COLLEGIATETIMES
july 21, 2011
what’s inside News .............2 Opinions........4 Features ........6 Sports ...........9 Classifieds ...11 Sudoku ........11 108th year issue 67 blacksburg, va.
New health center opens, Tech still strong offers opportunities for all after recession
COURTESY OF THE NATIONAL STUDENT CLEARINGHOUSE RESEARCH CENTER
NEW REPORT RELEASED CONCERNING THE RECESSION’S IMPACT ON HIGHER EDUCATION CARA MCBROOM PAUL KURLAK / SPPS
The Center for Public Health Practice and Research plans to work with TriAdventure, a local coaching and training team, to offer an exercise program for disadvantaged children. TriAdventure coach Kelly McPherson monitors athletes training at the Weight Club.
TECH UNVEILS NEW PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER AVAILABLE FOR BOTH STUDENTS AND FACULTY JOSH HIGGINS news staff writer A new public health center at Virginia Tech offers students and faculty more opportunities to participate in public health programs. The Virginia Tech Institute for Society, Culture and Environment (ISCE) opened the Center for Public Health Practice and Research, replacing the Institute for Community Health, to expand the educational offerings of the public health program at Tech. Kathy Hosig, associate professor in the department of population health sciences, will direct the new center. The center will provide Tech students and faculty the opportunity to participate in public health projects and research with external health organizations, public health and government officials, and other outside groups. The program was formed in response to the demand for healthbased research around Tech and as an addition to the Master in Public Health, a professional program that Tech, in collaboration with the Virginia Tech Carilion School of
Medicine, offered during the fall 2010 semester. The ISCE, one of the main sponsors of the new center, wanted to create the new public health center because of the growing interest and excitement around health-related research on campus in the past several years, according to Karen Roberto, director of the ISCE. The new center will serve as a central hub for undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and Master of Public Health students networking with outside organizations and businesses involved in public health projects, and public health education and praxis. “Having a center that really focuses on public health issues helps to provide a central place for faculty and students to work together on practice issues and conducting research – that really gives it a place,” Roberto said. Roberto believes the new center will benefit public health students at Tech by providing them with a central entity to serve as an organizing body and a liaison with the public health industry, giving students access to public health practice and research projects.
“The public health program – the Masters in Public Health – is a new program, so part of that educational program will be working with external partners as students are being placed in their practicums and field studies,” Roberto said. “It [the center] will serve as an organizing body.” The center also intends to make advances in the study and application of public health strategies and models, in addition to fostering student involvement with public health research and practice. The program is expected to facilitate collaboration between university researchers, faculty and students, along with professionals in government, public and private organizations involved with public health policy and issues. Roberto believes that the new center will be a catalyst for expansion of the ever-growing public health education department at Tech. “I think this is an exciting time on the Virginia Tech campus, and creating the Institute for Public Health Practice and Research is just another indication of Virginia Tech’s commitment to health science and health service research and practice,” Roberto said. “We are looking forward to the Institute’s growth and development.”
news editor National Student Clearinghouse Research Center recently released a report revealing the Great Recession’s impact on higher education enrollment. A few years ago, people were worried that the number of applicants would decrease while the number of dropouts increased. But according to the report, the results showed a minimal effect on enrollment. The levels of enrollment of new students rose to 2.135 million in 2010, up from 1.997 million in 2006, an increase of 6.8 percent. The sharpest one-year jump, in 2009, followed the recession’s onset by a couple of years; 2010 brought a slight decline, with two-year colleges accounting for most of the dip. Enrollments of new students at fouryear colleges remained stable though. Depsite public institutions receiving budget cuts, they still saw increases in all but one year. “Applications have still been strong (despite the recession),” said Larry Hincker, Tech spokesman. “One of the things that happens in a recession is that peope either stay in school or go back to school. We still plan to receive about 5,150 incoming freshmen.” Although the recession seemed to not influence the rate of incoming students, there was a change in the amount of high-school graduates attending community college. The authors of the report found that, “Specifically, enrollment in the two-
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year sector increased by 8.3 percent between the 2008 and 2009 cohorts, followed by a 5.1 percent decrease in year 2010. By comparison, the four-year sector saw cohort-to-cohort changes that were less pronounced, although they still showed similar alternation between larger and smaller increases. For example, the 2008 cohort enrolled in four-year institutions was 1.3 percent larger than the 2007 cohort; but in the following year, 2009, the cohort was only 0.7 percent larger.” The report says this trend was driven
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One of the things that happens in a recession is that people either stay in school or go back to school. We still plan to receive about 5,150 incoming freshmen.” LARRY HINCKER TECH SPOKESMAN
by two groups of students: those who would have chosen to attend a fouryear institution given a better economy, and those who would join the work force. Another factor is a term called “mobility.” According the the report, adults and high-school graduates are transferring to several insititutions to earn their degree. This prompted the authors of the report to look into the difference between retention (a stusee RECESSION / page three
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NEWS
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what you’re saying //comments from online readers...
nation & world
On Bus connects NRV to D.C.:
Apple profits soar with new iPhone, iPad
Caitlyn>> Megabus from Christiansburg to DC is great. Comfortable seats. Inexpensive and the Wifi works most of the time. The drivers are nice. Megabus goes twice a day. Why do we need anything else?
On Compromise: Anonymous>> The problem with the compromise is that what the Democrats want (increased taxes), is just fundamentally wrong during an economic recession. If congress “compromises” on the budget this way, the recession is just going to last longer. Any “compromise” should be about what programs can be cut that doesn’t result in significant job losses. Taxes never were an answer to the budget deficit, its only an attempt on the Democrats to get the Republicans to look like dooshes for not “finding middle ground.”
Brady>> The democrats realize now isn’t the time to raise taxes, and don’t plan on making anyone pay higher taxes until 2013. The “tax increase” everyone is talking about means letting the Bush tax cuts expire at the end of 2012 for families making over $250,000. This will increase the taxable rate on their income over $250,000 from 36%, back to 39%. The rate was more than double that from 1940-1980, but somehow that extra 3% is going to kill job creation and send the economy deepen the recession.
On Economic change: Anonymous>> I always imagine the Austrian School as populated by stern-faced men with dueling scars and mustaches. Like gold nuts with shiny boots. Actually, the Fed needs to get expansive. Federal spending needs to kept to under 20 percent of GDP. The Austrian School has little to contribute to the current debate.
