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Friday, September 23, 2011

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COLLEGIATETIMES 108th year, issue 91

News, page 4

People & Clubs, page 3

Opinions, page 5

Extra Point, back page

Classifieds, page 6 Sudoku, page 6

POW to Ph.D. BY NICK SMIRNIOTOPOULOS | features reporter

Cramped into a tiny, twoby-five-foot cement cell, a 12-year-old boy contemplates his life — or whether he will have one at all. As a prisoner of war to the Ethiopian army, the young Gebre Gebremariam wondered when his time would come. “They killed people,” he said. “I was expecting they would kill me at any time.” But Gebremariam wasn’t killed — he survived and is now an economics professor at Virginia Tech. “My life has been full of tragedies,” he said. “But I am here today because I was able to deal with those tragedies.” PAUL KURLAK / SPPS

see POW page four

1979

2008

Taken as a prisoner of war

1967

1991

2000

Eritrea gains independece Released from prison

Came to United States Pursues Ph.D. at WVU

Gebremariam was born

1974 First attends school

Came to Virginia Tech as an economics professor

BETHANY MELSON / COLLEGIATE TIMES

iCan fights hunger

crash course

ABBY HARRIS news staff writer Students have planned a constructive way to fight hunger — iCAN. iCAN is a competition where participants build structures out of food cans. After a winner is announced, the sculptures are disassembled and the cans are donated to food pantries throughout the New River Valley. Sponsored by the Center for Engagement and Community Partnerships or VT-ENGAGE, iCAN, which will take place Saturday, Sept. 24, in Squires Commonwealth Ballroom, is meant to make the can collecting process atypical. “We knew we wanted to do something that was hunger relief and local,” said Tara Milligan, a VT-ENGAGE member and AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer. “And we thought that would be an interesting idea to build upon.” The iCan idea originated from the Can Do! event, which was also a canned food sculpture competition held during the Blacksburg Partnership’s Fork and Cork last April. Virginia Tech students, alumni, faculty and staff, as well as community members, were invited to create teams of five or more to compete in the event. The teams must collect at least 200 cans — of products specified by a hunger relief agency sponsor — before the event to compete. “It will be really entertaining and interesting to see how and what the teams come up with to create the food sculptures,” said Kayla Hastrup, a VT-ENGAGE member and AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer. Aside from building their structures, teams can also participate in games

TREVOR WHITE / SPPS

A Hokie Bird made out of cans sits on the second ﬂoor of Squires. during construction to win extra points. Final creations will be open to public viewing and voting at 4 p.m., and awards will be presented at 5 p.m. The grand prize is a money donation to the local charity organization of the team’s choice. Saturday is also the VT-ENGAGE’s

second annual Fall Day of Service, which is called Stop Hunger Now. “This year we decided to do something new, and so we chose the iCAN event,” Hastup said. “Hopefully it will be a great success, and then we’ll do it again next year.”

GSA hosts grad school fair JENN BATES news staff writer Monday’s Graduate and Professional School fair will host nearly 100 university representatives come Monday. The purpose of the fair is for undergraduate and graduate students to learn about schooling opportunities available after college, mainly graduate school, said Swetha Kumar, the vice presi-

dent of the Student Government Association. The Graduate Student Assembly is hosting the fair, which will take place in Squires Commonwealth Ballroom from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sept. 26. Duke University, Johns Hopkins University, Syracuse University, University of Alabama and University of California, Berkeley will have representatives at the fair, as well as 29 medical and health

schools, and 30 law schools, Gleason said. The fair is open to all undergraduate and graduate students, as well as community members looking into medical or law school, or a Ph.D. program. “Any undergraduate student, especially juniors and seniors, who know what major they want and what they’re trying to do (should go see FAIR / page four

TREVOR WHITE / SPPS

A Blacksburg Fire Department member smashes out a window on a wrecked minivan as part of a mock DUI demonstration, which shows the effects of drunk driving, on the Drillﬁeld yesterday.

Books-A-Million to close KELSEY JO STARR news staff writer The Books-A-Million bookstore, located in the First and Main shopping center, is scheduled to close its doors for the last time on Sept. 27. “The problem is (First and Main) never got off the ground,” said Leslie Hager-Smith, the current Blacksburg councilwoman and former vice mayor in 2008. “That is a property that has been plagued by difficulties from the moment it opened.” Both Books-A-Million corporate and the Blacksburg chain did not have a comment as to the reason it closed. The shopping complex was originally

designed to be a mixed-use development, similar to Kent Square, HagerSmith said. The shops were planned to be along the front, with parking in the middle. This is the idea of “new urbanism,” which brings shops to the front to make a development more appealing to shoppers. But this did not end up happening, and instead parking was on the outside, more similar to a shopping mall. A movie theater was also in the original plan, which attracted a lot of restaurants. But when the Regal New River Valley movie theater opened 14 movie screens, nothing happened, HagerSmith said. In turn, many restaurants did not get the traffic they wanted, so

they left. Rappaport, the shopping center’s leasing company, may be making changes to the First and Main area in the future. “It’s a troubled center,” said Sheryl Simeck, the vice president of marketing and communication for Rappaport. “We’re looking at different ways to reposition the center and look at other types of uses that would draw regular traffic.” However, the shopping center is currently for sale by Wells Fargo Bank. The shopping center doesn’t seem to be a hot spot for Virginia Tech students either. In a survey of two introductory see BOOKS / page four

september 23, 2011

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NICK SMIRNIOTOPOULOS & ALLIE SIVAK features staff When that unforgettable guitar solo blasts through the stadium and marks the beginning of “Enter Sandman,” Hokies naturally begin to jump. It is one of those great traditions that bring the Virginia Tech community together. One of the aspects that helps solidfy Tech’s uniqure idenity is that it’s full of famous, long-standing traditions. Now there is a way to keep track of individual progress toward completing some of these traditions. The “Hokie Bucket List” aims to make sure students have something to ponder when they’re feeling nostalgic for years after graduation. The list, a product of the Student Alumni Associates, offers 72 things to do before graduation. The top things on the list include jumping to “Enter Sandman,” touching the Hokie stone in the tunnel into Lane Stadium, participating in Relay for Life and completing the 3.2 for

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32 Run in Remembrance. These are just a few of the traditions that exemplify what it means to be a Hokie, according to SAA. Rachel Koons, a senior psychology major, came up with the idea and presented it to SAA, where she serves as the “secretorion,” a combination of a secretary and a historian. While visiting James Madison University, Koons’ friends there frequently mentioned a list, given by the university, of 25 things to do before they graduated. Koons realized that, despite all its tradition, such a list did not exist at Tech. She found this a great project for her organization to get involved with. Koons said the goal for the list is to provide students with a catalog of diverse activities, such as athletic and cultural events, and to inform students of some of the great opportunities the area has to offer. Koons asked the members of SAA which activities were necessary for the list. While some of the ideas were shared between many of the members, like jumping to “Enter Sandman,” others were a bit surprising. “SAA helped us get ideas I might not have known about,” Koons said. “One idea we got was to take a picture with the biggest VT on campus, which is actually on Upper Quad. Another idea was getting free

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p op corn on Mondays at the Lyric, which I didn’t know about.” While many of the ideas came from the SAA, Koons also polled other Hokies to get ideas from a diverse group of people to create a more exhaustive list. Once the list was compiled, SAA voted on the most important traditions, which make up the top 18 things to do on the list. They then cut the list down from 90 to 72, to symbolize Tech’s founding year of 1872. “We wanted to keep the theme of Hokie respect across the list, so we cut out some things, like making a U.Va. joke and getting as few parking tickets as possible,” Koons said. The list is available on SAA’s website, Saa.alumni.vt.edu, where students can track their progress either on paper or online. As of Sept. 20, there were 2,419 Hokies tracking their progress online and 1,310 tracking their progress on paper, according to SAA’s website. Students can monitor their progress online by entering their PID and password. In addition, students can track the status of their friends’ accounts to compare their progress toward completing the list. see BUCKET / page four

