Tuesday, April 17, 2012 Print Edition by Collegiate Times

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

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

COLLEGIATETIMES 108th year, issue 49

News, page 6

Arts & Entertainment, page 7

Opinions, page 3

Sports, page 2

Study Break, page 4

Feelings flash back

BRAD KLODOWSKI/SPPS

Five years after the April 16, 2007 campus shootings, memories are still as vivid as if it were yesterday in the minds of community members When I got home, I saw that they didn’t cut (the birthday cake). And the presents were still out, and unopened.”

MARK UMANSKY/SPPS

April 16 victim remembered and honored by close friend, professional baseball player LIANA BAYNE special sections editor

oments before Sara Musick walked out of Burruss Hall to honor her friend Brian Bluhm by carrying his memorial candle, Bluhm’s favorite baseball player found his own way to honor the fallen Hokie. Bluhm was an avid fan of the Detroit Tigers, a Major League Baseball team, including outfielder Curtis Granderson, who was on the Tigers at the time but now plays for the Yankees. After hearing about his fan, Granderson took a

Susan Anderson, Womanspace representative

Guy Sims, Associate VP for Student Affairs

personal interest. The outfielder posted Bluhm’s picture on his Twitter page Monday and wore special cleats and armbands to honor Bluhm in Monday’s Yankees game against the Twins. Granderson hit a home run at about 7:30 p.m., just as last night’s candlelight vigil was beginning. Musick honored Bluhm’s interest by wearing a Detroit Tigers hat during Saturday’s 3.2 for 32 run. “I don’t ever wear that hat except on April 16,” Musick said. see MUSICK / page ﬁve

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It’s completely intertwined with my family tragedy. I have a hard time thinking of one without the other.”

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Being here the past four years, it’s unlike any community in the world.”

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You don’t take for granted that it could have been you.”

Bo Hart, 2010-11 SGA President

DJ Preston, Sports clubs coordinator

To Read more day-of accounts, See full coverage on page six

Memorial events Holocaust survivor shares his story alter BT routes Retired professor David de Wolf to read from his book ‘It Could Not Happen Here, But It Did’ CHELSEA GILES

Students unaware of Monday’s schedule changes were left waiting, frustrated with lack of notiﬁcation GINA PATTERSON news staff writer There was a major detour for buses that usually stop in front of Burruss Hall on Monday, leaving some stuents confused and frustrated. Instead, buses stopped on Perry Street, next to Bishop-Favrao Hall, due to blockades on Drillfield Drive for the April 16 candlelight vigil. “I found out when I rode the bus this morning,” said Darris Wallner, a senior biology major. The change in detour was mentioned on the Blacksburg Transit website, but some students felt there could have been additional information provided. “We weren’t notified about it so it was kind of upsetting but not a big deal,” said Ralph Vaz, a junior finance major. “It would be nice to have notice next time. Wallner echoed that sentiment. “I think a little bit more notification would have been nice,” Wallner said. “I know they had some of the fliers outside of Burruss, notifying patrons there that the stop had moved over [to Perry Street]. Maybe a single email or maybe just something in the newspaper a week ago probably would have been nice.” Several people found the new stops inconvenient. “I definitely heard a few people talking on the bus and that they were upset

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I deﬁnitely heard a few people talking on the bus and that they were upset that they were going to be late for class because the bus was going to be dropping them off over (on Perry Street)” Darris Wallner senior biology major

that they were going to be late for class because the bus was going to be dropping them off over here,” Wallner said. Other students were happy with the change in route. “I was surprised, but it dropped me off closer to where I wanted to go,” said Kevin Hummel, a junior aerospace engineer major. On their website yesterday, under news and updates, the Blacksburg Transit stated that there would be major detours expected on campus all day due to the candle light vigil. Blacksburg Transit also provides BT4U, a device where riders can find the arrival time of the next bus stop.

features staff writer Holocaust survivor and retired Virginia Tech professor David de Wolf will speak today at 7 p.m. in honor of Holocaust Awareness Week. De Wolf self-published “It Could Not Happen Here, But It Did,” which is comprised of letters written between his family members during World War II. De Wolf was five years old when his family fled their home country to escape the Nazi invasion. The speech is a free event sponsored by Hillel at Virginia Tech as part of a series to remember those who died in the Holocaust. De Wolf ’s speech, which will consist mostly of readings from his book, will take place in Squires Colonial Hall.

Collegiate Times: Will your speech revolve around your book? de Wolf: Entirely — it is all about the book. (The speech) is essentially a series of parts that I will read from the book. There will be illustrations in a presentation and tables (describing) what happened in Holland during the time of the writing. CT: Your book is based on the letters between your families, correct? de Wolf: Yes, it’s in two parts. I’m focusing the book on the story of my family. It’s more or less straightforward of what people

experienced, and what I find very interesting are the descriptions of life in the United States. The first chapter is the story of our flight, and the other chapters deal with the letters between by father in the U.S. and my family in Holland. Of these, my Uncle and his family survived the war by going into hiding at the right time. My grandparents did not — they were deported to Auschwitz. In fact, of their generation, almost nobody survived.

CT: Did you inherit your family’s letters? de Wolf: Yes, my father made copies of the ones he wrote and of course kept the ones he received written on aerograms. All of them were looked at by censors. It was expensive to send them, and they were delivered by clipper — an aircraft. It was costly, so my grandparents wrote densely. My grandfather wrote on one side and my grandmother wrote on the other. I can barely read her writing, because there is so much on the page. CT: What inspired you to put the letters together and write the book? de Wolf: After having read them, I realized there was a story that hadn’t been told about the war — mainly, the letters of people who remained under the occupation who were telling the story during the war. I hadn’t seen that before. It was stuff hot off the press as it

was happening; they were directly involved. My uncle was trying not to alarm my parents of life in the Netherlands, and my parents tried not to alarm them of life in the U.S. They were truthful, nevertheless. They offered camouflage for what they wanted to say in such a way that it would pass the censors.

flight from Holland as the biggest feast of our lives. We thought it was a huge party, until we were hoisted on board of course. That was the moment we grew tense.