Powered by its strongestever sales of its iPhone and iPad devices, Apple Inc. reported record earnings Tuesday, soon after its stock hit an all-time high for the second day in a row during regular trading. Apple’s profit and revenue numbers far exceeded Wall Street’s expectations, and the stock shot up still more in afterhours trading. The most valuable technology company by stock market value at close to $348 billion, Apple is now closing in on Exxon Mobil Corp., the last remaining company with a higher market value, at $414 billion. Apple more than doubled its profit over the same quarter a year earlier, to $7.31 billion from $3.25 billion, and saw an 82 percent increase in revenue, to $28.57 billion from $15.70 billion a year earlier. The company sold a record 20.3 million iPhones, a nearly 150 percent increase over the same quarter a year earlier, and almost 2 million more than the previous quarter. That increase is notable given that Apple’s iPhone sales generally declined in the quarter ended in June as users waited for a newer version of
the phone. Apple sold 9.25 million iPads during the quarter, beating its record of 7.3 million, and also sold nearly 4 million Macintosh computers, a 14 percent increase from a year earlier. Sales of its iPod music player, however, dropped by 20 percent from a year earlier, to 7.54 million. “We’re thrilled to deliver our best quarter ever, with revenue up 82 percent and profits up 125 percent,” said Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs, in a statement. Jobs, who has been on medical leave since January, added, “Right now, we’re very focused and excited about bringing iOS 5 and iCloud to our users this fall.” Apple has not released a banner product since March, when it launched the iPad 2, the second iteration of its bestselling tablet computer. This is the first summer since the iPhone’s debut in 2007 that the company has not marketed a new version of the device. In recent months, news reports have suggested that Apple will not be ready to launch a new iPhone, the fifth, until see APPLE / page three
Apple releases New OS X Lion Wednesday CARA MCBROOM
collegiatetimes.com july 21, 2011
news editor Virginia Tech students should take full advantage of the new operating system realeased by Apple. The OS X Lion is engineered to harness the technologies in every new Mac and to deliver the most intuitive and integrated computer experience possible. The new operating system will intergrate all of the previous operating systems of Mac and everything will work and run together. It’s easier to maneuver, meaning it will save students a couple trips to the computer help centers. There are over 250 new features to the OS X. It works with the processor architecture in a Mac making sure it performs at the highest levels. Like all
other Mac notebooks, it will include a multi-touch trackpad that lets users pinch, swipe, and tap through every app on the system. Taking laptops to class will be less of a hassle too. With the OS X’s longer battery life, searching and sometimes racing for an outlet does not have to be an issue. According to the Apple website, everything was designed with simplicity and elegance in mind. As a result, doing homework and projects will be more enjoyable rather than painful. It’s built on solid UNIX foundation that provides stability like no other operating system offers. It also delivers at the best quality in performance, graphics, and industry-leading support for Internet standards. This will highly benefit students
working with programs like Adobe PhotoShop and InDesign, among many others. Students do not have to worry about losing photos, or documents to viruses since the operating system doesn’t get PC viruses. The system was designed so that the user would have mimimum efforts in protecting the computer. The operating system protects itself from other malicious applications. According to the website, every Mac ships with a secure configuration so the user does not have to make complex settings in order to stay safe. Even with its self-protecting feature, the OS X won’t slow down the computer’s performance with constant security alerts and sweeps. With FileVault 2 in OS X Lion, all the data on a Mac is protected by powerful encryption.
If a student recently owned a Windows PC, Apple has made it so they can transfer files, photos, and any other data from the PC to the Mac. For those who are still not used to working on Mac programs, it’s still possible to run them on the actual Mac. To upgrade a Mac to OS X Lion, Tech students do not need to drive to a store. Click the Mac App Store icon, then click buy Lion for $29.99, and the Mac does the rest. The Mac App Store is loaded with several types of apps available for students, which can be provided on Mac screens, rather than just iPhones. For example, LyX is an app that allows students to type documents without worrying about the layout as the program does everything– processing is done using the TeX system
via the click of a button. Time Out Free is another application that students can use. This app will grey out the screen at regular intervals and remind you to take a quick break. With over 250 new features, the OS X Lion gives the user the ultimate Mac experience for a drastically reduced price, making it an afforable alternative for students. For long-time OS X users, that’s not an insignificant point. Four years ago when Mac OS X 10.5 came out, it cost $129 to install Leopard on your Mac. Now customers can upgrade to Lion for approximately a quarter of the cost. With the new approach to Lion pricing, Apple seems intent on redefining what software costs—something that Tech students should be thankful for.
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dent’s continuing enrollment at the same college) and persistence (a student’s continuing enrollment in any college). First- to second-year persistence rates were about 13 percent higher than retention rates across cohorts of students who enrolled between 2006 and 2009. The authors wrote that this affirms “much research based on retention measures ... underestimates the number of students who continue in higher education.” In addition to this fact, they found community colleges had the greatest gaps between retention and persistence rates. In response to the recession, Tech has implemented many funds and programs that have ensured that students would not be heavily affected. In 2009, the university created an emergency loan fund for students and families buffeted by changing employment conditions. The Horizons Program, which is a pool of $500,000, was made available to the University’s Office of University
Scholarships and Financial Aid. It was designed to assist enrolled Tech undergraduate students and families experiencing a significant reduction in income due to family job loss or other similar significant reduction in family income. In addition to this program, other financial aid resources have been already available, such as the Presidential Scholarship Initiative, Funds for the Future, endowed need and merit based scholarships, or other state and federal programs. The new report, “National Postsecondary Enrollment Trends: Before, During, and After the Great Recession,” examines the cohorts of students who enrolled in colleges between the fall of 2006 and the fall of 2010, providing a unique and timely snapshot of where—and how—students are going to college. The report is the first in a series of analyses that the organization plans to release in the coming months.
Apple: Company hits all-time high in stocks from page two
in China, a nation of hundreds of millions of cellphone users, and may be close to signing a deal with China’s largest cellphone provider, China Mobile Ltd., according a report in the Wall Street Journal. Apple also won a preliminary victory last week in a high-stakes patent war with its smartphone rivals. A judge at the U.S. International Trade Commission ruled that HTC Corp., which makes phones using Google’s Android software, infringed two of Apple’s long-standing technology patents. The two patents cover fundamental elements of smartphone technology and, if Apple is able to defend them, that may allow the company to pressure rivals to switch technologies or pay it royalties. The ITC still has to make a final ruling on the HTC case, and the company says it will appeal if necessary. -david sarno, mcclatchy newspapers
news staff writer As the elections for Montgomery County draw closer, the Republican and Democratic parties must finalize their nominees. Recently, the Democratic Party has finalized its nominees including the nominee for the Commissioner of Revenue. ROYAL The Democratic nominee for Commissioner of Revenue in Montgomery County was chosen July 9 at a mass meeting held by the Democrats. The voting started at 9 a.m. with 163 voters participating. In this voting, Helen Royal defeated fellow Democrat Alice Jones. Jones, the current Commissioner of Revenue, has over 32 years of experience and has worked six years as Chief Deputy. She has worked for the Commissioner of Revenues office since October 1978. Royal, a tax specialist, has said of that training and awareness of new
information is key to the office’s operation and success. Royal is currently the Deputy Commissioner of Revenue and has worked in that office for 19 years. In addition to that, she worked for five years in the Montgomery Country Treasurer’s Office and is currently serving as the District B chair for the Montgomery County Democratic Committee (MCDC). In November, Royal will run against a Republican nominee, which has not yet been finalized. The Republican nominee that Royal could run against will either be Darryl Gillespie or Tom Bernard. Gillespie has said that, under his leadership he will make the Commissioner of Revenues office taxpayer friendly and a team player with the County Administrator, Treasurers Office and the both the Town of Blacksburg and Christiansburg. Previously, Gillespie has held offices as the president of the Radford Chamber of Commerce and the Christiansburg Montgomery Country Chamber of Commerce. He was also a member of the Board of Directors for Montgomery County. Gillespie has over 23 years
of experience in public accounting. Tom Bernard, the other nominee for the Republican Party, has said that his success is based on team work and by listening to all perspectives in order to negotiate successful resolutions to current issues or problems. Bernard has previously served four and a half years as supervisor of Springfield Township in Michigan. As such, he oversaw all township finances including financial reports, tax assessments, collections, annual budget preparation and monitoring. His first year in this office, Bernard achieved a balanced budget and maintained a balanced budget every year thereafter. Bernard graduated in accounting from Walsh College of Accountancy and has over 38 years of experience in accounting. When elected, the new Commissioner of Revenue will be in charge of an office that does anything from assessing new construction of real estate to providing assistance with state income tax returns. All three nominees will be voted for November 8, 2011.
