C a l i f o r n i a S t a t e U n i v e r s i t y, F u l l e r t o n
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SPORTS
OPINION
Titan pitcher hopes to recover after injury stalls career Page 8
College newspapers are entitled to freedom of press Page 5
Students Question ‘Budget Crisis’
Financial Aid Eases Tuition, Fee Burden CSUF administrators urge students to complete FAFSA form by March 2, to compete with emtying wallets, financial woes
Lobby Corps pleads with Orange City Council for monetary support
By Elizabeth Simoes
Daily Titan Staff Writer
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round this time of year, students usually have empty wallets and a lot of complaints. After they pay off tuition, books, parking permits and other school supplies, they wind up broke. With financial aid, loans, scholarships and work-study, students can pay off all of the fees without breaking the bank. Students simply need to fill out a free application for federal student aid. “The best thing you can do is to file a FAFSA by the March 2 deadline to maximize your eligibility,” said Jessica Schutte, the assistant director of financial aid at CSUF. In 2003, there were 28,000 applicants for financial aid from Fullerton. According to Schutte, this was a 40 percent increase in applicants. A combination of income, assets, family size and number “It’s free money. The worst answer they can of people in the family that are attending give you is you can’t college determines the get any money. So it’s award. all worth it.” “Itʼs a free application, fill it out [and] Angelete Comford let us tell you if you are eligible. Maybe Fullerton Student youʼre disqualifying yourself.” Schutte said. “We encourage online [filing]. Itʼs easier for edits.” When applying online at www.fafsa.ed.gov, itʼs best to have a pin number, which students can get at www.pin. fafsa.ed.gov. Schutte warns that when filing out a FAFSA online students to only do so at the official government Web site. If a student is a California resident and has completed less than 24 units at CSUF, theyʼre encouraged to go back to their previous school and fill out a GPA verification form in order to be eligible for a Pell Grant. For students whoʼve completed more than 24 units, this is automatically sent to the state by CSUF, Schutte said. Students donʼt apply for the various grants individually, though. By filing out the FAFSA, the officials in the financial aid office will offer students the best financial aid package available, Schutte said. Once the financial aid package is determined, students SEE FAFSA = PAGE 2
By Jody Cason
Daily Titan Staff Writer
Songha Lee/Daily Titan
UNDERGROUND DRIVE
The City Drive band member Scott Waldman, on bass, perform at the TSU Underground Thursday afternoon. The Los Angeles based band will come out with a new album called Always Moving Never Stopping on March 21.
Dean Named New VP
California First Amendment Coalition plans to appoint Pullen as 2008 president By Jimmy Stroup
Daily Titan Staff Writer
R
ick Pullen, Cal State Fullerton dean of communications, has recently accepted the vice presidency at the California First Amendment Coalition, a nonprofit organization that advocates open government meetings and records. Following his work for six years as part of the coalitionʼs board, the twoyear vice presidency post will eventually lead to Pullenʼs appointment to coalition president in 2008. “Itʼs quite an honor to be asked to serve,” Pullen said, reckoning that his appointment will mark the first time an educator has been asked to fill a position historically held by newspaper editors
or First Amendment lawyers. Holding meetings a half dozen times a year, the coalition consists of more than 200 members, as well as newspapers and media organizations throughout the state. The coalition works to improve media access to government, frequently involving itself in litigation to that effect. The organization also holds regular events at institutions like CSUF to educate those with journalistic aspirations about government responsibilities in regard to disclosure. “The real purpose of CFAC is to support open meetings and open records in government,” Pullen said. “And to ensure and encourage legislation that requires openness.” Pullen, co-author of two media law books and still an active teacher in media law courses after more than 30 years at Fullerton – though most deans no longer teach after assuming administrative positions – said his new appointment wonʼt interfere with his work at CSUF.
Phil Gordon/Daily Titan
DEAN TO PRES: Dean of College of Communications, Rick Pullen new Vice President of the California First Amendment Coalition (CFAC). He admits that other areas of media law are more “sexy,” but Pullen said open meeting requirements become extremely important once entering the media industry. “The area of open records is pretty relevant to all of us,” he said. “Especially in this time of privacy concerns.”
Women’s Center Combats Community Violence Program divides women into ethnic groups to educate them on preventing cultural-specific abuse By Jody Cason
Daily Titan Staff Writer
The Womenʼs Center at Cal State Fullerton is continuing its battle on domestic abuse this spring. The center will be hosting its fourth Cultural Awareness of Violence Against Women training this March and April. The training involves a free, three-part certificate program that explores the impact of intimate partner violence on women within specific ethnic groups. “The main objective of this program is for women to become advocates for the prevention of violence in their own communities,” said Sue Passalacqua, associate director of the center. “If a student wants to sign up for her own educational purposes however, she is welcome.”
This semester, the program will focus on Middle Eastern and Chicana/Latina participants. Women are divided into ethnic groups for good reason. Rosalina Camacho, coordinator for Womenʼs Cultural Resource Centers, said itʼs better to educate a woman about violence within her own community because there are many cultural differences in differing ethnic groups. “If we train a Latina about intimate partner violence she may be able to speak to other ethnic groups about it, but not necessarily from a personal point of view,” Camacho said. “Weʼre also able to receive feedback about violence in different cultures from the women we train, which gives us even more information to provide to students in future programs.” This feedback can be especially helpful from Middle Eastern participants. Susan Leavy, from the Community Educator for Crimes Against Women, said there hasnʼt been much research done about domestic violence within Middle Eastern communi-
ties. There is plenty of research that has been documented on violence against Asian, Latina and African-American women. The results of the research vary from group to group. But one of the traits they all have in common is that theyʼre all women of color, which may make them less likely to report a violent crime thatʼs been committed against them. K.J. Wilson, author of “When Violence Begins At Home,” said women in the Latino community are often relegated to the role of wife and mother due to their long-established social system. “Itʼs not socially acceptable for a Latina to be divorced, which makes it difficult for her to leave her abuser, let alone turn him into authorities,” Wilson said. He also said Asian women are socialized to depend on mutual help and support within the family unit. Reporting the battererʼs abuse to outsiders will frequently make an Asian woman feel disloyal and that sheʼs caused great shame to her family.
SPORTS
NEWS
LEAVING HER MARK
OUTTA THIS WORLD
Titan senior 15th woman at CSUF to score 1,000 points
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INSIDE
Unsolved extraterrestrial mystery unearthed in Texas
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African-American women also face obstacles that keep them from reporting abuse. A woman in this group may fear that if she reports her abusive partner heʼll be treated more harshly by law enforcement because he is a man of color, Wilson said. Leavy, who will be facilitating the Middle Eastern focus group, said there are many things women are surprised to find out while attending the program. “One thing that always seems to stun the students is how often violence goes on within their own communities, because itʼs hardly spoken of,” Leavy said. She also said students start to realize how much power they have, especially after they find out that immigrant women in their communities canʼt be deported after reporting the crime. The training dates for the Middle Eastern Focus are March 17, 24 and April 7, and the dates for the Chicana/Latina focus are April 14, 21 and 28. For more information, the Womenʼs Center can be reached at (714) 278-3928.
