Thursday, February 9, 2012 Print Edition by Collegiate Times

Thursday, February 9, 2012An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 www.collegiatetimes.com

COLLEGIATETIMES 119th year, issue 15

News, page 2

Weekend, page 6

Opinions, page 3

Sports, page 8

WRESTLING EMOTIONS

Study Break, page 4

Pamplin group wins competition

BY ADAM NORMAN | sports staff writer

FIL E2 01 1/

SP PS

weat is rolling down Devin Carter’s face as he prepares to begin the sudden victory round in the championship match of the Midlands Open. As the referee walks over to begin the period, Devin takes a quick glance at assistant coach Tony Robie, who signals for him to be the aggressor and go for the takedown. The final period of the most important match of Devin’s young wrestling career at Virginia Tech has begun. Only 24 hours earlier, Devin — the defending ACC champion at 133 pounds — had earned his ticket into the semi-finals of the Midlands tournament and was on his way back to the hotel to get in a quick workout. His father, Jeff Carter, had been having heart pain all day, but chose to dismiss it. When they arrived at the hotel, however, Jeff was profusely sweating. Devin’s mother, Debbie Carter, a nurse in Christiansburg, knew the signs of a heart attack when she saw them. “I drove Devin back to the hotel and then drove Jeff to the hospital that was only about 500 yards away,” Debbie said. “When we got him into the hospital, he was having a heart attack. Devin, at that point, still didn’t know what was going on. All he knew (was that) we were going to the hospital.” The doctors immediately took Devin’s father to the Cardiac-Catheterization Lab to figure out the severity of his heart blockage. But the 49-year-old father of three flat-lined. Doctors used a defibrillator to shock Jeff ’s heart and bring him back to life — literally. At that point, Debbie called her son and informed him of the situation. Tech wrestling head coach Kevin Dresser drove Devin to the hospital to wait for news from the doctor, who eventually told them Jeff had a 100 percent blockage on the right side of his heart. Doctors had placed a stent — a small tube used to improve blood flow and strengthen arteries — in his heart, and he was doing fine. “We waited for Jeff to come out, and when he came out of the room, the first thing he said to Devin was ‘So how is your weight for tomorrow?’ I said, ‘Oh jeez,’” Debbie said. “Coach Dresser then gave Devin the option of whether he wanted to wrestle the next day. Jeff pretty much said to Devin, ‘You go wrestle. That is what we came here for. You go wrestle.’” Devin returned to the hotel and tried to sleep before the next morning’s semi-finals match. What was a normal day turned into one of the most frightening times of his life — his father, who began coaching him when he was 4 years old, nearly lost his life.

see CARTER / page eight

CJ YOUNGER / SPPS

Marketing student Kristina Kelly leads group to a ﬁrst-place ﬁnish and wins top individual honors GINA PATTERSON news staff writer A group, comprised of two students and a professor from the Pamplin College of Business, won several awards stemming from the Russ Berrie Institute National Sales Challenge, which took place on Nov. 9-11, 2011. The crew took home the first-place team award. And Kristina Kelly, a senior marketing and hospitality tourism management double major, won first place in the overall individual competition and second place in the speed-selling contest. Kelly was the team leader. Her teammates, Dann Wells, a senior marketing and finance

major, and Richard Buehrer, a marketing professor, were pleased with her performance. “Kristina was really good in both,” Buehrer said. “Her overall scores were just off the chart.” Kelly’s success came as a pleasant surprise, as she hadn’t heard of a sales competition such as this before signing up. “I heard about the sales competition from professor Buehrer, who had mentioned it at the beginning of class one day,” Kelly said. Students from 29 universities entered the competition, which was held at William Paterson University in New see GROUP / page two

Uranium mining debate persists Garden to be built near Norris Hall JOSH HIGGINS news reporter Gov. Bob McDonnell issued a directive last month establishing a plan to draft preliminary regulations on uranium mining and exacerbating the debate over the issues behind mining. On Jan. 19, McDonnell asked staff from the Virginia Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy, the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Health to create a working group to provide a scientific analysis of mining policy. The purpose of this group is to “help the General Assembly assess whether the moratorium on uranium mining in the commonwealth should be lifted, and if so, how best to do so.” The issues surrounding uranium mining have caused contention for years, with pro-mining advocates saying it is an economic opportunity, while environmentalists articulate concerns over the impact of mining on public health and the environment. Virginia’s moratorium, or temporary ban, on uranium mining has been in effect for nearly 30 years, after the first plans to mine the Coles Hill uranium deposit in Pittsylvania County, Va., started in the 1980s. Article V, Section 8 of the Virginia Constitution permits the governor to obtain information from any executive or administrative department about anything pertaining to their work, and therefore, allows the governor to issue this directive. However, Andrew Lester, the executive director of the Roanoke River Basin Association, believes

McDonnell has overstepped his power. “We thought the governor kind of jumped the gun when he went ahead and authorized the framework for regulations,” Lester said. “We believe the public should have an opportunity to read and digest all these studies that have been completed in the past few months. Just the National Academy of Sciences’ study alone is gigantic. I doubt very much that most general assembly delegates and senators have read it, much less the average citizen.” On the contrary, Patrick Wales, a spokesman for Virginia Uranium, Inc. — the company that hopes to mine the Coles Hill uranium deposit — agrees with the governor’s decision. “I think it’s a big step forward,” Wales said. “If you step back and look at the two things that need to occur before we can mine uranium, the two things the state needs to accomplish is to develop regulations and have the legislature approve those regulations. (This plan) allows time for (developing regulations) to be done in a prudent way, where there will be opportunities for input, as the governor instructed the agencies to do.” According to the directive, the working group must present the results of the scientific policy analysis by Dec. 1, 2012, with periodical meetings throughout the year to present findings and recommendations to the public. Throughout the year, the group will develop a regulatory framework and determine the resources necessary to enforce those regulations. The directive mandates that the

