opened, the water starts to evaporate, leaving behind a greater concentration of salt, said ophthalmologist Elmer Tu. ANYTHING WITH SUNSCREEN: The ingredients that absorb UV light and prevent it from reaching your skin can change or degrade with time and extreme temperature, diminishing the effectiveness of the sunscreen, said Dr. John Bailey, chief scientist with the Personal Care Products Council. If the product still looks, smells and feels right, you can probably use it for a year past the expiration if you’re willing to take the risk (that is, if you tolerate the sun well), Bailey said. But if you’re fair-skinned or burn easily, it’s best to abide by the date. Other doctors, such as Glogau, advise people to buy a new bottle each year. DRUGS (LIQUID): Liquids are generally less stable than solid forms of drugs, so
err toward abiding by the expiration date, said Ohio State’s Weber. Sometimes it’s hard to see inside containers to determine if something is off with the liquid, but if it smells funny or looks cloudy or discolored, don’t take it. Never swig straight from the bottle, to avoid contamination with bacteria. DRUGS (SOLID): While patients should follow expiration dates on prescription drugs, taking expired over-the-counter drugs could just mean they won’t be as potent, said Robert Weber, senior director of pharmaceutical services at the Ohio State University Medical Center. There has been some clamoring for a re-evaluation of drug shelf life. The military, upon testing the stability of 122 types of expired drugs, found that many retained 90 percent of their potency five years after their expiration date. But those were unopened and ideally stored; heat or high humidity can shorten life span. TOOTHPASTE: The greatest concern is the reduction in the concentration of fluoride, which is key to cavity prevention, said Frank Lippert, a researcher at Indiana University’s Oral Health Research Institute. Anti-tartar and whitening agents also can degrade, making the product less effective. Toothpastes with chemicals such as triclosan, which fights gingivitis, have an even shorter shelf life because that chemical can leach into the packaging material over time,
cutting effectiveness. Also, disappearing flavor and the process of syneresis (when water leaves the gel and makes the tube hard to squeeze), make old toothpaste unpleasant. BEAUTY PRODUCTS: For cosmetics with active ingredients, such as acnefighting or anti-aging products, abide by the expiration date because the low concentrations of active ingredients can degrade quickly, said San Francisco dermatologist Richard Glogau. Other cosmetics that don’t require expiration dates sometimes still carry them, often in the form of PAO (period after opening), a symbol of an open jar that suggests how many months you should keep the product after opening it. The biggest risk is microbial growth. If it doesn’t look or smell right, it’s time to dump, said Bailey. BATTERIES: There’s no reason not to use an old battery unless there’s visible damage to the can, said Kurt Iverson, spokesman for Duracell, which prints a seven-year shelf life for its alkaline batteries as a guarantee rather than an expiration. The metals oxidize as they age, and there can be a small amount of self-discharge from batteries as they sit for long periods unused, but the only consequence is that an older battery might have a shorter life, Iverson said. (Tip: Don’t store batteries in the refrigerator or freezer; room temperature is best for quality and life span.)
