2005 11 18

Vol. 94, No. 26 1 section, 10 pages

FRIDAY

November 18, 2005

www.acuoptimist.com

Picked to succeed

Spreading the word

Phoenix gold as Cash

A preseason poll picks the Wildcats to win the LCS South, page 10

Students organize a forum to inform students about dating violence, page 5

Joaquin Phoenix plays a believable Johnny Cash in Walk the Line, page 7

Break brings holiday cheer

A cultural experience

n Many students look forward to trips home for Thanksgiving break, and others plan to spend the time working on projects and doing community service.

By DANIELLE SPENCE-MORROW Student Reporter

Thanksgiving is near, and for students that can mean many different things such as food, fun, football, family, friends, schoolwork, sleep or community service.

Many students, including Vanity Thomas, freshman psychology major from Conroe, will travel home for the holiday.

“I am very excited to get away from Abilene and see my family. This will be a special Thanksgiving for us, since I am the first child to go to college,” Thomas said.

Although Thomas is excited to go home and see family, some students have other See

Brian Schmidt/Chief Photographer

Students perform a traditional Japanese dance during the dress rehearsal of the Culture Show on Wednesday. Performances are Friday and Saturday beginning at 8:05 p.m.

Weekend show to mix cultural traditions, dances

By DANI LINTHICUM Staff Writer

Brian Schmidt/Chief Photographer

Tania Quirosz, junior undeclared major from Nicaragua, performs a traditional cultural dance Wednesday during the Culture Show’s dress rehearsal.

The International Students Association will put on its annual culture show this weekend, with shows on Friday and Saturday night, beginning at 8:05 p.m.

The show will be an authentic mix of various cultural dances and traditions, said Yukari Sekine, sophomore communication major from Ibaraki, Japan,

and house manager for the show.

“We created a dance just for the show,” Sekine said.

“It will be original, but it is just like something we would do in Japan.”

The show is a great way to experience something different and exciting, said Ross Baldwin, senior physics major from Kenai, Alaska.

“It’s a chance to see other cultures,” he said. “We talk a lot about diversity,

but this is a chance to really celebrate that.”

Baldwin said being involved with the show both as a performer and usher has helped him enjoy other cultures’ traditions.

“They are so unique and way cooler than just American culture,” he said. “This entire show is a celebration of life in a really fun and entertaining way.”

The culture show audience is a big part of the experience, said Marcela

Guitterez, senior business management major from Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

“We’ve been working really hard on this, and we’re very excited,” she said. “We hope that our audience is just as excited and that we can give them even more then what they expect.”

Tickets will be available in the ticket windows after Chapel. Admission costs $3.

E-mail Linthicum at: del01a@acu.edu

THANKSGIVING page 8

Classes choose themes for show n Sing Song acts for classes and social clubs this year will feature act themes from past shows to commemorate the 50th year of the production.

By EMERALD McGOWAN Student Reporter

SA supports course review n Congress voted to create a student committee that could meet with faculty and administrators reviewing the university’s core curriculum requirements.

By TIFFANY TAYLOR Features Editor

Congress passed a resolution encouraging Congress to discuss curriculum with the administrative officials involved in revamping the university’s core curriculum.

Upcoming Optimist printing schedule The Optimist will not be published next week because of the Thanksgiving holiday.

The staff will return to publish issues Nov. 30 and Dec. 2.

No issues will be published during finals week or Christmas break.

Several changes were made to the resolution, which was passed with 31 in support and 8 against, and was originally written by sophomore Sen. Brandon Smith but was amended twice before passing through Congress.

Senior Sen. Sarah Carlson made the first amendment; Carlson reworked the resolution, replacing all

current text with her own.

Carlson said her amendment was not changing the meaning of the resolution, just clarifying certain points some thought were unclear.

Like the original resolution, Carlson’s amended version addressed problems some students have with university core course See

SA page 8

Brian Schmidt/Chief Photographer

Foster Science Building Rep. Christopher Smith discusses an amendment to a resolution during the Students’ Association meeting Wednesday.

Only on the Sing Song stage could the Wizard of Oz, Superman, Star Wars and Noah’s Ark have something in common — they’ve all been themes for class acts.

The class Sing Song directors announced their final decisions for themes Monday after choosing from a list of past acts provided by Kendall Massey, director of student productions.

The 50th Show is about the history of Sing Song, Massey said. To complement the show, Massey had each of the class directors pick from a See

SING SONG page 8

Coordinators promote Study Abroad site n With the Oxford, England, Study Abroad trip full for the spring, program organizers are working to change the perception about the Montevideo, Uruguay, program.

By ANDREA LUCADO and LUKE HARRIS Student Reporters

Study Abroad is bringing awareness to its spring semester in Montevideo, UruDepartment of Journalism and Mass Communication

guay, which has four spots still available.

Thirteen students have applied and been accepted into the program, and the application due date of Oct. 20 was extended.

Lauren Graham, Study Abroad coordinator and Uruguay alumnus, said the misconceptions many people have of Uruguay result in a lower number of students

who apply to go to Uruguay than to the Oxford Study Abroad Program.

“People think it’s a thirdworld country,” Graham said.

“The culture would be a surprise to most.”

Graham said Montevideo’s Italian and French influences coined its nickname: “The Switzerland of the South.”

She said the environment is friendly and the people are

very laid-back and quiet.

Phyllis Chill, junior international studies and Spanish major from Grand Haven, Mich., studied abroad in Uruguay in spring 2005.

“It’s a lot more European than I expected,” she said.

She studied with 11 other students, the biggest group to study abroad in Uruguay, and said she liked the size of the group.

Abilene Christian University

“We’re all best friends now,” Chill said.

According to the Study Abroad Web site, the beach is a 15-minute walk from “Casa ACU,” which is a historical landmark that has been renovated to house the college students each semester.

Students studying in Montevideo get three-day weekSee

ABROAD page 8

Serving the ACU community since 1912

Chapel Checkup Credited Chapels to date:

Friday, November 18, 2005

18

Calendar & Events Friday

Purple Friday.

ISA Culture Show Ethnos U, 8:05 p.m., Cullen Auditorium.

A 2005 studio premiere of Inspecting Carol, 8 p.m., Culp Theatre.

National Hunger and Homelessness Week petition, 11:30 a.m.-noon, Campus Center ticket window.

Rich Folk Poor Folk, 8 p.m., Bean Sprout.

Venture Out, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Campus Center ticket window.

19

Saturday

ISA Culture Show Ethnos U, 8:05 p.m., Cullen Auditorium.

A 2005 studio premiere of Inspecting Carol, 2 p.m., Culp Theatre.

20

Monday

Jazz Band Concert, 8 p.m., Cullen Auditorium.

Girl Scout nut sales, 5 p.m.-7 p.m., Campus Center ticket windows.

22

Tuesday

23

Wednesday

Nothing scheduled today.

Thanksgiving holiday break begins.

Sunday

Junior Class Sing Song interest meeting, 1:30 p.m.-3 p.m., Living Room.

ACU Student Opera, 3 p.m., William Performing Arts Center.

Islamic interest meeting, 6 p.m., Bible Room 219.

