Volume 10 Issue 15

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EXd\ Z_Xe^\ X^X`e1 Jkfe\pËj 9Xi Xe[ Jgfikj Cfle^\ ^\kj e\n c`]\ 9p A\eep 9\\jfe :i`d\ \[`kfi After its fourth name change, Stoney’s Bar and Sports Lounge has returned. The local bar, previously known as Olympia Grille and Sports Lounge, located at the intersection of Ben Hill Griffin Road and Corkscrew Road, is now under new management and has once again changed its name. “We’re heading in a positive direction,” said 21-year-old Stoney’s bartender Evan Livingston. “We have more of a business outlook and are heading more in a customer

service base.” The well-known college bar has resorted back to the name Stoney’s, which was its original name when it first opened several years ago. They will be offering plenty of new specials and additions to bring in customers. Livingston, who is a business management major at FGCU and has been working at the bar for more than a year, said the bar has also ordered new bar stools and painted the tables. “It’s been a big change since the name changed,” said Stoney’s manager Laurie Mullen. “With a new menu and happy hour,

everyone is liking it.” Although Mullen says many people are enjoying the changes Stoney’s has made, one FGCU student has her doubts. “I’m not really sure Estero can handle an advanced nightlife just yet,” said Shannon Quinn, a senior majoring in marketing. Quinn may be right. Quinn, who works as a bartender at Fuel Tap and Tavern, located in Fort Myers, and Seven Nightclub, located in Bonita Springs, said she thinks nightlife attractions shut down and reopen so frequently because the community is still

growing and there are not enough members to ensure profitable after-hour investments for business owners. However, Quinn believes a neighboring bar is onpoint with their business. “Uptown Larry’s seems to be leading the way right now,” Quinn said. “I like it because it’s a bar-like atmosphere without having to pay a door fee.” Unlike Uptown Larry’s, located at the corner of Estero Boulevard and U.S. 41, Stoney’s did have a cover charge while under previous management and the name Olympia. J\\ JKFE<PËJ fe g^ 8+ 55

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9p D\^Xe ?ffc`_Xe E\nj \[`kfi On Dec. 17, FGCU will hold two ceremonies celebrating its 27th commencement, which will mark the graduation of more than 1,000 students. The morning ceremony will confer the College of Arts and Sciences, College of Education and College of Health Professions. Doors will open for guests at 8:30 a.m. The afternoon ceremony will confer the Lutgert College of Business, U.A. Whitaker College of Engineering and College of Professional Studies. Doors will open for guests at 1 p.m. Students who are graduating have been given tickets to provide to their

guests, and tickets will be required of all guests. Tickets are labeled for the specific ceremony of the graduate, and will not be exchangeable for another ceremony. Each ceremony will last about two and a half hours. Since 1997, FGCU has conferred more than 10,000 degrees. Commencement ceremonies are held each May and December. The December ceremony is held for students who have completed or plan to complete all of the degree requirements in either the fall or summer semesters. The commencement ceremony will be viewable via webcast at www.fgcu. edu beginning at 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.

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This is it. The end of the semester is upon FGCU. Finals, projects and papers will be the main sources of stress and time consumption among many students. As students prepare to turn in their final papers, several will seek help to ensure their paper is going to obtain the best grade possible. Websites now offer editing and proofreading services on papers for a price. PleaseEditMyPaper. com, for example, is a site that offers both services and, for an extra fee, feedback on how the individual can make the topic or thesis better. Prices begin at $7 for the first 700 words for a three-day turnaround. FGCU offers writing help through the Writing Center, which offers top-notch help with papers for free to students. Carol Bledsoe is the director of the Writing Center. “On the fall 2011 endof-semester feedback questionnaires, of respondents whose data has been recorded, 85 percent rated the overall effectiveness of their sessions as ‘excellent,’ and 15 percent rated them as ‘good,’” Bledsoe said. However, the Writing Center is not just about making the grade on an assignment. “The Writing Center’s goal is to help students improve their overall writing skills,” Bledsoe said. When it comes to websites verses school resources for writing help, it is hard to compete with a one-on-one experience where students can ask questions and receive instant feedback. According to Bledsoe, students get personalized help for whatever is needed from writing consultants. Though the consultants do not proofread papers for the students, they can assist students with proofreading, editing, grammar and mechanical problems. Daniela Hartmann, a junior majoring in business management, found the Writing Center to be very helpful with her papers. English is Hartmann’s second language. “They helped me phrase sentences correctly,” she said. The Writing Center is not just for those who are non-English majors, though. Marissa Gard, a junior majoring in English, goes to the Writing Center often. “I am a writer in training, so I value feedback and other comments to help me improve my writing,” she said. “The writing center staff helped me with organization and formulating a clear, concise thesis.”

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A2 NEWS EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7

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MISSION STATEMENT: Eagle News, the student media group at Florida Gulf Coast University, represents the diverse voices on campus with fairness. We select content for our publication and our website that is relevant to the student body, faculty and staff. Members are committed to reporting with accuracy and truth. Our purpose is to encourage conversations about issues that concern the on-campus community. Eagle News views every culture with equal respect and believes every person must be treated with dignity.

ABOUT US: Eagle News, founded in 1997, is the student newspaper at Florida Gulf Coast University. The newspaper is the only student produced publication on campus and is entirely student run. Eagle News is published weekly during the fall and spring semesters and monthly in the summer, with the exception of holiday breaks and examination periods. The print edition is free to students and can be found on campus and in the community at Gulf Coast Town Center, Germain Arena and Miromar Outlets.

<m\ekj Beauty from Ashes: Join the outreach gift and care package assembly on Dec. 9 from 9 a.m. to noon at Barry University. Beauty From Ashes™ Ministries is in need of individuals willing to assemble 75 to 100 care packages for survivors of commercialized sexual exploitation (CSE) and human sex trafficking. Please call 239-939-9218. Gulf Coast Humane Society will be auctioning off designer dog houses at their annual “A Home for the Holidays” party. GCHS has five Designer Dog Houses on display at Coconut Point Mall and needs to move them across the street to Coconut Point Ford from 7 to 9 a.m. on Dec. 10. Looking for four to six strong volunteers who would be willing to help with this move. Contact volunteers@ gulfcoasthumanesociety.org. Calusa Nature Center & Planetarium: Show your holiday spirit by saving a tree. The Center is hosting a Holiday Eco-Art Competition. Submit a synthetic or alternate tree, old tree or ecofriendly decoration. All entries must be delivered to Calusa Nature Center on Dec. 11 or 12 between 2 and 4:30 p.m. Open to everyone of all talents and ages.Team and individual categories eligible for prizes. Winners will be determined on Dec. 22 and revealed at the closing art reception on Dec. 23. To register, follow the Calusa Nature link or contact Sarah Davis @ sdavis@fgcu.edu or 239-590-7679 Miles for Hope: Get involved with the first Moving Towards a Cure walk/run. The Brain Tumor Awareness event is on Jan. 7 at Lakes Regional Park. Assist with set up and cleanup, registration, water stop areas and food areas. 18 volunteers are needed. Also need people to promote the event in Dec. by going to area businesses to distribute fliers. Contact Nicki Pajak at nicki@milesforhope.org or call 727-781-4673. Haiti Conference “What’s Up with Haiti? Continuing Support for a Resilient People” is a multi-day, on-campus event to commemorate the second anniversary of the Haitian earthquake of 2010 and to draw attention to the continued need for help and support in rebuilding. It will take place on Jan. 11-12, 2012. It includes a mini-concert of Haitian music, a film festival, a keynote address and an academic roundtable. Help promote the event and contact local businesses to see if they are willing to offer support. Also need help with website design and need students with the skills to coordinate the film festival. Please contact Dr. Nicola Foote at nfoote@ fgcu.edu or 239-590 7368. Harry Chapin Food Bank: Need many FGCU students. Get your team together to join Team FGCU Cares in the WINK News Feeds Families 4th Annual Hunger Walk to benefit Harry Chapin Food Bank of SW FL. The walk will be held at the Miromar Outlets on Jan. 21 with a start time of 9:30 a.m. The team goal this year is to raise $20,000 and we are already at 76 percent or $15,100. FGCU has received the first place trophy the past 3 years in the Higher Education category for the largest

in both dollars and number of walkers. Please consider joining the team and asking all of your friends and family to support you in your efforts to end the experience of hunger in SWFL. To register, go to www.harrychapinfb.dojiggy.com and click on Find a Team, 2012 FGCU Cares and become a team member today. Once registered you can send emails asking your friends for their support, create your own personal webpage and more via the walk website. All pre-registered team members will receive a free FGCU Cares T-Shirt and if you raise $50 or more you will also receive a long-sleeve walk t-shirt the day of the event. We encourage you to contact Jo Anna Bradshaw at jbradshaw@fgcu.edu if you have any questions or need any assistance with registering. American Cancer Society: Wear your cowboy hat, blue jeans and white shirt to this fun event. Need volunteers for the Cattle Barons’ Ball on Jan. 21 at 5:30 p.m. to help with registration and with the gaming section. Also need people to decorate the whole week prior. Contact Angeline Choo at Angeline@mbcopa.com.

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clearing debris, etc. Wear closed toe shoes. No shorts or tank tops. Bring water. Wear sunscreen. Bring work gloves if you have them. Looking especially for groups of students on Fridays. No last minute requests. Give 4-5 day lead time. If you commit then can’t make it, give notice. Be on time. Email Sally Richardson at srichardson@ naplesgarden.org. Heartland Gardens: Did you know that FGCU alums started this nonprofit? They have a permaculture site on one acre and they’re designing it to be agriculture productive. It’s a 1,700 square foot raised labyrinth and they’re landscaping the entire acre with edible plants. FGCU students can earn service-learning hours using their financial expertise, business background, economic background, bookkeeping and data entry skills, public relations or communication background and assist with newsletters, e-blasts, etc. They really could use a lot of help with grant writing. Contact Andrea at andrea@ heartlandgardens.org or call 239689-4249.