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WEATHER
WEDNESDAY THURSDAY Sunny High: 70 Low: 42
Four Cal State Fullerton students gave a speech during public comment at the City of Orange Council meeting last week, asking council members to be a voice for the California State University system. The students, all members of the Associated Students Inc. Lobby Corps committee, went before the council to ask them for their support on what they called a CSU budget deficiency crisis. “It is the CSU system that is keeping California afloat, while offering poor and middle class people a continuing opportunity to move into the sort of well-paying jobs a college degree affords,” Lobby Corps member Curtis Schlaufman said to the council. Lobby Corps is a committee that tracks state and federal issues that relate to students. They also coordinate the lobbying efforts of the student body and work with the California State Student Association to advocate student interests. Arya Hawkins, who serves as chair of Lobby Corps and is the director of statewide affairs for ASI, said the committee chose to speak at the City of Orange Council meeting because Orange is a CSUF service area. “Many students on campus come from this community,” Hawkins said. The committee also said their case to the Fullerton City Council, and plans to speak at Tustin and Placentia City Council meetings in the near future. Hawkins believes these local city council members can help out CSU students in many different ways. “These council members are constituents of the state legislators, and the legislators will want to know what they think,” Hawkins said. In the speech to the council, Hawkins also asks council members to fight for CSU students by asking State Assemblywoman Lynn Daucher and California State Senator Dick Ackerman to reinvest in higher education by passing a balanced state budget that will give the CSU the money necessary to stop student fees from increasing. The Lobby Corps membersʼ speeches included many arguments that justified the prevention of these fee increases. “[CSU] trains 89 percent of the stateʼs professionals in criminal justice, 87 percent of the teachers and related staff, 87percent of the social workers and 82 percent of
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FRIDAY
SATURDAY
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NEWS
N E W S @ D A I LY T I T A N . C O M
IN
OUT
OTHER NEWS
N’ ABOUT
WORLD
ON CAMPUS
War Crimes Fugitive Located
TONIGHT: The young German pianist Michael Schütze is forging a distinguished career as a champion of vocal music and new vocal compositions. He will be presenting Spring Liederabend “Songs from Romantic Germany” in the Recital Hall in the Performing Art Center at 8 p.m. $5–10.
BELGRADE, Serbia-Montenegro – Gen. Ratko Mladic, the fugitive Bosnian Serb commander accused of orchestrating Europeʼs worst massacre of civilians since World War II, has been located in Serbia and authorities are negotiating his surrender, security officials said Tuesday. Mladic, considered the most ruthless commander of the Balkan wars of the 1990s, “has not yet been arrested,” one official who is close to the operation to find Mladic told The Associated Press.
WEDNESDAY: ASI Productions is hosting two screenings of Jarhead in the TSU Titan Theatre at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Car Bomb Kills 22 in Iraq BAGHDAD, Iraq – A car bomb exploded Tuesday on a street packed with shoppers in a Shiite area of Baghdad, killing 22 people and wounding 28, police said. It was the deadliest bomb attack in the Iraqi capital in a month. Terrified children screamed and several women wailed for their dead, crying, “the terrorists, may God punish them.” At least eight other people were killed and more than 30 injured Tuesday in bombings and shootings elsewhere in Baghdad and in attacks on beauty parlors and liquor stores.
NATION
Bush OKs Seaport Takeover WASHINGTON – Brushing aside objections from Republicans and Democrats alike, President Bush endorsed the takeover of shipping operations at six major U.S. seaports by a state-owned business in the United Arab Emirates. He pledged to veto any bill Congress might approve to block the agreement. The president on Tuesday defended his administrationʼs earlier approval of the sale of London-based Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Co. to Dubai Ports World, despite concerns in Congress it could increase the possibility of terrorism at American ports.
Men Charged With Terrorism CLEVELAND – Three Muslim men from the Middle East were charged Tuesday with plotting terrorist attacks against U.S. and coalition troops in Iraq and other countries. One of the men, a citizen of both the United States and Jordan, was also accused of threatening to kill or injure President Bush. All three had lived in Toledo within the past year and were arrested over the weekend – two of them in Toledo, the third in Jordan, authorities said.
LOCAL
Killer’s Death Postponed SAN QUENTIN – The execution of a convicted killer was postponed early Tuesday after two anesthesiologists refused for ethical reasons to take part, renewing the long-running debate over what role doctors may play in the death chamber. Michael Morales, 46, was supposed to die by lethal injection at 12:01 a.m. But the execution was put off until at least Tuesday night after the anesthesiologists objected that they might have to advise the executioner if the inmate woke up or appeared to suffer pain. Reports compiled from The Associated Press
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The Daily Titan is a student publication, printed every Monday through Thursday. The Daily Titan operates independently of Associated Students, College of Communications, CSUF administration and the CSUF System. The Daily Titan has functioned as a public forum since inception. Unless implied by the advertising party or otherwise stated, advertising in the Daily Titan is inserted by commercial activities or ventures identified in the advertisements themselves and not by the university. Such printing is not to be construed as written or implied sponsorship, endorsement or investigation of such commercial enterprises. The Daily Titan allocates one issue to each student for free. Copyright ©2006 Daily Titan
FRIDAY: Titan Rec Sports hosts a billiards tournament in the TSU Underground at noon. Songha Lee/Daily Titan
LEAN ON ME
Theta Delta Beta member Roman Castro, senior kinesiology major, and sophmore Alisha Santana lean against the wooden delta sign at the walkway behind the Performing Arts Center, Thursday afternoon.
DID YOU KNOW?
SESTRIERE, Italy - Zip your top up properly, leave the wig and false mustache in your chalet and, whatever you do, do not sip the wrong kind of cola. Doping aside, there are plenty of weird and wonderful ways to get yourself disqualified from the Winter Olympics and at times the rules and regulations governing each sport read like a pedantsʼ manifesto. In ski jumping, for example, a competitor who fails to zip his suit up to the very top risks more than catching a cold. Presumably to prevent somebody wearing a Michelin Manstyle inflatable outfit for extra air
buoyancy, the rules state that competitorsʼ suits must cling closely to the body. The “anterior crotch length” is especially tightly policed with a modest four centimeters the maximum leeway allowed. Thursday, during the Nordic cmbined event, the Finnish team protested that one of the German jumpers, Bjoern Kircheisen, had breached the rules governing the air permeability of his suit because it was slightly unzipped at the neck. The appeal was unanimously rejected by the jury. In the same event, one of the rules stipulates that a competitor will be penalized if he takes his skis to any official ceremonies. Furthermore, as Japanʼs Masahiko Harada found out in Normal Hill qualifying, a jumper is disqualified if his skis are longer than his height, multiplied by 1.46.