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STEPHANIE LACASSE / COLLEGIATE TIMES

She said: Restaurant checklist proves difﬁcult ther than the Hokie O spirit, which goes without explanation, there are two reasons why I decided to come to Virginia Tech. They both coincidentally start with an “f,” and before you go ahead and get any thoughts, they are food and football. Now that it has become evident to the nation that our boys are going to pull together quite nicely this season, I have been able to pay more attention to my second love — food. The first time I visited the school, I had the pleasure of eating at West End and ordered from JP’s Chop House. I got the chicken with green beans, mashed potatoes and a roll with chicken gravy slathered all over the plate. I was in heaven. I have to admit, the next 15 times I went, I got the same exact order. Sometime after I realized there were other vendors in West End, I came upon the greatest challenge at Tech. It consisted of trying every item Tech’s dining halls had to offer before you graduated. Yes, this has ended up in some D2 dashes along the way and some extra time doing insanity workouts with my girls, but it’s worth it. We are a top- ranked university in the food department for a reason, and I plan on taking full advantage. I am well on my way, but along with the dining halls, I’ve also added another little challenge for myself. I am crossing off every restaurant in Blacksburg as I try them and hope to complete the list. I want to graduate being able to tell any visitor the “ins and outs” about which places they should try, where you have to plan an afternoon to wait for your food, or who has crappy service. So far, all the restaurants have been delicious and have had great service. My most recent taste was Lefty’s Main Street Grille. It was the perfect date spot. Don’t get me wrong, I love getting taken to fancy places, but sometimes you just want to sit outside, hang out and keep it laid back and chill. That’s exactly how I felt here. My boyfriend even went as far as saying, “I feel like there should be cameras around us because we’re on ‘The Hills’ or whatever that show is.” Ladies, if he could tell how cute it was, imagine how I was feeling. It was adorable, I was practically dying. As for the list, I’m deciding which Chinese buffet to go to next, and I cannot wait. Hokkaido, anyone? Along with trying new places, there are some places that have become tradition. Take Sake House for example. I am obsessed with sushi, so my closest friends and I go every Monday and enjoy the sushi specials they have. But be warned — people get very sassy waiting for tables because it is usually extremely crowded. The hostesses do a great

job though with handling the pressure and rude customers. There comes a time, however, when someone needs to step in and say something. This last Monday was like deja vu for us. We got there around 7 p.m., gave the hostess our name and then we waited — it’s just the natural procession of the evening. There was a customer who had been sitting there before we arrived. She was with what appeared to be her husband and another couple, all a few years past the college days. Their complaints about how long they had to wait and how “weird” the restaurant smelled were quite audible. I personally knew the dish they were talking about to be Yakitori with its teriyaki sauce, so naturally I was offended. Not only that, but as one of my friends started coughing, the female began to complain loudly about how if she got sick because of (and I quote) “Coughy McCough-Cough” someone would be paying for it. My calm and collected “nice girl” attitude turned straight to “protective momma Kelley.” I cleared my throat and just stared in disbelief at her as she continued to roll her eyes at my oblivious friend. I calmly but sternly said, “Excuse me ma’am, are you aware that I am not only sitting right here, but that I can hear you talk about my friend? I understand you are upset about not being seated, but you’re being rude.” Her hubby came to her rescue and told me to mind my own explicative-ridden business. He continued that he was aware of what she was saying, while his wife stuttered over her words and tried to make up a false story. Long story short, they were seated shortly thereafter and our parting words were him saying, “Good luck not getting seated.” Needless to say, entertainment is around any corner. I’m just glad I stood up for my friend and was the more mature individual than some married man who thought it was OK to cuss out three college girls. My nights used to revolve around DX and DP Dough, but now that I am a big girl, I am stepping out of my comfort zone. I cannot wait to eat my way through the rest of Blacksburg. I’m always looking for new restaurants no one knows about, or friends that want to join me as I partake in my journey. Because let’s face it, who wants to gain 15 pounds alone? People don’t come back to retire here for just any reason. It’s for the people, the football and of course, the incredible food.

KELLEY ENGLISH -featured columnist -junior -marketing & management

He said: Late night food expeditions create friendships here are four words that can sinT glehandedly change the atmosphere of the party. They are four words that can turn your hangover from bad to worse. These words will lead you on a journey that you will never … remember. What are those four words? “Let’s go to DX.” And don’t think it’s just DX. You cannot forget Jimmy Johns, DP Dough and my absolute favorite — Pokey Stix from Gumby’s. I’m here to walk you through that journey from the conception of the idea to the next morning. Once those words leave the mouth, the salivary glands start kicking in full force. Campaigning starts, and you desperately try to convince everyone in the room that it is the best idea ever to get these delectable treats. And they go along with it. Why? Because who doesn’t love a 1,500-calorie snack at 1:39 a.m. when your stomach is already filled with eight Natty Lights and some Evan Williams? Now that the seed is planted, it starts to grow. Like Frodo’s voyage to Morodor, it is as much about the journey as it is the destination. You don’t just walk to DX or Gumby’s, you trek there. Sure, you probably know the most convenient bus route, but you decide to make a beeline and don’t care what’s in your way. Over the course of the years, my excursions have taken me over fences, through yards, into construction sites, and once even over the covered pool in the Village during the wintertime. The people that accompany you may start out as complete strangers or a friend from your hall, but upon conclusion of your march, you will be no less than best friends (if only for the night). You chat to occupy the time from Pheasant Run to DX. This talk starts out basic, usually your friend telling you how he “almost” had that extremely hot girl from the party

(yeah, funny that happens a lot, dude). But it always winds up being the deepest conversation you’ve had all week. You hold back nothing with these companions of the calzone. Your conversation comes to a sudden halt as you go through the PY archway only to see a line halfway to Lane Stadium. You will always have that friend that suggests everyone go home, but you step in as the voice of reason. You’ve come too far to retreat now. You debate with your friends what to order the entire time you’re stuck in the line. The aroma of chicken tenders and those corn-dog nuggets — that I swore were hushpuppies until last year — grow with every foot closer, and only make the decision harder. Finally you cross through the pearly-white gates into the extremely crowded and narrow hallway. And then you see it. Your eyes make contact with the rack of pizzas, and you know you’ve found the one. You transform into David Wilson as you break tackles left and right to get past those nerds in the wrap line and the herds of other indecisive DX-ers in front of the sandwich tray. You pay and head outside to your table with your best friends. Let the feast begin. Who cares if it’s 15 degrees outside? I have this pizza that burns my tongue every time I try to take a bite. You finally blow on it enough for it to be at an acceptable temperature, and you dig in. Thirty seconds later, you finish and tell your friends how that was the single greatest meal you have ever had. A wave of exhaustion comes over you after you look back at the venture you’ve been on, and you realize you must go to bed. And then there’s the next morning. The worst is when you have this odd feeling in your stomach where something just doesn’t feel right. You go on with your day until your friend

tells you “remember when we went to DX last night?” And then you slowly begin extracting the fragments of memory from your epic pilgrimage. What’s even better is when you wake up to find a box of Pokey Stix on your counter. You open it up just in case, but you know the box is empty. These are experiences we all must live through to make our time in college reach its full potential. Isn’t that why there are gyms anyway? As Hokies, we have been blessed with

the most excellent campus dining in the country. So enjoy my friends, as I would hate to let this honor go to waste by not eating at least four meals.