collegiatetimes.com june 2, 2011
There are telltale signs that a product has gone bad. Moldy bread. Clumpy milk. The layer of fur blanketing the cream cheese. But what about the toothpaste sitting in your pantry for years after a zealous bulk purchase? Or those condoms waiting optimistically in your nightstand for longer than you wish you recall? Many such products carry expiration dates, but thrifty shoppers often wonder if they really must toss dated items that still “seem” perfectly fine. After all, how can headache medicine stop working from one month to the next? And why should you believe the expiration date on one lotion when another doesn’t carry one at all? The Food and Drug Administration requires that expiration dates be printed on all prescription and over-the-counter drugs, but not on cosmetics–unless the cosmetics are also considered drugs, such as toothpaste with fluoride, anything with sunscreen, anti-dandruff shampoo and antiperspirant. But even then, over-the-counter drugs without dose limitations don’t have to
carry expiration dates if tests have proven they’re stable for at least three years, which is why one sunscreen may have a date while another won’t. Expiration doesn’t necessarily mean the product turns putrid or ineffective once the date passes. Manufacturers set expiration by choosing a date and conducting stability tests to ensure the product will still be good at that time. Expiration dates tend to be conservative to account for a wide range of storage conditions and consumer handling, said Dr. John Bailey, chief scientist with the Personal Care Products Council, an industry trade group. But for some products there can be a cushion. Here’s a guide to products that commonly carry expiration dates. CONDOMS: Because the latex in condoms degrades over time, becoming brittle and more prone to breakage, the FDA requires they carry an expiration date, up to five years from the date of packaging, established by testing to ensure their integrity. Storing condoms for prolonged periods in a hot environment, such as a windowsill or glove compartment (a wallet is usually OK), can speed up deterioration, while storing in a cool, dry place could make them usable past the expiration date, said Dr. John Santelli, professor of clinical population and public health at
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collegiatetimes.com june 2, 2011
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The Miami Heat: a story for fans and haters alike I’ve always considered myself to be a fan of the underdog. The teams that are smaller, slower, and not as talented. The teams that play with hustle and heart, and win, simply because they have such an enormous desire to do so. The teams that work well together, are unselfish, and have little or no bigname players. Those teams are what make sports so great. Not the guys who are supposed to win, but the guys who are supposed to lose by one hundred, and somehow, through sheer will and determination, come out with a victory. That’s what makes sports. So, you can understand why, when LeBron James made his infamous “decision” last summer, I became an instant Heat-hater. Here’s a guy who I’ve always cheered for. A guy who, as an 18-year old straight out of high school, took the Cleveland Cavaliers from nothing to an NBA finals appearance in four years practically by himself. I rooted hard for the Cavs in the ’07 finals – of course they got swept by the San Antonio Spurs in four games. But after that I rooted even harder for LeBron, simply because I felt like he deserved that championship ring. He was a hard worker. He hustled. He was unselfish when he needed to be, but he also had the ability to take over a game by himself when neces-
sary. He was every coach’s dream. But after seven years in Cleveland without a championship, James became a free agent. And last summer, after several NBA teams gave James their best pitch, he chose to “take his talents to South Beach” and join fellow all-stars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh with the Miami Heat. Which he, of course, announced on a one-hour all-aboutme special entitled “The Decision,” which aired on ESPN. This was after Wade and Bosh, both free agents and long time friends of James, had already decided to team up in Miami (where Wade had played his entire career) with the intentions of convincing James to do the same. I was disgusted. Three players with one championship between them – Wade in 2006 – had decided together that the only way to reach such a goal was to team up. I felt like it was a decision that lacked pride. The whole thought process of “Well, I can’t win a championship with this bunch of no-names I’m with now, so why don’t I try my luck with some of the game’s best players?” I couldn’t stand it. If that’s what you have to do to win a championship, then you don’t deserve it, I thought to myself. October finally rolled around, and at first, the Heat were a pretty huge disappointment. By the end of November, they were a mere 10-8, a
AL DIAZ / MCT
(From L to R) Bosh, Wade, and James make an entrance at the HEAT Summer of 2010 Welcome Event fairly average mark for a team with such great expectations. I was loving it. Like I had always said, teams can’t win with star power alone. You’ve got to be able to work as a team, at least, and these guys just couldn’t do it. That was, until they lost one game