group evaluate the impact and frequency of natural disasters near the Coles Hill mine and monitor water and air quality, as well as the requirements for the operation plans submitted with mine permit applications. Additionally, it will look into the health and safety standards for mine and mill employees and standards for mine waste disposal. It will also create plans for regulation enforcement and funding. Lester said the plan does not give the public ample time to review the information about mining to make decisions and eats state money. “We’re closing schools here in Pittsylvania County and Danville because of the lack of funding for schools,” he said. “Yet we’re closing schools because of low funding, and (the governor is) going to spend money on creating regulations?” But the regulation is a step toward learning more about the effective uranium mining, Wales said. “We will make ourselves available with our professional staff, our site and any information we have to this working group, so they can have the best information available to them to make the best decision on these draft regulations” Wales said. Lester said no matter what regulations are created, there is no foolproof way to eliminate the risks of mining. “They can be mitigated, but not eliminated,” Lester said. “The question I have is what does the word ‘mitigate’ mean? Does it mean that they can cut 75 percent of the impact? What does ‘mitigate’ mean? It’s like saying you’re a little bit pregnant.”

JOSH HIGGINS news reporter The expansive lawn in front of Norris Hall may be gone soon, and replaced with a garden for solitude and contemplation. The Virginia Tech Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention, in collaboration with the landscape architecture and horticulture departments, is planning to build a garden for reflection where Seung-Hui Cho went on a shooting rampage on April 16, 2007, resulting in 32 deaths. “This is a university-wide project that was envisioned by Jerzy Nowak, the former director of the center, and this project has been presented to various segments of the community over the past three years,” said Amy Splitt, the CPSVP office manager. The Norris Garden is part of a program called the Hokie Spirit Garden Trail, a university-wide project connecting current and future gardens on campus with bicycle and walking trails. Initially, the program applied for a grant through a private foundation called Open Spaces, Sacred Places, but was denied, Splitt said. “We still continued with the landscape architecture department with the idea of persevering with the Hokie Spirit Garden Trail and Norris Garden as a flagship destination on that series of connected green spaces on campus for

contemplation and reflection,” she said. Terry Clements, a landscape architecture associate professor, assists 16 fourth-year architecture students in developing different conceptual ideas for the garden’s design. Each of the 16 students will then unveil their own garden designs at community meetings where the public can provide their comments on the design. “The students are going to take those comments and revise the drawings and models so we can get a better idea of what a contemplative garden might be on this area of campus,” Clements said. In addition, the meetings provide community members the opportunity to provide their input on the design. After the community meeting, the architecture students will alter their designs based on the community’s feedback. At the end of the semester, the project team will hold another meeting, where the community will choose the top three designs and combine them to create the final blueprint. “I think it will be a good place for the community, a nice place on campus,” said James Hawdon, the CPSVP director. “I see it as a way to bridge the Blacksburg and Virginia Tech communities.” Although the design is not finalized, Clements said there are a few features to expect in the completed version.

“The idea is that it’s supposed to be a contemplative place, so it will more than likely have smaller garden rooms in it and a fair number of benches or seating places,” Clements said. “There’s also a real desire from some people to add some sort of water feature: moving water, a pond or an artificial stream. It’s really some place that’s different than the lawn landscape we have right now.” However, because of the funding necessary for the construction and maintenance of the garden and the uncertainty of funding for the project, there is currently no working budget. “We’re really just trying to get an idea of what’s possible right now,” Clements said. Still, Hawdon has high hopes for the project. “We’re excited for this project to move forward,” Hawdon said. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to fund it.” While the April 16 shootings played a large role in the creation of the project, Clements said it will not be a memorial garden. “We’re not in any way trying to replace the memorial in front of Burruss, but to provide a space where people can reflect themselves, be away and feel more private and intimate and surrounded by a really lush nature,” Clements said. The next community meeting for the project will be held on Feb. 16 at 7 p.m. in 121 Burruss Hall.

news

february 9, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

Group: Kelly shines in win

newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

what you’re saying On Officer shooting a dog in park:

Dane Neer: The officer shouldn’t have fired his

weapon. He could have taken out his Asp/telescoping baton...if the dog was vicious, wail on it. Yes the kid should have had the dog on a leash but when you shoot a dog, you don’t talk smack to the owner and give him a ticket. What a prick. And how about unnecessary roughness? Yeah the kid was probably being a tool to you but, try to remember, YOU JUST SHOT HIS DOG. I wonder if this cop shoots any small thing that runs toward him, like cats or toddlers or shopping carts? You can never be too safe.And PEOPLE! Supporting police is one thing, but that doesn’t mean we don’t get to hold them responsible for their actions. You don’t want someone to ‘protect and serve’ you who pulls out a gun everytime something makes him jump.

from page one

Jersey, to network with professionals from major companies and show off their adept skills in sales. “They had to be able to get that buyers attention and then transition into the business reason for being there,” Buehrer said. The team sold ADP software because ADP, a payroll services company, was its sponsor. Kelly competed in two rounds. “The first round, you go in and sell the ADP software for 15 minutes, and the entire goal is to get another meeting,” Kelly said. “You have to do this within the 15-minute time period, and the phone would ring to let you know when the 15 minutes was over.” Kelly also competed in the speed-selling competition, in which she won second place. “You have to do a two-minute speed sell, which is similar to speed dating,” Kelly said. “You have six tables set up with people who are actually recruiting for this competition.” After the competition, Kelly and Wells capped off their successful weekend with a dinner cruise in New York City, which sponsors and other students attended. The major companies that sponsored the competition funded the trip — reimbursing universities for their participants’ hotels, airfare and meals. But Buehrer said their sponsorships are well worth the expenses. “They get access to some of the top sales students in the country,” Buehrer said. Buehrer is going to the National Collegiate Sales Competition on March 2-5 at Kennesaw State University. “It gets the students involved in potentially a professional sales career down the line,” he said.

editors: nick cafferky, michelle sutherland

Anonymous: If the dog was SOOO “aggressive “ they would’ve put him down!! Regardless, it was childish to tell him” he was lucky his aim was off”!! He needs to spend some more time at the firing range if he missed by that much!! Anonymous: It amazes me how our young people have such contempt and disrespect for police officers. How do you think the US would be without them. None of us were there. Yet everyone here assumes that it was all the officer’s fault and also act like they are experts on police procedure. As a VT student I am ashamed by the comments here and that of Demasi. May God help us if the people here represent the majority.