DANE HARRINGTON -featured columnist -junior -industrial & systems engineering major

4 news

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

september 23, 2011

COLLEGIATETIMES

Bucket: List a senior must Fair: GSA POW: Prof. helped from page two

Kelly Ralston, a sophomore University Studies major, thinks the list is easy to accomplish and offers exciting activities for all students. While she was familiar with most of the things on the list, some of them came as a pleasant surprise to her. “I didn’t know you could get halfprice sushi rolls on Monday nights at the Sake House,” Ralston said. “That really makes me want to go there now.” Ralston has already made steady progress toward completing the list, albeit unknowingly, and has some very fond memories already. “The most memorable things so far have been Thanksgiving Dinner at D2 and going to the Cascades,” Ralston said. While Ralston still has plenty of time, Koons has less than a year to complete the list before she graduates and said it may be a challenge. “It is a pretty hefty list, and I still have some things that I haven’t done,” Koons said. “I don’t know if I’m going to be able to do an intramural sport because I am not very athletic.” While she may not be able to complete the list, Koons is encouraged by

the various other students committed to completing it and never imagined it becoming so popular. Building upon the steady growth and popularity, SAA has some lofty plans for the future to improve on the list and make it a worthy Tech experience in and of itself. “University of Florida has a book of traditions, and if you complete the traditions, you get a medal to wear at graduation,” Koons said. “It is a pretty big deal. We would love to see our list expand into something similar.” SAA also wants to approach local businesses and put something up in their windows to acknowledge their position on the list. Whether actively pursuing completion of the list, or just doing a few selected items, SAA feels it is important to participate in these traditions in some capacity. Ralston echoed this sentiment. “The list definitely adds to the Hokie experience,” Ralston said. “The activities on there can help to bond everyone together as Hokies.”

Books: First and Main lacks appeal from page one

chemistry classes, 13 students said they shop at First and Main often, while 176 said they never do. Twenty-two students said the closing of Books-A-Million would impact them and their shopping habits, while 269 said it would not. “I’ve never even been to First and Main. I don’t think I know where it is,” said Noah MacMichael, a sophomore business information technology major. But Hager-Smith is hopeful about the future of First and Main, as well as commerce as a whole in Blacksburg. Plans are currently in motion for business incentive programs and a possible trolley that would run between the three main Blacksburg shopping districts. Hager-Smith is also personally working to get Kohl’s to come to First and

Main in the future, although nothing is confirmed. Mayor Ron Rordam is also part of a special business task force that works closely with businesses in Blacksburg to improve commerce. There are currently no representatives from any of the stores at First and Main on the task force, although Blacksburg Mayor Rordam said there are several council members working closely with the shopping center. “The council is willing to help First and Main realize its initial vision that they presented to the council — to be a mixed use development,” Rordam said. The task force will have a discussion within the next two weeks to discuss what went wrong in the past and to develop a final report for submission, which presents their ideas about how to make businesses more interested in Blacksburg.

hosts 100 from page one

to the fair),” Kumar said. Courtney Gleason, a business administration graduate student and the event chair, described the fair as a “push-pull event.” Some students will have done their research before they come, already knowing exactly which representatives they want to talk to. Other students will just show up and want to wander through the fair. Last year about 400 students came, but this year the GSA is hoping for 100 more, Kumar said. And it seems the fair is already in students’ thoughts. “I’m thinking about checking out the fair,” said Ben Salmon, a sophomore mechanical engineering major. “Like any career fair, it all depends on how much you put into it. If you spend all day there, I’d certainly hope you get something out of it.” Elizabeth Lipscomb, a senior marketing major, said she plans on attending the fair, although she does not plan on going to graduate school in the fall. “I want to make sure I am aware of all of the options and opportunities available to me. It is up to the students to research the options (for graduate school) themselves, and the fair is a great way to do that,” she said. Gleason said going to graduate school could provide students with an edge when looking for jobs in an already competitive market. Graduate school can also be rewarding for students focusing on specific research. “I wanted to get more involved in (my studies) and learn more about it. I wanted to have more experience and a better background for a job,” said Alsan Ali, an industrial systems engineering graduate student. Last year, 8.9 percent of people earned graduate or professional degrees, compared with 7.2 percent in 1990, according to United States Census data. “A master’s degree is the new bachelor’s degree,” Gleason said.

create prison school from page one

Born in Eritrea, a country in northeast Africa, Gebremariam entered the world during a hostile period, as his country was fighting for its independence from Ethiopian control. His mother died when he was five years old, and as compensation for his loss, Gebremariam was able to attend school. Since that time, becoming educated has been a primary objective for Gebremariam, as well as a source of hope. However, Gebremariam’s education didn’t last long — the liberation movement consumed his village, and schools were shut down. In turn, Gebremariam became part of the movement, vying to help his country gain independence. When he was 12 years old, the Ethiopian army came to his village, capturing him as a prisoner of war for his involvement in the liberation movement. Gebremariam and other prisoners were taken to Alem Bakagn, a maximum-security prison that literally means “end of the world” in the local language. After all, the building was built for those sentenced to death or life in prison, said Teclay Astuha, who was also a prisoner and remains Gebremariam’s friend. “(The building) was for serious criminals,” Astuha said. “We were seen as the highest criminals there because we were fighting the Ethiopians.” The two-story octagonal prison, with thick cement walls and a heavily guarded gate would be Gebremariam’s home for 12 years. The building — which was part of a large prison compound with multiple other structures — consisted of about 56 small cells, but was packed with more than 1,000 prisoners, who were forbidden to leave. However, at the time, the government was advocating an illiteracy campaign, so illiterate prisoners, Astuha said, could leave the building to be escorted to a school on compound grounds for classes. But for literate prisoners, like

Gebremariam and Astuha, taking classes, let alone leaving the building, was prohibited. Regardless, the men sought to keep themselves busy and healthy, vowing to educate themselves inside prison — a difficult feat. “We had a problem — there were no classes, no teachers, no stationary materials and no space,” Gebremariam said. “We had only the commitment.” The toughest task, the men said, was convincing their cellmates and other prisoners to use their cells as classrooms. These were the only spaces they could study in secret, and if any of the prisoners in a cell protested, they could not proceed. Eventually, the men coordinated the classrooms. They — newfound students — assigned themselves to grade levels, based on their previous education and knowledge. Gebremariam started in the seventh grade, and Astuha, because of his age and knowledge, served as a teacher. Students could also teach pupils in the grade level below them. However, the teachers and students in prison needed to be deemed official for the country to recognize the education system and allow its members to take national exams. Therefore, the prisoners pursued help from the school in the outside compound — the prisoner teachers operated with those on the outside. Informally, the “Alem Bakagn School” was a branch of that in the compound. Yet without bribery, the task would have been impossible. “The Ethiopian prisoners were friends of the guards, and over time the guards became friends with us,” Gebremariam said. “And of course, you give (the guards) money, and they’ll do it — they didn’t have much money.” The money and food used to placate the guards came from the prisoners’ families, who visited every Sunday bearing those items, as well as educational materials. “We were able to mobilize money to buy small blackboards from out-

side the prison, (but) we had to smuggle them into Alem Bakagn,” Gebremariam said. While Gebremariam was studying and advancing through grade levels, Astuha was essentially teaching full time, providing knowledge and preparing exams. He even educated some of the guards and their families. “I did it to actually help the prisoners,” Astuha said. “By helping them, you get satisfaction and also keep yourself busy. You keep busy so you don’t think of imprisonment.” Once Gebremariam reached 12th grade, he was able to take the Ethiopian national exam — a test he said would essentially determine his future, if he still had one. After completing the exam, Gebremariam learned that he received the highest score, not just out of all the prisoners, but out of all 380,000 Ethiopian students that year. “This record in Ethiopia has not yet been broken,” Gebremariam said. “And this is from a prisoner of war — an enemy.” Gebremariam continued the liberation movement behind bars, serving as a role model for the other prisoners, and an inspirational figure to his family and other fighting Eritreans. In 1991, the Eritreans succeeded in the liberation movement, and Gebremariam, along with Astuha and the other prisoners, was finally able to leave prison after over a decade. Following his release, Gebremariam studied economics at a local university in Eritrea and later moved to Glasgow, a city in Scotland, where he received his master’s degree in economics. He then came to the United States and earned his doctorate degree at West Virginia University, which led him to where he is today — Blacksburg. “The lesson that you can learn from this is that I educated myself behind bars, under extraordinary circumstances, with no resources at all,” Gebremariam said. “If you are committed to something, it is possible. We were able to change the environment from an ugly place to make it conducive for learning.”

