Tuesday, August 30, 2011 Print Edition by Collegiate Times

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Tuesday, August 30, 2011

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COLLEGIATETIMES 108th year, issue 76 News, page 4 Arts & Entertainment, page 3 Opinions, page 5

Sports, page 7

Classifieds, page 6 Football Preview, inside

Shootings caused PTSD, study shows NEW STUDY SHEDS LIGHT ON THE EXTENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL TRAUMA CAUSED AFTER THE APRIL 16 CAMPUS SHOOTINGS ABBY HARRIS news staff writer Russell T. Jones was once on an airplane with a rocket scientist who explained the plane was flying because several engines were working together and compensating for each other. He called that phenomenon “gimbling.” According to Jones, a similar phenomenon helped members of the Virginia Tech community after the April 16, 2007, campus shootings claimed 32 lives. He and Michael Hughes, a Tech sociology professor, recently published a study that found 15.4 percent of Tech students showed symptoms of trauma after the tragedy — a significantly lower number than studies of other shootings have shown. “Following the Virginia Tech shootings we were ‘gimbling,’” Jones said. “We were coming together, developing relationships to move forward in the recovery process. Help is available following any kind of traumatic experience, that’s the bottom line.” Hughes’ and Jones’ study is the first largescale survey of college students after a mass shooting incident on a campus. In the study, they surveyed 4,639 students three months after the shootings occurred to assess symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. “There have been studies of shooting incidents, but they’ve all been very different from this one,” Hughes said. “It was a very large social system in which this happened, where people are more tightly connected.” The most prevalent stressors for respondents were the inability to con-

firm safety of friends — 64.5 percent — and the death of a close friend — 9.1 percent. Although the inability to confirm the safety of friends was the most common, the death of a close friend was found to be the more traumatizing stressor. Women who participated in the survey were found more likely to have experienced trauma symptoms than men, which is consistent with earlier research. Findings have shown that women have broader secondary networks of friends and acquaintances than men, and are more affected by losses within those secondary networks. The lower percentage of participants showing symptoms is likely because previous studies could only focus on the people in the specific areas where shootings had taken place, while Jones’ and Hughes’ study surveyed a wide scope of Tech students, not only those who were in an affected building at the time. The amount of people affected included not only the people who were physically close to the shootings, but also the majority of the Tech campus and even good chunk of the Blacksburg community. Not everyone who is exposed to trauma will acquire symp-

79.1%

76.1%

83.2%

AFTER SHOWING PROMISING GROWTH, GOOGLE + STILL STRUGGLES TO FIND NICHE Women

Men

Students acquainted with 4/16 victims by gender toms of PTSD, therefore it would have taken a broad-based outreach program to discover which people were affected enough to need mental health interventions. Jones indicated there is a “science to recovery” for the individuals traumatized by the incident. Social support and coping can lead to more effective recoveries, while avoidance could eventually lead to negative outcomes such as PTSD, depression, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, or phobias, to name a few.

44.8%

35.6%

28.1%

20.8% 14.7% Present at First Incident in Ambler-Johnston

Present at Second Should/might have Incident in Norris been in Norris

Knew someone who was killed

Knew someone who was injured

Knew someone who escaped uninjured

Percentage of Trauma Exposure in Virginia Tech students by Proximity to Event

Tech alters rules about drugs, alcohol GORDON BLOCK news reporter ARLINGTON — Virginia Tech’s Board of Visitors changed several of the policies regarding student drug, alcohol and sexual assault cases Monday. Tech’s zero tolerance policy toward drugs was altered to allow flexibility in punishing minor first-time offenders. Previously, the policy stated students who were found possessing illegal drugs would “almost certainly” be suspended. Now, that policy says those students “will likely” be suspended.

The changes applied to students involved in first-time minor drug offenses, such as simple possession of marijuana. “There are some minor cases that suspension may not be the best case,” said Ed Spencer, the vice president of student affairs. Spencer added that Tech would still remain vigilant in cases of distributing marijuana or for students found possessing harder drugs such as cocaine or heroin. Tech also revised its policy on self-reporting and bystander intervention in student alcohol cases. One example studied by the

Google + must adapt

committee involved an intoxicated underage student, who had been previously documented by their RA, who then called VT Rescue after fearing their own safety. Under the old policy, that student would have been guaranteed a deferred suspension, but the new policy states the student may not receive a deferred suspension. Each offense will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Spencer said the policy was a compromise between parties who called for full amnesty and those for stern discipline when calling

in dangerous alcohol cases. “Somehow we should reward this person for speaking out or getting help,” Spencer said. The board also changed how the student conduct office processes sexual assault cases. It will now allow victims in sexual assault cases to appeal rulings. Previously only those accused of sexual assault cases could file appeals. Spencer said he had some concerns that the policy could create a double jeopardy scenario if a student was cleared in his or her first case by the student conduct see BOV / page six

Soaring high

CODY OWENS news staff writer Distracted students may increasingly spend time on a new social networking site — Google+. The Internet search giant introduced its newest social networking site June 28, on what it called a “field trial period” that allowed new accounts only through invites. New users are allowed 150 invites to share with those interested in Google+. Google+ is not the company’s first venture in social networking. In 2010, Google Buzz received criticism for being intrusive and unoriginal, and while 2004’s Orkut is popular in Brazil and India, it is widely unused in the United States. However, if growth is any indication of success, then Google+ has set itself apart from its predecessors. On July 14, Google announced that Google+ had reached 10 million users in the two weeks since its debut. By July 24, 25 million users had joined — all during the invite-only period. “The invitation system is interesting, because if you get an invitation to something from an interesting person, you’re likely to check it out,” said Gardner Campbell, the director of professional development and innovative initiatives for the division of learning technology at Virginia Tech. “(That’s a) very, very good marketing strategy there.” Another important user base stems from Google’s many Gmail accounts, totaling more than 210 million individuals. “To me, this is a new product where Google came up and tried to build a user base from the Gmail users,” said Patrick Fan, a professor of accounting and information systems at Tech. Currently, Google+ is similar to Facebook. There are status updates, games and separate groups for friends. But Google+ contains several features that distinguish it from other sites. Among these is Circles, which allows users to organize friends into different groups with varying levels of access to their updates. Circles allows pertinent information to be sent to certain groups rather than a user’s entire contact list. “You can group people, such as ‘friends on my hall’ or ‘from Tech,’ and when I post, I can post to a specific Circle,” said Daniel Diggs, a sophomore engineering science and mechanics major. “So my family can hear this, but my friends can see it too.” In an interview with The New York Times, Bradley Horowitz, the vice president of product management for Google, explained Circles as a key facet. “In real life, we have walls and windows, and I can speak to you knowing who’s in the room, but in the online world … you share with the whole world,” he said. “We have a different model.”

Among the innovations of Google+ are Huddle, which allows text messaging with multiple people on smartphones, and Sparks, which gives recommendations on a variety of topics based on a user’s interests — similar to Pandora on a broader scale. The Hangouts feature allows a maximum of 10 people to video chat or watch the same YouTube video together. This innovative option may have prompted Facebook to announce its new video chat feature with Skype a week after the Google+ debut. While using Google+, users also have access to Gmail and other Google features, which Fan said is a main advantage of the program. However, as Google+ reaches the two-month mark since its introduction, it has received a fair share of criticism, mainly concerning comparisons to Facebook and Twitter. “If Google+ fails, it will be because the social part of it doesn’t feel as intimate or as interesting as it does on Facebook,” Campbell said. “That will be something that I will be keen to see.” Google finds itself in an unusual position — the newcomer in a market occupied by a few well-populated and established social legends. Google+ may find the prospect of topping sites with massive followings such as Facebook and Twitter daunting. However, some say it can successfully adapt to this situation. “Google+ may potentially allow users to link between Facebook and Google+. That way, you can build a synergy going on in a term called co-competition,” Fan said. “If Google opens the door to link to Facebook, it will be a win-win situation for both of them.” Methods already exist to link Google+ with other social networking sites. Third-party solutions, along with extensions of Google Chrome, such as Publish Sync and SGPlus, allow users to simultaneously post to multiple sites — Google+, Facebook and Twitter. Currently, the fate of Google+ rests on the ability to attract a user base comparable to the big names in social media. However, it may also thrive by finding a niche. “I think that it will be used more in industry than in social networking,” Diggs said. “It can be used in companies with a boss that has a bunch of different groups to talk to.” By attracting such a large following in two months, while still being in its initial, limited phase, Google+ has shown itself to be a contender in the social media world. If Google’s past work serves as a precedent, getting a Google+ invite may be worth an effort, just to see what ideas the company will develop next. “If you can keep innovating and creating,” Fan said, “you’re going to be extremely successful.”

