Wednesday, October 3, 2012 Print Edition by Collegiate Times

Read about Blacksburg crêpes on page 3

Wednesday, October 3, 2012 An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 www.collegiatetimes.com

COLLEGIATETIMES 108th year, issue 23 News, page 2

Food & Drink, page 3

Opinions, page 5

Too tall to cheer

Sports, page 7

Study Break, page 6

SGA launches new sustainability contest CAMERON AUSTIN news staff writer

BRIAN MARCOLINI sports staff writer

It’s hard to miss Hokies volleyball player Jennifer Wiker when she walks into a room. At six-foot-three with lots of blonde hair and big smiles, the senior outside hitter has developed into one of Tech’s best players and team leaders. Currently second on the team in kills, Wiker has been a force on a consistent Hokies attack over her four years in Blacksburg. Her journey into her final season, however, has been full of twists and turns. Wiker started playing volleyball in seventh grade, as a hitting partner for her older sister. But the only reason she resorted to that in the first place is because of a little bump in the road. “I started playing because I didn’t make the cheerleading team,” Wiker said. “But my sister had been playing and needed someone to practice with in the driveway, so that got me into it.” Missing the cheerleading team seems like a pretty casual start into the sport for a girl who would subsequently dominate matches. By the end of her senior year, Wiker had not only been named Volleyball Player of the Year by Charlotte Weekly, but also set North Carolina high school records for kills in a game (42) and kills in a season (457). After those accolades and accomplishments, Wiker decided to come to Blacksburg. Despite the accolades she received in high school, the Hokie coaching staff decided that it was best for her to redshirt her freshman season. “At the time (redshirting) was really hard for me,” Wiker said. “Having extra practices when the team had the day off and sitting on the sideline for an entire season was tough. But looking back it helped me so much that it was definitely the right decision.” Wiker came into the next season with 10 added pounds of muscle and a hunger to succeed. Primarily coming off the bench, she ended up with 205 kills in her first season, but showed promise in big see WIKER / page three

PAUL KURLAK / SPPS

Though October is usually associated with the red and orange of the leaves changing, the SGA is trying to make October a green, ecofriendly month. The SGA and Project Green are undergoing a month of sustainability challenges in the hopes of getting people to be more environmentally conscious. The national competition includes 30 competitions for the month of October, where contestants can earn anywhere from 10 to 75 points by completing green-inspired challenges. Examples of the contests include taking pictures of your environmentally friendly health products and creating a “green” dorm space, which encourage aspects of Eco friendliness in all aspects of the contestant’s life. The Project Green Challenge website says it’s main mission is to “inspire youth globally to transition from conventional to conscious living — taking small steps to sustain a healthy and just world.” SGA President Dustin Dorph said this will be the first of many green events throughout the year. “One of SGA’s major initiatives is sustainability and creating a more sustainable campus here at Tech,” he said. A total of 390 colleges and high schools will compete in the national competition, but the SGA hopes to make the compet it ion exciting on campus as well. “We wanted to make it so students could feel l i ke t hey cou ld win a national comp e t i t i o n ,” Dor ph

said. “We’re trying to reward people that want to take part and actively change their lifestyles,” said Drew Gallagher, SGA director of sustainability. “We want to plant the seed in their head that the small differences will add up.” Along with SGA, other environmental groups

“

We’re trying to reward people that want to take part and actively change their lifestyles” Drew Gallagher SGA Director of Sustainability

are working to spread the word about the contest. According to Gallagher, the contest has more than 70 students signed up to participate, which accounts for a little over 3 percent of the total 2,000 students enrolled in the competition nationally. At the end of the 30 day challenge, the top 10 students with the highest scores will get a varying amount of gift cards to Downtown local restaurants. Other awards such as “Sustainability is Sexy” T-shirts and water bottles will be given out to the top 50 students from Tech. “By giving out gift cards to local restaurants, we’re partnering with the locally grown community here in Blacksburg, and encouraging students to get out and discover it,” Dor ph said. “We want to give students an idea of how easy it can be to cut out wastef u l tendencies that you might not realize are wasteful until someone poi nts them out,” Gallagher said.

Blacksburg cash mobs: Now, ‘there’s an app for that’ PRISCILLA ALVEREZ news reporter

A new iPhone app geared for creating local discounts is gaining momentum among students since its launch at Virginia Tech on Sept. 27. The app Plurro allows students to create cash mobs aimed at saving money when shopping in Blacksburg. While the technology is new, cash mobs have previously occurred in Blacksburg. Downtown Blacksburg, Inc. puts on cash mobs occassionally to support local businesses. Kim Muhato, CEO of Plurro, said the idea of the cash mob stemmed from reviewing other discount related sites. “People want to save money, people want to take advantage of any discounts that there are at whatever retailers or restaurants they’d like to go to, they just don’t want to get bombarded by emails. So we thought, we want to build a model that essentially puts the power in the hand of the consumer,” Muhato said. And that is exactly what they did. The user-friendly app makes it easy

for people to create a cash mob in a matter of seconds from their iPhone. All they are required to do is list the location and time that they wish to go to the local business of their choice. From there, they can invite friends through text, Facebook, Twitter and other mediums. Once the cash mob is created, it is available for everyone to see and attend. Users can already receive a dicount with a minimum of 10 people. However, the more people attend the cash mob, the higher the discount. Meanwhile, Plurro contacts the business to relay the information that a cash mob is set to take place at their business as well as communicate how many people are expected to attend. With those details, they can then establish the discount amount to their discretion. Muhato expects attendance will increase after the initial post of the cash mob, in which case businesses also need to consider what the discount levels will be if more people attend. For example, if 25-50 people attend, they will receive 25 percent off, but if

more than 50 people they will receive 30 percent off, according to Muhato. “It really all depends on how broadly you can invite your friends and because they’re broadcasting it to other people, so anyone can look at their iPhone and see this cash mob. Literally anyone can attend the cash mob and save money,” Muhato said. Users can sign up in advance or prior to attending. The app offers a tab that allows users to see what cash mobs are occuring in real time. In the future, businesses can decide to allow cash mobs at any time and set a discount rate without Plurro having to contact them. Currently, there are cash mobs scheduled at Souvlaki, Benny Marzano’s, Cafe de Bangkok and Log Cabin BBQ as of Wednesday. Benny’s co-owner, Chris Brown, referred to the app as the future of marketing, but is still unsure of what to expect. “It’s a promising app to bring business in at times when it’s slow, but mostly we’re not sure, so we’re trying it out to see how it goes this Thursday,” Brown said, “We’re excit-