collegiatetimes.com july 21, 2011
September. Apple blogs and rumor sites have made guesses about the design of the new phone—including whether it will be substantially thinner and have a larger screen and a better camera. Apple, reports speculate, may be releasing a smaller, less expensive iPhone alongside the standard version. Some have wondered whether Apple would add Sprint Corp. to its list of U.S. wireless providers of the iPhone. The famously secretive company has given no hint about the look of the new phone or the timing of its release. Growth in Apple’s international sales of the iPhone may also be helping to fuel its financial success. Besides the U.S. and Canada, Apple now offers the handset in more than 100 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East. The company has seen strong sales of its iPhone
ELIZABETH HAYDU
3 NEWS
Recession: Reports Democrats pick nominee, show less impact Republicans still to decide
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Concern for bigotry in the White House reaches boiling point
OPINIONS
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the 2012 Republican primary race continues to expand As I have been having a difficult time deciding whether or not this pathetic group of candidates is more scary or funny. With the revelations of the past few weeks regarding the disdain at which some of these candidates hold their fellow men, however, I feel as though they may be more terrifying than I had previously thought. This past Sunday, Herman Cain announced his support for protestors in Murfreesboro, Tennessee who MCT CAMPUS want to stop the construction of a Muslim mosque there. He claims his reasoning to be that Muslims across the country are trying to impose Sharia law onto our nation and that they must be stopped. This claim is somewhat diminished in authority, however, given the fact that Cain announced last March that he would not hire any Muslims into his cabinet if elected president. The worst aspect of these regulaPerhaps out of a disgusting sense of tions is that it is none of the federal humor Cain modified this statement government’s business what each of later once he realized its overt bigotry us puts into our bodies. and said that any Muslim he hired Deaths from unregulated supplemust first “prove their loyalty” to the ments are almost nonexistent, whereUnited States. as hundreds of thousands of people Cain’s idiocies are well documented die each year from “FDA approved” but it may benefit him to learn that drugs sold by pharmaceutical comaccording to the Civil Rights Act of panies. 1964 he is prohibited to actually carry Besides, the Constitution does not out this threat due to our federal govgrant the federal government the ernment’s anti-discrimination laws. power to regulate supplements anyCain, however, is not someone I see way. as a true threat. There is still time to stop this madHe has shown himself to be far too ness from happening. fascist, far too bigoted, far too inane The proposed changes by the FDA and lacking in any serious support to are in a comment period for 90 days. be elected president. If you enjoy the freedom to use supWhat concerns me more, however, plements you can write the FDA and are the views of more serious canditell them you oppose their proposed dates like Michelle Bachmann and rules. Rick Santorum. You can also call your congressman In early July, Bachmann was joined and ask them to vote against Senator with Santorum in signing the “The Durbin’s bill. Marriage Vow: A Declaration of Perhaps more importantly, though, Dependence upon Marriage and is to make sure that the managers Family” in Iowa. and owners of your local health food The central thesis of this pledge is store, and fellow citizens that homosexuality is a choice, not who are health conscience, are aware part of someone’s identity, and that of these new rules. You can learn the expansion of marriage to include about these rules homosexuals is one of the most danby typing “FDA gerous threats to our nation. supplement” on In addition to this, though, is the the websites for assertion that African Americans Natural News “were more likely to be raised by their and the Health mother and father in a two-parent Freedom Alliance. household” in 1860 than in our curAbsent another rent age. public outcry, the CHRIS A blatantly inaccurate statement feds are likely to DUNN no doubt but shows a trend far more begin robbing us regular horrifying than the words on its page. of healthy suppleWith the many advancements columnist minority groups and especially ments.
FDA regulates supplements, new rules drive companies out
collegiatetimes.com july 21, 2011
you take supplements or frequent GNC, Annie Kay’s or If Eats Natural Foods, then pay attention to this column. The federal government is going after supplements again. The feds last tried this in 1994, but public outcry halted their plans to “regulate” the supplement industry. Now they are attacking supplements on two fronts. Senator Dick Durbin is leading the frontal assault. A few weeks ago he introduced Senate Bill 1310, otherwise known as the Dietary Supplement Labeling Act of 2011. If passed, this bill would place burdensome and costly regulations on an industry comprised mainly of smallto medium-sized businesses. A best-case scenario is that these companies would pass along the cost to you. The worst-case scenario is that many companies would close and you would no longer be able to find your favorite supplements. Aiding Senator Durbin in battle is the Food and Drug Administration. A mere week after Durbin introduced S. 1310, this unelected bureaucracy announced it would be attacking from the side. If the FDA’s flanking maneuver succeeds, it may be the death knell for many supplement companies. What the FDA is proposing is a new set of rules and guidelines for dietary supplements. The new rules can be found on the FDA’s website, under the heading, “Draft Guidance for Industry: Dietary Supplements: New Dietary Ingredient Notifications and Related Issues.”
According to these new rules, all nutritional supplement companies will have to submit a “New Dietary Ingredient” application for each of the following: each product that is manufactured or sold, changes in serving size, changes in marketing strategy for the product, and changes in manufacturing techniques that alter any ingredient particle in any way. The NDI application must be submitted for each ingredient in the supplement. This means that something as simple as an organic multivitamin will have to submit dozens of applications. To make matters more complicated, each company must submit its own NDI application, even if the FDA has already approved an NDI for the exact same product but sold by another company. Companies are also required to snail mail their NDI applications to the FDA, because the agency will not accept electronic applications. When a company submits an NDI to the FDA—remember, the NDI application must be submitted for any change in an ingredient, not just new products that hit the shelves—they are forced to remove their products from interstate commerce for 75 days. Needless to say, these new rules will drive most supplement companies out of business. They may also force stores, such as GNC, Whole Foods, Annie Kay’s and Eats Natural Foods, to close their doors. A large percentage of sales for these stores come from nutritional supplements, and without them these owned stores might be put out of business.
homosexuals have been making over the past several years it is discouraging and sad to see people so overt in their bigotry running for the presidency. This is of course nothing new; in 2003 Santorum compared homosexuality to bigamy, polygamy, adultery, and incest and stated that if the Supreme Court allowed one of them, it must allow the rest. Beyond this, in a recently released investigative report it has become clear that Marcus Bachmann’s (husband of Michelle Bachmann) clinic engaged in “ex-gay” conversion techniques on homosexuals. Added to Cain’s views on Muslims and their lack of rights under our constitution, a worrisome trend is erupting in this current election. There is a vast difference between those who think that marriage should be between a man and a woman and those who feel that homosexuals are either perverts or sinners and do not deserve equal rights in our nation. Members of the former camp espouse a view I disagree with (fervently I may add) but at least make a rationally valid point. Members of the latter camp, however, purport a view that is hateful and bigoted to its core. Though I may not like it I can live with a president with whom I disagree with on a fundamental issue in my life, but I cannot tolerate a president who dares to call me an abomination. For all their arrogant talk of their relationship with God, for all of their perverted fetishism with our constitution, and for all of their slanderous remarks regarding President Obama these people are nothing more than sniveling haters of humanity. It is disgusting that they are given air-time let alone seriously considered to be heirs to the presidency. More so, it is shameful that people who scream the similar views of an infamous German from World War II can be thought to be worthy to sit in the Oval Office. We must band together in a common voice and show the bigots and the haters that their time is over, that we will not sit by and watch them infest this nation with their intolerance. We must show them this nation will never be made into the Reich they want it to be and that we will remain tolerant and welcoming to our brethren regardless of their lifestyle.