CT: Even though you were only 5 years old, do you have any vivid memories of the Netherlands during your flight?

de Wolf: To remember that it could occur anywhere, and that’s why it’s so important. We all have to be alert that escalation of seemingly innocent harsh measures ultimately lead to what we call the Holocaust. Unfortunately, we’ve had many other examples since the war of which I guess the murders in China, Cambodia, Rwanda and Bosnia are some glaring examples. It seems to happen, somehow, that people who (murder) are either ruthless or ideologically motivated. The ideology is the justification for the horrible things they do to people. And as my father wrote, they said it couldn’t happen here but it did, which is also the title of my book. It’s been 72 years since the war, and what happened was so unusual that so much is to be avoided in the future. Maybe it will help if people know something about it.

de Wolf: The first thing I remember is the taping of windows in the days just before the invasion. It must have been after May 10, because it was in response to bombardments. My parents feared it would shatter the glass. Then, of course, I remember on (May 14), we were shepherded to the harbor. We were standing on the pier when we were hoisted onto the ship that took us to England. It was a ship that had turned back to pick up some prisoners of war. That ship then sailed during the night and was attacked by dive bombers — I remember from the ‘ping, ping’ somewhere below deck. Then we stayed in England for six weeks, and my parents managed to get a spot on a ship to the U.S. It was one that rode at night and zigzagged to avoid the U-boats.

CT: What do you think is most important for people to reflect on when attending the events for Holocaust Awareness Week?

CT: Do you have any special plans, since you’re only in the office for the day? de Wolf: To live until tomorrow.

CT: Do you remember your outlook being changed in anyway?

De Wolf: Well, my parents write that my brother and I — I was six and he was four — regarded this

ATTEND THE EVENT TODAY AT 7 P.M. SQUIRES COLONIAL

sports

april 17, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

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

Baseball takes series from No. 6 Miami MATT JONES sports editor A walk-off win Sunday capped-off a weekend in which the Virginia Tech baseball team took two of three games from the No. 6 Miami Hurricanes. The Hokies (25-13, 7-11 ACC), dropped Friday night’s game 6-4 before storming back on Saturday and Sunday behind two walk-off wins. On Friday night, starting pitcher Joe Mantiply was able to last just 4.2 innings before exiting the game with arm soreness. Although the loss hurt, the weekend would not be remembered for the disappointment on Friday. Saturday the Hokies fell behind early again, as starting pitcher Marc Zecchino was able to get through only 4.1 innings. But unlike Friday night, the Hokies bullpen came through when needed most, pitching 4.2 innings of scoreless relief. Clark Labitan got the win, improving to 5-1 on the season with his three innings of work, allowing just one hit. In the eighth inning, the Hokies tied the game for the second time, when Ronnie Shaban’s sacrifice fly scored Andrew Rash. Then in the ninth, Miami’s Adam Sargent loaded the bases before walking freshman Alex Perez to force in the winning run for the 5-4 win. “I’m happy for that freshman class,” said Pete Hughes, head coach. “They’re getting valuable experience and the future looks good.” On Sunday, all the pieces seemed to fall into place, starting with the performance of pitcher Andrew Aizenstadt. In a tight battle against opposing pitcher Steven Ewing (eight innings, one hit, one run allowed), Aizenstadt silenced the mighty Hurricane

pen after this half. Let’s stay positive, let’s stay focused on what we have to do, not what we didn’t get accomplished.” After Perez singled to start the inning, Gabe Ortiz was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second. With one out, Johnny Morales bunted for a hit to load the bases for Tyler Horan. Horan was hit by a pitch to force in the tying run, bringing freshman Mark Zagunis to the plate with a chance to win the game. With the count 2-2, Zagunis laced a single to the opposite field to score I want to go to the national Ortiz, giving the Hokies the 3-2 win. tournament so we get “My exact words to Coach hot and go to Omaha. (Hughes) when You don’t do that without the game ended were ‘that wasn’t a freshbeating Miami or another man hitting,’” Mason formidable opponent in our said. “He’s not a freshACC.” man c atcher, Pete Hughes and he’s just way head coach beyond his years when it comes to caving to pressure or anything along those lines.” Hughes, whose team Aizenstadt got over the faces Wake Forest, Maryland, mental part of the game to put NC State and North Carolina to finish its ACC schedule, it all together. “That’s what I’ve kind knows the value of the series of been working on a lot, win. “We needed to beat a quality not letting the game kind opponent in a series,” Hughes of get to me,” Aizenstadt said. “Kind of stay calm, and said. “We hadn’t done that this (pitching coach) Mason was great every inning, year, and their RPI indikeeping me calm in the cated that we needed to get a quality win. I want to dugout.” every game and Through eight innings, the win only Hokies run came courtesy I want to go to the tournament so of Brendon Hayden’s solo home national we can get hot and go to run. After Aizenstadt exited Omaha. You don’t do that in the ninth inning, Miami without beating Miami or scored two runs off Hokies another formidable opponent closer Jake Joyce to make it in our ACC.” The Hokies hope to extend their 2-1 going to the bottom of the non-conference winning ninth. “The message was I don’t care streak to 14 games when what happened last half inning,” they face Coastal Carolina tonight. First pitch is Hughes said. p.m. at English “The only thing I care 5:30 about is what’s going to hap- Field. bats for eight innings, giving up just three hits and one run. Af ter t he game, Aizenstadt reflected on his performance. “It was a lot of fun,” he said. “I never really got a feeling for my second pitch, so I just had to work the corners. The defense behind me was incredible.” A redshirt-senior transfer, Aizenstadt came to play at Tech for the chance to pitch in games like Sunday’s. Having struggled in his previous two starts,

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Weekend highlights

Andrew Aizenstadt: 8 IP, 1 ER, 7K

Brendon Hayden: 3-10, 1 run, 2 RBI, HR

Tyler Horan: 3-10, 1 run, 3 RBI, 2-2B

Gabe Ortiz: 3-11, 2 runs

Ronnie Shaban: 2-10, 2 runs, 2 RBI, 2B

Mark Zagunis: 4-11, 1 run, 3 RBI, 2-2B

upcoming games Apr. 17: Coastal Carolina - 5:30 p.m.

Apr. 24: Davidson - 5:30 p.m.

Apr. 20: @Wake Forest - 6 p.m.

Apr. 27: Maryland - 5:30 p.m.

Apr. 21: @Wake Forest - 4 p.m.

Apr. 28: Maryland - 2 p.m.

