Wednesday May 8, 2013
An independent, student-run newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 www.collegiatetimes.com
COLLEGIATETIMES 109th year, issue 114 News, page 2
Food & Drink, page 11
Opinions, page 5
Sports, page 9
Study Break, page 6
Mellow A HIGHER Mushroom STANDARD moves in DONAL MURPHY
Chad Pinder has become a leader for the Hokies baseball team by setting an example with his work ethic and approach to the game BY JACOB EMERT | sports reporter A subtle etiquette comes with playing baseball the right way. When you hit a home run: put your head down and run the bases. When you strike out: turn around and walk back to the dugout. There’s a certain way to play the game, and Chad Pinder gets it. And his teammates recognize that. They refer to the standout Virginia Tech third baseman turned shortstop as their leader, though he rarely raises his voice. “I’m not as vocal,” he
said. “People look up to me through my actions, and I think sometimes actions can speak louder than words and that helps people.” Along with his tan leather glove that might as well be a Dyson vacuum, and his yellow and black Easton bat, he brings the right attitude to the field every day. Where he gets it from is simple to trace. Chad is the second oldest of the freakishly athletic Pinder children, all of whom were raised by standout athletes themselves. see PINDER / page ten
news reporter
The rumors have circled the old Backstreets property for months, and fi nally Mellow Mushroom, a pizzeria and craft beer chain, has decided to scoop the property, and open in early spring 2014. Leslie Knapp, a Tech graduate of ‘83, as well as her husband Jeff, have been running the Mellow Mushroom in Hickory, N.C. and were recently put in charge of the Blacksburg location. The Collegiate Times sat down with Knapp to discuss the opening of the new restaurant. When did you start with Mellow Mushroom? The restaurant in Hickory will be open 3 years September 29th. How did you come to be in charge of the Blacksburg Mellow Mushroom? The majority of Mellow Mushrooms are individually owned franchisees. Jeff ’s from New Jersey, I’m from Virginia. We met at Virginia Tech. I have a son that just graduated last year from Tech and he’s currently working there. I have a daughter that’s a junior, and a daughter that’s a freshman. see MELLOW / page two
John Boyer to set sail in fall Students reimagine Craigslist
IDENTIFIEDS.COM / SCREENSHOT
The website mirrors Craigslist, but is exclusively for Tech students and offers a variety of services. LESLIE MCCRAE news reporter
FILE 2007 / SPPS
Boyer teaches the largest class at Virginia Tech, World Regions, which will be taught online next year. DEAN SEAL news editor
The Plaid Avenger is taking his curriculum to the seas this fall — literally. According to John Boyer, his popular class, World Regions, will be taught entirely online next semester, as Boyer himself will be venturing across 16 cities in 14 different countries teaching for the independent study abroad program, Semester at Sea. From Europe to Africa to South America, Boyer will be providing lectures to students utilizing a variety of mediums, broadcasting both from the ship and at the ports they stop in along the way. “The major structural
change is, since I’m not going to be here, then I can’t really do a live class … but still as much as possible have an interactive live element,” said Boyer. “We’re going to try to do stuff live as much as possible so students can tune in and ask questions. And also record stuff everywhere we are, so that will be class material.” Boyer plans to use the live connection to keep students in touch with the material so that aspects of the class don’t change too considerably from what they have been in the past. “We’ll defi nitely keep the live office hours as well. We will have a guaranteed interactive Q&A discussion com-
ponent of the course, no matter if 50 or 5000 people sign up for it,” Boyer said. “It’s going to happen no matter what, and there will be interaction no matter what. We’ll just have to go out of our way to figure out times that are best for East Coast time.” Boyer intends for most of his lectures to coordinate with his locations. For example, his trip to Ohama Beach in northern France will hopefully coordinate with a lecture on D-Day, and it’s importance in European history. He also expects to have focused units that sync with his time in Brazil and Ghana, among other locales. see SEA / page two
For all of the Craigslist junkies on campus, a new studentlaunched classifieds website called IDentifieds now allows fellow Hokies to buy, sell and trade online in a more localized manner. The website, created by Chris Raible, a freshman industrial engineering major, hosts a place for students, professors, alumni, staff and faculty to share goods within the Blacksburg community. “IDentifides is a tool for Virginia Tech students to go on and post rides, housing, lost and found, and anything else they want or need,” Raible said. For Raible, the idea started off as a way to improve his skills. “I started the website the summer before I came to school here, primarily as a way to learn how to code, and it just grew from there,” Raible said. “It’s not secret that there are many classifieds websites online, but coming to Tech, one of the main concerns was
that it was in the middle of nowhere, making it hard to find things online,” Raible added. “This is a big community, so I decided to make a classifieds website that would appeal strictly to students.” Launched a week ago, the site, which is in its testing phase, has already gained approximately 100 followers. “Building the website was actually the easiest part so far. The hardest part of this is getting the word out,” Raible noted. “About 50 percent of people who visit the website actually sign up, so when people get there they like it and want to stay, but getting people to know about it is important.” For that side of the project, Raible chose Jeremy Brenner, a freshman in building construction, as his partner. Brenner is directing the social media outreach for the website through Facebook and Twitter to get the name out to students. “The first two days we had a couple dozen people sign up, which was surprising, and since then it has been grow-
ing,” Raible said. “We’re really working right now to target the class of 2017, because incoming freshmen could really use the site,” Brenner said. “(IDentifieds) is great for a college community because it is safer since you know who you are dealing with. It’s more convenient because you know that everyone you’re dealing with will be on or near campus,” Raible said. The website includes a security system that verifies each email address as belonging to vt.edu, thus proving each member is a part of the Virginia Tech Community. The partners hope to create an app for the site over the summer, and do a full-scale launch in the fall. If successful, they hope to eventually introduce the site at other schools. “I’m excited to see the progress, because it’s made a lot so far, and I can tell it’s going to be a big thing one day,” Brenner said. Follow us on Twitter @LeslieMccrae
The Collegiate Times will be moving to its summer schedule and will resume daily production next semester
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news
may 8, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
editors: mallory noe-payne, priscilla alvarez, dean seal newseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
Sea: Online is the new format Mellow: Family takes over from page one
Semester at Sea (SAS), a program started by an NYU professor that is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary, contacted Boyer years ago, offering him the opportunity to be a participating instructor on their academic voyage. He declined in the past, but decided that this year would be ideal to accept the offer. “I (thought), now this is a really cool opportunity, given the advances in technology and communications,” Boyer said. “This is possible now. Ten years ago… this would be impossible.” The formats of his broadcasts aren’t entirely determined yet, as Boyer says he will be trying to use a coupling of Skype and his computer acting as a phone. Nonetheless, he contends that “we live in this age where we can try to dabble with this kind of stuff, and even if half of it works, I think it’s going to be cool as hell.” Boyer will be pulling double duty on the ship, teaching
both a World Regions and Geography of Wine class for the SAS program, along with the World Regions class for Tech. He expects to be teaching every single day, all while organizing field trips from locations that could range from biological hot spots in Ghana to NATO headquarters. His classes are among many taught with the program, and Boyer will be joining a host of professors who’ve taught at universities all over the country. What separates Boyer from his new peers, he says, is that they are all likely on sabbatical during the semester, but as he doesn’t retain a tenured status, he must continue to work with Tech. But working both jobs isn’t problematic, rather, he wouldn’t have taken the offer without being able to do both. Th is opportunity is what Boyer considers to be another step in moving the educational movement toward instituting massive online open courses. This new style