Desegregation leader speaks Mr. Alex-Zan speaks to students in Squires Colonial Hall about being a part of the Charlottesville 12, which is a group of African American students who desegregated Virginia schools in 1959. photo by CJ Yunger

Anonymous VT alum: It seems to me that the problem started with the caller who said the dogs were “acting mean.” They probably thought the police wouldn’t come do anything about the dogs just being loose, so they editorialized. If the police hadn’t been expecting aggressive dogs, their first instinct might not have been to shoot. Andy: How could this possibly NOT be the officer’s

fault? I fail to believe that someone’s pet dog, while around other people, would decide to randomly act aggressively towards a police officer. Unless the officer was yelling at the dog, in which case, IT IS ENTIRELY THE OFFICER’S FAULT. I’m normally on the officer’s side in most incidents, but the cops around here are seriously bending the law these days.

opinions

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

february 9, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

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

Your Views [letter to the editor]

‘He said, she said’ columns are funny

’m a relatively new reader of the Collegiate Times and have read the past two “He said, she said” articles. Today, I read the angry opposition of the said articles by Beth Cameron. My response is this: Generalizing about the behaviors of typical college males and females, while adding a little humor, is what attracts the typical student to

reading the CT. Stereotypes exist. They’re funny and shouldn’t be taken too seriously, because everyone knows there are exceptions to every stereotype. Call it a sexist article if you want, bua said” article is (most of the time) an entertaining read. If you don’t like it, don’t read it. John Waldo student, hospitality and tourism management

MCT CAMPUS

Comedians discuss newsworthy topics S

ome people prefer to call it “Yellow Journalism,” which is defined by our favorite source Wikipedia as “a type of journalism that presents little or no legitimate wellresearched news and instead uses eye-catching headlines to sell more newspapers.” Others call it “Muckraking Journalism,” or “reform-oriented journalists who wrote largely for popular magazines who continued a tradition of investigative journalism,” yet political satire is neither. In actuality, it is both. Like many students, I often get my news from guys like Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart more so than people named Brian Williams or Scott Pelley. Shows like Stewart’s and Colbert’s are interesting and witty, while simultaneously informing viewers on the day’s events. However, because their primary goal is comedy, political satirists remain hindered by the stigmas of clowning, biased and even unrealistic presentation of the news. I know, I know, they are on Comedy Central, HBO and Saturday Night Live, and they’re only comedians. But do you know who the most real people on earth are? Your mother and comedians. Comedians are paid to point out the hilarities, the differences and the things people often miss out on, both by accident and on purpose. Steve Harvey, one of the “Original Kings of Comedy,” said in one of his stand ups he had a third eye — which he called a blessing and a curse — because he saw things most people didn’t. The recent film “Man of the Year,” is a movie about a comedian, played by Robin Williams, who hosts a satirical show, eventually decides to run for president and somehow wins the election. It has a pretty interesting plot, but doesn’t it remind you of something? Colbert recently tried to run for a presidential nomination in South Carolina but was not placed on the ballot. Interestingly, he then held a rally at the College of Charleston supporting former-Republican nomination candidate, Herman Cain, whose name was still on the ballot even though he had previously pulled his name out of the race. At the Rally, Colbert spoke with brilliance while asking voters to choose Cain, using his motto, “Rock me like a Herman Cain,” in the election. Although he was certainly having fun, Colbert’s comedic

ploy highlighted an important new facet in federal elections — the influence of the Citizens United case and unlimited campaign finance. Colbert and his comedic cohort Stewart underscored the peculiarities of the new campaign finance rules, proving the loopholes by example. Colbert, who gave Stewart control of his Super-PAC, enlisted an attorney to make repeated appearances on his show as his legal advisor. For those who watched, Colbert and Stewart laughed giddily as they exposed the loopholes, barring coordination between candidates and Super-PACs. The power of money (and perhaps the famed “Colbert Bump”) showed, as Cain gained 1.6 percent of the vote, despite having suspended his campaign weeks prior. Even the moderate success of Colbert and Stewart’s efforts encapsulates the Republican race. After all, Newt Gingrich wants to spur space competition with gift cards; the outof-touch Mitt Romney was taxed only about 15 percent (compared to the average wage earners 35 percent) on the 42.7 million he made in two years; and Rick Santorum is … well, Rick Santorum. And last but not least, is Ron Paul, who is to presidential race what hipsters are to fashion. Honestly, Colbert makes his money through sarcasm and irony, but what is truly ironic is when people fail to see the reality underneath his jokes. If comedians are known to be good at picking out the problems in society, shouldn’t they be given a fair shake? That’s not to say go out and fully support Colbert for president, but rather to respect that he and his fellow satirists have legitimate points to offer and serious food for thought. Judging by Colbert and Stewart’s “Rally to Restore Sanity” in fall 2010, there are a lot of young people who listen to these guys — not just with an ear for comedy, but also with an eye for the truth. If you don’t already take them seriously, then next time you’re watching one of these shows, focus less on the sarcasm and more on the point trying to be made. You might be surprised.