Apr. 22: @Wale Forest - 1pm

Apr. 29: Maryland - 1p.m.

opinions

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

april 17, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

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

Your Views [letters to the editor]

ring pictures of people or places that are important to you or that you love, and we will go to a nearby coffee shop and talk about these people or places that have brought such happiness to our lives.” This was one of my recent homework assignments and normally, I would have questioned the relevance of an assignment such as this for a 4000 level French business class, and maybe even chuckled a little at the almost “hippie” feelingoriented nature of it. But Dr. Sharon Johnson, an associate professor in the French department who is not only known for being a challenging and engaging professor, but also for her individual care towards every single one of her students, was asking us to do this in honor of the 5th anniversary of the April 16 shootings. Instead of our regularly scheduled routine of drilling French business vocabulary or discussing the structural differences between businesses in various Francophone countries, we were going to open up and show our fellow classmates a more personal side of ourselves by means of this assignment. What was most striking to me about this task was the way in which it forced me to reflect in a way that I have just, frankly, not had time to do. As a senior graduating in May in the process of finishing an honors thesis, working as a research assistant, being an active member and/or officer in several organizations, preparing for my next steps after graduation, all while trying to maintain a social life, free time, especially for this type of reflection, has not frequently fallen into my lap this semester. I know so many classmates across all types of disciplines and year-levels in very similar boats as well. But here I was, the night before my class, thinking about what pictures I would bring to this “class” session and what parts of myself I would show to my professor and classmates that they otherwise would not know existed. I and many, if not all, of my current classmates were not yet at Virginia Tech when the April 16, 2007 campus shootings took place. Yet, becoming close with many people, both students and

professors, who were so profoundly affected by the events creates a strange simultaneous connect and disconnect. While we are still members of this community and feel varying levels of connections to the events of April 16, it can at times be challenging to know how exactly to feel about these terrible losses. Nonetheless, by giving us this assignment, Dr. Johnson not only wanted us to reflect on the events of that day and who and what was lost, but also on what was gained in the growth and solidarity that the Virginia Tech community experienced as a result. Having to step aside from my very focused and studious nature in order to reflect for this assignment truly demonstrates why so many students, faculty, and other members of the community here feel a spirit that they could never possibly describe to anyone outside. While the rigorous academics are a strong component of Virginia Tech, this university and community shape the “whole person” with the atmosphere of service and care for others that is ubiquitous. And despite the list of graded assignments myself and the others in my class with Dr. Johnson may have to complete for the week, I feel very grateful for this opportunity to step aside and reflect on the important people and places in my life on this anniversary of such tragic events. Regardless of whether we were here or not, we still live in the spirit of service of this community, which necessarily means living for the spirit of the 32 who cannot. Though so many of us are very busy college students rushing from one meeting or class to another, it is very important, yet at times difficult, to find time to be grateful for everything that surrounds us. And even after just a short amount of reflection for this unconventional yet thoughtful assignment, I can say with certainty that Blacksburg is very high on my list of places that have brought profound happiness to my life. - Rachel Kirk, senior political science & French major

Unpaid internships create uneven playing ﬁeld for all As

the summertime approaches, college students are faced with the question of spending it in leisure, taking classes or joining the workforce. For most, leisure is not a feasible option and therefore students will have to use the summer to gain money and pad their resumes for future employment. However, there has been growth in a subject matter that has turned the summer job into a growing form of discussion in economic policy: the dreaded unpaid internship. The unpaid internship, in its ideal form is a way for a student to gain real-world experience and practice in their field of choice that is purely educational and cannot involve any work that would be given to a paid intern or employee. However, through recent lawsuits and unraveling reports by major economic think tanks, like the Economic Policy Institute’s Ross Eisenbrey, unpaid internships are increasingly becoming just entry-level jobs without the pay. The entire system is unfair, and even borders on “illegal exploitation” in cases where experience is not purely “educational,” but here’s how it happens: To begin, this summer I will be undertaking an unpaid internship of my own, consequently I am seeing first-hand the ludicrousness taking place. The internship requires I get college credit for the work I put in over the summer; this means I am forced to pay my beloved Virginia Tech over $1,100 for three credits that will NOT count towards graduation because they are not needed by the Communication Department. I am literally paying Virginia Tech for no substantial reason other than the company requires me to, thus allowing them to write me off as a tax exemption. The reason I’m accepting this internship is it will put my foot in the door — my first step up on the rungs of the career ladder. I can network for later jobs while gaining work experience and can proudly write the glittering internship down on my resume.

But what about the people who cannot afford a summer without an income? For many students undertaking debt, paying for school is their primary objective during the summer and three months without PAID employment could be detrimental to their mission. Moreover, how could they afford to pay Virginia Tech for credit hours, work 30-40 hours, and still make enough to live? Unpaid internships are further strengthening a cycle of inequality in the American market system. There is a theory that in America, an average person will either go up or down only one economic class higher or lower than their parents. Unpaid internships are not the sole cause of this, but they’re a great example of decreasing social mobility in the United States. Additionally, unpaid internships only further reinforce the divide between those who can and those who cannot, while rewarding the incumbency of the wealthy and its advantages. Youth unemployment is currently around 18 percent, and competition for unpaid internships is actually making them hard to get. How can society desire more contributing individuals when the youth can only find jobs without compensation? Ultimately, unpaid internships are great sources of experience and work for many young professionals however they often benefit the company more than the intern. Companies can get free labor, universities can take more money and the lower classes can be further blockaded from desired jobs. It was once an American ideal that after a hard day’s work, a person would be rewarded with a fair wage. Hopefully one day we will be able to return to those glory days.

SHAWN GHUMAN -regular columnist -senior -communication

MCT CAMPUS

Military support requires limits I

don’t support the troops.” These words are rarely uttered in American society. Most citizens of the United States support the military with a religious zeal that would make even God jealous. This blind support is not a good thing — people should set a limit to their support of the military and know if the military crosses it, then there is no reason for more support. Historically, standing armies are absent from much of America’s history as represented in the American Revolution and the War of 1812. Even up until World War II, America’s military capability was negligible. Only after U.S. victory in World War II did the country establish the enormous, permanent military apparatus that President Dwight Eisenhower labeled “the military-industrial complex.” The continued existence of this enormous military apparatus was justified by the Cold War. Then the collapse of the Soviet Union solidified in the minds of many the notion military strength was necessary for peace. A decade later, the attacks of September 11, 2001 occurred, thus soldifying the need for a standing military. For today’s generation, it is unthinkable to question the support of an institution that is believed to be defending America’s existence and the American way of life. One of the reasons for this unflinching support is that, unlike the Vietnam generation, current Americans have mentally separated those who carry out policy from those who make policy, leading to adoration for a military fighting unjust wars and contempt for the political leaders who made the decision to fight them. After all, how can one blame the military when troops are just following orders and doing their job, right? Wrong — following orders

does not excuse immoral behavior, and the U.S. government acknowledged this truth shortly after World War II during the Nuremberg trials. When preparing to try Nazi war criminals in court, the U.S. set forth rules and procedures to govern the Nuremberg trials, In a document known as the London Charter or Nuremberg Charter, the U.S. set precedent stating that following or obeying orders is not a defense for war crimes. Every soldier was responsible for his own actions and had to decide for himself whether or not an order was moral. Another reason for unflinching support of the military is due to people genuinely believing the military makes freedom possible. This is what is implied when people utter phrases such as “those who died for our freedom,” and, “Thank you for protecting our freedom.” However, when one moves beyond catchy phrases, pledges and patriotic fervor, and begins to ponder whether there is any truth or substance behind the words, valid questions begin to emerge. For example, why is American freedom contingent upon costly and never-ending wars, death and destruction, but Canadian and Swiss freedom is not? How has New Zealand, Australia, Iceland and countless other countries managed to remain free, even though they do not occupy 150 countries with 900 military bases? The reality is freedom and liberty are not contingent upon foreign bases, occupations and wars. As the Founding Fathers recognized, true threats to individual rights and personal liberty come not from foreign populations, but from one’s own government. As Iraq War veteran Adam Kokesh stated during his 2010 Republican congressional run for office, “I had to find out the hard way that the greatest enemies to the Constitution of the Unites