of teaching is still underdeveloped, but on the rise. “Everyone in higher education knows that a change in online courses is afoot, but no one knows where or how a change will occur,” Boyer said. “It seems like students want to consume the material more in a digital fashion… I want to be producing that information in the ways that are most consumable, that people want.” While the fate of the new class style is up in the air, Boyer assures that he’ll be back in Blacksburg next spring — and what he learns from this new experience will likely change his teaching style, for better or worse. “It might be cooler than ever, it might be a huge disaster, or it might be cooler than ever,” Boyer laughed. “(But I’ll be back) unless the boat goes down when we’re in the Atlantic, which is fine with me too, I’ll swim to shore one way or the other.” Follow us on Twitter @JDeanSeal
10 Blacksburg things to do in
Summer
this
Tube the New River
Attend a festival (Stepping Out or Floyd Fest) Take advantage of Downtown Blacksburg with the locals Picnic at the Duckpond
from page one
When we originally decided we wanted to pursue Mellow, we thought about doing it in Blacksburg. It was really the place we wanted to do it because we’re up there so much, between games and spending time with our kids. But my youngest was still in high school, an athlete, a good student, and we just didn’t think it was a good time because you really have to immerse yourself when you’re doing these restaurants. We talked to corporate and they said “Let’s try it at Hickory and see.” We started the Hickory store and got our feet wet. We’re doing well so we thought now is a good time if we’re going to do it. We contacted corporate, and it’s been a year process looking at different properties and finally landing on the Backstreets property. Are you planning to move back to Blacksburg? No, I’ll be travelling back and forth. We’re actually building a new building on that site. We have a brand new building currently being fi nalized. Everybody involved in the project is basically from Tech. Our architect is a Tech graduate, our interior designer is a Tech graduate, our banker is a Tech graduate. What are your hopes for the store? The reason Jeff and I did this was we love to come back to Tech and we love to go downtown. We fell in love with Mellow Mushroom in Atlanta about 17 years ago. They’re primarily in Atlanta but they’re growing like crazy. It’s a really great concept of good food and beer. They have a huge beer
See a movie at the Starlite Drive-in movie theatre Visit the Farmers Market on a lazy weekend morning Hike with your friends to see the Cascades waterfalls Play the Golden Hills Disc Golf Course in Christiansburg Drive the Blue Ridge Parkway and stop at as many scenic outlooks as possible
selection. I have 40 taps at Hickory and another 60+ bottles. That’s one of the reasons we wanted to bring it to Blacksburg. We wanted a place that would attract people like us that are coming back in town, families and a mixed group of customers. We’re really hoping to catch a large variety of customers: the students, of course, but also families in town and alumni that are coming back into town. Will your children be involved with the store? I don’t know. I don’t think they’ll be hands on. My son works for the Office of International Students at Tech, and he’s also a talented artist and musician, and I think I’m going to bring him on to help me with that department. We love live music. Social media’s also huge and my daughter is a communications major with a concentration on marketing. She’s a junior and she’s prob-
ably going to help me with all that. Social media’s so important right now, to Mellow particularly. My Facebook page is up and running, we launched that last week, and the website is up. Any final thoughts? We’re very excited. We’re looking for an early spring opening. We closed on the property about a week ago and met Steve Andrews, the original owner and his wife after looking at different locations for over a year. Meeting them and finding out that Backstreets was going to be up for sale was just serendipitous on our part. A long and winding road led me to that corner and I’m so happy to be on that corner. They’re wonderful people and I think that it’s great we’re going to continue the tradition on that corner of serving up pizza again. Follow the write on Twitter @HokieRealist
Tech tops list of NFL recruits MATT JOHNSON news staff writer
Hike McAfee's Knob while it's warm
COURTESY OF LESLIE KNAPP
The pizza chain offers unique handmade pizzas and craft beers.
Virginia Tech was recently ranked as the 6th best college for translating elite high school recruits into NFL draft picks. A recent study by professors Dr. Mike Lewis and Dr. Manish Tripathi at the Emory College Goizueta School of Business ranked colleges based on their ability to convert the best recruits into NFL draft picks. The study was based on NFL draft data from 2007 to 2012 and used a ratio to compare the number of draft picks to four and five star recruits. It then related each school’s investment in their football program, as well as their recruiting success, winning rates, bowl participation, conference memberships and various other factors to determine
the list. Lewis and Tripathi mention that there is no defined way to measure recruiting success, so they tried multiple methods including, “recruiting points” from Rivals.com, recruiting class rank, and the number of athletes at each star level. Furthermore, the study uses number of picks through all rounds, as opposed to using first round picks or number of picks in rounds one through three. Lewis and Tripathi published the study to their blog, “Emory Sports Marketing Analytics,” which they created to provide an outlet on how sports entities, such as leagues, teams and players create valuable marketing assets. Follow us on Twitter @CTNewsroom
top schools for turning recruits into draft picks 1. Kentucky (1.75) 2. Oregon State (1.63) 3. Wisconsin (1.22) 4. Iowa (1.10) 5. West Virginia (1.08) 6. Virginia Tech (0.70) 7. Louisville (.69) 8. Perdue (.68) 9. Pittsburgh (.68) 10. Cal-Berkley (.67) * Rate as defined by Emory Sports Marketing
editors: emma goddard, nick smirniotopoulos featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
people & clubs
may 8, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
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Couple plans to hike the Appalachian Trail this summer MADELEINE GORDON features reporter
For most, life after graduation is an adventure. But Kyle Mack, a senior geology major, and Sarah Terrell, a 2012 Virginia Tech alumna, are redefi ning "adventure" as they plan to backpack the 2,200 mile Appalachian Trail. Mack and Terrell are taking on the unknown as they backpack the trail, a feat they expect to take five to seven months. Besides the time frame, Terrell and Mack are keeping expectations to a minimum, Mack said. “I’m just trying to be surprised. It’s going to be an awesome experience no matter what happens,” Mack said. Mack and Terrell are starting their journey in Maine on June 1 and ending in Georgia during the first couple weeks of November. Mack said they hope to walk anywhere from 10-20 miles a day. Although the most common way to hike the trail is from Georgia to Maine, after much research on Terrell’s part, the couple will be hiking south through the 14 states instead. “We’re going southbound because of when we’re leaving, it worked better with the season alignment,” Terrell said. Terrell has been planning and researching the trip for a year and a half, and originally planned to hike alone until Mack expressed interest in going, Terrell said. “I wouldn’t have been able to do it had she not planned it,” Mack said. “It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do and this is a really good opportunity,
especially because Sarah is so on the ball about (planning).” In preparation for the hike, Terrell has been reading guidebooks and online blogs by other “thru-hikers,” a name given to people who hike long-distance trails from end-toend. One resource that proved invaluable in Terrell’s preparation was speaking with a friend’s aunt, who had previously hiked the entirety of the trail. “She gave me a lot of helpful advice. She still had a full list of all the food she ate, which she planned weekly,” Terrell said. “I came back with pages of notes after I met with her. It was great.” Mack and Terrell have carefully selected all of their gear, keeping in mind that while they need many things in order to be well prepared, they also need to keep their packs light, Terrell said. According to Mack, their packs include a tent, a sleeping bag, some food, cookware, a water purification kit and a few other miscellaneous items. In addition, Terrell and Mack have been testing out their gear in the recent months to ensure that they know how to use it, and that it all works properly. The planning that goes into hiking the AT is so extensive that Mack and Terrell even have to mail food to post offices near the trail for pickup during their hike, Terrell said. Their planned diet includes ramen, rice, dried vegetables, trail mix and cliff bars. However, Mack plans on getting creative with the portable cookware, he said.