JASON S. CAMPELL regular columnist
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his past week, I had the opportunity to experience Bastille Day in T Paris from the military parade down the Champs-Élysées to the Fireman Balls’ in the different arrondissemonts, to seeing the crowds gather around the Eiffel Tower for music and fireworks. It was an amazing time interacting with Parisians and visitors alike. It was also nice to see the military units that were in Paris for the parade also touring the city. Just as in the United States with our own Fourth of July celebrations, there was a spirit of camaraderie and celebration. It was a time for families and friends to come together within their communities. As I reflected on this experience, I started to think about the types of celebrations that we as a Virginia Tech community engage in on a yearly basis. While both the 4th of July and Bastille Day are seen as independence days in the respective days, we really don’t have an independence day at Tech. Many years ago, there was a Founder’s Day activity but that has not occurred for some time. Perhaps the next closest event would be the annual homecoming celebrations that take place each fall semester. If we follow this comparison, then it warrants a discussion about what would be done to make our homecoming celebration more accessible within the campus community but also in the surrounding community.
If homecoming is the celebration of the Hokie spirit, then it should be one that is celebrated not only in Blacksburg, but also in each of its extension offices and satellite campuses from Northern Virginia to Abingdon and to the campus in Riva San Vitale Switzerland. Our homecoming celebration retains many traditional components from the banners in the parade by the Corps of Cadets, the annual homecoming king and queen and the parade itself. The question is what else can be done to make the homecoming celebration much broader and universal in its appeal. Take for example the homecoming parade. It is normally held on the Saturday morning before the football game. If the game is early, it forces the parade to start earlier, and vice-versa. The biggest challenge that the parade faces is with the logistics of the football game itself. We all know what it is like in Blacksburg on game day in terms of traffic and parking. What if the homecoming parade were held on the Friday night before the game? Could it not be more inclusive and broader to the community? This could free up the hectic-ness of Saturday and allow for a smoother preparation for Saturday’s festivities. Rather than force people to choose between homecoming and football, they could do both. This also raises questions about the other types of activities that would
take place during the week. These have certainly varied over the years from the annual step show, to concerts, diversity showcases, etc. The question is what are the types of activities that would represent Hokie spirit? Could we not have a wide range of options for member of the university and surrounding community? Could not homecoming be used as a gateway to increase outreach and service opportunities within the greater community? Imagine the possibilities that could exist. Homecoming already assumes a connection with alumni, but how are alumni truly connected? What if alumni don’t want to attend the football game, are there other alternatives for them to be engaged? Why does homecoming only have to happen in Blacksburg? Could not simultaneous efforts take place in different areas throughout the commonwealth? With the increase in technology, could we not use these forms of social media to create opportunities for engagement? With the various alumni chapters and the connections through the Alumni Association, homecoming could be brought to the local communities and allow for those that are unable to travel to Blacksburg to be a part of the celebration. Just as the Fourth of July and Bastille Day are seen as key dates in the respective countries, so should homecoming be within our community.
However, I don’t see homecoming right now having this respected status. I mean no disrespect to those students and university officials that work with homecoming, but it seems to me that homecoming at Tech is not seen as a big deal, when it really should be. Homecoming should be one of the more festive opportunities on the campus and an opportunity to embrace our connections as a community. We need to do a better job in engaging all aspects of the community in regards to homecoming and ensuring that they feel a part of the effort. In the end, there is tremendous potential to make homecoming one of the premier celebrations on our campus. We have a rich history of signature events from ring dance, Midwinter’s, themilitaryballs,theMLKcelebrations, Relay for Life to the Big Event to name a few. Rather than just being a signature event, homecoming needs to embody much more in its focus and approach. Just as we gather for the Fourth of July or the French that celebrate Bastille Day, the homecoming week should be a RAY period of celebra- PLAZA tion for all mem- regular bers of the Hokie columnist community.
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
Enhancing the Homecoming experience
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FEATURES
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90’s TV shows resurrected to Nickelodeon “Hey, Arnold!” Miss Helga yelling that at football-head? You and the rest of the 90’s generation. Which is why, in an unexpected move, Nickelodeon has decided to bring back all of the 90’s most popular shows. After listening to their fans, Nickelodeon is creating a block of television called, “The 90’s Are All That.” Some of the shows returning include, All That, Clarissa Explains it All, The Adventures of Pete & Pete, Rugrats, Rocket Power, Salute Your Shorts, The Amanda Show, Kenan & Kel. Upon hearing this news, I was genuinely shocked, then incredibly happy. Who doesn’t want to sit in front of the television and watch the shows we thought were awesome when we were kids? Apparently, my classmates felt the
same way. “I think it’s nice to have the shows our generation grew up on back in circulation, it’s kind of like having a little piece of childhood back,” said Astleigh Hobbs, senior psychology major. “It will be like watching Nick at Nite, but it will be sharing our popular tv shows with kids today instead of our parents,” said Hobbs. While some are waiting anxiously for the return of these beloved shows, others were shocked by this retro programming. “Well, I was unaware of that, but it’s far and away the best news I’ve heard this month,” said Ross Tudor, senior in communication, after hearing the news. In obvious excitement, Tudor continued, “I would say behind the obvious college discussions, “do you
remember x,y,z Nickelodeon show” is one of the top 5 conversations in my fraternity house. Elementary school is pretty much the happiest time of everyone’s life, so anything that can take us back there, even for 30 minutes at a time, it’s like a gift from the TV gods.” The television programming company’s Senior Vice President Keith Dawkins said, “There is an entire generation of young people who literally grew up on these great 1990’s series, and many of them have been vocal about wanting to see and experience these shows again.” “TeenNick (where The 90’s are All That will air) caters to the older segment of the Nick audience, so it’s the perfect place to reconnect these shows to their original fans and introduce them to younger
viewers for the very first time,” Dawkins said. Not only will this segment contain re-runs of everybody’s favorite 90’s shows, but movies as well. All of the excitement begins next Monday, July 25. The segment “The 90’s Are All That” will run from 12 a.m. to 2 a.m. from Monday to Sunday, allowing optimal viewing time for all those 20-somethings who want to relive their youth.
ALLY HAMMOND -features editor -senior -English major
collegiatetimes.com july 21, 2011
Freshman orientation is now in full swing Freshman orientation is now in full swing at Virginia Tech. Throughout July, over 5,000 new students in the Class of 2015 will arrive at Tech for one of 12 two-day freshman orientation sessions During this introduction to Tech, incoming freshmen will be separated into small groups led by one of 30 energetic and enthusiastic Orientation Leaders (OLs). Each OL will lead the group in games and activities that let new students learn more about the Hokie community and make lasting friendships. The small groups offer a unique experience for freshmen to make many personal connections with other students in a short period of time. The friendships developed often extend into the coming year, allowing students to arrive on campus in August with friends awaiting them or even a roommate. The OLs will guide students through the Traditions Walk, where students can learn about the rich and vibrant history entrenched in the campus of Tech. Students will have the opportunity to see many defining aspects of the university, such as the beautiful pylons above War Memorial Chapel, the towering Burruss Hall, and the heart of campus, the Drillfield. Afterwards, students will circle up for personal small group meetings, when OLs will typically share some of their experiences at Tech and pass on valuable lessons as well as exploring issues that many students will face during their freshman year.