SHAWN GHUMAN -regular columnist -junior -communication major

Catholics should agree on contraceptive mandate E

ver since the closing of the Second Vatican Council in 1965, conservative and liberal Roman Catholics have been deeply divided over church teachings, many of them concerning marriage and sexual matters. Those who are more conservative would like to see the teachings remain in place, while liberals would like to see drastic changes. Now, suddenly, after decades of internecine bickering, liberals and conservatives among Catholics have joined forces on an issue. Strangely enough, it involves artificial birth control, one of the sorest points between the two factions. Specifically, a wide cross-section of liberal and conservative Catholics have united in opposition to a Jan. 20 rule issued by the federal Department of Health and Human Services as part of the implementation of “Obamacare.” The rule requires almost all private health insurance plans to provide coverage for all U.S. Food and Drug Administrationapproved prescription contraceptives. Health plans would also have to offer female sterilization as yet another “preventive service.” Companies would have to cover these things fully, with no co-pay for the patient. The penalty for employers who purchase health plans that don’t comply with the rule is about $2,000 per employee. The Catholic Church, which views sex and procreation as inextricably intertwined, forbids both elective sterilization and any effort to prevent conception other than refraining from sexual contact. In response to a request by the U.S. Catholic bishops and some other religious groups that regard artificial contraception as immoral, Health and Human Services carved out a religious exemption for employers. But it was the narrowest possible exemption, covering only employers representing organizations whose primary mission is instructing members in their faith and that serve and employ mostly members of their own faith. In short, Catholic parish churches would qualify for the exemption. Catholic schools, colleges, hospitals, charities and social service agencies — all of which minister to all comers without regard to their religious affiliation — would not. Not surprisingly, the American Catholic bishops have presented a nearly

united front in opposition to the rule, scheduled to go into effect in 2013. The website CatholicVote.org lists 140 bishops, more than 70 percent of the 198 heads of U.S. Catholic dioceses, who have either issued or intend to issue statements opposing the mandate. Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York accused the Obama administration of treating pregnancy and women’s fertility “as a disease.” What is surprising is that prominent liberal Catholics — people who don’t even agree with the church’s position on contraception — have joined their voices in protest. One of them was E.J. Dionne, a widely syndicated columnist for the Washington Post. Dionne, who has been an Obama enthusiast since well before the 2008 election, accused the president in a recent column of having “utterly botched” the issue of contraceptive services. Dionne admitted that he wished “the church would show more flexibility on this question,” but he also pointed out that the sweeping mandate “encroached upon the church’s legitimate prerogatives” to ensure that its employment policies reflected its moral values. This represents a breakthrough in the long-simmering animosity between conservative and liberal Catholics over how much the church should have changed in the wake of Vatican II. Besides contraception, practiced (according to polls) by more than 90 percent of sexually active Catholics despite the church’s prohibition, the issues that divide the two groups include divorce (the church forbids it, but liberals argue that the prohibition is unrealistic in today’s world), samesex unions, the power of the papacy and admitting women to the all-male priesthood. When the clerical sex-abuse scandals surfaced in 2002, conservative Catholics blamed a woozy post-Vatican II mindset that signaled that anything was permissible, while liberals pointed the finger at a hidebound hierarchy desirous of sweeping unpleasant truths under the rug. But the issue of the government’s effort to curtail the freedom of religious institutions to conduct operations according to their moral principles seems to have galvanized a tenuous alliance between the Catholic left and the Catholic right. Michael Sean Winters,

a columnist for the ultraprogressive newspaper the National Catholic Reporter, declared that Obama had “lost my vote” after the rule was issued. He wrote: “(T)he president’s decision … essentially told us, as Catholics, that there is no room in this great country of ours for the institutions our church has built over the years.” Cardinal Roger Mahony, the former archbishop of Los Angeles, used to be derided by Catholic conservatives for his hobnobbing with pro-abortion-rights Democratic politicians and for his expensive and avant-garde Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. Yet Mahony has turned out to be one of the most vehement opponents of the new rule. “I cannot imagine a more direct and frontal attack on freedom of conscience than this ruling today,” he wrote on his blog. Part of the reason for liberal Catholics’ vehemence was their disappointment with Obama. Many liberal Catholics had defied the condemnation of their bishops to support the president’s healthcare legislation of 2010, which did not explicitly bar federal funding for abortions. One of the Obamasupporting liberals was Sister Carol Keehan, president of the Catholic Health Association, an association of Catholic hospitals. Keehan’s tireless advocacy on behalf of the law helped persuade anti-abortion House Democrats to sign on to the Senate-drafted bill that eventually became law. In a recent statement on behalf of the association, she sounded shocked. “The impact of being told we do not fit the new definition of a religious employer and therefore cannot operate our ministries following our consciences has jolted us,” she wrote. The fragile liberal-conservative alliance opposing the rule on contraceptive coverage seems unlikely to hold for long, much less to extend to other issues on which Catholics at either end of the spectrum may find common ground. Yet it is refreshing to see that no matter how disaffected from their church’s teachings some Catholics might feel, they believe that its organizations have a right to act in accordance with its principles.

CHARLOTTE ALLEN -mcclatchy newspapers

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february 9, 2012

Regular Edition Today’s Birthday Horoscope: Go ahead and get excited! You’re living the good life right now, and your friends are here to remind you. You’re learning and surrounded by interesting projects. Participate, and play as you improve. Keep finances organized, and your career advances.

It’s no puzzle what Blacksburg is doing on Thursday and Saturday night. 1470 South Main Street • Blacksburg, VA

540.953.2855 (BULL) • www.bullandbones.com

Piled Higher and Deeper by Jorge Cham 6 8 4

7 3 2 1 9

7 4

4 3 5 9 1 3 7 5 5 4 1 7 6

XKCD by Randell Monroe

This could be you . . .

Crossword

want your comics featured in the collegiate times?

submit them to: studybreak@collegemedia.com

Week ending Jan. 21, 2012

Top tracks

( ) Last week’s ranking in top five

What Doesn’t Kill You • Kelly Clarkson

(1) 1

Set Fire to the Rain • Adele

(2) 2

Give Me all Your Love • Madonna

() 3

Turn Me On • David Guetta & Nicki Minaj

(3) 4

Sexy and I Know It • LMFAO

() 5

word

WORDSEARCH: Game Shows Locate the list of words in the word bank in the letter grid.

