Friday, November 8, 2013 Print Edition

Friday, November 8, 2013

The Collegiate Times’ comprehensive guide to Virginia Tech Football

IN LOGAN

E X f or e co T R ven n A m pa tent PO ore ge , c I N eig hec T ht k

D-BACKS REGAIN DEPTH AS MIAMI AWAITS JAMES O’HARA

Tech’s turnover troubles. From lineman to receivers, the senior gunslinger’s offensive partners are accepting their share of the criticism.

“We can take a few of those (turnovers) on us,” said offensive lineman Andrew Miller, one of the team’s four permanent captains. “Giving up pressure, I think one of them was due to that. And that’s on us. It’s not acceptable to give up pressure where Logan is in a position where he has to get rid of the ball.”

Joshua Stanford, Tech’s leading receiver against Boston College, said he felt “a great deal of (the

The defensive back position on the Virginia Tech defense has become a revolving door for the past two weeks.

Just as senior corner Antone Exum returned from a knee injury that kept him out in the beginning of the season, fellow corners Kyle Fuller and Brandon Facyson left with injuries during the team’s bye week.

Those three, along with Kendall Fuller and safeties Kyshoen Jarrett and Detrick Bonner, make up one of the most highlypraised defensive backfields in the nation.

The plaudits are wellearned as the Hokies’ 17 interceptions this season are the second highest in the nation. Meanwhile, Kendall Fuller and Facyson are in the top 10 in interceptions individually.

However, recently the concern has been focused more on the injuries that have befallen the unit.

Kyle Fuller has been slowly recovering from a groin injury, while Facyson is dealing with a concussion suffered in practice.

With the return of Exum, the Hokies still have two elite corners along with Kendall Fuller; however, the lack of depth is concerning to the coaches.

“It’s not like the coverage is barren,” said defensive coordinator Bud Foster.

“But all of a sudden you get another injury, you get pretty thin there with quality players, guys you feel like you can go win with.”

The Hokies managed well without the two corners

see GOALS / page 2

see PASS / page 2

THEY

BEN WEIDLICH / SPPS

BEN WEIDLICH / SPPS

contributing sports reporter

TRUST

KEVIN DICKEL / SPPS

BY JACOB EMERT | sports editor

Despite plenty of criticism coming from fans, Tech is confident in their quarterback and that they can still acheive their goals this season.

F

ourteen days ago the Virginia Tech Hokies were riding a six-game winning streak, tied for the lead in the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Coastal Division, and fans were ready to proclaim that the program was “back” after its worst season in 20 years.

Fresh off their bye week, the Hokies were looking at a pair of habitual ACC non-contenders before a matchup in Coral Gables with No. 7 Miami.

The Tech bandwagon, which was inundated with newcomers when Tech was 6-1 and ranked 14th in the BCS, is now empty.

The Hokies lost to Duke and Boston College in

consecutive weeks, and, according to fans on message boards and social media, the season is over.

Fans are calling for their quarterback’s head and claiming all is lost in 2013.

The struggles stem from turnovers; that’s no secret.

The defense is prolific, but even the best defenses cannot win games by themselves. Over the past two games the Hokies have turned the ball over eight times — with six interceptions and two fumbles, all coming from the hands of quarterback Logan Thomas.

Thomas though, isn’t the only one to blame for

DEFENSE FOCUSED ON READY TO STOP THE STORM SLOWING RUN GAME ALEX KOMA sports editor

Before the Boston College game, the Hokies insisted they were ready for the Eagles’ physical run game. The 196 yards Tech allowed on the ground seem to suggest otherwise.

Running back Andre Williams accounted for 166 of those yards on his own, thanks to a combination of his athleticism and some breakdowns on defense for the Hokies.

“He’s a freak, you see the way he runs it?” said defensive line coach Charley Wiles. “Are you kidding me?”

Williams averaged five yards per carry and broke off a backbreaking 62-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter. The Hokies know they can’t repeat that performance defending the run if they want to reverse the new losing trend.

“We let that one pop at the end, which was unfortunate,” Wiles said. “It takes everybody to stop what they do.”

The Eagles’ relentless running attack meant that quarterback Chase Rettig was never forced to make any throws under pressure.

“They’re physical and we never got them out of their element,” Wiles said. “You’ve got to get them where they’ve got to spread it out.”

TREVOR WHITE / SPPS

Jack Tyler (58) and Luther Maddy (92) bring down Robert Godhigh (25) behind the line of scrimmage.

Tech’s defensive line looks to return to their dominant ways against No. 7 Miami.

WILL GROOMS sports staff writer TREVOR WHITE / SPPS

Dadi Nicolas (90) stands up Rachid Ibrahim (29) at the line.

But for all their problems, the er formidable ground game. players think their issues in the Miami currently averages 198 run game are pretty easily cor- yards on the ground thanks to rectable. a physically imposing offensive “You can learn from the few line. mistakes that we made, but “I think they’re the best offenthere were only really a few sive line we’ve seen to date,” of them,” said linebacker Jack said defensive coordinator Bud Tyler. “They were big mistakes, Foster. “They’re big, physibut they’re very correctable. cal, athletic. They get a lot of We corrected those on Sunday experience back from last year, and now it’s just get a win at so compare them to like an Miami.”

Alabama or a BC.” As the Hokies turn their attention to the Hurricanes, see DEFENSE / page 2 they’re confronted with anoth-

Entering Saturday’s 34-27 loss to Boston College, defensive coordinator Bud Foster and the Virginia Tech defense were well aware of what they were facing — an experienced quarterback in Chase Rettig and the ACC’s leading rusher in running back Andre Williams.

For the most part, the Tech defensive line did its part in containing the running game, recording seven solo tackles as a unit and assisting on four more.

At times, however, the front four struggled to hold the

line, allowing a season high 5.2 yards per play.

Williams rushed for 166 yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries — 62 of which came on a critical run late in the fourth quarter that put the Eagles up by two touchdowns.

The 196 total rushing yards recorded by BC is the highest total allowed by the Tech defense this season.

“Every play in this game at this level is critical and I was disappointed with the last play,” Foster said. “That being said, I’m proud of our guys and I’m not going to let one play affect how they play.”

Discounting the long run

on the Eagles’ fi nal drive, Williams averaged a pedestrian 3.25 yards per carry.

“It takes a team effort from everybody to stop what (Boston College) does,” said defensive line coach Charley Wiles. “We played well and it was one run. I don’t see any issues with the way we played.”

Also to be noted is the inefficiency of the pass rush.

The Tech defense currently sits at second in the conference for quarterback sacks.

And for the first game this season, it failed to record one.

For the year, the Hokies have tallied 28 sacks on 238 passing attempts — averaging

see LINE / page 2

2

november 8, 2013

PASS: PICKING ON MORRIS from page one

PLAYER

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DEFENSE: SLOWING CRAWFORD from page one Foster is referring to the fact that Miami’s line has an average height of 6-foot-6 and average weight of 320 pounds, a pair of daunting statistics.

Right tackle Seantrel Henderson is one of the monstrous players the Hokies’ defensive line will have to contend with. The senior stands at 6-foot-8 and weighs 345 pounds.

“Jeez, that one Henderson, he’ll fill up this room, you know?” Foster said. “That’s where it starts with these guys.”

But the players feel as if the Hurricanes’ familiar physicality could be an advantage for the Hokies.

“They’re a lot like Boston College. They like to bring in a lot of tight ends — they play power football and take deep shots, that’s kind of their M.O.” Tyler said. “It’s kind of nice playing a team like this right after Boston College because we’re kind of already prepared for it.”

However, one key difference exists between the two teams: Miami will be playing without their star running back.

Sophomore Duke Johnson is likely out for the season with a broken ankle, depriving the

CHEN JIANG / SPPS

Tariq Edwards (24) tackles Anthony Boone (7) against Duke.

Hurricanes of the ACC’s second leading rusher.

Fellow sophomore Dallas Crawford steps in to take his place, but there shouldn’t be too much of a drop off in production. Crawford only has 294 yards this season, but he’s run for nine touchdowns already.

“Of course, it makes a little bit of a difference. Crawford, he’s a really good back,” said cornerback Kyle Fuller. “I don’t think anything will really change. He’s just as good.”

Coaches have even noted that the Hurricanes’ situation has some similarities to the Hokies from a few years ago.

“Coach Foster compared it to when Ryan Williams went down and had David Wilson behind him,” Tyler said.

“They both can score on any play. (Crawford’s) not quite as big as Duke, but he’s still got some juice. He’s fast, he’s quick, he’s really shift y. Just a good back.”