BRAD KLODOWSKI / SPPS
Thousands of incoming freshmen converge on campus for their two-day Freshman Orientation sessions. These students were enjoying icebreaker activities Monday afternoon led by orientation leader Monica. Out of all of the activities during orientation, my small group meeting did the most to make me feel a part of the Hokie community. As well as making friends, students will learn about the opportunities for involvement at Tech. Interest sessions will inform new students about everything from recreational sports to Greek life, as well as departments such as Career Services. Additionally, students should be prepared for when they have
their Hokie Passport photo taken. Make sure it’s going to be a picture you will not mind showing to people – dining hall employees, bus drivers, professors – for several years. Perhaps most importantly, orientation is also when freshmen will select their classes for the fall semester. Fear not freshmen. Each college will be there to aid you in your selection of both core classes and classes for the Curriculum for Liberal Education (hint: for an area
3 or 7 course, take World Regions – it’s incomparable to any class you’ve ever taken). While the incoming freshmen get their first taste of residence life, parents can ease into seeing their children leave the nest by attending a parent’s dessert reception held at The Inn at Virginia Tech on the first evening. Chocolate can do wonders for a worried mind. As students depart from orientation, more opportunities are available for them to meet fellow Hokies before
the beginning of classes. Hokie Camp is a three-day, two-night event held in August at nearby Smith Mountain Lake where students can engage in outdoors activities such as canoeing and low-rope walking with other incoming freshmen, while learning about some of Tech’s proud traditions. Camp counselors consist of upperclassmen, allowing new students to learn from those who have experienced university life. Finally, when new students arrive in Blacksburg again in August to move in, they will have a wide selection of events to attend as part of Hokie Hi. This series of events introduces students to the campus as well as the various organizations and clubs that are available to join. Everything from academic organizations to religious ministries to sports clubs are available for students to try out. Hokie Hi is all about helping students find their perfect fit in a big campus. Along the way, plenty of free food and fun times are to be had. For all incoming Hokies, I would like to welcome you to the Virginia Tech community. The Hokie Nation truly is uniquely special and is enriched by the diverse array of students that join it every year. I hope that Tech will better you as much as you will better it.
CODY OWENS -features staff writer -junior -biology major
BILLY O’KEEFE mcclatchy newspapers “Zonad” (NR, 2010, FilmBuff) During its first 10 minutes, “Zonad” could scarcely be cuter. Frankly, if it was, this straightout-of-the1950s story of a precious Irish family that finds and takes in a charming, chubby space alien named Zonad (Simon Delaney) would border on saccharine. Fortunately, during minute 11, we’re introduced to the real Zonad and, consequently, the real “Zonad.” Our alien friend? As you’ll immediately suspect at first glance, he’s no alien. Rather, he’s a rehab escapee with a cool costume whose sole purpose is to get drunk and get girls. And the movie? It’s still cute, but it’s also perverse and darkly, bitterly funny. The charming facade is a front, but it’s a brilliant front, because “Zonad” plays the two dispositions off each other with a hilarious level of seamlessness that should probably be impossible. The only arguable sacrifice is logic, given how easy it should be for someone, anyone, in this Irish village to stand up and cry foul. But if you’re watching “Zonad” in the hope that this ever happens, you’re watching it completely wrong. Extra: Director commentary
“Take Me Home Tonight” (R, 2011, Fox)
“Potiche” (R, 2010, Music Box Films) A factory on the brink of a crippling strike. The factory’s owner (Fabrice Luchini as Robert Pujol) in failing health, his wife (Catherine Deneuve as Suzanne) struggling with a life on the shelf as a neglected trophy wife. An affair – check that, two affairs. Actually, three affairs, two of which could rip apart the fabric of Suzanne’s family. You can probably imagine a movie with all these things swirling around it. But did you ever think that movie would be as sweetly cute as this one is? Laid out on paper, “Potiche” (which, translated to English in this context, means “trophy wife”) reads like a dramatic mess, and that’s without even accounting for the setting (1977, France, in the swell of a women’s liberation movement and rumblings of political turnover). But from the opening scene, in which Suzanne sings to a gaggle of animals who eyeball her like she’s insane, “Potiche” has a knack for taking everything that’s terrible about this scenario and squeezing from it the sweet, heartfelt and often funny compulsions that have landed these mostly likable characters in such a mess. The progression of events is epic, perhaps unbelievably so, but when a movie keeps its smile beaming the way this one does from start to finish, a little implausibility is hardly a problem. In French. with English subtitles. Extras: Behind-the-scenes feature, costume test footage, 1970sstyle trailer
“Peep World” (NR, 2010, IFC Films) Henry Meyerwitz (Ron Rifkin) isn’t terribly thrilled with what his children (Rainn Wilson, Sarah Silverman,
Michael C. Hall and Ben Schwartz) have become. Fortunately, his kids are equally disappointed in him, so while the feelings passed around the dinner table on Henry’s birthday aren’t warm, they’re at least mutual. The difference on this particular miserable birthday is that it follows the publication of “Peep World,” a hugely successful novel from Nathan (Schwartz) that’s much more a family tell-all book than a work of fiction. “Peep World” the movie starts and ends at the dinner table, but in between, it’s a mishmash of stories about the kids as they prep for a party no one wants to attend and go about lives on terms that are often similarly unwelcome. And that’s pretty much it. Were this one of those dramas about bitterly unhappy families, the bad feelings and general aimlessness of the plot would form one toxically unlikable union. Fortunately, it’s a comedy. And while “Peep” remains scattered, miserable and (in terms of characters) mostly unlikable, it’s consistently funny enough that it doesn’t matter. You won’t remember seeing it in a year, but if you like the cast, you’ll probably enjoy it while it’s on. Extra: Deleted scenes
“The Kids Grow Up” (NR, 2009, Docurama) In “51 Birch Street,” documentary filmmaker Doug Block chronicled his parents’ 54-year marriage just as it decided to collapse. In “The Kids Grow Up,” he documents his relationship with only child Lucy just as she finishes high school and sets her sights on a college across the country. In both cases, Block demonstrates considerable skill as both an archivist and a storyteller. And in both cases, you might leave the film liking him a whole lot less than the sentiment behind these movies implies you should. “Kids” explores the notion of letting go while also introducing us to Lucy through a collage of footage that jumps back and forth in time. But the real picture that emerges is not of Lucy, but _ for the second straight time her dad. “Street’s” exploitative quotient was arguable. But in “Kids,” Block hijacks a moment that belongs to his daughter and essentially commercializes what feels like a feature-length guilt trip laid on a kid whose only crime is growing up. “Kids” finds its conscience in time to ultimately carry out its original sentiment, and it’s a credit to Block as a storyteller to even arrive in that neighborhood. But for all the talking Block does throughout the movie, it’s telling that the two best lines in “Kids” one cour-
tesy of Lucy, the other from wife Marjorie are basically clever ways of telling him to shut up a little more and live behind the lens a little less. Extras: Behind-thescenes retrospective, family reaction footage, outtakes, Mike Block (Doug’s father) tribute
“Limitless: Unrated Extended Cut (PG-13, 2011, Fox) The unfortunate thing about “Limitless” is that if there’s one word in the world that fails more than any other to describe it, it’s the one in the title. And that’s a bummer, because the little pill at the center of the movie’s plot a top-secret drug that, upon intake, transforms its user into a living machine with a boundless memory, an insatiable work ethic and the ability to inhale knowledge in bulk has all kinds of storytelling potential. Perhaps recognizing that, “Limitless” jumps all over the place after Eddie (Bradley Cooper) takes his
first dose and hurtles into an exaggerated wonderland of wonderful and terrible side effects. At first, it’s an eye-popping and terrifically fun “what if” story. But when all the ideas mature into separate plotlines, things both slow down and quickly get messy. Dealings with a business tycoon (Robert De Niro) pull Eddie one way. Side effects pull him another, a dead woman pulls him another, his girlfriend (Abbie Cornish) another, some murderous thugs another and wait, there’s more. “Limitless” never loses the energy it flashed in its promising early going, so it remains fun to watch even when you suspect it’s buckling under the weight of its own curiosity. But when the collapse is complete and “Limitless” finds itself so entangled that the central idea gets buried and a wholly ordinary climax saps its remaining time before kicking it to the credits, it’s hard not to walk away disappointed by what could have been and what ultimately was. Extras: Director c o m m e n t a r y, alternate ending, behind-the-scenes features.
Give the gift of memories! Frame memorable moments or print them onto tshirts, posters, coffee mugs and more!