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ECHO (Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization) is a non-profit, inter-denominational Christian organization located on a demonstration farm in North Fort Myers. ECHO exists for one major reason: to help those working internationally with the poor be more effective, especially in the area of agriculture. To help, send an email to echo@echonet.org. Rookery Bay: The Estuary Explorers 4th Grade Program is in need of volunteers that are willing to teach (they will train) either the oyster or plankton lab section of the class. This is an excellent and fun way to fit in your service learning hours. Estuary Explorers 4th grade program is every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of each week from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Please pack your lunch. The dates so far are: Dec. 13, 14; Jan. 10, 11, 12, 25; Feb. 14, 15, March 27 and April 12. Call 239-4176310 to reserve a spot. Pinewoods Elementary School: This school is unique in its passion for sustainability and environmental education. The Explorer’s Club is for 5th grade students interested in making the school greener in different areas such as maintaining the Japanese Garden, developing the butterfly/ herb garden, maintaining the five senses garden and beautifying the campus with environmental art. Need college student role models to help facilitate, plan and organize the club meetings, as well as plan educational presentations and activities for the students. The program meets every Thursday from 2:15 p.m. to 3:45 p.m., and extra hours will be awarded for students who prepare presentations or activities. Contact Laura Layton at lelayton@eagle. fgcu.edu. Naples Botanical Garden: Horticulture gardening starts at 8 a.m. Monday through Friday and includes weeding, potting, moving plants, digging, raking, sweeping,

FGCU Center for Academic Achievement: Want to use your skills and knowledge from a specific FGCU course to help another FGCU student? Then becoming a tutor just might be for you. They are currently looking to fill tutoring positions for spring 2012 in the areas of math (up to Differential Equations), Biology I and II, Chemistry I and II, Organic Chemistry I and II, Physics, Economics, Statistics (STA 2023), and Intro to Psychology. Applicants must have earned a B+ or higher in the course they desire to tutor and a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Note: students that get paid for tutoring are not eligible to earn service-learning hours. Contact Frank Graceffo at 239-5907992 or by email at fgraceff@fgcu. edu. Healthy Start: Do you have good marketing and social media networking skills? Healthy Start needs you. Their mission is to improve the health of babies in Southwest Florida. Help get the word out about their services and events. They are working on a new website and could use some input on that. Visit the current site at www.HealthyStartBaby. org. Contact Kay Jasso at kay@ healthystartbaby.org or 239-4256926. Dress for Success: Do you love posting on Facebook or have a passion for marketing? Create and post marketing information, photos and regularly update opportunities on Facebook. Update and keep website current, informative and exciting. Possibly assist the administrative office manager with email blasts. Dress for Success promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. Contact Barbara Dell at swflorida@dressforsuccess.org. Cape Coral Kidney Thrift Store: No experience necessary and training is provided. Sort and

to UPD from the Student Union. UPD is conducting a follow up investigation. Thursday, Dec. 1, at 7:31 p.m.: A vehicle was reported blocking the road way on FGCU Boulevard. UPD responded and discovered the car with its hazard lights flashing. The driver informed them he had

run out of gas. Officers brought the individual fuel and the car was moved. Saturday, Dec. 3, at 2:21 a.m.: UPD responded to a call regarding female students who were being yelled at by unknown individuals as they were running. The female students said someone was yelling

hang clothes, stock shelves, work the desk. Proceeds go to dialysis patients in Cape Coral. Four hour shifts in morning or afternoon once a week or once a month. Contact Sharon at 239-458-8242. The YMCA has multiple opportunities. Help coach basketball, soccer, flag football. Or assist with events and children’s activities. Contact Lisa Weaver at lisaw@leecountyymca.org. Guardian ad Litem (GAL) can be done on your own schedule. Be an advocate for a neglected child in court and in community. Must be at least 19, live in area seven months of the year and serve for one year. Training provided. Visit child once monthly and attend court approximately four times per year. Need GALs in Lee, Collier, Charlotte, Hendry and Glades Counties. Call RSVP of Lee County at 239-275-1881 x203. Take Stock in Children: Become a mentor. Few bonds in life are more influential than those between a young person and an adult. Take Stock in Children needs mentors for Caloosa Middle School, Dunbar High School, East Lee County High School, Fort Myers High School, Ida Baker High School and Lehigh Senior High School. Call 239-337-0433. FGCU Athletics: Are you into sports? Do have an interest in athletics? Students have the opportunities to help with game day operations in serving as ushers for Men’s and Women’s Basketball, Baseball, Softball and timers for Swimming and Diving. The students have a chance to interact with the athletics staff and learn the interworking for intercollegiate athletics. For further details contact Will Pitt at wpitt@fgcu. edu or 239-590-7055. Three Oaks Middle School: Their reading teachers and media specialist could really use some volunteers to read with struggling students and/or reshelve books. Serve as a mentor once a week. Contact Debbie Fite at DebbieCFi@LeeSchools.Net. The Quality Life Center: Love to cook? Looking for volunteers to assist with developing a meal and create a family-oriented environment for the youth. Want to help kids with their homework? Many opportunities available. Contact Angela Pena at 239-3342797. Abuse Counseling & Treatment (ACT) Second Act Thrift store near US 41 and College Parkway needs help. The benefit of volunteering is a 50 percent discount. Do you have a talent for marketing? Do you want to take the lead and help this nonprofit agency with a development plan? Do you have 2 to 3 months available? This opportunity will look great on your resume. Contact Honara Jacobus, Development Coordinator, at hjacobus@actabuse.com or 239939-2553. Information is provided by the Service Learning department. All opportunities are pre-approved. You can find more opportunities on Facebook at “FGCU Service Learning.”

POLICE BEAT Monday, Nov. 28, at 1:13 a.m.: UPD responded to a suspicious incident involving five males who were reported walking around the SoVi parking lot messing with car doors. UPD searched the area and no one was found. Monday, Nov. 28, at 4:27 p.m.: A theft of a laptop was reported

obscene words to them when they passed a stairwell near Parking Garage one. The Police Beat is compiled by Eagle News staff from public logs available at the University Police Department. Police Beat is not associated with the UPD. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.

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WEDNESDAY, DEC.7 EAGLE NEWS NEWS A3

HIT US WITH YOUR BEST SHOT Eagle News highlights the photography of our readers. Send your best pictures — of events, vacations, scenery, wildlife — whatever you’d like. If your photo is picked, you’ll receive two free tickets to Regal Cinemas in Gulf Coast Town Center. E-mail submissions (with your name, grade, major, phone number and a description of the photo) to photoeditor@eaglenews.org.

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8:8;<D@:J Gi\gXiXk`fe `j b\p `e i\kX`e`e^ JK<D ^iX[lXk\j 9p 9iXe[fe ?\eip JkX]] ni`k\i Recent studies show that approximately 40 percent of all students in STEM (an acronym for science, technology, engineering and math) fields wind up dropping out or switching to non-STEM programs. When pre-medical students are included in this statistic, the number increases to 60 percent, according to the University of California at Los Angeles. In another hit to STEM programs, the three largest fields in science — engineering, biology and computer science — have lost steam in recent decades. Engineering reached its peak in graduates in the early 1980s, being 9.9 percent of all bachelor’s degrees granted at the

time. Computer science peaked in 2004, being 4.3 percent of all bachelor’s degrees. Biology peaked in the mid-70s with 5.8 percent. Now, they are only 5.4 percent, 2.4 percent and 5.2 percent, respectively, of all college graduates. This comes at a time when STEM graduates are in high demand. The president has called for 10,000 more graduates in engineering a year and 100,000 new teachers with STEM degrees. Florida Gov. Rick Scott has also proposed more funding for STEM programs at Florida’s universities by cutting back on liberal arts programs such as anthropology or journalism. According to Ed Burton, academic counselor for FirstYear Advising, there is already

plenty of motivation for studying in STEM fields. “A lot of times, students major in engineering and the sciences because it’s firm,” he said. “You have really good job prospects out of it. Students want to have that security. They want to be an engineer because you can make a lot of money.” But students are in for a rude awakening, he says. “When they get here, it’s much different in practice when they’re actually taking the classes. They’re taking Calculus 1, 2 and 3, or General Physics, which is a really difficult course. Those can be very eye-opening moments for students.” When they realize how hard the program is going to be semester in and semester out, that’s when students decide to go

into something else, Burton says. Some universities nationwide are trying novel approaches to retain and encourage STEM students. The Worchester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts gives freshmen students the option to do a “first-year project,” which offers a more imaginative alternative to dry lecture classes. Many technical schools allow students to take entire semesters off to work in their field to gain experience, in the hopes that students will stick with their professions with the promise of jobs in rough economic times. Burton has another solution: preparation. “Taking math in high school is much different than taking math in college. I know a lot of students who tell me that math

was their favorite subject in high school, but when they come here and they meet some of our math professors who are really demanding, that changes things for them. If students were more prepared, it would help them,” he said. That preparation, he says, must not only come from students taking advantage of help, such as tutoring, but also must come from the state. “There is this big push from the Legislature to be more math and science-based, and when you do that, you have to put your money where your mouth is and put more money into these institutions like FGCU, and help support these students who take these difficult courses. “Learning is not easy. It takes work.”