Volunteer Opportunities Eternal Threads needs volunteers this Saturday beginning at 10:30 a.m. to help unpack, sort and tag a shipment of bags. This will take place at the Healing Hands International building on Judge Ely Boulevard, behind Lytle Land & Cattle Restaurant. If you can help please contact Joyce Haley or Linda Egle at 677-4146.

Habitat for Humanity needs volunteers for their display at the Mall of Abilene`s grand reopening. Help is needed for children`s face painting between the hours of 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Friday and 1 p.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday.

If you can help please contact Karen Mendoza on her cell phone at 201-0250.

Students staying in Abilene for Thanksgiving have the opportunity to serve others.

There will be three meals served on Thanksgiving day at different location. Volunteers at any of these would be very helpful. For a list of locations stop by the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center located in the Bean Sprout.

City Light Ministries will provide Thanksgiving breakfast at 336 Hickory St. Thanksgiving dinner will be provided by the Veterans Association at the Civic Center 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and by the Salvation Army noon-1:30 p.m. at 1726 Butternut St. For more information contact the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center.

The Neighborhoods In Progress group needs

21

volunteers to help with installing a sprinkler system in some neighborhood housing Saturday mornings from 8:30 a.m. to noon until the project is complete. No experience is necessary, and all equipment is provided. For more information, contact the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center in the Bean Sprout.

Weekend Campaigns are open for this weekend. For more information, contact Jonathan Wood at 210-273-1466 or e-mail him at jrw02i@acu.edu.

Love and Care Ministries needs help with its Mission Thanksgiving campaign unloading donations as received to Arrow Ford, 4001 S. 1st St. Friday from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.

They also need help unloading semi trucks with donations from Friday on Saturday 9 a.m. Volunteers can meet at Love and Care Ministries, at 234 Fannin St. east of Mockingbird off N. 3rd Street.

Juniors can apply now for a financial scholarship that has been set up, and that is available to juniors only. Juniors can apply for this scholarship and receive it for their senior year. This endowed scholarship was the Class of 2000’s gift to the university. Applications are available in the CAB office in Bean Sprout Room 30. Applications are due by 4:30 p.m. Nov. 30.

Contact Amanda Spell at 6742069 for more information.

Announcements Students can help fight hunger by signing a studentlead petition that will go to government officials proposing more federally funded programs to aid the homeless and hungry at the Campus Center ticket windows.

A new upper level American Literature course will be available during the summer 2006 semester. It will be held from 10-11:50 a.m.

Monday through Friday.

Lester Holt Centennial Speaker Series is rescheduled for Dec. 1.

The Students’ Association wants spirited students to be Moody Maniacs—rally leaders at home basketball and volleyball games. For more information, visit the SA office or call Paul Harshman at 738-4561.

Four spaces remain to study abroad in Latin America next semester. There will be help available to work with student schedules and financial aid. Email Lauren Graham for more information, at Lauren.Graham@ acu.edu.

The Center for Contemporary Arts will be closed for the Thanksgiving Holidays Thursday.

Thursday and Nov. 25. The Center will re-open Nov. 26 at 11 a.m.

The Medical Clinic has a limited supply of flu vaccine available. Persons with asthma, diabetes, heart disease and other chronic or long-term medical conditions are at high risk of flu complications and should be vaccinated to prevent those complications. About two weeks after vaccination, antibodies develop that protect against influenza virus infection. No appointment is necessary and the cost of the vaccine is $15. Vaccine will be given on a first-come, firstserve basis. The Medical Clinic is located in the east end of McKinzie Hall.

Various alumni artists will

give artist talks during the Fall Lecture Series at The Grace Museum’s: Art Talk and Starbucks Coffee.

University offices will close at noon on Wednesday and remain closed through Nov. 25 for the Thanksgiving holiday.

All students who are hourly employees paid through the ACU Payroll Office must be sure to enter and submit time on the Banner Employee Web time sheets before leaving for the holidays. This is critical to student employees being paid on time and correctly.

The Chapel Prayer Room in Gibson 230 is open on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Mondays, students can come to receive prayer for themselves and pray for others as participants get specific in praising God and lay their needs at His feet. Tuesdays, students can come prepared to seek God in intercessory prayer for the campus, nation and world.

Chapel credit is provided. All are welcome. For more information contact Spiritual Life Core member James Rhea, jcr04a@acu.edu.

All students interested in learning how to conduct a meaningful and discussionoriented study of how scripture applies to various life topics can come to Bible Room 128, at 9-10 p.m. every Tuesday. The group welcomes newcomers. For more information, e-mail Mark Lewis at mark.lewis@acu.edu or Todd Ormsby todd.ormsby@acu.edu.

African Mission Fellowship and the Islamic Interest Group will have a joint session Sunday to learn about an opportunity to serve abused and abandoned children in Africa. Students can join the group in the Missions Strategy Room, Bible Room 219 at 6 p.m. Sunday. For more information, contact Dan McVey of the Halbert Institute of Missions at 674-3756.

Credited Chapels remaining:

63 07

About This Page The Optimist maintains this calendar for the ACU community to keep track of local social, academic and service opportunities.

Groups may send announcements directly to optimist@acu.edu or to the Page 2 Editor, ACU Box 27892, Abilene, TX 79699.

To ensure that an item will appear on time, the announcement should be sent at least 10 days before. The Optimist may edit items for space and style.

Corrections and clarifications of published news articles will be printed in this space in a timely manner.

Friday, November 18, 2005

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Page 3

CAMPUS NEWS

Page 4

Friday, November 18, 2005

Chowing down

Freshmen plan events for students n The Freshman Action Council provides freshman students with the opportunity to plan events throughout the year and become leaders on campus.

By AARON BALLARD Staff Writer

EMERALD McGOWAN/Staff Photographer

Library student workers help themselves to a home-cooked meal at the Student Worker Appreciation Luncheon in the Library Atrium on Thursday.

Merchandise experiencing high sales n Centennial merchandise is beginning to selling out and sales are predicted to increase even more as the Christmas shopping season approaches.

By ZACH CUNNINGHAM Student Reporter

Centennial items are becoming a hot commodity for students, faculty and alumni.

During the first semester of ACU’s Centennial year, some special goods commemorating this occasion are already selling out.

“We’re excited about how sales are going,” said Ron Hadfield, chair of the Centen-

nial’s Commissioned Items and Commemorated Works Task Force, in an e-mail. “We had a good response from alumni on campus at Homecoming and expect there to be other prime times when alumni, parents and friends Hadfield will be in The Campus Store looking for Centennial keepsakes to purchase.”

Specific goods featured during ACU’s Centennial cel-

ebrations include commemorative Dr Pepper cans and rocking chairs.

“The Centennial Dr Pepper cans were sweet,” said Jeremy Garner, sophomore psychology major from Morgan.

Overall, the sales for these particular items are just beginning. With the Christmas shopping season around the corner, a renewed interest in these goods can be expected, Hadfield said.

“We’re also coming up on the Christmas shopping season and expect students and alumni to buy Centennial merchandise as gifts for family and friends,” Hadfield

said.

As for the sales of these items in the near future, the outlook is definitely bright, Hadfield said.