Pipe bursts in Dietrick Hall

DANIEL LIN / SPPS

ABBY HARRIS news staff writer

Amelia Howell, daughter of Buddy Howell, a communications professor, was unable to choose a favorite ride. She was visiting Gobblerfest with her family for the third year. photo by Mallory Noe-Payne

Deet’s Place reopened its doors last night after being shut down because of a pipe burst in the downstairs area of Dietrick Hall. The burst occurred at about 4 p.m. Monday, causing the water for the entire building to be shut off. Because the burst only affected the

first floor, D2 remained operational but only used paper products. Kelvin Bergsten, the assistant director of D2, DXpress and the Vet Med Cafe, said the type of pipe burst that occurred is currently unknown. Bergsten described the couple of hours that Deet’s was nonoperational as “hectic,” but expressed with relief that the problem is now under control.

september 23, 2009

page B

arts & entertainment 3 august 30, 2011

editors: chelsea gunter, patrick murphy featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES

‘The Help’ shines, worth full price Take a journey with ‘Slave Ambient’ ased on Kathryn Stockett’s B novel, “The Help” gives a glance at the day-today lives of black maids in Jackson, Miss. in the 1960s. Heartwarming and funny, “The Help” serves as a decent historical piece and an entertaining movie. To start off with, I did not read “The Help.” I typically like to read the book before I see the movie adaptation, especially if the book itself is getting a lot of buzz from critics and readers. Unfortunately in this case, I cannot make any novel-to-film comparisons. Set at the cusp of The Civil Rights Movement, “The Help” tells the story of Skeeter Phelan (Emma Stone), a young white woman who is writing a book on the lives of black maids, in particular those of Aibileen Clark (Viola Davis) and Minny Jackson (Octavia Spencer). The stories that Aibileen and Minny tell Skeeter can be funny, such as the story of Minny serving her former employer a pie with some unpleasant ingredients baked inside, but they can also be sad, such as the story of Aibileen’s deceased son. I especially appreciated the film’s excellent job delving into Mississippi in the 1960s. It appeared that the costume designers for the movie picked the clothes straight from of an old photo. Also, the scenery is wonderful — each set and facade aged in a way to suggest that the filmmakers actually went back in time to capture the scenes. Historical dramas can tend to have a contrived feel, but not in the case of “The Help.” The aesthetic felt completely genuine. Another aspect of the movie that stood out is its brutal honesty. There have been a number of movies based on The Civil Rights Movement, such as “Mississippi Burning” (1988) and “Malcolm X” (1992). However, “The Help” is not just a story about the fictional characters

“Slave Ambient,” The War On Drugs Secretly Canadian, 2011

Aibileen and Minny, but it is also a harrowing testament of the many blacks in the South during the time. Audiences are brought back to a time that many of their grandparents and parents actually lived in. I had forgotten how not long ago, America ignored simple principles such as equality and freedom. The main cast was fantastic. Every actor and actress sported deep southern accents and threw themselves into character. Unfortunately, a weakness in the characterization was that the good guys were good and the bad guys were bad, without much variation. The main antagonist, a white woman by the name of Hilly Holbrook (Bryce Dallas Howard), has almost no redeeming qualities.

By the end of the film, she leaves the viewers clenching their fists at her empty meanness and racist ignorance. I thought she could have been rounded out a bit better. Flat characterization, which mostly applies to the villain, is one of the only flaws in the film I could find. That’s not too bad when compared to the overall turnout of this year’s summer films. The really great thing about “The Help” is that it is both easy-to-watch and emotionally powerful. A truly entertaining movie with a message that isn’t preachy? Who would’ve thought?

COURTNEY BAKER -movie reviewer - senior - political science major

ince the release of “Wagonwheel Blues” in 2008, the band The War On Drugs has endured a few changes. Most notably, Kurt Vile, a founding member and guitarist, left to pursue a solo career, which resulted in the release of his own critically acclaimed album, “Smoke Ring For My Halo.” After his departure, as well as the exit of two different drummers, Adam Granduciel, the band’s leader and only remaining founding member, added a new drummer to the group. After the release of “Wagonwheel Blues,” Granduciel spent three years on its brilliant successor, “Slave Ambient.” The band’s second fulllength record, “Slave Ambient,” is an expansion on the roots-rock, Americana sound the group put out in their previous album. “Like a spirit through the wind, I keep flying” — these are some of the first words Granduciel drawls on “Slave Ambient,” offering them as a sort of thematic foundation for the rest of the album. Throughout the record, listeners can almost feel the rumble of an engine beneath their seat. In “Brothers,” listeners can even hear the sound of wind blowing through the retracted windowpanes of a car. The War On Drugs specializes in making music for the open road — a type of music that feels so essentially American. “Like a spirit through the wind,” the music of “Slave Ambient” seems to drift on down the highway with no real sense of direction, but it always remains aware of the journey, while taking its time to get to where it’s going. Album centerpiece “Come To The City” epitomizes the distinct “road trip to nowhere through the American heartland” feeling, both in sound and words. Granduciel sings, “Take me back to the one I love. It’s not far. It’s on the way. I’ve been rambling ... I’m just drifting,” before letting out a sonorous “woohoo” that rings into the open air. The War On Drugs’ music, especially Granduciel’s singing, is often compared to that of various icons from America’s rock-and-roll history. Ingrained in every song and lyric sung on “Slave Ambient” are echoes

of Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan and Tom Petty. These influences have been present since the band started recording songs — they have always been completely open and on display. Granduciel’s vocals have been gravelly and Dylan-esque since he started — they don’t deny or pretend to hide their Americana roots. What has always been remarkable about The War On Drugs, however, has been their ability to, at once, sound familiar and recognizable, as well as fresh and intriguing. On “Slave Ambient,” the band has not only once again incorporated the usual influences, but also added a slew of new ones. The guitar lines on the record are tinged with 1960s psychedelia, while the added emphasis on synthesized tones and manipulated samples are clearly reminiscent of German Krautrock. “Baby Missiles,” the album’s first single, features synthesizers that fit in nicely along the vintage guitars and harmonica, while combining new and old influences into an entirely organic-feeling amalgam of influences. Additionally, three synthesizer-based instrumental tracks serve as ambient, cinematic bridges between sections of the album, blending it into a seamless work of art. Ultimately, “Slave Ambient” is not a demanding album, although that’s not to discount its excellence or creativity. The music is crafted in such a way that listeners can press play on the new record and comfortably slip right in, while simultaneously finding new textures buried within the sound layers. It can be sprawling, despite its relatively short run time, and hard to decipher. But it’s not urging listeners to do anything, despite its beautifully anthemic nature. It’s not clear where you’re going, but “Slave Ambient” is certainly taking you somewhere. Instead of asking you where it is you’re headed, this record is simply asking you how you’re getting there. It’s asking how the trip felt and why you took it at all. The War On Drugs simply advises you to “lose yourself in your own mind” — an easy task when you allow yourself to be lost in the alluring visions of the American summer with which “Slave Ambient” is so deeply infused. Listen to: “Come To The City,” “Brothers.”

KEVIN MCALEESE -music reviewer - junior -political science major

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“Smoke Ring For My Halo,” Kurt Vile (Matador, 2011) What makes “Smoke Ring For My Halo” so great is not just Vile’s ability to have so many influences from the past playing a role in the album, but his ability to put those influences to such subtle, tasteful and artful use that they get swirled up into his own unique sound.

“Birthday Blues,” Bert Jansch (Transatlantic, 1969) Cited as an influence by Kurt Vile, much of the music on “Birthday Blues” is similar to that being made by the likes of The War On Drugs and Vile today. Although Jansch tends to be more on the folk side of the spectrum, fans of the Americana roots of The War On Drugs will find something to like here — especially in the song “Poison.”

“Born in the USA,” Bruce Springsteen (Columbia, 1984) The Springsteen “Born in the USA” comparison will seem obvious once you listen to “Slave Ambient,” but this really does seem to be the primary influence on The War On Drugs’ new record. Listeners will hear very similar combinations of synthesizers and rock and roll, as well as similar vocal styles.

Students gather at Gobblerfest for free food, games, prizes

BRAD KLODOWSKI / SPPS

Students gather at the Nicaraguan Orphan Fund’s table to learn about the organization and its mission.

MALLORY NOE-PAYNE / SPPS

Rachel Thomas, the coxswain of Women’s Crew, displays her coaching abilities with a rowing machine.

BRAD KLODOWSKI / SPPS

A Gobblerfest attendee rides a rotating swing, amid others, in the Squires parking lot Friday afternoon.

4 news

news editors: claire sanderson, michelle sutherland newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

august 30, 2011

what you’re saying //comments from online readers... On the column about students being hurt by the economy: Anonymous >> Yes the economy still sucks, no it's not Obama's fault. For anyone who cares to read what an actual economists take on the situation is: http://krugman.blogs.nytimes.com/

Anonymous >> krugman is way too politically motivated to take seriously.

Anonymous >> You mean you disagree with what he ha to say so you'll ignore him. The guy has more knowledge about economics in his little finger than you or I will ever have.

Anonymous >> not at all what I mean, I'm a liberal; just not an extremist like him. I have a background in economics and while I agree the man knows his stuff, when he writes articles he manipulates facts and leaves out significant basic information that if it were otherwise written into his articles would change the entire context. He's a politically motivated economic extremist, don't kid yourself.

Anonymous >> I think Obama actually did well in the debt cielling negotiation. I think he showed remarkable restraint and refused to take the bait and invoke the 14th Amendment. If he did, he would have been impeached. I don't believe he would have been removed from office but I think it would have been a huge distraction and we would have Rick Perry or/aka George Bush III for President. I am cautiously optimistic that he will have introduced into congress this September well thought out legislation to improve employment. Let the Tea Party vote it down and let Obama do what he does best, campaign on it.

Anonymous >> "It was under his watch that S&P downgraded our credit rating for the first time" - Matthew HurtUsing Matthew Hurt's low-level logicSeptember 11th happened under George W. Bush - - so Sept. 11th is 100% his fault. Bush=terrorist

Anon >> By the looks of it, it seems like a lot of people here would still vote for Obama given his track record. If that happens,this country deserves to fail since people seem to vote for failure. I’m sure Obama is a nice guy but we’re in a dire situation that needs somebody in office who knows what they are doing. Liberalism (especially economic) is a mental illness. Isn’t insanity doing the same thing over expecting different results? Why another stimulus? Why more spending/debt?

Manny >> “Isn’t insanity doing the same thing over expecting different results?”Sort of like renewing the tax cuts for the rich even though they destroyed our economy?