States of America, are not to be found in the sands of some far off land, but rather right here at home.” If the military was really concerned with protecting freedom and liberty, it would cease prosecuting foreign wars of aggression, and choose instead to protect American civilians from domestic law enforcement agents who enforce unconstitutional, illegal and immoral laws. Every day, more troops are waking up to the fact their own government poses the greatest threat to the liberty of American citizens. Many retired and active duty military have joined Oath Keepers, an organization dedicated to protecting the rights enshrined in the Constitution, which they swore an oath to uphold and protect. According to Oath Keeper’s website, there are a number of unlawful orders their members have sworn to disobey, should they ever be asked to carry them out. Unfortunately, there will always be those who “just follow orders,” and it doesn’t appear Americans are about to question their blind devotion and support of the military. This dangerous combination has been the formula behind evert tyrant and war criminal in history and it is naive to think America is somehow immune. Avoiding atrocities in the future will only be possible if people establish, in their own minds, what line the military would have to cross for it to no longer deserve their support. Americans should reflect on their own morals and values to determine just what it would take for them to utter the words, “I don’t support the troops.”

CHRIS DUNN -regular columnist -graduate student -political science major

Best Buy loses customer-first focus A

mong many variables that determine a company’s success, the idea of integrity has always been at the top of the list. The honesty and reliability of both the employees of a business and the high ranking officials is important to instill a sense of confidence in the customer. This past week, it was announced that Brian Dunn, CEO of Best Buy is stepping down, as rumors circulate pertaining to a “personal conduct” issue. It is unclear as of right now what actually occurred, but one thing is for sure: Best Buy will undoubtedly face difficult times. The reason Best Buy is going to be confronted with severe hardships is because their infrastructure is dwindling. The obvious aspects are the weak growth in the stock market as well as its meager success in European markets. However, it is the not so obvious issues that are most concerning. Following seven months of employment by Best Buy, Lucas Eckert, a freshman computer science major here at Virginia Tech, was able to shed some light on the slowly disintegrating company. He found what made Best Buy an attractive retailer to shop at and work for was feigning. In his training, the phrase “customer centricity” was a frequently used reminder to make sure the customer is what matters the most when conducting business. But as he was nearing the end of his service, he felt that the motives of the staff and management had changed. The sale became less about the customer getting precisely what they wanted and more about making money. Of course, this could

be different at other locations, but according to an employee at another Best Buy in the same area, there was a similar situation. Now that the CEO of the company has resigned due to what seems to be a morality issue, the consumer trust and confidence in Best Buy will almost certainly waiver. I used to go to Best Buy frequently to pick up my electronics and video games, but I haven’t been a patron in years. I’m interested in what the general public makes of the recent developments, or should I say regressions in the company. As of right now from a stock analysis standpoint, the company is doing alright. When the news was released that Brian Dunn was stepping down, the price of Best Buy’s shares plummeted but quickly recovered. They have not returned to the pre-announcement levels, but they are hovering just below. For the immediate future, at least, it seems Best Buy will be able to remain stable and capable of carrying out normal business operations, but how the company will fare in the future is uncertain. In fact, the recent condition of the electronic retail stores around the U.S. has been shaky at best. A combination of new competitor companies and the downtrodden state of the economy has put a question mark on the future of the electronic superstores that we have today. With the online companies such as Amazon and eBay, consumers can find the electronics they are looking for, buy them and receive them without leaving the comfort of their own homes. Not only are these distributors

more convenient than companies like Best Buy, their prices are usually lower as well. The online companies don’t have to deal with the extra expenses of paying in-store employees in addition to the upkeep of the building itself. Because of these costs, Best Buy is forced to mark up the price of its products in order to ensure profit. The electronic retail business is also a bit shaky as a whole because its revenue is based heavily on products that are mostly bought with disposable income. When the economy is down, no one has the extra funds to put toward these products, and this has led to the industry’s decline and the closure of as seen when Circuit City filed for bankruptcy in 2008. Then again, Best Buy will always be able to boast the advantage of allowing customers to come into the store and actually get their hands on an item they are thinking of purchasing. The customer can be sure that they are getting what they want when they can see it in person. This buying confidence does not exist online. It’s nearly impossible to predict the downfall of a large company, or an entire industry for that matter, but this economy has shown nothing is too big to fail. With the direction online companies and consumers are headed, the electronic retailing companies across the U.S. could be in severe trouble. Best Buy is at the forefront.

DAVID LEVITT -regular columnist -sophomore -economics major

Collegiate Times Editorial Staff Editor in Chief: Zach Crizer Managing Editor: Lindsey Brookbank Design Editors: Danielle Buynak, Victoria Zigadlo Public Editor: Justin Graves Web Editor: Sarah Watson News Editors: Nick Cafferky, Michelle Sutherland News Reporters: Josh Higgins, Cody Owens, Erin Chapman News Staff Writers: Priscila Alvarez, Abby Harris, Gina Paterson, Ashley Seagar Features Editors: Chelsea Gunter, Patrick Murphy Features Reporters: Nick Smirniotopoulos Features Staff Writers: Courtney Baker, Torie Deible, Dane Harrington, Kevin McAleese, Andrew Reily Opinions Editors: Scott Masselli, Sean Simons Sports Editors: Matt Jones, Zach Mariner Sports Reporters: Michael Bealey, Josh Parcell Sports Staff Writers: Eric Avassi, Zander Baylis, Alyssa Bedrosian, Cody Elliott, Taylor Hay, Alex Koma, Ashleigh Lanza, Brian Marcolini Photo Editor: Daniel Lin Enterprise Team Editor: Liana Bayne Public Information Director: Dishu Maheshwari Training Director: Kelsey Heiter Copy Chief: Spenser Snarr Copy Editors: Nora McGann, Luther Shell Layout Designers: Bethany Melson, Alicia Tillman, Tanja Vogel Online Director: Alex Rhea Collegiate Times Business Staff Business Manager: Philipp Kotlaba Student Publications Photo Staff Director of Photography: Paul Kurlak Lab Manager: Austen Meredith College Media Solutions Ad Director: Brandon Collins Asst Ad Director: Matt Freedman Account Executives: Johnson Bray, Kevin Jadali, Alyssa Brown, Brian Dickson, Janssen Claudio Inside Sales Manager: Mario Gazzola Assistant Inside Sales Manager: Adam Shata 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, Mary Dassira, Alyssa Morrison, Molly Vinson

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april 17, 2012

GUMBY’S

PIZZA & WINGS

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XKCD by Randell Munroe

This could be you . . .