opınıons 5

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

september 23, 2011

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Diamond’s video does not constitute as news ith all of the drama and attenW tion surrounding the “Lance Diamond, Frat Star” video on YouTube, I have to say, I don’t really get it. I can’t seem to understand why this video is popular and even why he felt the need to post it in the first place. Maybe my sense of humor is just lacking, I don’t know. The video wasn’t particularly hilarious, there were no incredible stunts, no demonstrations of incredible, undiscovered talent, and no one was saying anything horribly offensive or controversial. All this video consists of is a kind of funny, but naive and mistaken, college freshman acting like an idiot. But as college students, aren’t we used to that by now? However, Lance Diamond did post the video and no one had the sense to ignore it. And it is only mildly popular. Before Lance made the video private, it had around 60,000 hits. That isn’t even in the same league as Rebecca Black’s video for her song “Friday,” which has millions. Then, Anderson Cooper had to go and make what should have been a Virginia Tech fad national news by mocking Diamond’s video on a section of his show called “The RidicuList.” I understand the video was stupid, but really, was that necessary? So, in light of the circumstances, I sincerely hope that Diamond and Cooper have learned their lesson, that being: Think before you speak (or post). Both Diamond and Cooper made some serious judgment mistakes in this situation, and they both could learn a lot from them. Diamond made some pretty unreasonable, unsupported assertions in his video — most of them concerning his desire to sue Rainbow Shops and Sperry Top-Sider because his feet hurt after wearing their products. He also felt the need to assert his dad “runs the world,” and he had to miss class because he could not walk to get there. I will give him this — there were some funny portions of his video. His line about the fact that he could have gotten 120 McChicken sandwiches from McDonald’s for the amount money he spent on the shoes in question made me laugh. And his line about the ramen noodles his parents got him that he had to eat raw was pretty funny too — and he gets bonus points for eating raw ramen. What I hope Diamond has learned from his video is that most of what he said only comes off as naive and

Viral video may be funny, but lacks purpose

silly, rather than funny and sarcastic. He spends way too much time harping on how he is going to sue Rainbow Shops and Sperry Top-Siders for this video to be really funny. Next time, I hope he watches the video, and maybe does a little (or a lot of) editing, which would go a long way. But what makes this situation just plain ridiculous is this video got attention from a world-renowned journalist like Cooper, who as a 44-year-old man, is old enough to be Diamond’s father. First of all, a quick VT People search shows that Lance Diamond is, in fact, Lance Diamond’s name. While it may be someone’s porn name, it is his real name, and Cooper was very distasteful for insulting it, if merely on the basis that Diamond didn’t get to choose his name. But also, Cooper could have said many different things about the content of this video, but he chose to take what Diamond said at face value, ignoring the decidedly sarcastic and humorous tones of the video. Not only is this a flaw in argument, as it is always wise to give as much charity as possible to another’s argument before you attack it, but it makes Cooper look pretty rude. My advice to Diamond would be, next time, think before you post. We have all had trouble breaking in our shoes. When I first wore my Rainbow sandals, my feet hurt for a week. We all think rants are funny, but some of them are better than others. We’ve all had a friend go on about something that bothers them, just to have us tell them to shut up. So next time, make sure other people think you are funny too. Next time, I really hope Cooper chooses to pick on someone his own size. We have all been in Diamond’s position, and while not everyone posts on YouTube, I’m sure there were better videos to discuss on his show. Personally attacking a college freshman, when he had the opportunity to make other arguments and still come to the same conclusion, demonstrates a lack of class that he usually possesses.

GABI SELTZER - regular columnist - senior - philosophy major

you haven’t figured out by If now, the Lance Diamond viral video featuring one of Virginia Tech’s freshman, is fake. If you have no idea what video I’m talking about — it’s OK, you haven’t missed that much. CNN’s Anderson Cooper certainly didn’t miss it though. In this video, which is just short of seven minutes, a Diamond rants about his first week of college being ruined thanks to the Sperry boat shoes and Rainbow flip flops (which he so accurately describes as “a little metro, let’s be real here”) that tore up his feet. After one view of the video, I could tell it was fake. If you couldn’t tell, here’s a rule of thumb for viral videos: If you question its authenticity, assume it’s fake, then Google search whether it’s real, and you can confirm your doubt in less than a few minutes. I guess Cooper’s been busy lately. If you haven’t seen his response video to this, Cooper goes on a four-minute rant, similar to Diamond’s, where he not only attempts to trash him, but also utters awkward phrases I assume are supposed to be funny, like saying Lance’s name “kinda sounds like a porn name.” Cooper, if you’ve completely forgotten — which it seems like you have — you work at a news network, not a comedy station or a tabloid. I’m not saying that I mind news networks (if you consider what CNN reports “news”). Networks report on this kind of stuff once in a while, but when they take it as seriously as Cooper just did, it becomes a problem. Not only that, Cooper makes himself look like a complete fool by taking this video seriously. C’mon Cooper, you couldn’t really take the effort to have one of your interns make a quick search to find out this video was fake? All you had to do was look on Diamond’s Facebook and seen him ridiculing all the socially unaware people who took the video at face value. In this case, CNN could have really used some prior research before they made Cooper go on a terribly scripted rant about a YouTube video (if only CNN actually knew what the word “research” means). Now I don’t really care too much about what Diamond was trying to do with this video. Maybe he was making fun of ambitious freshmen frat stars (for example, when he complains about not being able to “branch out” and “meet new people” after missing only one week of school)? Maybe it was just for fun? Who cares? The point is that the video was mildly funny

and completely non-controversial, so I don’t see why people are getting worked up here. Diamond even had a couple lines that were really funny (I can’t help but laugh every time I hear him say, “Them shits are made out of magical cotton!” referring to his Polo socks). And if you’ve ever seen any sort of comedy TV show, movie or Internet video in the past few years, you would realize when watching Diamond rant that laughter was exactly what he was going for. I suppose there is good reasoning in warning people to “think before they speak,” but when it comes to videos like Diamond’s, it’s the spontaneity that makes it funny. Yes, most of the ideas for videos like these are stupid and not well-thought through, but again, that’s what makes them funny (sometimes for the very fact that it completely flops). Even Cooper’s video was kind of funny if you watch it knowing Diamond’s rant was fake. So maybe it’s not always good to think before we speak — if we’re trying to be funny at least. And I don’t see any negative repercussions from these videos being made, except maybe the embarrassment of the person that makes the video. So, again, why get so worked up about it? Really, why? Maybe I’m missing something here. Maybe Cooper’s video is a fake rant just like Diamond’s — a fake rant within a fake rant, or an “inception” of fake rants, if you will. But I’m not going to assume this since that idea would’ve been way too intelligent for someone working at CNN to think of. I think, instead, CNN was running out of stories to put on their absolutely informative, news-worthy and totally hilarious “RidicuList” (even the name is terrible) and had to settle for Diamond. Whatever the case may be, I don’t really care. What I care about is how worked up some people get over videos like this. Why don’t we all try to calm ourselves a little, and take the next YouTube videos (which are hardly ever meant to be taken seriously) we watch with a little less seriousness. Who knows, maybe Cooper was just having a bad week because his Rainbows gave his feet blisters.