FAFSA FROM PAGE 1 can see what they were awarded through Titan Online. One large misconception about applying for financial aid is that students think they have to have their taxes done before March 2 to fill out an application. “Yes, [that] is preferable.” Schutte said. “However, they have the opportunity to estimate and use last [yearʼs] figures, which havenʼt changed too much, in order to meet the March 2 deadline.” Once a FAFSA is submitted and processed, students will receive a student aid report. Students must look over the report and make sure all of the information on it is accurate, after which they can update the file with the correct tax information. “About 30 percent is selected for a process of verification,” Schutte said. This means that a student will have to fill out additional forms regarding family income and size, and return them to CSUF before the award is given. Another way students can get college money is through scholarships, and Schutte said that now is the time to be applying for them. Students can find additional scholarships online, through Web sites like www.fastweb.com. They
In the exhausting sport of crosscountry skiing, a competitor is disqualified if, in a fit of masochism, he skies more than one leg of the course in a relay or, even more mysteriously, if he takes part in the competition “under false pretences.” The latter charge could arguably have been applied to Costa Rican Arturo Kinch. The mustachioed 49-year-old brought an air of slapstick to Fridayʼs 10-km classical race when he stumbled and almost fell in the first few strides en route to 96th place. The false pretences rule also covers Alpine skiing where, as in ski jumping, having the wrongsized skis is another cause for disqualification. That was the fate suffered by Briton Chemmy Alcott in the womenʼs combined event Friday. Her skis were found to be a miniscule 0.2mm too narrow. Reports compiled from Reuters
enter a profile about themselves and their interests in the online database, and it will send them scholarships they can apply for. Students agree that applying for financial aid is simple and not time consuming. “Itʼs easy,” said Angelete Comford, a 19-year-old criminal justice major. “Itʼs all just on the Web. I donʼt have a problem because my parents help me and we do it together.” Comford receives a Cal Grant that pays for her tuition and works at Carlʼs Jr. on campus so she gets free books. She recommends that all students at least apply. “Itʼs free money,” Comford said. “The worst answer they can give you is you canʼt get any money. So itʼs all worth it.” Yesenia Robles, 22, graduated from CSUF in May 2005 and is now in the teaching credential program. Although she received financial aid every year while she was an undergraduate, she didnʼt get any grants for this year. Instead, Robles is looking into loans. “It was really easy,” said Robles when asked about filling out a FAFSA. “Iʼve done it since Iʼve been here and it keeps all of the information, so it doesnʼt take too long.” Regardless of where the money is from, the first step in receiving financial aid is filling out the FAFSA. “Itʼs really important to meet the March 2 deadline,” Schutte said, recommending aht students with questions should visit the financial aid office. “We try to be informative, help the student,” Schutte said. “Our goal is to reduce financial barriers to help you seek your educational goal. We are here to help you.”
SATURDAY: Titan baseball will take on UCLA at home at 6 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday. The game is free for students with a student ID card. SUNDAY: Oh Mr. Sousa!, a new musical featuring a 23-piece concert band and nine singing actors, highlights major events in the life of Americaʼs beloved composer/ conductor John Philip Sousa. It starts at 4 p.m. in the Meng Concert Hall. $20–30.
OFF CAMPUS THURSDAY: Experience Andrew Lloyd Webberʼs smash musical “Cats” at the Plummer Auditorium in Fullerton. $25-49. Call (714) 526-3832 for tickets. FRIDAY: SoCal blues band The Lubricators performs old Delta Blues to Uptown Chicago, Texas shuffles to West Coast swing at Bacchusʼ Secret Cellar in Irvine. Free admission! Visit www.bacchussecretcellar.com for more information. FRIDAY: The Afghan Relief Organization will be hosting an evening of Afghan culture, music, food and a silent auction. Proceeds from the event will help to ship supplies to Afghanistan and to help build a three-year-old education center in Kabul. $50. Visit www. afghanrelief.com for more information. FRIDAY: Last call to get yourself a pair of tickets to Aerosmithʼs and Lenny Kravitzʼs 8 p.m. show. $55-125. Call (714) 702-2500 for tickets. SUNDAY: Brea commences itʼs 15th Annual 8K classic at 6:30 a.m. $15-$28. Proceeds benefit athletic and instrumental music programs at Brea-Olinda High School. SUNDAY: Shesha and Nikki from the O.C. Swing Dance Club will be teaching the first lesson of a six week swing dance class in Newport Beach. Visit www.avantgarde-ballroom.com for more information. MONDAY: Be at Café Tu Tu Tango for their Monday night poker tournament. $25 gets you two drinks and entry into the game. If you would like to submit an event to Out nʼ About please email news@dailytitan.com
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THE STORY OF A REAL-LIFE FOX MULDER By John Malecki
Special to The Daily Titan
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s the youngest guest speaker at a UFO convention in Los Angeles, John Greenewald, 19, was already a recognized expert in the field of UFO and government conspiracy research. He carried in his brief case a copy of The Valley Daily Times, which profiled Greenewald, framing him as a real life Fox Mulder from the TV series “The X-Files.” David Duchovny, the actor who played Mulder, also attended the convention. A chance encounter took place between the two. Greenewald couldnʼt resist showing him the profile comparing him to Duchovnyʼs TV character. Duchovny took a genuine interest in the article. Before Duchovnyʼs agent whisked him away, he asked Greenewald for a pen and autographed the article: “John, you are now Mulder Senior. Pick up where I leave off.” The next day David Duchovny quit “The X-Files.” The irony was not lost on Greenewald. But at that time, he couldnʼt know the predictive nature of Duchovnyʼs words. Greenewald continued in the pursuit
of his interests and his reputation grew. In the three years that followed he made appearances on PBS, A&E, the History Channel, ABC, FOX, NBC and WNBC News. The camera loved his boyish good looks. Clean cut but defiant, he wore his suit well but didnʼt look conservative in one. His gregarious, friendly nature came across easily. After seeing one of his appearances, independent television producer Jeffery Willerth, on contract with WellerGrossman Productions, tracked down Greenewald and convinced him to hire on as a researcher for the series. Eight programs on UFOs would air on the History Channel. Greenewald took time to familiarize himself with operations. He couldnʼt help but notice the dearth of material to work with. “So what do we have to go on at this point,” he asked Willerth. “Well, we have the synopsis they used to pitch the series to the network,” Willerth replied. “Anything else?” Greenewald asked. “Letʼs see … we have some newspaper articles,” Willerth added. “Thatʼs it?” “Well, no, we have some in-house footage.” “Footage of what?” Greenewald con-
tinued. “You know … the usual stuff. Videos of UFO sightings. Eyewitness accounts.” Greenewald started shaking his head. “No, thatʼs not going to cut it.” Willerth looked sideways at his young protégé and asked, “So what will?” Greenewald built his reputation on facts. Facts found in government documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. “When the government acknowledges these events took place,” he told Willerth, “itʼs harder for skeptics to blow off the video footage as faked. OK, youʼve got your video and eyewitnesses. Youʼve got your guest experts on the shows. Government documents are the third party endorsements … you can triangulate.”
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reenewald dug up documented evidence like a truffle hound. The irrefutable documentation – Greenewaldʼs trademark – raised Willerthʼs UFO shows to a level of credibility beyond anything seen on television before. The shows were a hit. WellerGrossman Productions signed a second deal with the History Channel to produce several more UFO programs, but Willerth had other projects lined up.