Visit our website for more gift ideas for Hokies! collegiatetimes.com july 21, 2011
Five or so years after high school, the class of 1984 has moved onward and upward. Unfortunately, when the bus left the station, it left behind the smartest kid in class (Topher Grace as Matt), who parlayed his MIT education into a job at the mall video store. When his high school o b s e s s i on ( Te r e s a Palmer) walks back into his life through the video store’s e nt r anc e, one thing leads to another, and without getting too specific, Matt has both her ill-gotten attention and a chance to change everything at the (say each word with an exclamation point at the
end!) social event of the season. If you think “Take Me Home Tonight” sounds like the best movie John Hughes didn’t make, you’ve got the right idea. From the outfits to the hair to the music and everything else in between, the late 1980s are all over this thing. But more than just shallow callbacks, “Tonight” just perfectly nails the “one night only” vibe that makes these movies as magical as they often are ridiculous. It’s implausible and goes so far overboard that it laps the board twice, but who cares? It’s the movies. And thanks to a funny script that makes likable characters out of just about everybody, it’s a blast. Anna Faris, Dan Fogler and Chris Pratt also star. Extras: Deleted scenes, behind-thescenes feature, music boombox, music video
7 FEATURES
Summer 2011 DVD Releases
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Back-to-school shopping urges
FEATURES
Pineapple Paradise Serve this tropical treat at a daytime picnic or nighttime gathering. - sarah watson, editor-in-chief
CT Recipes Serves:
WENDY DONAHUE mcclatchy newspapers The back-to-school shopping urge grows as feverish as the heat each August, well into our senior years (and we don’t mean high school or college). There’s always something new to satisfy the impulse: Gimlet-eyed 1960s style inspired by “Mad Men” will fill Banana Republic stores and bananarepublic.com starting Aug. 11 in the U.S. The capsule collection, designed in collaboration with the show’s Emmy-winning costume designer Janie Bryant, will include 65 pieces for men and women, including a leopard-print trench coat ($198), tailored dresses and high-waisted skirts, a silk tie-neck shirt, and accessories such as patterned pump heels. Men will find sweaters, tailored suit separates, dinner jackets, money clips, tie bars and, of course, fedora hats. Clothing ranges from $45 (for a women’s cotton lace shirt) to $450 (men’s suiting). Gilt Groupe will offer more matter for men in its new full-price luxury retail site, Park & Bond. L aunching in late summer, parkandbond.com will carry clothing, accessories and life-
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Ingredients: 6 ounces rum (dark or light) 5 ounces pineapple juice 4 ounces coconut cream 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice Directions: 1. Mix all ingredients in a shaker. 2. Serve.
style products from about 80 brands including Alexander McQueen, Etro, Paul Smith and A.P.C., and also offer style advice. John Auerbach, who will be president of Park & Bond, said in a press release that the “runaway success of Gilt Man,” the men’s flash-sale site, prompted the full-price addition. “Men shop differently than women,” Auerbach said. “We aim to give them the tools to outfit themselves without going ‘shopping.’” Park & Bond, referencing the timeless style of Park Avenue and the hip vibe of Bond Street in Manhattan, also will feature a selection of items from GQ’s pages, starting with the September issue. Versace for H&M will be the next designer collection to bring droves to select H&M doors, about 300 worldwide, this fall. Designed by creative director Donatella Versace, the exclusive collection for men and women will hit the U.S. on Nov. 19 and draw upon the brand’s decadent heritage, complete with studded leathers, provocative print dresses, men’s tuxedos, jewelry and shoes. The assortment will also include home goods such as pillows and a bedspread. See hm.com for info.
DIY: Cornhole Boards ALLY HAMMOND features editor
collegiatetimes.com july 21, 2011
It’s nearly football season, which means you should prepare to do two things: jump, and play cornhole. For those who wish to have their own cornhole board set but do not want to pay for or order one, the process of making a cornhole board is relatively simple. Not only will you save money, but you will be able to paint it to your specifications (in orange and maroon, of course). Note that the supplies are for one board, to make a complete set, double the supplies.
SUPPLIES (1) sheets of 2’×4’ plywood, 0.5-inch thick (4) 8-foot 2×4s (4) 3/8th-inch wing nuts (4) 4.5-inch-long 3/8th-inch diameter bolts (1) box of 2.5-inch wood screws (1) jigsaw miter saw (1) power drill or screwdriver (1) sandpaper compass
STEPS 1. Using the miter saw, cut the 2×4s according to the following measurements: (2) 4-foot lengths, (2) 21-inch lengths, (2) 16-inch lengths. 2. To construct the frame, lay the 4-foot long 2×4s down as if they were the long sides of the board. Now put the 21-inch long 2×4s on the inside of the board’s ends as if it is the short top and bottom of the board. Place the plywood sheet over the frame to make sure the fit is correct. 3. If it is, then use the wood screws to connect the pieces together. It is useful to first drill a pilot hole by drilling into the desired spot with a small-diameter screw; this prevents the wood from splitting later. 4. Secure the plywood sheet onto the constructed frame using the wood screws, again drilling in pilot holes first. Additionally, since these screws will be on the playing surface, it is recommended that you counter-
sink them (if possible) so that they will not stop the bag from sliding. 5. To measure the hole for your board, measure and mark 9-inches down from the top of the board as well as 12-inches from the sides. Using a compass, draw a circle at the resulting point. Using your jigsaw, carefully and slowly cut out the circle. Use the sandpaper to smooth out any rough edges on the opening. 6. The remaining two 16-inch long 2×4s will be used to construct the legs. Measure and mark 1.75-
inches from the top of the board as well as 1.75-inches from each side. Place a compass at the resulting point and draw a half-circle upwards. Saw off these corners using the jigsaw, sanding the resulting curved top.
and then through the two boards. Use a wing nut on each side to secure the leg while still allowing it to move.
7. Repeat for the remaining 2×4.
12. Placing the cornhole board on a raised surface supported by something beneath it, allow board to be 12-inches off the table. Extend the legs fully beyond the end of the cornhole board. Mark where the legs runs flush with the table.
8. Turning the cornhole board over, place a scrap 2×4 against the top corner of the board as a spacer. Now place your 16-inch board against this spacer with the boards wide surface facing the side. Extend the halfway line of the 16inch 2×4 onto the attached side of the cornhole board. Where this line intersects the halfway line of the attached side is where the bolt that will attach the leg will go. 9. Repeat for the other side.
COURTESY
10. Drill a hole at this point through both the side board and with the curved top of the leg. Extend a bolt through a washer
11. Repeat on the other side.
13. Using the miter saw, trim the legs at the marked line. Set the cornhole board up, making sure it is 12-inches off the ground when the legs are extended. When you are satisfied, tighten the wing bolts so that the legs are unable to move out of their current position. Congratulations! Your cornhole board is complete. Sand any rough spots and the top of the board. Having a smooth top surface will help the bags to slide more and make your board a true challenge to all competitors.