DIETER SELTZER - regular columnist - sophomore - philosophy major

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 Office Manager: Kayley Greenday Assistant Account Executives: Alex Perry, Kacie Nolan, Jordan Peugh 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.

page 6

Linebackers: Hokies duo representing the Palmetto State In 2009, Taylor finally saw game action. Although he only finished with six tackles in six games, it was clear the talent was there. 2010 figured to be another year backing up starting middle linebacker Barquell Rivers, but the football gods had other plans. When Rivers went down with a ruptured quadriceps tendon during 2010 offseason workouts, it was Taylor’s time to step up and seize the moment. Taylor said his role backing up Rivers in 2009 prepared him for life as a starter. “It really sucked to see him get hurt like that,” Taylor said. “He made a lot of plays, but he never takes a play off. That’s something everybody can learn from.” The leading tackler for the Hokies in 2010 as a redshirt sophomore, Taylor is on pace to have another season leading the Hokies in tackles. That is, if Edwards doesn’t outdo him. ALL THE MEASURABLES At 6-feet, 2-inches, 223 pounds, it’s easy to dream on a player like Tariq Edwards.

The son of former Tech wide receiver Bo Campbell, Edwards committed to the Hokies the summer before his senior year. Blacksburg was where he always knew he’d end up. “I looked at South Carolina, Illinois, North Carolina schools,” Edwards said. “Since I was younger, I always knew I wanted to come to Tech.” One player wearing the maroon and orange in particular caught the attention of Edwards as he was budding as a young linebacker. “I used to like (Xavier) Adibi for the most part,” he said. “I was excited (to hear the comparisons to Adibi).” Unlike Taylor, who fell into the starting role at middle linebacker last year, Edwards has had to scratch and claw his way into the starting lineup. His redshirt freshman season, 2009, was completely necessary for his development. “I was kind of happy with the redshirt,” Edwards said. “I felt like I wasn’t even physically developed to play. Coming in, seeing how I played outside linebacker, I was kind of thinking I’d play either rover or whip. As far as speed, (Foster) wants

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guys with speed on the outside.” Edwards was on the brink of starting in 2010 as a redshirt freshman. As the backup to Lyndell Gibson, Edwards appeared in all 14 games, including significant time against North Carolina and Miami. The start never came, partly due to a lack of consistency in his play. This season, Edwards has a much better grasp of what he needs to do. “I just expanded a horizon on the mental part of the game,” Edwards said.

“Whether I’m looking at film — last year I didn’t look at much film of my own, I did a little bit. My mental capacity just still wasn’t there.” Coming into preseason camp, the starting backer position was still not solidified. Although Edwards might have had a slight advantage, fellow redshirt sophomore Telvion Clark was

there to push him. While a strained hamstring held him back a little for a couple days, Edwards never lost focus on the ultimate goal. “I just knew I had to go ahead and get better,” he said. “At that point I knew what I was doing, I was just limited by the hamstring, and I was just trying to get it better before the season started.” PALMETTO TO THE OLD DOMINION Setting aside the obvious similarities in size, position and state, Taylor and Edwards also share the same sense of humor and personality. “He’s a goofball, always cracking jokes and stuff,” Taylor said. “We’ll be in meeting rooms, and we’ll look at each other and just know what the other is laughing about.” It wasn’t just Taylor that got the shots in when asked about his fellow teammate. “Bruce, he loves to dance even though he can’t,” Edwards said, laughing. “No, no, he can dance a little bit.” As far as high school, there’s clearly still a rivalry between the two. “He went to Marlboro County, and

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ment each other very well. Obviously there’s a chemistry amongst each other there to make sure they work with each other. That group in particular — Bruce and Tariq — is really coming together and that’s exciting.” Taylor and Edwards, along with the rest of the linebackers, eat together on Thursday nights at PK’s Bar and Grill. The occasion, though it may sound insignificant, has a direct impact to play on the field. “(Tariq) is a good guy to be around off the field, and that helps our chemistry on the field,” Taylor said. With one season of eligibility left for Taylor, and two for Edwards, Foster is excited for the future at those linebacker spots. “They’ve all got another year left together, and there’s still a lot of football left to be played this year,” Foster said. “I think they can really grow and be a special group like some that we’ve had in the past.”

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they’re just a powerhouse,” Taylor said. “My sophomore through junior year (at Myrtle Beach High School) we really improved, so now it’s a great school. Now, I would say we’re a little better than them.” Just 100 or so miles separate their respective hometowns, which makes it easy to get back and forth to Blacksburg on breaks. “A few times, he takes me home because we live in the same area,” Edwards said. “Then we’ll play in video games, and I’ll win for the most part.” Their competition is not limited to the virtual playing field. During games, both players will sometimes take jabs at their respective tackling numbers. So far through three games, Edwards holds a 21-15 advantage. “A few times he’ll come to the sideline and say, ‘Tariq, how many tackles you got?’ Edwards said. “I’ll say ‘two,’ and he’ll be like ‘I got you.’” Foster said the two young linebackers are perfect for each other. “There’s no doubt they push each other,” Foster said. “Those guys comple-

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page 7

Why I’m sort of afraid of the Marshall Thundering Herd , this column started at the So beginning of the season while looking at Appalachian State. I started to get really worried that the Mountaineers might actually put up a decent fight against Virginia Tech. That, obviously, turned out to be a completely irrational fear, as the Hokies walloped App State 66-13. However, in the past two weeks, I’ve found much less reason to fear the team’s opponents — primarily last week against Arkansas State. Unfortunately, both of my predictions (49-14 for ECU, and 42-7 for ASU) were pretty far off the mark, as both of those teams kept the game a little closer than most Tech fans would have liked. And, as if finding reasons to be afraid of those teams wasn’t hard

enough, I’m now going to attempt to do the same thing for a team that’s 1-2 and just last week lost 44-7 to Ohio. That’s right, Ohio — not Ohio State, but the Ohio University Bobcats. So, without further ado, here are the very few reasons why I am barely scared of the Thundering Herd: Tron Martinez. The sophomore running back has averaged six yards a carry through three games. Martinez is actually a pretty impressive runner, but since the Thundering Herd are constantly play catch-up, the running attack hasn’t been fully utilized, as evidenced by Martinez’s 40 touches thus far. Andre Booker. Marshall’s main return man took a punt back 87 yards to take a 7-0 lead against West Virginia in the team’s season opener — which

tragically makes him responsible for 20 percent of Marshall’s touchdowns. Oct. 1, 6 p.m. If there’s one thing that can truly hurt the Hokies this week, it’s got to be looking forward to next week’s showdown against Clemson and not preparing adequately for this week. However, with this team’s history of flopping against heavily undermatched opponents (I don’t even need to say it) I have no reason to believe that this coaching staff is taking Marshall lightly. A lot of those were a real stretch. I honestly don’t think there’s any reason the Thundering Herd will be able to keep up with the Hokies on Saturday. Here’s why: Rakeem Cato. Usually this list starts with the main reason Tech should dominate the game. But this week, I

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“I was real impressed with how tight the techsideline.com coaching staff was and how together they were, and I could see myself One of the top uncommitted fitting in there. It’s a great acarecruits in the 2012 class, Cyrus demic school. I’ll probably Jones, is rated a four-star pros- study business in college. That, pect by ESPN.com, Rivals.com plus the campus is real nice. and Scout.com. Everything is within walking The five-foot-10-inch, 180- distance. It’s a big college town pound athlete has 30 scholarship that supports the football team. offers from which to choose, but It’s kind of the big staple team in he has recently whittled that list the area. The game atmosphere to seven schools. was crazy. It wasn’t even a big “I’ve narrowed it down a little game, but I saw how crazy the more,” Jones said. “It’s (in no game atmosphere was. I had a particular order) Virginia Tech, chance to interact with the playAuburn, Alabama, Maryland, ers and bond with the coaching West Virginia, Virginia and staff. It was real nice. It was a Ohio State.” great visit and I’m glad I made Jones made his first official it.” visit this past weekend, heading Freshman wide receiver Kevin to Blacksburg to get a feel for Asante and freshman linebacker Tech. The talented athlete left Griffin Hite hosted Jones, who with high praise for the Hokies. felt he established a good rela“I was real impressed by tionship with both players. He Virginia Tech,” said Jones, who knew fellow Baltimore natives is being recruited by Tech as Corey and Kyle Fuller before the a slot receiver. “I think it has visit, saying he is “real cool” with everything I’m looking for in a the Fuller family. school. It’s a matter of me talking Jones got along well with the it over with my family and try- players. As for the coaches, they ing to make the best decision.” made their message clear.