A4 NEWS EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7

EDITOR: MEGAN HOOLIHAN NEWS@EAGLENEWS.ORG

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9p D\^Xe ?ffc`_Xe E\nj \[`kfi In January, one of FGCU’s clubs will be traveling to New Jersey to take on some of the best competitors from around the world — playing video games. Stephen Giuffrida, a sophomore majoring in accounting, is the vice president of Video Game Club, which was recently granted more than $3,000 by student government to attend Apex 2012, a tournament focused on “Super Smash Bros. Brawl.� “‘Super Smash Bros. Brawl’ was one of my favorite games to play when I was a child on my Nintendo 64. When I came to FGCU, I found a few other people and we played in Everglades Hall. I found out about Video Game Club when I was a freshman,� Giuffrida said. When Giuffrida first became interested in VGC, the organization was not particularly strong. Although VGC has been around for more than a decade, he claims the club reached a point where the officers did not put much effort into maintaining the organization, which dwindled to approximately 15 members. “Two of the officers resigned. One person took the position of secretary and created the ranking system, and I took the position of vice president and really started advertising,� he said. VGC began to advertise with posters around campus, and the club also tabled for about a month and a half in the Student Union to bring in new members. The club now averages more than 40 members at each meeting, and one of the recent meetings had more than 70 attendees. Additionally, the on-campus ranking system that was created last semester now has more than 90 players and can be found at fgcuvgc.org. “When I noticed our numbers, I decided we could do something bigger. I went to Student Government and asked how we could get funding for some of the travel and things that are

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granted to other clubs that have less student support than we do,� Giuffrida said. The club wrote a bill that was presented to the student senate to fund travel for eight club members to Rutgers University in New Jersey to compete in the Apex 2012: Worldwide Smash Event in January 2012. After much debate, the bill was passed 16 to 6 — the most contested bill to be passed this semester. “One person was very adamant about SG being responsible with their funding. He said that spending money for students to go play video games in New Jersey is not a responsible use of money,� Giuffrida said. “VGC has never been funded the way they have been funded this year. This is on the same level as the flag football team going to California. This was like shooting for the stars and, instead of getting stuck in

55JKFE<PĂ‹J Many students say a lot of business was lost due to these expensive cover charges. Because of the pricey door fees, Olympia attempted to make partying a little more affordable for students by starting a weekly coin night. Many students jumped on board and became avid coin night attendees, but not everyone was fond of coin night. FGCU alumni Jack Cassidy said he attended coin night but thinks it did not live up to its name. “It didn’t last the entire night,â€? Cassidy said. “It would last for over an hour or so and then the drink special wasn’t so special.â€?

the clouds, actually reaching the stars.� VGC meets on Fridays in AB3 from 3 to 9 p.m. “We also play games other than ‘Super Smash Bros.’ We try to appeal to the casual player as well as the competitive player,� Giuffrida said. “We also travel to tournaments around Florida. We just got back from Port Charlotte. We travel as a team and try to go to Gainesville every February and Orlando sporadically for tournaments.� Giuffrida claims that despite the stereotypes associated with video game players, the club is a very interactive social organization. “VGC is a place for people to relax and be social. The players are not sitting alone in their rooms playing video games. Some people who play are introverts. This gives them a way to get out there and be friendly,� Giuffrida said.

Many students have been asking if coin night will return in the future, and Livingston says that there is a possibility. “It was really popular, but if we do, it will be moved to a different night,� he said. Although Stoney’s currently does not have any coin nights scheduled, the bar has added a new addition to its happy hour. Mullen said the bar has added a popcorn machine that will be popping free popcorn for customers during all happy hour times. FOR MORE INFO Call 239-947-0222 or visit the bar’s Facebook page at www. facebook.com/stoneysbar for information on specials

Sam Newark, a sophomore majoring in accounting, agrees with Giuffrida. “It’s a very good place for friends to get together. I am one of those introverts. I don’t like going out. But VGC is informal and friendly. We don’t put a stress on ranks, there are tournaments every week and everyone is always interested,â€? Newark said. Terry Mitchell, a junior majoring in computer information systems, is currently the treasurer of VGC and will be the president next semester. “I’ve been around long enough as an officer to see where it was last year, with probably only six or seven people who showed up,“ Mitchell said. “Stephen stepped up and wanted to change things. He started bringing life back into it ‌ being around to see every aspect of how it has changed has been very neat.â€?

55NI@K@E> Gard finds the Writing Center to be invaluable. “The writing consultants give great feedback and comments on anything from style and mechanics to formulating a strong thesis,� she said. “I would recommend students to go to the Writing Center because the staff teaches how to properly edit and revise their papers on their own.� Whether students choose to use the Writing Center or a website service for help on their final papers, one thing is clear: The final product will be crucial to the finale of the semester.

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89* efn f]ÔZ`Xccp D\in`e ?Xcc FGCU celeberated the dedication of William C. Merwin Hall on Monday, Dec. 5. A ceremony was held at 1 p.m. on the portico behind what was previously known as Academic Building 3. The FGCU Board of Trustees approved a resolution to rename Academic Building 3 after former FGCU president William Merwin on Sept. 20. Merwin, the second president of FGCU, died on May 6 following a lengthy illness. He served from 1999-2007, and is credited with bringing a great deal of growth to FGCU. During his presidency, student population grew from 3,284 to 8,309, the number of campus buildings grew from 24 to 71 and the annual operating budget grew from $52 million to $110 million. According to current president Wilson Bradshaw, Merwin served “during a time of unparalleled growth and development and will be fondly remembered as a dynamic leader whose vision and many accomplishments significantly advanced our university.” G_fkf Zflik\jp f] =>:L 8clde` 8jjfZ`Xk`fe

I<C@>@FE @ek\i]X`k_ ;`Xcf^l\ ]`e[j dXep le\og\Zk\[ j`d`cXi`k`\j 9p M\ife`ZX M\cX JkX]] ni`k\i Their theologies are seemingly the reason for their separation, but their ancestor, Abraham, is the connection between them. “There’s no real competition in faith,” said Abdul’haq Muhammad, founder and executive director of the Quality Life Center. “If you discover and interact with one another, you may find that you have more in common with one another than with the people you know.” The Center for Judaic, Holocaust and Human Rights Studies held an interfaith dialogue last Wednesday, Nov. 30, in the Student Union

Ballroom. The dialogue was conducted between three speakers, Rabbi Jeremy Barras, the Rev. Kathleen L. Kircher and Abdul’haq Muhammad. The three speakers varied in religious backgrounds, but they came together to discuss the differences between their faiths and how they are all tied together. Each speaker was granted 15 minutes to talk about their religion and life experiences. Rabbi Jeremy Barras of Temple Beth El in Fort Myers spoke of the importance of beginning a tradition of open forums. He stressed that it is vital to spread awareness of the similarities between these

Abrahamic faiths. “It would not be too difficult for the work that’s been done around the world to slip away,” Barras said. “Ignorance is the spark that leads to hatred.” The next speaker, Abdul’haq Muhammad, a practitioner of Islam, talked of how the faiths represented were similar in that they have to battle the internal clash between values and conflict. He told the audience that this was just one similarity between the religions, but that the differences are just as important. “What really is expressing itself throughout humanity is humanity, or lack thereof,” he said. “Value the

differences in each other.” Last to speak was the Rev. Dr. Kathleen L. Kircher, an Episcopalian pastor from Naples. She told the audience that she had grown up in an interfaith context. She spoke of the importance of coming together even when the world is not in disorder. “When everything is quiet, we tend not to come together,” she said. After the speakers finished, the audience was invited to partake in open dialogue of their own and broke into small groups for 20 minutes. The moderators for each group then presented what had been discussed. As each moderator spoke, it was apparent that the same conclusions were being drawn by each group.

They had all found that there were more similarities tying the three religions together than initially thought. The groups also kept coming up with the same question: Why aren’t there more open discussions like this about theology? Maritza Fernandez, a senior majoring in biology, agrees that dialogues such as this should occur more often. Before coming to the dialogue, she did not know these three religions had so many related characteristics. “I thought it was really interesting to learn about our values. We all have the same values … it’s just how we interpret them,” she said.

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Kfg (' :_i`jkdXj gi\j\ekj ]fi pfli ]i`\e[j# ]Xd`cp 9p :_\cj\X J\\c\p JkX]] ni`k\i Presents, family, and absolute mayhem. These all describe the holiday season that we are now in. Finding presents can be difficult, so here are some ideas that students have on what they would want for Christmas. This should give you some great ideas for buying for both guys and girls.

>`icj Puppy: Marissa Goff, a freshman majoring in forensic studies and criminology, wants a puppy. Now, I wouldn’t recommend this for on campus students. You WILL get in trouble for sneaking an animal into your dorm. However, puppies are what every girl dreams of getting for Christmas. They are soft, they cuddle, and they will always be around even when a boy won’t be. They can be found in pet stores or shelters. iPad: Petra Besenhard, a freshman majoring in economics, wants the iPad 2. This will probably be one of the more popular items on everyone’s wish list. It has a 10-hour battery and has two cameras

for FaceTime and HD video, not to mention the storage capacity and all the fun and games that you will become addicted to. An iPad 2Can be found at Apple, Amazon or Best Buy. Longboard: Taylor Nardone, a freshman majoring in forensic studies and criminology, wants a new longboard. Longboards are not just for men now, ladies. It is a quick and easy way to get around campus, and they are fun to ride around on. Much longer than a skateboard, they are perfect for going green as well. You can find the more expensive ones online, but they also have them available at PacSun and Zumie’s. iPhone 4S: Ashley Eastmann, a sophomore majoring in psychology, wants the new iphone 4S. This phone, like the iPad, will be a very popular item, with its 8 megapixel camera and new phone app, Siri, which is in a sense your very own assistant. You can find them at any cell phone store or the Apple Store. Hoodies: Melanie Perez, a sophomore majoring in environmental studies, wants a hoodie representing her sorority, Chi Omega. Hoodies of any kind are great to throw on in the morning before class, especially as the weather gets cooler.

You can buy them just about anywhere, including Old Navy and Overstock. com. For customized jackets, try www. spreadshirt.com.