COLLEGIATETIMES

nation Residents left stunned by Irene’s damage BRATTLEBORO, Vt. — Rippling creeks became deadly deluges. Bridges collapsed into roiling waves. Dry streets turned into fast-rising lakes, closing in around stunned towns that never knew they might be in the path of a tropical storm expected to drench the coast, not the countryside. But while Irene — first a hurricane and then a tropical storm — unleashed its initial share of damage along the sandy shores of the Eastern seaboard, by Monday its greatest impact was felt far from the coastline, in places such landlocked Vermont and the bucolic mountains of upstate New York. “It was a raging torrent,” Scott Towle of Brattleboro said of the normally benign Whetstone Brook, which runs beside his house and rose with terrifying speed Sunday when as much as 8 inches of rain fell in six hours. “You could hear boulders, trees, everything going down,” said Towle, who on Monday joined other locals at a bridge downtown watching the swollen Connecticut River rush past. “It took out the road; it took out a couple of houses; it took out a bridge.” “It was roaring,” said Richard Hodgdon, whose backyard turned into a lake as the Whetstone Brook filled up. “It came past the house on both sides. It was flowing right down (the street) ...When we saw how fast it was rising, we had never seen that before.” Hodgdon, his wife and their dog got out as the waters rose to fill their garage and their basement. The heavy furniture on their patio floated away to a neighbor’s driveway, next to a red barn that looked on the verge of collapse Monday. A nearby footbridge, which weighs more than a ton, was lifted “like a toothpick” and carried downstream, said Hodgdon, who on Monday looked out at his lawn — now a sheet of mud. “It’s hard to believe. It’s so peaceful today,” he said as the sun shone down on the sludge-covered scene. On the sixth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina’s landfall in Louisiana, Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Craig

Fugate said emergency officials had learned from the disastrous aftermath of that storm. “We can’t wait to know how bad it is before we get ready,” said Fugate, noting the evacuation orders and emergency teams’ preparations in advance of Irene dramatically contrasted to the after-the-fact scramble that marked FEMA’s Katrina response. Even so, more than 48 hours after Irene made landfall early Saturday, about 4.5 million people remained without power in Washington, D.C., and 13 states from North Carolina to Maine. The death toll was at least 38, according to The Associated Press, and some rivers had yet to crest, meaning flooding might not be over. Hundreds remained stranded in communities cut off by washed out roads, including at least 2,500 residents of remote Hatteras Island in North Carolina, where severed utility lines also left them without power. The only access to the island was via a ferry limited to emergency use. Police in suburban Parsippany, N.J., had to rescue dozens of people who became trapped in two hotels Monday when a nearby lake spilled its banks and sent enough water into the streets and hotel parking lots to swallow vehicles. Evacuees included guests who had fled to the hotels after heeding advice to evacuate their homes in advance of Irene. There were some signs of a return to normalcy. In New Jersey, Atlantic City’s casinos reopened. New York City’s subways churned into action in time for the morning commute after an unprecedented pre-emptive shutdown at noon Saturday. Buses returned to service, as did some commuter railroads, and the bell clanged at 9:30 a.m. to mark the opening of trading at the New York Stock Exchange. For millions of people, though, normalcy was nowhere to be seen. “We were expecting heavy rains,” said Bobbi-Jean Jeun of Clarksville, a rural hamlet near Albany, in upstate New York, AP reported. “We were expecting flooding. We weren’t expecting devastation. It

looks like somebody set a bomb off.” In a sense, Mother Nature did. Christopher Vaccaro, a spokesman for the National Weather Service, said the heavy rains from Irene’s wide bands were “too much too soon.” “You’re having a tremendous amount of run-off, and that’s all flowing into rivers. The rivers burst through their banks and flow into roads and properties,” he said. Compounding the problem was that soil wet from recent rains couldn’t absorb Irene’s downpour. Once the soil had reached its saturation point, there wasn’t much that could be done to prevent floods, said Kristen Corbosiero, a professor of tropical meteorology at the University at Albany. “It’s just about getting people out of the way and trying to minimize damage as much as possible.” No one warned Valerie Becker, though. Becker, who lives beside the same Brattleboro brook that flooded Hodgdon’s home, looked out her second-story window at about 10:30 a.m. Sunday and saw logs floating across her lawn, along with her grandchildren’s toys. She rushed around her two-story house grabbing bedding and valuables. “I started freaking when I came down the stairs and there was an inch of water and the driveway was completely flooded,” she said. “Then I started to get scared.” Becker got out safely, before the water poured through her home a foot deep. Looking at a wet brown couch sinking in the mud on her lawn, she said, “It’s all just stuff. We all are safe, that’s what matters.” But Becker admitted she was overwhelmed. She had spread the pages of her son’s baby book on a table to dry in the sun. A box containing her youngest son’s school papers and drawings was destroyed, along with one that held her own school pictures and diplomas. “All that stuff — gone,” she said. - Maeve Reston and Tina Susman, mcclatchy newspapers

opınıons 5

editors: scott masselli, sean simons opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES

august 30, 2011

Shelter workers deserve respect abor Day means a carefree L long weekend for many nineto-fivers, but some laborers can’t just close up shop and forget about their jobs, even for a day. For animal shelter workers, the work never ends because the stream of battered and bruised animals in need of refuge never ends. Few people have a more emotionally wrenching job than those who punch in every day knowing that they will likely have to euthanize the animals they’ve devoted themselves to helping. We can all help ease shelter workers’ burdens by doing our part to slow the stream of homeless animals. That means always having our cats and dogs spayed or neutered and adopting animals instead of buying them from breeders or pet stores. As someone who has spent years volunteering at my local animal shelter, I know that animal shelter staffers are some of the hardest-working people around. They scrub down poop-strewn kennels, comb animals who are matted and crawling with fleas, and give belly rubs to dogs who have never had a bath because they’ve been kept chained up like old bicycles their entire lives. They get peed on, slobbered on and covered with muddy paw prints and cat hair every day. They heft heavy dogs onto examination tables, unload vans full of 50-pound bags of food, get bitten by petrified dogs who have known nothing but cruelty from humans, and get scratched by cats who are frantic after having gone from the home they’ve always known to a cage in a roomful of other crying felines. They cuddle cats, throw balls for dogs, slip treats through cage bars, speak kind words and give many scratches behind the ears. They do their best to make the animals’

stay at the shelter as happy and full of love as possible. But because shelters don’t have a magic wand that they can wave to create loving homes for all the animals who so desperately need them, those who work in openadmission shelters must also perform the thankless, gut-wrenching task of holding the animals they’ve played with and loved in their arms while the euthanasia needle slides into a vein and the light in their eyes softly flickers out. These people are heroes for doing the right thing for animals even though it takes such a toll on them personally. Breeders, pet stores and people who haven’t had their animals spayed or neutered put shelter workers in this tragic position. Every new puppy or kitten who is intentionally or accidentally brought into the world will take the chance for a home away from one of the thousands of animals waiting in shelters. Some of them will end up homeless themselves. Every new puppy or kitten means an animal in a shelter will die. And every new puppy or kitten means another broken heart for a brave shelter worker. Shelter workers’ jobs will never be cushy, but if more people commit to spaying and neutering their animals before that first litter and if more people open their hearts and homes to the many loving, eager-to-please dogs and cats waiting in shelters, we could dramatically reduce the number of animals shelter workers must euthanize for lack of a good home. We could save thousands of lives — and make shelter workers’ lives a little bit easier too.

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MCT CAMPUS

Race card hides real bigots gotten to the point where ItButhas the race card seems inevitable. can you blame anyone for playing it? The political advantage it offers is invaluable in crucial elections. The image of an egalitarian Democrat versus a sinister, racist Republican surely pulls Independents to the left. There is just one problem: That trick is becoming harder to perform. Fewer people are racist than in the past, and past and present racists are rightfully insulted and mocked by everyone else. Even so, that’s no reason to keep racial issues at the back of your mind when listening to politicians. The media and political opponents should investigate whether a candidate has racist views. No vote of mine is going to any racist candidate. But the insults hurled around today are way too general and unfounded. They are disproportionately aimed at Republican candidates. Republicans and Tea Partiers have been consistently painted as fanatics and racists. However, the most evil of Republicans, George W. Bush, appointed not one, not two, but three minorities to highlevel cabinet positions. Alberto Gonzalez is still the highest-ranking Hispanic government official in United States history. Condoleezza Rice was the first black woman to serve as secretary of state. Colin Powell was the first black person to hold the office of Secretary of State. Granted, these positions aren’t as sexy as being the first black president, but a devout racist wouldn’t appoint minorities to such crucial positions. Surely those appointments would at least make Bush critics hesitate to call him racist. Not a chance. Kanye West and many others labeled Bush a racist during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. But things have changed. The Republican Party named Michael Steele as its first black national party chairman. In 2007 Republicans compensated for the inept Louisiana Governor Blanco’s term by electing Bobby Jindal, the first Indian American governor in U.S. History. These are all great achievements, but they

can’t compare to placing a minority in the country’s highest office. Today, Herman Cain is campaigning to become the 2012 presidential Republican candidate. He refers to himself as an American who is black rather than African American. For being a proud black man who flourished in the private sector, he is thriving within that “racist” Tea Party. He has overwhelming support in Georgia (a state that went to the old white guy in 2008) and is considered one of the top five primary candidates. So surely now pundits would at least hesitate to call Tea Partiers and Republicans racists. Not so fast. One of the smartest, most articulate of liberal pundits is seen through Cain and the Tea Party’s deception. Janeane Garofalo has exposed the right winger’s ploy in Keith Olbermann’s show/podcast/ basement. She asserts that Cain is being used to “deflect the racism that is inherent in the Republican Party…” Why would he do that? Garofalo has an answer for that too. He either has a case of Stockholm syndrome (she asserted the same of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas), or he is being paid. Cain responded by asserting that he found the comments pathetic and hilarious. He also claimed that whoever was supposed to pay him still owes him money. So if a black man running as a Republican can’t shake off claims of racism within the conservative movement, what’s happening to the white guys and gals? Rick Perry has already had one doozy of a racism accusation thrown at him. Ed Schultz (who always looks like he’s about to froth at the mouth) caught Perry making a claim about a “black cloud that hangs over America.” Schultz has proof. Perry is on film saying those exact words. Schultz then sums his interpretation up for the audience — the black cloud that Perry is referring to must be President Barack Obama. But he ended the video early. The full clip shows the context of Perry’s speech: $16 trillion worth of debt. He says, “that big black cloud that hangs over America, that debt that is