“Basically, they let me know I was a must-have for them,” Jones said. “They are moving in a big direction and their goal is a national championship. They win the ACC a lot, but they are trying to take the next step.” Jones can take five official visits if he so chooses. At this point, though, he only plans on taking three. “I’ve got two more officials set, to Alabama and Auburn. Alabama is on Oct. 21, and Auburn is for the Iron Bowl (on Nov. 26),” Jones said. The Gilman star says there is no significance to the fact that these are currently the only three planned official visits. “I’m just taking more in-depth visits to these places to get to know them better,” Jones said. “I’ve seen games at a lot of those other schools.” A jack-of-all-trades type of athlete, Jones rushes, catches and plays defensive back in Biff Poggi’s program. He has potential as a running back, wide receiver or cornerback on the college level. “I pride myself on being explosive when I get the ball, being able to change direction on a dime,” he said.

think it’s appropriate to kick this off with Marshall’s heavily beleaguered true freshman quarterback. Through three games, he’s thrown for four touchdowns and six interceptions, four of which were thrown in the first half of last week’s loss to Ohio. His coaches believe he has some potential, and that might be true, but nothing he’s done to this point leads me to believe that he’s going to lead the Herd to a major upset in his fourth start. 107th. Marshall ranks right near the bottom of the national rankings in passing yards allowed per game at 282. Last week, Logan Thomas and his receivers had a field day, as he threw for career highs in yards (292), completions (21) and attempts (33). Tech’s coaches will try and get Thomas as much throwing experi-

ence as possible before ACC play kicks off next week. David Wilson. Two years ago, Wilson trampled over the Herd in only the second game of his career, going for 165 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries. Now, Wilson is much more of a complete back and should have a lot of success against a Marshall team that’s given up 129 yards per game on the ground. 224.7 yards per game. After giving up 361.5 yards per game last year, the Hokies defense has really matured into the usual Bud Foster unit and is currently ranked No. 8 in the nation in total defense. Tech should have no trouble with the Herd, as they’re not even in the top 100 in total offense, with 298.7 yards per game. There is absolutely no reason

Marshall should even put up a fight against the Hokies this Saturday. But, if Tech wins by a big margin, which they should, I’ll feel a lot better going into next week’s game against Clemson. If the game’s a bit too close for comfort like it was in week two against ECU, then I’ll be a lot more concerned. Here’s to hoping for the former. Prediction: Hokies 45, Thundering Herd 3

ZACH MARINER -sophomore -sports editor -@ZMarinerCT

Marshall: Herd need help for freshman QB from page 10

but was only able to convert three times for points. Although fans may be frustrated with the team’s inability to score more points, Stinespring is comfortable with Thomas’ presence in the pocket while in the red zone. “When you start moving in the red zone, and rolling the pocket and such, you allow a defense to play just half a field,” Stinespring said. “(Thomas) likes being in the pocket — he likes having the whole field to play with.” Running back David Wilson was held to under 100 yards for the first time all season, against Arkansas State. He saw different coverage, which was aimed at stopping the run. “It’s going to hurt (the opposing team) in the long run,” Wilson said. “It didn’t work Saturday — we got great receivers, and Logan is developing each week and getting better. I guess I’ll be doing my part if they want to stop the run so much.” Wilson’s sentiment isn’t unique among his team — his position’s coach Shane Beamer is one of many others who thinks the same thing. “As we continue to work on that pass game, we invite teams to come up there and try to stop the run because we got the weapons outside and we got the quarterback to take advantage of that,” Beamer said. “As you do that, it opens up the running game too. On top of that, we got to continue to find ways to run the football.” This season, one of the strongest parts of the Hokies’ game has been the defense. Defensive coordinator Bud Foster credits the turnaround mainly to the maturity of the players, who

learned the complicated schemes that Foster and his staff developed. “The first group is playing so much faster, they know what they’re doing, know where their help is, from the run game,” Foster said. “You’re just seeing a group that is playing with a lot of confidence right now. And then there’s a group that doesn’t want to let each other down either.” One of the highlights for the defense last week was the battle between AllAmerican corner Jayron Hosley and receiver Josh Jarboe, which Hosley won by picking off two balls and keeping Jarboe to just 38 yards receiving. Now, he sets his sights on Aaron Dobson, who has twice as many catches as the next-best receiver and has scored three of the Herd’s four receiving touchdowns. Dobson’s one huge disadvantage is the fact that a true freshman, Rakeem Cato, is starting at quarterback and has been erratic in his short career — throwing six interceptions in his first two games, including four last week in a blow-out loss to Ohio. Hosley knows he may have those same opportunities on Saturday, but isn’t assuming he’ll have a big day. “You see a young guy and see there’s a possibility (that Cato could) make a lot of mistakes,” Hosley said. “But at the same time, you can’t take him lightly. You have to come out there and stay focused and let him come and make those plays so you do get the opportunities.” Marshall’s two running backs, Tron Martinez, a product of Hampton High School, and Travon Van, combined for 140 yards on 25 carries last week.

Foster believes it will be challenging for the defense to contain Martinez, who he referred to as “a dynamic back.” Tech is 8-2 against Marshall in the 10 times they have met, including 3-0 under Frank Beamer. Its last loss came in 1940. The game will also have a little more personal meaning to Beamer, as he will use this weekend to honor former teammate Frank Loria and Rick Tolley by placing a two-by-five-inch piece of Hokie Stone with their names at the school’s memorial with an inscription that reads “For those who have passed, For those to come … REACH FOR EXCELLENCE.” The same inscription is above the tunnel leading to Worsham Field. Loria was Tech’s first player to be named first-team All-American by the Associative Press when he played safety in 1966. He was also an assistant coach on the 1970 Marshall team that was in a plane crash in which everyone on board the plane perished. Tolley, a member of the Hokies football team from 1958-61, was also a member of that Marshall coaching staff. Tech players will also honor the fallen Tech alumni by wearing stickers on their helmets with the initials F.L. and R.T. The number 75 will also be on the sticker, representing those killed that day. The game is scheduled to start Saturday at 3:30 p.m. Follow the writer on Twitter: @CourtneyLofgren

Tyler: All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy from page 10

Tyler said. “A small fish in a big pond has room to grow — that’s why I chose (Tech). I thought I could turn some heads and exceed expectations.” Four years after Grimm walked on for the Hokies, Tyler decided to do the same. Grimm continued to embrace the mentor role even after Tyler arrived in Blacksburg. “He guided me — made sure I got everywhere,” Tyler said. “He was my big brother, made sure I did things right, and made sure I didn’t make him look bad.” Tyler didn’t disappoint. After redshirting in 2009 while watching Grimm enjoy an accolade-rich senior campaign, Tyler was awarded a scholarship of his own. The “scholarship conversation” with coach Beamer was nothing like Tyler had imagined. During the spring of 2010, Tyler had to miss a team meeting to turn in an essay for class. Director of football operations John Ballein called Tyler to inquire about the absence, and to inform him that coach Beamer wanted to see him. Waiting outside coach Beamer’s office was an agonizing experience. “I was sitting there (thinking), ‘What more could go wrong?’” Tyler said. “I walked into Coach Beamer’s office, waiting to get kicked off the team.” Much to Tyler’s surprise, Coach Beamer had other plans for the meeting. “He (didn’t) even mention (the absence),” Tyler said. “He (said), ‘Well, we decided to put you on scholarship.’ I’m sitting there (thinking), ‘This has got to be a joke. Don’t joke with me like this. Stop. Don’t do this to me. I know you’re about to tell me I’m the worst player ever and you’re about to kick me off the team. You don’t have to joke with me.’” Coach Beamer was dead serious. His solemn tone continued throughout the rest of their conversation. “Then he told me I had to go run sprints for three hours because I missed the team meeting,” Tyler said. “I guess that worked out well.” The investment paid off for coach Beamer. Tyler was a solid contributor on the kickoff team during the 2010 season, and saw occasional playing

time as a backup linebacker. When linebacker Bruce Taylor went down with a stinger in the ACC title game against Florida State, Tyler answered the bell. He tallied seven solo tackles, including three for loss, in the Hokies’ 44-33 win over FSU. “I knew that was my shot,” Tyler said. “The whole world was watching. Can’t screw up now.” Despite his standout performance, Tyler gives the credit to defensive coordinator Bud Foster for preparing him to thrive. “It’s a credit to him — he always has us ready,” Tyler said. “That’s why Tech’s defense is so good year after year.” The praises didn’t stop there. “Coach Foster is such a good coach, we could have put you in at middle linebacker and you would have succeeded,” Tyler said, pointing directly at me. Chief of a defensive unit that allowed the fewest yards in the nation in 2005 and ‘06, Foster is indeed a phenomenal coach — but he’s not a genie. In three