“We’re only three months into a year-long Centennial Celebration and expect merchandise to be purchased throughout the next nine months, too,” Hadfield said.

“Some of the items, such as The ACU Century and Dr. John’s Perpetual Calendar, should create interest long past the Centennial because of the historical nature of their content.”

E-mail Cunningham at: optimist@acu.edu

With several successful events already under its belt, the Freshman Action Council is busy planning for the rest of the school year.

The group is organizing next semester’s budget and planning several events.

Among the events FAC is currently organizing are the freshman formal, several service projects and a retreat, all of which will take place next semester. In addition, a freshman night-out, sponsored by FAC will take place before the Christmas holidays.

Jeff McCain, senior integrated marketing communication major from Liberty, is an FAC co-chair.

“The freshmen on FAC really have free reign when deciding what events to plan. We tell them what has been done in the past, but we let them decide, within our budget,” McCain said. The other co-chairs are Will Morris, Kara Wilson, and Dabney Crews.

FAC has had a very visible presence on campus so far this year. The freshman social, which was Oct. 8, was the largest event put on by FAC this semester, with the theme “Look Mom, I’m on TV!” The freshman dodgeball tournament, a benefit for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, took place Oct 6. Additionally, FAC instituted a week of prayer, a day of fasting, and monthly freshmen devotionals, which will continue for the rest of the school year.

“FAC is an organization of freshmen responsible for the social events and spiritual guidance of the freshman class,”

McCain said. “It is one of the first places administrators on campus turn to for large scale projects like Service Saturday and hurricane relief.”

One change made this year was putting FAC back under the Students’ Association, rather than under the Campus Activities Board, where it has resided the past few years.

“FAC is back under SA in an effort to unify all the student leaders on campus and in order to familiarize freshmen with SA and the other student groups under SA,” McCain said.

FAC has existed for nearly 25 years. Although more than 150 freshmen applied to be a part of it, only about 70 students were chosen, which is still much higher than in years past, McCain said.

“We tried to pick a survey of the freshman class that would represent all the different groups and have a variety of ideas,” McCain said.

FAC meets every Wednesday at 5 p.m., where the students brainstorm ideas, delegate responsibilities, listen to committee reports, pray and encourage one another. A lot of work, of course, is done outside of the regular meeting times, McCain said.

Aubrey Weldon, freshman elementary education major from Planod, joined FAC for several reasons.

“Mainly, I wanted to be a part of FAC, so that I could have a say in what freshman events take place,” Weldon said. “I also thought it would be a great way to meet new people.”

Weldon said she believes FAC has an important role on campus.

“FAC gives the freshmen a sense of community, since they aren’t yet involved in things like social clubs,” she said.

E-mail Ballard at: optimist@acu.edu

Campus fashion show succeeds n Support of the recent fashion show might allow Fashion Forward to become an annual event for the American Society of Interior Designers on campus.

By SHERRI SNYDER Student Reporter

The American Society of Interior Designers organized its first successful fashion show Nov. 3. With an attendance of more than 200 people, Fashion Forward might become an annual event.

The American Society of Interior Designers, an organization of students in the Interior Design Department, put the show together to educate students about clothing that might be expected of them in the workplace or to be more effective with interviews.

Twenty students modeled business attire and business casual attire, provided by Dillards department store in the Williams Performing Arts Center lobby.

Kitty Wasemiller, profes-

“You can do anything with great attitudes.”

Leigh Gregoire, junior interior design major from San Antonio

sor of interior design and faculty sponsor for ASID, said the show would be a good thing to do annually to refresh the minds of students about office attire.

Leigh Gregoire, junior interior design major from San Antonio and the president-elect of ASID, began working on the show this summer.

“The decision to do a fashion show was made because fashion relates to every field. It’s important to learn to dress your part,” she said.

Emily Spurlock, sophomore elementary education major from Abilene, assisted Gregoire with the show and also participated as a model.

“I had fun helping Leigh put it together,” she said.

“The experience of modeling was something I had never

done before but turned out to be OK. The experience was...new yet fun.”

Gregoire said that everyone did a great job working together.

“The models were great, Matt Worthington, emcee, was amazing,” she said.

Gregoire said even though the show was stressful, she said that if the show became an annual event she would love to organize it next year as well.

“I learned a lot about organization — how to plan things and how to get people to work together,” she said.

“You can do anything with great attitudes.”

E-mail Snyder at: optimist@acu.edu

ACU license plates no longer offered n Lack of interest in university license plates causes the Department of Transportation to drop ACU from its list receiving scholarship money.

By GARY RHODES Student Reporter

Until recently, students and alumni could purchase ACU license plates from the Texas Department of Transportation, and part of the profits would go toward university scholarships.

However, the Department of Transportation dropped ACU from the list of schools offering the plates in June because of low sales.

One reason for low sales is the fact that most people get new license plates ev-

ery eight years, when the state sends them their registration. Many people don’t know about the special license plates available, said Gary West, director of Student Financial Services.

“It’s not a convenient way to sell the plates,” he said.

“If I don’t know about it, I’m not going to buy it.”

Although the university has alumni who would probably buy the plates, West said those who do know about the program will probably wait until it is time for them to get new plates before they buy university plates.

Buying a collegiate or university license plate in Texas costs an additional $30 more than the normal registration fees, with $22 of that go-

ing to the school to use for scholarships, according the to the Department of Transportation Web site.

West said the university has only received about $2,000 from license plate sales in the past five years.

“We certainly appreciate what we have gotten from the program,” he said.

Other schools have seen more success from the program, such as the University of North Texas at Denton, which has received money from 3,768 license plate sales from Sept. 2004 to October of this year, according to an article in the North Texas Daily printed Nov. 9.

E-mail Rhodes at: optimist@acu.edu

CAMPUS NEWS

Friday, November 18, 2005

Page 5

Forum offered to inform campus of dating violence n Students set up a forum for Nov. 29 to inform students, faculty and staff about the dangers of dating violence and about the Noah Project.

By KAYLA ANDERSON Student Reporter

Four students are working to increase awareness of dating violence and inform students about the services and volunteer opportunities offered by Noah Project.

The Noah Project is a center for victims of family violence and offers services such as a shelter for women and children, support groups for victims and a 24hour crisis hotline.

“I think dating violence is something that we don’t want to recognize,” said

Reagan Sapp, one of four students working on the project and junior communication major from Longview. “It’s scary. But to know that there are other people interested in helping or even learning more about it is uplifting.”

The other students involved in the project are Caddie Coupe, junior communication major from Thousand Oaks, Calif.; Esther Hahn, junior applied studies major from Coleman; and Lynn Hartshorn, senior applied studies major from Abilene.

Sapp and the other students have scheduled a forum at 8 p.m. on Nov. 29 in the KACU conference room in the Don Morris Center.

The forum is not for Chapel credit. The students are organizing the forum as part of a project for Dr. Carley Dodd’s Persuasion class.

Rob Patton, community awareness and technology coordinator for the Noah Project, will speak at the forum.

Patton said he plans to speak about the dynamics of family and dating violence.

He will teach attendees how to recognize the signs of an abusive relationship and how to cope if they or someone they know is involved in an abusive relationship.