>lpj Video games: Kyle Jones, a sophomore majoring in legal studies, wants “Modern Warfare 3.”This video game is the most popular of the series and will make almost any boy happy and distracted. It has great graphics and works for almost every console. You can buy this at GameStop or Best Buy. Sneakers: Alex Kellman, a sophomore majoring in computer information systems, wants a pair of new Nike running shoes. This gift is perfect for the athlete, or any boy who just won’t sit still. Nike lets you customize certain products and has been known for high quality in their products. If you want Nike but not for the high price, try Sports Authority or even Walmart. Car parts: Taylor Hess, a sophomore majoring in psychology, wants a new car audio system. The whole “boys and their cars” stage won’t ever get old, so investing

in their toys will be a lifelong process, but it will keep them very happy. Audio systems will not only keep their music loud, but give them better quality too. You can get them name brand, such as through Sony, or buy them through a car shop, online or in store. Shoes: Garvin Charles, a sophomore majoring in criminal justice, wants the brand new pair of Air Jordans, set to come out Dec. 23. If you want these, preorder them now while you can. Though they might cost an arm and a leg, you will be looking cool in these brand new shoes with a brand new color. You can buy them at Nike or adidas. Headphones: Steve VerVaecke, a sophomore majoring in engineering, wants a pair of nice headphones. Headphones are probably the greatest invention ever made, especially for college students. You can put them in and tune out the world while doing homework, working out, or just hanging out. Some names to buy are Skullcandy and Bose, both of which you can buy at Radio Shack or Best Buy.

K`jË k_\ j\Xjfe ]fi _fc`[Xp ^`]k j_fgg`e^ 9p IXZ_\c G\i\q JkX]] ni`k\i At midnight Friday, Nov. 25, stores all over the country opened their doors for the biggest shopping day of the year: Black Friday. A handful of stores, such as Target and Toys-R-Us, opened hours before midnight. Black Friday is an annual event where shoppers supposedly get the very best deals for plasma televisions, smart phones, and X-Boxes and PlayStations galore. The Friday after Thanksgiving has become more of a tradition than a necessity. Across the country, eager shoppers camped out of Walmarts and Best Buys, some had been there for days. Black Friday is the busiest and most pinnacle day of the year for companies. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), this past Black Friday has been the most successful yet. A record 226 million shoppers visited stores and websites over Black Friday weekend, up from 212 million last year. Digging deep into their holiday budgets, the average holiday shopper spent $398.62 this weekend, up from $365.34 last year.

Total spending reached an estimated $52.4 billion. The NRF went on to say shoppers also checked out retailers’ deals online, spending an average of $150.53 on the web – 37.8 percent of their total weekend spending. “I got a few free things, a gift for my mom and noses studs for a little over a dollar each. I got to take some of my international friends to their first Black Friday, which was cool,” said Barbara Fischer, a senior majoring in communication. Those of us who were brave enough to go out found ourselves scrambling just to get into the door, and most of us were on the receiving end of the madness, working long hours behind the counters and on the sales floor. “I worked from 12:30 ‘til 11 in the morning. There was a line outside of my store but it wasn’t like a regular store. We’re in the mall so it was like a mob,” Victoria Dennis, a freshman majoring in music, said about her Black Friday experience. Online shopping has also become more of a savior in our technologically friendly world. Friday, Dec. 16 will mark the fourth

annual National Free Shipping Day. 1,461 merchants are already participating including Levi’s, Kohl’s, and JCPenney’s and at midnight EST, Freeshippinday.com will reveal all of the deals available. Usually shipping costs are nearly as much as the product itself. Plan ahead and surf the web for that exclusive T-shirt or cheaper game and make note of it. Online merchandise is usually cheaper, and with the additional shipping cost out of the question it’ll be worth your while, And the best part is you don’t even have to leave the house, which is more often than not half the battle. One thing can be said, if you shop smart and efficiently, most of your Christmas shopping could be done on Black Friday. Procrastination is the other name for Christmas,but instead of waiting until Christmas Eve to buy all those gifts for loved ones, this year try strategizing and making a game plan to get your holiday shopping finished pain free. Planning can go a long way, and ideally, we’d like to be one of those people who buy Christmas presents all year long to avoid holiday rushes. But the truth is that very, very few of us are that organized. There

is still hope, though; ways to get your Christmas shopping done without having to take out an extra loan. Coupons were once a thing of the past, but with increasing difficult times, the power of saving a dollar is coming back. Websites such as Groupon and The Krazy Coupon Lady can help you get started with tons of printable coupons from grocery stores to retail stores. A little couponing can go a long way, and though it may seem like a real “mom” thing to do, let’s face it, most of the time she really does know what she’s talking about. Christmas is a time for family and friends. Why spoil the time with them by panicking about the thought of, “What in the hell am I going to get them?” It doesn’t have to be like pulling teeth; planning ahead can make your winter break easier and more fun for all. So kick back and relax, spend a few hours finding deals and waiting for the best moment to buy, and then it’s out of the way and you can focus all of your attention on sleeping and visiting your family and friends.

B2 A/L EAGLE NEWS WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7

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EDITOR: KAYLA STIRZEL ENTERTAINMENT@EAGLENEWS.ORG

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Bailey Smith Sophomore Biology 1. “Ghost n Stuff ” by Dead Mau5 2. “Lose My Mind” by Gorilla Zoe 3. “Riot” by Three Days Grace 4. “Smile Like You Mean It” by The Killers 5. “Suffocate” by J Holiday

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Winter break is just around the corner; with only two weeks left until the end of the semester, the holiday time is about to begin. Christmas is all about being around the family and those we love, which means that if you have a “significant other,” he or she is usually welcome to join and be part of the celebrations. For those who have been dating someone for a long time, bringing them home to spend time with the folks is not a big deal. But for many “newborn” couples, meeting the family of your sweetie might sound terrifying. “When I was about to meet my boyfriend’s family for the first time, it was nerve wrecking; I was afraid that they might not like me. However,

when I got to their place, everyone was very welcoming and greeted me with open arms, which made me feel calm and very happy,” said Jessica Anderson, a junior majoring in resort and hospitality. What our parents, siblings, cousins, grandparents, aunts or uncles think about that new cute boyfriend or girlfriend is definitely important and might mean a lot to you. When we have a close relationship with our family, their opinion about someone we really like can be very influential. But how important is the first impression really? Anderson agrees with the saying that you never have a second chance to make a first impression, that it applies to everyone we meet in our lives. While some students think that when forming a new relationship, a good or bad first impression defines

everything, others consider it to be important – but not crucial. Alex Henske, a junior majoring in criminal justice, believes that the first impression counts but it is not definitive. Henske says that in a past relationship, his girlfriend’s mom wasn’t very fond of him. “When I met her, I was in high school and wasn’t really a good student; my grades were low and all I used to do was play basketball with my friends. Her mom didn’t believe I was a good influence for her daughter, but after being around so much, she got to know me better and as I grew up and changed, she ended up really liking me and nowadays treats me as family,” Henske said. Meeting the parents should not be a dreadful experience. Of course we all get nervous, but the family will be always happy if their loveable daughter or son is also

happy. It might be a little awkward in the beginning and some people are extremely shy, but remember that the parents also have been there. They want you to be honest and polite, and it’s OK to be quiet; they will understand it. Trying to make the best of your “first date” with the parents will show them that you care about the person you are with and want to make a good impression with the family. If you are too nervous to initiate a conversation, try to make the most of your answers whenever they ask you something. The more natural you are, the better. So, if you are the person who is about to meet your girlfriend’s or boyfriend’s folks, there are some important points to keep in mind. Here are some tips to have a successful “first date” with your honey’s family:

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Tip No. 1: Be polite. The family is having you at their home, probably cooked you a good dinner or is taking you out to eat at a nice restaurant. They are open to get to know you, the least you can do is be polite, let them know you appreciate the invite and the meal while always smiling. The magic words are extremely necessary at all times.

Tip No. 6: Ask questions. This goes along with Tip No. 5; you want to look very interested in getting to know the family. People always love talking about themselves, so that will make everyone more comfortable and relaxed. Remember to involve all the members of the family, especially the less talkative ones.

Tip No. 2: Show your good manners and bring a gift. Yes, bringing a gift — especially around Christmas time — works well. Go for the basic: a bottle of wine, a fancy box of chocolate, a little something for the house, flowers, candles, nothing too complex. Make sure you know their taste; if the dad has diabetes and the mom is on a diet, chocolate wouldn’t be the best idea. But anything will show that you were thoughtful and made an effort to please them. Also, always complement the house, the parents and their son or daughter: “You have a beautiful place,” “The food tastes delicious,” “I love your outfit” or the best one, “Now I understand why your son or daughter is so loveable and fun.” Just remember to not be to suck-up and avoid sounding fake; only say it if you really mean it.

Tip No. 7: Talk about yourself — but not too much. You want them to get to know you and your qualities, but if all you do is talk about you, it might sound selfish and even cocky. Let them know about your background, good things you have done and your strengths, without bragging. Also, always be yourself. Many people think they have to act differently, and this is the worst path to be followed. Obviously, in the beginning, you won’t act as the funniest or craziest person as when you are around long-time friends, but the most comfortable everyone feels, the most natural it is. Don’t ever try to act like someone you are not. They want to know the real you.

Tip No. 3: Dress appropriately. Although nowadays what you wear is not the most important thing to worry about, you definitely want to make sure you look presentable. It all depends on the occasion, if you are going to meet the family during the day, night, at home, restaurant, or if it is fancier or more relaxed gathering. You don’t want to be extremely dressed up to a casual event, and you also don’t want to wear flip flops and jeans to a nice dinner. Girls: Avoid cleavage, too-short or too-tight dresses and skirts. Be careful with too much makeup and watch your nail polish color — parents always pay attention to it. You want to look classy, not trashy. Boys: Avoid messy hair, low pants that show all your underwear, make sure to wear cologne and clean clothes. Nice shoes are always important; stay away from flip flops and sandals. Tip No. 4: Have good communication skills. The basic points of being a good communicator: listen carefully to what the other person is saying, ask questions, make eye contact, never cross your arms or sit inappropriately, stay away from swear words or slangs, avoid interrupting, and if you are eating, you should rather listen than talk. Tip No. 5: Know a decent amount of information about the family. Your boyfriend or girlfriend probably mentioned old family stories, or described the personality of the family members. Make sure you get some information from your mate on the parents and siblings’ likes or dislikes and their background. It is good to mention something that you already know about them, and always add comments such as, “I heard that you were born up north, why did you move here?” or “Jimmy told me you guys went to Europe last summer; how did you enjoy it?” Be careful: If you know that your girlfriend’s dad is obsessed with football and the Jets, you don’t want to start a conversation about how much you love the Patriots and that they are the best team ever.