so monstrous.” Even Jon Stewart thinks Schultz’s smear is ridiculous. Stewart jokingly accuses Schultz of being a bigot by using such remarks as “red herring” and “yellow lobster” (referring to an actual, yellow lobster). But while Stewart is being satirical, Schultz really is doing a disservice to minorities. I doubt he is a bigot, but when Schultz pounces on Republicans for making statements that sound racist when taken out of context, he is trivializing people who truly deal with racism in their lives. There are still a lot of racist politicians, and somehow they get re-elected. Instead of trying to discount a black Republican candidate, or taking a speech out of context to make a politician seem racist, the media should be concentrating on the facts. If there is real, substantial evidence of racist remarks or actions from a politician, the media must expose them. But until convincing evidence of bigotry exists, the media should focus on the candidate’s ideas and political records. Sarah Palin’s image was never tarnished by accusations of racism. She was, however, revealed to be horribly ignorant of crucial issues by journalists who challenged her qualifications. This type of journalism is necessary to help the public support the right candidates. While Ed Schultz, Janeane Garofalo and others are over analyzing small portions of speeches and drafting unsupportable conspiracy theories, actual racists and other corrupt politicians are in office enjoying an absence of media attention. But calling a Republican a racist requires much less work and gets headlines. This pattern will continue until the average American watches Schultz babble nonsense, gets bored and changes the channel. Then again, most of us do that already.

Send a letter to the editor and express Perry’s denial an irrational policy your views. T

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

exas Gov. Rick Perry stirred up controversy on the campaign trail recently when he dismissed the problem of climate change and accused scientists of basically making up the problem. As a born-and-bred Texan, it's especially disturbing to hear this now, when our state is getting absolutely hammered by heat and drought. I've got to wonder how any resident of Texas and particularly the governor who not so long ago was asking us to pray for rain can be so cavalier about climate change. As a climate scientist at Texas A&M University, I can also tell you from the data that the current heat wave and drought in Texas is so bad that calling it "extreme weather" does not do it justice. July was the single hottest month in the observational record, and the 12 months that ended in July were drier than any corresponding period in the record. I know that climate change does not cause any specific weather event. But I also know that humans have warmed the climate over the last century, and that this warming has almost certainly made the heat wave and drought more extreme than it would have otherwise been. I am not alone in these views. There are dozens of atmospheric scientists at Texas institutions like Rice, the University of Texas, and Texas

A&M, and none of them dispute the mainstream scientific view of climate change. This is not surprising, since there are only a handful of atmospheric scientists in the entire world who dispute the essential facts and their ranks are not increasing, as Gov. Perry claimed. And I can assure Gov. Perry that scientists are not just another special interest looking to line their own pockets. I left a job as an investment banker on Wall Street in 1988 to go to graduate school in chemistry. I certainly didn't make that choice to get rich, and I didn't do it to exert influence in the international arena either. I went into science because I wanted to devote my life to the search for scientific knowledge. And to make the world a better place. That's the same noble goal that motivates most scientists. The ultimate dream is to make a discovery so profound and revolutionary that it catapults one into the pantheon of the greatest scientific minds of history: Newton, Einstein, Maxwell, Planck, etc. This is just one of the many reasons it is inconceivable for an entire scientific community to conspire en masse to mislead the public. In fact, if climate scientists truly wanted to maximize funding, we would be claiming that we

JOHN LANGLEY -regular columnist -senior -political science major

had no idea why the climate is changing, a position that would certainly attract bipartisan support for increased research. The economic costs of the Texas heat wave and drought are enormous. The cost to Texas alone will be many billion dollars (hundreds of dollars for every resident), and these costs will ripple through the economy so that everyone will eventually pay for it. Gov. Perry needs to squarely face the choice confronting us; either we pay to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, or we pay for the impacts of a changing climate. There is no free lunch. Economists have looked at this problem repeatedly over the last two decades, and virtually every mainstream economist has concluded that the costs of reducing emissions are less than the costs of unchecked climate change. The only disagreement is on the optimal level of emissions reductions. I suppose it should not be surprising when politicians like Gov. Perry choose to shoot the messenger rather than face this hard choice. He may view this as a legitimate policy on climate change, but it's not one that the facts support.

ANDREW DESSLER -mcclatchy newspapers

Collegiate Times Editorial Staff Editor in Chief: Zach Crizer Managing Editor: Lindsey Brookbank Design Editors: Danielle Buynak, Victoria Zigadlo Public Editor: Justin Graves Web Editor: Sarah Watson News Editors: Claire Sanderson, Michelle Sutherland News Reporters: Josh Higgins News Staff Writers: Erin Chapman, Meighan Dober, Abby Harris, Elizabeth Haydu, Cody Owens, Mallory NoePayne Features Editors: Chelsea Gunter, Patrick Murphy Features Reporters: Nick Smirniotopoulos Features Staff Writers: Courtney Baker, Torie Deible, Dane Harrington, Kevin McAleese, Andrew Reily Opinions Editors: Scott Masselli, Sean Simmons Sports Editors: Matt Jones, Zach Mariner Sports Reporters: Michael Bealy, Nick Cafferky, Courtney Lofgren, Josh Oarcell Sports Staff Writers: Eric Avassi, Zander Baylis, Alyssa Bedrosian, Cody Elliott, Taylor Hay, Alex Koma, Ashleigh Lanza, Brian Marcolini, Cody Owens Photo Editor: Daniel Lin Special Sections Editor: Liana Bayne, Nick Cafferky Public Information Director: Dishu Maheshwari Training Director: Kelsey Heiter Copy Chief: Spenser Snarr Copy Editors: Debra Houchins, Nora McGann Layout Designers: Nadia Groome, Kaitlyn Kicia, Bethany Melson, Matthew Ryburn Online Director: Jamie Chung Collegiate Times Business Staff Business Manager: Philipp Kotlaba Student Publications Photo Staff Director of Photography: Paul Kurlak Lab Manager: Austen Meredith College Media Solutions Ad Director: Brandon Collins Asst Ad Director: Matt Freedman Account Executives: Johnson Bray, Kevin Jadali, Alyssa Brown, Brian Dickson, Janssen Claudio Inside Sales Manager: Mario Gazzola Assistant Inside Sales Manager: Adam Shata Assistant Account Executives: Alex Perry, Creative Director: Casey Stoneman Asst Production Manager: Colleen Hill Creative Services Staff: Danielle Bushrow, Michael Craighead, Alyssa Morrison, Molly Vinson Voice your opinion. Readers are encouraged to send letters to the Collegiate Times. 365 Squires Student Center Blacksburg, VA, 24061 Fax: (540) 231-9151 opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com All letters to the editor must include a name and daytime phone number. Students must include year and major. Faculty and staff must include position and department. All other submissions must include city of residence, and if applicable, relationship to Virginia Tech (i.e., alumni, parent, etc.). All letters should be in MS Word (.doc) format, if possible. Letters, commentaries and editorial cartoons do not reflect the views of the Collegiate Times. Editorials are written by the Collegiate Times editorial board, which is composed of the opinions editors, editor-in-chief and the managing editors. Letters to the editor are submissions from Collegiate Times readers. We reserve the right to edit for any reason. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Have a news tip? Call or text 200-TIPS or e-mail newstips@collegiatetimes.com Student Media Phone Numbers Collegiate Times Newsroom 231-9865 Editor-in-Chief 231-9867 College Media Solutions Advertising 961-9860 The Collegiate Times, a division of the Educational Media Company at Virginia Tech, was established in 1903 by and for the students of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The Collegiate Times is published every Tuesday through Friday of the academic year except during exams and vacations. The Collegiate Times receives no direct funding from the university. The Collegiate Times can be found online at www.collegiatetimes.com. Except where noted, all photographs were taken by the Student Publications Photo Staff. To order a reprint of a photograph printed in the Collegiate Times, visit reprints.collegemedia.com. Subscription rates: $65 semester; $110 fall/spring. The first copy is free, any copy of the paper after that is 50 cents per issue. © Collegiate Times, 2011. All rights reserved. Material published in the Collegiate Times is the property thereof, and may not be reprinted without the express written consent of the Collegiate Times.

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BOV: Online classes a possible method for cutting costs informed of their infractions by campus mail, where they would be given a date for a formal hearing. After their hearing, students could appeal the decision, and a final ruling would then be issued in writing. Students not appealing had to wait until the appeal period was over until they could begin serving their sanctions. Under the new policy, students would be emailed to check the Hokie SPA system to review their infraction. The student would then be brought into the the student conduct office to discuss the case and be presented with a sanction. If the student agreed with the sanction, the student could begin serving the punishment immediately. A student rejecting the proposed sanction

from page one

office, but then had to be tried again. “You’re taking a person being charged (then cleared),” Spencer said. “Now, we’re using the same system twice.” But despite Spencer’s concerns, he said Tech would not lead the cause to drop the new rules. “This is not a time for Virginia Tech to be taking on the Department of Education,” Spencer said, alluding to Tech’s recent fine of $55,000 for failing to provide a timely warning during the April 16, 2007, shootings. The Office of Student Conduct is also changing the process of how it handles arrests. In the past, students would be

would then receive a formal hearing. The decisions in the formal hearing would be final, unless they resulted in suspension, dismissal, or a denial of housing or network access. Spencer said the new system could process cases more quickly. “It’s a win-win for both students and staff,” Spencer said. The meetings also focused on how to create additional revenue in light of declining state funding. Tech President, Charles Steger, said while adding more students could increase revenue, a larger student body would also raise the costs of i nfrastructure. Steger pointed out that provid-

ing IT assistance to smaller private schools could raise several hundred thousand dollars a year per school. Another idea proposed was to increase the number of online class offerings to open more class spaces and reduce the number of instructors in introductory classes. Board member William Holtzman threw out an idea for Tech to create a separate online school to increase revenues. When board rector George Nolan said the separate online school could water down the quality of Tech’s physical campus, Holtzman proposed it go under a different name than Virginia Tech.