UNSCRAMBLER

WORD BANK L

W O

Q W M

W O W D

W O

Q W

W M

W Q

K W

W M

C W O

1 Deal or No Deal 2 Minute to Win It 3 Wipeout 4 Wheel of Fortune 5 Family Feud 6 Singing Bee 7 Jeopardy 8 Cash Cab 9 Lingo 10 The Price is Right 11 It’s Worth What? 12 Password 13 Chain Reaction 14 Match Game 15 Hollywood Squares 16 Shop Til You Drop 17 Newlyweds

FEATURED

EVERY

FRIDAY IN THE

COLLEGIATE

TIMES

Wing&Sing Thursdays College Night Saturday

Unscramble the letters to solve the category “Fast

Food”

Have a set of words you want to see in puzzles section? Email your lists to ctadsproduction@gmail.com.

enwsdy

lmdaodncs

bgrekuirgn

cltbolae

aybrs

serdhae

ilkfiachc

oouckot

s m g

n e

Check out tomorrow’s paper on page 5 for the answers!

Join us for .50c wings from 4pm-10pm & Karaoke 10pm-Close

Starting at 10pm! Dress to Impress! Over 18! Under 21 $10 cover charge

editors: chelsea gunter, patrick murphy

february 9, 2012

featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

COLLEGIATETIMES

wryly

e R ILLY DELIGHTFULLY OFFENSIVE.

One dysfunctional city stands out as the worst of the worst: The sad lament of a Washington, D.C. sports fan

as it been a rough year for Boston fans or what? Tom Brady and the Patriots making “Eli Manning, two-time Super Bowl MVP” the strangest reality in sports is only the latest disappointment to befall Beantown. The last 12 months have seen the once-mighty Celtics fall victim to age, the beloved Red Sox suffer a fried chicken implosion and the fourthwheel Bruins win only one championship — one. Naturally, such a humble and magnanimous fanbase has the sympathy of an entire nation. To go through such a year of turmoil with a mere hockey title as relief from the suffering is rough — I can’t imagine what Boston fans have been through. No, really, I can’t begin to imagine. Forgive me if the social media wailing from distraught Pats fans fails to elicit any compassion. Where I’m from, our sports expectations are lower — much lower. My city would lose its collective mind over a playoff appearance, much less the Super Bowl. Heck, we’ll celebrate just winning a game, and if the team loses, but we beat traffic and get home in time to watch “The Daily Show,” it’s just as good. I’m from the land of losers, the capital of crappiness, the mecca of mediocrity — where else but the swampland known as Washington, D.C. When it comes to sheer futility in professional sports, no other city in America can hold a candle to D.C. Cleveland may have lost LeBron James to the dark side, but the Cavaliers drafted a burgeoning star in Kyrie Irving, the Indians are consistently competitive and the Browns had the last “Madden” cover athlete. Minneapolis earns points for being in the bone-chilling Minnesota tundra but the Wild, Twins and Vikings have all had playoff runs recently, and the Timberwolves are the most exciting young team in the NBA. What does Washington have? It has the flaccid foursome of the last-place Wizards, the lastplace Redskins, the nearly last-place Nationals

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Program Assistant The Virginia Tech Language and Culture Institute in Blacksburg, Va. has an opening for a Humphrey Fellows Program Assistant. The purpose of this position is to provide administrative support to the Humphrey Fellows Long Term English Training Program. This position ensures efficient administration of the program and ensures quality of service to the fellows. The Humphrey Fellow program lasts 5 months and the program assistant will be expected to begin on February 12 and end on August 25, 2012. Please see www.jobs.vt.edu for more details and how to apply.

ANDREW REILLY -featured columnist -senior -communication major -@wrylyreilly

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couple

OF THE

week

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solutions: “Cars”

1) Mustang 2) Jeep 3) Lexus 4) Maserati 5) Dodge 6) Ford 7) Honda 8) Toyota

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Bring love into your work, and gain more than expected. Transformation is good now. Your advances in just about every endeavor will be wawrmly encouraged.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) De ine your desires locally. charm your clients with an emotive presentation. Break through a barrier to exceed expectations. Your luck improves immensely.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) You can go for what you believe in, especially with help of a friend. you have more suppport than you know. You love the results, and so do others.

Gemini (May 21-June 21) A lucky discovery brings soughtafter information. Friends have all kinds of great information, and new opportunities develop. Someone falls in love. Cancer (June 22-July 22) Learn what you need to from someone with experience. Promising ideas get presented. Capture important chances in your schedule. a message of love arrives from afar.

Aries (March 21-April 19) Meet an interesting new person. Take advantage of your incredible magnetism today to win someone’s hear. Your Promotions have power and urgency.

umes about the desperation in this town for any kind of competence. The coup de grace for D.C.’s athletic dignity came Monday night when the Wizards surprised nobody by gifting the sports world another comical example of incompetence. The “highlight” began with the team’s bumbling center JaVale McGee throwing up a typically ghastly shot that barely flirted with the rim before somehow being rebounded and swung back out to star point guard John Wall. The situation seemed ideal: fresh shot clock in a must-win game, ball in the hands of the squad’s best playmaker. There was one problem — McGee started sprinting like a crazed gazelle back to play whatever the Wizards call defense. Wall gave a hilariously dumbfounded look and gestured McGee back to offense, where he subsequently demanded an “alley-oop,” missed the pass and crumpled to the ground. The Wizards season was thus summed up in 19 seconds of gallows humor. The worst part about this story is Washington actually won the game and still managed to become a national laughingstock. That says it all about professional sports in the nation’s capital. So take your Super Bowl heartbreak, Boston, and stuff it down with some Dunkin’ Donuts. Shed a few more tears over spilt LeBron milk, Cleveland. And eat your frigid heart out Minneapolis because Washington, D.C. owns the title of most depressing professional sports city in America. Barring a miracle, it will be the only title we get to celebrate for a while.