Tip No. 8: Play along with jokes. This happens mostly with the men of the family: Dads, brothers, uncles and grandfathers are most likely to joke around and mess with the girl or the boy that is being introduced to the family. Learn how to not get offended or upset if they have a more “dark” sense of humor and play with you. The best tactic is to always laugh (even if you don’t understand it) and make fun of them back, but be careful; you don’t want to look like a smart ass. Tip No. 9: Avoid too much opinion. Warning: This can be a danger zone. Stay away from topics such as religion and politics. You don’t want to pretend you support something just to please the family, but you also don’t want to expose your full opinion if it is the opposite of theirs. Contradiction can only result in debate, and this is definitely not a good idea for the first meeting; once the family knows you well, it shouldn’t be a problem when such topics come up. Also, if you know that your sweetie’s parents are very conservative, you don’t ever want to curse or use any bad words, or to talk about last night’s party and how well you did in that beer pong tournament. Tip No. 10: Be sober. We all know that during the holidays we tend to consume a larger amount of alcohol. You start with a beer to socialize, a champagne for the toast, and mixed drinks, or more beer, through the rest of the night. You don’t want to show up at the dinner already drunk; if you watched “Pineapple Express” you should know that meeting the parents under the influence of any substance is not a smart idea. If the family enjoys drinking, take advantage and drink with them once you are already there, but definitely don’t show up drunk or high. That would be an awful first impression, and extremely tough to make it any better.

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WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7 EAGLE NEWS A/L B3

=<8KLI< JKFIP Jkl[\ek k\ccj _`j jkfip f] kiXm\c`e^ n`k_ X ZfeZ\ik kfli 9p 8e[i\n =i`\[^\e Fg`e`fe \[`kfi In the middle of November, I toured around Florida with five bands. I chased my dreams. I-75 was only a means to escape Fort Myers. I-4 was the connecting line — it brought everything together. My faithful Altima glided across the pavement without protest. I became the master of the pavement. I am a road warrior. Early in the semester, a tour called The Noise Tour was announced. Sponsored by Journeys Shoes, it featured baby band The Make, Orlando-born There For Tomorrow, British rockers You Me At Six, co-ed pop-punk quintet We Are the In Crowd and Tallahassee-born headliners Mayday Parade. With Mayday Parade as the headliners, the tour went around Florida extensively. In total, there were six shows— Gainesville, St. Petersburg and Tallahassee. Then they jumped up to Atlanta for a few days and were back down for Orlando, Fort Lauderdale and the last night of the tour at Jacksonville Beach. My friend and I went to all of those except Tallahassee and Atlanta — and man, did we get to

make some lifetime experiences. Where do I begin? Watching You Me At Six mess with us on the interstate on the drive home? Correcting Jordan Eckes’ (We Are the In Crowd, guitar/vocals) grammar in front of everyone? Stopping at a shady Cracker

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Barrel off exit 152 on an overcast Thursday morning to have lunch with The Make? Shopping at Journeys with We Are the In Crowd and Mayday Parade? How about hanging out with Jeremy (Mayday Parade, bass) on the blackened beach and going swimming with him? Eagle News has featured some nifty stories before, such as travels to Greece or summers in Africa. These stories have a sense of humanity, a sense of willingness to throw yourself into an unfamiliar place and learn from it. This isn’t a story like that. There’s no higher human value in this five-day expedition. But there is community. The first night in Gainesville happened to take place on the same night FGCU’s women’s soccer team squared off against UF. Team Eagle News jaunted up to Gainesville and divided — co-managing editor Mike Ricci was at the game, and I was at the show. My friend and I were frontand-center for the bands. We were so close that we could hear the natural strumming sound of the guitars over the amplifiers. No big deal. The goofiness started to rack up after We Are the In Crowd’s vocalist, Tay Jardine, called me out and said she remembered me from back in April. Then we proceeded to get slammed against the stage by the people behind us when Mayday Parade came out. I was struggling not to eat Brooks Bett’s guitar or lick Derek Sanders’ feet. The second night’s show was in St. Petersburg, and team Eagle News was reunited. Ricci rocked to You Me At Six while I jumped to We Are the In Crowd again.

We had made some new friends by this time: Jeff and Sarah of the opening band The Make. We stood there and chatted with the two as newfound fans asked for pictures and autographs. The tour went up to Tallahassee the next day, and I regretted not going to that, too. But our adventures picked up again on Thursday at Orlando’s House of Blues. A group of girls came up to my friend and me and gave us free cake from the restaurant. “We remember you from Dirty Work (tour),” one of them said. OK, it sounds odd in context, but it’s fairly common. Remember that community I mentioned? At every show, I saw people who I’ve seen at past shows — either because their faces were memorable or because they walked up and said, “Did you throw a monkey on stage back in April at House of Blues?” (The answer is yes, but it’s kind of a story). It’s always humbling when people recognize me because it reminds me of how interwoven this scene is. At House of Blues, a man approached Jeff and Sarah and told them that he had flown eight hours from Iceland to see Mayday Parade, and that he now liked The Make as well. I swore out loud when he said that, as often I do when I hear insanities like that. Now there’s a man with convictions. The next show, in Fort Lauderdale, took me back to 2008 as I stood next to Mike from Hey Monday at the venue’s bar. I was wondering why kids kept coming up to this random person asking for a picture, then I realized who it was. Mayday

Parade recognized who we were by now — that awkwardly tall guy with the fedora and his short friend. I ended up taking pictures for a bunch of people who were meeting with The Make and We Are the In Crowd, as well as photo-bombing a few. I was happy to help these kids immortalize their nights — isn’t that what all the fun is about? I delivered a three-pack of silly string to We Are the In Crowd for the last night in Jacksonville. There were some hearty end-oftour pranks planned. The last day was the most eventful. We went shoe-shopping with the two headlining bands in Journeys, making fun of their own songs that played on the loudspeakers. We’re not satire addicts at all, I swear. A band called Athel had been following the tour, selling CDs to kids in line. We met up with them once more and bid them farewell to their home in Chicago. It’s a guilty pleasure of mine to see young musicians chasing a career — call me a sap, but I believe it’s the greatest career to chase. At the end of the show, which featured a countless amount of crowd surfers (including We Are the In Crowd’s fearless tour manager/dad), the goodbyes started. By this point, I had become rather close to my friends in The Make, so saying goodbye wasn’t that easy. I wished them luck on their ride back to California. Outside, we mingled with fans and talked about how stupid/ crazy (pick which one you prefer) we were for going on tour for the last week before saying goodbye to a bunch of other people: Josh from You Me At Six, most of Mayday Parade and Tay. Someone in a band — that is not to be named — launched firework mortars into the dark sky across the street on Jacksonville Beach. They lit up the air. How romantic. Our night ended after some time on the beach. You could say that it was five days of music, sure. I would just add that it was five days of awesome music. But it was also five days of social awareness. I had a chance to see the idiosyncrasies of the bands. I got a chance to assist star-struck fans. I got a chance to see familiar faces. And it all made me smile because one of the reasons I appreciate this subculture is the slightly bright-eyed tendency to look at five young adults racing around the country and playing music, and think, “Hey, they’re like gods.” It reminds me that there are still dreamers out there.

Opinion www.eaglenews.org

B4

=X`k_j Xi\ g_`cfjfg_`\j# Zlckli\j# gfc`k`ZXc m`\nj 9p JXiX >fkknXcc\j JkX]] ni`k\i Interfaith compassion, respect and understanding is not just a harmonious concept for me, it is a part of my daily life. I was raised Christian, but turned Buddhist. I have worked for a Muslim man, and currently am employed at the Holocaust Museum and Education Center of Southwest Florida. I am in love with a Catholic, and some of my best friends are pagans. On Nov. 30, I attended the “Let’s Talk”: Dialogue among leaders of local Christian, Jewish and Muslim congregations. I went to the dialogue panel expecting to be an audience to some major message or monotheistic unifier. That is not quite what happened. Rabbi Barras and Abdul’haq Muhammad spoke first with no real revelation. The final panelist, the Rev. Dr. Kircher, gave several great references and citations on further interfaith websites and groups, which I thought was quite useful considering the cause. But her final statement got my cogs spinning. The Rev. Dr. Kircher looked at some FGCU students in the audience and said the reason so many in our generation turn from or question religion is “because of the fight over dogma rather than transcendence.” I was so struck by that statement that I honestly didn’t pay attention to anything else after that. While I think this is a positve and worthwhile program, I cannot help but wonder who is taking it to heart. I mean, who shows up and speaks the message of interfaith respect and tolerance, and who puts it into action? There will always be the “us and them” bubble, especially when it comes to religion. We will never have unity, not as long as we have the ability to choose and formulate our own opinions. Personal philosophies, though they may be altered, will never be unified because we each have free will. We disagree with one another and favor the philosophy that best suits us. It seems to be forgotten that religion is philosophy. It is all interpretation and belief. Yet people die for these beliefs. Religion is quite serious, which to me, is downright frightening. I will never understand the concept of killing a man who believes in a different form of God than I do, depite the fact that the three religions on the panel are all monotheistic and Abrahamic faiths. They have all fought one another in some way throughout history. Religion is not only a set of philosophies

but also cultures and in some cases, political values. So, the question is not only “can you respect this other group’s philosophies?” but also “can you respect their values and culture?” This is what should be focused on: The education of the cultures and values of other religions. We do not approach a “new” or “foreign” culture to our own with open interest, rather fear and distrust. The message should be: “this group of people should be respected. They are different from us, and here is how, here is what they believe and here is how it is similar and dissimilar to our beliefs.” With this understanding of the “other” culture, only then can we make educated decisions and truly have respect. If the “Let’s Talk” dialogue can educate people on the histories, beliefs and cultural differences between the religions, and then bridge the gap of compassion and interfaith respect, the outcome will be deeply rooted and farther reaching. The Rev. Dr. Kircher spoke a great deal about having interfaith compassion. I believe that our generation has a difficult time with trust and openly accepting what we hear without evidence or further education of our own. We need to first understand these religions, assess how they fit into our own philosophies and then apply compassion. While it is a little dishearteneing to realize the Rev. Dr. Kircher is correct in saying many of us have become jaded by the dogmatic fight, it gives me hope. This shows that we are using our own critical thinking skills to make decisions, and we are thinking outside of the box our parents raised us in to find our own guidance that makes sense to us. It’s a sign that the times are changing. I don’t necessarily think this is negative, as long as we are understanding, educated, and respectful of the beliefs of others. Personally, I feel we should all have our own religious philosophies, undefinable or directly guided by any other person. Your religious experience is your own path — no one can tell you how to practice your faith. Shine on, you crazy diamonds.