He declined to stay on for any further shows. Gone was the producer who gave the shows their high quality production values. WellerGrossman didnʼt want to lose a lucrative contract, but the nature of the subject matter meant executives couldnʼt hire a producer without a UFO background either. So they did something virtually unheard of in the industry. They took a chance on someone who had never produced a television show in his life. They took a chance on Greenewald and asked him to produce “Texasʼ Roswell,” otherwise known as The Alien Graveyard. Greenewald had no idea what he was getting into. As soon as the initial euphoria of the moment wore off, reality hit him right in the face. Sure, he conducted impeccable research for Willerth. Over time, Willerth let Greenewald write some for the shows. In a couple of instances he even gave Greenewald associate producer credits. But whatʼs in a title? Associate producer is a far cry from being the producer who oversees every detail of every aspect of every show. Itʼs akin to being an auto mechanic who has yet to learn how to drive a car. He could crash in the attempt. To make things worse, Greenewald had never heard of The Alien Graveyard. It ruffled his feathers a bit. It was almost
Gospel Fest Celebrates Black History
Sistertalk will host annual event in TSU, featuring music, comedy and poetry By Elizabeth Simoes
Daily Titan Staff Writer
Sounds of praise and worship will fill the air on Saturday at the annual Gospel Fest in the Titan Student Union from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sistertalk –a club at Cal State Fullerton – sponsors the annual event in honor of Black History Month. “There will be different artists singing gospel, a comedian and a poet,” said Stacy Ellis, president of Sistertalk. “Weʼll mix the traditional gospel sound with new sound.” There will also be different vendors at the event. Ellis said 80 percent of the performers are students from surrounding universities and includes two students from CSUF.
CSUF sophomore Reyna Banks will be showcasing her talent as a dancer at Gospel Fest. The 19-year-old dance and radio-TV-film major said sheʼs been working on her routine – a praise and modern lyrical dance – for the last two weeks. “I gradually start choreographing and whatever God gives me to do, I add on to it and complete it,” Banks said. “Iʼve been dancing for 13 years,” Banks said, indicating that she holds a deep love for the art. But, it was almost as if Banks stumbled upon what would be her passion. She started track at the age of five and then gymnastics before dance. “I saw it and said, ʻOh, my gosh. I want to do [that],ʼ ” Banks said. Though she started with jazz, Banks has also danced modern, hip-hop, tap, and ballet and point over the years. As well as taking classes, Banks has been on and led many teams. She coaches a dance team at her church and for almost a year has been coaching a
“I wasn’t supposed to be able to walk... it was the Lord who helped me” Reyna Banks Fullerton Student
high school dance team. Banks is also a part of the new hip-hop team at CSUF that performs at basketball games. And as if she wasnʼt into enough, she said she enjoys dancing the most when sheʼs at The Edge in Hollywood. Banks has been going there since she was in high school for the open classes, which are on a pay-as-you-go basis. “I just go for fun to relieve stress,” said Banks. “Thereʼs no pressure, no team, no competition.” Banksʼ involvement in Gospel Fest is very significant to her. She was born with clubfeet, a disease in which the bones on the side of her feet werenʼt connected and there was only cartilage on the side of her feet.
“I wasnʼt supposed to be able to walk,” Banks said. “I know it was the Lord who helped me with my feet. He blessed me with the gift to dance.” Banks – who wore casts on her feet from when she was a newborn until she was 3 years old due to the birth defect – credits God for her complete recovery and said sheʼll always be grateful to Him. “I love the Lord and this is one more thing I can do for him,” said Banks, referring to her involvement in Gospel Fest. She also dances every second Sunday at her church, where her father is a pastor. Banks, a member of Sistertalk, describes the meetings every Wednesday as “really cool.” “[Sistertalk] is a support group for African-American women,” Ellis said. “We have solution-oriented discussions on topics pertaining to AfricanAmerican women.” Tickets for Gospel Fest are pre-sale $5 for students and $7 for non-students, and $10 at the door.
an affront. How could it be that John Greenewald -nationally recognized as one of the top experts in his field -– never heard of this case? He soon found out and the answer and it made him uneasy. This particular case had never been officially documented. The skills that brought national recognition would not be much help. He was about to produce a television show with no government documentation.
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elf-taught in the art of manipulating the Freedom of Information Act, Greenewald collected over 300,000 government documents on UFOʼs, biological warfare, the assassination of President Kennedy, cloning, aviation, Iraq, defense issues and more. But no documents existed that pertained to The Alien Graveyard because the government never investigated the incident. Then again, the incident took place just outside Aurora, Texas in 1897. At that time the government did not investigate UFO phenomenon. It would have been absurd in those days. Initially, the only information SEE GREENEWALD = PAGE 4
SPEECH FROM PAGE 1 the public administrators,” Schlaufman said in his speech. He also said studies have shown that the CSU gives back more than four times the amount of tax dollars the state spends to support it, despite the fact that itʼs under-funded by $1.5 billion due to the financial situation of the state budget. Hawkins said he hoped that Lobby Corps presentation to council members didnʼt fall on deaf ears. “The Fullerton City Council asked questions at the end of the speech, but we received no feedback whatsoever from the City of Orange council members,” Hawkins said. For now, CSU students will have to wait and see if Gov. Arnold Schwarzeneggerʼs proposed $215 million in new revenue for the CSU will be approved before having to dig deeper in their pockets. Conni Shepard, a senior kinesiology major, is worried she may have to hold down two jobs just to come back next year to get her teaching credential. “I hope I donʼt have to do it,” she said. “But if student fees keep increasing I will have no choice.”
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GREENEWALD FROM PAGE 3 Greenewald had to go on was two newspaper articles. One from 1897 and the other from 1974, both published by the Ft. Worth Star Telegram. In the original newspaper story an “airship” crashed on April 17, 1897 near the town of Aurora, knocking down a windmill and destroying a flower garden. People soon gathered at the crash site to view the wreckage. They gathered up pieces of the debris, lightweight but stronger than steel. The body of the pilot was battered but still intact enough to examine. T.J. Weems, a U.S. Army Signal Service officer and amateur astronomer gave his opinion that the pilot was from Mars. Martian or not, the townspeople gave the pilot a decent Christian burial in their local cemetery. A headstone was later placed at the gravesite. The 1974 article included a photograph of the headstone. Greenewald sat at his desk, examining the photo with a magnifying glass. To his astonishment there was an image of the “airship” carved into the granite face of the headstone. It was cigar shaped and had what appeared to be portholes, or possibly lights, along the side. Greenewald paused for a moment and leaned back in his chair. He was reminded of his profile in The Valley Daily Times. He thought of the words David Duchovny wrote on it, “You are now Mulder Senior. Pick up where I leave off.” Duchovnyʼs words finally caught up with him. He was working on his own X-Files. The absence of documentation made Greenewald uncomfortable. After all, eyewitness accounts were never enough to convince him. Yet the eyewitness accounts portrayed in the two newspaper articles were all he had. It was flimsy. It wouldnʼt cut it.
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reenewald had grown accustomed to being an expert on camera, but in a reversal of roles, this time he would have to find other experts to focus on. He knew he needed help and it came from his friend and mentor, Jim Marrs, author of “Alien Agenda” and another book, “Crossfire,” which producer Oliver Stone used as the basis of his famous and controversial film, “JFK.” Greenewald and Marrs met through the UFO and conspiracy researchers network.