UNSCRAMBLER

and a hockey team that’s turned out to be a bigger tease than “Lost.” The quartet’s reliable mediocrity itself isn’t enough to earn the title of worst professional sports in America. No, that honor comes from the humiliating fashion in which D.C. sports teams go about their business of failure. The Redskins are the city’s crown jewels — despite playing in Maryland — and used to make up a premier franchise in football, winning three Super Bowls from 1983 to 1992. Then an egomaniacal advertising magnate named Dan Snyder bought the team and proceeded to gouge fans for an annual sideshow of atrocious contracts, incompetent coaching and bottom-of-the-barrel quarterbacks like Rex Grossman and the corpse of Donovan McNabb. Suffice it to say, Mr. Snyder is not a popular figure around town. Things aren’t much better at the Verizon Center. With superstar Alex Ovechkin leading an explosive attack, the Capitals were expected to be the next NHL dynasty. Instead, D.C. has been given a new tradition: the annual Caps postseason choke. Four early playoff exits and two coaches later, a fan base once jazzed to “rock the red” is starting to wonder why it ever cared so much about hockey. Oh, right, because it was the only team to even sniff success. Now the championshipstarved residents of the D.C. metropolitan area are looking to the Nationals for salvation, and even cynics have to admit the team is intriguing. General manager Mike Rizzo has used shrewd trades and drafting to assemble elite talent highlighted by stars like pitcher Stephen Strasburg and wunderkind Bryce Harper. The team is being talked up as a dark horse contender, and D.C. is ready to guzzle the Kool-Aid. Nothing paints a picture of miserable pro sports quite like a city placing all of its eggs in the basket of a baseball team that had a worldbeating .500 best record in its inaugural season since returning to town. That should speak vol-

Kastel & Caitlin Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Change could be coming down the road. You have a irm hand on the reins. This could get expensive. Reassess your assets. Consider those that don’t usually show up on the books. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Your capacity to dream is your power tool today. Make it happen. Feeling at ease and in charge of your life makes you quite attractive. Let romance ind you. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Look past storm clouds to see the rainbow. When you put it in perspective, it’s manageable. Send your energy in the right direction. A breakthrough is possible.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Ask what you can do for your community, and then act on it. Your willingness to help others is sexy. Friends are there for you, too.

dating since: Sept. 23, 2011 he says: She is my everything and being with her is what is getting me throught deployment. I love everything about her and can’t wait to come home.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Take a long trip with a loved one and learn something new about yourselves. Listen closely to emotions. don’t spend more than you budget. Deepen a connection.

she says:

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Put your energy into your relationship, whether it’s an adventuresome getaway or just a night at home around the ire. Try on their shoes, and enhance your listening skills.

their first date:

He’s my better half, my best friend. I love that I can talk to him about absolutely anything. I miss him like crazy when he’s gone but i know all the waiting is worth it in the end.

Their frist date was dinner at Wendy’s and catching a movie at the Drive-In movie theater in Christiansburg.

weekend

february 9, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

Make-A-Wish Foundation to hold beneﬁt a capella concert Virginia Tech singing groups to perform in the Graduate Life Center tomorrow for fundraising KAILA TAYLOR features staff writer

tion for various prizes including gift cards from The Lyric Theatre, The Cellar Restaurant, as well as an official signed Beamer ball. To help boost attendance at the concert, the Make-AWish team has issued a challenge to all Tech organizations and clubs. The group that has the highest attendance from its organization will receive 10 percent of the proceeds to be donated to a charity of its choice.

Since forming three years ago, the Make-A-Wish Foundation team at Virginia Tech has raised more than $10,000. Now it’s looking to increase that figure with an upcoming concert. Tomorrow at 7 p.m., the Make-A-Wish team at Tech will be holding its first annual Acapalooza benefit concert in the Graduate Life Center auditorium. The concert will feature four of the a cappella groups on campus, includWe as college students have ing Juxtaposition, been incredibly blessed, (but) Tech Notes, Mixed Emotions and there are a lot of kids in our Sensations. “We’ve decided local area who unfortunately that we are going do not have (the same) to try something new this year,” opportunities because of their said Arielle Kohr, health.” a senior human development major and the Make-AArielle Kohr Wish Tech chapMake-A-Wish Tech chapter co-founder ter co-founder. “We’ve worked with the a cappella groups in the past, and they’ve been incredibly supportive, so we “Hopefully it will bring up decided we wanted to incor- attendance,” Kohr said. “It’s porate that. The idea of having another way to give back.” an a cappella concert has the The other 90 percent of the potential to grow and develop proceeds will go to the national into something big.” Make-A-Wish Foundation. Each of the groups will be Although Tech’s Make-A-Wish singing for about 15 minutes, team does not have a set goal covering about three or four for donations, it is confident songs. this concert will bring it more The HokieBird will be mak- than enough to support its ing an appearance at the con- cause. cert, showing its support for the “Any amount of money we cause. There will also be an auc- make is money that Make-AWish didn’t have in the past,” Kohr said. “We’re just trying to give back in the biggest way we can, and we know it will be successful if we have a large turnout.” Tickets for the concert are $5 and will be sold in Squires Student Center, as well as at the door. The money will go toward the Make-A-Wish foundation, making attendance at the concert a donation in itself.

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The GLC auditorium will display official Make-A-Wish decorations, including stars and blue, silver and white adornments. The students from Gilbert Linkous Elementary will also help embellish the room. Their artwork that represents their responses to the prompt, “What would you wish for?” will also be presented. “I fully support what the Make-A-Wish team is doing here at Tech,” said Victoria Wright, a junior psychology major. “This concert will really bring awareness and draw in support from the students here.” The bake sale that was held all week leading up the concert in Squires also seemed to get students involved in the cause. “After buying literally a thousand baked goods from the Make-A-Wish team, I really see what they are trying to do,” said Sean Freeman, a freshman engineering major. “I’m definitely going to show my support, and everybody else should too. It’s for a great cause.” Word about the Make-A-Wish team’s efforts is beings spread around the Blacksburg community. “What these kids are doing is absolutely amazing,” said Mariah Harris, a Blacksburg resident. “You don’t come across many college students who do as much as this group has. I heard about the concert a little while ago, and I know it will be a hit. The Make-A-Wish Foundation will be so proud to see the effort these students have put in.” Tech’s Make-A-Wish team said it’s excited and hopeful the concert will raise more than enough for children who are less fortunate. The group hopes to make this an annual event that will continue to grow. “We as college students have been incredibly blessed,” Kohr said. “(But) there are a lot of kids in our local area who unfortunately do not have (the same) opportunities because of their health. Taking some time out of your evening to help support a cause that gives them hope, inspiration and happiness will be an amazing way to give back to them.”