Yet, for all the challenges that Crawford and the rest of the Hurricanes present, members of Tech’s defense relish the opportunity to prove they can dominate against the run once more.

“I like power teams like this.

I like teams that try to mash and bash you on the offensive side, so I enjoy games like this,” Tyler said.

during Exum’s debut against a talented Duke Blue Devils offense. Kendall Fuller turned a hat trick, grabbing three interceptions, and the Hokies limited the Blue Devils to just 13 points.

Against Boston College last Saturday, the defensive backs had more problems. Exum struggled in particular and was beaten on the Eagles’ one long pass of the game on a drive that eventually led to a game-tying field goal.

“He fell down on a double move on the one pass play they threw against us over 10 yards,” Foster said. “It was just kind of a floating duck, I was hoping the backside guy would pick it off a little bit.”

Exum was picked on earlier in the game, when Chase Rettig threw a touchdown pass from two yards out.

“We’d like him (Exum) to have been there,” Foster said.

“We were playing three deep but it was kind of rolled-up three deep. You’d like him to match that.”

Going into their matchup against the No. 11 Miami Hurricanes, the Hokies will need all the firepower they can get to stop quarterback Stephen Morris and his talented receiving corps.

ALISON NEARY / SPPS

Detrick Bonner (8) attempts to deflect a pass from Tom Savage.

“They have great wide receivers who have great height and speed, which is really typical of Miami,” said head coach Frank Beamer. “They are well coached and we certainly have our work cut out for us.”

Morris has only completed 59.5 percent of his passes this year for 12 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, but he has shown flashes of brilliance at times.

However, he’s also thrown eight of his 10 interceptions in ACC play and the Hokies defensive backs will look to force him into similar mistakes.

On that front, the Hokies have gotten good news, as Facyson and Kyle Fuller are

again not on the injury report after being limited participants the past two weeks.

“They didn’t feel like they were 100 percent and hopefully those two guys will be back this week,” Beamer said.

Foster still has confidence in his secondary, even if the injured players can’t play against the Hurricanes.

“We’ve still got those young kids playing, we’ve got Exum playing, getting better each week,” Foster said.

The Hokies, however, are not pretending that this will be an easy task.

“It’s a night game on ESPN. They are extremely well coached. We’ve got quite a challenge here,” Beamer said.

LINE: DADI EARNS MORE TIME from page one one sack per every 8.5 quarterback drop-backs.

The pressure reached Rettig four times for hits on his 14 passing attempts, but never for sacks.

Defensive end Dadi Nicolas, who recorded three sacks from the whip position in the Hokies’ last win over Pittsburgh, was only in the game for eight plays — two of which he recorded tackles on.

“We had (Nicolas) in for certain offensive personnel groups and (Boston College) changed out of them,” Wiles said. “It was my fault he didn’t play more and he will (against Miami).”

Nicolas took the change in playing time in stride.

“I wouldn’t say it was frustrating, I would just say it was different, coming from a week where I was starting and playing a lot,” Nicolas said. “Every time I stepped on the field for a specific package, they changed it and I know my role.”

Nicolas figures to be a larger factor in Saturday night’s matchup against Miami, as does the rest of the defensive line, particularly defensive tackle Luther Maddy.

Both Nicolas and Maddy are of Haitian descent and are Florida natives, adding an extra level of significance to the game in Miami Gardens.

Nicolas will be performing in front of a large audience and couldn’t be more excited about it.

“There will probably be 20

to 25 people at the game for me,” Nicolas said. “I’m not too hyped. You can never get too hyped up, I’m trying to bring it to the max.”

The link between Maddy and Nicolas runs deep. Maddy acts as the mediator, helping to keep Nicolas in check.

“Dadi is my brother. We knew each other back in middle school and high school, then start of freshman year we started to get tight,” Maddy said. “(Dadi) gets a little too hyped up. In the Duke game I had to calm him down so he wouldn’t get kicked out.”

The team chemistry between the two will be on full display in their homecoming, as the defensive line tries to show that their performance against the Eagles was merely a fluke.

GOALS: CHARLOTTE STILL A REALISTIC OBJECTIVE from page one interceptions)” fall on the wide outs. “Sometimes it’s us not making the catch, and then the ball goes in the air and it’s an interception,” as was the case with Thomas’ first interception against the Eagles. “Sometimes it’s us not making a play on the ball or batting it down,” Stanford said. “Sometimes it’s us running the wrong route.”

Turning the ball over eight times in two games is a surefire way to lose two football games.

For the most part though, outside the interceptions, the play in those two games was good enough to win.

“We dominated in every category the past two weeks besides turnovers,” Thomas said. “You can watch. We

540-552-7002

did everything we wanted to (against Boston College). They couldn’t stop us. We stopped ourselves.”

And so, with many members of Hokie Nation dumbfounded and off-put by results of the past two weeks, some are calling for Thomas to get the axe.

But Thomas, his teammates and, more importantly, the man who gets the final say, head coach Frank Beamer, know that is not going to happen.

“He’s the quarterback. He gives us a chance to win, and there is no question in our mind that he’s the guy,” Beamer said.

“He’s a tough guy, smart guy, competitive guy. Some days when you’re out there competing at a high level, some days are better than others. He’s had a rough outing. But as far

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as what he’s all about, and him being our quarterback, that’s not in question.”

So with any confl ict surrounding the non-quarterback controversy definitively answered, the Hokies look ahead. And what’s there is daunting.

The Miami Hurricanes are 7-1 this season, with their sole loss coming from then-No. 3 Florida State.

Despite the challenge that Miami presents and many fans proclaiming the season a flop after the last two weeks, the Hokies recent losses haven’t erased the team’s hopes of reaching their ultimate goal.

“The big thing is, if we were 8-1 or we’re 6-3, we still have to beat Miami. We’re playing for a chance to go to Charlotte and play in an ACC Championship.

Everybody should be excited about that,” defensive line coach Charley Wiles said.

“Ultimately, we still have to beat Miami.”

If Tech wins its final three games, and if Duke loses one of its remaining four to N.C. State, Miami, Wake Forest or North Carolina, the Hokies will be crowned Coastal Division champions.

“Now it’s just get a win at Miami. That’s what we need.

That’s what we have to have to meet our goals and expectations,” middle linebacker Jack Tyler said.

“I feel like (we) have forgot about those two losses just because, quite frankly, they didn’t really mean anything.

We still have everything we want in front of us if we go beat Miami. Our focus is solely on Miami.”

Friday, November 8, 2013

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

COLLEGIATETIMES 111th year, issue 45 News, page 4

Local couple opens quirky new gift shop

Sports, page 8

Study Break, page 6

BY JOSH HIGGINS | news reporter

A

hmed Salah started a revolution — but he didn’t believe in it.

“I was becoming more and more upset and desperate, trying to do something until it felt like we were defeated and there was no way we could start a revolution in 2011,” Salah said.

Salah, a co-founder of the April 6 Youth Movement, still feels the scars of the Arab Spring protests in Egypt, which resulted in the ousting of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

Salah has a rubber bullet in his skull, and has difficulty breathing after inhaling toxic gases used by the Egyptian government to quell the protests in Tahrir Square in Cairo.

Salah spoke to students in McBryde Hall on Wednesday about the Egyptian revolution and lessons learned on the rough road to democracy after one previous attempt, which was led by the organization “Youth for Change,” failed in 2006.

Though the Egyptian protest seemed to sprout up from nowhere, with many utilizing the power of Facebook and other social media to coordinate the political protest, Salah debunked that “myth,” saying it was no easy feat to generate the collective action people around the world saw on Jan. 25, 2011, when nationwide protests began.

“With the very strong security grip (after 2006), it was hard to start again,” Salah said. “(Coordinating protests online) was a complete failure all the time.

We had discovered that each time we called for an event online, it was a big failure because online activists didn’t take it to the real world.”

However, passionate activism made it to Salah’s event Wednesday night as some audience members, who were handing out information about a movement called R4bia, sparked debate between Salah and other audience members during the presentation.

These individuals handed out flyers that listed what has occurred in Egypt since June 2013. The flyer also said the organization symbolizes “the will and patience of Egyptians and in memory to all those who died under the military coup.”

KEVIN DICKEL / SPPS

MATT MINOR news staff writer

NEWS

Opinions, page 5

Spawning a new revolution

Uncommonly Gifted had a soft open last Sat.

What do Monty Python novelty items, glassware, Christmas decorations, and chocolates have in common?

Downtown Blacksburg, of course.