“I cook all the time so I’m hoping I can whip up tasty meals every night,” Mack said. While Terrell and Mack are excited about their trip, they leave family, like Mack’s mom and Terrell’s brother, behind to worry about them. According to Mack and Terrell, family and friends weren’t surprised by their decision to hike the AT — a sentiment echoed by Terrell’s friend Hannah Levy, a senior psychology major. “Sarah and I were random roommates freshman year and have been friends ever since, so I’ve seen her get more and more into hiking and camping. It’s kind of been like a natural progression,” Levy said. “And this is probably going to be their one chance to put this much time aside to do something like (hike the AT) so I think it’s really awesome.” With all the preparations mostly behind them, the only thing left to do is make it through the hike itslf. Although the couple knows they will inevitably face challenges, their plan is to just keep walking whenever things get tough, Terrell said. “I’m sure that there wi ll be times that I’m kicking myself for choosing to do this, and that it’s not all going to be fun and games,” Terrell said. “Some parts will be really challenging, but persistence is key.” Despite such obstacles, Mack and Terrell are looking forward to starting on their journey. “I can’t wait,” Mack said. Follow us on Twitter: @Collegiatetimes
APPALACHIAN TRAIL
Mt. Katahdin
CANADA
ATLANTIC OCEAN
Springer Mtn
0’
50’ 100’
200’
HANNAH CAO / COLLEGIATE TIMES
I to stay involved!
Christine Terminello Homecoming Queen
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people & clubs
may 8, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
editors: emma goddard, nick smirniotopoulos featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
Student signs with new label in Washington D.C. TAYLOR CHANDLER features staff writer
Sophomore communications student by day and recording artist by night, James Britton has been splitting the past several weeks traveling from Blacksburg to Washington, D.C. where he was recently signed to the House Studio DC label. Britton has journeyed down multiple avenues, including trying his luck at the popular TV hit, the X-Factor, a year ago. In April 2012, Britton and his girlfriend, Jamie Boyd, traveled to Greensboro, N.C. to audition as a duo. The trip, originally intended for Boyd’s birthday, landed on the same day that the show was scheduled to be in North Carolina. With no plans or specific strategy, they auditioned spontaneously.
“
I wasn’t that disappointed because it was very commercial, over-thetop and obnoxious.” James Britton
After driving through the night from Frederick, Md., the pair made it to their destination as the sun came up.
“We pulled up at 6 a.m. and there were probably already 500 people lined up. We had a deck of cards and a dice just so we had something to do,” Britton said. After eight hours of standing in line for registration, Britton and Boyd went back to the coliseum the next day at 8 a.m. for the first round of the X-Factor. Britton and Boyd were called in together and had decided to sing their own jazz arrangement of Sunday Morning by Maroon 5 in front of three producers. “It was kind of peculiar because we could see that they were all individually into it, but at the very end the guy in the middle — they didn’t even look at each other — said ‘Okay that was good, you guys are through. Here’s your ticket.’” With that, the hopeful duo stayed for another night, but after the second round of auditions the next day, Britton and Boyd were not asked to return. “I wasn’t that disappointed because it was very commercial, over-the-top and obnoxious.” However, 11 months after the audition, Britton hit a streak of good luck. House Studios DC, a relatively new label based in Washington, D.C., was offering a $30,000 grant to six top artists. After reviewing over
CHEN JIANG / SPPS
James Britton auditioned for X-Factor in April 2012 in Greensboro, NC with his girlfriend Jamie Boyd and signed with a label shortly after. 300 applicants, Britton made it to the top 20 and, though he wasn’t one of the contest winners, he lingered in the mind of Jake Grotticelli, an engineer at House. A day after the winners were announced, Britton received a call from Grotticelli. “James can pick up any
instrument and create something special. He’s doing something bigger than himself and I wanted to be a part of it,” Grotticelli said. Jason Mraz, John Mayer and Britton’s own father are his biggest musical influences. “I want to model my career off of what they have done.
Jason Mraz released his first concert on DVD when he was 25, so I feel like I should have that done by then, too. But if I have to work until I’m 40 to get that DVD out, I’ll do that,” Britton said. In early June of this year, House Studio DC is releasing Britton’s 11-track album,
Blue-Eyed Soul. Despite Britton’s hard work in releasing the album, he has kept the chatter to a lull, not wanting to brag. “I don’t want to compromise my dignity,” Britton said. “I want to keep my soul and really enjoy what I’m doing.”
Project offers employment to victims of sex trade ABBEY WILLIAMS features staff writer
27 Million. Few people can imagine a number so large, but many men and women involved recognize this number as a reminder of how many people have fallen to human trafficking. June Song, a senior HNFE major, along with the international company Freeset, is working to reduce that number. Freeset is a fair trade business offering employment to women trapped in Kolkata’s sex trade. Song helped further this message when she started a chapter of the company at Virginia Tech this past fall. “It’s very new,” Song said. “But I was at Gobblerfest and I got really good feedback there so that was exciting.” Song attributes her choice to get involved to encouragement from Tech alumni, Lisa Choi. “Freeset allows the women in the red-light district of Kolkata, Sonagacchi, a way out of prostitution through a fair-trade business that allows them to provide for their needs instead of being trapped with no choice,”
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The Freeset project sells bags and shirts made by women that have fallen victim to the Kolkata sex trade in an attempt to raise awareness. Choise said. by even college students. Song said. “And if you get a tionally,” Song said. “For the Working for a good cause “I think a lot of times as bulk of 100 or 200 shirts, it time being it’s very low key is not always easy, though. consumers we’re really can be as cheap as $5 dollars. and low maintenance, but Song admits getting college unaware of how supporting So we’re trying to market to its all about talking to peostudents to spend money to and contributing to some- different organizations here ple and getting them aware purchase the bags and shirts thing like this can be so life at Tech.” of what’s going on in the made by women is difficult. changing,” Song said. “It’s beautiful to think we world.” “It’s difficult because you Another important aspect can be a part of (these fam“College students possess so have to be selling things con- of the company is that it ily’s) growing processes and much energy and have great stantly and, as college stu- remains eco-friendly, and their next step in life,” Song potential in making a differdents, we’re typically frugal,” also offers the option to per- said. ence in the world. Therefore, Song said. sonalize almost all bags and Although the chapter is still the Tech chapter is a vital Song, however, believes that shirts. in its meager beginnings, source of manpower and fuel through simple and deliber“All the material that they’re Song has hope for the future. to help in the fight against ate consumerism, issues of using is either biodegradable “It’s a great way for people human trafficking,” Choi forced labor can be reduced or 100% organic cotton,” here to get involved interna- said.