Patton said people need to be aware of the problem of family violence because it is so widespread. According to Noah Project’s Web site, three out of four Tex-

ans have experienced family violence or know someone who has experienced it.

Members of the ACU counseling staff and area ministers will also be present at the forum to talk with students, Sapp said.

Sapp said students should attend the forum, even if they have not personally experienced family violence, so they can learn how to help others who have been victims of violence.

The group plans to send letters to all faculty and staff informing them of the signs of dating violence and asking them to be aware of students who might be experiencing it, Sapp said.

In addition to increasing awareness of dating vio-

Team Quest encourages mission work n Mission banquet on Nov. 29 will have free dinner and a documentary shown to encourage students considering future mission work.

By JOHNNY BAUTISTA Student Reporter

The Halbert Institute for Missions will organize a free dinner and show a documentary Nov. 29 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. in the Williams Performing Arts Center. The documentary is about a mission a team went on a year and a half ago in the Bronx, N.Y. Tickets for the banquet are available for students

in the Halbert Institute for Missions Department, and seating is limited.

The banquet will not only offer a free dinner and show a documentary, it will also share information on mission teams that have formed and are in the process of being formed.

Sonny Guild, director of the Halbert Institute for Missions, said he hopes this banquet will open up some doors for students who are interested in doing mission work.

The Halbert Institute began the Team Quest banquet last year.

“I think it broadens students’ horizons on what they can do with their lives by seeing who else is getting involved in missions,” Guild said.

Mission teams have traveled to places such as Africa, Europe, Latin America, Asia and the Bronx, N.Y., in hopes of doing church planting. Long-term mission teams spend five -15 years working in a community, learning the language, culture and then teaching about the Lord.

“I think it’s an event that is really exciting because it holds out not just the reali-

ty of what God is doing but what God can do,” Guild said. “It is also a way for students to explore possibilities.”

The Halbert Institute’s goal is to prepare 200 men and women by the year 2010 to be used by God to establish and nurture at least four church planting movements on each continent.

For more information on joining a mission team, contact Guild at guilds@ acu.edu.

E-mail Bautista at: optimist@acu.edu

Students donate money for campus causes n Campus organizations raise money for Thanksgiving meals, Christmas parties for battered women in Abilene and the International Justice Mission.

By ANDREA LUCADO Staff Writer

The sound of change being dropped into cups, buckets and various money containers has become familiar to students.

Several campus organizations have been raising money for charities and other causes by asking fellow students for cash, but some wonder if petitioning college students for money is profitable.

The Service Action Leadership Team is one of these organizations raising money on campus through student participation.

Stephanie Maycock, junior biochemistry major from Katy, said the money SALT collects will provide a Thanksgiving meal for 50 families with children at Taylor Elementary.

Maycock is a member of SALT and a co-committee chair for the Thanksgiving meal project.

She said for all families

to be fed, SALT must raise $1,875 by Monday.

Maycock said the members of SALT raised money by going door-to-door in residence halls and asking social clubs and University Seminar classes to participate in raising funds.

“Most people have been really generous,” Maycock said. She said SALT has already raised more than the $1,875 needed and will donate the extra cash to the Abilene Food Bank, which is supplying SALT with food for the families.

The Big Purple Marching Band has been taking donations from students for Christmas for Kids since mid-October.

Sam Selby, junior biology major from Abilene and vice president of Big Purple, said the money the students raise will go toward a Christmas party for three families from the Noah Project, a battered women’s shelter in Abilene.

Members of the band will carry Borden milk cartons around campus to collect cash until one week before the party, which is Dec. 4.

Selby said the band has

raised $1,100 and would like to raise $2,000 more by the deadline.

He said the key to collecting money from students is beginning early.

The ACU chapter of International Justice Mission is also raising funds.

The money will go to the headquarters of IJM which, according to its Web site, “is a human rights agency that rescues victims of violence, sexual exploitation and oppression.”

Brandon Smith, sophomore political science major from Fort Worth and member of IJM, said the money the group raises will go to law fees, salaries and court costs for the lawyers working for IJM in countries around the world.

“Our focus is instilling change in people’s hearts and minds,” Smith said. He said IJM plans to do this by bringing awareness to the university through its campaign called “Loose Change to Loosen Chains.”

This week IJM had a booth in the Campus Center where students could donate their loose change or pick up a cup

to pass around in their classes and collect money.

Smith said IJM does not have a specific goal in mind, but he has faith in students’ willingness to give.

Students have mixed opinions about being asked for money.

Alan Motes, senior youth and family ministry major from Arlington, said he thinks the students are raising money for worthy causes.

“But I don’t know if the way they go about it is the best way,” he said.

Amy Jo Couchman, sophomore speech pathology major from Boerne, said she has noticed a lot of organizations raising money at the same time, which means students will have less money to give.

Maher Saab, junior political science major from Abilene, volunteered to help IJM collect money from students.

“A lot of people have loose change,” Saab said. “If you get a lot of people giving with what they don’t view as a lot, you end up with a lot.”

E-mail Lucado at: optimist@acu.edu

lence, Sapp said she wants to let students know about volunteer opportunities at Noah Project. She said she thinks many people do not volunteer there because they do not know what Noah Project is.

Sapp said she thinks most students have the ability to minister to people who have been involved in family or dating violence.

“Whether we’ve been through a car accident or a death in the family or just a bad test grade, we’ve all been through hard times, and we’ve all appreciated someone who’s uplifted us, who’s just been there for us,” Sapp said.

Noah Project needs volunteers to answer the crisis

hotline, the 24-hour number that abuse victims can call, Patton said. He said anyone, male or female, can volunteer for the hotline.

All volunteers go through an “extensive training program to make sure they are ready, willing and equipped to handle the crisis hotline,” Patton said.

Sapp said she has begun to view this as more than just a class project.

“If you’re going to have to do a project anyway, why not pick something you’re really passionate about?” she said. “We decided to fully take it on and run with it.”

E-mail Anderson at: optimist@acu.edu

Children need gifts for holiday n Adopt-an-angel program allows children from low-income homes to enjoy Christmas and receive gifts they need and want, which are provided by students.

By LAUREN SUTTON Student Reporter

Students have an opportunity to provide Christmas presents for children of lowincome families this holiday season by adopting an angel.

Adopt-an-Angel is a program put on by the Service Action Leadership Team that allows students to buy needed items for children of lowincome families in Abilene in hopes of brightening their Christmas season.

“I know personally what it is like to struggle through the holidays,” said Rachel Klick, senior broadcast journalism major from Haltom City. “It is so amazing to know that there are people out there who care and will spend some extra time and money to make sure you have a good Christmas.”

The Adopt-an-Angel program works with Wildcat Kids and Treadaway Kids.

Parents of children involved in these organization fill out information sheets to indicate what their children need and want for Christmas.

Students can sponsor children by taking one of their information sheets at the Adopt-an-Angel table in the

Campus Center. Students have until 2:30 p.m. Friday to sponsor a child.

Klick, the chair of the SALT Christmas committee, encouraged students to buy the presents on the needs list of the children’s information sheet. She said to then return the presents unwrapped and labeled with the child’s name on them.

“Yesterday all the angels that we had were adopted,” Klick said.