Uncommonly Gifted, downtown Blacksburg’s first novelty gift shop, had nearly 85 people stroll through its doors during the store’s ‘gentle’ opening on Nov. 2. Mike and Laureen Blakemore were excited for the overall success of their less-than-common business venture.

“People loved the layout and the gifts that we had presented throughout the store,” Mike Blakemore said. “Many people told us that they’d tell their friends, and some women even said that they’d have to figure out a way to get their husbands in the store for all of the Monty Python and Dr. Who stuff.”

Mike and Laureen, who are British and American respectively, moved from Banbury of Oxfordshire, England to Syracuse, NY in 1996. From there, they moved to Blacksburg six months later, which they’ve decided to call home for the past 17 years. The British influence can be seen throughout the gift shop, which houses a few peculiar items that many within the community may not have otherwise been exposed to, including “Kiss me Kwik” greeting cards — a line of humorladen cards.

“There’s definitely a little bit of a British theme mixed in with common gift items,” said Mike Blakemore.

“We were just shopping around for some quirky items, and we found these lines of products that had proper gifts that appealed to us, and we figured they’d be a great fit within our inventory.”

Uncommonly Gifted is located in Kent Square, taking over a spot that was vacated by Sew Attitude a few years prior. Laureen, who is in her sixth year as director of Downtown Blacksburg Inc. (DBI), said that she believes having her own business will help her further understand how to serve the area and community in her position with DBI. Mike Blakemore said that they saw a possible niche for the store because there were not any nearby stores with particular interest in the idea of novelties.

“It was a gap in the market that presented itself, and we were looking for sort of an adventurous venture,” Mike Blakemore said. “When we started to actually throw the idea around a bit, it began to make more sense.”

Although the store is open, Mike Blakemore said that he and Laureen plan on having a grand opening ceremony sometime in midNovember.

Lifestyles, page 7

1

2

COURTESY OF ABDALLAH ABDALLAH

COURTESY OF ABDALLAH ABDALLAH

3 COURTESY OF ABDALLAH ABDALLAH

Things get heated 1. Some members of the crowd protested claims that Salah made, calling him a liar.

2. The protestors and the crowd clashed over these points until things got heated.

3. The arguing was intensified by a comment Salah made about the Muslim Brotherhood.

4. Eventually members of the Virginia Tech Police Dept. were called in to help mediate the situation, causing tempers to cool.

4 COURTESY OF SHENE SALIH

see EGYPT / page four

‘Beyond Boundaries’: Tech’s TEDx Common

book author will visit Tech

AASTHA BATRA news staff writer

TEDx, a well-known set of global conferences owned by the non-profit Sapling foundation, is returning to Virginia Tech on Nov. 9 at the Center for the Arts.

TED ( Te c h n o l o g y, Entertainment, Design) is an independently organized event, and this year’s theme is “Beyond Boundaries.”

“When selecting our speakers, we were looking for speakers who had ideas about going beyond the status quo and breaking beyond boundaries in some way, either physical, psychological or geographical,” said Danielle Lusk, assistant director of the Center for Instructional Development and Educational Research and one of the main organizers.

According to Lusk, the process of organizing the event began in about March of this year. All the speakers were selected by a committee after they were either selfnominated or nominated by someone else. The selected group was then shortlisted and interviewed.

“We were looking for spirit in the TED: ideas worth sharing,” Lusk said. “We also looked at interesting ideas, good public speakers, good presence — but mainly a focus on their ideas.”

The Center for Instructional Development and Educational Research is just one of the three main organizers of the TEDx event. The other two are the Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT), and the Office

EMILY HUGHES news staff writer

FILE 2012

World Regions instructor John Boyer delivered a speech at last year’s TEDx. of University Relations. In addition to the organizers there will be student, faculty and staff volunteers to help with stage design, creation of programs or graphic design before the event. They will also be working as ushers the day of the event.

They have also organized an expo called the TEDx Virginia Tech Lab that will consist of Virginia Tech research groups sharing their unique ideas — further stimulating the theme of the event.

To make it all possible, several sponsors have contributed to the event. The main sponsors are

LIFESTYLES

see page 7

ONLINE Learn about how the passing game has continued to pile up yards despite Logan Thomas’ turnovers.

See what weather man James Morrow says about the potential for snow next week! see page 4 see page 8

see BOOK / page four

see TEDx / page four

SPORTS What would you do in an emergency sitation? Learn more about disaster preparedness.

Read more about how social media is changing activism. see page 4

WVTF and IQ Radio and the Virginia Tech Institute for Critical Technology and Applied Science.

Other sponsors include RoanokeBlacksburg Technology Council, CoffeeWorks and Carpenter Co. Glenn Gleixner, the general manager of WVTF and IQ Radio, said the radio station sponsored the event mostly because they believe that it has a good connection to their show. The show that they air every Saturday at 2 p.m. often includes excerpts from the TED Talks.

Conor Grennan has personally reunited trafficked Nepalese children with their families and has founded a nonprofit.

His book, “Little Princes,” was selected as this year’s universitywide common book: a reading material given to all freshmen and transfer students to incorporate into their curriculum.

Grennan will be speaking in Burruss Hall on Monday, Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. It will conclude with a questionand-answer segment and book signing.

“University students tend to be at that really cool intersection of life where they are starting to figure out what’s important to them in life, and they are getting the tools to actually make it happen,” Grennan said. “I see a lot of hope and ambition in students that I find really inspiring.”

“Little Princes” is being incorporated into introductory classes as a means of unifying different disciplines.

For updates throughout the day. www.collegiatetimes.com

ctlifestyles CollegiateTimes @collegiatetimes

4

newseditor@collegiatetimes.com

November 8, 2013

collegiatetimes.com

Egypt: Social media takes a new role

weather watch

from page three

“As soon as the event started, one of the first things Ahmed (Salah) mentioned was his surprise at how members of the Muslim Brotherhood made it to the event,” said Brandon Stinespring, a senior civil engineering major who attended the event. “That prompted an explosion from the people in the room, with all of them yelling at once that he was a liar, that there was no proof that they were members of the Brotherhood.”

Stinespring said that these protestors in the audience seemed ignited by Salah’s opposition to the Muslim Brotherhood and the first democraticallyelected Egyptian president, Mohamed Morsi, as well as the military coup that resulted in Morsi’s ouster. In addition, the group questioned Salah’s assertions and the extent of his involvement in the April 6 Movement.

Salah said he tried his best to diff use the situation, while remaining objective about what he was saying.

“These people traveled (to the event) for one thing: to make sure this person doesn’t say anything that may change what the story is they’re trying to give — that Morsi was a legitimate president who was ousted,” Salah said. “This is always their story.”

Stinespring said police showed up in response to the controversy.

Though Wednesday night’s controversy demonstrates direct political engagement, Craig Brians, a Virginia Tech associate professor of political science, explained that new technology and social media have transformed the definition of political action.

“It seems like for some people, it’s more amenable for them to be involved in a virtual situation where they’re following Twitter feeds and Facebook friends and are posting things on blogs,” Brians said. “We know that there can be potentially powerful involvement that way, but for it to happen, there has to be a deep engagement on both sides.”

Though Salah hatched this griand scheme for protest and traveled around the country to implement it, he himself struggled to believe it was possible.

“I was shocked when (the revolution) actually started,” he said. “If after (the earlier revolution in) Tunisia we have nothing, then we would have nothing in 2011 and all

After a quick round of unsettled weather on Thursday morning, conditions have rebounded nicely around campus. Clear skies and cooler weather will stick around through the weekend and into early next week, as the first hints of accumulating snowfall comes into play.

A moderate northwest wind will continue to usher cool, dry air into the New River Valley during the day on Friday, keeping daytime temperatures at a chilly 49 degrees under mostly clear skies. A few clouds may form over the higher elevations later in the day, but most of the area will remain under constant sunshine. Clear skies continue into the evening with lows dipping to 26 overnight.

Skies will remain clear this weekend as a high pressure system pushes into the area. Temperatures will respond in part, rising into the upper-50s each afternoon. Lows will plummet into the lower 30s overnight.

The high pressure system will continue early next week, before being pushed off the coast by a developing storm system. This storm system looks to form just to our west Tuesday before moving through the mid-Atlantic seaboard on Wednesday.

As it looks now, our first real shot of accumulating snowfall will occur overnight Wednesday into Thursday morning. Much is still uncertain, but be sure to tune in next week as we dissect the first possibilities of winter weather.