Crossword

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submit them to: studybreak@collegemedia.com

Week ending April 13, 2012

Top tracks

( ) Last week’s ranking in top five

Somebody That I Used to Know • Goyte

(2) 1

We are Young (Feat. Janelle Moneae) • Fun.

(1) 2

Boyfriend • Justin Bieber

(3) 3

What Makes You Beautiful • One Direction

(4) 4

Call Me Maybe • Carly Rae Jepsen

(5) 5

word

WORDSEARCH: Simpsons Characters Locate the list of words in the word bank in the letter grid.

UNSCRAMBLER

W A

W V

W A

W Y

W Q

W V

W L

W B

W R

W J

W X

W H

1 Homer 2 Marge Q 3 Bart 4 Lisa B 5 Maggie E 6 Skinner S 7 Snowball 8 Cletus U 9 Mayor Quimby O 10 Moe H 11 Lenny 12 Carl L 13 Flanders I 14 Krusty M 15 Milhouse 16 Patty L 17 Selma B 18 Mr. Burns S 19 Fat Tony N 20 Nelson

WORD BANK

tomorrow’s paper for:

Unscramble the letters to solve the category “Highest Paid Baseball Players” Have a set of words you want to see in puzzles section? Email your lists to ctadsproduction@gmail.com.

rruxdeiog

uream

jteer

iukszu

nnaatsa

asabathi

dfilree

xeeaitir

i a

e e

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

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news

april 17, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

Musick : Carrying a memory

April 16 candlelight vigil unites community, students

from page one

In the days after Bluhm’s death, the Tigers franchise sent several hundred free hats to the Baptist Campus Ministry group, which Bluhm was extremely active in. That’s how Musick knew him. “I was a sophomore,” she said. “I was really involved in BCM.” Musick considered Bluhm like her older brother. “He was very outgoing, he was known for his smile, and whether you wanted a hug from him or not, you’d get one,” she said. Five years ago, on April 16, Musick’s friends from the group couldn’t get in touch with Bluhm. During the day, Musick, who was supposed to work a shift at the bookstore in the morning, ended up staying in her apartment alone to work on homework. She was scared that day. She remembers a pest control company, contracted by her apartment complex, tried to come to her apartment to spray for bugs. “I feel like it was yesterday,” she said. “When the pest control guys showed up to spray insects, I was like, ‘What are you doing? Don’t you know what’s going on right now?’” The BCM building was open that night, and Musick headed there with several of her friends to pray. They didn’t yet know Bluhm was one of the 32 Hokies killed during Seung-Hui Cho’s shootings. Musick remembers the moment she heard the news. “We were getting ready to go, then we found out Brian was one of the people who was killed. “It was so surreal,” Musick said. “I remember collapsing onto the floor with my friends. It’s forever changed my life.” Musick didn’t meet Bluhm’s parents until a couple of weeks after the shooting. “It’s been great to have the connection,” she said, “but I wish it hadn’t happened.” Despite the tragedy, Musick said she never wants to leave Blacksburg. She completed her undergraduate degree in 2009, and finished her master’s degree in December. She now works as a children’s counselor. “My thesis was dedicated to him,” Musick said. What stands out most to Musick is that “even though it was just 32 people out of 30,000 students, a lot of people were connected.” “I get offended when people don’t show respect,” she said. Now, she said, she can tell the student body is different, as this is the first year that no undergraduate students on a four-year track were here that day. “It’s a whole new group trying to understand, but they’re removed from it,” she said. “My brother was a student here before me, and I started coming here for football games when I was a little girl. “The community was always here. Anybody will help you.” Musick remembered the feeling of the first football game in the fall semester of 2007 against ECU, and how she felt the community come together. “During the moment of silence at the start, you could have heard a pin drop,” she said. “But when the cheerleaders started the ‘Let’s Go Hokies’ cheer, it was louder than I had ever heard it.” Musick said while she doesn’t think Bluhm would have wanted a lot of attention, she hopes her story can help that new group of students understand her experiences at Virginia Tech. “I try to embody (his personality),” she said. “I hope I

Environmental Coalition hosts tree planting today GINA PATTERSON news staff writer Virginia Tech students, faculty and community members will be planting trees today on Alumni Mall as part of a series of events for Earth Week. The event is one of many that the Environmental Coalition puts on during the weeklong focus on environmental awareness and adoption of green practices on campus. Approximately 13 Princeton American Elm trees will be planted from 1:30p.m.-3:30 p.m. Planting is free and no prior experience is needed. Those interested in participating can meet at Alumni Mall between Newman Library and Torgerson Hall and should wear closed toe shoes. The Service Forestry Club is leading the event and members of the club will be giving directions for how to properly plant a tree. “People will show up and we break them up into groups. Each

BRAD KLODOWSKI / SPPS

TOP: Yankees outﬁelder Curtis Granderson honored his fan, April 16 victim Brian Bluhm, with a home run Monday. BOTTOM: Gov. McDonnell addresses the candlelight vigil crowd.

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group is led by a forestry student,” said Matt Gart, Virginia Tech’s Campus Landscape Architect. The elms were donated from Valley Landscaping, a local nursery. Tools to plant the trees will be provided by facility services. “Generally we will use a mix of species, but these were donated by a nursery,” Gart said. By planting a tree, it allows students to come back to campus after graduation and see the tree’s growth. “We generally plant anywhere from 12 to 25 trees,” Gart said. “It’s a good activity.” In addition to this tree planting during Earth Week, the university also hosts a similar event during Sustainability week in the fall. Denny Cochrane is sustainability program manager for the Office of Energy and Sustainability. “Tree planting events in the past has always been a home run for students,” Cochrane said. “It brings a lot of people together.”