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opinions
may 8, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
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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 Special Section Design Edtitor: Danielle Buynak Public Editor: Erin Chapman Web Editor: Chelsea Gunter Senior News Editor: Mallory NoePayne Associate News Editors: Priscilla Alvarez, Dean Seal News Blog Editor: Cameron Austin News Reporters: Leslie McCrea, Justin Graves, Andrew Kulak, Donal Murphy News Staff Writers: Alex Gomez, Sean Hayden, Max Luong, Cody Owens, Features Editors: Emma Goddard, Nick Smirniotopoulos Features Staff Writers: Ben Kim, Katie White, Kara Van Scoyc, Allie Sivak, Jacob Wilbanks Senior Opinions Editor: Josh Higgins Associate Opinions Editor: Shawn Ghuman Sports Editors: Matt Jones, Zach Mariner Special Sections Editor: Chelsea Giles Copy Chief: Nora McGann Copy Editors: Allison Hedrick, Kristin Gunther, Sam Huff, Mackenzie Fallon, Alexis Livingston, Kayleigh McKenzie Photo Editor: Kevin Dickel MCT CAMPUS
what you’re saying On Accounting transfer option not available for all schools Anonymous : If you can’t handle this course there are several options: 1) Try harder 2) leave the business school 3) drop out of Tech. If your aspiration is to take classes at community college then you probably shouldn’t be here. Anonymous: If you can’t handle this course there are several options: 1) Try harder 2) leave the business school 3) drop out of Tech. If your aspiration is to take classes at community college then you probably shouldn’t be here.Hey high horse who is this ‘you’ being mentioned? Can other students not take community college courses?High horse better tell College of Engineering do not accept credit for ENGE 1024 and ENGE 1114/1104.In addition, better tell some University Studies students about several options if an engineering major is not a good choice high horse. Finally, transfer students coming from community colleges and other institutions elsewhere are out of luck according to high horse. What aspirations and motivations does Anonymous @ 12:22 AM have other than telling students what they should do or where to go?People who live in glass houses should not throw stones Local Gal: Most students transferred in to Va Tech from a small Junior College or a community college, go through some major adjustments. Many need to retake some courses without credits because they were not well prepared for the Junior level courses. The weaker students have already been weaved out in the first two years. The new transferred students are joining the group of hard working students that have earned their right to be here. There is no high horses or casting stones. It is the simple fact: Va Tech is a very high ranging university for a reason. We graduate excellent students that persevered,learned and well prepared for the next stage of their lives. This is life. Not everyone will do well in a competitive and stressful environment.
NY cigarette legislation lacks logic A
ccording to an ar ticle released on April 28 by the Washington Post, the state of New York is attempting to pass legislation to raise the age to domestically purchase cigarettes from 18 to 21. The state is following the example set by Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York City, who bumped the age to purchase cigarettes in the city up to 21 a few days prior. State Senator Diane Savino told the Post, “Anything we can do to stop young people from starting is a step in the right direction.” Although there are major health risks to smoking cigarettes, it is not the state’s choice to make for other adults. At the age of 18, a person is legally an adult in the eyes of the U.S. government. If 18 years is old enough
to vote in presidential elections, participate in the military and be convicted of a crime as an adult, how can we deny an adult the right to choose whether they want to smoke cigarettes or not? In a New York Times article regarding this interesting scenario, it states, “New York officials estimated that raising the age to 21 would reduce the smoking rate among 18- to 20-year-olds by 55 percent and by twothirds among 14- to 17-yearolds.” New York officials are blinded by good intentions when making this statement. Their desire is to make their state’s people healthier, but this is not the way to do it. There will always be a way for minors and young adults to purchase cigarettes. There are plenty of 18-to-20 year-olds who have friends above the age of 21
that will buy cigarettes for them. This does not even take into account the illegal measures some minors and 18-to-20 year-olds will take procure cigarettes.
New York officials are blinded by good intentions when making this statement.” If state officials in New York feel it is necessary to decrease the number of adults who smoke, they should release a state-funded, statewide campaign that highlights the risks of smoking and why it is not healthy. It is astounding what a mass media message can accomplish. The Center for Disease Control and
Faith healing has no place in society
In
this age of advanced medicine, no one should die from minor ailments. Yet that is exactly what happened when a Philadelphia couple chose faith-healing over medical attention for their sick child in late April. Herbert and Catherine Schaible had already lost one son when they refused to seek medical attention for their daughter. This made their latest choice both reckless and mind-baffling.
“
Morally, society has an obligation to ensure the safety of children. To accomplish this, we should use only the most trusted methods.”
Of course, theirs is just one on a long list of cases where parents have relied solely on faith to heal their children. But when such decisions result in permanent injury or the death of a child, parents should be held fully accountable, and punished for their crimes. While the government must respect the fundamental right to free exercise of
religion, this obligation disappears when this freedom harms others. For example, adults should be able to shun medical care for themselves if their condition would only affect them. Otherwise, they are usually subject to civil action under tort law. However, when the health of a child is involved, parents or guardians should be legally bound to seek appropriate medical attention. Even when professional medical attention is not called upon and some sort of unprofessional treatment is attempted, mere reliance on faith should never be permissible under American law. Currently, the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act of 1974, as amended in 1996, grants religious exemptions to state child neglect and abuse laws. For public health and moral reasons, we should eliminate these exemptions. The clearest example of faith-healing subverting the protection of public health is the case of childhood immunization. While the refusal of some parents to have their children vaccinated for religious or “philosophical” reasons is protected in some states and can be viewed as a minor public health risk, this is not the case. A Colorado study investi-
gating 179 cases of measles in Colorado showed that more than 11 percent of such cases arose because of contraction from a child who had not been vaccinated under a religious or philosophical exemption. This is in addition to the 25 percent of cases occurring among children not vaccinated. Morally, society has an obligation to ensure the safety of children. To accomplish this, we should use only the most trusted methods. Modern medicine, while not infallible, has repeatedly shown itself the most reliable way to protect public health. Religious and parental rights have long been protected by American courts. They will continue to be so even if religious exemptions are eliminated. However, in the words of Justice Wiley B. Rutledge in Prince v. Massachusetts (1944), “The family itself is not beyond regulation in the public interest, as against a claim of religious liberty. And neither the rights of religion nor the rights of parenthood are beyond limitation…” HECTOR QUESADA - regular columnist - junior - political science
Prevention’s anti-smoking advertisement campaign released last year made myself and other audiences cringe. The commercials showed real life people who smoked for a long time and ended up losing something vital in their bodies, such as their voice box, their looks and in some cases, their limbs. The state of New York truly has their heart in the right place, but passing a regulation such as raising the age to purchase cigarettes to 21 will probably yield as little success as the so-called “War on Drugs.” RYAN TURK - regular columnist - freshman - BIT
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Collegiate Times Business Staff Business Manager: James Dean Seal Circulation Manager: Keith Bardsley Student Publications Photo Staff Director of Photography: Brad Klodowski Lab Manager: Trevor White College Media Solutions Assistant Ad Director: Carla Craft Account Executives: Robert Alberti, Taylor Moran Inside Sales Manager: Amanda Gawne Assistant Account Executives: Catie Stockdale Jordan Williams, Elizabeth Dam, Emily Daugherty Creative Director: Diana Bayless Assistant Creative Director: Nik Aliye Creative Staff: Mariah Jones, Samantha Keck, Kitty Schaffernoth, Seden Craig 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.