Klick said that she has been receiving the children’s information sheets slowly, but she hopes that students will continue to be supportive of the Adopt-an-Angel program. In previous years, students have adopted as many as 100 angels.

Whitney Loveland, sophomore undeclared major from Weatherford, said she hopes students will take advantage of this opportunity.

“Get a big group together and share a child,” Loveland said. “Everyone’s tight on money around Christmas but be creative.”

“We have so many opportunities to give back,” Klick said. “This is different because you are not just giving money, but you are actually seeing what these kids are like … It’s a blessing to give back in that way.”

E-mail Sutton at: optimist@acu.edu

Page 6

November 18, 2005

Thanksgiving blessings from Editorial Board The issue:

Thanksgiving is a time of increased awareness of blessings. Often, people only remember to be thankful during Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Our view:

The Editorial Board hopes that Thanksgiving doesn’t bring students’ attention to their blessings, rather simply enhance their constant awareness of what they have.

Students should be thankful all year.

Thanksgiving is a time of surplus nostalgia and thankfulness; a time that brings people’s attention to aspects of their lives they often fail to remember. Although one should be thankful all year, the inevitability of an increased awareness of blessings is to be expected. The Editorial Board members have decided to share with you what they are thankful for in the midst of their busy lives: Sarah Carlson, arts editor: I’m thankful for my parents, the most self-sacrificing and hardworking people I know.

They’ve given up an enormous amount to put my brother and me through school, and I’ll

never stop appreciating them and using what they have instilled in me to succeed in life. While I’m thanking people who’ve kept me in school, I’d be remiss not to thank Darrell Horn, my financial aid adviser.

Darrell, when I’m famous, I’m buying you a car.

Mitch Holt, opinion editor: I am thankful for people who serve in silence — the ones we don’t hear about but would miss if they weren’t around. I am thankful for my family — Stephen, Chrissy, Mom and Dad. Their support has never been whimsical, departed or inconsistent. I am thankful for the opportunity to attend college, the freedom

I have in Christ and the blessings that come with that.

Brian Schmidt, chief photographer: I am greatly thankful for the many opportunities and blessings that God has bestowed upon me while at ACU. Not only have I been able to begin a career that I absolutely love, I have been blessed with some amazing friends, even some who aren’t on the Optimist staff. Being the chief photographer has been a blessing that has brought me great joy and has helped me to get through the many tough times that college brings.

Jaci Schneider, copy editor: I am thankful for the memories I’ve made in the

past years. Whether cutting up snowflakes with my roommates for Christmas, having my pants stolen in a hostel in Belgium or swimming in the ocean during a rainstorm in Galveston, I wouldn’t trade the fun times I’ve had with my friends for any amount of money. My friends have made my college experience unforgettable and priceless.

Mallory Sherwood, managing editor: I am thankful for my little brother, who is a freshman this year. It’s funny how spending a few years apart after so many together can draw two people closer, and that happened with us. I am thankful that he attends school

Turkey Day football ends in win, glory

Cole Williams

Let Loose

Thanksgiving long ranks as and the like. Nothing worked. my second favorite day of the But one year we broke year, surpassed only by the in- through. comparable Christmas. NothAfter years of torment, ing beats the tide turned. Kevin, now u n w r a p - in his early 20s, couldn’t run ping pres- 20 yards without needing a ents, but breather. He stopped play so football and many times in the historic food come game I thought we had TV close. timeouts or something. Tony, One tur- a year older than Kevin, wasn’t key day really into getting dirty playm e m o r y ing football anymore.

Gray stands head They were ripe for picking, Matters and wattles and Andy and I were ready to Warren above the pounce. Andy was always the r e s t — a sports buff of the family, but, Gray memory of now as a high schooler, I was triumph and right of passage. beginning to catch up as far as When I was younger, my sports enthusiasm went. Kevin family liked to uphold a few and Tony didn’t care much for traditions every year. The sports anymore, so Andy and menu always included spiral- I capitalized on pure knowlcut ham, green bean casserole, edge. Also, I was now the only cheese dip and orange juice one in high school athletics, pies, and my three older male further aiding our cause. cousins and I always played The game went back and football. forth, and at These tradihalftime we tions fell apart even had to Regardless of the as the cousins change lofinal score, Andy grew older. cation.

Our and I knew who The Thanksgrandparents’ giving dinner yard was no actually won. table turned longer able to Thanksgiving into a booth at contain the football died the Black Eyed competition, gloriously that day. so we headed Pea, and two of the cousins to the park. outgrew footThere, Andy ball. But before that, Tony and and I prevailed in one of those Kevin always won. whoever-has-the-ball-last Except for one time. battles. And yes, victory was As the youngest, I was al- sweet. ways teamed up with the oldNow, Tony and Kevin will est cousin, Andy, who couldn’t probably tell you they won the use his right hand because of game. Kevin made a couple cerebral palsy. It seemed fair of bogus pass interference to have the oldest join forces calls (it was within five yards, with the youngest, but in this so there can’t be pass intercase, the match-up just didn’t ference, further proof of my work. superior knowledge). I think Tony and Kevin were both the two teams may have entermuch more athletic than I, tained different ideas of where which allowed for inevitable the end zones actually were. competition problems beBut regardless of the final cause I was forced to guard score, Andy and I knew who one of them. And, Tony was actually won. And, deep down, playing high school football at I bet Tony and Kevin knew, the time. too. Thanksgiving football Andy and I tried everything: died that day. But it went out elaborate zone coverage — in a blaze of glory. which is tough to accomplish E-mail Gray at: with only two people — a five weg02a@acu.edu, optimist@acu.edu Mississippi rush, trick plays

Thanksgiving evokes bittersweet memories The Thanksgiving that changed my life came in 2000.

Five years ago today on the rainy, bleak Saturday before Thanksgiving, I went to the grocery store to buy curlenhancing shampoo and red lipstick and stood behind an old man in line, I am the listening as he Enemy told me about days gone by.

Sarah I left with Carlson a smile on my face, but, when I arrived home, it quickly faded. I learned my best friend, Katie, had been in a car accident, and my father had rushed to her house to take care of her siblings while her mother went to the hospital. Soon, the call came: Katie was dead at age 16.

Hours later, when my youth minister was leaving my house and asked what song I would like sung at church the next day, I recommended It is Well (With My Soul), a favorite of Katie’s and mine.

I couldn’t sing a note of the song while the congregation sang It is Well the next day, or

I had witnessed the tragic loss of life, unfair and incomplete, as I said goodbye to a girl whose life had barely begun. when my brother led it two days later at her graveside.

We buried her two days before Thanksgiving on a crisp, bright morning during my junior year of high school. The sky was bluer than normal, and the world seemed almost wrong to appear so beautiful on the day of a funeral.

Then Thursday, my family made the trip to my grandmother’s, where the extended family had been told of my loss, but no one really commented on it, save one of my cousins.

After lunch, we all headed to the nursing home where my great grandmother was living.

At 94 years old, Ruth Tabitha Fitzgerald was older than Oklahoma, where she was born, only it was still Indian Territory at the time. Half Comanche, Gee Gee, as we call her, had lived a full life; her body was slowly giving out on her, but her spirit still lived.