during the entire month of December – 98-96 to the Dallas Mavericks. And, at 25-9, they weren’t done yet. Not even close. I was hating it. The fact that they were winning, and the way they were doing it. It seemed like every night, at least one of them would be off their game. But there were two others ready to fill in their place with 35 points and 10 rebounds or 22 points and 12 assists, or whatever it was the Heat needed to win that night. They would end up with a 58-24 record, second best in the Eastern Conference, and third best in all of basketball. They entered the playoffs having won 14 of their last 17 games. However, I did love when Derrick Rose of the Chicago Bulls won the MVP award over James, despite James having put up much better numbers. Heat fans everywhere were outraged, but, as I’ve explained time and time again, MVP stands for Most Valuable Player – not best player. You take Derrick Rose away from the Bulls, and they’re a slightly above average team at best. You take LeBron away from the Heat, and they’ve still got two other superstars. But, not winning the award seemed only to fuel the fire of LeBron James. The Heat blew by the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the playoffs in five games, thanks largely in part to his outstanding performance. At that point, I was still confident that the Heat would meet an untimely end. They still had to go through the Boston Celtics (a team LeBron and Wade have struggled against throughout their careers) and after that, probably the Bulls (a team they went 0-3 against during the regular
season). But after the Heat jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, and all-star Celtic point guard Rajon Rondo dislocated his left elbow in game three, the Heat seemed one step closer to their goal of an NBA championship. They would win that series in five games. It was then that I started to get nervous. Especially after the Los Angeles Lakers – a team that had played in the NBA Finals three years in a row, and the team I believed to have the best chance at knocking off the Heat – were swept by the Mavericks. This couldn’t be happening. The Heat, this team that stood for everything I hate about sports, was eight wins away from an NBA title. If they win, then the Little Giants never beat the Cowboys. Rudy never gets to play for Notre Dame. The Soviet Union hockey team wins the gold in 1980. If the Heat win, then Hickory never beats South Bend for the state championship. Do you catch where I’m going with this? Underdogs are what make sports. The Heat brought together all these superstars last summer, and six months later, the New York Knicks did the same thing, trading for Carmelo Anthony and Chauncy Billups to join Amare Stoudemire. The New York Yankees are a team that have been trying to do the same thing for years. If the Heat win a championship by bringing together a cast of all-stars, who’s to say other teams in other leagues won’t do the same? It has the potential to ruin sports. If the Heat win, what kind of see HEAT / page nine
BRENTON LAING sports staff writer More accusations have recently surfaced about seven time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong. “Everybody wants to know what I am on. What am I on? I’m on my bike busting my ass six hours a day. What are you on?” said Armstrong in a 2001 Nike commercial. These questions, based on Armstrong’s potential use of performance-enhancing drugs, have not been put to rest, and accusations are now gaining more credibility than ever. Reports have emerged that four members of Armstrong’s former team have linked Armstrong to using performance-enhancing drugs. Virginia Tech junior Paul Galiatsatos, clearly conflicted by the reports, responded to the allegations. “If that many people are saying it, maybe,” Galiatsatos said, “I don’t want to believe it though.” In June 2006 NPR filed a report regarding the sworn testimony of Betsy Andreus, who at the time was the fiance of Armstrong’s teammate Frankie Andreus.
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I saw (EPO) in his refrigerator. I saw him inject it more than one time, like we all did, like I did many, many times.” TYLER HAMILTON FORMER TEAMMATE
message would that send? “Hey kids, winning is everything. And, if you want to win, just make sure all the best players are on your team!” I realize the obviousness of this statement, but you get the idea. The Eastern Conference Finals started exactly as I hoped – a blowout victory by the Chicago Bulls. I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that this would finally be it for “The Big Three.” But, the Heat rebounded to win game two in Chicago. I was once again starting to worry that LeBron, DWade, and Bosh would don those heavily sought after rings. Then, during game three, something happened. Early on in the first quarter, LeBron went through a stretch of about three minutes where he didn’t stop sprinting back up and down the floor. After a Heat turnover, he bolted back towards the other side of the court to knock a Derrick Rose pass out of bounds. Then, a few seconds later, he stole the ball and took it the rest of the way for an easy dunk. A few possessions after that, the Bulls grabbed a long rebound, quickly took it the other way, and looked like they would have an easy
two points themselves. But James came out of nowhere to block the shot. Throughout that game, The Big Three continued to make similar plays, and others that impressed me.
“
They were hustling. They were playing great defense. They were playing like a team that wanted to win.” ZACH MARINER SPORTS EDITOR
They were looking for the open man before looking for a shot. They were boxing out. They were hustling. They were playing great defense. They were playing like a team that wanted to win. They were playing like an underdog. I took a step back and realized that if any other team in the NBA were playing like this, heck if any other team in all of sports were playing like this, I would without a doubt be rooting for them. I felt like an idiot. The Heat won games 3, 4, and 5 (all in a way similar to that
of game three) and are now playing the Dallas Mavericks in a rematch of the 2006 NBA Finals. Now, does my recent realization mean I’ll be rooting for the Heat? Far from it. I’m a lifelong Jason Kidd fan (there’s something about a passfirst point guard that screams underdog to me) and I’ve always wanted to see Dirk Nowitzki win a championship with the franchise he’s been carrying on his back for over a decade (a little ironic, don’t you think?). But, what this does mean, I believe, is that sports will survive if the Heat end up as NBA champions. Because even if they have been the most hated team in sports for almost a year now, they’re finally starting to play the game the way it’s supposed to be played: by doing all the little things right. A classic trait of an underdog.