“

He’s corny. He thinks he’s sweet. His on the ﬁeld swag — he (tries) to wear one sleeve, to look sweet or something BRUCE TAYLOR LINEBACKER

years on Tech’s punt team, I have tallied a mere one half of a tackle. While starting in the Orange Bowl against Stanford, Tyler noticed some slight discomfort in his back. After the game, Tyler expected it to heal with rest. Two months later, the pain hadn’t subsided. He visited the chiropractor multiple times per week for a while, before finally deciding to get an x-ray. The scan revealed two cracked vertebrae — one of which had been fractured for roughly six years. For Tyler, the x-ray explained a lot. “In high school, (the) JV lacrosse coach my freshman year called it the ‘pimp limp,’” Tyler said. “Everyone told me one of my legs was longer than the other. All through high school I had been playing with a cracked vertebrae — one play away from not being able to walk again.”

After sitting out of spring practices, Tyler returned to work in the fall of with a healthy back and a rascally demeanor. He can often be spotted testing out prank ideas on his teammates. Tyler’s mischievous personality often got him into trouble in high school. While many players prefer to focus before games, Tyler likes to laugh and goof around. His pregame antics induced many elbows from teammates, but Tyler says his scallywag attitude improves his performance. “If you play tight, you’re not going to play well — so I’ve always played loose,” Tyler said. “My philosophy on football is: if you’re not having fun, then what’s the point?” While Tyler has assailed many victims, one Tech player has taken the brunt of the tricks. “There are a few guys on the team with some big targets on their backs, and (long snapper Joe) St. Germain is one of them,” Tyler said. “I felt like he needed to be cut down a peg or two — so I like to pump up his helmet (with air) when he’s not looking, and change his chin strap around. “He’s caught me most every time, but one of these times he’s going to run out on a big play and his helmet is not going to fit — and it is going to be awesome,” Tyler said. Although he talks a tough game about his peers, Tyler wouldn’t dare act like a scoundrel around his coaches. “For the most part, I’m kind of intimidated by most of the coaches,” Tyler said. “I don’t think I could pull anything off without having to go run for three miles.” Tyler had his 15 minutes of fame during the ACC championship game and the Orange Bowl, but he still flies under most radars. When guessing what his teammates would say about him, Tyler doubts they would have much to say at all. “If you ask 75 percent of the team, they would say, ‘Who?’” Tyler said. “The other 25 percent that I actually know, they would probably say I’m pretty relaxed and funny and I like to have a good time.” His hypothesis couldn’t have been more wrong. Apparently, Tyler has left a much bigger mark than he anticipated. “He’s corny,” said Bruce Taylor. “He

thinks he’s sweet. His on the field swag — he (tries) to wear one sleeve, to look sweet or something.” Taylor wasn’t the only one eager to chime in about Tyler. It was as if someone was hiding a “Jack Tyler mocking material” Rolodex. “His jokes just don’t work out for the best a lot of times,” said linebacker Telvion Clark. “He tries to freestyle (rap). He has the lyrics but he just doesn’t have the rhythm or the delivery — so it’s just off-beat and awkward at times. If you see it on paper, it looks a lot better than it sounds.” Since the floodgates had already opened, Taylor and Clark figured nothing was off-limits. “Jack has one leg bigger than the other,” Taylor said, “and you can tell when he runs because he’s got a little

gimp. He runs like a chicken with his head cut off.” Clark had a different name for Tyler’s running style. “A little peg leg limp,” Clark said. “He’s got the peg leg swag.” As much as they enjoy teasing Tyler incessantly, Taylor and Clark only joke out of love. “But he’s a good guy though,” Taylor said. “He’s a great guy — great player, too.” “Coolest guy you’ll meet,” Clark said. While the opportunities to mock him are endless, Tyler is beloved by his teammates. In fact, he’s hoping this article will kindle love from people outside the team as well. “I am completely single and ready to mingle,” Tyler said. “If there are any ladies out there that happen to be read-

ing this, you can give me a call. Maybe a text, or a Facebook message would do — anything of that sort.” For the few who are interested, Tyler provided just one stipulation. “No one that could be better than me at football,” Tyler said. One thing’s for sure, you will never meet another guy like Tyler. Perhaps growing up in Grimm’s shadow is what forced Tyler to become one-of-a-kind.

COLLIN CARROLL -long snapper -senior -marketing management major -@collinjcarroll

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Dual perspectives: ACC Expansion

DANIEL LIN / SPPS

The ACC has added two additional teams to its roster, making the league stronger and more balanced.

TWO SPORTS STAFF WRITERS, ALEX KOMA AND ALYSSA BEDROSIAN, GIVE THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE ACC’S PLACE IN CONFERENCE REALIGNMENT. ACC Expansion at a glance The ACC took two new teams, Syracuse and Pittsburgh, earlier this week in an effort to get a head start on what seems to be a dizzying conference realignment trend. Although nothing is set in stone, the ACC is in a good spot.

Bedrosian: ECU, Koma: Notre Dame would be a UConn looking for questionable add new conference t’s hard to believe, but IVirginia current students here at Tech will be able to say they remember the “good old days” when the Atlantic Coast Conference had “only” 12 teams. With the addition of Pittsburgh and Syracuse to the conference, college football has officially begun the slow march toward the creation of 16-team super conferences, and the ACC looks to be the first. Many have speculated that the conference won’t stop at just 14 teams, but will instead look to add an additional two teams to the mix. Rumors have swirled that Connecticut is extremely interested in leaving the Big East to head over to the ACC, and that Rutgers may also be looking to make the leap. Additionally, nationally renowned Notre Dame has said the school’s preference is to have the football team remain independent, but that it’s first choice for a conference to join would be the ACC. Other teams like West Virginia and even South Florida have been bandied about as potential contenders for the two available slots in the conference. It’s hard to know how much of all this is speculation, or even straight up lies planted by other universities, but one thing is clear: The ACC needs to be very careful as it proceeds. Courting Notre Dame seems to be a large priority for the conference, and while it would certainly increase the ACC’s national profile, it seems as adding the Fighting Irish would be a mistake. In basketball, they would add some depth to the conference, but the ACC is pretty well stocked in that department. Moreover, the inclusion of the Irish would really cause problems geographically. It’s bad enough that

the “Atlantic Coast” Conference now includes a team in upper New York and another in western Pennsylvania, but does the Midwest really have to get involved too? The best solution for the ACC would be the addition of Connecticut and West Virginia. UConn is obviously extremely prestigious as a college basketball power and would seal the ACC’s reputation as the premier conference in the sport. Furthermore, the Huskies have proved that they are at least capable of fielding a competitive football team as well, even if Randy Edsall has left them. West Virginia would be a perfect addition, and while it might not be the best fit geographically, the Mountaineers have been consistently respectable in football, and occasionally great. They even have great rivalries with the old Big East teams in the conference, whether it’s the “Backyard Brawl” with Pitt or the “Black Diamond” rivalry with Tech. Unfortunately, it seems most likely that the ACC will welcome UConn and Rutgers to its ranks. West Virginia is being courted by the Big 12, and will be under severe pressure from the Big East to stay put, so the scenario of them joining the ACC seems unlikely. Whatever their decision, the ACC directors need to look before they leap. Conferences like the Big 10 have become ridiculous, and the ACC has some real potential to become the most prestigious of the new super conferences. They just can’t let this opportunity go to waste.