MLB unable to reverse decline in African-American players Yankees center fielder Curtis Granderson moved to the top dugout step, looked into the stands of Rangers Ballpark and challenged his teammates. “Count the number of AfricanAmerican people here at the stadium who aren’t working at the stadium and see if you can get to 10,” Granderson said. A teammate will point at a black man only to hear Granderson reject it because, “He’s Latin.” Or, “You already counted him.” “At first, it starts off as a joke,” Granderson said. “And then as the game moves on, you’ll get to 10, or maybe 15. Depends on where you are, too. Places like Chicago or New York, other places, it’s easy. Here, it’s hard. So after a while it becomes, ‘Told you so.’” When Jackie Robinson broke baseball’s racial barrier in 1947 it was a watershed moment for American-born blacks, America and baseball. Sixtyfour years later, the numbers suggest African-Americans don’t care much about playing the sport anymore. “Twenty years ago I had three or four black teammates,” veteran Rangers pitcher Darren Oliver said. “Now, it’s one or two.” For a variety of reasons, from societal to financial, the sport can’t seem to reverse the trend of fewer African-Americans playing baseball. The University of Central Florida’s Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports reported this year that the number of American-born blacks in baseball is down to 8.5 percent. The percentage of Latinos is 27 percent. The percent-
age for African-Americans in MLB is at its lowest level since 2007. When the institute began to track the figure in 1990, 17 percent of all MLB players were African-American. Beginning in 1997, the number has steadily decreased for a variety of reasons. When Cory Patterson walks into the Toronto Blue Jays’ clubhouse before a game he sees his teammates and his friends. People he enjoys playing the game with. What he doesn’t see are very many people who look like him. He is one of three black players on his roster. “I really do like all of my teammates and I’m friends with them,” Patterson said. “But it does bother me. It does. I’m not saying the whole stadium needs to be brown or black, it’s not that. I could talk about this until I’m blue in the face, and you might sympathize, but it doesn’t affect you, so you don’t think about it too long. “My mental processes might be different because of the environment I’m in. “It’s hard for me to explain. Someone might say it’s fine and we’re all cool, but it’s easier said if you’re the majority.” American-born blacks have never been close to the majority in baseball. But in the NBA, the number of AfricanAmerican players is over 80 percent. In the NFL, it’s over 60 percent. “If you poll a lot of African-American guys that are between 20 and 40 years old (about) what NBA player did you watch and want to be, they’re all going to say Jordan,” Granderson said. “He was the best player and he looked like us. Baseball, you have a group of players that are playing right now who could say Ken Griffey Jr., but he’s no longer in the game, and there hasn’t been any-
PASATIERI / MCT
Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson watches his RBI triple in the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers on June 28. body to replace him.” Last week, TCU baseball coach Jim Schlossnagle was running his annual baseball camp for youngsters 6 to 14. He estimated that out of 200 campers, there were between five and 10 African-Americans. In 2010, only nine African-Americans were on
the rosters of the 13 Division I college baseball programs in Texas. “We all get along, but sometimes you look around and you don’t see someone that looks like you,” Patterson said. “It’s kind of tough some days. It’s nothing against my teammates. It’s something
you don’t think about unless you experience it.” Schlossnagle said a good baseball bat costs between $300 and $400. “That’s just the bat, a good one _ the one you would want to swing,” he said. “Then there is the other equipment, too. And now that youth baseball has become all about traveling teams, select teams, and those are expensive for whites or African-Americans. Obviously not every African-American is without financial resources, but in my opinion at the amateur level our sport has become a white-collar sport,” Schlossnagle said. “Doesn’t mean it’s a white sport, but it does mean that it’s expensive to play.” The median income of AfricanAmerican households was $32,584 in 2009, according to the Census Bureau, below the U.S. median of $49,777. As far as Granderson is concerned, the price tag on baseball is helping drive the number of African-Americans away as much as anything else. Paul Friedman of Burleson, Texas, has been involved with select baseball for the past six years, and serves as the secretary for Pony Elite Baseball. He and his friends tried to come up with a youth league for something far less than what is normally charged. He estimates that most select youth baseball teams charge around $3,000 per player for a season. “Cost has definitely eroded the sport,” Friedman said. “Most teams are predominately white. It’s sort of like hockey _ most people who get involved in that sport, they know it’s expensive. Baseball is not that far off.” It’s not the cost of playing today, but the cost of down the road as well. Some youngsters might pick a sport based
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MAC ENGEL mcclatchy newspapers
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see DECREASE / page ten
Japan upsets USA in World Cup final round TIM KAWAKAMI mcclatchy newspapers
the early moments of extra time Japan charged right back. Every moment you thought the U.S. team was destined to fulfill its buoyant destiny, Japan’s proud captain, Homare Sawa, or some other player in a blue uniform rose up. In an exact reverse of the Americans’ amazing victory over Brazil in the semifinals, against Japan, the later it got, the more pressure built on the U.S. team. Once Sawa scored to tie it 2-2 with only minutes left in extra time, everything seemed to come crashing down on the U.S. at last. When it got down to penalty kicks, the U.S. missed its first three shots, which put too large of a burden on Solo, and eventually handed the cup to Japan. Now, the Japanese team will go down in history these women will surely be remembered in Asia as proudly as we remember what Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy and Brandi Chastain did in 1999. Meanwhile, Wambach, Solo and the rest of the U.S. team will not have such a special place, because secondplace finishers never do. They had their chances. They let them go. But the U.S.
CAMERON / MCT
American fans react as Japan scores the equalizing goal in extra time of the Women’s World Cup final, which they watched at a public viewing area in Civic Center Plaza in San Francisco, California. team deserves some special credit, too, because without them, this tournament would have had far fewer stunning moments, all the way to the end. They made this event into a mini-
drama, and in the end, they broke their own hearts. That is not what they wanted. They will be remembered for that, though, and that is half the battle sometimes.
collegiatetimes.com july 21, 2011
If something is worth winning, it is worth losing, too, though the U.S. women’s soccer team assuredly was not quite feeling that Sunday evening. For almost a month, Abby Wambach, Hope Solo, Alex Morgan and their buoyant U.S. teammates turned the 2011 Women’s World Cup into their own epic tale. They lit up the tournament. They came back from desperate straits. They helped give this World Cup grander meaning. On Sunday, they outplayed Japan for most of the final, and all the U.S. had to do was hold on to win its third World Cup. But when the historic moments arrived, Japan was the team that would not quit, and its players were the ones celebrating after an incredible victory decided by penalty kicks. Japan’s was the true epic story, after all. The Americans were great and essential foils, but they were, it turns out, only foils.
They were not Harry Potter. They were soccer Voldemorts but not in an evil way. The game left Wambach, Solo and the other American players hanging in painful limbo. “We lost to a great team, we really did,” Solo told ESPN just minutes after the defeat in Frankfurt, Germany. “As much as I’ve always wanted this, if there’s any team I could give it to, it would be Japan. They do really deserve this.” She was referring to the devastation in Japan after the March earthquake, tsunami and nuclear emergencies, but also to the spirit of the Japanese players. The U.S. team seemed to be playing for a larger purpose, no question. But so did the Japanese team. That, in the end, was the story of the final: When the U.S. players met a team that was just as resilient – or more – as they were, the Americans froze. How many times did the U.S. have Japan beaten on Sunday? Three? Four times? Every time the U.S. leapt ahead with Morgan’s goal in the 69th minute or Wambach’s emphatic header in
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collegiatetimes.com july 21, 2011
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Decrease: Numbers in MLB diversity fall short from page nine
on the potential college scholarship if they’re good enough. Twenty years ago, NCAA rules allowed for 20 baseball scholarships in Division I. Then the number was reduced to 13, and then it was chopped again to 11.7. Seldom does a college baseball player receive anything more than 50 percent, and scholarships usually go to pitchers. A football or basketball scholarship is a full ride in Division I. “When Dontrelle Willis was coming out of high school he had a 90 percent offer from Pepperdine, and he still couldn’t do it,” Granderson said. “That happens all over the place.” Because of this, Granderson said, he had people leaning on him to just drop baseball and focus on basketball. When Granderson was a kid playing baseball he would often hear that he was “playing the white man’s sport.” Granderson, Patterson, Oliver and others believe one of the problems is the lack of marketing toward the African-American community, which creates an image that baseball is still the white man’s game. Granderson, who played six seasons for Detroit, specifically mentioned Tigers advertising billboards in African-American communities that featured the white
players on the team. And this was a roster that at the time had Granderson, Gary Sheffield, Jacque Jones and other African-Americans. “Of all the places, Detroit, you’d think that would be the one place where you could market toward AfricanAmericans,” he said. Patterson said he sees a limited effort to spread the word about the AfricanAmerican players who are playing today. Whether it’s Ryan Howard, Prince Fielder or Carl Crawford, there are several All-Star-caliber AfricanAmerican players who are not always household names. “I think they promote football and basketball better than baseball, especially with the black folks,” Oliver said. Major League Baseball has tried, for years, to build a grass-roots campaign among young African-Americans with its RBI program. It has been around for 22 years, and it has 300 leagues nationwide, with roughly 200,000 kids ages 5 to 18 playing. That’s an increase from 171,000 last season, which was its highest figure to date. The program has produced 185 players selected in the MLB draft, among them Crawford, CC Sabathia and Jimmy Rollins. But for some reason those numbers aren’t translating to the highest level the sport offers.