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6
may 8, 2013
get ready to
puzzle
Regular Edition Today’s Birthday Horoscope: Begin the year with confidence and financial luck, and hustle to harvest. Materialism loses glitter; stick with basics and savor savings. Then community, family and friends fill your summer social calendar, and communications fly. Education takes focus, along with wellness and service. Balance.
Help Wanted OCCASIONAL WORK, summer townhome changeovers, non-regular hours, painting, cleaning & handyman skills a plus. 5/165/26 and 7/20-7/29. $10/ hr. Email techtownhomes@ gmail.com with experience & phone number.
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Piled Higher and Deeper by Jorge Cham
For Rent
FOR RENT, 2013/2014, Pheasant Run Crossing, more info at 1417christinecourt. com or call 434 713 9332.
XKDC by Randell Monroe
63 When tripled, cry near the end of 39-Across 64 __ de menthe 65 Robber James 66 Prime meridian std. 67 Astronomical dist. 68 None of the above
By Steve Blais
Week ending May 10, 2013
Hot New Songs Fitzpleasure • alt-J #thatPOWER • will.i.am feat. Justin Bieber Sure Be Cool if You Did • Blake Shelton Gone, Gone, Gone • Phillip Phillips All Gold Everything • Trinidad James
ACROSS 1 Drink made with steamed milk 6 Prefix meaning “ten” 10 1970 hit that asks about its title, “What is it good for?” 13 Under way 14 Fred’s “I Love Lucy” wife 16 Dublin’s land: Abbr. 17 Percentage of industry sales 19 Shaq’s former org. 20 Get on one’s knees, perhaps
5/8/13 21 Roosters’ mates 22 Plantation house 24 Commodore 64, e.g. 27 “__ the ramparts ...” 28 Many an Iraqi 29 Internet commerce 33 Simile words 36 Narcotics squad action 39 Tot’s chant suggested by the starts of 17-, 24-, 49- and 60-Across 42 Circle dance with a chair, often
43 Oscar winner Patricia 44 Me.-to-Fla. highway 45 Wrestling successes 47 Put a stop to 49 Offering at Arby’s 54 Brittany or Normandy, once 55 __’acte: intermission 56 Get ready, as for surgery 59 Seek information 60 Hardly certain
DOWN 1 Desk light 2 Some distance away 3 Sacred Judaic scroll 4 Japanese metropolis 5 Québec summer 6 Defile, as something sacred 7 Prefix with -centric 8 Deep gorge 9 __ Lingus 10 Motor home brand 11 Shady recess 12 Hitchcock’s “__ Window” 15 Madagascar primate 18 What you used to be? 23 Classic video games 25 Gangster’s gal 26 Window section 29 Country N. of Kenya 30 However, briefly 31 Cause of a sudden drop in altitude 32 Hebrew prophet 34 RR stop 35 Completely healed 37 Engine starter: Abbr. 38 Source of much blonde hair
40 The “I” in MIT: Abbr. 41 Some George Carlin jokes 46 “Bye Bye Bye” pop group 48 Bushy hairdo 49 Deceptions 50 Poet Stephen Vincent __ 51 Foe 52 Surprise victory
Tuesday’s Puzzle Solved
(c)2012 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
Taurus (April 20-May 20) Let the words pour out as you become more confident. Travel to or over water. New information propels action at home. Prepare to launch. Invest in your success. Take quick action for maximum benefit.
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Fix something before it breaks. Travel conditions improve, and working at home is nice, too. Tap into your passion, and believe you can. This leads to discovery.
Cancer (June 21-July 22) Set up a meeting to entertain new possibilities. Move quickly to get the best deal. Adjust the schedule. Circumstances control your actions. Work without chatter. Stay focused and keep cool.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Look alive and think fast. Then go slow. Let a strong leader take charge. Invest in home, family, land and real estate. Partnership negotiations occur. Help your team win.
Gemini (May 21-June 20) Tempers could be short. You’re under pressure to complete old tasks. You get farther with an intermediary. Your dreams are brilliantly prophetic.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Work requires more attention. Don’t speak so freely about money now. Move quickly to find necessary information. Entice your partner. Listen to all the considerations. A philosopher gives you a boost.
53 Dense overgrowth 54 “Deputy __”: TV toon 57 Gaelic tongue 58 House of Lords member 61 Florida 19-Across team, on scoreboards 62 Spanish eye
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Today and tomorrow are good for financial planning. Don’t throw money around. Investigate an improbable theory, and take action on an idea with inspiring brilliance. Figure costs. Subtle art elements are best.
5/7/13
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) You score big with creative output. Business takes a new direction. Don’t be impetuous. Use resources wisely. You can ask for more and get it. Indulge your cuddly side.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Slow down and listen, close to home. Family wants attention. Keep talking. Find ways to increase efficiency. Your team is hot. The previously impossible seems doable. Follow your heart.
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Be bold without gambling. Push yourself forward. Offer corrections to erroneous assumptions. Enter a two-day learning phase. Write up the proposal. Listen and include critical information. Bury a treasure. Boost energy with Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Get exercise. busy and open a new chapter. Use your imagination. Stand for a new Aries (March 21-April 19) Start way of doing business ... this is the getting practical, and compute design phase. Work on the details. expenses. Shopping for household Accept unexplainable inspiration. items moves into top priority. Talk Ask probing questions. over the schedule. Friends are Investigate. on your side. Think quickly, and move slowly. Get in the flow.
The Study Break: May 9th
people & clubs 7 Life is Ruff may 8, 2013
editors: emma goddard, josh higgins featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
COLLEGIATETIMES
Ten year-old Bryan Taylor of Christiansburg contacted the Collegiate Times last week about getting his comic, “Life is Ruff” published. For our last regular edition of the paper for the year, we thought it appropriate to include his contribution.
BEN WEIDLICH / SPPS
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JENEE OSTERHELDT mcclatchy newspaper
Shine bright like a bully? Rihanna, currently on her Diamonds World Tour, took center stage on Twitter over the weekend of May4-5 when she lashed back at one of her many cyber trolls. This is not the first time Rihanna has stirred the bully pot. She’s been known to respond directly to her detractors. This time the pop star, known for calling her fans a navy, was all hands on deck. Rihanna posted a picture of the bully alongside a photo of a goat, asking her followers — 29 million on Twitter and 7 million on Instagram — for comparisons. The post quickly dominated social media all Saturday morning. Lots of fans joined the attack, even after the singer deleted the image. Many
shamed Rihanna for stooping so low. And plenty wondered: What incited such a public display of mean? For days, the anti-fan had been posting rude comments on both Twitter (@santana_kash) and Instagram (@ ms_kasharna1). She tagged Rihanna in some of these jabs, hoping that the star would see them. She trolled Rihanna’s family members’ pages too, saying they looked mentally disabled. She’s called Rihanna a crackhead and a ho, and even hoped Chris Brown would punch Rihanna in the face again. Naturally, she deleted those comments and eventually got rid of her Twitter account and made her Instagram private, but not before trying to get her 15 minutes of fame. Once she scrubbed her timelines of her attacks against Rihanna, she instantly played the victim. She asked cast
members of VH1’s “The Gossip Game” to listen to her story. I wish I could say this is rare. But there’s been an ongoing Rihanna pile-on, by everyday people and celebrities alike, from Lena Dunham to Joan Rivers. She’s been called a disgrace and a zero. That illegally leaked image of her bruised and battered face is used as a weapon against her. She continues to get beat up by the public. I’m not saying what Rihanna did on Saturday morning was right. It would have been better to ignore it and report it. But the bullied often become the bullies. Hurt people hurt people. And whether you like it or not, celebrities are human. Just because you make millions of dollars and perform on a world stage does not give people the right to attack you. LeAnn Rimes, Charlotte Dawson, Keri Hilson, Adele, Justin Bieber — the list goes on
when it comes to cyber attacks against celebrities. People tag them, and the insults go beyond criticizing their talents and their looks. It has become commonplace on social media to ask someone to die or kill themselves. No. This hate isn’t new. We’ve been nurturing the bully culture. We started with tabloids, moved on to the Internet and now even news outlets have joined in. When Kim Kardashian and Jessica Simpson make the news for how big they become or what they wear when they are pregnant, when their size and maternity wear is cast in a negative light for the millions of viewers to chime in, do you really believe it’s all harmless? We’ve made trolling a sport. We’ve given it an audience. Bullying has become a great American pastime. And at one point or another, we’ve all played the wicked game.