ALEX KOMA -@AlexKomaCT -sports staff writer -sophomore -communicaton major

new era of conferA ence realignment has begun, and the Atlantic Coast Conference is making the first move toward a 16-team super conference. Pittsburgh and Syracuse have been accepted into the ACC, becoming the 13th and 14th teams to join the conference. According to a CBS report, 10 other schools have contacted the ACC, showing interest in becoming the 15th and 16th teams. These schools remain anonymous, however the report further confirms the reality of a 16-team super conference in the near future. Rumors of East Carolina joining the ACC were circulating, with the location of the school and the rise of its football team making it a good candidate. However, ECU announced Wednesday that it has applied for membership to the Big East. Even with the addition of ECU, the Big East is skating on some pretty thin ice. University of Connecticut president Susan Herbst is said to be in contact with the ACC and actively seeking membership. Louisville is another team that the ACC may have an interest in. Welcoming UConn and Louisville would hands down make the ACC the most dominant college basketball conference and would almost certainly give the Big East its death sentence. Despite what ACC Commissioner John Swofford hopes for the future of ACC football, it is realistic to say that the ACC will never be able to compete with the powerhouses of the Southeastern Conference. Even with the likes of Tech, Florida State and Miami, the ACC’s best bet is to gear conference expansion toward schools with dominant basketball programs. Although Texas could

bring the best of both worlds to the ACC, it is probable that the Longhorns will follow Oklahoma to the Pacific-12. Notre Dame has also been thrown into the ACC expansion talk, but it is unlikely that Notre Dame will shed its independent status and join the ACC. However, if the ACC was able to cut a deal with either of these two schools, it is safe to say the league would be able to secure it’s future and become one of the big four super conferences. When it comes to conference realignment, the goal of each and every conference is to make sure it still remains in existence in five to 10 years. If the ACC makes the right moves, it will be able to survive realignment and expansion. What the ACC needs to focus on is bringing in big name schools, such as Notre Dame, UConn or Texas. Additionally, the ACC must lure big name basketball programs. The SEC has a monopoly on college football, and the ACC is quickly falling behind. However, with the addition of Pittsburg and Syracuse, the ACC will be the dominant force in college basketball. For conferences like the Big East and Big 10, the future does not look very bright. Super conferences will soon become a reality, and the little guy will be trampled on by the likes of the SEC and PAC-12. The ACC is at a fork in the road of conference expansion, and just one wrong turn could destroy its future. Let’s hope Swofford makes the right decision.

ALYSSA BEDROSIAN -@AlyssaBedrosian -sports staff writer -sophomore -communication major

september 23, 2009

page A

Hokies on Twitter follow your favorite players on twitter @VTBrooks68

Jaymes Brooks

yo somebody just spelled judicial like joodishal...im done

Sept. 21

Also look for: @MDavis_7 Marcus Davis

@YoungYurt Tyrel Wilson

@JackInTheBox58 Jack Tyler

@7T_Rex57

Telvion Clark

ONCE COMPETITORS AT RIVAL HIGH SCHOOLS, TAYLOR AND EDWARDS ARE NOW LEADERS OF THE DEFENSE MATT JONES sports editor For all of the tackles, sacks, forced fumbles and interceptions they have on the gridiron, Bruce Taylor and Tariq Edwards met at — of all places — a high school basketball game. Edwards, a native of Cheraw, S.C., wasn’t playing in the game due to injury. Taylor, from Myrtle Beach, S.C., was just there as a spectator. “He was on the side cheering and stuff, and I recognized him because he had his football jersey on — so that’s when I met him,” Edwards said.

At the time they would never have believed it, but just three years later, Taylor and Edwards are the top two tacklers on a Virginia Tech defense. “It’s crazy man,” Edwards said. FROM THE BEACH TO THE ‘BURG Bruce Taylor didn’t fly in under the radar. The No. 12 inside linebacker in the class of 2008, Taylor had his pick from just about every school in the Southeast. The Hokies, particularly the defense led by Bud Foster, were ultimately the choice. He was being considered for playing time as a true freshman when he hurt his shoulder, which might have been a bless-

ing in disguise. Prior to the injury, Taylor was moved to defensive end from his more natural position at linebacker. “I really looked at it as a little minor setback, I knew I was going to bounce back and reach my potential here,” Taylor said. “It definitely hurt not being able to play. When you’re a freshman, you don’t want to hear that redshirt talk, you want to play right now.” Taylor, who put up Madden-like numbers in high school (205 tackles, 42 for loss his sophomore year), said the transition from being “Mr. Everything” to just another incoming freshman wasn’t easy for him. “I had just left high school, and I was the man,” Taylor said. “When you come here, you’re just the little guy again, just restarting the whole process.” see LINEBACKERS / page six

COURTESY OF HOKIESPORTS

Jack in the box judgment if our players don’t receive As enough annoying interview requests, they now have to worry

Food, beverages, ffamily i ffun! Friday September 30th from 5-9pm College Avenue

about evading our quote-hungry long stalker… errr… long snapper. Naturally, when Jack Tyler approached me and said, “Yo, Collin! What the heck?! When are you going to write an article about me?” I pounced on the opportunity. I’m still trying to decide which one of us is more desperate. Sorry, Jack — you asked for it, buddy. Here goes nothing. Tyler has spent much of his life in

the shadow of former Tech linebacker Cody Grimm. In eighth grade, Tyler used to watch Grimm play for Oakton High School in Vienna, Va. “He was my favorite player,” Tyler said. “I kind of idolized him.” Grimm walked on at Tech in the fall of 2005, went on to earn a scholarship, started at linebacker for three years, was named All-ACC and an All-American as a senior, and is now starting for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. As Tyler watched Grimm’s stellar college career unfold, he was also busy making a name for himself at Oakton High. Tyler lettered four years for the Cougars, and earned Virginia defensive player of the year honors as a senior for posting a school-record 147 tackles — eclipsing Grimm’s mark of 127. Before making his college decision, Tyler met up with Grimm to get some advice from his hero. Guess where Grimm urged him to go? Truth be told, the recruiting process was somewhat of a formality for Tyler. “All the recruiters always told me, ‘Do you want to be a big fish is a small pond, or a small fish in a big pond?’” see TYLER / page seven

Marshall hosts Hokies with hopes of stunning upset

MCT CAMPUS

The Herd is looking to have something to celebrate on Saturday. COURTNEY LOFGREN sports reporter Two years ago, coming off of a devastating fourth quarter 34-24 loss to Alabama, Virginia Tech left the Georgia Dome and headed home to start preparing for its season opener

against Marshall. One week later, Tech took out any lingering frustrations stemming from that loss on an inexperienced Marshall team, defeating the Thundering Herd by a score of 52-10. This season, the matchup will serve as Tech’s final tune up before receiving its first taste of ACC action next week against Clemson. The Hokies (3-0) are coming off a 26-7 victory against Arkansas State, in which Logan Thomas threw for 292 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. While, Marshall (1-2) is coming off a 44-7 loss to Ohio, in which the team committed six turnovers alone in the first half. To prepare for Saturday’s game, coaches and players watched game film from Marshall’s season-opening matchup with West Virginia, according to Bryan Stinespring, Tech’s offensive coordinator. “You watch (Marshall) play West Virginia, you understand what you’re getting ready to walk into,” Stinespring said. “It quickly got our player’s attention just watching that game and understanding whom we’re getting ready to play.” Last week, Thomas led the Hokies to the red zone five times see MARSHALL / page seven