“(Using ‘Little Princes’ is) required of any First Year Experience course that gets funding through our Office of First Year Experience,” said Alison Matthiessen, communications coordinator of the Division of Undergraduate Education. “A lot of other freshman courses use it as well.”

According to Matthiessen, Grennan will spend Monday traveling around campus before his presentation. The day’s itinerary will include stopping by the Living Learning Community “Da Vinci,” having lunch with the Common Book Project Committee that selected “Little Princes” as the 2013-14 title and examining posters

JAMES MORROW James Morrow is CT’s news weather correspondent.

He is a senior Meteorology major and a Hokie Storm Chaser. He currently serves as the Meteorology Club President and is the Chief Meteorologist at WUVT 90.7 FM Blacksburg.

COURTESY OF SHENE SALIH

Ahmed Salah opened discussion with students about his role in the Egyptian protests of 2011. my dreams about a revolution in 2011 would have faded.”

Though the doubts persisted, Salah kept pushing forward, training amateur activists with his plans before finally traveling to Mahalla, Egypt to generate a protest on Jan. 21. Salah went to Mahalla because it had already been in a rebellion, which the Egyptian government had crushed in 2008, operating on the idea that if Mahalla could rise again, it would spread everywhere. In addition, he believed a protest in Mahalla would attract law enforcement from other cities and towns, giving the amateur activists a chance to be effective.

“I wasn’t sure they could make it,” he said. “And finally, when it actually happened, it was really shocking for me — and it worked.”

Though Salah said social media wasn’t effective to coordinate events, once the spark was created, it served a different purpose: dissemination of photos and video of human rights violations.

“If it weren’t for those peo-

ple that used the Internet to upload videos and pictures showing violations of human rights, we probably wouldn’t have been able to have as much success,” Salah said. “It served as a good platform for activists.”

Brians agreed that social media can be a good platform for action, but said the people involved in the social media aspect need to be deeply engaged in the activity.

“In the real world, if you go to a campaign office and they say, ‘Well, we need some people to make phone calls, but we don’t know exactly when that will be. Let’s just hang out a while,’ and they never get to do anything, they will get disenchanted really quickly,” he said.

Salah said social media is also a double-edged sword when it comes to political activism.

“It could be the easy solution or escape for someone who is interested in activism but thinks they don’t have much time and would just do this thing on the Internet,” he said. “It makes them feel bet-

ter about themselves. People should try to use more personal communication. It was real people (in Egypt), real people doing real things.”

Salah has helped train citizens about revolution in several countries, such as Libya, where democratic revolts are occurring, by using the lessons learned in Egypt.

As Brians said, building a political movement is “all about building relationships.”

And Salah said that philosophy can be applied here in the United States as well.

“Energy can be infectious if you do it right — that’s what we need. It’s not impossible in the United States at all,” Salah said. “In all the struggles in the world, all the revolutions, the changes, the new religions and philosophies, everything starts with a very small number of people who face a lot of difficulties and defeats. If they continue to fight, they can prevail.”

@joshualhiggins

Book: Author finds roots in activism from page three

NEWS

created by Hokie Horizons students in conjunction with his book. Grennan will also be visiting a communications course in the afternoon.

Matthiessen noted that efforts were being put forth to unite Grennan with the Nepalese Student Organization.

When asked to describe his own college identity, Grennan — a U.Va. alumnus — said, “I wasn’t a great college student — my grades weren’t very good, I wasn’t involved in a lot of activities. I just sort of coasted through.”

In 2004, after an eightyear job stint out of college, Grennan impulsively planned a round-the-world trip beginning with a stay in the Little Princes Children’s Home in Nepal. His book describes

his experiences in a country fraught with civil war.

“I never really thought I would travel all that much,” Grennan wrote, “but once I did, I didn’t stop.”

Grennan befriended the youth of Little Princes before coming to an alarming realization — the orphans he cared for were not orphaned, but trafficked. The children had families in their home villages that had given them up in exchange for promises that they would be educated and cared for. “(Having children of my own has) helped me to really understand (the Nepalese parents) a lot better — what they’re going through, why they make the decisions that they make,” Grennan wrote.

“Not that I agree with their

decisions, but I do understand that when it comes to your kids, you’ll do just about anything.”

Grennan established a nonprofit organization, Next Generation Nepal, and enlisted the help of porters and peers to find the families of the trafficked children. Grennan described his friends and family as initially skeptical but ultimately supportive of his endeavor.

“My greatest hope is that the VT students will see that you don’t have to be a certain kind of person to do this type of work,” Grennan said. “All you have to do is find a reason that motivates you, and go out there and do it.”

@CollegiateTimes

TEDx: Community integral to big event from page three

“It has been explosive in the community,” Gleixner said. “We thought it would be a great way to help the TEDx community at Tech, and it seemed like a natural affinity where we can help each other with something.”

Overall, the event is a predicted success. Roughly 500 people are expected to come and participate in the discourse of the event, which will start at 8:45 a.m. and continue until 4:15 p.m. The show will be hosted by Steve

Matuszak, a graduate student in communication.

“I think that the event is an opportunity to show that we have got some great thinkers in this community and people who are committed to doing great things,” Lusk said. “This event showcases those ideas where people want to share what they are doing and help make our community a better place.”

@CollegiateTimes

OPINIONS

opinionseditor@collegiatetimes.com

November 8, 2013

collegiatetimes.com

5

The Collegiate Times is an independent studentrun newspaper serving the Virginia Tech community since 1903 Collegiate Times Editorial Staff Editor in Chief: Priscilla Alvarez Managing Editor: Danielle Buynak Art Director: Kevin Dickel Design Editors: Brad Klodowski, Andrea Ledesma Public Editor: Andrew Kulak Web Editor: James O’Hara Multimedia Editor: Nick Smirniotopoulos News Editors: Cameron Austin, Dean Seal News Reporters: Melissa Draudt, Leslie McCrea News Staff Writers: Kelly Cline, Josh Higgins, Matt Minor Lifestyles Editors: Chelsea Giles, Madeline Gordon Opinions Editors: David Levitt, Sharath Reddy Sports Editors: Jacob Emert, Alex Koma Sports Media Manager: Mike Platania Assistant Photo Editor: Ben Weidlich Collegiate Times Business Staff Business Manager: James Dean Seal Circulation Manager: Keith Bardsley

MCT CAMPUS

Abduction case reveals lingering racial bias

E

arlier this month, a blonde, blue-eyed girl was found living with a family in Greece who are members of the Roma ethnic group. Roma are by and large darker-complected with dark hair. The child, who caseworkers have called “Maria,” was immediately seized on the suspicion that she had been kidnapped and trafficked by the Roma family. She was taken into state care and an international investigation was launched to find the media dubbed ‘Blonde Angel’s’ biological parents.

The case is troubling in itself, but an international spotlight has magnified the many cultural complexities surrounding it. First, this case sets the precedent that any child who doesn’t look like his or her parents should be regarded as an abducted child. But what about adopted or mixed-race children?

Or Roma children who simply have blonde hair and blue eyes?

Such a scenario could have serious ramifications for any of those children. In fact, just days after the incident in Greece, another blonde girl was removed from a Roma family in Ireland. Unlike Maria, however, her parents were able to produce a birth certificate and passport verifying her

origins. When DNA testing confi rmed her parentage, she was eventually returned to her family.

If such a standard is continually enforced, she probably won’t be the last blonde Roma child seized from her family. Child abduction and trafficking is a serious matter and all claims should be investigated, but should the standard procedure be to seize a child, simply because their skin color doesn’t match that of their parents’?

“

Missing white children- especially girls- are given the same priority over missing children of other races in America as well.”

Widespread prejudice against Roma people in Europe almost certainly played a role in both cases. Had these girls been discovered with families of another race – especially if those families were white – their presence probably wouldn’t have been questioned at all. White children with

darker-complected parents seem to raise suspicions that don’t exist for single-race families, or even for white parents of dark-skinned children.

The case’s racial implications go even further - would media outlets even be referring to Maria as ‘The Blonde Angel’ if it weren’t for her white skin, blue eyes and blonde hair? It’s certainly hard to imagine that a darker child would be characterized in such a way. Whiteness has been associated with holiness and purity for centuries, to the benefit of missing white children like Maria and to the detriment of missing children of other races. Even sadder, a non-white child’s case probably wouldn’t garner even a fraction of the attention that Maria’s case has.

And that case may already exist.

Maria wasn’t the only child found in the care of the Greek Roma family. The couple claims to have 14 other children, but no efforts have been made to verify the other children’s parentage. Now that we know Maria was not biologically or legally the couple’s child, investigating the parentage of the couple’s other children should be made a priority. The only reason it hasn’t been is because those

children have darker skin than Maria does.