PAUL KURLAK / SPPS

A cash mob visited Homebody in Downtown Blacksburg on March 8, 2012. ed about it, we’re excited to see how it goes.” In order to receive the dicount, students need to RSVP via their iPhone

to get the barcode to present at the time of purchase. This allows the business to have an estimate of how see PLURRO / page two

news

october 3, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

Tech’s newest additions It’s lambing season for Virginia Tech’s ﬂock of sheep. The school’s female sheep, called ewes, were bred in the spring and are now having lambs. The sheep are used in lessons for students in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Photo by Mallory NoePayne

Plurro: New app promotes local savings for students from page one

many people are attending and lets Plurro see how much they’ve spent. In addition, there will be a reward system for active users. Five points will be rewarded to users everytime they start a cash mob, attending a cash mob grants two points, and following a restaurant gives users one point. The accumulation of points can lead to higher discounts in the future by

a business as well as allow a business to recognize individuals who are frequent visitors. Libby Bish, a recent Tech grad and Plurro marketing associate, encouraged inaugurating Plurro in Blacksburg. “It’s such a great community and I think they would be really receptive to something like this and really be able to accept the idea and run with it. There is a lot of

people down there open to new ideas,” Bish said. Despite the four already scheduled cash mobs, some students are hesitant to initiate a cash mob. “I might start doing it after others. It might take a while to get its feet off the ground,” said Nolan Henry, a junior pyschology and statistics major. Bish and Muhato encourage students to take advantage of the easy-navigatable

app in order to save money. The app puts the power in the hands of the students to create cash mobs for discounts at their favorite places, said Muhato. Plurro will be launching at Penn State next. In the next six months, they expect to expand to 30-50 campuses nationwide. During that time frame, they will also be making the app available on Android.

College reaches out to at-risk students HARVY LIPMAN mcclatchy newspapers

Suicide attempts are on the rise among three select groups of Americans: military veterans, gays and lesbians, and college-age males, federal statistics show. Administrators know when lots of their students fall into those three group. And that’s part of the reason Bergen Community College, in conjunction with the mental health non-profit Care Plus NJ, applied for a federal grant to establish a suicide prevention program on its Paramus, N.J., campus. This month it was awarded $301,215 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration to create the program. “Those are groups that make up a lot of our student body,” noted Kathleen

Pignatelli, director of the college’s Wellness Center, part of the health and counseling program on campus. “We’ve done multiple mental-health programs with Care Plus over the last six or seven years, and we know from those programs that there’s a great need,” Pignatelli added. “Our counselors continue to see more students with mentalhealth concerns, although not all of them are suicidal of course.” The new suicide prevention program will begin next month. Pignatelli said the idea behind it is to train 125 students and 15 staff over the next three years in “mental-health first aid.” Pignatelli and one of the center’s counselors have already been trained. They, along with Care Plus staff, will conduct the sessions. The idea, she said, is to

help identify mentalhealth problems before they turn into emergencies, and to help overcome the stigma many people feel about acknowledging they have mental-health issues. Why focus so heavily on training students? “Who do students talk to when they’re feeling stressed? Other students,” Pignatelli said. “Ninety percent of the people who die from suicide have a diagnosable, treatable mental-health disorder,” added Carol Augustine, vice president of Care Plus’ children and family division. “But people can only get treated if they come in and get help. There’s this terrible stigma attached to mental-health disorders. A lot of people are embarrassed to acknowledge they need help.” That’s where having stu-

dent and staff trained to recognize and offer assistance comes into play, she added. “We have seen that outreach efforts make a difference,” Au g u st i ne said. “That’s why the program will be two-pronged,” Pignatelli explained. “Part of it is educational, to train students and faculty in mental-health first aid. But it will also help us deal with that stigma, so that when people appear to be in emotional distress someone will be able to recognize that. They’ll be able to refer them and help them overcome the embarrassment they feel in asking for help.” She added that another arm of the program will be to conduct surveys of students and then develop additional programs around the identified needs.

editors: mallory noe-payne, victoria zigadlo newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

what you’re saying Loss to Cincinnati presents more questions for struggling Hokies

Anonymous: Welcome to 2012: The once again overhyping of a mediocre team. Reality sets in...

Zimride comes to Virginia Tech

Curtis: Update on users - Virginia Tech passed 1,000 users yesterday! Congrats!

University Council considers real estate major

hokie_1997: Are you kidding me? If you want to be a real-estate agent, go to freaking NVCC.

Obamacare increases costs for businesses, individuals

Doctor: Unfortunately, this article is not

grounded in reality. Say what you want about medicare, but it has a 3 percent overhead. Go check the overhead of private insurance companies and you'll find a number five times higher. Also, the assertions about the healthcare system in European countries is false. Ask someone who has comparative experience with one of these countries and you'll find a much different opinion. While 2 percent of the US population does have access to excellent healthcare, the remaining 98 percent can't afford our ultra costly procedures if they are unlucky enough to need them. The result is medical bankruptcy, which is of course absorbed by the state...great solution. And, if these countries are overburdening the middle class, then what are we doing, since we pay twice as much as they do, both per capita and percent gdp. "According to a Kaiser survey from 2008 to 2012, families with employer-provided coverage experienced premium increases of 24 percent to $3,065. Obamacare’s individual mandate will lead to exponentially rising costs." ^This is actually justification for the law, since none of it was even in effect during this time. Oh, and are we still talking about "death panels"?

Anonymous: At least this author made an attempt to present citations instead of feel-good newspeak the counter-article has. Incorrect: Sally, you are misinformed. First,

quoting Forbes is the equivalent to quoting anything from Fox Noise. Don’t quote or extract information from any biased source, primarily one that is determined to undermine the current administration, and cater to the 1%, let alone the 47% that many right wingers could care less about (not my words). Most importantly though, every country with universal health care ranks significantly higher in terms of quality of care than the US system. My guess is that you have never truly realized the cost, nor the quality provided by your beloved system, so stop drinking the Kool-Aid. The longer people stay alive, the more they can work..........more tax revenue, more commercial spending, more market investment, more potnential customers for insurance companies to profit from, and most importantly, better health and livelihood for all.

crimeblotter date

time

offense

location

status

arrestees

9/8/2012

10:15am

Underage possession of alcohol x6

Pritchard Hall

Inactive: Reported by Student Conduct

9/16/2012

2:04am

Larceny

Dietrick Express

Inactive: Reported by Student Conduct

Since 1974

Student& Faculty

discounts!