When the family arrived at her room, sterile yet odor-filled, Gee Gee asked us to sing for her.

Well, we wouldn’t be a normal Church of Christ family without

someone having a pitch pipe and several copies of Great Songs of the Church in the back seat of the car, so we readily obliged.

She asked for her favorite song, How Great Thou Art. As we — brother, parents, grandparents, aunt, cousins and their spouses — sang, Gee Gee closed her eyes and raised her feeble hands in the air.

I had been in a state of shock since Katie’s funeral, but I began to cry as I considered the paradoxical nature of the two situations I had experienced during the past six days.

I had witnessed the tragic loss of life, unfair and incomplete, as I said goodbye to a girl whose life had barely begun. But, I had also seen the continuation of life in a woman who had experienced almost a century of change.

Two powerful hymns were sung and connected my experiences in so rich a way that I can’t distance the songs from the feelings. As I sat at the table that Thanksgiving, attempting a brave face while passing the mashed potatoes and cranberry

here and for his friendship that often comes in the form of needing to do laundry, wanting a home-cooked meal, needing to be bailed out of debt or giving giant bear hugs and for the unique personality he has.

Happy Thanksgiving, John.

Jonathan Smith, editor in chief: I’m thankful for seven hours of course work in the spring, so I can spend more time during my final semester with the people I care about instead of reading a textbook or stressing about a project. The memories I have with them will stay with me much longer than many of the facts and concepts I’ll cram into my head before finals week.

sauce, finding something to be thankful for was a long shot.

Nevertheless, I found comfort in the tradition of faith passed down to me and, somehow, saw how beautiful both situations were.

Although much of that week was a blur, the moments spent singing in complete despair and in hopeful praise have stayed with me. Every time I hear It Is Well, I’m reminded of Katie.

Gee Gee is still going at 98, almost 99, and Katie has been dead five years. I’ve gone through milestones of high school graduation, turning 18, then 21 and now, coming in May, graduation from college — all things she never got to do.

My life was changed one sunny Thanksgiving, but through the years, the ability to say “It is well” no matter the situation and praising the sovereignty of God in both life and death has been a lesson hard learned.

The man in the grocery store line told me that what he had learned about life was that people are generally good, and life is worth living no matter what. Despite everything, I can’t help but agree with him.

E-mail Carlson at: skc02a@acu.edu, optimist@acu.edu

Chapel ‘discussion’ shows why many non-Christians don’t attend church Chapel made me angry. Usually, I’m not too passionate about the subject being spoken about in Chapel, but all that changed Thursday. The topic of discussion was the way Christians should treat the homeless.

Students stated their opinions about what Christians should do, but one student had a different opinion. He said he thought the homeless should

Re: A discussion in Thursday’s Chapel about how Christians should treat the homeless help themselves, and if they really wanted to, they could get out their situation and make life better for themselves.

Did I agree with this? No. Is this what made me so

mad? No, again.

What made me mad was the way the leader of the forum responded to the student’s answer. The leader of the discussion ridiculed the student for not loving the homeless and said, “I feel sorry for you,” and, “I’ll be praying for you.”

This began a gang-up on the student, who I’m sure was probably sorry he ever participated in this “open” forum. One stu-

dent even made the implication that, “God was going to take away what he has given you.”

Wow. I’m pretty sure stating your opinion and then having God take away everything he has given you is a pretty solid case of “the punishment not fitting the crime.”

Although I didn’t agree with the student, I was glad he voiced his opinion because that is what forums are for. But, in-

stead of having an intelligent conversation about his opinion, the leader decided to publicly humiliate him in front of everyone.

This didn’t show me how wrong the student was and how right the leader was, but it showed me why many people don’t come to church. I wouldn’t come to church if I knew the preacher would berate me in front of the congregation for

Editorial and letter policy Unsigned editorials are the opinions of the Optimist and may not necessarily reflect the views of the university or its administration.

Signed columns, cartoons and letters are the opinions of their creators and may not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the Optimist or the university.

The Optimist encourages reader response through letters to the editor but reserves the right to limit frequent contributors or to refuse to print letters containing personal

attacks, obscenity, defamation, erroneous information or invasion of privacy.

Please limit letters to 350 words or fewer. A name and phone number must be included for verification purposes. Phone numbers will not be published.

Address letters to: ACU Box 27892 Abilene, TX 79699 E-mail letters to: optimist@acu.edu

having a different opinion.

I can see why non-Christians usually want nothing to do with church. Why would you want to go somewhere where ideas are shoved down your throat, and you get shunned when you have a difference of opinion?

I wouldn’t, but that’s just my opinion.

Luke Harris junior journalism major from Plano

Editorial and Management Board

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November 18, 2005 Box Office Figures for the weekend of November 11-13, in millions. Total grosses in parenthesis.

1. Chicken Little — $31.7 ($80.4) 2. Zathura — $13.4 (new) 3. Derailed — $12.2 (new) 4. Get Rick or Die Tryin’ — $12 ($37.7) 5. Jarhead — $11.7 ($46.5) 6. Saw II — $9.1 ($73.9) 7. The Legend of Zorro — $6.4 ($39.3) 8. Prime — $3.9 ($18.9) 9. Dreamer— $3.7 ($28.9) 10. Pride and Prejudice — $2.9 (new)

Today’s Movies Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (PG13) — starring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Ralph Fiennes, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman; directed by Mike Newell.

In the fourth installment of the Harry Potter series, Harry’s growing up and must once again face Lord Voldemort, the dark wizard who’s tried to kill him several times. The plot mainly revolves around the Triwizard Tournament between Hogwarts and two other wizarding schools, not to mention the return of Voldemort and his Death Eaters. If this doesn’t make sense to you, read the books.

With the help of a British director, Newell, Goblet of Fire appears to be the darkest and best movie of the series yet. Because times in the wizarding world are growing more dangerous, the subject matter is darker and the film garnered a PG-13 rating.

‘New York Times’ BestSeller List, Fiction Numbers indicate: current position, last week’s position and total weeks on the list.

1/1/2 Predator, by Patricia Cornwell 2/2/3 At First Sight, by Nicholas Sparks 3/3/2 The Camel Club, by David Baldacci 4/-/1 Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt, by Anne Rice 5/4/2 Toxic Bachelors, by Danielle Steel 6/5/4 Knife of Dreams, by Robert Jordan 7/-/1 Ordinary Heroes, by Scott Turow 8/6/5 The Lincoln Lawyer,

by Michael Connelly 9/7/5 Consent to Kill, by Vince Flynn 10/-/137 The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown

Page 7

Phoenix brings Man in Black to life in ‘Line’ Walk the Line PPP 1/2 n Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Ginnifer Goodwin, Robert Patrick. Directed

by James Mangold.

Rated PG-13 (for some language, thematic material and depiction of drug dependency)

By SARAH CARLSON Arts Editor

At Johnny Cash’s funeral in September 2003, actor Joaquin Phoenix shared a few words with Cash’s son, John Carter Cash. Phoenix was already set to star as the Man in Black in a biopic of his life, which Carter Cash would be the executive producer of, and Cash was reportedly thrilled to have Phoenix portray him because he was a fan of one of his films, Gladiator.