Missing white children – especially girls – are given the same priority over missing children of other races in America as well.

In 2005, LaToyia Figueroa disappeared from Philadelphia, but her story never made major news because it happened to coincide with the disappearance of Natalee Holloway, a young white woman whose disappearance from Aruba became a media sensation. With news running on a nearly-24 hour cycle, all that prevented Figueroa’s disappearance from making national headlines alongside Holloway’s is the pervasiveness of missing white woman syndrome in western culture.

A missing, abducted or trafficked child of any race is a tragedy, and Maria’s case is no exception. Now that she’s been recovered, she can move onto a much brighter future with a loving adopted family. But that’s an opportunity all missing children deserve – not just the ones with blonde hair.

ASHLEY ADAMS - regular columnist - junior - communication

Better regulation needed to curb ocean pollution

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ou’ve probably seen the images of dolphins caught in abandoned monofilament fishing nets, or of vast areas of plastic trash floating in remote waters of the Pacific, or of sea turtles consuming plastic bags that look remarkably like one of their favorite foods: jellyfish. Or perhaps, after a rainstorm, you’ve walked on a beach that resembled a landfill. Some 20 million tons of plastic pollution enters the oceans each year, and it’s devastating the marine environment.

Plastic litter is also costly. On the West Coast alone, according to a recent EPA study, the cost of cleaning up marine litter comes to more than $13 per person per year. And because plastic typically does not degrade in the ocean, today’s pollution will be a problem for many generations to come.

Locally, there have been some success stories. Thanks to state and federal environmental requirements, the Los Angeles region has installed screens on more than 50,000 storm water basins, as well as inserts that keep all but the smallest plastic pollution out of local rivers, beaches and bays. Additionally, bans on single-use plastic bags in a number of local jurisdictions have reduced plastic bag use by tens of millions of bags annually. And West Hollywood, Manhattan Beach, Santa Monica and Malibu have banned single-use foam food packaging. All of these measures have meant less plastic ending up in the ocean locally.

Statewide, legislation to ban plastic bags has failed numerous times due to successful lobbying efforts from plastic bag manufacturers and others, but nevertheless, more than 10

million Californians live in cities that have banned the bag. The State Water Resources Control Board will soon release a statewide trash policy that builds on the Los Angeles area’s successful trash control measures. But we need far more comprehensive policies, and the story nationally and internationally is still gloomy. Last year’s landmark Rio 20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development recognized marine litter as a major environmental issue that the world must address, and it called for action by 2025 to “achieve significant reductions in marine debris to prevent harm to coastal and marine environments.”

However, a recent UCLA study analyzed dozens of treaties, programs and policies in place around the world and found all of them to be severely lacking. Overall, the wellintentioned international agreements impose vague or voluntary standards, require little to no monitoring, are severely underfunded and are difficult to enforce. In fact, the UCLA researchers concluded that there was essentially no recourse under international law to address most plastic marine litter on the high seas.

Even the most effective of the current treaties, the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships, has huge loopholes. For example, the treaty exempts accidental loss or disposal of plastic resulting from ship or equipment damage, and leaves enforcement and penalty decisions up to often-reluctant states.

To achieve the dramatic reductions necessary to stem the plastic marine litter crisis, we need a comprehensive solution akin to the

Montreal Protocol, an international treaty that has dramatically reduced the global use of ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons. An effective treaty would include strict monitoring requirements, third-party compliance assessment, funding mechanisms and easily enforceable requirements with substantial penalties.

One big problem is that international environmental treaties can take a decade or more to negotiate. In the interim, therefore, concerned countries must also pursue regional, national and local policies and programs to address plastic marine litter.

Potential actions could include the creation of an “ocean-friendly” product certification program; regional and national bans on the most common and damaging types of plastic litter; the expansion of programs that provide economic incentives for manufacturers to manage plastic waste sustainably; the creation and implementation of certification and tracking programs for fishing and aquaculture operations; and the establishment of funding sources for marine litter remediation through product redemption fees and shipping container fees at ports.

No individual action will solve the plastic marine litter crisis, but swift implementation of these policies could have a huge positive effect in reducing a critical environmental problem.

CARA HOROWITZ - mcclatchy newspapers

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Katherine Miller

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6

November 8, 2013

Today’s Birthday Horoscope: Your creativity lourishes this year. Your

inances transform with Pluto direct, and it’s easier to make money. Fix up your place. A new door opens regarding love, and partnerships are your secret power. Exhibit or launch a new endeavor; your career sparks this summer. Focus on what (and whom) you love.

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ACROSS 1 Picket line crosser 5 Arrange, as a vacation 9 Washington neighbor 14 "Splendor in the Grass" director Kazan 15 Gutter site 16 La Scala's city 17 Top banana 19 Mayan corn crop 20 Observation after too many wrong turns 21 "Dirty Harry" composer Schifrin 23 "Don't __ stranger"

for the week of November 5th to 8th

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24 Like a dog's hind leg 25 A low-flow showerhead will help lower it 27 Enzyme ending 29 Online auction site 30 50 cents, in slang 35 After "get," gain an advantage 39 Attending a Lakers game, say 40 Ski resort named for a tree 42 Longest river entirely in Switzerland

43 Inning half 45 Baker's container 47 Dedicated works 49 Taylor of fashion 50 Hit generating four 71-Across 54 Horizontal punctuator 58 Hold up, as a bank 59 Yogi, for one 60 Wheel cover 62 HI hello 64 "The Iron Horse," baseball's all-time 50-Across recordholder 66 Jeopardy

DOWN 1 Event before finals 2 Ascend 3 Path between rows 4 Conductor's wand 5 Cheeky 6 Research site 7 St. Teresa's city 8 Cancel out 9 Wicked 10 Lunes o martes 11 Perp's story 12 Eye color 13 "Shaq Diesel" rapper 18 Founded: Abbr.

22 Beirut's country 25 Licks, as a stamp 26 One way to play 28 Cat breed 30 White lie 31 Dedicatee of Lennon's "Woman" 32 Final: Abbr.

33 Inform against 34 Sunblock letters 36 Gift of the garrulous?

37 Ocean State sch.

38 Pilot product

41 Jason with a record 63-yard field goal to his credit 44 Weirdo 46 Like inappropriate influence 48 Picabo Street race 50 It's plotted in math class 51 Loggers' game 52 Scrub the launch

53 Like a cheering crowd 55 Can't stand 56 Use elbow grease on 57 Part of Hispaniola 60 5'2", 6'3", etc.: Abbr.

61 Some major golf tournaments, informally 63 Move it 65 Employ

Thursday’s Puzzle Solved

(c)2012 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

11/7/13

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

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Aries (March 21-April 19) With Jupiter in retrograde, give extra care to communications and negotiations.

Return calls and correspondence. You meet a key person at a social gathering.

Begin to see what needs to be done.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Get rid of some of your surplus stuff. It’s easier with the help of a friend who’s not attached to your possessions. Work with a partner, and accept their coaching. Over the next four months, rejuvenate an old bond.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) You have an unusual advantage when you listen closely. You inspire others. Don’t ignore a brilliant idea. Make love your top priority. Spread your love letters to the four corners.

Taurus (April 20-May 20) Make new connections and discover new rewards.

Scratch another person’s back without expectations. Just do a good deed.

Keeping your promises gives you the superpower of making things happen.

Get ideas from home and family.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Turn your attention toward work. Find support and resources where you didn’t see them before. Your family is willing to make a difference. Stay out of somebody else’s argument.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) You may notice temporary overwhelm and possible delays in career advancement, but don’t worry. Focus on today, and use renewed con idence to make extra money. Talk about your dreams, and what you love.

Gemini (May 21-June 20) Encourage group unity. Travel compels but could get complex. Friends help you understand. Expand your customer base by iguring out what the opposition wants. Others ind you charming.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) They’re saying nice things about you again.

But don’t fall asleep at the wheel; use those endorsements to generate new sales. Now’s a great time to step on the accelerator. You provide the imagination.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Work’s getting fun. Play with your tasks, and make fascinating discoveries. Take note of your ideas. Your patience is rewarded.

A beautiful moment sneaks up on you.

Love is contagious, and you have what another seeks.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) Investigate ways to increase income and savings.

A potential disruption can be avoided.