Children’s Glasses $129

Stephen G. Wimmer (540) 951-1632

FEATURING DESIGNER FRAMES: • Flexon by Marchon • Nicole Miller • JLO by Jennifer Lopez • Cutter & Buck • Carrera

• Nine West

•Marc Jacobs Hilltop Plaza 1807 South Main St. Blacksburg, VA 24060

editors: emma goddard, nick smirniotopoulos featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

food & drink

october 3, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

Local crêperies fulﬁll French breakfast needs BY SARA LEPLEY | features staff writer

oday is a sad day for breakfast lovers. The Fresh Crêpe, a beloved crêpe station at the Blacksburg Farmer’s Market, will no longer be serving their crispy egg pancakes. However, French food lovers should fear not! Between Turner Place at Lavery Hall, O-Pass Tea and Crêpe and Our Daily Bread, Blacksburg offers many local venues to accommodate your crêpe-desiring needs. But where, you ask, can you enjoy the most decadent, satisfying crêpe? Equipped with a keen sense of taste and a belief in the power of breakfast food, I have surveyed and rated each breakfast joint that offers this delicacy. Amusez-vous! Turner Place at Lavery Hall Capitalizing on the fact that it is Turner Place’s most popular menu item, I ordered the Nutella and banana crêpe. My selection could not have been better. The mushy, warm bananas tasted similar to fried plantains, and the crispy edges were perfect for shoveling extra whipped cream, which my server was generous with. Unfortunately, now that I have experienced Nutella in its melted form, I am not sure if I can appreciate it in a basic sandwich. However, delicious as this meal was, it was not terribly satisfying. If you long to order a crêpe from here, I suggest also getting some protein or fruit or you might starve within an hour or so. Price: $3.25 Wait time: 10 minutes Level of deliciousness:

Our Daily Bread Bakery and Café To ensure consistency in my crêpe assessments, I ordered the Nutella and banana crêpe once again, which was a menu item new to Our Daily Bread. When I received it, my first thought was how pretty its appearance was. Homemade whipped cream was on the side, ornamented with thin almond slices (the worker at Turner Place forgot the decorative bananas on my whipped cream, but no bother). Plump in the middle, the eggy-goodness takes up an entire side of the ten-inch plate. Although it was soft, I think I would have left it on the stove a little longer. The crêpe did not taste that warm, nor did it achieve the desirable melty-Nutella affect. But with this aside, the whipped cream was easily the best part. Light, fluff y and oh so soft, it truly knocked Turner Place out of the water. The pancake part, however, was not quite crisp enough, almost a little chewy, but tasted considerably more like an egg than at Turner Place. I strongly suggest combining everything together; the almonds make up for lost ground, adding some needed crunch. However, one nice aspect of Our Daily Bread is the way they use all natural, organic ingredients and that everything is homemade. Plus, inside the cafe, soft, classical music plays, creating a perfect environment for studying or reading a newspaper while sipping coffee and eating crêpes. Also, after eating, you get that, “Ahh, full” feeling. This is definitely satisfying. Price: $4.95 Wait time: 4 minutes Level of deliciousness:

KEVIN DICKEL/SPPS

O-Pass Tea and Crêpe My experience with O-Pass did not have a lovely start. I immediately went for the banana and Nutella, a vital component of my crêpe-reviewing mission. You can imagine my discontent to find that they were out of bananas! Not only did this create a nasty skew to my results, but it also cut out the entire “sweet” section of the menu since every one of their items contains bananas. The manager, unfortunately, had a family emergency, making the dilemma unavoidable, but at least not a recurring problem. Giving them the benefit of the doubt, I ordered their most popular dish: the grilled chicken; a savory crêpe option. The cashier — who happened to be the only staff member on duty — warned me saying, “It is going to take a little bit of time.” Not looking good, O-Pass. So the wait, if nothing else, gave me a chance to soak in the environment. It greatly contrasted Our Daily Bread, which gave off the café-in-Paris vibe. O-Pass presented an Asian twist on a French concept with the menu offering rice and nong shim soup as well as crêpes. In addition to this, the open, modernchic atmosphere emulated a Pho-restaurant feel. Gentle versions of pop music played in the background, fostering a social atmosphere. Finally, my crêpe arrived. Wrapped in wax paper, it lacked fancy syrup and whipped toppings, having you focus more on the taste of the food itself. Thin lettuce leaves were sandwiched between the crispy egg pancake, and melted Swiss cheese and grilled chicken weighed down the bottom of the crêpe. The gooey, flavor-bursting cheese softened the bitter romaine and the ingredients meshed well together. Overall, it was an absolute win. As an added plus, I was able to snag a bite of my friend’s crêpe: Nutella without bananas. I can happily report that O-Pass serves melty, melty Nutella. Price: $3.99 for Nutella and banana, $4.99 for grilled chicken. Wait time: 12 minutes Level of deliciousness:

The best place truly depends on what you are looking for. I have divided my results into three major categories: variety, atmosphere and most importantly, crêpe base. Turner Place didn’t offer savory options, although it has multiple fruit combos for whatever mood you are in, be it berries, lemon or of course banana and Nutella. At Our Daily Bread while customers can swap out whichever fruit for bananas, the eatery only offers either a savory Swiss and ham or a sweet, seasonal fruit dish. O-Pass has the largest selection, which includes four meat options, two veggies options and four banana combo options. Just make sure you go on a day when they are fully stocked! Each location had a super friendly staff, so that isn’t really a factor. I do have to give the worker at O-Pass props. Considering how stressed he must have been being the only one on duty, he was extremely accommodating and upbeat. Turner Place’s seating is the typical cafeteria style, making it good for college students between classes, while both Our Daily Bread and O-Pass seem to target customers who might want eat and just relax in their shop. Both had comfy chairs and nice music, perfect for that time right after you eat and just want to sit and digest. The crêpe base itself — the mixture of eggs, milk, flour and sugar — distinguishes each crêpe location. At Turner Place you can expect an emphasis on sugar, perfect for treating a sweet tooth. At Our Daily Bread, you will find a wholesome, natural tasting egg-base fi lling that’s still sweet. Finally, O-Pass provides a base crispy on the outer edges, chewy near the center, tasting exactly like a fortune cookie (coinciding with that Asian vibe). Whatever venue you choose, you can expect to leave with happy taste buds. Eggcellent!