......radio for

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

RecycleMania Environmental organizations on campus encourage students to get involved in national month-long recycling competition to the tournament. “Hokies love to compete, no matter what it is (for),” the senior biochemistry and environmenWhile athletics may be the most tal policy and planning dounotable forms of competition at ble major. “(We also want) to get Virginia Tech, not everyone has to the message out that recycling is play on a team to get in the game. easy.” In the following weeks, the To reach Tech’s goal, the OES has entire campus will compete green recycling bins next to, or against hundreds of other schools near, the majority of trashcans on for the 2012 RecycleMania campus. trophy. Since recycling is convenient, On Sunday, Feb. 5, the 2012 Kosnett said he doesn’t think there RecycleMania — an eight-week is a reason students shouldn’t be recycling and waste reduction tour- doing it. nament — kicked off. There are “Recycling is a gatemany categories schools can enter way sustainable (measure),” and compete in. This is the sev- Kosnett said. “Once someone enth year Tech has competed for a realizes how easy it is, they begin RecycleMania title. to make other changes in their T e c h ’ s life.” 2012 goal is Kosnett said to increase these further recycling by changes are Recycling is a gateway 10 percent evident in the sustainable (measure). Once t r a n s p o r t a and decrease trash by 5 choices someone realizes how easy tion percent. In students last year’s make. it is, they begin to make tournament, “Just in other changes in their life.” the past few Tech recycled more years, the than 286,000 Alex Kosnett number of pounds of on Environmental Coalition president bikes bottles, cans, campus has paper and e x p l o d e d ,” cardboard. Kosnett said. Va r i o u s “The univergroups on campus are deter- sity can’t get bike racks on campus mined to meet or even surpass fast enough.” this year’s goal. Denny Cochrane, Dining halls have also been in on the chair of the Office of Energy the effort to “go green.” and Sustainability, and other office “The university has really upped members have been coordinating its game,” Kosnett said. “A few years efforts to promote the event and ago nothing in ABP could be recysupport the groups dedicated to cled. Now, everything there can RecycleMania. be.” The OES has also reached out to For its efforts, Tech was named residence hall leaders to encourage one of the 16 colleges on the Green more participation from students liv- College Honor Roll in 2011 the ing on campus. Princeton Review. The Environmental Coalition, Weekly measurements for along with the SGA and Dining RecycleMania will be available Services, are getting involved with at Facilities.vt.edu/sustainabilthe efforts too. Alex Kosnett, the ity/, showing how many pounds president of the coalition, said the of each recycling category were Hokies can bring a competitive edge collected.

CHELSEA GILES features staff writer

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RecycleMania History The recycling competition first began in 2001 between Ohio and Miami universities. It has since expanded to 630 colleges, with 7.5 million people involved.

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news

february 9, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

Tuesday’s losses highlight Romney’s struggles in bid for nomination MARK Z. BARABAK

a so-called “beauty contest,” with no bearing on how delegates are awarded. Romney is still comfortLOS ANGELES — The road to ably ahead in the very early count. the Republican presidential nomiBut if Tuesday’s results merely nation just got longer, steeper and delayed the inevitable, as many less predictable. party analysts and insiders sugMitt Romney is still the prohibi- gested, it is a delay that will be tive front-runner as the race heads costly for Romney in terms of now to Arizona and Michigan. He time, money and the price of wagalone has the financial and orga- ing two fights at once, against nizational wherewithal to stay in President Barack Obama and a the race and fight in every contest persistent pack of Republican through the last big day of ballot- rivals. ing, on June 2. Romney has shown a pattern But by losing three out of throughout the campaign of three Tuesday contests to Rick ignoring his Republican oppoSantorum — two of them in blow- nents when doing well, only to outs — Romney underlined sev- suddenly engage them when he eral of the weaknesses of his can- stumbles. So it was no surprise didacy, starting with his failure to that he held an airport news conconnect with the GOP’s most con- ference in Atlanta Wednesday to servative voters. In Minnesota, assail Santorum and offer, strateColorado and Missouri, Romney gists said, a preview of what is to lost ground to Santorum in areas come. where the Republican base is Having let up on Gingrich, only strongest. to watch his campaign revive in He also lagged far behind his South Carolina after poor showown performance four years ings in Iowa and New Hampshire, ago — receiving in Minnesota, the Romney team said it would for instance, less than a third of try to yoke both he and Santorum the vote he won in 2008. That to the hated Beltway establishsuggests both a general lack of ment. enthusiasm for his candidacy and, “Rick Santorum was a major perhaps, a specific aversion to the earmarker and continued to former Massachusetts governor defend earmarks,” Romney said in — echoing recent polls that have Atlanta, referring to the congressional practice of designating federal money for specific local purposes. “Republicans spent too Republicans spent too much much money, borrowed money, borrowed too much too much money, earmarked too much, and money, earmarked too Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich have to much, and Rick Santorum be held accountable.” Santorum, who seemed and Newt Gingrich have to to fade after barely winbe held accountable.” ning Iowa, offered a tart taste Wednesday of what Mitt Romney Romney can expect in return. Appearing early shown Romney less popular as Wednesday on CNN, the former the race continues. Pennsylvania senator pushed back Nothing changed in terms of against Romney’s election night the delegate count, as strate- assertion that the Republican gists for the front-runner were presidential contest amounts to a quick to note. The caucuses in choice between a business world Minnesota and Colorado were outsider and a Washington insidjust the start of their election pro- er. cess, and Missouri’s primary was “Mr. Outsider was for a govern-

mcclatchy newspapers

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MCT CAMPUS

ment takeover of health care, was for a government takeover of the private sector — the Wall Street bailout — and for a takeover of industry and energy with capand-trade,” Santorum said. “So, Mr. Private Sector was Mr. Big Government.” If Tuesday’s balloting produced an embarrassment for Romney, it was a complete humiliation for the former House speaker. Gingrich finished a distant third in Colorado, fourth in Minnesota and did not even appear on the ballot in Missouri, after failing to qualify. Apparently sensing disaster, he spent Election Day in Ohio,

which does not vote for another month. Given his dismal performance, it has become much harder for Gingrich to argue that he is the conservative alternative to Romney, a case he has pressed since his lone victory last month in the South Carolina primary. (It is foolhardy, however, to predict Gingrich’s demise, given his earlier recoveries from political near-death.) Gingrich’s best hope appears to be a strong performance in the next debate, in just under two weeks in Arizona, and a batch of wins when the campaign heads south next month to Georgia, where he served in