Phoenix never met Cash face to face, but with the blessing of the legendary musician, had enormous shoes to fill to bring Cash’s story to the screen.

Walk the Line succeeds in telling the story of a southern boy, growing up in poverty and estranged from his father, constantly trying to prove to those closest to him that he had talent and could succeed. A man of deep faith, Cash has inspired millions with his truthful words spun to the tune of perseverance, hope and, above all, redemption. What was key to Cash’s music is key to the film, and the theme of redemption carries the show.

While picking cotton in 1940s Arkansas alongside his family, Cash learned to sing with the help of his mother, who would begin a hymn to make the day go faster or change the subject when her husband became angry for whatever reason. At night, he’d sit by the radio listening to country music singers such as the Carter family, with his favorite being the youngest Carter daughter, June.

Cash wasn’t the good son; his brother, Jack, was set to be a preacher and was the family favorite. A tragic accident soon pulled the family apart, with Cash growing up wondering

Ratings Key Excellent PPPP Good PPP Fair PP Poor P

how he, the bad son, could accomplish anything or make his father proud.

The story then follows Cash through his service in the Air Force, the first years of his marriage to Vivian Liberto in Memphis, Tenn., and the formation of his band — Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two. In 1955, the band auditioned for Sam Phillips at Sun Records in Memphis, Elvis’ label, with gospel music, but Phillips didn’t bite.

He said the country had heard the same gospel songs before, played in the same way.

What Cash needed to do was go beyond the hymns he had grown up learning and search for a song that would evoke deeper meanings, the kind of song you’d sing with your last breath that would represent your time on earth.

Faced with the challenge, Cash sang a song he wrote while on tour with the Air Force in Germany, Folsom Prison Blues, a song about a prison he’d learned about in a movie.

Cash and his band were signed and recorded a record that day, beginning their careers and the long road ahead.

Folsom Prison Blues epitomizes Cash’s sympathy for and connection with the everyman, the hard workers and the sinners. Unlike the conservative Christians of the day, Cash saw the need to reach out to those who’d lost their way or had a hard time staying on track, a firm belief that won him countless fans.

While on tour, Cash finally met June Carter, whom he’d admired since childhood. Both are married, though unhappily, and Cash immediately falls for her. Walk the Line chronicles the couple’s life together, through their respective rocky marriages and divorces. Cash’s wife, Vivian, was never fully supportive of his career because his touring took him

away from his family, not to mention the fact that she could detect his attraction to June, who was now touring alongside Cash. Vivian demands his full attention at home and doesn’t want him discussing anything related to his tours or music.

The demands from his wife and unrequited affection for June prove too much, and Cash turns to other women, alcohol and drugs to fill the void.

June is the strength Cash never had, the good that was in his brother Jack that he had longed for. When Cash is at the pit of his addiction and desperation, June ultimately remains by his side. He’s thrown in jail for his drug use, Vivian leaves him and his band mates leave him to solve his own problems.

He stumbles through a stoned stupor for years until, finally, June decides to help him.

After years of recording and touring, Cash gets clean of his addictions and is ready to record again; this time, for a crowd he knows will support him no matter what. In 1968, he walked into Columbia Records, which he signed to not long after his initial success, and told his producers he wanted to record a live album at the Folsom Prison.

They thought he was crazy for wanting to play for that crowd, thinking it wouldn’t sell and that it wasn’t Christian. Cash’s reply was that if someone didn’t want to reach out to the inmates of Folsom, then it was they who weren’t Christian.

He’d received countless letters from inmates over the years, each thanking him for his music and describing how they felt a connection with his songs. The people who stood by him were the people who’d been through the same struggles Cash had. All were looking for a bit of understanding and, ultimately, redemption.

Walk the Line is conventional at times and will unfortunately be likened to Ray, last year’s biopic of Ray Charles. Both films deal with a legendary musician who struggles with infidelity and addiction in their earlier years, and both have wrap end-

Photo courtesy of www.rottentomatoes.com

Johnny Cash (Joaquin Phoenix, left) and June Carter (Reese Witherspoon, right) on stage in Walk the Line, now in theaters. ings where words appear on screen describing the artist’s accomplishments. Unlike Ray, though, Walk the Line does a better job of humanizing the title character. The audience understands Cash’s struggles, regardless if they agree with his actions or not.

Cash’s and June’s music is spread throughout the film, sometimes with performances of an entire song. You’ll find your feet tapping during several of the numbers, and fans of Cash should be pleased with Phoenix, who sings Cash’s songs throughout. Witherspoon sings in the film as well, touches that add to the believability of the film. Phoenix’s impersonation of Cash is impressive, as is his vocal ability to hit Cash’s deep baritone.

Tributes to country music and the early years of rock ‘n’ roll are also thrown in the mix,

with Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison represented, all of whom toured with Cash. One scene shows Cash with a young Waylon Jennings, played by Shooter Jennings, Waylon’s son. Waylon Payne, Waylon Jennings’ godson and the son of one of Willie Nelson’s guitarists, plays Jerry Lee Lewis. The film is not only a tribute to Cash’s life and music, but also to the music of his generation.

Phoenix and Witherspoon carry the film well, and Phoenix will no doubt receive award nominations for his portrayal.

Walk the Line is a memorable film about a legendary man, and if you don’t already own a Johnny Cash album, after seeing the film you’ll likely go out and buy one.

E-mail Carlson at: skc02a@acu.edu

Casting Crowns to perform in Moody in April n The Christian band will perform in Moody Coliseum at 7 p.m. April 27 as a stop on their The Lifesong Tour, named after their recently released album.

By DENTON JOSEY Student Reporter

Casting Crowns, a platinum-selling Atlanta-based Christian band, is scheduled to perform in Moody Coliseum.

The seven-piece band will play at 7 p.m. April 24.

The tour, entitled The Lifesong Tour, is named after Casting Crowns’ recently released album, which has been highly successful in the Chris-

tian market.

The fall leg of the tour will visit 38 cities between Sept. 29 and Dec. 4 before it resumes again in the spring.

Lifesong is a follow up to Casting Crowns’ self-titled debut CD that sold more than a million copies and featured the hit single, “If We Are The Body.” The band also won seven Dove Awards, Gospel music’s most prestigious awards, in 2005.

As a part of Casting Crowns’ Lifesong Tour, fellow Christian musicians Nichole Nordeman and Josh Bates will open.

Nichole Nordeman is an eight-time Dove Award winner from Dallas, and Josh Bates is

a new artist from Kentucky.

His debut album is titled Perfect Day. Also featured will be inspirational speaker Tony Nolan.

Billy Smith, senior marketing major from San Antonio and Campus Activities student intern, said the Campus Activities Board brought in the “Imagine Tour” with MercyMe, Amy Grant, and Bebo Norman in the spring of 2004, and last spring brought in Shane and Shane.

The decision to bring in Casting Crowns was based on the band’s reputation for being popular with many crowds.

“Casting Crowns’ new single “Lifesong” has been

on Billboard’s hot Christian singles chart for 16 weeks,” Smith said in an e-mail. “Their first CD went platinum, and since the release of their first CD, has been a favorite of all ages.”

Smith also said that there is a “very high possibility of a sell-out.”