Volunteers Wanted HONOR STUDENTS: Phi Sigma Theta National Honor Society is seeking motivated students to establish a campus chapter. Contact: Director@ PhiSigmaTheta.org

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WORDSEARCH: Blacksburg Food Locate the list of words in the word bank in the letter grid. I

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By David Levinson Wilk

ACROSS 1 King, queen or jack 5 URL starter 9 Van Gogh settin g 14 Alan of “M*A*S*H” 15 Davenport’s state 16 Dracula ’s title 17 *“Barry L yndon” star 19 Singer Lauper 20 Against 21 Used to reach a high shelf 23 Sodom escapee 26 Armored vehicle 28 Being of f target

29 Genesis mountai n 31 Brandy ’s music genre, briefly 33 Under-the-chin helmet securer 34 Saintly circle 35 Types 39 Suf fix with tele 40 Caesar , e.g. (or each of the answers to the starred clues?) 41 It may be reserved 42 Heavy drinkers 43 Functions 44 Second longest African river

WORD BANK 1Cabo Fish Taco 2 Moe’s 3 Chipotle 4 Jimmy Johns 5 Gillie’s 6 Mike’s 7Bull and Bones 8 Sal’s 9 Panera 10 Log Cabin 11 Macado’s 12 Gumby’s 13 Backstreets 14AwfulArthurs 15 Lefty’s 16 Boudreaux’s 17 Sake House 18 Kabuki

8/31/11 45 Deed holder 47 Sea between Greece and Italy 48 Start of Juliet’s balcony plea 51 Male heirs 53 O pposite of SSW 54 Virgin Mary 56 Poet Silverstein 58 Like the Leaning Tower 59 *Lead singer of The Cars 64 Mazda rival 65 Apple computer since 1998 66 Fairy tale beginning 67 Dread

DOW N 1 Elevator compartment 2 One of the Khans 3 Nutritional no. 4 “The X-Files” agent Scully 5 Suggest 6 Wheel alignment service 7 First coml. airline to show in-flight movies 8 Friends 9 Harmony 10 *“Oh, Pretty Woman” singer 11 Day before mardi 12 __ a happy note 13 Attack, bee-style 18 Ready to serve, as beer 22 Mortise insert 23 Doesn’t fade 24 Big name in garden care 25 Medium ’s card 27 Adversaries in a Hoffman/Streep film

30 *Henry Ford contemporary 32 “Woe is me!” 34 Siphoning aid 36 Russian Revolution leader 37 Elena of the Supreme Court 38 Weapon for David 40 Sentence that should be two sentences 44 Trig functio n 46 Charged angrily 47 Like pawned items 48 Nebraska city 49 Boca __ 50 Taking too much 52 Sesame Street grouch 55 Parched 57 Thailand neighbor 60 Britney Spears’s “__ Slave 4 U” 61 NBC weekend revue 62 Old French coin 63 Oktoberfest need

Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved

68 Turkey meat choice 69 Fake coin

8/30/11

“I don’t see anything wrong with making money on an online college,” Holtzman said. Also fiercely debated was the place for liberal arts education with Tech reducing its budget. Holtzman complained that some faculty’s teachings were unrealistic, describing them as “out to lunch.” John Rocovich called on Tech to place more focus on “red meat” subjects in the science and mathematics fields. Beverley Dalton disagreed, pointing out the ability of liberal arts studies to broaden thinking among students. “The cookie-cutter people who think alike will never make

the big decisions,” Dalton said. She also stressed the need for outside-the-box thinkers, who “might not even know where the box is.” The meeting was the first for several new members appointed by Gov. Bob McDonnell in July. The new appointees are Cordel Faulk, John C. Lee and Deborah Martin Petrine. The meeting was also the first for Undergraduate Representative Matthew Banfield, Graduate Representative Michelle McLeese and Faculty Representative Bruce Pencek. Sunday and Monday’s meetings were the first for the board at the Tech Research Center in Arlington, which opened in late June.

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editors: matt jones, zach mariner sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865 COLLEGIATETIMES

august 30, 2011

Women’s soccer routs Elon 5-0, remaining undefeated ZANDER BAYLIS sports staff writer In the few weeks of limbo when students are settling back into college life and worrying about schoolwork, sports seem to be an afterthought. That, of course, ends when the Hokie football team opens their season. However, judging from the domination that the Virginia Tech women’s soccer team exerted Sunday against the women of Elon University, the ignorance of other sports may soon come to an end.

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We’re just trying to get ready for the ACC part of our season, which will be another level for us. CHARLES “CHUGGER” ADAIR HEAD COACH

The win by the Hokies, making them 4-0 in the season, was a lopsided one, as the final tally was 5-0. But the game did not lack excitement. The momentum the team carried through most of the game was created early on in the 177th minute when backup goalie, Anna Romeiser, made a gut-wrenching save on a penalty kick by Elon’s Jaclyn Wood. “It was definitely a game changer … it really set the tone for us,” said midfielder Shannon Mayrose, who contributed a goal and two assists on the offensive end. Mayrose and the rest of her teammates rallied around Romeiser’s heroic effort and began to dictate the pace of the game from that point on. The Hokies allowed only two more shots the rest of the game. Tech’s offense, lead by Mayrose and Kelly Conheeney, countered with 25 shots of their own. Conheeney continued her early-season hot streak by contributing two goals deep in the goalie’s box.

STEVEN SILTON / SPPS

Sophomore forward Jazmine Reeves brings the ball up for an attack in the ﬁrst half against Elon University. She had one assist in the game, which ended in a 5-0 victory. With both of those goals coming in the first half, widening the lead to three goals to none, the Hokies began to get creative. Tech dominated the possession game during the second half, as the women truly played as a team. “They were finding good options, working with one another and creating chances,” said head coach, Charles “Chugger” Adair, after the game. The women were relentless in

their ability to create chances in the second half, as they pushed the ball up the field with their downfield lobs and pinpoint crosses. The team converted on two of its chances in the second half as Rachel Beaumont and Katie Cramp closed the deal on passes made by freshman Kelsey Loupee. The manner in which the goals were scored was just a continuation of a collaboration trend, as 10 of the 15 goals scored

this season have come off of assists. It is evident that the sense of unity with this team extends far beyond the soccer field, as Mayrose admitted when she talked about her early success coming off of back-to-back injury-wracked seasons. “It’s everything I have ever wished for,” she said. “Everybody has been so supportive in giving me the confidence I need to be successful.”

Certainly Coach Adair does not need to worry about his team not playing together. The questions will come along as the season progresses and the team faces the highly competitive ACC teams. “We’re just trying to get ready for the ACC part of our season, which will be another level for us,” Adair said. The Hokies will play their next game at home against Campbell Friday. The team’s much-maligned ACC

schedule does not begin until Sept. 18, when the team travels to College Park to face the Maryland Terrapins. Tech definitely has a shot to be very competitive this season, but it remains to be seen how the team will fare in conference play. If the team’s early season success is any indication of how its year will go, the rest of the ACC needs to watch out for the Hokies. Follow the writer on Twitter: @zanderbot310

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Catch me if you can

EXTRA POINT

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august 30, 2011

meet your new offense on page 3 COLLEGIATETIMES IMES

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Despite losses, offense has high expectations sports editor In the 11 seasons since Frank Beamer’s Hokies walked out of the Louisiana Superdome losers of the 2000 Sugar Bowl, expectations have steadily risen. For a Big East team from a small town in southwest Virginia, expectations throughout the first half of Beamer’s career stayed relatively modest. However, since its move to the ACC in 2004, a national championship has been on the mind of all involved in the program. Since 2006, the offensive side of the ball has been an odd mixed bag for the Hokies. The maturation of Tyrod Taylor over his four years in Blacksburg often meant that the offense would lag behind the formi-

dable Bud Foster coached defense. By Taylor’s senior season however, he had commanded the offense all the way to No. 21 in the country, up from No. 53 as a freshman. Exit Taylor, and enter his successor Logan Thomas. No team enjoys losing a captain who tallied the most wins in school history, but Beamer said Thomas might make the transition a little easier. “I think he’s got a lot of the same qualities as Tyrod,” Beamer said of Thomas. “He’s smart, competitive, he works hard. I think he’s a very natural leader and he has great character. He has a lot of the same things as Tyrod, except he’s about four inches taller.” Speaking of four inches taller, the 6-foot, 6-inch Thomas may very well be the key to the Hokies going back to the national championship game. see OFFENSE / page four

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MATT JONES

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DANIEL LIN / SPPS

Virginia Tech split end Jarrett Boykin navigates around a Florida State defender in the ACC title game.

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Offense: Ample weapons to help Thomas mature from page three

Since the Hokies last appeared in the BCS title game in 2000, only two teams have had a quarterback shorter than 6-feet, 2-inches. “I think that helps him on some throws, being able to see down the middle of the field, being able to get the ball over people on screens,” Beamer said. “He’s going to be as good as he possibly can be this year.” The switch at quarterback is not the only change on the offensive side of the ball. Offensive coordinator Bryan Stinespring, while retaining his title, will not be the one calling the plays from the booth on Saturdays. In his place steps quarterbacks coach Mike O’Cain, a former head coach himself at NC State in the late ‘90s. The decision was made in large part because of O’Cain and Thomas’ camaraderie. “It’s great,” said Blake DeChristopher, offensive tackle. “He’s a younger guy, and he’s improved a lot. He’s a leader as a quarterback and he can run in the quarterback position.” 2011 brings another coaching change, this time in the form of a new face. Shane Beamer, a former long snapper at Tech in the late ‘90s, has returned to Blacksburg to coach the running backs, replacing Billy Hite.