Neatness counts double, especially at home. Work that you love pays very well. Hold out for the best deal.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) Don’t compare yourself to others. You do best focusing on your work. It’s not a contest, anyway. Inspiration goes farther than being demanding. Pay back a favor. Good will builds from kindness freely given. Dream out loud.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) The pressure is increasing. Only use what you need.

Kindness is the most valuable gift. Find the good news among the rubble. Don’t worry ineffectively. Collect an old debt.

Blow off steam with someone you love.

LIFESTYLES

lifestyleseditor@collegiatetimes.com

November 8, 2013

collegiatetimes.com

7

YMCA craft fair brings together local artisans to fundraise ABBEY WILLIAMS lifestyles staff writer

The 44th annual YMCA Crafts Fair returns this weekend, bringing together local artistry while showcasing the longstanding tradition of the YMCA at Virginia Tech.

From Friday, Nov. 8 to Sunday, Nov. 10 at University Mall, the Crafts Fair will showcase work from over 80 artisans, featuring pottery, jewelry, photography, leather, metal, glass, soap, woodworking and more.

“It’s a favorite tradition of the Blacksburg community,” said Ayla Wilk, YMCA Student Programs Coordinator. “A lot of people have been going to this year after year since it was started. There’s just a really nice atmosphere to the fair— it’s warm, it’s inviting, and there’s holiday spirit.”

A Legacy of Leadership Since 1873, the YMCA at Virginia Tech has played a large part in university and community enrichment, reaching approximately 20,000 individuals each year.

Just a year after the university’s founding in 1872, the YMCA established a strong presence on Tech’s campus, in charge of everything from publishing the student handbook to conducting freshman orientations. In 1902, the Y building

(the now Liberal Arts building) was the first to ever feature the now famous “Hokie Stone,” Wilk said.

The YMCA Crafts Fair was started in 1969 and continues to serve as a way to fundraise for other Y programs.

“The Y has a strong tradition of supporting community arts,” Wilk said. “The fair is one of our regular annual events that goes toward sustaining our programs and services. It’s a combined strategy to support ourselves as well as provide activities that bring people together in the community.”

Supporting Community Programs According to Wilk, the YMCA at Virginia Tech currently offers a variety of programs, both student and community oriented.

Student programs, which are fueled by undergraduate and graduate students, engage a variety of community issues.

This includes everything from sustainability initiatives to alternative service breaks, as well as mentoring with the local youth and elderly.

However, the Y’s involvement extends beyond just the boundaries of campus, Wilk said. Other outreach programs include community classes and gardens, as well as the North

Main thrift store and pottery studio.

Alongside crafters, these community members and YMCA volunteers will also be present at the fair.

“We try to feature a number of community groups, like all of the Y volunteer groups, such as Y student programs, ESL and the morning group for women,” Wilk said. “Some of the potters who work regularly in our studio at the Y will also be there and have their own booth to feature their items.”

Community Involvement In past years, thousands of people have attended the weekend-long event. According to Wilk, the organization has recruited a large amount of volunteers to match the high number of attendants.

“It takes close to 200 people over the course of four days to set it up and have it run smoothly,” Wilk said. “But a lot of our vendors commend us because they find the YMCA to be really good hosts.”

Students and community members who volunteer gain the opportunity and experience to work closely with an artisan.

“For students who are interested in art or are developing their hobby into something more public, being a booth sitter is the key way to inter-

COURTESY OF ANNE GOUILLER-MOORE

Local artisans set up booths throughout University Mall to display their original, handcrafted artwork. act with someone else who is already doing that and learn from them,” Wilk said.

Anne Gouiller-Moore, operations manager for the YMCA at Virginia Tech, said that she sees the volunteers as invaluable.

“We really depend on volunteers to help us, from setting up to staying at booths for crafters and eventually helping with clean up,” Gouiller-Moore said. “We still need a lot of volunteers and encourage people

to sign up.”

Sense of Tradition According to Gouiller-Moore, many of the fair’s vendors have been returning for quite a few years now.

“It’s a pretty varied group of people, and it’s juried, which means the crafters must apply, and send us photos of their crafts, booths and workshop,” Gouiller-Moore said. “But even still, we have a lot of crafters coming back year after year.

Most of them are in their 20th

year or so.”

This year’s fair will be operating from noon to 7 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

“The Craft Fair is definitely a time when a lot of our oldtime supporters come out of the woodwork and tell stories and reconnect,” Wilk said. “We host these events for the community and then the community supports us back. It’s a powerful cycle.”

Course teaches skills that could save lives, prepares for emergency situations MELANIE FORD lifestyles staff writer

COURTESY OF MATT ROSEFSKY

Matt Rosefsky, the course instructor, is an avid outdoorsman and has led over 800 wilderness adventures.

In an emergency situation, help might not be just a phone call away. Whether it’s being stuck in the wilderness or in the middle of a large-scale disaster, knowing how to react may be the difference between life and death.

On Nov. 9 and 10, Matt Rosefsky, Wilderness Medicine Instructor and EMT, will teach the emergency procedures needed to survive in the event that emergency services can’t reach you.

In his SOLO MEDIC Disaster and Wilderness Relief First Aid course, which will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Crimper’s Climbing Gym in Christiansburg, participants learn lifesaving skills and emergency preparedness, and earn a two-year certification.

“What one does in the first five minutes of caring for somebody else can very much make the difference between saving life and limb or not,” Rosefsky said.

Unlike other first aid courses, this internationally renowned course is taught with fake blood and makeup to give an authentic caregiving experience to course participants. Fift y percent of the course time is handson activities and scenarios, where participants go outdoors and implement their emergency response training.

“My goal is to create as realistic of a scenario as possible, so that when the real life emergency does arise, participants feel like they have been through the situation before and are not shocked,” Rosefsky said. “Learning by doing is the most powerful learning technique.”

According to Rosefsky, this

more info The course will be available Saturday, Nov. 9 and Sunday, Nov. 10 from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Crimper’s Climbing Gym in Christiansburg. Visit solowfa.com for more information. course enables participants to be the primary medical respondents in a crisis when no other source of aid is available for some time.

“The golden hour refers to the time when a person has their best chance of a full recovery—if he or she receives medical attention within the first hour of being injured,” Rosefsky said.

Rosefsky has been an outdoorsman for 13 years and has led an estimated 800 outdoor adventures, including hiking, backpacking, caving and canoeing trips. In 2004, he founded a club called Outdoor Charlottesville, which led him to become an instructor for SOLO MEDIC’s Disaster and Wilderness Relief First Aid course as well.

Topics covered in the course include patient assessment, orthopedic injuries, circulatory system, soft tissue injuries, environmental injuries, emergencies and critical care.

Rachel Mitchell, manager and gym coordinator of Crimper’s Climbing Gym, took the course in 2008 but will be taking it again this weekend.

“It’s a common courtesy to yourself and the group that you’re with to have some sort of medical training, just in case something were to hap-

pen,” Mitchell, who has been rock climbing for six years, said. “I feel like it is your responsibility to acquire this knowledge to help yourself and help others if this situation were to arise.”

Wyatt Lifsey, manager of Blue Ridge Mountain Sports, brings SOLO’s course to the Blue Ridge community twice a year. Lifsey is particularly interested in offering this course to the community since Blue Ridge Outdoors just named Roanoke, Va. the best trail town in the Blue Ridge Mountain range—a trail that runs from Georgia to Pennslyvania.

“With Roanoke so close, it shows how much people in the area go outdoors and should be prepared for playing outside,” Lifsey said. “Expect the unexpected. We always want to help local area residents be prepared and know how to get through a bad situation safely and responsibly.”

Rosefsky encourages hikers to be safety-conscious whenever they engage in outdoor activities or trips.

“Maybe you’re fine, but you come across somebody else who’s hurt,” Rosefsky said.

“Simply be prepared to be out there much longer than you anticipate by having extra layers of clothing and a source of light, food, ways to purify water, rain gear. Learn how to improvise with what you’ve got.”

In addition to benefiting individuals in the community, 10 percent of the course’s proceeds go towards a local nonprofit organization. This weekend, the proceeds will go to the New River Land Trust, an organization committed to conservation in the New River Valley.

health. ealtth. eemployment. mpl crime. music. sports. art. dorms. education. duc cation. housing. government. world politics. sales. travel. raveel. traffic. tr construction. business. relationships. entertainment. ntertainmen virginia tech. ut prosim. construction.

We share your concerns Check us out in the paper or online at collegiatetimes.com

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sportseditor@collegiatetimes.com

November 8, 2013

collegiatetimes.com

SPORTS

Turnovers aside, Thomas, receivers still progressing MIKE PLATANIA sports media manager

While the pitchforks were being lifted after Logan Thomas’ four-turnover day against Boston College, it went unnoticed that he threw for a career-high 391 yards amid the Hokies’ loss.