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october 3, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

food & drink

editors: emma goddard, nick smirniotopoulos featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

Drink of the week: Tequila Sunrise BY JIMMY HUDNALL | features staff writer

This weekend, kick back and treat yourself to one of the most popular cocktails in the world: the Tequila Sunrise. The drink was originally created by Gene Sulit in the early 1930s, and was named after giving the impression of a sunrise upon being poured into the glass. The orange juice gives the drink a fruity taste while the grenadine adds a sharp sweetness that makes the cocktail easy to rush. Many drink experts will argue that you must use a quality silver or gold tequila, as anything else might give off the taste of rubbing alcohol. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been warned. Ingredients: 1.5 ounces tequila 3/4 cup orange juice 1.5 ounces grenadine syrup 1 orange slice to garnish (optional) 1 maraschino cherry to garnish (optional) Ice Directions: 1. Combine tequila and orange juice and stir. 2. Fill a glass of your choice with ice and add the mixture. 3. Add grenadine and allow it to settle to the bottom of the glass. 4. Optionally, garnish with an orange slice and maraschino cherry. BRAD KLODOWSKI/ SPPS

Recipe: Strawberry pie with black pepper BY BRIAN CROMER | features staff writer The black pepper in the crust of this pie is not meant to be spicy or powerful. Instead, it simply provides a savory element, giving the pie a more robust flavor. This strawberry pie is one last dessert to end the warm weather before it gets too cold. Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 30 minutes Ingredients: 2 lbs. of strawberries 24 graham crackers 6 ounces of unsalted butter 8 ounces of cream cheese, softened 1 teaspoon of black pepper, freshly ground 1 lemon 5 tablespoons of sugar Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Place the graham crackers in a large plastic bag and crush them until they are finely ground, about the consistency of sand. Add two tablespoons of sugar, the black pepper and a pinch of salt. 2. Melt the butter and add it to the graham cracker mixture and combine. 3. Press the graham cracker mixture into an eight or nine inch pie plate. Bake at 375 degrees for 14 minutes. Rest the crust for one hour. 4. Roughly chop one pound of the strawberries. Add them to a sauce-pot with two tablespoon of water and one tablespoon of sugar. Simmer them over low heat for 15 minutes. Most of the water from this should evaporate. Allow it to cool to room temperature before adding to the pie. 5. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese with two tablespoons of water. Add two tablespoons of sugar and the zest of the lemon. Add the juice of the lemon as well, taking care to keep the seeds out of the bowl. 6. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the crust. Split the remaining pound of strawberries and layer them on top of the cream cheese. Finally, BRIAN CROMER/ COLLEGIATE TIMES pour the cooked strawberries overtop the pie.

......radio for everyone

editors: josh higgins, bethany melson opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865

opinions

october 3, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

The Collegiate Times is an independent student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 Collegiate Times Editorial Staff Editor in Chief: Michelle Sutherland Managing Editor: Nick Cafferky Design Editors: Andrea Ledesma, Alicia Tillman Public Editor: Erin Chapman Web Editor: Chelsea Gunter News Editors: Mallory Noe-Payne, Victoria Zigadlo News Reporters: Priscilla Alvarez, Dean Seal News Staff Writers: Abby Harris, Cody Owens Features Editors: Emma Goddard, Nick Smirniotopoulos Features Staff Writers: Ben Kim, Katie White, Kara Van Scoyc, Allie Sivak, Jacob Wilbanks Opinions Editors: Josh Higgins, Bethany Melson Sports Editors: Matt Jones, Zach Mariner Special Sections Editors: Cody Elliot, Gina Patterson Copy Chief: Nora McGann Copy Editors: Allison Hedrick, Mackenzie Fallon, Kristin Gunther, Alexis Livingston, Kayleigh McKenzie Collegiate Times Business Staff Business Manager: Ryan Francis Circulation Manager: Travis Neale

MCT CAMPUS

Your Views [letters to the editor]

Athletics needs to face the facts and improve football

long time ago, in a football stadium far, far away ... Virginia Tech finished 2-9. The year was 1987, my first upon this world. It was also Frank Beamer’s first as head coach. I've been a die-hard Hokie since I was three years old, and now, at 25, I call Virginia Tech my alma mater. I've seen 22 seasons in person, each with its ups and downs; I even went to the national championship game on Jan. 4, 2000. However, it is a complete facade for the program to have on display an empty trophy case reserved for a national championship trophy in the athletic center. Our Hokies haven’t done anything more than win a few ACC crowns in a largely mediocre conference, only to go to major bowl games against other aspiring programs and lose — with impeccable consistently. Virginia Tech is vastly underperforming. Period. Yet, according to ESPN blogger Heather Dinich, we’re still No. 4 in the ACC power rankings this week? How about this: everyone stops giving Tech credit for anything until we’ve earned it. Hokie Nation has witnessed it repeatedly: our team finds itself ranked in the middle of the preseason AP Top 25, while analysts claim we’ve "reloaded.” Time and again we blow it and have to stumble our way back to relevance. This year, even that looks highly unlikely. At the current rate, this Hokie outfit might sneak out of the regular season 7-5 at best. I will always support my school and football team, but Tech and the media need to wake up and relinquish such blatantly obvious denial about our beloved football program. Said trophy case will indubitably remain empty until serious changes are made, starting from the top. Take note that Frank Beamer's situation is starting to look a lot like Bobby Bowden's from a few years ago. Hmmm... Look where FSU is now. It is long overdue that Virginia Tech's program and its fans stop ignoring the Death Star that is orbiting ever closer to firing range. Are we satisfied with Beamer, 10-win seasons, maybe an ACC Championship and compounding bowl losses? Or are we ready to leave memories of glory from 1999 in the past where they rightfully belong? The time has come for us to actually reload so we can have a legitimate shot at competing for a national championship in the foreseeable future. After all, that is the reason an empty trophy case overlooks the Home of the Hokies in the first place. We need a Luke Skywalker and A New Hope, lest the Empire that is college football crushes our rebellious program with one, swift stroke. Matt Boone B.A., Communication 2010 Chapel Hill