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Sara is a history grad student. She is the Education Program Manager at the Holocaust Museum and Education Center of Southwest Florida.

NXcb\i i\ZXcc \]]fik X ZXcc kf [\dfZiXZp 9p 8c\o Kfnej\e[ JkX]] ni`k\i The word democracy is defined by Merriam & Webster’s Dictionary as a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections. Wisconsin has become the epitome of democracy as the opponents of the anti-union crusader that is Gov. Scott Walker have begun their own mission to recall the unpopular Republican next year. Only 19 states allow the state officials to be recalled: Alaska, Kansas, New Jersey, Arizona, Louisiana, North Dakota, California, Michigan, Oregon, Colorado, Minnesota, Rhode Island, Georgia, Montana, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Illinois and, of course, Wisconsin. If Florida was on that list, Rick Scott would most likely face a recall and there is not enough money in the world that would stop me from starting a petition to throw Scott out. Walker’s opponents’ goal: 540,208 valid signatures by Jan. 17, 2012. On Monday night Nov. 28, 12 days into their mission, the organizers announced that they had collected more than 300,000 signatures, 105,000 of them in the first 96 hours, from every county in Wisconsin. If successful in their mission, a recall election could occur as early as March 27. In the likely odds that Republicans challenge the petition signatures, the election could be rescheduled for a later date. The disaster of Scott Walker’s term has included slashing almost $800 million from public schools, trimming tax credits for the poor, rewriting state pension law while cutting investment and corporate taxes, an unpopular photo voter ID law that will make it harder for elderly voters, young voters, students, minorities and low-income voters to make it to the polls, and of course his famous bill that nearly eliminates public workers’ collective bargaining rights. Last week, Scott Walker took it to a new low under a new policy, which requires protests groups of four people or more inside state buildings and 100 or more people outside the Capitol to obtain permits at least 72 hours in advance of protests. Groups

could be charged $50 per hour per Capitol police officer, while costs for other law enforcement agencies will vary. “I’m a little skeptical about charging people to express their First Amendment opinion. You can’t really put a price tag on the First Amendment,” Edward Fallone, an associate professor at Marquette University Law School, told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. I’m not skeptical at all given the immoral actions of this governor in just one year against the middle class, voters and those who are brave enough to speak out in protest of the people running their state. I’m happy to report that one of those brave individuals was Detective Adrian Monk himself, Emmy-winning actor Tony Shalhoub. In the fight for democracy in America, I wish every state had the right to recall their elected officials after a certain amount of time in office. The people of Wisconsin gave their governor almost a year and in that short time he has not only failed the good people of The Dairy State, but he has also put a price on their right to vote and protest. As I was writing this, I came across a quote that speaks volumes from my favorite cable news anchor, Keith Olbermann, whom I admire because he was instrumental in giving me my confidence to speak out against people like Walker, Bloomberg, Scott, and those who worship greed . “Now is not the time to build fences around our freedom; now is the time to emancipate our culture from the fear of losing it,” Olbermann said. Alex is a junior majoring in communication. He enjoys going to concerts, going to Starbucks, listening to his Sirius Satellite Radio, going to the movies, swimming and playing games like UNO and Monopoly. His favorite musicians are R.E.M., Bon Jovi, Elton John and Kenny G. His favorite magazines are Mother Jones, Newsweek and Rolling Stone, which he loves to pick up at the campus bookstore.

8ek`$EI8 Xkk`kl[\j Xi\ `eXZZliXk\ j_fkj 9p A\]]i\p ?Xlk JkX]] ni`k\i I find it somewhat curious that in the realm of political discourse, the moment when a rhetorician realizes he is unable to formulate an intelligent argument, he insinuates that anybody who disagrees with his postulations is automatically uneducated and brutish. Such is the case with my respected colleague’s recent article, “The right to bear arms sometimes dead wrong.” I will not engage is such intellectual dishonesty and will choose to merely expose the faulty logic behind Mr. Townsend’s arguments. Mr. Townsend and like-minded readers, please allow me the pleasure to educate you with a bit of a history lesson before I begin. The fundamental right to bear arms did not start with the passing of the Second Amendment to the Constitution. In fact, the right to bear arms was included in the English Bill of Rights of 1689 — noting the right of the people to have the means to defend themselves from outside attacks. William Blackstone, often considered an influential 18th century legal theorist, once wrote in the right’s defense, “The fifth and last

auxiliary right of the subject ... is that of having arms for their defense.” The Founding Fathers, including Patrick Henry and Alexander Hamilton, supported a stipulation guaranteeing the right to bear arms be added to the newly minted Bill of Rights in 1791, noting, “Little more can be reasonably aimed at, with respect to the people at large, than to have them properly armed.” In the present day, numerous Supreme Court decisions — most recently District of Columbia vs. Helle — upheld that the right for the American citizen to bear arms is a fundamental constitutional right and “shall not be infringed.” While I would not question Mr. Townsend’s qualifications to make certain assertions, I will say that his opinion that conservatives and the NRA support “violent [sociopaths getting] their gun rights back because the Constitution said [they] could,” couldn’t be further from accurate. Justice Antonin Scalia, a Harvard Law School scholar and outspoken conservative, opined in his Heller majority opinion, “… Nothing in our opinion should be taken to cast doubt on longstanding prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons or the mentally ill.” In addition, Mr. Townsend fails

to realize, in his erroneous assertions that only his “new law” would prevent felons and mentally ill people from carrying firearms, that federal law already prohibits firearm ownership by these persons. Perhaps if my respected colleague would have taken more time to do research for his article, he would have realized that his statements are mistaken. By the way, the NRA was founded in 1871 following the Civil War, and was originally an organization dedicated to promoting marksmanship and hunting enthusiasts. In the 1930s, the NRA expanded to fighting for the rights of all lawful Americans to retain the constitutional right to bear arms through legislative reform. To this day, one of the main selfpurported purposes of the NRA is firearm safety and it remains the bulk of their operations. The NRA is one of the few bodies that can legally issue hunter safety permits and firearms instructor certificates.

I have been a proud member of the NRA and a responsible gun owner since I was 18 years old, and I am frankly disheartened by Mr. Townsend’s assertion that “[the] NRA is an evil and criminal organization.” This is merely a poor affront to the organization’s history and purpose. In continuation, Mr. Townsend proclaims that “Fox News and conservative talk radio” are hiding tragic stories relating to gun deaths because, “they hate actual reporters and columnists who are smarter than them and who can read.” By the same token, certain media outlets which I would imagine Mr. Townsend would be in support of fail to admit that legal carrying and ownership of guns have saved lives as well. The NRA maintains a database called “The Armed Citizen,” which collects accounts of American citizens protecting their lives and the lives of others through the use of firearms — 2.5 million accounts since 1958. Don’t worry Mr. Townsend, the “evil, criminal NRA,” uses stories from newspapers and other public media, all of which can be independently verified for authenticity. In one final act of desperation,

after engaging in his self-righteous rhetoric, Mr. Townsend proposes that “if the Republicans want to repeat any portion (or all) of the 14th Amendment then they have to let the Democrats repeal the Second Amendment so we can implement my federal law, which will no doubt work, but also put me on the short list for the Nobel Peace Prize.” I will say two things: The Republicans fighting President Obama’s health care law are doing so under the auspices that the language of the 14th Amendment makes the bill unconstitutional — they are not fighting to repeal the 14th Amendment. Get your facts straight. Secondly, if Barack Obama is somehow qualified to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, I suppose you are equally qualified for spouting your nonsensical, pompous, fustian arguments.

Jeffrey is a junior majoring in political science. He is a brother of the Kappa Sigma fraternity and believes that “all are lunatics, but he who can analyze his delusions is called a philosopher.”

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7 EAGLE NEWS OPINION B5

EDITOR: ANDREW FRIEDGEN OPINION@EAGLENEWS.ORG

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GfglcXi ZXifcj `e k_\ jg`i`k f] ZfigfiXk\ 8d\i`ZX 9p A\eep N`cc`Xdjfe JkX]] ni`k\i The retail industry has nearly

monopolized the holiday season, beginning the onslaught of decorations and advertisements as early as the beginning

of October. Greeting card companies and the words on the decorations might proclaim the season to be one of goodwill, love

and peace, but if the concept of truth in advertising was extended to the Christmas carols played at malls and shopping centers

across America, the lyrics of many seasonal songs would need to be changed.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas

O come, all ye faithful

God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen

Angels We Have Heard On High

We wish you a merry Christmas We wish you a merry Christmas We wish you a merry Christmas Please come and shop here! We’ve got lots of stuff for family and friends So show them you love them Please come and shop here! Now go save the economy, Now go into deeper debt Now go spend your money Please come and shop here! We’ve got lots of things for family and friends We’ll throw in some sales Please come and shop here!