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ZACH MARINER -sports editor -sophomore -communication
collegiatetimes.com june 2, 2011
In this testimony Andreus testified to hearing Armstrong tell a doctor he used “growth hormone, cortisone, EPO, steroids, and testosterone.” Armstrong’s lawyer at the time, Tim Herman, said he thinks she must have heard wrong when Armstrong was talking about post-op regimens. Floyd Landis sent an e-mail on May 1, 2010 to USA Cycling CEO Steve Johnson stating that Armstrong was a blood doper. Blood doping is a banned technique that increases red blood cell count by transfusing red blood cells before or during an athletic event. Red blood cells are responsible for delivering oxygen to muscles, giving endurance athletes a competitive edge. Armstrong denied the accusa-
tion, although Lawyer Mark Fabiani did not file a suit for defamation within the required 365 days, “He is a person who is so discredited already that it would be impossible to discredit him anymore.” “I saw (EPO) in his refrigerator,” teammate Tyler Hamilton said on last Sunday’s “60 Minutes.” “I saw him inject it more than one time, like we all did, like I did many, many times.” EPO, or erythropoietin, stimulates red blood cell production. Armstrong responded in a tweet to these allegations by saying “20+ year career. 500 drug controls worldwide, in and out of competition. Never a failed test. I rest my case.” Kevin Myers, a member of the Virginia Tech Cycling Team, agrees with Armstrong that the tests are enough evidence to say he hasn’t used performance enhancing drugs. CBS News reported that George Hincapie, long-time friend and teammate of Armstrong, has told federal investigators in a grand jury that he and Armstrong supplied each other with EPO and testosterone during their preparation for races. When Hincapie was asked about the report he refused to comment, saying, “I just have no interest in dragging this sport through the mud, so I’m sorry, but I have no comment.” Fabiani responded to these reports by saying, “We are confident that the statements attributed to Hincapie are inaccurate and that the reports of his testimony are unreliable.” Armstrong has aggressively defended himself by attacking the credibility of the accusers and pointing to the performance enhancing drug tests as proof that he didn’t use them. These tests are the only tangible evidence of Armstrong using performance enhancing substances. For recent Virginia Tech Alumni Kevin Bowen the tests are enough evidence to be very skeptical of testimony by former teammates. “He convinced the International Cycling Union that he didn’t cheat by passing nearly 500 tests, and if they are convinced so am I.”
from page eight
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SPORTS
Armstrong denies steroid accusation
The Miami Heat: for fans and haters alike
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collegiatetimes.com june 2, 2011
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Tressel legacy at Ohio State tainted by scandal Sometimes when you look at the way people get punished in college sports, it doesn’t feel quite right. You often get the feeling that the punishment never fits the crime. Sometimes you cringe at the unfairness of the way justice is served, the way the little guy always gets hit the hardest and the ringleaders get away with murder. This isn’t one of those times. Jim Tressel got exactly what he deserved Monday when the legendary Ohio State football coach was forced to resign in shame. He is a liar and a bad one at that. With the cloak of Nixonian shame weighing him down, Tressel was done in by his own inept cover-up. The NCAA does not have subpoena power. But that does not mean it lacks clout. And the easiest way to get on the wrong side of NCAA investigators is to lie to them and let them catch you in that lie. And that is exactly what Tressel has done every step along the way. And now that those lies are being exposed one by one, Tressel has become a liability to Ohio State and the same administrators who awkwardly tried to support him just a few months ago. Nearly three months ago, university President E. Gordon Gee was mak-
CRAIG HOLMAN / MCT
After ten successful years as Ohio State’s head coach, Jim Tressel resigned on Monday amid an NCAA investigation involving several of his top players selling their OSU memorabillia for free tatoos and other gifts ing a fool of himself while defending the actions of his football coach, who was publicly admitting that he had purposely misled investigators about how he covered it up when his star players broke the rules.