Thomas is under a boatload of scrutiny currently, and maybe it’s deserved. But despite the “arm punts” and fumbles, he and the passing game took a big step forward in Chestnut Hill.

Tech had five different receivers catch passes of at least 20 yards, more than any other game this year.

“I’m extremely proud of that receiving group. Every single one of those guys have worked their tail off to keep getting better, and pushed the person beside them,” Thomas said. “And that’s what gonna push them forward, not only the rest of this year, but also the three remaining years those guys have got together.”

Thomas has had a very different receiving corps each year as a starter. Maybe he was spoiled in his first year as a starter, inheriting two of the guys who basically rewrote Tech’s record books, Jarrett Boykin and Danny Coale.

Last season he had an underachieving and new set of pass-catchers, and this year he has yet another new crop of receivers.

With three games left, his top three targets — Josh Stanford, Willie Byrn and Demitri Knowles — are all within eight catches and 26 yards of each other on the year.

There’s no real No. 1 guy and no one is merely a roleplayer, except for perhaps D.J. Coles, whose five scores total nearly the rest of team’s combined five.

And that’s not meant as a knock on Coles, who openly admits that “25-and-in” is his area of expertise.

Each pass-catcher has had a huge game of his own.

Knowles set career highs

against East Carolina, Byrn torched North Carolina and at Boston College it was Stanford’s turn.

“It wasn’t really about me.

It was about offensively, what Coach Loeffler was trying to expose in the defense,” Stanford said of his big day. “I didn’t have any catches in the first half and then at halftime (the coaches) decided they wanted to go after particular holes in the defense, and it happened to be me that got those receptions.”

He may be humble about it, but the Canadian freshman showed last week why he’s considered the most talented receiver on the Hokies’ roster. Stanford caught every ball thrown to him, as his day was highlighted by a 69-yard catch-and-run in the third quarter.

“Josh, like I said about the majority of our receiving corps, started out extremely slow, and they’ve slowly but surely improved each week,” said offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler. “It doesn’t shock me that he played well.”

While Thomas shoulders the blame for all the interceptions, Stanford insisted the responsibility was not just on his quarterback.

“I think a great deal of the interceptions fall on us as receivers,” Stanford said.

So before the “Start Leal!” chants begin, look deeper at the fact that Logan’s been a big part of developing a group of four receivers who had a combined six starts at receiver heading into this season. Even Scot Loeffler sounded sick and tired of Thomas being the scapegoat.

“If people wanna blame, blame me,” Loeffler said.

“I’m tired of the other way. Blame myself. It’s my job to get him to do it right.”

Tipped balls and route miscues are just as responsible as Thomas’ decision-making for interceptions. If the Hokies can better protect the ball, Stanford and company are showing the ability to be the passing game Tech so desperately needs.

BEN WEIDLICH / SPPS

Joshua Stanford (5) has become an increasingly important receiver.

Offensive line tries to bounce back after recent struggles BRITTANY KEUP sports staff writer

The Virginia Tech football team’s offense has been anything but spectacular in their past two games versus Duke and Boston College.

Th is past week at Boston College, Tech lost 34-27 with four turnovers in the second half.

In the past two games, the Hokies have had 8 turnovers, a result partially due to quarterback Logan Thomas’ issues and partially due to the offensive line’s struggles.

“We can take a few of those on us, giving up pressure,” said right guard Andrew Miller. “It was not acceptable to give up pressure where Logan is in a position to where he has to get rid of the ball and knowing where it is going or not.”

Although a lot of blame is put on Thomas, he’s not the only person on the offense and the offensive line itself had many problems throughout the game. Accordingly, Thomas’ linemen are quick to defend him.

“If you guys haven’t noticed, I have been protecting him since day one. I have never

had anyone threaten me to my face about Logan. It was depressing to experience the trash talking in the stands beside me,” Miller said. “You have a lot of people who want to point fingers when things go wrong and I am not one of those guys.”

Virginia Tech’s offensive line allowed four sacks versus Boston College and also had two holding penalties before Cody Journell’s 56-yard field goal.

“That’s the thing about the offensive line. We are going to hold. It just depends on if they catch us,” Miller said.

After having a bye week a few games before, the Hokies had looked to improve on the offensive line alone in many aspects.

“There were things that we wanted to improve on: perimeter blocking, the speed. I think that we improved on all that,” said running backs coach Shane Beamer. “We’ve lost two games in a row but I feel like we’re better as an offense then we were a month ago.”

Going into this game, the Hokies knew that their offense was going to be pressured by Boston College’s defense, leav-

ing a challenge for the offensive line.

“It’s like I told them last week. Once we get off the bus, they were going to bring pressure and blitz so that kept our backs in so there had to be a lot of pass protection that day,” Beamer said.

Much of the Hokie football team has a lot to improve upon and with such a weak performance from the offensive line this week, Tech has a lot to prove.

“I think that our guys, when we go up to that line, if it’s three and three or three and 12 we step up to the chal-

lenge, and we have done a pretty good job with that,” said offensive line coach Jeff Grimes.

The Hokies will play an impressive Miami team this coming Saturday at Miami. “(They’ve) got size. They have some really big and impressive defensive lineman and linebackers. They look a lot physically like Alabama,” Grimes said.

Travelling to Miami, the Hokies look to clinch the Coastal division and end their two game losing streak, and the offensive line will be a big part of those efforts.

RESULTS Gold- Buffalo Wild Wings Silver- Champs Bronze- Hokie House Best Local Band Gold- Sovereign Goblin Silver- N.A.R.P. Bronze- Indian Run Stringband Best Karaoke Gold- Top of the Stairs Silver- Champs Bronze- PK’s Best Place for a Cheap Date Gold- The Lyric Silver- Green’s Grill and Sushi Bar Bronze- The Duck Pond Best Wine Selection Gold- Vintage Cellar Silver- Kroger Bronze- 622 North Best Hiking Trail Gold- Cascades Silver- McAfee Knob Bronze- Dragon’s Tooth Best Live Music Venue

november 8, 2013

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110th year, issue 102

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Gold- Sycamore Deli Silver- Gillie’s Bronze- The Cellar

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Brunch options abound in town LESLIE MCCREA

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news reporter

Lazy Sunday mornings for many include waking up late and trying to recover from the weekend with whatever can be found in the fridge; if you’re in Blacksburg however, the best way to find yourself happy on Sunday morning is to make a stop at some favorite brunch locations including 622 North, Gillie’s and even dining halls.

For those that live on-campus or want to use their dining dollars for brunch, D2 and West End are perfect alternatives. West End’s favorites are the massive pancakes and the omelette bar.

D2 serves every breakfast essential imaginable, as well as eggs benedict, home-made pastries and a fresh fruit bar.

Off-campus, located fittingly on North Main Street, 622 North not only boasts a bar and wine lounge at night,

but more importantly brunch served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekends.

“You can select from the two different environments (the laid back bar area or the restaurant table service) but order from the same menu,” said Jeff Mangold, bar manager at 622 North.

“Our menu is definitely different from your traditional brunch option,” Mangold said.

“We have some unique food items that aren’t being done other places in town.”

The menu includes all of the classics— eggs, bacon, breads and fruits but also unique additions such as green eggs and ham, chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits and the infamous pancake club.

“I think the pancake club speaks for itself in terms of curing a hangover,” Mangold said. see BRUNCH / page three

RESULTS Best Darts/Pool Gold- Hokie House Silver- Champs Bronze- The London Underground Pub Best FM Radio Station Gold- 96.7 The Alternative Project Silver- 90.7 WUVT Bronze- 94.9 Star Country Best Restroom Gold- Bull & Bones Silver- The Inn at Virginia Tech Bronze- Moe’s Southwestern Grill

RESULTS Best Place for Breakfast Gold- Gillie’s Silver- Joe’s Diner Bronze-Waffle House Best Happy Hour Gold- Hokie House Silver- Sharkey’s Bronze- The Cellar

Gold- Our Daily Bread Silver- Next Door Bake Shop Bronze- Gobble Cakes Best Burger

Gold- Café De Bangkok Silver- China Inn Bronze- Café Mekong Best Subs Gold- Sub Station II Silver- Jimmy Johns Bronze- Sycamore Deli Best BBQ

@LeslieMcCrea

collegiatetimes.com november 6, 2012

Gold- Due South Silver- Bull and Bones Bronze- Top of the Stairs

Loaded and stacked with all of the preparations of a perfect breakfast, the pancake club stands tall with layers of eggs, bacon, sausage, capicolla ham, tomato and cheeses, and is topped with syrup.