Lower price necessary for higher ed S

tudent debt has always been a limiting factor to many potential college students and even more so for college graduates. With tuition increasing every year at many colleges and universities, this has become an even greater problem. Texas Gov. Rick Perry proposed a solution at the Texas Tribune Festival. Perry called for “tuition freezes” by state universities, meaning students who go to state schools would pay the same tuition their senior year as they did their freshman year. I applaud this idea and wonder why it hasn’t always been in place. It would make planning for college much easier and decrease student debt overall. Many things in our world already have this type of “locked-in" rate, like mortgages, utilities, rent, car payments, cell phone, Internet, TV plans, etc. This would make paying for college more like a contract between you and the school. You agree to pay for your x amount of years of schooling, and the college agrees that during that time period, your tuition rates will not go up. I can see how colleges and univer-

sities would be hesitant to put this type of plan into place because they could potentially lose money in the long run. However, they can increase tuition between the years. So a new freshman/transfer class coming in could see increased tuition rates, but those students would still get a guarantee that their tuition would not be raised during their time at the university. Tuition prices could increase overall though because universities would want to charge a premium fee for this convenience, but over the course of four or five years, students would save money. This would also solve problems of students not being able to continue their education because of increased tuition rates, families would be able to get all the financial information from potential colleges up front, and they would know that for the next four to five years, they would pay x amount in total in tuition and could see if that is feasible. This concept of a “tuition freeze” would decrease the amount of money loaned to students by banks, which means students wouldn’t graduate with tens of thousands of dollars in

debt, and they could isntead spend more money on goods, which is always good for the economy. In times of economic uncertainty with decreasing state and federal funding for higher education and increasing student debt, there needs to be a measure put in place to make sure that the future supporters of the global economy don’t end up unable to support themselves. Anything we can do to help mitigate the cost of higher education should be a national concern, and ideas like tuition freezes should only be the tip of the iceberg. We as students — and more importantly, the next generation — need to be telling current political leaders our concerns. We can’t have a government that is wasting money on people who have already lived for 80 years, and then tell us that it’s our fault that our economy is like this. We need a government that’s ready to put money into ensuring a future, not a present. MARCUS WILLIAMS -regular columnist -economics -junior

Gov’t should not control school lunches W

hen does a movement that once seemed reasonable begin to slip its moorings? When first lady Michelle Obama began her anti-obesity campaign, I thought, Yeah, seems like a good idea. Get the kids outside and by all means, limit their intake of sugar water, er, soda. But worrisome signs were there from the beginning, evident in the campaign against cigarettes. The health reasons were valid, no denying. But the effort was freighted with an extraordinarily high snottiness quotient. Anti-smoking neurotics would stage phony coughing fits if a guy across the street lit up. The world is full of people who Know How You Should Live, and they're always looking for excuses to advise you on your errors. All that self-righteous preaching about the evil weed almost made me want to start smoking again. The anti-tobacco movement largely succeeded and it showed how the same approach can be applied to other behaviors. Soon, you had New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg ranting about trans fats and sodas, and yeah, the health reasons are there but, c'mon. This is the government, telling you how to live right down to ounces of consumption. Anybody see a problem here? Slippery slope, anyone? Bloomberg's latest obsession is sweets in the hospitals. The other day he announced a cam-

paign to have sugary and fatty foods eliminated from all hospitals, public and private. It's supposedly "voluntary," but this bandwagon has momentum and hospitals are signing on. So if you're in New York and you're stuck in the waiting room, sorry, no candy bar. "If there's any place that should not allow smoking or try to make you eat healthy, you would think it'd be the hospitals," Bloomberg said. Notice the choice of words. Mayor Mike wants to make you. Now the harvest of Michelle Obama's work is being rolled out in the form of federally acceptable menus under the Healthy Foods Act. The kids and the moms are not amused. In Greeley, Colo., the school district has outlawed all sweets, including cupcakes, candy bars and yes, birthday cakes. Ah, there's an exception. The kids can have cake in school if mom follows a district-approved recipe. But school fundraisers, even those off-campus, may not include sweets. For fundraisers on school grounds, no food items of any kind are allowed. Think about that. We've gotten to the point of government-approved cake recipes. At Wallace County High in Sharon Springs, Kan., teacher Brenda Kirkham posted a Facebook photo of a school lunch, the same fare served to students: one cheese-stuffed bread stick, a small dollop of marina sauce,

three apple slices and some raw spinach. According to The Wichita Eagle, Kirkham supplemented with a few cubes of ham, bacon bits and dressing from the faculty-only line. Kirkham's photo prompted students and teachers to create a YouTube parody titled "We Are Hungry" that tells the story of a famished 16-year-old football player who daydreams about his mom's cooking. Students hide food in their lockers. Members of the volleyball team faint from hunger. Students sing, "Give me some seconds, I/ I need some food today/ My friends are at the corner store/ Getting junk so they don't waste away." The feds, in their wisdom, have decreed calorie maximums for school lunches 650 for elementary school students, 700 for middle-schoolers and 850 for kids in high school a standard Kirkham called "ridiculous" for student athletes who work out three times a day and do farm chores. Supporters of this crusade tell me not to worry. The slippery-slope risk is exaggerated. Besides, the nation faces an obesity crisis and all these government functionaries with their one-size-fits-all rules have our best interests at heart. But in a matter as personal as what we eat, how much trust should we put in people who don't trust us? THOMAS MCCLANAHAN -mcclatchy newspapers