8
people & clubs
may 8, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
editors: emma goddard, nick smirniotopoulos featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
Cycling club breaks barriers, embraces female members Learning an unfamiliar sport is intimidating enough, but for a woman competing in a maledominanted competition, it can add even more obstacles. Virginia Tech’s Cycling Club breaks down these barriers and encourages female members to join the club, however. They teach members how to pedal their way to a top spot, no matter what level of experience or gender. Tech's Cycling Club’s women’s liaison, Kay Comer, a fifthyear engineering science and mechanics major with three years of team cycling under her belt, felt support from the club from the start. Comer developed a quick bond with her teammates as she rooted them on in their long rides or “crits,” short for criterium, which are races shorter than a mile. Many of the longer courses on the club’s list of trails are over 80 miles long, which leaves a lot of time for team bonding. “When you have a couple teammates in a race, you work for the sprinter to win,” Comer
“All of our racers are there at every race cheering on our teammates,” Massey said. “That’s something we’ve prided ourselves on as Hokies — making sure everyone is there.” As president, Massey counts himself responsible for preparing before every race by making sure gear and team members are ready to ride. The team competes in several races every weekend, which means training throughout the whole week is critical. For new riders like Rebecca Stimson, a freshman urban affairs major, that preparation can seem daunting. “I’m learning,” Stimson said. “It’s my first year racing, and the learning curve is huge, but (the team) makes it so easy.” Stimson’s introduction into the world of cycling was a little less conventional; she was introduced to the sport while living in Holland. Regardless of athletic background, diving straight into the world of cycling taught Comer and Stimson everything they know about the sport today. “It’s a game of who can stick with the pack the longest,”
Comer said. “It took me a long time, but I realized it’s much easier to stay with the pack if they put in an attack… otherwise you ride 20 or 30 miles by yourself to finish.” For racers, reaching the finish line makes the time, money and training worth it. “It’s fantastic how quick and easily everyone just bonds out of their pure love for bikes,” Comer said. “The one commonality brings so many different people together.” For Massey and the rest of the team, getting new people involved in the sport is a high priority. “It is kind of an interesting thing to get into,” Massey said. “For the first couple weekends, you’re always unsure, but there are so many different resources to help you get into cycling here.” As one of the team’s newest riders, Stimson can see Comer’s and Massey’s words being taken to heart. “No one can win by themselves,” Stimson said. Follow us on Twitter: @Collegiatetimes
BEN WEIDLICH / SPPS
The club encourages their members through training and loaning bikes.
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said. “It’s really cool to see that happen.” Before she could compete though, she needed something to ride. “I started on the team as a mountain biker, which was funny, because I didn’t have my own mountain bike,” Comer said. “I was borrowing bikes I’d never ridden for the whole first season.” Not having a bike kept Comer from training properly, though. A regular routine of fitness can make or break a rider, but luckily, Comer’s teammates were able to lend her everything she needed when she first started to train on special bikes. “They actually found me shoes I could clip in to the pedals,” Comer said. “Everyone was so supportive, encouraging and helpful.” Like some of the other women in her field, Comer is developing her skills on a team that is mostly male. Gender difference does not affect much in the club. Will Massey, the club's president and a senior marketing managment major, said the Cycling Club leaves no room for riders to feel alienated.
channel 33 on campus
JESSICA GROVES
editors: matt jones, zach mariner sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
sports
may 8, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
9
Clemens looks forward to improving in 2013 season RACHEL FRANK sports staff writer
While most Hokie fans were preparing for the Thursday night game against Florida State last November, David Clemens was leading the soccer team to an ACC tournament upset. Not many people were paying attention to the soccer team, but that didn’t stop Clemens. He scored two comeback goals against North Carolina State to win the team’s first ACC game of the season, and advance to the second round of the ACC tournament. It was only the second time in program history that Virginia Tech won a tournament game. Th is was not Clemens’s first heroic performance and doesn’t look to be his last. In the 2012 season Clemens scored 10 goals — the second most ever in a single season at Tech. Clemens knew that Blacksburg was a football town when he signed his letter of intent, but that doesn’t make being unappreciated any easier. “It’s frustrating, but the sport is growing on the American population,” Clemens said. “Hopefully, we can get it there by winning games and drawing more fans out.” Clemens has been an asset to Tech’s team since he started in 2010 as a freshman. Clemens’ teammate, Kyle Renfro, describes him as “a vital component of what we are trying to do here as a team and for us to be successful he has to be playing well.” Clemens comes from Saratoga Springs, NY, and though he played many sports when he was younger, he fell in love with soccer. “As a kid I played basketball, baseball, soccer and everything. I just always loved soccer better then the rest,” Clemens said. “Soccer was always the way for me.“ Th roughout high school, Clemens played overseas. On a trip to South Africa, he played a number of international U-19 teams. Clemens also played in London at the Arsenal festival, where he took on teams from Portugal, Iraq and all across Europe. As a freshman, Clemens worked his way into a starting position. He played in 18 games during the season, and started in five. As a sophomore he started in all 10 games he played in, and scored two goals.
it's summer. it's beautiful. it's blacksburg.
go camping.