Shane Beamer will look over a corps of backs that includes the lightning-fast David Wilson, allpurpose back Josh Oglesby and a pair of younger running backs in Tony Gregory and Michael Holmes. “We lost some guys who were major contributors offensively in terms of yardage, rushing yardage, passing yardage, points, just total yards in general,” Stinespring said. “When we met as an offense at the beginning of the spring, the first thing that we said was that’s not what we are going to focus on. It’s not one or two guys that need to step up. It needs to be all-inclusive.” That effort will include a large dose of David Wilson, a junior from Danville, Va. A member of the Hokies track team, Wilson was named an All-American in the triple jump for his efforts last season and is freakishly athletic. “(David) moves fast; he gets around the facilities here fast – the whole deal,” Beamer said. “The more times we give the ball to David, the more times we’re going to realize what a tremendous player this guy is.” Beamer continued on, praising Wilson’s character and attributes. “He’s got speed, he’s got strength;

he’s got power, and again, another great kid. We’ve got a lot of those running around, and what kind of person he is means a lot to me, too. I think he’s getting ready to have an excellent year.” Moving outside to the receivers, Thomas will have a lot of weapons to utilize if Wilson is getting stopped at the line. Jarrett Boykin, Danny Coale, Marcus Davis and Dyrell Roberts all return for another go at a national championship. “I think we are ready (for a national title),” Davis said. “We’ve got the leadership and we’ve got the togetherness. It’s just up to us. We’ve got to take care of the little things and play ball — that’s all we have to do.” Roberts was a little less specific about the Hokies’ team aspirations for 2011. “I can’t really make any predictions,” Roberts said. “All I know is our goal is to make it to the best game possible, whatever that is. We’re just trying to win games. That’s what we practice every single day and work hard for.” Their destination, whether it be a certain BCS game in New Orleans on Jan. 9 or not, the Hokies certainly have the pieces to light up the scoreboard.

DANEIL LIN / SPPS

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Tailback David Wilson tries to weave around FSU safety Nick Moody.

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Wiley Brown catches an interception thrown by Ju-Ju Clayton, one of several players competing for Techâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s backup quarterback position. photo by Kevin Dickel, spps

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With lack of depth, defense needs youth to step up ZACH MARINER sports editor Last year, Virginia Tech’s defense had one of its worst seasons, statistically

speaking, in coordinator Bud Foster’s tenure. The team plans to turn that around quickly this fall, after last year’s bunch finished 52nd nationally in total yards

allowed with 361.5 per game. However, Foster is optimistic that his group can improve that ranking this season. “I like this group,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of self-motivated kids. They know that the group that played last year, they know what our expectations are, and they didn’t reach those expectations. “The bottom line with the defense is, we’ve still got a lot of room to work and a lot of work to do.” While Foster’s squad is very young, it does return six starters from last year. And, four out of the five new starters saw significant action last season. Returning from last year’s starting lineup are defensive tackle Antoine Hopkins, mike linebacker Bruce Taylor, whip linebacker Jeron GouveiaWinslow, cornerbacks Jayron Hosley and Kyle Fuller (who started mostly in the team’s nickel package last season), and free safety turned rover Eddie Whitley. New to this year’s lineup are defensive ends James Gayle and JR Collins, defensive tackle Derrick Hopkins, and rover turned free safety Antone Exum. The only position yet to be decided on Foster’s side of the ball is the backer position, where Tariq Edwards and Telvion Clark continue to battle it out for the starting job.

DANIEL LIN / SPPS

Defenders bring down Central Michigan quarterback Ryan Ratcliff.

position and so far, I’m executing.” While the Hokies have a good amount of experience in the starting lineup, their depth could be cause for concern, primarily on the defensive line and in the secondary. On the defensive line, coach Charley Wiles has most of the two spots on the depth chart filled with inexperienced freshmen. Sophomore Tyrel Wilson will be the primary backup at defensive end, but after that, redshirt freshmen

Zack McCray and Duan Perez-Means are still battling it out for the number four spot. At the defensive tackle position, Wiles still has four guys tied for the spots behind the Hopkins brothers: junior Isaiah Hamlette and true freshmen Corey Marshall, Kris Harley and Luther Maddy. “I think we’ve got a lot of competition going on with Luther and Corey and Isaiah and Kris,” Wiles said. “I

don’t know what we’re going to end up doing right now. I know they’re going to keep getting better. We’ve got some young talent. I’m excited about the kids. Having good competition, we may play them all. I don’t know if we can just settle on a number three, four and five guy and that’s it.” Fortunately for Wiles, his starting defensive ends have played very well over the course of the offseason and appear more than ready to take on the

starting roles. “I’ve been ready to step up,” Gayle said. “I’m ready for a leadership role. It just took time and patience.” Collins said he feels no pressure in taking on the starting role, but that he’s just looking forward to competing alongside his friend. “Me and Gayle have a competition of our own,” he said. “We never looked at it as us starting, we just see it as us see DEFENSE / page nine

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However, Clark does seem to be pulling away with it, after a very impressive spring, and an even better performance during fall camp. “I give all the credit to the program,” he said. “I’m just blessed to be in such a good program and I’m just learning, getting more comfortable. I just moved to (backer) in the spring and coming in the summer, my main focus was just becoming more comfortable in my

MARK UMANSKY / SPPS

Linebacker Barquell Rivers, back after an injury, runs with the ball after tipping an interception to himself.

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MICHAEL BEALEY sports reporter

PRO

HOKIES GONE

As the opening of the NFL season looms on the horizon, a new crop of Hokies have entered an already impressive stable of Virginia Tech alumni in the league. Former Hokies running back Ryan Williams was selected in the second round of April’s draft, cornerback Roc Carmichael in the fourth and quarterback Tyrod Taylor in the sixth. Additionally, Tech has five undrafted free agents from this year’s draft class currently on NFL rosters – Darren Evans, Steven Friday, John Graves, Davon Morgan and Andre Smith. In all, there are 32 players on NFL rosters from Tech. Here are some of the notable Hokies who are in the NFL:

quarterback job for the Ravens. After Marc Bulger announced his retirement on Aug. 3, Taylor has been able to take the majority of the team’s snaps, but has struggled to adjust to the different style of play. In two preseason games, he’s completed 24 of 39 passes for 267 yards with two interceptions. Tyrod has had success running thought, as he’s averaging 9.1 yards per carry and he scored his first touchdown on a five-yard rush against Kansas City in his second preseason game.

Tyrod Taylor

Ryan Williams

Taylor, who was the 2010 ACC Player of the Year and led the Hokies to an Orange Bowl appearance this past season, has a legitimate shot at landing the backup

Williams, who left his mark at Tech with 2,132 career rushing yards and 32 touchdowns, was selected by the Cardinals with the sixth pick of the second round.

Baltimore Ravens

Arizona Cardinals

However, after just five carries for 27 yards in the preseason, Williams suffered a ruptured patella tendon in his right knee in the Cardinals’ second preseason game and will be out for the season. Williams had surgery on Aug. 22, and head coach Ken Whisenhunt told the Associated Press he hopes to have Williams back before next season’s training camp. Roc Carmichael, Houston Texans Carmichael is one of six former Tech players on the Texans’ roster, joining former Hokies Xaiver Adibi, Duane Brown, Andre Davis, Steven Friday and John Graves. Although he hasn’t played thus far due to a shoulder injury, Houston’s penchant for Tech players suggests Carmichael has a good shot to make the team. Additionally,

Over the past decade it has become common to see former Hokies in the NFL, and this year is no exception. The lockout over the summer threatened the 2011-12 football season, but now that it has been settled, here are some names to look out for.

Evans, who left Tech with one year of eligibility remaining, was not selected in April’s draft. After 136 days, his chance in the NFL was finally realized after he was signed by the Colts. Evans is a native of Indianapolis and attended Warren Central High School. So far, he has rushed 12 times for 66 yards in two of the Colts’ preseason games.

pick in the second round by the Chiefs in 2008 and is possibly the most successful of the Hokies cornerbacks in the NFL. Flowers has posted 50 pass deflections, nine interceptions and four forced fumbles in his short career with the Chiefs, who made it to the playoffs last season for the first time since the ’06-’07 season. Furthermore, he was ranked the No. 22 player in 2010 by Pro Football Focus, a site which uses a combination of conventional and metric statistics to analyze player performance. Flowers also hosted several charity football camps and tournaments this summer in his hometown of Delray Beach, Fla.

Michael Vick,

Kam Chancellor

The former Tech superstar seems to have battled through his personal issues, as he was named NFL Comeback Player of the Year award in his second year with the Eagles. Vick posted career highs in passing yards (3,018) and touchdowns (21) in just 12 games after taking over for a concussed Kevin Kolb in week one. Vick is considered one of the top quarterbacks in the NFL and is in negotiations with Philadelphia on a long-term contract

Chancellor was a fifth round pick by the Seahawks in 2010 after started 41 consecutive games for the Hokies during his career at Tech. During his rookie season, he backed up Lawyer Milloy and posted 23 total tackles, one sack and a force fumble. Milloy is gone, but Chancellor will be competing with free-agent signing Atari Bigby for the starting duties at strong safety. Even if Bigby is named the starter as expected, Chancellor is likely to see a lot of time as the field. Bigby has been a injury concern his entire career and has missed 24 games over the last three seasons.

the Texans were abysmal in pass defense last season — they ranked last in the league — so Carmichael is in a position to help a struggling group.