Also serving stacks of pancakes in a different manner is Gillie’s, located on College Avenue.

“We have had over 30 years of experience with brunch, so we’ve had a lot of time to tweak our recipes and make sure all of the good flavors come out in our ingredients,” said Gillie’s manager, Daniel Whitehead.

Their progressive vegetarian menu puts a new spin on breakfast. The menu includes breakfast burritos, banana walnut french toast, and of course, Gillie’s special potatoes.

“The past 5 years we have made a huge effort to use local foods and fresher ingredients,” Whitehead said. “We’re outputting things that we’re proud of, and I think that’s part of why it’s so good. All of us have a certain level of pride of what we do here.”

The laid-back atmosphere paired with the accommodating menu is part of Gillie’s style and structure.

“We’re trying to please you with the food and make you feel as comfortable and at home as possible,” Whitehead said. “We also strive to make people comfortable by catering to specific dietary needs.

It’s not just about Gillie’s— it’s about trying to give the community food that every single person can eat.”

Next time a weekend morning rolls around, don’t hide under the covers. Get up and try one of Blacksburg’s many brunch options— on and off campus.

BLACKSBURG

Best Asian Food

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Gold- Mike’s Grill Silver- Five Guys Burgers and Fries Bronze- Sharkey’s

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Local eateries offer best burgers

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TREVOR PENKWITZ news staff writer

collegiatetimes.com november 8, 2013

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Virginia Tech is consistently ranked as having the best oncampus food in the country.

As such, it’s only fitting that Blacksburg hosts the same caliber of food off campus as it does on. For burgers, there are a handful of restaurants that make the cut, most notably Five Guys, Mike’s and Sharkey’s.

Five Guys, the fastest growing fast food chain in America, is the only burger joint outside of downtown, situated on University City Boulevard.

However, it’s well worth the travel. Known for giving heaps of fries and delicious burgers for a cheap price, Five Guys has become a burger staple across America, with over 1,000 locations from coast to coast.

Burger customization is important to the Five Guys franchise, with over 15 different toppings to choose from,

ranging from fan favorites such as lettuce and tomato to jalapenos and mushrooms.

Fries come in two styles: original and cajun, and can easily fill even the hungriest of customers.

For vegetarians, Five Guys does not offer veggie or tofu burgers in place of the beef burgers, but does offer sandwiches on hamburger buns, as well as grilled cheese. All sandwiches can get the same toppings as burgers.

Mike’s Grill, established in 1976, sits in the heart of downtown Blacksburg. Mike’s only boasts two burgers on its menu— both half pounders, with the only difference being that one has cheese and one does not. What Mike’s lacks in selection, it makes up for in freshness and flavor. All beef is ground on site daily for the freshest burger possible.

Additionally, Mike’s serves all burgers upside down to retain the juices in it, further adding

RESULTS Best Sushi Gold- Green’s Grill and Sushi Bar Silver- Sake House Bronze- Kabuki Best Pizza

BRAD KLODOWSKI / THE COLLEGIATE TIMES

A cheeseburger from Mike’s Grill, which was chosen as the best burger in Blacksburg. Mike’s is located at 412 North Main Street. to the flavor and deliciousness that has propelled Mike’s to a burger legend around town.

As with Five Guys, Mike’s does not offer a veggie or tofu burger substitute, but offers veggie subs for those who do not consume meat.

Less than 100 yards down Main Street sits Sharkey’s,

the third burger icon in Blacksburg. Most would not consider Sharkey’s on the list since they are famous for their wings and ribs, but just one bite into one of their specialty half pound burgers will change anyone’s mind. Fifteen see BURGERS / page five

Gold- Benny Marzano’s Silver- The Cellar Bronze- PK’s Best Wings Gold- Buffalo Wild Wings Silver- Bull & Bones Bronze- Sharkey’s

RESULTS Burgers: Best Delivery Gold- Jimmy Johns Silver- Campus Cookies Bronze- Benny Marzano’s Best Late Night Dining

Best Coffee Shop

from page four

specialty burgers sit on Sharkey’s menu, ranging from traditional cheeseburgers to Hawaiian and breakfast burgers.

For those who prefer a more organic meat than beef, all burgers can be made with organic bison meat for an extra fee. Sharkey’s is also the only restaurant on the list to offer a veggie burger for those who prefer vegetarian options.

Ultimately, the choice is yours for what sounds like the best burger in town. No matter where you choose to grab a burger from, your taste buds will thank you from the first bite to the last.

@TPenkwitz

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Blacksburg serves up pizza pie

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MIKE DEMSCO news staff writer

Best Coffee Shop (Continued)

tele, PK’s boasts a strong reputation as an innovator in the art of the pie.

“We started the wing pizza craze about 15 years ago. Other places are doing it now, but we were the first ones in town to start doing the chicken wing pizza,” Darling said. Such innovations also come on a weekly basis with a new pizza special

served up every Friday.

Perhaps the bar’s best feature, however, comes on Thursday nights.

“We do something called tiajuana toss every Thursday where I’ll flip a coin and if you guess it right, you get a onetopping pizza free,” Darling said.

While some enjoy their pizza along with drinks and the

Bronze- Bollo’s Best Restaurant Gold- The Cellar Silver- Gillie’s Bronze- Cabo Fish Taco BRAD KLODOWSKI / THE COLLEGIATE TIMES A slice of pizza from Benny Marzano’s, the winner of the Best Pizza.

big game, others have slightly different priorities. Benny Marzano’s offers great tasting pizza to satisfy late-night cravings. Bailey McDad, a senior in animal science, works as a pizza chef and cashier at Benny’s, and makes sure to recognize the quality of the product past the stigma of “drunken food.”

“Obviously, the pizzas are huge, but my favorite part is that everything is made in the store. The dough, the sauce, cheese and all the toppings are really fresh,” McDad said.

But even Bailey recognizes the reality of the customerbase.

Best Bike Shop/ Repair Gold- East Coasters Silver- Hokie Spokes Bronze- Bike Barn Best Clothing Store Gold- Mad Dog

see PIZZA / page seven

Straighten your teeth with clear, invisible orthodont orthodontic retainers!

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Over the years, pizza pie has found its way into the hearts of college students — one slice at a time. Whether a game-day tailgate, an intoxicated urge or a first dinner date, Blacksburg aptly accommodates the needs of anyone seeking some Italian goodness.

PK’s Bar and Grill embodies everything one could expect from a sports bar, including the menu. The kitchen manager at PK’s, Ed Darling, works to ensure that things stay that way.

“We make everything from scratch. We make our dough fresh every day and we cut all of our fresh vegetables every day,” Darling said, “We’ve been here 20 years so we have a lot of repeat business, and any time there’s a (Tech) game, people want to come and have PK’s pizza.”

In addition to a loyal clien-

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Best Apartment Complex Gold- Foxridge Silver- Terrace View Bronze- Maple Ridge Best Hair Salon Gold- Lia’s Hair Silver- Great Clips Bronze- Hokie Hair Best Tattoo Parlor

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from page six

“We get a decent amount of families for dinner, but the major rush always comes when the bars close.”

And, as expected, this can cause for some complications.

“That tip jar is actually our third one this month, and we had to chain it down. Drunken people come in and tried to swipe them — them and the hot sauce bottles,” McDad said.

For those looking to enjoy a slice on a quieter, more relaxed evening, there is the Cellar Restaurant. The Cellar offers a dimly-lit, somewhat rustic ambiance that commonly attracts students and professors alike. Mike Bauer the Cellar Restaurant’s Beer-Store manager has become well-acquainted with store pizza operations.

“Our Cellar house special is, of course, really popular. It’s essentially a supreme pizza with sausage, pepperoni, green pepper, and mushrooms,” Bauer said “We also have a couple of vegetarian pizzas like the ‘Down to Earth’ and the ‘Special Greek,’ which are both very popular.”

When it comes to the Cellar’s consistent patronage, Bauer attributed such success to the restaurant’s unique atmosphere.

“It’s a combination of dedication, a love for the pizza itself, and the experience of The Cellar itself,” Bauer said. “In-house business probably makes up about 75 percent of our pizza sales.”

For those pizza cravings, students have many options, including PK’s, Benny Marzano’s, the Cellar Restaurant or any of Blacksburg’s other pizza offerings for a great slice of pizza pie.

@CollegiateTimes

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