NEWS
N E W S @ D A I LY T I T A N . C O M
As conspiracy theorists go Marrs was no gadfly. Believers and non-believers alike held Marrs in high esteem. He held a Bachelorʼs degree in Journalism from the University of North Texas and did his Graduate work at Texas Tech. He had worked for a number of Texas newspapers including the Ft. Worth Star Telegram. Marrsʼ credentials equated to credibility. Greenewald had always found credibility in official documents. This time he had it in the flesh. Marrs confirmed the legend and turned
Greenewald on to what tidbits of information he could recall. As it turned out, Marrs started poking around Aurora when the 1974 article appeared on the Associated Press newswire. Marrs agreed to appear in the show to provide expert testimony. Marrs informed Greenewald of others with knowledge of the case, in particular John Schuessler a retired aerospace engineer. Schuessler worked on most of the U.S.-manned space programs. But the real catch was an elusive a gentleman by the name of Hayden Hewes, who investigated the case when the 1974 article was published. Hewes even attempted to obtain a court order to exhume the body. Greenewald tracked down Schuessler in Morrison, Colo., where he agreed to an interview for Greenewaldʼs show. Hewes, on the other hand, was nowhere to be found. He had been the director of the International UFO Bureau in the 1970s. About 15 years ago he dropped off the radar screen and no one in UFO circles had seen or heard from him since. The nuts and bolts of the show were coming together. Greenewald had the legend down pat. He had some guest experts – Marrs, Schuessler and Andress – interviewed on videotape and signed off on the releases. But where the hell was Hewes? Greenewald would continue to scour every available database to find him. With or without Hewes, Greenewald had a production schedule to keep. The time had come time to visit the site of the UFO crash in Aurora. Greenewaldʼs planned to cut through
Failing to find the gravesite disappointed Greenewald a great deal. He had what he needed for the show, interviews with experts and Aurora locals. He had more than enough footage. He gathered more information than he thought heʼd ever find. On a technical level he had succeeded. But still, the actual gravesite, this was personal.
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the inevitable resistance from some of Auroraʼs residents. He contacted Aurora mayor Barbara Brammer directly. Initially she wasnʼt too hot on the idea of a television crew poking around the cemetery, but Greenewald, known for being charming and flirtatious, finally persuaded Brammer to let him film. In essence, heʼd been given the key to the city. But citizens of Aurora had mixed feelings. As some said, they didnʼt want “any Hollywood types coming around and digging up grandma.” Greenewaldʼs crew arrived in Aurora about 9 p.m., checked into a bed and breakfast and unpacked. Then, Greenewald did something he knew he shouldnʼt. He sneaked out and went looking for the cemetery under the light of a full moon. In a town with a population of 370, it doesnʼt take long to find anything. And it wasnʼt long before he came upon the cemetery surrounded by a chain-link fence. The gate was locked. He walked off the main road through a stand of old, crooked oak trees. The moonlight seeped between the branches and touched the ground in a patchwork of silver and indigo. He reached the other side of the cemetery where he found a small iron gate. It was unlocked. As he pulled it open the hinges squeaked. In the dead silence it sounded like a car alarm. His heart pounded. Greenewald froze for moment. He slowly looked around. Pushing aside his sense of foreboding he stepped gingerly into this cemetery of legend. With every step, dried oak leaves crunched beneath his Nikes. His skin felt a charge of electricity. His knees and hands began to tremble. Somewhere nearby the alien gravesite beckoned – but not now, not tonight. He would wait and find his
chance. The next day Greenewaldʼs crew shot footage of the town, the crash site and the cemetery. Greenewald interviewed Mayor Brammer, who agreed to go on camera. She told him of the townʼs history: How a series of tragedies in the mid-1890ʼs almost killed the town. First the boweavil infestation destroyed the cotton crop. Spotted fever hit next, killing half of the townʼs residents. Then a fire engulfed the town leaving very little in its wake. A railroad line planned for Aurora never materialized. The airship crash happened on the heels of these tragedies. “I think the whole thing was a hoax,” Brammer said. “The story was made up in a desperate attempt to attract attention to the town.”
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ive days on location in Aurora and things were looking like a wrap. Greenewald reviewed his checklist while the camera crew shot B-roll footage. The one thing on his list that remained unchecked was the elusive Hewes. Greenewald traced him to his last known location, Oklahoma City, Okla., where every database and search engine stopped. At this point Greenewald was out of options. “No. That would be too easy, but what the hell,” Greenewald thought. He went online and looked in the Oklahoma City white pages. He couldnʼt believe it when he saw a listing for Hewes. Sure enough, the name in the phone book was the same Hewes who investigated this case in 1974. Greenewald booked his room in Aurora for a few more days. It took Hewes less than 48 hours to pack and drive there. Hewes was delighted that someone dredged up the case after 30 years. Here he was, the expert who could tie the whole story together. Hewes agreed to an on-camera interview. He took Greenewald and his crew on the grand tour, retracing his steps from 30 years earlier. He showed them the well that had long since been capped. He told them of his attempt at obtaining a court order to exhume the body only to be thwarted by an injunction filed by the town of Aurora. He shared the story of the metal detector that went berserk when it hovered over the gravesite. When Greenewald asked where the gravesite was, Hewes could be of no help. The headstone had long since been removed. Between 30 years of landscaping and changes wrought by Mother Nature, Hewes no longer recognized much of the grounds.
reenewald went back to the bed and breakfast. He walked up the creaky wooden steps, past an old man sitting on a bench on the porch. Greenewald nodded and smiled. He had seen the old gentleman sitting on that bench several times during his stay in Aurora but never gave him much thought. This time the usually silent old man spoke: “Youʼre that big shot producer from Hollywood, ainʼt ya?” the old man asked with an unfiltered cigarette dangling from his crusty lips. Greenewald shrugged: “Well, I wouldnʼt say Iʼm a big shot. This is the first show Iʼve ever done. I just hope I pull it off.” The old man motioned for Greenewald to sit down beside him on the rickety bench. “Youʼre looking for the grave, ainʼt you?” the old man quizzed. “Well … uh … yeah,” Greenewald replied. “But no one knows where it is anymore.” “Tourists,” the old man snorted. “Theyʼre always looking in the wrong places.” “The wrong places?” Greenewald was puzzled. The old man leaned over and in an almost hushed voice said, “You got to look for the beehive.” “Beehive?” Greenewaldʼs interest sharpened. “Look for the beehive,” the old man reaffirmed. “You find the beehive, you find the grave. Itʼs all you need to know.” Greenewald couldnʼt be sure if the old man was telling the truth. But there was no way he was leaving without looking into the matter. He quickly returned to the cemetery. According to legend, the alien was buried underneath an old oak tree. The problem was old oak trees grew all over the cemetery. Greenewald examined the oak trees looking for a beehive hanging on a branch. With so many trees his neck started to hurt. He saw no hives. Then something caught his eye. He turned and looked at a tree towering overhead. He saw a few bees flying around the first branches. Walking around to the other side, Greenewald saw a split in the trunk. A few steps closer and he saw the trunk had hollowed out and became one big beehive. Greenewald knelt down in the shade of the old oak as he brushed away leaves, revealing a slight depression in the ground. A chill came over him. Old gravesites often have depressions over them where the soil settled. The depression looked to be about five feet long and maybe four feet wide. It was like the old gravesites, only smaller. As he stood up, time seemed to stop. The possibility of what might lie beneath overwhelmed him. To think that a few feet below might be the remains of an alien. The proof he sought might be down there. But this was as close as he would get, for now. Greenewald rushed back to the bed and breakfast. He found his crew. “You better fire up the camera,” he said. “Follow me, Iʼve got something to show you ... ”
Tusk Magazine Cal State Fullertonʼs only student-run magazine hits campus newsstands this May.