Reward card holders get special prices O come ye, O come ye and shop at our store Come and spend money Special financing on credit O come, shop here O come, shop here O come, show them your love and spend a little more

Come, rest ye merry gentlemen Let nothing you dismay Everything your wife or girlfriend needs Is right here on display Just buy her an expensive gift And life will be okay O shop for her comfort and joy Comfort and joy And maybe she’ll buy you a new tech toy In stores or online shop for gifts Just charge if you can’t pay The rest of the year matters not If you don’t give big on this day What better way to show your love Than throwing your paycheck away? O shop for her comfort and joy Comfort and joy And maybe she’ll buy you a new tech toy

Angels we have heard on high Sweetly urging us to spend And the shoppers in reply Race for sales and bargain bins Glorious, in excess we blindly spend! Glorious, in excess we blindly spend! Shoppers, why this jubilee? Why forlorn over out of stock TVs? Must love be a 52-inch Flat screen to play your HD DVDs? Glorious, in excess we blindly spend! Glorious, in excess we blindly spend! No matter which holidays you choose to celebrate, try to remember — love and friendship cannot be bought or sold and relationships should never be given a dollar value. Have a safe and relaxing winter break.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

G)G gfc`Zp iffk\[ n`k_ ^ff[ `ek\ek`fej# Ylk `j kff jki`Zk 9p CXli\\e <jgfj`kf =i\j_dXe# elij`e^ This is in regards to your Nov. 8 article titled “P2P sharing software keeps us honest.” You said yourself that since I am a freshman, there should have been a flier in my room explaining the university’s policies. Well truth be told that the flier wasn’t placed in my dorm. I live in North Lake Village and have three other roommates, one of whom is also a freshman.

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So the policies weren’t clearly out there. I believe that the policy should be clearly stated for all to see when they move in. On my very first night on campus, my one roommate had two strikes made against her for her LimeWire. I ask you if this P2P sharing is fair, why it would attack someone twice for the same item? In your article, you explicitly connect porn and the P2P sharing. Porn has many negative effects on the young adults across this

campus. According to protectkids. com, “Exposure to pornography frequently results in sexual illnesses, unplanned pregnancies, and sexual addiction.” Also, exposure to pornography shapes the attitudes and the values of the student. This is according to “The Effects of Pornography in College.” In the USF Oracle, the article titled “Lecturer addresses USF students, the Porn Nation,” shows that when exposed to this type of action, it almost always has negative

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results. FGCU is one of the safest schools in the state, but promoting that pornography is OK could have a serious impact on the safety of the students at this school. Considering FGCU has more female than male students, you put many students in harm’s way. The student population is 45 percent male and 55 percent female, according to the U.S News profile of Florida Gulf Coast University. I agree that stealing copyrighted material is wrong. Technobuffalo’s

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article, “The Internet Is Still Killing Copyright” states the truth on the subject of stealing copyrighted material. Although, I believe that FGCU has too strict of a policy. If the policy were less strict, it would settle better with the students. Many of the students across campus have shown in one way or another that there are alternatives to get around the policy.

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Sports B6

www.eaglenews.org

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Most freshmen stay glued to the bench. That’s not the case on the FGCU (3-5, 1-0 A-Sun) men’s basketball team. Four freshmen have started — and finished — games for first-year FGCU coach Andy Enfield and made a major impact on the court. Freshman combo guard Bernard Thompson, second on the Eagles in minutes played, is averaging 11.3 points per game, which is second on the team behind junior guard Sherwood Brown. Freshman point guard Brett Comer, the team leader in minutes played, has averaged 10.1 points, and leads FGCU in assists with 43. Dante Holmes, another freshman guard, averages 6.3 points per game, and freshman forward Filip Cvjeticanin has made big three-point shots all season long. Enfield knew he would depend on major minutes from his freshman class early on, and his first recruiting class hasn’t disappointed. “I think the four freshmen have exceeded expectations,” Enfield said. “Four freshmen are playing a lot of minutes, it doesn’t happen in many programs so they’re obviously very talented to be playing that many minutes, but the most impressive thing is they keep working on their games every week.” Thompson stays low key about his role. “We’ve (the freshmen) contributed a lot,” Thompson said. “We play a lot of minutes. We just go out, play our role, and just keep going. Try to keep the team going and keep us in the game.” Thompson fits the profile of Enfield’s athletic recruiting class as a whole. He can slash to the hoop, run the floor, play defense and compete. “My biggest strengths are probably

getting my team involved, scoring when I need to score, and just being an up tempo player, and playing with high energy,” Thompson said. Enfield feels that the biggest strength all his freshmen provide is their ability to play, and guard, multiple positions. “All four of them give us great depth, and a lot of times they’re interchangeable because Bernard (Thompson) is playing the wing and the point,” Enfield said. “Dante (Holmes) is playing the two and the three. Brett (Comer) is playing predominantly the point guard, and Filip (Cvjeticanin) will play two positions as well. It gives us great versatility on both ends of the floor.” Thompson knows he can do better. Sometimes he tends to over-penetrate and over-dribble. “Sometimes, I need to kind of slow the game down a little bit more and play point guard when I need to play it,” Thompson said. Like most young players, FGCU’s freshmen have struggled with turnovers. Comer is first on the team in turnovers with 36 while Thompson is second with 24 miscues. The Eagles cured those woes for one game. On Saturday night, FGCU had 18 assists compared to 14 turnovers in a win against ETSU, a team picked to finish second in the conference. “Turnovers have been a big problem,” Enfield said. “We did a nice job against ETSU, but before we’ve been averaging too many turnovers per game. “We have to take care of the ball, we have to improve our decision making, and we have to improve our ball skills, and a few of them have to improve their shooting. It’s a work in progress, but they’re doing a great job.”

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 7 EAGLE NEWS SPORTS B7

EDITOR: JOSH SIEGEL SPORTS@EAGLENEWS.ORG

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=fid\i Zfddle`kp Zfcc\^\ jkXi j_`e\j Xk gf`ek 9p Aljk`e BXe\ 8jj`jkXek jgfikj \[`kfi FGCU women’s basketball senior Nicoya Jackson is making some noise this season. Despite only starting two games, she leads the team in scoring and is fourth on the team in minutes played per game. Jackson, FGCU’s only active true point guard, averages more than 27 minutes and 15 points per game this year compared to just 7 points and 18 minutes last season. “She (Jackson) has dramatically improved from last season,” FGCU coach Karl Smesko said. “She understands the offense a lot better, she’s taking care of the ball and moving it to open people.” The reason for the increase in playing time is redshirt junior point guard Brittany Kennedy must sit out the first academic

semester due to academic ineligibility. “When Brittany comes back (Jackson) will still play some point guard, but primarily the off guard position,” Smesko said. “She will still be able to do the same things she’s doing now. She just won’t be bringing up the ball.” After playing two years at Southwest Christian College, a junior college in Terrell, Texas, Jackson transferred to FGCU before her junior year. She averaged 20 points in her two years at SWCC. “I went to a community college because my SAT and ACT scores weren’t good enough, so I just wanted to get my basics out of the way,” Jackson said. “I came here because I’ve always wanted to play Division-I basketball. That’s anybody who is an athlete’s goal.” Jackson played in 31 games last season. At the end of the season she earned A-Sun AllAcademic honors. “The transition was very

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=i\j_dXe Jn\[\ ]lcÔcc`e^ _pg\ 9p 8e[i\n 9`ee`e^\i JkX]] ni`k\i Emma Svensson has met the hype. Svensson, the ninth ranked Division I swimming recruit coming into the season— the highest ranked recruit in any sport in FGCU history— won three bronze medals at the Swedish Short Course Nationals in front of friends and family in her home country. So far this season, Svensson, a freshman on the FGCU swimming & diving team, has earned five NCAA qualifying times and won the CCSA Swimmer of the Week three times. At the Swedish Nationals late last month, she earned bronze medals in the 50 and 100-meter back stroke as well as the 50 meter butterfly. “It was a great honor to win the awards and I endured a very heavy practice schedule but in the end it was worth it,” Svensson said. A week before the tournament, Svensson prepared in Atlanta. Svensson is also very proud with how she has performed this year and her progress in the pool. She has noticed differences in how swimmers prepare for meets in the U.S. compared to Sweden. “I have been doing better this season than I ever have before and I noticed that in America we spend more time practicing meters and working on outside sports such as yoga and spinning,” Svensson said. Svensson still has goals in mind this season. She wants to earn more NCAA qualify times at February’s CCSA Championship. It’s

the first time FGCU is eligible for the NCAA tournament. “I am very excited about that (the chance to compete in the NCAA tournament) but right now I just want to have fun and see how far I can go in the regular season,” Svensson said. FGCU swimming & diving coach Neal Studd knew what he was getting in Svensson. She hasn’t disappointed. “Emma (Svensson) is not only a great athlete but she’s very coachable and talented,” Studd said. “She is very detail orientated and really follows on what we want her to do every day.” Svensson has also been a key cog in FGCU’s Nationally ranked 200-yard medley relay team. “Emma (Svensson) is a sprinter so she competes in all of the relays and we’ve always prided ourselves in relays,” Studd said. “Whenever the relay swimmers are swimming fast, everyone feels good about themselves so it’s a win-win for everybody.” Studd also points out that Svensson has improved under the training of FGCU coaches. “When she went home, her coach in Sweeden said that her technique has really improved and we’ve noticed that her endurance level has also improved,” Studd said. “There’s some technical stuff we’re still working on and as interesting as it is and as fast as she’s swimming there is still some areas for her to improve.” Studd knows Svensson won’t stop. “She’s a first year freshman and I’m hoping that this is a four-year project in which she can end up being an NCAA contender,” Studd said.

hard (from Juco to D-I),” Jackson said. “The pace of the game is different and the players just are better. The transition was especially hard for me because I was a little overweight so I had to lose a lot of weight.” With nine games left that Kennedy must sit out, Jackson is not worried about losing her role of point guard. “I know when [Kennedy] comes back that she’ll be the point guard and I’m excited for her to come back,” Jackson said. “We’re going to be even stronger when that happens.” However, coach Smesko says that when Kennedy comes back, Jackson’s playing time won’t go down. “She’s earned the playing time that she has and so as long as she continues to play the way she has, she’ll pretty much play the same amount (when Kennedy returns),” Smesko said.