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The majority of the graduating class of 2012 was not on Virginia Tech’s campus when Seung-Hui Cho killed 32 people and wounded 17 others in Norris Hall on April 16, 2007. But the generation of students who were not here still gathered together in the darkness last night to celebrate the lives of the people most of them did not know. Monday night’s candlelight vigil marked the 5th anniversary of the April 16, 2007 campus shootings. It featured brief remarks from Tech president Charles Steger, Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell, the 2007 SGA president Sumeet Bagai and this year’s SGA president Corbin DiMeglio. Then, the names of the 32 who died were read, and the flame of the memorial candle was passed to the crowd, following the tradition of the past five years. Steger said the flame of the memorial candle “symbolizes a promise to remember, and a

resolve to never forget.” McDonnell, who was the Virginia attorney general in 2007, said he was impressed then, and is still impressed now, by how the Tech community rallied. McDonnell said he believes “we are an incredibly resilient people.” Bagai, who was the SGA president in 2007, reflected on the five years that have passed since he last stood and addressed a crowd at a candlelight vigil. He spoke about specific examples of strength he remembered, including the spontaneous creation of the first version of the April 16 Memorial, and the candlelight vigil on April 17, 2007. “I will never forget that moment five years ago,” he said. Bagai said that although many students standing in front of him were not there in 2007, “like those who came before you and those who will come after you, you embody the university motto (Ut Prosim).” DiMeglio asked the student body to “keep moving forward.” “Live for 32,” he said.

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Lesson 13: Student Conduct Sanctions What types of punishment does Student Conduct give?

ANSWER: Student Conduct does not give “punishment,” you receive appropriate educational or status sanctions. Status sanctions are your status with the university (probation, suspension, etc.). Educational sanctions vary widely and are individualized to help equip students for success (alcohol intervention, action plan, etc.). I have a meeting with Student Conduct… are my parents going to find out?

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news

april 17, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

Sims: Celebrating life Guy Sims, assistant vice president for student affairs, still chokes up a little when he thinks about his son’s seventh birthday — April 16, 2007. Sims was in only his second semester as an administrator at Virginia Tech in spring 2007. He said April 16 was a difficult day. He worked late that night. He expected there would be leftover birthday cake from his son’s party when he went home, and he was looking forward to having a slice of cake after the day’s events. “When I got home, I saw that they didn’t cut it,” he said. “And the presents were still out, and unopened.” The next day, April 17, Sims thought he’d celebrate his son’s birthday that evening. But he worked late again. “I thought, man, I’m not doing what I’m supposed to be (doing) at home,” he said. Although the days following the campus shootings

meant long work hours, Sims wanted to make sure he celebrated his son’s birthday. A couple days later, they had birthday cake and presents for breakfast before he went to work on campus. “For a couple years, it really bothered him,” Sims said. “I used to have to make sure to take extra time with him.” Now, Sims’s son is 13, and isn’t as bothered by his birthday coinciding with the anniversary of the shootings. Sims, who was enjoying Monday afternoon’s sunny community picnic, said he felt the whole community of Blacksburg, not just Tech students, had come together well in this year’s remembrance events. “It’s a wonderful expression of a community that has come to reflect, but also to look forward,” he said. -Liana Bayne, Special Sections Editor

Anderson: Circles of sorrow Susan Anderson, a math professor and the director of Womanspace, was teaching in the same classroom yesterday, she was five years ago. “Today was a bit odd,” she said. “When the moment of silence occurred, I realized I was teaching in the same classroom, and that gave me a haunted feeling.” For Anderson, her memories of April 16, 2007 are always tied to a dark period in her life. “My mom went to the hospital on April 17 (2007),” she said. Several weeks after her mother left the hospital, Anderson said, her mother was a hospice patient. Anderson’s mother passed away shortly after that. “It’s completely intertwined with my family tragedy,” Anderson said. “I have a hard time thinking of one without the other.” Anderson said when she went to the hospital in Lynchburg, Va., the workers there were making orange and maroon ribbons to support Virginia

Hart: Feeling the spirit Bo Hart was Virginia Tech’s SGA president last year. But in April 2007, he was a senior in high school. On the morning of the shootings at Tech, Hart was considering his college choices for the following year. “I remember telling my guidance counselor that morning that I wanted to go to Virginia Tech,” he said Monday while attending the community picnic on the Drillfield. Watching the news coverage, Hart wondered how such a tragedy could strike in a place like Blacksburg. “Out of all places, why did it have to be Virginia Tech?”

Hart asked. But as Hart, like the rest of the world, kept his eyes on Tech in the aftermath of the shootings, he saw a university community he wanted to join. “After watching that, it was when I realized I wanted to be a part of that,” Hart said of the Tech community. In his years at Tech, his impression of the “Hokie Nation” was only strengthened. “Being here the past four years, it’s unlike any community in the world,” he said. -Zach Crizer, Editor-in-Chief

Tech. Anderson said it was encouraging to hear people she didn’t know talking about events on her campus. “It was like different circles of sorrow,” she said, dealing with her mother’s declining health and with the aftermath of the campus shootings the day before. Anderson was working at Monday’s open house in the Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention, representing Womanspace. She said Womanspace works with the CPSVP to try to educate people about all kinds of violence. “I would like students to make a commitment annually to work to lessen violence,” Anderson said. “It isn’t just shooting and murders, it’s sexual assault, verbal abuse, harming children. ... I would like them to make a commit to making the world better.” -Liana Bayne, Special Sections Editor

Preston: Lucky mistake Junior DJ Preston missed the bus on his way to class April 16. When he went to catch the next bus for his 9:30 a.m. class, Blacksburg Transit had stopped the route. Like many others, he sat and watched the news as the death count rose. “I actually had friends who should have been in class in Norris, but, for what ever reason, didn’t go.” Preston said, “That hits home closer to anything.” Even though some may not have been directly affected, the tragedy haunted everyone. “You don’t take for granted that it could have been you,” Preston said. Five years later, he is still

thinking about the family and friends who were directly affected. “My heart goes out to each and every one of the families who had to go through that,” he said. In commemoration, Preston attended a community picnic that was held on the Drillfield Monday to mark the 5th anniversary of the shootings. “A day like today just triggered a whole other level of emotion that you try to suppress,” Preston said. -Gina Patterson & Priscilla Alvarez, News Staff

crimeblotter

editors: nick cafferky, michelle sutherland newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

what you’re saying On classes stir debate among Hokies

2107: Five years or one hundred years later as

with the Titanic sinking anniversary yesterday...the Hokie community will always remember those we lost that day. Numquam periit amor...