O P I N I O N @ D A I LY T I TA N . C O M
TITAN EDITORIAL
Providing insight, analysis and perspective since 1960
STUDENT PRESS WORTH FIGHTING FOR
T
he U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear a case yesterday concerning freedom of the colligiate press. The case was brought to the court by former journalism students from Governors State University in Illinois who challenged the university deanʼs demand that the student newspaper be subjected to his review and approval before being printed. The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals broke with nearly three decades of legal precedent that extended First Amendment protection to student publications at state-funded universities. Instead of protecting students against overt censorship, the court used a precedent set by The Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier case, which, in 1988, gave high school administrators the authority to censor publications on their campuses. The Hazelwood decision allows publicly funded schools to censor speech prior to publication for reasons of “legitimate pedagogical concerns.” In other words, anything that the school administration feels may disrupt the educational process. But the wording of the precedent is extremely broad and could be used to put a halt to just about anything school officials donʼt like. This destroys the idea that colleges and universities should be
safe havens for free speech and the free exchange of ideas. The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has lowered the bar for university students within their jurisdiction. They are now bound by the same rules governing elementary and high schools. But college students are markedly more mature than high school students. And they pay for their education through tuition and with that portion of their paycheck that is taken by the taxman. Students pay a remarkable chunk of their income to receive an education. The educators and administration work for them. For the administration to feel that it is beyond public criticism from the people that it serves is a slap in the face to students on the Illinois campus. But the U.S. Supreme Courtʼs decision not to hear the case is a slap in the face to all college students. And to the First Amendment. The purpose of a student newspaper is not only to provide a learning experience for the students involved with it, but also to create a public forum open to all students, and to offer news and commentary that isnʼt produced by the institution itself. The student press is not a free public relations firm for the campus itʼs writing about. Students deserve the right to freely express themselves without the government stepping in and putting a stop to their freedom of speech.
Editorial Board Philip Fuller, Opinion Editor Nicole M. Smith, Executive Editor Kim Orr, Managing Editor In deference to the paradigm established by venerable Swiss philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau, unsigned Titan Editorials strive to represent the general will of the Daily Titan editorial board and do not necessarily reflect the view of the university.
OPINION
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Bush: America’s “Big Brother” Government Eavesdropping Encroaches on Privacy Rights By Cristina Rodriguez
Daily Titan Staff Writer
George Orwellʼs vision of reality in the novel 1984 is rapidly unfolding in America. President George W. Bush is becoming increasingly more and more powerful - too powerful. As if it isnʼt enough that Bush is taking on the world, fighting to banish terrorism; he has been tapping into tapping into peopleʼs conversations. When terrorists ruthlessly attacked the United States on Sept. 11, Bush went on the war path. He sent troops to Iraq, brought them home in body bags, sent more out, and now he wants to listen to
our conversations. Maybe you are thinking, “I donʼt want to be living with terrorists next door to me, I donʼt want to experience another Sept. 11. Many will agree that the world should never go through that attrocious experience again. We experienced a horrible tragedy and an inexcusable act of hatred and violence. Yet how many people in other countries are bombed, raped, and tortured day in and day out? In other countries what happened to us is an everyday occurrence. They live in terror on a daily basis. However, when this happened at home, Congress immediately passed the Patriot Act. This gave the government the right to look at medical records, phone bills, etc. in the name of safety. America is supposed to be a country where we can express ourselves and be free to live in peace. That peace also includes peace of mind as well as peace with each
other. People come to America to live in peace and to be free from extreme government restrictions. If we allow the government to have the authority to eavesdrop on us, what else will they have power to do? Whatʼs next? Are they going to watch us while we are bathing, or while we are napping. Are they going to watch us in our most intimate and even mundane moment? Letʼs say for instance you are having an innocent conversation with your friends and you are explaining how upset you are over tuition and budget cuts and you say that you hate the president. Anyone who overheard you might report you as a terrorist. If the government had any suspicion of you being a terrorist they could listen to your conversations. If the eavesdropping that Bush is enforcing becomes extreme, an innocent session of venting could lead to surveillance on that person.
Where does this insanity stop? Next thing you know we will be living in a world where we are fighting off the Gestapo at the grocery store, wearing tracking devices, while the government eats popcorn and watches us make love to our significant others. However, we are becoming no better than our own enemies. Our enemies, who rein terror on their people, starve their people, and force ridiculous rules and regulations down their throats until they want to escape or kill themselves just to feel some peace. We are now a nation who suspects every one of the unthinkable. Terror has one face and one face only. Americans need to seriously think about the future. Ask yourselves if you want to live in a nation where the government is given so much power? Do you want the president privy to every conversation you have?
phone calls and that the government is invading the publicʼs privacy but they are not intercepting phone calls of people that have never been known to engage in criminal activity. According to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, the program is primarily focused on international calls that seem to be Al-Qaida messages. These are the only telephone calls that are monitored. They are also investigating email for information on people who have or are suspected to have ties to Al-Qaida. It is also important to remember that the federal governmentʼs interception of communications from other countries has been used in wars prior to the War on Terrorism. The Al-Qaida groups that could possibly be here are now aware
that the government is listening and waiting for them to make a move. This makes it harder for them to communicate with each other and with other Al-Qaida members outside of the United States. It is understandable that some people would be upset with the Bush administration for their handling of the war in Iraq, but this time people are making mountains out of molehills. It forces us to ask ourselves how far we are willing to go to enjoy the protection offered to us by our government. The government is intercepting international calls to check for Al-Qaida members in the United States to prevent having another Al-Qaida attack in our back yards. In times of war the government has to take certain measures to
protect us from being attacked. The government isnʼt interested in hearing us talk to Aunt Dora about the condition of Grandma; theyʼve got bigger fish to fry. Itʼs up to the courts to decide weather Bushʼs surveillance plan is constitutional, but it has been an efficient tool to track down the Al-Qaida groups that could be living in a city near you. In times of war, many of our freedoms must be suspended. During war times prior to this, people were unable to say things that went against the government. Think back to the times of Benjamin Franklin, and how people would be forced to write in code. If youʼre not doing anything wrong you have nothing to worry about. This is the price we all pay for our protection.