Darren Evans Indianapolis Colts

Philadelphia Eagles

DeAngelo Hall

collegiatetimes.com august 30, 2011

Washington Redskins

Hall is in his second season with the Washington Redskins after spending time with the Falcons and Raiders. He finished the season with six interceptions, four of which were recorded against the Bears in week seven to tie the NFL record, and two fumble recoveries. The season was good enough for Hall to earn a spot in his third Pro Bowl, where he was named the game’s MVP.

Brandon Flowers Kansas City Chiefs

Flowers was the third overall

Seattle Seahawks

James Anderson Carolina Panthers

Anderson was a third round selection for the Panthers in 2006, and had a breakout year last season, starting 15 of 16 games at strongside linebacker. He registered 130 total tackles, three and a half sacks, two force fumbles and one interception. As a result, Anderson inked a five-year, $22 million contract in the offseason. see HOKIES / page 14

Defense: Foster needs experienced players to become team leaders competing. I had five sacks last year, he had four — he thinks he should have had a couple more than me. I don’t feel any pressure at all. I came here to play football, and we have a chance to start right now and prove ourselves.” In the secondary, coach Torrian Gray returns three of his four starters from last year in what could possibly be Tech’s best group on this defense. But, again, a lack of depth could be problematic if the injury bug bites any of the starters. Senior corner Cris Hill returns and will be the first to come off the bench if anything were to happen, but behind him, it’s basically all freshmen. “We’ve got a lot of freshmen,” Whitley said. “(Safeties) (Ronny) VanDyke and Boye (Aromire) are probably at the same level right now. I just like their focus. They’re trying to learn things, they’re trying to get their technique down and things like that.” VanDyke, Aromire, Michael Cole and Derek DiNardo continue to battle it out for the backup safety positions. At cornerback, the Hokies return both starters, including an AllAmerican in Hosley. Seemingly poised for an even bigger year than last, when he led the nation with nine interceptions, Hosley will more than likely be avoided at all costs by opposing quarterbacks.

Hosley will move from the field corner spot on this defense over to the boundary corner, vacated by Rashad Carmichael, which will match him up man-on-man with the opponent’s best receiver on the outside. That leaves the field corner spot to Fuller. Over the past several years, the field corner on this Hokie defense has had a better season statistically, mostly because the new boundary corner has, like Hosley, proven himself in the past as a serious ball hawk. Last year, it was Hosley, when defenses were staying away from Carmichael. The year before that, it was Carmichael, who had six interceptions when defenses were trying to stay away from Stephan Virgil. The list goes on and on. Fuller is well aware of the trend. “I try not to think about it a lot,” he said, “but I understand that’s most likely going to be the case. In my head, I’m just thinking if those teams want to (stay away from Hosley), I just need to make plays.” The one position where the Hokies do have a good amount of depth on the defense is at the linebacker spot. At the mike is the All-ACC performer Taylor, who led the team in tackles last year. Now in his second year as the full-time starter, Taylor will relish the opportunity to take on more of a leadership role.

“I’m just looking forward to it,” he said. “I know I can do it; I’ve done it before in the past. The game’s starting to slow down for me a little bit. I feel like I can be a good leader for this team.” Also returning is Gouveia-Winslow, who is coming off of a difficult sophomore season in which Foster had to rearrange the entire defense because of his performance in the first two weeks. However, he did come on strong in the ACC Championship Game and continued that success into the spring. “(Last season) was tough,” he said. “Especially starting slow, everyone was getting on me about those first two games. We were rotating in certain personnel changes. It’s definitely tough, but I feel like I came back toward the end of the year and started playing better, and I carried that on through the spring in terms of playing consistently.” No matter who ends up starting at the backer position, be it Clark or Edwards, the team is still going to be very well off in terms of depth. Senior Barquell Rivers led the team in tackles two seasons ago; Jack Tyler showed signs of promise last year, and received significant playing time during the ACC Championship Game and Orange Bowl; and Alonzo Tweedy has played extensively on special teams in his career at Tech. While this defense is still young and clearly has a lot of work to do after last

year’s disappointing performance, it does have potential to get back to the type of unit Foster is known for. The younger guys seem poised for break out seasons, and if the veterans can build on their successful offseason, the Hokies could very well make a run

for the national title. But their defensive coordinator knows that that success won’t come without hard work and the development of those young players. “We’ve got a lot of growing up to do, and we need to do it in a hurry.”

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from page seven

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DANIEL LIN / SPPS Boye Aromire makes a tackle as he competes for playing time as a backup safety.

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ACC facing a bleak year ahead NICK CAFFERKY sports special sections editor With just two teams ranked in the AP’s preseason top 25, the ACC is perhaps the weakest it has been in several years. North Carolina and Miami are under investigation by the NCAA for potentially committing programthreatening violations, and six teams will break in new quarterbacks this season. Regardless, there is still a season that needs to be played, and here are the 11 teams standing between the Hokies and their fourth conference title in five years. ATLANTIC DIVISION Boston College After a seven-win season in 2010, the Eagles are hoping a year of maturing will help an offense that averaged a paltry 18.5 points per game. That was supposed to fall on the shoulders of senior running back Montel Harris, but a recent knee injury has ruled him out for the first few weeks of the season. To make matters worse, Harris’ backup, Andre Williams is battling a sprained ankle and is questionable for the start of the season. If BC wants to avoid a catastrophic start, sophomore quarterback Chase Rettig will have to step up significantly from his freshman season, when he completed just 51 percent of his passes and threw more interceptions than touchdowns. Clemson The Tigers’ new offensive coordinator, Chad Morris, will have to spend 2011 breaking in a new quarterback with sophomore Tajh Boyd. Luckily for Morris, Boyd can lean on running back Andre Ellington, who is returning from a great 2010 season that was ended abruptly by a broken foot. On defense, Clemson will have to find a way to replace six starters who contributed to the 19th best defense in the country. Many of the replacements did log significant time as backups last season, but they will need to step up for Clemson to surpass the six wins it logged in 2010. Florida State It has been several years since Seminole fans could talk about a national championship, but in his second year as head coach, Jimbo Fisher has gotten his team to the point where those talks have been revived. Ranked No. 5 in the AP Poll, the Seminoles are considered the cream of the crop in the ACC and are the favorite to win the conference while contending for their first title since 1999. Christian Ponder is gone, but expectations for the dual-threat E.J. Manuel couldn’t be higher. With only 199 passes in his career, it is likely he will go through some growing pains, but he has the talent and a good enough team around him to be fine. Maryland Eight wins and a big victory over East

Carolina in the Military Bowl wasn’t enough for Ralph Friedgen to keep his job, so Randy Edsall, the head coach of Connecticut in 2010, has taken over for a program that could be a sleeper in the conference. The Terrapins return four starters on the offensive line and will still have quarterback Danny O’Brien under center. O’Brien had a stellar year in ’10 — 22 touchdowns with only eight picks in his freshman season — and will have the leading rusher from last season behind him in Davin Meggett. Add in a defense returning seven starters, and you have a formula for the Terrapins to possibly get to 10 wins. North Carolina State The Russell Wilson era at NC State is officially over now that he has transferred to Wisconsin, and in his place will be the unproven Mike Glennon. Glennon, whose older brother Sean played for Virginia Tech from ’04 to ’07, will have to work with a young group of receivers and a rushing attack that was the second worst in the conference. With points likely to be at a premium, it is a good thing the Wolfpack returns eight starters on a defense that was second in the ACC against the run and features a secondary with several playmakers. Wake Forest He may have only been a freshman at the time, but running back Josh Harris sure made a name for himself when he slashed the Virginia Tech defense for 241 yards in week seven of last season and averaged 5.7 yards per carry for the year. He will be behind a offensive line that returns four starters and could be headed for a big year. Wake’s problems will rest in its defense, despite the fact it returns eight starters. The unit gave up 35.8 points per game last season — ninth worst in all of college football — and with a sophomore quarterback who struggled in 2010, that is probably 15 more than they can afford to surrender. COASTAL DIVISION Duke The Duke offense should be racking up the frequent flier miles this season, as Sean Renfree has all of his weapons back from 2010, when the Blue Devils finished second in the conference in passing. The problem, as always, will be on keeping the opponent from scoring. The Blue Devils gave up 35.4 points per game last season — a number that is terrible even by Duke’s standards. Georgia Tech With only 11 returning starters, the Yellow Jackets are the least experienced team in the ACC. The defense only returns five starters, but it isn’t even the unit to worry about. Based on spring practices, several players seem poised to make big strides and minimize their losses on that side of the ball. Tech has had no such luck on offense and has serious issues to address. Tevin Washington completed just 41 percent

of his passes in the four games he started after Joshua Nesbitt got hurt, and the spring game revealed a gaping hole in the interior of the Yellow Jackets offensive line. Miami The Miami football program hasn’t been shut down yet, but it took its first hits last Thursday, when eight players, including starting quarterback Jacory Harris, were ruled ineligible to start the season. With that much of the team in flux, new head coach Al Golden will have the unenviable task of trying to keep his players focused during all of this turmoil that is putting their program in jeopardy. Regardless, people will be paying close attention to Hurricane football, but it isn’t because of anything they will do on the field. North Carolina The UNC defense will be one to be feared this year on paper, with four players that will be drafted in the first few rounds of the NFL draft in April. It was actually supposed to be that way last year too, but controversy stopped that from happening. Unfortunately for the Tar Heel nation, that controversy hasn’t ended — the firing of Butch Davis only added fuel to that fire. The NCAA is investigating nine major recruiting violations right now and it is unknown whether or not the Heels will be at full strength when the season starts. The situation on offense isn’t better either. Bryn Renner comes into the season with almost zero experience at quarterback, and there isn’t much depth in the backfield to help him out during his growing pains. Virginia After three very long years of embarrassing football, the Cavaliers could be bowl-bound this season under the leadership of second-year coach Mike London. London brings in the 25th best recruiting class in the country according to Rivals.com, and he adds that talent to 17 returning starters. How London chooses to use his young talent will be the X-factor here. You have to figure several freshmen will be given opportunities to make plays as part of the first recruiting class London hand picked. After all, if the returning players were really just lacking experience, the Cavs would have won more than four games in 2010.