Clemens’ favorite memory at Tech comes from the very beginning of his sophomore year, when the Hokies beat No. 1 North Carolina. “It was amazing. There were 3,000 or 4,000 people there and it was an overtime golden goal. It was really a dream night,” Clemens said. That was one of the last games Clemens played that season though, as he suffered an ankle injury three games later and missed the next seven. He tried to come back at the end of the season against Radford, but reaggravated his injury and missed the last two games of the regular season. “It was really difficult for me,” Clemens said. “It really set me back. It was a mental obstacle too because I just really wanted to play and I couldn’t even get a redshirt.” Coming off the injury, Clemens was motivated to make 2012 a special season. Th is focus paid off, as he scored 10 goals and notched 22 points. Despite Clemens’ personal success, the team did not do as well. Tech ended the regular season 7-10-3 overall, and 0-7-1 in the ACC. The Hokies, however, ended the season on a high note, beating NC State in the first round of the ACC tournament and playing No. 1 Maryland in a close game in the second round. Clemens hopes the team can carry the momentum from the ACC tournament last fall into the upcoming season. “The momentum from last fall is going to be key to our
TREVOR WHITE / SPPS
Returning from an ankle injury in his sophomore season, David Clemens (11) scored 10 goals and recorded 22 points in the 2012 season. success,” Clemens said. “We have internationals coming in who we feel strongly about, and we think our team can make an impact in the ACC this year.” Looking ahead to next season, Clemens and Renfro have been named co-captains of the team. Renfro has been impressed with how Clemens has taken to becoming a captain. “Being
a captain, (Clemens) has stepped up into a leadership role and is taking responsibility and accountability of the players,” Renfro said. Both players are excited to work together and lead the team next year. “We work really well together,” Renfro said. “We both have opinions, so we can bounce ideas off each other and choose the right way of going about
things if there is a problem.” While he is focusing on his senior season, Clemens plans to graduate in December and hopes to play professionally. If Clemens is able to play professionally, it will be an impressive feat. According to the NCAA, only 1 percent of college soccer players play professionally, and Tech has had only three players select-
ed in the MLS draft. Luckily, Clemens has a backup plan to become a sports reporter if professional soccer doesn’t work out. Future plans aside, Clemens is looking forward to next season, and hopes to show Tech fans that there is more in Blacksburg than football to get excited about.
10
sports
may 8, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
editors: matt jones, zach mariner sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
Pinder: Hokies’ junior leads by example and work ethic “We have a very tight knit family,” said Chris Pinder, Chad’s father. “We have four kids and my wife was an athlete. I was an athlete. Then you stem back even to the grandparents. My mom, still today at 70, is a tennis pro.” Chris Pinder played collegiate ball at VCU before being drafted and playing professionally in the Cleveland Indians and Baltimore Orioles organizations. He learned firsthand about the kind of mental toughness it takes to thrive in the professional athletic world, and that has clearly translated into how he raised his children. Chad’s older brother, Clark, was a three-year all-state second baseman at Poquoson High School — Chad’s alma mater — and his younger brother, Chase, recently committed to play baseball at Clemson. Naturally, the family is competitive. “The biggest competition in the household, other than me and my dad, is me and Chase,” Chad said. “It’s knockdown, drag out, just anything. Anything you can compete with. It gets serious.” Then there is Avery. As the only daughter and the baby of the family, Avery needs protection from her older brothers when they pick on her, and, of course, that protection comes from Chad. “Avery and I are very, very close. She’s the youngest in the family and I’m more the lenient brother,” Chad said, laughing. “I’m the one who won’t give her the most crap about guys because she’s getting about that age. She always comes to me.” Get to know Chad, and that kindness no surprise. It’s been his way his entire life. “He’s always been a softhearted, kind-souled person,” Chris said. “He’s always reached out to kids. He’s the type of guy, if there’s a kid on the sidewalk crying he is the one that grabs him, bends down to his level — eye-to-eye — and holds him. That’s the kind of kid he is.” — Growing up, Chad played just about every sport imaginable. His childhood was so entrenched in sports, he missed out on many of the things most children get to enjoy. While his friends were hanging out and having fun, he was taking batting practice and fielding ground balls. Eventually, he got sick of it. “I remember playing AAU and getting a little worn out from playing all the time,” Chad said, thinking back to his freshman year of high school. One night at dinner, when it was just him and his former professional ballplaying dad, it clicked. He recalls vividly that precise moment, sitting in Mr. C’s on Wythe Creek Road with the tiled floors and green plants hanging from the ceilings. “An Orioles game was on TV, and I’ll never forget it,” Chad said, looking out to center field as if that same game was being portrayed on the massive, green batter’s eye beyond English Field. “I stopped and I told my dad, ‘That’s what I want to do for the rest of my life. I want to play professional baseball.’” And he meant it. “I’ll do whatever it takes,” he continued. “I don’t care if it means sacrificing hanging out with my friends, I’m going to play travel ball ever summer, play as much ball as I possibly can and work as hard as I can
to reach my goals.” And it paid off. He committed to Tech just a month after receiving their offer. It took just three games into his freshman year for Chad to get his first start. When head coach Pete Hughes approached Chad during the bus ride to South Carolina Upstate to ask him if he was nervous, he answered truthfully.
“
When I came in as a freshman I wasn’t even close to being ready to play infield for an ACC team.” Chad Pinder Shortstop
“Why should I be?” Hughes told him he would be making his first collegiate start. The butterflies immediately took flight. He had been warned by the likes of upperclassmen Tim Smalling, Mike Seaborn and Ronnie Shaban of what to expect in college: the balls were hit harder and the pitches were thrown faster. In his first collegiate at-bat he singled. In his third, he doubled. His fourth, he singled. Pinder had little trouble adjusting offensively. He finished his first game 3-for-5 and the season with a .317 batting average, four triples and three home runs. Pinder, like many standout ball players, played just about every position on the field at one time or another, but it was in the infield in general, and at shortstop in particular, where he felt most at home. While his bat was adjusting just fine to the next level, his glove was slower to acclimate. “When I came in as a freshman I wasn’t even close to being ready to play infield for an ACC team,” he said. “I was all over the place. I knew it; coach knew it. The game was flying by me. I was booting balls that are easy plays now.” It was going to take work, but that one decision at Mr. C’s proved he could handle it. “If I wanted to play infield for the Hokies, I knew that I was going to have to bust it that summer,” Pinder said. Every day I took early ground balls, and when I came back, I felt like I was a different infielder.” — One of those irreplaceable insights Chris learned while playing professional baseball the importance of a support system. For Chad, that support system has been in place his entire life, however, now at college, it has changed shape. With Avery and Chase still living at home and having sporting events on a regular basis, it has made it very difficult for Chris and Beth to make the 291-mile trip from their home in Poquoson to watch Chad in Blacksburg. They haven’t allowed that distance to get in the way of their support. “I’m used to not having them in person, but they support me 100 percent,” Chad said. “They’re always following me on the game tracker and I have five text messages after every game from my mom, my dad, my grandmas. I have a great family and they support me so
much.” Chris described what it was like during a normal Pinder family weekend. “(Avery) is really getting into competitive softball,” Chris said. “Chase just committed to Clemson, so they both had games over the weekend. “We were all glued to the HokieSports.com/baseball/live. We’ve got that on our iPhones when we are watching Chase or Avery on the field. We’re glued in; thank God for cyberspace. That’s been real helpful. We text beforehand; we text afterward. It’s all inspirational stuff and we all keep up with him.” But his support system extends outside his traditional family. Hughes, like any great coach, knows when his players need to be hugged and when they need to be kicked, and is directly responsible for Pinder’s maturation since first arriving on campus. “(Coach Hughes) has meant everything to me. He’s like a second father. I think coming here I was very immature and I didn’t know — I still don’t know everything,” Chad said, laughing as he caught himself. “He’s helped me so much baseball-wise and even more in becoming a man. Just the principles he teaches, and he’s been very special to me. I love him to death. I owe him a ton.” If you play the game for long enough, you will hit rough stretches. By playing the game of failure for so many years, Chad understands the importance isn’t whether you’ve struggled or not, but on how you allow that struggle to impact you. “I think just mentally last year I would have let (offensive slumps) get me in a rut,” he said. “I know that it doesn’t matter what I’m doing at the plate. I have to still play defense, I still have to help my team win and I can’t let it bother me.” Sounds kind of like the Friday night against Florida State back in late March. With the Hokies leading the then-No. 4 Seminoles by a run in the bottom of the ninth with one out and a runner on third, Pinder leapt into the air to snag a ball that was destined — and hit hard enough — to roll all the way to the wall in left field. He then had the presence of mind to dive for third base to double off the runner and end the game. Chad was 0-for-3 at the plate that night.