Wiretapping Keeps Terrorists at Bay In wartime, some consessions must be made for safety By Natalie Murillo
Daily Titan Staff Writer
As United States citizens, we all have to give a certain amount of our freedom to be protected by the government. Vice President Dick Cheney responded to skepticism people have had about the war by saying that there is a reason we havenʼt been successfully attacked since Sept. 11. To a certain extent, he is right. Recently, people have had misconceptions about the Terrorist Surveillance Program. Critics think that the government is intercepting personal
Carpool Idea Doesn’t Hold Water By Lori Martinez
Daily Titan Staff Writer
Having a designated carpool parking area, let alone an entire lot, is unnecessary because not enough students on campus carpool, the hours of the carpool are too early and the location of the parking area is too far from the main campus. Driving past the new carpool lot at 9 a.m. Tuesday morning, the lot was practically empty. While the Nutwood parking structure was packed beyond capacity, leaving a line of cars backed up around the campus, along with Lot E, which led me over to Lot G where instead I was directed by campus police to park along an access road behind the track and soccer field. The carpool area had been open for three hours and barely 15 cars were parked in it. This shows that there just are not that many students carpooling to school. The university may want students to
carpool to campus, but that doesnʼt mean that students actually do. Itʼs not that students donʼt want to make parking easier by cutting down on the number of cars on the lot, itʼs that the carpool program doesnʼt appeal to their needs. Students donʼt need help finding parking first thing in the morning. Itʼs later in the afternoon when they need an area set aside for them. I first heard of the carpool parking during my first semester at CSUF. I thought I could coordinate with my roommates and we could drive to school together. I had heard about what a pain parking was and I envisioned cruising on campus in the afternoons and easily finding parking. But then I found out that the carpool area was only available in the morning. This made no sense to me. I knew from experience that most students do not like taking early morning classes, leaving the campus quiet and peaceful in those morning hours, and allowing for
uncannily easy parking. If the carpool parking area was open later in the day, more students would take advantage of it. Despite the allure of having my own car on campus, just in case, knowing that there was a section of parking reserved for carpool students during those busy hours would encourage me to find a carpool buddy. The carpool is only open in the morning. And in the morning parking is not a bad problem. Most of the students that use the College Park building are communications students and were the students to typically use parking lot S. What is to stop students that have registered for carpool parking permits from parking on the main campus, closer to where their classes may be held? It would make more sense for the carpool parking to be located somewhere on the main campus, closer to where the majority of the students have class.
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SPORTS
S P O R T S @ D A I LY T I T A N . C O M
Leaving Her Mark
Senior center has made a positive impact for the Titans both as a player on the court and a leader off the court By
Big West honors Vieyra
Daily Titan Staff Writer
OLYMPICS FROM PAGE 8 The charade finally ended on the last question of the night when Davis allowed that Hedrick might have been a good teammate and shook his hand after he won the 1,000.
IN SHORT
Softball
CHRISTEN D’ALESSANDRO
As the season starts to come to a close, so does Amber Pruittʼs basketball career as a Titan. Her fellow teammates and coaches will miss her, for she has contributed so much to the Cal State Fullerton basketball program. “She is one of the most talented basketball players in terms of skill on our team,” Head Coach Maryalyce Jeremiah said. Pruittʼs most recent achievement came Feb. 9 when Fullerton competed against UC Riverside. She became the 15th woman in CSUF history to score 1,000 points in a career. She currently sits in at No. 14 with 1,010 points in her career and only needs 68 more to reach 13th place with plenty of games left to achieve that goal. Pruitt, 21, started playing basketball when she was 6 years old and has been playing ever since. She enjoys the head-tohead competition and the fact that one can be more creative in the sport. She also likes the team aspect of basketball. “If you donʼt have team unity itʼs hard to win the game,” Pruitt said. She was recruited to CSUF out of Narbonne High School in Harbor City. and received a full athletic scholarship. Each year she has continued to prove to her coaches and teammates that she deserved that scholarship. “When Amber Pruitt is at her best, the team is at their best,” Jeremiah said. “Her presence on the floor makes a difference to the team.” Pruitt is the second leading scorer for the Titans so far this season with 265 points and first in rebounds with 131. From the forward and center positions sheʼs shooting 45 percent from three-point range, while the average person shoots about 31 percent from beyond the arc. “Her numbers speak for themselves,” sophomore teammate Tamaiya Smith said. Pruitt was an inspiration for Smith during her freshman year at Fullerton. Smith said that Pruitt is a wonderful teammate and great all around person. “Sheʼs dominant on the court,” Smith said. “She has good inside moves and a great outside shot.”
SPORTS
KEVIN ROGERS/Daily Titan
HAVING A BALL: Amber Pruitt has been one of the most productive athletes in her Titans career, scoring 1,010 points. Jeremiah thinks Pruitt has improved tremendously over the past four years. Sheʼs given a lot of her time to learn more about the game and become a better team player. Pruitt doesnʼt get herself into foul trouble as often as she had in the past and consequently her defense has improved immensely. Pruitt said she thinks her biggest improvement is her physical conditioning. She can play longer periods of time without getting tired and Jeremiah agreed, saying Pruitt is a “very conditioned athlete.” Not only a solid basketball player, Pruitt is also a fun loving, down-to-earth girl. Pruittʼs teammate and roommate Dayana Frias said Pruitt motivates the team and keeps their spirits up. Pruitt also makes the team laugh a lot. “Sheʼs just a goofy girl,” Frias said.
“Iʼm done,” he said. “He shakes my hand when I lose. Typical Chad.” Hedrick wasnʼt going to take that sitting down. Actually, he was sitting down, but he seemed to still be thinking about Davisʼ refusal to skate in the team pursuit with him last week, a decision Hedrick believes cost both him and his country an Olympic medal. “I felt betrayed in a way,” Hedrick said.
Pruitt gets a lot of support from her family. “I donʼt think my momʼs missed a game since I started,” Pruitt said. “And my grandma likes to come to the games, too.” Pruitt is a very good student and plans to attend school for one more year, Jeremiah said. Sheʼs a biochemistry major with an interest in the field of forensics. Although there will be a void to fill next year, there are some good prospects coming onto the team. Freshman Toni Thomas and junior Charlee Underwood will also help to pick up the slack of Pruittʼs absence. As for her future in basketball, Pruitt hasnʼt made any plans to continue on after college. If she had the opportunity to play, she definitely wouldnʼt pass up the chance and is leaving her options open at this point.
“Not only did Shani not participate in it, he didnʼt even discuss it with me.” Itʼs hard to pick a favorite in this fight. Davis comes across as self-centered to a fault, wrapped up in the small world of skating where he has spent the last 17 years. Hedrick, meanwhile, seems petulant and holds a grudge far too long. But you canʼt argue with the results. These
guys can really skate. Theyʼve won four medals between them, including two golds. Hedrick is favored for one more later in the week in the 10,000. Thereʼs nothing wrong with a little feud if you can back it up. And, unlike Tonya and Nancy, no oneʼs been hurt.
Cal State Fullerton sophomore infielder Crystal Vieyra was named the Big West Conference Player of the Week on Monday morning, earning the first such honor in her young career. Vieyra (Stanton, Calif./Pacifica HS) was instrumental in setting the table for the Titansʼ offense this past weekend at the Louisville Slugger Desert Classic in Las Vegas, hitting .500 (5-for-10) for the weekend and amassing on base percentage of .722, thanks in part to being hit by a pitch an amazing seven times in five games. Cal State Fullerton closes out the month of February in Cathedral City next weekend at the Palm Springs Classic hosted by Oregon State.
Gymnastics Titans finish third in all-around Titans sophomore Amanda Van Horn posted the Titansʼ top individual apparatus finish with a sixth-place tie on the vault and junior Erica Ficarrotta finished sixth in the all-around as Fullerton finished third in a quad meet hosted by UCLA on Sunday afternoon. Van Horn finished in a threeway tie for sixth with a 9.825 on vault. Fullerton returns to action on Sunday (Feb. 26) at 2 p.m. as the Titans host Cal at the Titan Gym. Information provided by CSUF Sports Media Relations www.Fullertontitans.com
SPORTS Taking the Long Road Back to Victory 8
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S P O R T S @ D A I LY T I T A N . C O M
Rivalry in Spotlight at Winter Olympics The Associated Press
PHIL GORDON/Daily Titan
THROWING HEAT: Senior pitcher Dustin Miller isnʼt looking back after being shelved for the more than two seasons and hopes to contribute for the Titans on the mound this season.