Congress, Tennessee and the border state of Oklahoma. Like Gingrich, Santorum is picking and choosing his fights. He signaled Wednesday that he would make his next stand in Michigan, which holds its primary the same day as Arizona, on Feb. 28. It is a risky move: Romney, whose father was a popular three-term governor, was born in Detroit and remains something of a favorite son. But Michigan has an open primary, meaning Santorum can target his more economic populist message at working-class voters, regardless of their political affiliation.

And unlike Arizona, which is a winner-take-all contest, Michigan allows even non-winners to collect delegates. To pose a true threat to Romney, Santorum must do more than win small caucus states, which favor the candidate with the most ideologically motivated supporters, or low-turnout primaries like Missouri. A win in Michigan would be a good start. But he must build a national organization and fundraising base and do so quickly, because Super Tuesday — when nearly a dozen states vote — is less than a month away.

sports

february 9, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

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

Carter: Wrestler pushes through distress from page one

teammate Pete Yates were forced to become leaders. “Devin is a very quiet leader. He’s not that much of a verbal leader,” Dresser said. “He’s always positive, he never gets too high, never gets too low, but he leads by example, and I know guys feed off that.” During team practices, Devin leads by example. When teammates spar or do drills with him, he pushes them to work harder and keep pace with his intensity. “I know it affects the guys around his weight,” said Zach Neibert, Devin’s teammate. “The harder he works, the harder we work. It’s all about being better than Devin.” Carter won the Midlands final 6-4 in the sudden victory period after scoring a takedown with 18 seconds remaining. Debbie called her husband to inform him of his son’s victory, which Jeff watched on video in the hospital. “I guess it was kind of good he didn’t see it (firsthand) because it was an exciting match,” Debbie said. “It was good that he saw it on tape. It was a perfect scenario

The week after his win, Devin was named the new top wrestler for the 133-pound weight class in NCAA Division I wrestling, the first Hokie to be nationally ranked atop his weight class since Scott Justus in 2002. Because of his father’s heart attack, Devin sees his achievement in a different light than most. “It’s really not that big of a deal. It is just one person’s opinion,” Devin said. “Honestly, the only reason I am ranked No. 1 is by default. I would have been ranked third, but No. 1 and No. 2 actually got upset that weekend, so they just fell, and I ended up being No. 1 by default.” However, becoming a national champion at the collegiate level has been Devin’s ultimate goal since high school. “All my years of high school, I went to NCAAs and watched college nationals, and I just knew I wanted it after watching the finals,” he said. “With all of the hype, I just knew I wanted to be a national champ.” Devin is coming closer to achieving his goal since he was ranked No. 1 nationally — a standing that could be a huge advantage in nationI think Devin Carter, if he als, which take place leaves Virginia Tech without in March. His teammates and coaches a national title, will be very believe he has the ability to reach the disappointed and that’s all phenomenal feat. that needs to be said.” “I think Devin Carter, if he leaves Kevin Dresser Virginia Tech witha national title, Wrestling head coach out will be very disappointed and that’s all that needs to be said,” for a bad situation.” Dresser said. “Is he good enough Jeff was released from the hos- to win it this year? We will see pital five days later after being in a month. But he has the absokept for observation. He sus- lute potential. It is a huge, huge tained no damage to his heart, statement to be the No. 1 guy in mainly because he was taken to a weight class. It is a lot tougher the hospital so quickly when his than people think, but he has attack ensued. that ability.”

“It started off being my dad who pushed me and motivated me,” Devin said of his original involvement in wrestling. “My dad was my coach for 10, 11 years. He is one of the main people that contributed to my success as a wrestler.” The next morning, Devin made weight and won his semi-finals match 17-7. The finals were not until later that night, and he was set to face Iowa’s Tony Ramos, who was ranked third in the nation in the 133-pound weight class. The previous day’s events weighed heavily on the sophomore’s mind. “(Devin) was probably thinking, ‘I’ve got to do this. I’ve got to do this for him. I’ve got to do this for me. Let’s make a bad thing good,’” Debbie said. “I’m sure he was thinking, after the fact, ‘This would be great. Dad is going to be thrilled.’” But Dresser helped Devin stay on point. “Devin set a goal to win the Midlands. Just because he had Tony Ramos didn’t change his mind, he went there to win that thing,” Dresser said. “Usually when you go to a tournament of that caliber and you go there with that strong of intent to win, you have a chance to win no matter what.” Debbie attributes her son’s success, on the tournament’s final day, to Dresser. “I think he was a tremendous influence on Devin,” she said. “Once Devin made the decision, and once my husband told Devin to go out there and wrestle, he was key in keeping him focused and keeping him on track as far as what his goal was ... I think without him there, and him helping Devin stay focused, I don’t know what would have happened.” After season-ending injuries to senior team captains Jesse Dong and David Marone, Devin and

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COURTESY OF LUKE MASON

Devin Carter battles Duke’s Brandon Gambucci en route to a pin on Jan. 21. Carter, currently ranked the No. 1 wrestler in the nation at 133 pounds, is 27-1 on the year.

Open House 10am-4pm Saturday, Feb. 11th