Jackson is honored to share the spotlight when Kennedy returns. “What (coach Smesko) said is a compliment,” Jackson said. “When Brittany got here she had a lot of publicity and for coach to say what he said is an honor, really.” FGCU women’s basketball looks to extend its five-game winning streak on Thursday when they face Conference USA foe UCF at UCF Arena for a 7 p.m. matchup. FGCU has won both games in the series. In the only meeting at UCF Arena between the two schools (Dec. 9, 2007), FGCU defeated the Knights 81-75. The Eagles return home for the final two home games of 2011. FGCU will host USC Upstate (Dec. 19) before hosting Virginia Tech (Dec. 21) in non-conference action.

Sports www.eaglenews.org

ENSPORTS Weekly recap Softball

Night at the Nest

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FGCU softball coach David Deiros unveiled the Eagles’ 2012 schedule Monday afternoon. The schedule features six spring tournaments with visits by six opponents who qualified for the 2011 NCAA Tournament, as well as a game with 2011 Women’s College World Series (WCWS) runner-up Florida.

Women’s basketball After leading the Eagles to a 88-60 win over A-Sun foe ETSU last week, senior Kelsey Jacobson earned College Sports Madness’ Atlantic Sun Women’s Basketball Player of the Week, the website announced Monday. Jacobson drained eight three-pointers, tying the FGCU all-time single game record, on Saturday night at Alico Arena.

Swimming & diving

FGCU volunteer assistant coach Pavel Babaev placed ninth in the 50-meter freestyle at the three-day USA Long Course Nationals in Atlanta, Ga., last weekend. In the 50-meter free preliminaries, Babaev qualified for the “A” finals with a time of 22.76. In the finals, Babaev swam an even faster time of 22.75, which was good for ninth overall and the sixth-fastest American time at the meet.

Men’s basketball

After winning its first A-Sun game against ETSU, FGCU (3-5, 1-0 A-Sun) is back in action when it returns to non-conference play with a trip to Big Ten foe Nebraska on Wednesday night. Game time at the Devaney Center is slated for 8 p.m. ET and all the action can be seen live on www.BTN.com (Big Ten Network).

New Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer was asked how close he was to canceling his appearance at “Night at the Nest” due to his chaotic few weeks. “When I decided to take the job, I went through my calendar with the AD (Athletic Director of OSU), I said, ‘This one is non-negotiable,’” Meyer said. Such are the priorities of Meyer, subject of one of D\p\i the most polarizing stories in sports this month with his decision to return to coaching less than 11 months after an abrupt retirementas head football coach at the University of Florida. A number of local sports celebrities convened at Alico Arena on Sunday, Dec. 4 to help raise funds for FGCU Athletics. The attendees were headlined by Meyer, the keynote speaker whose daughter, Gigi, plays on the FGCU volleyball team; and two high-profile Eagle alumni, Chicago White Sox pitcher Chris Sale and PGA Tour golfer Derek Lamely. Sale, who was the 2010 National Collegiate Player of the Year, spoke of how important this university means to him and his development as a professional. “I came into this school limping into a baseball career, and (FGCU) got my head screwed on straight and got me headed in the right direction,” Sale said. “This event isn’t a burden, it’s fun for me, I love coming to these things. Any little thing I can do to help them I’m right on

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it.”

Lamely, who won the Puerto Rico Open in March 2010, earned a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour by virtue of his victory. His 2011 season was marred by injuries to his wrist, ankle, and back. He’s looking forward to an exciting 2012 year, finally getting fully healthy. “I couldn’t practice the way I wanted, it wasn’t fun. I’m looking forward to getting back to being good,” Lamely said. He said being at FGCU really brought him back to his college days leading the golf team.

“It’s awesome,” Lamely said. “I’ve watched this program grow. We started the program back in 2000. We had a lot of fun times. I want to see it flourish and hope to see it be one of the top ten programs in the country someday.” Meyer canceled other events after receiving the Ohio State job, but he couldn’t back out of this one. “We clicked out of a lot of events (the last couple weeks), no disrespect to the other ones, but they weren’t involving my daughter,” Meyer said. Lost among the publicity

surrounding Meyer the last few weeks was the loss of his father, with whom he was very close. “The funeral was on Friday, and I was offered the job (at OSU) on Sunday or Monday. It’s been tough.” Meyer spoke glowingly of his experience with FGCU and his impression of its athletics program. “The AD (Athletic Director Ken Kavanagh) has a great vision,” Meyer said. “I can see how far they’ve come in their brief tenure here. I think it’s a gold mine. This is such a great area and a beautiful school.”

:XkZ_`e^ lg n`k_ ]fid\i =>:L YXj\YXcc XZ\ :_i`j JXc\ Eagle News had the chance to catch up with FGCU alumnus and Chicago White Sox pitcher Chris Sale. Here’s an excerpt from the interview: On his return to Fort Myers for the summer: “It’s been great. I’ve been able to get back and get in the weight room with a couple guys I actually played here with, starting to throw a little bit. I always love coming back here, seeing all my old friends and coaches. This is a fun event to come to. Always great food here.” On reports that he is projected to be in the starting rotation for the White Sox this season:

“I talked to Coop (pitching coach), he said you’re in. I couldn’t be in a better position, I’m very thankful for the opportunity they’ve given me. It’ll be a challenge, but I’m looking forward to it.” On the challenges of switching from a relief to starting role: “You’re not going out there for an inning or two now, you have to face these guys two to four times in a lineup. You’re expected to go six (innings). I’m just trying to get my arm ready for a long season. I’m focusing on getting my lower body stronger, more running, and longer tossing in the throwing program.” On which he prefers, relief or

starting role: “I’d rather start, that’s what I’m used to in college. Don’t get me wrong, though, coming out of the bullpen has been a great challenge. It’s an instant adrenaline rush, there’s nothing like it. You get thrown into the fire sometimes, and that’s what you pitch for, coming out in the 7th or 8th inning in a close game.” On his performance in 2011, his first full season in the majors: “I started out a little rough, but overall I felt like I had a good season. I just want to follow in the footsteps of those before me. Guys have been there doing it 7, 8 years, I’ve been relieving for two months.”

On new manager Robin Ventura: “He’s very well respected in our organization. I’m excited to see what kind of ship he runs and see if he can get us running in the right direction.” What his experience meant to him at FGCU: Coach Toe (FGCU baseball coach Dave Tollett) and I would meet, we called it “Toe Time,” once a week to make sure everything’s good, classes are keeping up, mentoring me. I owe him a lot for that. He helped me through a lot of tough times in my life. “

D\eËj YXjb\kYXcc jkl[\ek Xkk\e[XeZ\ e\Xicp [flYc\j 9pAfj_ J`\^\c Jgfikj \[`kfi Matthew Lessig saw no one to his left. He looked right and shook his head at more empty seats. When he stood up to cheer — which rarely happened — he quickly sat back down because he felt alone, a part of nothing. Anthony Itaspe called it the “dark age.” As recently as the 2009-10 season, FGCU’s men’s basketball drew an average of 288 students per game at Alico Arena, a venue that can hold 4,200 fans. Student attendance figures from 2010-11 were unavailable. Through three home games this season — he first under new coach Andy Enfield — men’s basketball games have drawn an average of 494 students per game. On Saturday, Dec. 3, 607 students attended FGCU’s Atlantic Sun opener against ETSU. In a Feb. 24, 2010, article in Eagle News, students cited FGCU’s poor play (It went 39-82 in four years of Division I play before this season), a lack of awareness, the program’s youth and campuswide apathy as reasons to not

attend men’s basketball games. Since then, things changed. FGCU Athletics heavily promoted the Dirty Birds (which has 600 registered student members), a fan group in the tradition of Duke’s Cameron Crazies who invade Alico Arena (and all other home sporting events), often shirtless, face and bellies painted, some even carrying cardboard cutouts of Enfield’s face. Last March, FGCU athletic director Ken Kavanagh fired Dave Balza, the only men’s basketball coach in program history before Enfield, signaling change. Kavanagh announced the hiring of Enfield, a former assistant coach at Florida State and with the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA, in a March 30 press conference. Enfield brought in a well-regarded recruiting class, headlined by guards Brett Comer, who ESPN senior analyst Dave Telep called the best recruit in FGCU history at the time of the signing; Bernard Thompson and Dante Holmes, plus forward Filip Cvjeticanin. All four freshmen have started and finished games this season. At 3-5 (1-0 A-Sun, 3-0 at home), the

Eagles aren’t exactly winning. Students don’t mind. They recognize progress (FGCU’s five losses are by a combined 21 points, two of which came against ACC powers Miami and Maryland). And hope. “We just compete better and have better athletes,” said Greg Howard, an FGCU grad student. “Coach (Enfield) has a better handle on his players. He lets them play. With the last coach (Balza) there was too much coaching and yelling.” Howard attended games sparingly in the past, but he’s been to every home game this season. So has Itaspe, an FGCU senior. He says the student section at men’s basketball home games feels and sounds different. “I had the option of going to Ale House and watching the LSU game but I game here (Saturday against ETSU),” Itaspe said. “My friends go with me and my friends talk about it. You see chants and taunts. It’s like one of those games on ESPN with a ... ton of fans.” Itaspe rarely attended games before this year. When he heard about the Enfield hire and looked up his credentials,

Itaspe began calling himself a fan. He watched a Sunday, Nov. 27 game at Loyola Maryland on a live Internet feed from his house. “In a year we will be amazing,” Itaspe said. “These are young guys who will be here for a while. I know he (Enfield) is notoriously known for good recruiting classes. I know people will come here just for him. I know we have better talent.” Lessig, also a FGCU senior, endured half-empty student sections in the past. “When it (the student section) was empty, it was not easy,” Lessig said. “I wanted that big emotion, I wanted that crowd noise, but it wasn’t there. I tried to have a good time and cheer for guys who were out there, but you can only enjoy it so much.” Itaspe sees more FGCU gear around campus. He talks the language of FGCU men’s basketball, even (gasp) exchanging player’s names and throwing out their stats with friends. “It got tiring coming here (Alico) and having them lose by 30 every time,” Itaspe said. “We have a shot this year and we know it.”

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