Student Publications Photo Staff Director of Photography: Brad Klodowski College Media Solutions Assistant Ad Director: Carla Craft Account Executives: Elizabeth Dam, Emily Daugherty, Taylor Moran Inside Sales Manager: Amanda Gawne Assistant Account Executives: Andrew Newton, Jordan Williams Creative Director: Danielle Bushrow Assistant Creative Services Director: Alyssa Morrison Creative Staff: Mary Dassira, Chloe Young, Cameron Vaile, Diana Bayless Voice your opinion. Readers are encouraged to send letters to the Collegiate Times. 365 Squires Student Center Blacksburg, VA, 24061 Fax: (540) 231-9151 opinionseditor@collegiatetimes. com All letters to the editor must include a name and daytime phone number. Students must include year and major. Faculty and staff must include position and department. All other submissions must include city of residence, and if applicable, relationship to Virginia Tech (i.e., alumni, parent, etc.). All letters should be in MS Word (.doc) format, if possible. Letters, commentaries and editorial cartoons do not reflect the views of the Collegiate Times. Editorials are written by the Collegiate Times editorial board, which is composed of the opinions editors, editor-in-chief and the managing editors. Letters to the editor are submissions from Collegiate Times readers. We reserve the right to edit for any reason. Anonymous letters will not be printed. Have a news tip? Call or text 200-TIPS or e-mail newstips@collegiatetimes. com Collegiate Times Newsroom 231-9865 Editor-in-Chief 231-9867 College Media Solutions Advertising 961-9860 The Collegiate Times, a division of the Educational Media Company at Virginia Tech, was established in 1903 by and for the students of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. The Collegiate Times is published every Tuesday through Friday of the academic year except during exams and vacations. The Collegiate Times receives no direct funding from the university. The Collegiate Times can be found online at www.collegiatetimes.com. Except where noted, all photographs were taken by the Student Publications Photo Staff. To order a reprint of a photograph printed in the Collegiate Times, visit reprints. collegemedia.com. The first copy is free, any copy of the paper after that is 50 cents per issue. © Collegiate Times, 2012. All rights reserved. Material published in the Collegiate Times is the property thereof, and may not be reprinted without the express written consent of the Collegiate Times.

october 3, 2012

Regular Edition Today’s Birthday Horoscope: You’re thirsty to discover new horizons this year, and boundaries keep expanding. Study, travel and great teachers grow your perspective, especially in philosophy and spirituality. Grow career skills as well to maximize opportunities. Less is more

Piled Higher and Deeper by Jorge Cham Quote of the Day

You've gotta dance like there's nobody watching, Love like you'll never be hurt, Sing like there's nobody listening, And live like it's heaven on earth. - William W. Purkey Winners receive prizes and a feature in Collegiate Living! Send us your quote and see it here! creative.services@collegemedia.com

XKDC by Randall Monroe www.facebook.com/collegiatecribs

3 2 5 4 9

1 5 6

2 7

8 8 5 3

2 9

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1 3 7 7 6

4 5 8 1

Week ending October 5, 2012

By Ed Sessa

Top Tracks Begin Again • Taylor Swift

Gangam Style • PSY

(1) 2

Die Young • Ke$ha

Diamonds • Rihanna

One More Night • Maroon 5

10/3/12

ACROSS 1 Cabernets, e.g. 5 __ Ababa 10 It’s in poetry? 13 Ray’s mom on “Everybody Loves Raymond” 14 Corner-to-corner lines 16 Blowing away 17 Small smoke 18 Brand with a cuckoo mascot 20 Enunciate poorly 21 Spanish liqueur 22 Literary schnauzer 23 Invitation sender 24 Took care of

(2) 5

25 Last pres. born in the 19th century 26 Fish and chips fish 29 Jazz guitarist Montgomery 30 IM user, perhaps 32 News distributors 34 Recall aids 40 Adams’s “Nixon in China,” for one 41 Rice follower, at the market 42 Colorful subway poster 45 Reagan era acronym 46 Load 48 CCCX x V

49 ’40s film critic James 51 Injury reminder 53 Concert wind 54 Herring prized for its eggs 55 Disapproval 57 Not easily comprehended 59 Like some pride 60 Nassau Coliseum NHL team 61 Coeur d’__ 62 “The X-Files” extras 63 Proposal rarely made on one knee 64 Arctic hazard

DOWN 1 Salad veggie 2 “Spamalot” cocreator 3 Prehistoric critters, briefly 4 Dreamcast maker 5 Impeach 6 Go with the tide 7 Having a mug like a pug 8 “A miss __ good ...” 9 Belarus, once: Abbr. 10 Soapmaking material 11 Treat like dirt 12 Hybrid apparel 13 Crushed-stone surface 15 Words after a splash in a fountain, maybe 19 Artificially inflate 25 Dilating application 27 Poetic dedication 28 Place to recline 31 Genre of the band Jimmy Eat World 32 __ Nashville: record label 33 Mattress filler 35 “Waking __ Devine”: 1998 film 36 Dún Laoghaire’s waters

37 Trump has an elaborate one 38 Providing funds for 39 Characteristic of this puzzle’s circled letters, which suggest a 1991 Oscarwinning film 42 Old golf club name 43 White as a sheet

44 Diver’s quest 46 Least likely to bite 47 Globe 50 Icelandic source of mythology 52 Callers at round dances 53 Ballet’s Black Swan 55 Uproar 56 Unpopular worker 58 Blast cause

Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved

10/3/12

WORDSEARCH: Exercise Locate the list of words in the word bank in the letter grid. N

W S

W M

W O

W B

W Y

W A

W O

W H

W O

W Z

W H

WORD BANK 1 Aerobics 2 Barbell 3 Biceps 4 Bike 5 Diet 6 Fitness 7 Health 8 Jogging 9 Muscles 10 Nutrition 11 Pectoral 12 Physique 13 Sport 14 Swimming 15 Trainer 16 Triceps 17 Weights 18 Workout