Adversities don’t deter Titan hurler’s efforts to salvage once promising pitching career at CSUF BY TIM YOUNG
Daily Titan Staff Writer
On Saturday, Feb. 11, Titan senior pitcher Dustin Miller took the mound at Goodwin Field, threw down the rosin bag, and stared down his catcher for the signs, which was more than just a routine pitching appearance. Miller, 22, in his only second appearance of the season, pitched 4.1 innings in relief of starter Jared Clark, allowing only one run and two hits. More importantly, it was Millerʼs first win in almost two and a half years after suffering through shoulder problems that took his promising baseball career at Cal State Fullerton on an unexpected turn. Injuries are common to many people, but for athletes they hold a greater fear – knowing that one day their future dreams could be sidetracked or changed forever. Since the age of four, Miller has played baseball and like all athletes he has conditioned his body through hours of
endless practice, to hopefully prevent a serious injury. and help the team win,” Turgeon said. “When we hung out Miller went to Diamond Bar High School where he outside baseball I kept a watchful eye on him so nothing bad excelled at playing baseball and in the classroom as well. He would happen.” compiled a 21-5 record at Diamond Bar, highlighted in his In June of 2004 the Titans won their fourth national senior year when he pitched 10 complete games, a minus- championship by defeating Texas. While everyone enjoyed cule 1.39 ERA and a .378 batting average. Academically the celebration, Miller felt the moment was bittersweet. He Miller received the scholar-athlete award all four years. was proud to be part of a team that accomplished its ultiIn his freshman year at CSUF in 2002, Miller had surgery mate goal, but he was dying inside because he never fully on his elbow, which figured to keep him sidelined for a participated in it. Through everything Miller learned a lot and even though while and was still allowed to red shirt. However, the 2003 season turned out to be very successful. He broke the 25- he missed out on valuable playing time heʼs just happy he year-old freshman record at CSUF for wins going 9-2. He can still have a chance to play. Baseball has always been his passion and what he has always wanted to do. He was 6-0 at home. couldnʼt see himself doing anything else no matter Later in 2003, he pitched what level. in the College World Series “Itʼs been my love and lifelong dream, besides against Stanford, which my family it is my top priority,” Miller said. “I donʼt was fun, but disappointing “I don’t even care where even care where I play anymore – I just want the after losing. Millerʼs disI play anymore – I just appointments would grow chance to play.” want the chance to play.” much larger than losing. When picking a college, Miller knew that baseball The 2004 season started would be a big factor in deciding where he would end off holding a lot of promup. The rich and successful history of the baseball ise for Miller as Collegiate program at CSUF made the decision all the easier, Baseball named him a knowing he would have a good chance of succeeding, while getting noticed by professional scouts. second-team preseason Dustin Miller “The prestige of CSUF baseball stuck out to me All-American, Titan Pitcher and I knew playing here would give a great chance but much to at wining a national championship,” Miller said. his chagrin it “Being on a championship team can get the attention would be the of a lot of scouts.” beginning of As the 2006 season continues he hopes to stay healthy and the hardest time in his life to date. Shortly after his selection he had to have rota- have one last chance to pitch in the College World Series in tor cuff surgery, which never properly healed Omaha, Neb. and caused Miller to have reconstructive sur“Winning a championship would be the best achievement gery on his shoulder. The surgery sidelined him ever for me,” Miller said. “It would mean so much to me for more time than he would have ever antici- and everyone who helped me get through this trying time pated and tested his patience at a new level. in my life.” Miller spent the rest of the season on the disabled list and had to suffer through being a spectator instead of a participant. His family, friends, sports physiologist, teammates and coaches tried to help him as much as possible through this trying time. “Dustin struggled through his injury and started to become frustrated with the slow progress his recovery was taking,” Head Coach George Horton said. “It lingered on so long that he wondered if he would ever come back.” Having to deal with his injury was tough for Miller and he even felt the beginnings of borderline depression because of how hard things seemed to be going. “All I wanted was to get back on the field and sometimes I needed people to talk to,” Miller said. “I couldnʼt have gotten through it all without my amazing parents, Coach Horton and great teammates lending their support and a listening ear.” Teammate senior Joe Turgeon helped Miller through his tough time, which led to them becoming very strong friends. Turgeon watched over him to make sure he never went overboard and pushed a full recovery further away. PHIL GORDON/Daily Titan “We both were going through rough times. I FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME: Dustin Miller has was red shirting as a senior and he had to sit on battled throughout his career to be able to pitch again. the disabled list, frustrated he couldnʼt go out
Forgive Shani Davis and Chad Hedrick because they tried to put on a show, tried their best to stick to the party line and pretend it was all overblown, a media concoction. They talked like they had been told what to say. And, until the very end, they said all the right things. Just like the race they had just run, though, they had trouble finishing. Under the hot lights, the script fell apart. Finally, they just couldnʼt stand it or each other anymore. You might have suspected that when they sniped at each other a few days earlier. You didnʼt have to look far for a clue when they refused to even acknowledge each other on the podium after winning medals in the speedskating 1,500. For the better part of a half hour press conference Tuesday night, though, they didnʼt crack. Until the end. Davis stormed from the room, muttering about his teammate. Hedrick said he felt betrayed. NBC was looking for some drama from an Olympics that so far has proved less lively than an episode of “Skating With Celebrities.” It got it from a pair of speedskaters who have nothing in common except the color of their uniforms. As feuding teammates go, it didnʼt rise to the level of Kobe Bryant and Shaquille OʼNeal. It wasnʼt Milton Bradley and Jeff Kent, or Barry Bonds and whoever was sharing the locker next to him. It wasnʼt even Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan; no one got whacked in the leg here. “This is not a heavyweight boxing fight,” Davis insisted. Thatʼs too bad because Don King could really use these two. Get them in the ring quickly, though, if you donʼt want to waste some good bad blood. Because, by next week, America will have moved on and forgotten them both. Thatʼs the downside of toiling in a sport most Americans couldnʼt care less about except every four years when Olympic medals are on the line. Itʼs hard to blame them because thereʼs nothing terribly exciting about watching guys in tight suits skate around an icy oval two at a time. Give Hedrick and Davis some credit for changing that, if only for a few days. They may have let an Italian slip by them for the gold medal in the 1,500, but they provided a show afterward that was more than worth the price of admission. The two are the stars of a speedskating team that is doing its best to save the United States from embarrassment on the medals table in Turin. Ordinarily, that might get them a passing glance, but add in a good feud and youʼll at least bring media starved for a good story to the Olympic oval. Not surprisingly, they canʼt agree on whether that is good or bad, either. Hedrick is a former roller-blader who didnʼt take the ice until four years ago and thinks rivalries are great. Davis is more old school, taught to race against the clock and ignore the guy in the next lane. “Itʼs not like weʼre going to fight each other and roll around in the snow,” Davis said. “Weʼre adults.” They didnʼt look much like adults after Davis won the silver and Hedrick the bronze in the 1,500. They took the medal podium on either side of Enrico Fabris and made a point not to even look at each other, much less shake each otherʼs hand. Still, both insisted everything was fine and they were just tough competitors. They kept insisting it, even though it was clear they didnʼt believe it, and neither did the assorted media crowded into a tiny room.
SEE OLYMPICS = PAGE 6