Rebecca Ryan: For the current students, remember to be sensitive while we sit in class today. None of us know the experience of the kid in the next desk over. Remember that today is about Living for 32: progressing our community, carrying out their dreams, and earning our degrees as they would want us to. Don’t be angry that classes weren’t cancelled, our restoration of normalcy while never forgetting is an incredible tribute to the 32 victims, the many survivors, and HokieNation, as a whole. We Are Virginia Tech and We Have Prevailed. jenn: I think that students should have been

alerted of the Blacksburg Transit bus schedule changes and detours. Such detours and changes, as well as other streets blocked off have made navigating the campus very difficult for some students today. Instead of being able to remember those that lost their lives,its been a hassle just getting to and from classes today. I think that classes should have been cancelled officially, not just because it was difficult to reach academic buildings, but also so students could partake in all the remembrance activities happening throughout the day.

On J.J. Stinson

David Bernier: Thank you so much for writing

this, and so quickly. You captured his essence, as well as anybody could capture JJ's essence with words. He'd beam at reading this.

Ben Shannon: Michelle did a beautiful job and Jj is smiling down from heaven listening to all the stories that he loved to tell so much. John Keenan: This is a great summary of how

JJ lived. I don't think anyone who met him, young or old, walked away without being profoundly touched. JJ challenged everyone around him to be better, and for that I think I can speak for many in saying that I am grateful for the time I spent with him.

date

time

offense

location

status

4/13/2012

09.30 a.m.

Larceny of a food item

Shultz Hall

Active

4/13/2012

11.35 a.m.

Harassment

University City Blvd

Inactive

4/13/2012

9.00 a.m. - 6.19 p.m.

Destruction of property

Harper Hall Parking Lot

Inactive

4/13/2012

06.48 p.m.

Threatening phone calls

CRC

Active

4/13/2012

09.55 p.m.

Appear intoxicated in public / underage possession of alcohol

Outside Smithfield Plant

Arrested

Jared Gant, 20

4/13/2012

10.10 p.m.

Appear intoxicated in public / underage possession of alcohol / fake ID

Outside Smithfield Plant

Arrested

Brett Gallaham, 18

4/14/2012

02.10 a.m.

Appear intoxicated in public

Outside GLC

Arrested

Patrick Carter, 23

4/14/2012

02.50 a.m.

Appear intoxicated in public

200 Block Roanoke Street

Arrested

Kyle Vincenti, 24

4/14/2012

08.56 p.m.

Destruction of property

The Inn at VT

Inactive

4/14/2012

10.06 p.m.

Appear intoxicated in public

Alumni Mall

Arrested

Michael Haberman, 34

4/14/2012

00.45 a.m.

Appear intoxicated in public

Squires Parking Lot

Arrested

Kyle Vincenti, 24

4/15/2012

02.41 a.m.

Underage possession of alcohol x3

Pritchard Hall

Arrested

Trent Patterson, 19 David Fowler, 19 Daniel Moore, 19

4/15/2012

02.41 a.m.

Underage possession of alcohol

Pritchard Hall

Inactive

DETOURS Blacksburg Transit will operate detours on these dates:

Tuesday, April 17 Friday, April 20

WWW.BTRANSIT.ORG

540.961.1185

arrestees

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

arts & entertainment

april 17, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

Cabin fuses horror, comedy Ward gets mixed review

Ward exhibits a varied album, branching out with a new, pop-style sound. He excels, however, when he remains true to his more traditional, folk sound.

Co-writer and producer Joss Whedon exempliﬁes his innovative, creative style. This ﬁlm is not your typical slasher movie — it is in a league of its own.

rom the previews, “The Cabin in the Woods” looked like a conventional, slasher flick. I almost dreaded going to see it. I’m no horror movie buff, but I know a formulaic horror plot when I see one. I thought I would be able to predict what would happen throughout. But while elements of predictability still played into the story, “The Cabin in the Woods” proved that not all Hollywood films have conformed to one, single script. What the previews don’t show is the hilarity of the movie. The audience around me laughed as much as they jumped out of their seats in surprise. Though it is marketed as a horror film, I would put “The Cabin in the Woods” in the horror/comedy genre. But unlike the horror/comedies like “Shaun of the Dead” (2004) and “Scream” (1996), which are satirizing horror movie conventions, “The Cabin in the Woods” doesn’t seem to satirize tired cliches as much as it attempts to explain them. In this way, it is quite an original movie. Co-written and produced by Joss Whedon, creator of the cult shows “Firefly” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” I suppose I should have known that this would not be the typical scary movie. Whedon has a reputation for creative, intricate plot lines and unique characters. The originality of the film places it in a league of its own. However, describing the plot would give too much away. From the very first scene, viewers who came to see a run-of-themill slasher film were scratching their heads. When the movie started, “The Truman Show” (1998) was the first thing that came to mind. For those who have not seen it, “The Truman Show” is a movie about a man whose every moment is on a TV show for everyone to see — only he is unaware of this. His community consists of a group of actors and directors sitting in studios high above the town, controlling all of the events in Truman’s life. As for

the plot of “The Cabin in the Woods,” think “The Truman Show” meets “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (1974). Although it has many laugh-out-loud moments, “The Cabin in the Woods” has its share of blood and gore, too; there are some genuine, heart-pounding moments. After a scary movie, I will admit that I tend to look over my shoulder for the rest of the night. This was not the case with “The Cabin in the Woods.” In the theater, I gasped and closed my eyes, but it was nothing that would cause me to sleep with the lights on. Perhaps what truly struck a chord with me was how much fun I had watching the movie. The artsier, more dramatic films are always great, but once in a while I don’t want to sit there and admire the cinematography or the great acting. I want to be scared. I want to laugh. This movie made me do both. Along with its ability to entertain, “The Cabin in the Woods” was one of the most unique horror movies I’ve seen in years. Having only recently embraced the horror genre, I’ve been doing a lot of catch up, watching the classics and the new stuff. As of now, I feel like I’m numb to movies like “Paranormal Activity Part XX: The Phantom Menace” and “Saw XVI: Jigsaw Goes to Vegas.” While neither of those movies actually exists, I wouldn’t be surprised if they were made. They may make millions of dollars, but in terms of quality, the customer is not always right. Joss Whedon took a chance by not letting the box office govern his story — it paid off.

JACOB WILBANKS -features staff writer -sophomore -communication major

you might also like: “Believers” by A.A. Bondy “Believers” is the third solo album by the folk songwriter after his band Verbena was disbanded. The album is a journey through an ethereal atmosphere with Bondy at the forefront, playing the electric guitar over slow and relaxed drums.