“I knew the number was dropping and I’d like to see more AfricanAmericans playing and more kids growing up playing baseball,” Rangers reliever Arthur Rhodes said. “I’d like to see more of them come to the games.” As far as Granderson sees this issue, there is only so much that can be done. Even the best programs can’t force a pre-teen to play ball if he really doesn’t want to. “I know it’s expensive, but I’ve gone to places and there are fields,” he said. “You can easily get equipment donated. I don’t know how you fight this one. I’ve heard a lot of kids just say, ‘I don’t want to.’ That’s not a black/white thing, that’s a kid thing. So they play on their computer, and they say, ‘I want to just stay right where I am. I’m not getting into any trouble so you can’t force me.’.” TCU wide receiver Skye Dawson said he played baseball as a fourth-grader. Even though his father played for the Oakland A’s organization, he gave up the sport. “I just didn’t find it interesting at all,” Dawson said. “I don’t watch it now, either. Maybe except for a couple of highlights.” As a result, when Granderson walks to the top of the dugout in Arlington or one in any number of major league cities, he can easily count how few faces look just like his.
Legal issues take center stage as both sides of NFL inch closer to deal BOB GLAUBER mcclatchy newspapers The NFL and player representatives continued inching ever closer Monday on a new collective bargaining agreement and on resolving all remaining legal entanglements between the sides. Barring an unexpected snag in negotiations, a new deal could be approved Thursday, when owners meet in Atlanta. “It looks good,” a person with knowledge of the talks said late Monday. “Hopefully in a couple days, we’ll have all this behind us.” U.S. Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan, the federally appointed mediator in the longstanding dispute, returned Monday from a trip to Ireland. He found that the sides had made remarkable progress in his absence by agreeing to all the major financial issues, as well as a rookie salary structure that proved to be the last major stumbling block in CBA negotiations. The legal issues Monday took center stage, as lawyers for the NFL and the players had settlement discussions on several fronts. Attorneys are seeking to settle an antitrust suit filed against the NFL by 10 players, including quarterbacks Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Peyton Manning. The Brady lawsuit was joined by severAal retired players, including former Vikings defensive end Carl Eller, so any settlement talks would include that segment of the lawsuit. The sides also are trying to settle a case in which the NFL was found to be in violation of the CBA by negotiating network television contracts. Damages from that case, which was decided in March by District Court Judge David S. Doty, could exceed $1 billion, but resolving the matter would eliminate any sanctions. Meetings will continue Wednesday in New York and also in Washington, where members of the NFL Players Association’s executive committee will meet. Player representatives from the 32 teams will join the meetings Wednesday, and players could vote on the proposed pact later that day. A simple majority is needed to approve the deal. Prior to voting, players would have to decide to recertify as a union; the
NFLPA decertified March 11, the day the Brady lawsuit was filed. Owners are set to meet in Atlanta, where they, too, would vote on the new agreement. A minimum 24 owners are needed to agree on a new CBA. Teams are sending key front-office personnel to Atlanta to be briefed on the rules governing the new deal, and the league year is expected to begin Monday. Teams would have three days to sign their own free agents, draft picks and undrafted free agents. On July 28, a five-day signing period would take place for all unrestricted free agents. Training camps also could open around that time; it is uncertain when the Jets and Giants will open theirs.
“
Hopefully in a couple days, we’ll have all this behind us. ANONYMOUS
Both teams have decided to have training camp at their respective facilities in New Jersey, not in upstate New York. According to people involved in the talks, as well as others who have been briefed on the negotiations, there is general agreement that things are far enough along for there to be genuine optimism about a deal being done. Some of the key provisions of the 10-year deal: Players will receive 46-48 percent of gross revenues, without the $1 billion credit the NFL originally requested. The salary cap will be reinstituted; it’s set at approximately $120 million for the 2011 season. Players will become free agents after a minimum of four years of service, once their contracts expire. Last year, without the salary cap, players needed at least six years’ experience to be eligible for free agency. A reconfigured rookie salary structure will dramatically lower salaries in the top half of the draft, and no rookie contract will exceed five years. The fifth will be an option year at the club’s discretion, but would offer a salary commensurate with the league’s best-paid players at their respective positions. Teams are still permitted to use the franchise tag for one player. Retired players will see close to $1 billion in additional pension and benefits.
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Thursday, July 21, 2011
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By Pamela Amick Klawitter ACROSS 1 Calrissian of “Star Wars” film s 6 Playground rejoinder 11 Down 14 Center of Florida? 15 Pageant prop 16 __ mater 17 Negotiation obstacl e 19 Gallery opening? 20 PDQ relative 21 Palindromi c fashion model 22 Surgeon’ s patient, perhaps 23 Recovery sites 27 Chip away at 30 Paint choices 31 A and B, at times
7/21/11 32 Holdup note? 36 ’70s-’80s televangelist show “The __ Club” 37 Vinegary prefix 39 Be in the running 40 State capital component, often 43 Old fallout source 45 Apollo 11 destinatio n 46 Trading places 48 Most agree it should be reduced 52 Skunk’ s weapon 53 “Children of the Poor” author 54 Reason for the downfall of many kings?
58 __-secret 59 Street weapon, and a hint to the circled letters in 17-, 23- and 48Across 62 Rollover subj. 63 Turn away 64 Kitchen tubes 65 Turk’s topper 66 Fills (up) 67 Germs may lead to them DOW N 1 Yeats’s “__ and the Swan” 2 Copies 3 Sweet Sixteen initials 4 7-Down athlete
5 Place to play favorites, briefly 6 Score direction after accelerando, perhaps 7 Home of a 4Down 8 Words of defianc e 9 Rush fin d 10 Galley tool 11 Fifth wheel 12 Broadcast 13 Some are blind 18 Doctor ’s suggestio n 22 Kitchen meas. 24 Come-__: lures 25 Bronco or Charger 26 “Taking Woodstock” director 27 “House” actor Oma r 28 Wasatch Mountains resort 29 O ne way to stand 32 First name in comics villains
33 Say and mean 34 Speed y Gonzales assent 35 __ precedent 37 Loads 38 Cops’ favorite birds? 41 Dubai big shot 42 Jack of “Barney Miller” 43 NYPD broadcast 44 Beyond repair 46 Orders fro m above 47 Screen door material 48 “__ you paid me!” 49 Hold precious 50 Birthstone after opal 51 Petrol unit 55 Mr. Peanut prop 56 Tracy Turnblad’s mom in “Hairspray” 57 Gets it 59 Show age, in a way 60 Sen. Byrd ’s state 61 Electronic storage density meas. Thursday’s Puzzle Solved
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.
7/14/11
Solution, tips and computer program at www.soduku.com.
collegiatetimes.com july 21, 2011
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