Beamerball thriving 25 years later 25 Years of Beamerball

sports staff writer The average college football head coach lasts less than five years at any given job. As the 2011 season opens, and Frank Beamer enters his 25th season as head coach at Virginia Tech, it’s hard not to wonder how he’s been able to stay in one place as long as he has. The obvious answer is that winning helps. Since coming back to his alma mater, Beamer has won 198 games and led the Hokies to 18 consecutive bowl games, including a pair of victories in BCS bowls. However, while the stream of victories certainly hasn’t hurt, Beamer credits his relationship with the university’s administration for much of his longevity. “I’ve been very fortunate to have had the administration here when I first began,” Beamer said. “I don’t

Dec. 22 , 1986 Hired a s head coach a t Tech

Sept. 12 ,1 Coache 987 s his first gam e at Tech

Oc t. 3, 1 98 First win 7 a head co s ach at Tech

Oc t. 7, 1 9 Wins 50 89 th game o f carre

Dec. 31 , 1993 Coache s first bowl ga me

Nov. 9, 199 Wins 10 6 0t game o h f career

Jan. 4, 1 99 Appear 9 s in nationa l title game

Jan. 1, 2 00 Wins fir 9 st BCS Bow l

Sept. 15 ,2 Wins 20 007 0t game o h f career

Sept. 3, 20 Starts 2 11 5th season with Tech

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ALEX KOMA

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see BEAMER / page 14

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TSL

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TechSideline.com

Cornerbacks Tookes, Manning are start of solid 2012 class

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techsideline.com content

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Virginia Tech’s first commitment of the 2012 recruiting class came just after the 2011 class signed on the dotted line. Creekside High School (Fairburn, Ga.) cornerback Davion Tookes gave his verbal pledge to the Hokies back on Feb. 7, nearly a year before he’ll be allowed to sign his letter of intent. Tookes didn’t take long to make his decision, as he accepted Tech’s scholarship offer almost immediately. “I love the team and the atmosphere they have,” Tookes told TechSideline.com recruiting analyst Chris Horne. “I watched games throughout the season. I watched the type of players they produce, like DeAngelo Hall, Macho Harris, Mike Vick, Jayron [Hosley] — who is there now. I think Virginia Tech can help me become a better player.” The 5-foot-11-inch, 172-pound rising senior has been timed at 4.42 in the 40-yard dash and knows his speed is his biggest asset right now. “As far as what my strengths are

right now, I’d say my speed,” Tookes said. “When I make a mistake, I have the speed to go catch up.” Tookes played cornerback for the first time in 2010, collecting 42 tackles while breaking up six passes and recording three interceptions. Using that speed, he returned all three interceptions for touchdowns — going 92, 98 and 108 yards in the process. Tech was one of the first schools to identify Tookes as a major prospect. In fact, Duke was the only other program to have offered him a scholarship at the time. Since then, he has received offers from Ole Miss, NC State, Nebraska, Purdue, South Carolina, Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia, among others. He is rated the No. 32 cornerback prospect in the nation by Rivals.com and could move up in the rankings with a big senior season. On the same day the Hokies locked in Tookes, Tech received its second verbal commitment of the 2012 class. This time, it was Miami Central (Miami, Fla.) cornerback Donaldven Manning. In just one day, the Hokies had commitments from two major cornerback prospects. As impressive as Tookes’ scholarship offer list might be, Manning’s

is better. Manning chose Tech over Auburn, Alabama, Florida, Miami, Florida State, Notre Dame and many others. Despite his lack of size at 5-feet-10-inches, 160 pounds, Manning isn’t afraid of contact. He will routinely come up and hit bigger players and doesn’t sacrifice good technique for the big hit when tackling. Torrian Gray, Tech’s defensive backs coach, recruited both Tookes and Manning, and he will be their positions coach when they finally step onto campus next fall. “I watched the great defensive backs coming through, like Macho Harris and Brandon Flowers,” Manning said. “I’ve watched Virginia Tech competing for championships. And then there is coach Gray. Ever since I first started talking to coach Gray, he didn’t ask who else was recruiting me. He just told me how he could make me better and what the Virginia Tech program can offer me. He is a down to earth guy. The majority of the others were more about the competition than socializing and interacting. I’m more comfortable with coach Gray.” Both Tookes and Manning mentioned the possibility of continuing Tech’s tradition of putting defensive backs into the NFL as factors in

their decision. Rashad Carmichael, DeAngelo Hall, Brandon Flowers, Kam Chancellor, Vincent Fuller, Cody Grimm, Macho Harris, Davon Morgan and Pierson Prioleau are all former Tech players who are currently playing as either cornerbacks or safeties in the NFL. Current All-American cornerback Jayron Hosley seems destined to join that long list next season. He is a possible first-round selection in the 2012 NFL Draft if he decides to forego his senior season. Because of the success the Hokies have had with defensive backs in the past, it makes it easier to recruit defensive backs in the future. Current freshman cornerback Kyshoen Jarrett was one of the few good signings the Hokies had on signing day this year, and Tookes and Manning have the talent to keep that tradition going for the 2012 class as well. High school recruits can’t sign with programs until February, which means nothing is set in stone quite yet; they are free to visit other schools and change their minds. As of now though, it appears that Tookes and Manning are solid verbal commitments and are the start of a very solid recruiting class.

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Hokies: Alumni playing Sunday football Beamer: Without title, hunger is still there Cody Grimm from page eight

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Despite being a seventh round selection, Grimm saw significant time on the field in his rookie season. After Tanard Jackson was suspended in week three, Grimm, who moved from linebacker to safety in the transition to the NFL, took over as the starter and finished with 57 total tackle and two interceptions including one returned for a touchdown. A broken ankle ended his rookie campaign in week 11, but heading into his second year, Grimm is the clear-cut starter for the Tampa Bay defense.

Duane Brown Houston Texans

Brown was the 26th overall selection in the first round by the Texans in 2008. He has started every game he’s played at left tackle, and helped pave

the way for Texans running back Arian Foster’s NFL-leading 1,616 rushing yards last season. At Tech, Brown was a two-time secondteam All-ACC selection in 2007 and 2008 after being converted from tight end.

Will Montgomery Washington Redskins

An honorable mention All-ACC candidate in 2004, Montgomery was selected in the seventh round by the Carolina Panthers in 2006. He has started nine games the past two seasons for the Redskins, and will likely replace transition from guard to center to replace longtime center Casey Rabach, who was released this offseason.

Xavier Adibi Houston Texans

Adibi, a fourth round selection by the Texans in 2008, was a prolific linebacker in his day for the Hokies earning first-team All-ACC and first-team AllAmerica honors

in 2007. This season, the Texans have converted to a 3-4 defensive scheme and Adibi has moved from outside to inside linebacker. Head Coach Gary Kubiak told the Houston Chronicle he believes Adibi has found a fit in the new scheme. In two preseason games, Adibi has posted two sacks and nine total tackles.

Jason Worilds Pittsburgh Steelers

Worilds was a second round pick by the Steelers last year and posted 17 total tackles and two sacks in a backup role. At Tech, he was a secondteam All-ACC selection in 2008 and 2009 while recording 15.5 sacks in his two years as a starter. Currently, Worilds has the heavy task of backing up both four-time Pro Bowler James Harrison and LaMarr Woodley, who has had doubledigit sack totals the past three seasons. Linebackers coach Keith Butler told the Beaver County Times that Worilds still “has a long ways to go,” but still expects him to a be a contributor for the Steelers.

from page 11

know if a guy would survive (somewhere else) if he had the same record I had when I first started out here.” Beamer arrived in Blacksburg in 1987, but the team failed to reach a bowl game until 1993, so there were undoubtedly some concerns over job security. “(Frank Beamer) makes you even prouder remembering the early days when we weren’t winning,” said his son Shane, who is entering his first year as associate head coach. The university’s confidence has clearly paid off, as Beamer’s most prominent contribution has been Tech’s elevation to national prominence. “One thing that stands out is going into a sporting goods store and seeing UVa and UT (merchandise) but never anything Virginia Tech,” Shane said. “It would infuriate my parents.” These perceived slights undoubtedly helped drive Beamer’s efforts, though he may be hesitant to admit it. “I don’t know that I ever sat down and said it’s going to be this, and this, and this,” Beamer said. But I can tell you I always thought we were going to be successful. I couldn’t tell you the exact plan — but I just thought the school was too good academically, the state of Virginia was too good football-wise.”

While many long-tenured college coaches struggle to relate to their players as the age-gap widens, players say this has never been an issue for Beamer. “We’re just so close-knit. He talks to everybody and is interacting with everybody; it’s not like he stays in his office the whole day,” said Eddie Whitley, a senior safety. Shane’s arrival from South Carolina has caused quite the stir around campus and added a new dynamic to the team. “He’s been fortunate to have been in some really good programs,” Frank Beamer said of his son. People do things different ways — he brings ideas to our staff and our program that he’s seen at other places.” Shane’s arrival seems to indicate that Beamerdoesn’tplantoretireinthenear future. “He didn’t say that he would stay X-number of years if I came,” Shane said. I knew he wouldn’t hang up his hat any time soon or I wouldn’t have left (South Carolina).” Despite all of Tech’s success, a national title still eludes the Hokies, ensuring that there’s still plenty to work toward. “He’s extremely hungry,” Shane said. “He’s spending a lot of time in the office — coming in early and staying late. He still has a lot to accomplish here.”

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