pple Fest A i ll

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

sports

october 3, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

Wiker leads Hokies in an effort to make tournament honor my mom every time I play, not just in those special games,” Wiker said. “ Every time I put it on, I think about how hard my mom fought to be there for me and my family. It makes me realize that nothing can be as bad as what she went through and no matter what the outcome of the game, keep a positive attitude like she always did.” With that attitude over her next two seasons, Wiker tallied 579 kills on top of a number of personal and team-wide accomplishments. In 2010, the Hokies earned their first ever NCAA Tournament selection, making it to the second round before falling to eventual champion Penn State. Wiker stood out in many games that season, including a 21 kill effort against Virginia. Wiker had her best statistical season the next year, racking up 320 kills, including a 29-kill performance in a loss against Wake Forest, something only two Hokie players have ever done. Despite the individual accomplishments, the Hokies missed the tournament, giving Wiker and her teammates extra motivation coming into 2012. “That experience of going PAUL KURLAK / SPPS to the tournament and playJennifer Wiker hopes to one day play professionally, most likely in Europe. She is a redshirt-senior. ing against such an amazing team was great,” Wiker from page one the Cassell Coliseum court. the rest of the players out said. “But this is my senior During Tech’s “Dig Pink” there. season, and I desperately competitions, ending games, each team member At the age of seven, Wiker want to go back, in fact not up with 17 kills against is given a pink armband to lost her mother to breast making it would be heartMiami and 14 against help raise awareness during cancer. As devastating as it breaking.” a ranked Florida State Breast Cancer Awareness was for her and the entire The tournament would be team. Month. Wiker family, Jennifer a sweet ending to an already During that season, she Most players give the arm- decided to wear the arm- great year. not only came into her own bands back at the end of band every game for the rest Over the summer, Wiker on the court, but also start- the month, but not Wiker, of her career in honor of her was one of 48 players (out ed her own pregame ritual whose armband meant mom. of 200) who tried out for before even stepping on to a little more to her than “I realized that I can and made the United States

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Volleyball A2 tournament. The tournament plays host to 48 of the best collegiate players in the country. The players are then split into four teams, train together, and then play a roundrobin style tournament. Wiker’s team ended up winning the tournament, giving her momentum coming into the collegiate season. “I just want to be the best

But that experience is soon coming to a close. In a matter of months Wiker’s senior season will end, and the terrifying vastness of what comes after college awaits her, just like a regular senior. While volleyball players don’t have a big time professional league like the NFL or the MLB to aim for like Hokie football and baseball players do, many play professionally in Europe. However, the shelf life of a volleyball player is not particularly high. The conI realized that I can jumping required in honor my mom every stant the sport can add miletime I play, not just in age a player’s ankles, back or in Wiker’s case, those special games. knees. Every time I put it o, I “I want to play in Europe if my knees hold think about how hard up,” Wiker said. “I’ve had my mom fought to be some problems with tendonitis from my kneethere for me and my caps which inf lames my family” tendons.” Wiker ack nowledges Jennifer Wiker that even if she does play in Europe, it is only an endeavor of a few years that comes before starting a real team leader I can be,” Wiker job. Despite that fact, she said. “I think we can fin- doesn’t want to move too ish top four in the ACC, far away from the sports and I just want to do my world. part.” “I think that I want to use And she is doing her part, my finance degree in some not only as a leader, but also way to help athletes,” Wiker as a student athlete. Wiker said. “I really don’t think I completed her undergrad- will ever be able to leave the uate degree in finance in sports world.” three years, and is currently But before that occurs, working on her master’s Wiker is an essential part of degree. a volleyball team that is tied While one may struggle for second in the ACC and relating to younger team- in the midst of a hunt for the mates taking intro level postseason. classes while taking masNot too shabby for someter’s classes, Wiker has no one who started playing the problem. sport only after being cut “I just come back to the by the middle school cheer team and tell them my sto- team. ries about class, and they just laugh at me. It’s a pretty cool experience,” Wiker said.

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PICK UP THE COLLEGIATE TIMES TUESDAY THROUGH FRIDAY

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Take advantage of abundant imagination. Make sure you know what’s required. Romance may be involved at times, but also quiet time in solitude.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) The next month’s good for setting goals. Costs may be higher than expected. Ask for more and get it; an angel’s watching over you. Get lost in your studies.

Aries (March 21-April 19) The next three weeks are good for achieving romantic goals. Get yourself something useful and pretty, or make it from what you have. Put love in your work.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) This month, you’re even smarter than usual. Trust your own heart to lead you. Create peace. Postpone shopping and gambling. It’s a good time to save.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Continue to build assets, and get public. Balance family and social activities carefully. Your reputation precedes you. The irst reaction may seem negative, but don’t give up.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Stay focused. The foreseeable future is good for saving money, so go over the numbers. Demonstrate compassion for partners, even if you don’t always agree.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Encourage all opinions, and get some creative ideas. For four weeks, you’re very lucky in love. Invest in home, family and/or real estate. Nobody needs to know how little you spent.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Take a irm stand, and heed the voice of experience. For the next month, it’s easy to make money. Your partner demonstrates compassion. Provide support.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Friends help you advance. Level up at work over the next three weeks. Be practical. It’s easier to advance your agenda. Forgive a foolish misunderstanding.

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Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) You’re gaining skills and con idence. Compromise comes easier. Avoid temptation and assumptions. Self-discipline enables creativity. Female magnetism plays a big role.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) There’s really a light at the end of the tunnel, but you could bypass the tunnel altogether. Or wander around in it and discover hidden treasure. Bring a lashlight and plenty of water.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Cash in your coupons. You’re lucky in love. Keep reviewing possibilities. Friends help you make a distant connection. Try a new sport.

Pet Advice of the Week: “A cat's collar should reflect the investigative behaviour displayed by cats. Most cats climb and jump, which may put them at risk of becoming caught or hooked by obstacles such as tree branches, nails, and fences. An elasticised collar will help the cat disentangle itself from any danger. If you can place two fingers snugly under the cat's collar, then it's a good fit.” -Yahoo Lifestyle

Have a question you need answered about your pet? Or want your pet featured in next week’s paper? Email your questions to studybreak@collegemedia.com with the title ‘Pet of the Week.’

sports

october 3, 2012 COLLEGIATETIMES

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

Through four weeks, NFL has plenty of big storylines McNamara: AFC paced the the Baltimore Ravens F

or the fi rst time in franchise history, the Houston Texans have started out the season 4-0 and look like the best team in football. With the other teams in their division having a combined three wins, it looks as though they may be able to wrap up the division by mid-November. The Baltimore Ravens have always been one of the top teams in football and seem to be again this year. They are 3-1 so far this year with their one loss coming by just one point to the Eagles. There were questions coming into the season about the age of their defense and the loss of Terrell Suggs, but their offense has picked up the slack. Ray Rice continues to be one of the best running backs in football and Joe Flacco has

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The Patriots look as though they may be starting to return to form. They trailed early...but came back and won 52-28.”