Wilco is one of the most iconic folk rock groups of the past 20 years. Jeff Tweedy and company create some of the best music there is, and “Summerteeth” is a prime example of that. The album is simply gripping as an enticing, emotional work of art.

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gle off the album. It features sublime acoustic guitars and an engaging drum beat on the toms. The song is one of the best tracks on the album, and the single’s background choir really shines, creating a glum but memorable track. Ward excels when he does less. Some of the best songs on the record are when he plays his signature acoustic folk tunes, not when he attempts to create pop numbers. Songs like “A Wasteland Companion” and “Pure Joy” are some of the better tracks on the album, despite their simplicity. The record sometimes lacks a certain cohesion that could transform it into a superb album, which is probably a reflection that it was recorded in eight different studios. The back half of the album does get much more cohesive as it really sticks more to the folk heritage of Ward’s sound, abandoning the pop sound found in some earlier tracks. The album is extremely short, coming in around only 36 minutes. Not a single track surpasses the four-minute mark and the average length is right around three minutes. “A Wasteland Companion” is an enjoyable record that really shines in its simpler moments. Though some songs feel out-of-place in the context of the whole album, they are still good on their own. Its short length makes “A Wasteland Companion” a quick and easy listen that is certainly worth checking out.

“Summerteeth” by Wilco

COURTNEY BAKER -featured columnist -senior -political science major

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atthew Ward is known for his numerous side projects. He is in the super group Monsters of Folk with Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes and Jim James of My Morning Jacket. Ward is also one half of She & Him with everybody’s favorite quirky girl, Zooey Deschanel. Ward, who goes by the stage name M. Ward, is also an established solo artist. He just released his eighth solo album “A Wasteland Companion.” “A Wasteland Companion” is a diverse album that hops around from country-folk to pop ballads to covers. The distinct variations in sound make the record intriguing, yet sometimes erratic. “Clean Slate” opens the album with a slow track, highlighting the acoustic guitar and Ward crooning, “Cause I only have to wait a little while / Before I / Get my / Clean slate.” It is a really soothing opening track for the album. “Primitive Girl” is a complete turnaround from the opening track. The song puts Ward in front of the piano, producing an upbeat, pop-style sound. The song eventually fades into a quiet whisper and then transitions seamlessly into the next song. Fans of She & Him will be glad to hear that Zooey Deschanel is not entirely absent from the record. She makes an appearance on “Me and My Shadow” and “Sweetheart,” the third and fourth tracks on the album, respectively. “Sweetheart” is a cover of Daniel Johnston’s song. Covers are fairly common on the record considering “I Get Ideas” is also a cover of the Louie Armstrong song. Ward is clearly trying to traverse around different genres, while paying homage to his musical influences. “The First Time I Ran Away” is the first sin-

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sports

april 17, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

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

Final scrimmage shows room for offensive improvement ZACH MARINER sports editor The Hokies held their final open scrimmage last Saturday before their highly anticipated Spring Game this coming weekend. For the coaching staff, it was just another step in the evaluation process. “Overall, I thought our scrimmage was good,” said head coach Frank Beamer. “I think we’re really going to be able to go back and look at this and make a good evaluation. Some guys are ready to play in the Georgia Tech game. “While I was out there, I just kind of felt that people were separating. It’s going to be a good day to evaluate.” While the theme this spring has been the defense’s dominance and the offense’s inexperience, the guys on Logan Thomas’ side of the ball made a few strides on Saturday, but still aren’t quite where they need to be. “It’s just taking time. We’ve got a lot of inexperience,” said quarterbacks coach Mike O’Cain. “We’ve got some guys that have played a little bit, but nobody out there other than Logan has played an awful lot.

“It’s better, no doubt. We’ve gotten a little bit better every day. But we’re still a long way away and real rough around the edges.” Thomas’ stat line from Saturday wasn’t exactly pretty (9-of-23 passing, 91 yards, with four touchdowns and two interceptions) but he had his receivers drop around six passes. His frustration showed at times, something his position coach knows is inevitable. “I’m sure he (gets frustrated) to a degree, but that’s part of playing the position,” O’Cain said. “You can only do what you can control, and that’s what I talk to him about. You can’t protect yourself, you can’t catch the ball, all you can do is do what you do and let the chips fall where they may. “And we’ll be fine, it’s just young guys, inexperienced guys. But you’ve gotta keep throwing the ball to them,” he said.” If you stop, they never will be good. So you’ve just got to hug them around the neck and build their confidence.” Senior Corey Fuller had an upand-down day, hauling in three touchdowns, while also dropping two passes that hit him right in the hands. “I had the first catch that went for a touchdown, and then I

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dropped the two, and that hurt me a lot,” he said. “A lot of the coaches came and told me ‘Let it go’ my teammates were telling me, ‘Let it go’ and then I came back and caught the other two touchdowns. “I wanted to catch every ball this year. And then it’s like, the last two times we scrimmaged in the stadium I had two mishaps. The last scrimmage I dropped some balls, this scrimmage I dropped some balls. It just hurts a little bit.” With seniors Marcus Davis and D.J. Coles both recovering from injuries, and Dyrell Roberts struggling with a tweaked hamstring himself, Fuller’s been getting plenty of first-team reps this spring. “He’s getting better,” O’Cain said of Fuller. “I look at him from this time last year to where he is this year and it’s light years. Is he where he needs to be yet? Obviously not. But, he’s playing much faster, and overall, he’s catching the ball better. He had a bad day today, but overall he’s caught the ball well.” Another standout from Saturday’s scrimmage was redshirt-freshman running back Michael Holmes, who ran for 89 yards on eight carries, including a 60-yard touchdown run. Holmes has impressed the coaches throughout the spring and appears to be the frontrunner for the starting job come fall. “He’s playing very well,” O’Cain said. “Mike is not what you would call a fast, explosive guy, but obviously he showed some speed on that one run. But he’s got a knack inside, he runs hard, he’s kind of an elusive guy. He reminds me a little bit of Darren Evans. I’m very pleased with him, in all phases.” Holmes’ head coach hasn’t been surprised by his success. “I said from the beginning, I think he’s gonna be good,” Beamer said. “He’s kind of learning, but when he gets out there, he’s running away from people. And he’s a big body, runs with power, and a couple times I thought about turning him TREVOR WHITE / SPPS loose a little bit more. Overall, Corey Fuller scores the ﬁrst of his three touchdowns on Saturday afternoon in Lane Stadium. As his I think he’s been very impres- fellow wide receivers recover from injuries, Fuller has gotten plenty of reps with the ﬁrst-team offense. sive.”