“
I want to look at you and I can’t tell if you’re 10 runs up or 10 runs down.” Chris Pinder Chad Pinder’s Father
Chad’s mentality can be traced back to the way his dad played the game, and the way Chris taught his kids to do the same. “It’s about respecting the game,” Chris said, recalling the times he would fine Chad $5 for not wearing his ball cap the right way in the living room. “If you’re on the mound, or at the bat or in the field, there are two things,” Chris continued. “One, I want to look at you and I can’t tell if you’re 10 runs up or 10 runs down. Two, it’s
BEN WEIDLICH / SPPS
Chad Pinder has consistently improved on both offense and defense since coming to Virginia Tech. not the mistakes you make, it’s what you do after the mistake. If you boot the ball and you boot it the next play again, I don’t want that.” In the 137 games Pinder has played as a Hokie, he has committed multiple errors in the same game just once. — Though he came to Blacksburg ready to hit, Chad has made clear progress on both sides of the game every season. With the 2013 season being no exception, since coming to Tech his batting average, RBI, runs scored and walks have increased every year. “Guys can only get better when they recognize where they’re deficient, and if they are consumed with getting better,” Hughes said while listing all the ways Pinder has improved over the years, naming everything from fielding to plate discipline. “He’s mature enough to understand where he is deficient. I think we all know how dedicated and motivated the kid is.” His talent and progression have captured the attention of those who matter most at the professional level. “I love Chad Pinder,” one American League scout said to BaseballAmerica.com. “He’s gotten better every year, he’s gotten a little bigger each year, a little stronger each year, a little more power each year, a little better at third base each year . . . He’s going to be an everyday third baseman in the big leagues.” Hughes believes that both the improvements Chad has made, and the leadership role he has earned, have come as a result of his relentless work ethic. “He’s a great worker and he’s consistent. He never takes any
shortcuts. Your teammates are going to know what kind of guy you are and if you take shortcuts,” Hughes said. “To me that’s where he gets his measure of respect. When you’re respected, you’re a leader.” At this point, the question is not whether he will get drafted this year, but in what round. But Chad refuses to look that far ahead.
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Your teammates are going to know what kind of guy you are and if you take shortcuts.” Pete Hughes Head Baseball Coach
“I haven’t made up my mind,” Chad said. “I haven’t even sat down with my family about it. I haven’t spoken with anybody about it. It’s something that’s going to be pushed off until it happens. You can’t look that far forward when you’ve got something right in front of you.” And what’s right in front of him is one of the most promising Tech seasons in recent memory. All year long the team’s goal has been playing in the ACC and NCAA tournaments, and they are focused on whatever it will take to get there. “My freshman year we missed the ACC tournament by a game,” Chad said. “Last year we missed it by a game, and we missed the NCAA tournament by a game, and that’s just a tough pill to swallow because you put so much into it, so
much blood, sweat and tears into this game. You come out here everyday with the team and you’re running and practicing and lifting and just busting your hump every single day for each other and to come just that short is very hard.” Pinder, along with rest of the team’s leaders, has been given the responsibility of leading the squad into the postseason. Marquee series wins over Florida State and Virginia, both of which were ranked No. 5 or better at the time, have all but secured Tech’s spot in the NCAA tournament. Now, it’s about getting all facets of the team on the same page, and entering the postseason at a high level. The first correction: solidify the infield. Tech’s defense has been much publicized for committing a plethora of errors, most notably at shortstop. To stop the bleeding, Hughes called on his defensive rock, and moved Pinder to short. “He’s back home,” Chris said about Chad, who played shortstop throughout high school. “It’s almost like he’s got a new girlfriend.” It’s no surprise though that Chad’s the one Hughes and the Hokies look to when they need a lift. “It’s a luxury,” Hughes said. “Not too many programs have the ability to do that. Chad’s athleticism and talent level really give us that versatility. It’s a heck of a security blanket, and I think it’s really helped everybody.” Attend any Hokies game and there will be Chad Pinder, whether it’s at third or short, with a vacuum on his hand, a smile on his face and his hat on straight.
editors: editors: emma goddard, nick smirniotopoulos featureseditor@collegiatetimes.com/ 540.231.9865
food & drink
Recipe: Cornbread panzanella BRIAN CROMER | features staff writer
may 8, 2013 COLLEGIATETIMES
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Drink of the week: Cork county bubbles CHELSEA GILES | special sections editor
PAUL KURLAK / SPPS
This Cornbread panzanella is an Italian bread salad with a Southern twist, with cornbread replacing the traditional day-old bread. In addition, toasted croutons are tossed with fresh vegetables and marinated in this hearty salad. Typically, any cornbread recipe will work as long as the croutons do not come out too moist. Most fresh vegetables can be substituted or added to this recipe. Prep time: 10 minutes Cook time: 40 minutes Ingredients: For the cornbread: 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup cornmeal 1 tablespoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 2 eggs 1 cup buttermilk 1/4 cup melted butter 2 tablespoon sugar For the salad: 2 medium cucumbers 3 ripe tomatoes 1 ear sweetcorn ½ medium red onion ¼ cup parsley leaves 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar 1/3 cup olive oil 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. For the cornbread: 1. Mix the dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. 2. Beat the eggs and add them along with the buttermilk and melted butter. Do not overmix the batter. 3. Once the ingredients are loosely combined, stop mixing and pour it into a greased 9x9 baking pan. 4. Bake for 35 minutes then let it cool. 5. Turn the oven down to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the cornbread has cooled, cut it into 1 inch cubes. 6. Spread the cubes onto a sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes, or until they have hardened into croutons. Allow them to cool. 7. Peel the cucumbers and dice them into pieces that are the same size as the croutons. 8. Dice the tomatoes into similar size chunks and thinly julienne the red onion. 9. Cut the kernels off the sweetcorn. 10. Toss the vegetables in a large mixing bowl with the salt and pepper. 11. Add the parsley leaves, oil, and vinegar to the vegetable mixture. 12. Add the cornbread croutons, return to the refrigerator and let cool for at least 30 minutes before serving.
KEVIN DICKEL/ SPPS
The sound of a champagne cork bursting out of the bottle will be showering Blacksburg over the next few weeks with graduation celebrations. Cork County Bubbles is a cocktail that surpasses the usual champagne mixed drink recipes like mimosas or the addition of colorful fruits. This drink, with a splash of Irish whiskey and the sweet warm tang of honey and lemon could add some extra flavor to your celebration. The cocktail’s name derives from the suggested brand of Irish whiskey, Jameson, which is made in Cork County, Ireland.
Ingredients: 1 ounce Irish whiskey (Jameson recommended) ¼ ounce yellow Chartreuse ½ ounce fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon honey mixed with ½ teaspoon warm water 1 ounce chilled champagne ice lemon twist for garnish Directions: 1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, then add all ingredients except the champagne and garnish. Shake well. 2. Strain into a chilled flute, then stir in champagne. 3. Garnish with lemon twist, and enjoy.
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may 8, 2013 TIMES COLLEGIATE