stepped up and is third in the league in passing yards. In New York, it looks as though fans might start chanting for Tim Tebow soon. After the Jets put up 48 points in their first game of the season, they have combined for just 38 points over the last three games and suffered an embarrassing 34-0 loss at home this weekend. The rest of the season won’t get any easier, especially since their star cornerback Darrelle Revis is out for the rest of the year with a knee injury. Rex Ryan was smart not to guarantee a Super Bowl win for the first time in the last three years. On the other side of the country in Denver, Payton Manning is starting to look more comfortable with the Broncos. His team is 2-2, but Manning’s passer rating is slightly higher than his career average, and he has thrown eight touchdowns in his first four games. Manning also looks as though he is finally starting to get on page with his new receivers. Manning’s old team in Indianapolis is struggling so far this season with only one win, but it looks as though they have found their quarterback of the future in

Andrew Luck. Luck leads the NFL is passer rating and has lived up to the hype he received coming out of college. Two teams that have been surprising so far this year are the Pittsburg Steelers and the New England Patriots. The Steelers are 1-2 and the Patriots are 2-2. Both teams are normally on top of their divisions and make the playoffs almost every year. The Patriots look as though they may be starting to return to form. They trailed early in the game this weekend, but came back and won 52-28 over the Buffalo Bills. After The first four weeks, there have been some standout players in the AFC. Running back Arian Foster MCT CAMPUS and defensive end JJ Watt of Houston Texans running back Arian Foster rushes against the Tennessee Titans in week four. Foster and the Texans lead the AFC South. the Houston Texans have been standout players and look like the best at their respective positions. In just his second season, wide receiver AJ Green on quarter of the have helped Dallas win Their defense has been team in the NFC North Cincinnati looks as though NFL season is in games. putrid, and the offense has the capacity to make no one can cover him. Green the books, and it seems Philadelphia won three isn’t clicking with- the playoffs, so followhas almost 500 receiving that many teams are games by a total of four out Payton making the ing these teams should yards, three touchdowns still trying to find an points, largely because calls. and has stats comparable make for a fun identity. their defense’s “Wide Nine” Conversely, the Atlanta ride. to Randy Moss and Calvin It’s hard to make fair scheme and lockdown cor- Falcons are raising eyeJohnson through the first 20 Who says you need judgment based on a ners have bailed out an brows by jumping out to an games of his career. Alongside elite quarterback mere four games (with erratic Michael Vick. They 4-0. second-year quarterback to win in this league? three of those offici- have all the pieces to make Led by a much- Arizona and Kevin Kolb Andy Dalton, the Bengals ated by refs deemed not the playoffs, but will their matured Matt Ryan, the quietly ended 2011 winning have a solid core going worthy of the prestigious cardiac tendencies get the Falcons have a very simple seven of their last nine, and forward. Lingerie Football League). best of them? recipe for success: main- have turned heads this year While there have been But as the season marchtain a balanced offense by opening up at 4-0. Led standout players in the es on, this is what and play good defense. AFC, there have also been by a scary good defense, the can be made of the If Atlanta continues firing some players who have have been closIt’s not a coincidence on all cylinders, they could Cardinals NFC. disappointed. ing out tight games, includthat ten different NFC again find themselves as a ing handing the Patriots a The NFC East houses The player who stands out four teams who all look the most is Chris Johnson, rare loss in Foxboro. teams have made it to No. 1 seed. like they have a Add in Tampa Bay’s running back on the Arizona’s tightest comthe Super Bowl out of inability to win close petition for the division shot to win the Tennessee Titans. Since his division. games and Cam Newton’s title will certainly be San contract holdout at the beginthe last 11 years.” Robert Griff in III sophomore slump, and the Francisco, who is proving ning of last season, Johnson has thus far lived up to NFC South looks to be the last year wasn’t a fluke. The has never looked like the his sky-high expectaFalcons’ for the taking. same player and is underNiners’ old-school philosotions, and the Washington Up north, the Green Bay phy of tough defense and a whelming again this season. Redskins will need him Packers certainly look to running game has brought He has zero touchdowns and to since their defense The defending Super have come back to planet them to 3-1. just 186 rushing yards in four has been doing him no Bowl champion Giants earth after last year’s 15-2 games. Seat t le a nd St. favors. will need to rely less on season. Another major player Louis both will also be The Redskins sure fourth-quarter magic from The defense is much better than they were that hasn’t performed well can run the ball with a Eli Manning, and more improved, but Aaron last year, so it will likethis season has been Wes plethora of backs, so on the strong defense and Rodgers and the offense ly be crowded atop the Welker. Welker is averagthey’ll likely find them- running game exhibited look to have taken a step w e s t ing less than 100 receivcome selves in a number of in Carolina if they want back. Luckily for the January. ing yards a game, and has offensive shootouts, but to get back in the big Packers, their offense no touchdowns so far this It’s not a coinciit’s going to be on RGIII’s game. is still potent enough dence that ten different season. shoulders to win them The Sa ints had to win them a ton of NFC teams have made After just four weeks of the games. arguably the worst offsea- games. season, there is still a lot of it to the Super Bowl out Who exactly is Tony son ever, between Drew The Lions’ special teams of the last 11 years. The football to be played and anyRomo? He can’t seem Brees’ holdout, the colos- have been so bad that it’s NFC is truly anyone’s for thing can happen, but some to make up his mind, sal bounty scandal, the costing them games, and the taking every year, and teams and players stand out but the only thing we wire-tapping scandal and the Bears recently made it doesn’t look to be any above the rest while other know for sure is that he’s losing head coach Sean a big statement in their d i f f e r e n t teams and players need to this the most hot-and-cold Pay ton for t he Monday night drubbing of year. turn their seasons around quarterback in the year. Dallas. very soon. league. It was apparent they’d Don’t blink now, but He’s averaging two fall off a bit, but it Minnesota’s JIM MCNAMARA standing MIKE PLATANIA interceptions per game, wasn’t apparent that atop the division at 3-1, -sports staff writer -sports staff writer but thankfully, for him, they’d be winless a quar- and Adrian Peterson -senior -sophomore a rejuvenated second- ter of the way through the looks like he hasn’t -communication -civil engineering ary and DeMarco Murray year. lost a step. Every single

Platania: NFC has several powerhouse teams A

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