Giggling like a silly schoolboy, Gee said: “Let me just be very clear. I’m just hopeful the coach doesn’t dismiss me.” Now Gee has dismissed Tressel, and I’m wondering if there’s any chance
he’ll realize how much more shame they have both caused the university. Of course we know this thing hasn’t gotten close to hitting the bottom. Sports Illustrated and ESPN have had troops on the ground in Columbus for a while now, and just as sure as the local Columbus Dispatch and the school newspaper were able to uncover wrongdoings, you knew SI and ESPN would unearth something even more damaging. Sure enough, late Monday night Sports Illustrated released excerpts from this week’s magazine that uncovered violations dating to 2002 involving at least 28 players, 22 more than previously reported. The SI report says that players traded memorabilia for tattoos, cash and marijuana. It also revealed that as an assistant coach for former OSU coach Earle Bruce, Tressel was breaking NCAA rules. It’s fairly clear from the details in the SI story that once Ohio State officials learned the scope of what the magazine unearthed, it was the catalyst behind Tressel’s forced resignation. The cover-up always becomes a greater crime than the original indiscretion. The NCAA has to come down hard on Ohio State because of the repeated examples of the lies and misdirection that have come out of the football office. And based on the NCAA’s history, the vengeance of college sports’ governing body can be quite wicked. When the university goes before the NCAA infractions committee in August, the school might think it can now rest a little easier knowing that even though Tressel will be there to testify, too, he will be sitting in the room no longer employed by the school.
They hope that putting a little distance between themselves and Tressel will provide a modicum of absolution from the NCAA. I wouldn’t count on that. Throwing Tressel under the bus shouldn’t save Ohio State, particularly if there is any hint that Tressel has been in charge of a systematic approach to breaking the rules, as the school newspaper suggests. The NCAA has already dealt harshly with Southern California’s football program, even though Pete Carroll had already left and Reggie Bush turned in his Heisman Trophy and essentially fell on his sword for the good of Trojan football. The NCAA still handed out stiff penalties to USC, and it would be very hard to explain how Ohio State should get off any easier, particularly since Tressel has admitted to knowingly lying to the NCAA. As Tressel leaves in disgrace, a lot of his sympathizers will try to frame his resignation as his final noble act as the Buckeyes’ head coach. They will say he resigned for the good of the program. What’s closer to the truth is he left at the point of a blade, forced to walk down a narrow plank just ahead of the NCAA enforcement cops and additional scandalous details. There was little in the end that was honorable about Tressel’s departure. He may have been a decent man to his players and done a lot of good in the community. But ultimately, he gets no absolution for the sins that were committed under his watch. Back in March, when the first bits of the scandal were breaking, I remember having a conversation with a high-ranking member of one of the top athletic programs in the country, and that person made a comment about Tressel that now seems prophetic. “Don’t believe the image,” the official said. “Jim Tressel is a bad guy, a very bad guy.” The longer people look, the worse it gets. Too many lies, too much damage. And now there are just too many people snooping around the town trying to find another bit of shameful dirt to toss on the Buckeye program. Whatever good that Tressel accomplished in his time in Columbus has been forever overshadowed by the scandal. The domination of the Big Ten, the countless beatdowns of Michigan and the one BSC national championship will always be overshadowed by this indelible stain: Ohio State football is no longer one of the great jobs in the business. Tressel will always be recalled as the man who temporarily wrecked one of the greatest name brands in college football.
BRYAN BURWELL -mcclatchy newpapers
page 11
Thursday, June 2, 2011
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ACROSS 1 Sierra Nevada resort 6 Like some checking accounts 11 Scand. land 14 Observe Yom Kippur 15 Neptune’ s realm 16 When repeated, a Latin dance 17 Feature of the answers to starred clues 19 Children’s author/illustrator Asquith 20 Icky stuff
6/2/11 21 Common flashlight power source 22 Endure 23 *Poker holdings 25 Actor Dillon et al. 26 Hwys. 27 Chinese disciplin e 28 Cut’ s partner 31 *Subdued 34 First N.L. 500 home run club member 35 Indictment 37 “__ pales in Heaven the morning star”: Lowell 38 *Prepared to jog
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Complete the grid so that each column, row and 3x3 box contains the numbers 1-9. Copyright 2007 Puzzles by Pappocom
(c)2011 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
5/26/11
Solution, tips and computer program at www.soduku.com.
collegiatetimes.com june 2, 2011
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