Laura Gronberg, sophomore English major from Overland Park, Kan., is a fan of Casting Crowns.

“I like to listen to them, so that I can relax and have a little praise music at the same time,” Gronberg said.

Gronberg plans to attend the concert in April.

“That’s awesome,” Gron-

berg said. “I will definitely hit that up.”

Casting Crowns is lead by Mark Hall, who was a youth minister for 12 years before Casting Crowns was signed to Reunion Records in 2003.

Tickets are not yet being sold, but will be available at www.itickets.com/ events/131165.html.

Admission for students or groups of 10 or more is $14.50. Upper General Admission seating is $19.50, Lower General Admission is $27.50, and Artist Circle tickets are $40.

E-mail Josey at: optimist@acu.edu

FROM THE FRONT PAGE

Page 8

Friday, November 18, 2005

Thanksgiving: Students stay, spend holiday serving Continued from page 1 things on their minds.

Bryan Harrell, sophomore electronic media major from Fort Worth said, “This Thanksgiving I am gong home to watch the Cowboys win!”

Demetria Thomas, senior history major from Charleston, S.C., like many students, would like to go home but can’t go because of the expensive airline prices.

“I am just going to stay here for the holiday and catch up on sleep and my schoolwork.”

Thompson

said. “I would love to go home but airline fares are outrageous!”

Thompson is not the only one who will spend Thanksgiving in Abilene.

Adrian Tan, junior marketing major from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia said, “I am just going to chill out in Abilene, it nothing special.”

For students staying in Abilene for Thanksgiving several service opportunities will be available around the community, such as serving food for free community meals for the Thanksgiving Holiday.

“These are people who normally would have nothing to feed their families, and not only are we giving them food, but a kind word and warm smile.”

Betsy Noah, junior marketing major from Midland

Students going home for the holiday had an opportunity to do their Thanksgiving community service early.

Students collected donations and will personally deliver Thanksgiving meals for families in need who have children at nearby Taylor Elementary School.

The Service Action and

Leadership Team and students in University Seminar classes and others on campus student organizations coordinated the project, which has taken place for the past four years.

The meals are delivered by members of SALT and U-100 classes the Monday evening before Thanksgiv-

ing. In 2004, 64 meals were provided to the community at the cost of nearly $3,000, according to a recent ACU news release.

“Delivering Thanksgiving meals to these families is such an incredible way to show love of Christ,” said Betsy Noah, junior marketing major from Midland.

“These are people who normally would have nothing to feed their families, and not only are we giving them food, but a kind word and warm smile.

Emerald McGowan/Chief Photographer

J.B. Underwood and Doug Wayhurst at Batjer and Associates work on the renovation of the library Thursday.

SA: Committee created to discuss curriculum requirements, such as requiring band members to take a fine arts credit and athletes to participate in exercise science courses.

Although Carlson said she thought some issues brought up in the resolution were debatable and perhaps not her viewpoint, she also thought it important that the resolution be in good condition when Congress voted.

Speaking against members of Congress who wanted to use the resolution to support cutting core courses they consider overkill, sophomore Sen. Matt Greenberg said the

so adopting this can’t change anything,” he said.

Agreeing that SA needs to have a presence in the curriculum revamping process, junior Sen. Lauren Hart wrote an amendment requiring Congress to create a temporary committee specifically charged with communicating with the faculty and administrators working on the curriculum.

The administrative relations committee usual communicates with the administration, said vice president Melanie Booker, so Congress would not have to create short-term committees.

However, freshman Sen.

Kelline Linton, member of the administrative relations committee, said her committee was already overworked.

“I don’t think administrative relations would be able to give it the time it needed,” Linton said.

Congress passed the amendment with 24 in favor and 15 against, forming the short-term committee.

In other business, president Justin Scott nominated Nicholas Dyer to be representative of Morris Hall, and Congress approved his nomination.

E-mail Taylor at: tat04a@acu.edu

Abroad: Office raising awareness of Uruguay Continued from page 1 ends and a 10-day spring break.

“Travel is so easy and cheap,” Chill said. She said she went on weekend trip to Argentina for a total cost of $150.

Martin Walker, junior psychology major from Abilene, studied in Montevideo in the summer of 2005.

He said those students with reservations about their Spanish-speaking skills do not need to worry.

Graham agreed.

“You’ll pick up on restaurant talk and bus talk real fast,” she said.

Study Abroad is working toward spreading information about studying in Uruguay.

“People just don’t know

where it is,” said Stephen Shewmaker, assistant director of the Center of International and Intercultural Affairs.

He said the lack of participation in the program does not hurt it financially but is “not where we want to be numbers wise.”

Shewmaker said the Study Abroad office is in the midst of a five-year “strategic vision” to get the word out about Uruguay. The five-year vision began 18 months ago with a reorganization of staff in the office.

He said part of this plan is focusing on those students not yet at ACU. Every incoming transfer student or freshman now receives a Study Abroad pamphlet that informs them of the university’s programs in Oxford and

Uruguay. The prospective students also receive a postcard in the mail signed by students currently studying abroad.

The plan also focuses on non-students.

“We’re raising awareness by bringing faculty who’ve never been,” Shewmaker said.

Dr. Royce Money, president of the university, and his wife, Pam Money, went to Montevideo last May for one week, and Dr. Charles Mattis, dean of the First-Year program, will go in December.

Shewmaker said by informing the faculty that is here indefinitely, students will learn what Montevideo is really like.

“More and more people are learning about Montevideo,” he said. “The interest is rising.”

Students interested in the

Veterans Association: Thanksgiving meal; Civic Center, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

Salvation Army: Thanksgiving meal; 1726 Butternut St., Noon-1:30 p.m.

E-mail Spence-Morrow at: optimist@acu.edu

Continued from page 1

resolution was “cheerleader legislation,” serving little actual purpose.

Greenberg said fine art and exercise science credits provide a different form of learning than band or a sports team because students are given a grade in the classroom, while students are not given that type of evaluation as part of a group or team.

Foster Science Building Rep. Christopher Smith said the purpose of the resolution was to get Congress involved in the curriculum changing process, not make actual changes.

“The Students’ Association can’t change curriculum,

City of Light Ministries: Thanksgiving Breakfast; 336 Hickory St., 9-11 a.m.

Sing Song: Classes revisit past acts

Putting in a full day’s work

Continued from page 1

Thanksgiving Service Opportunities

program can visit the Center for International and Intercultural Education office in the Hardin Administration Building, Room 124. A $100 application fee is required, and the Study Abroad fee is $3,500.

The Study Abroad program in Oxford is already full for the spring, and about 20 students have already signed up for next fall, said Kevin Kehl, director for the center of international and intercultural education.

Kehl said he anticipates that the fall in Oxford will be filled to capacity as well. Kehl said a waiting list will probably be available for the fall, but with the spring semester so close, there is no longer a waiting list for next semester.

E-mail the reporters at: optimist@acu.edu

ing no matter how many people participate or how list of themes each class much work we put it in,” has done in the past. Woods said.

Massey said he was pleased The junior class will not with the final decisions. hold tryouts for Sing Song, “Everything I’ve seen is but the class has an interentertaining and a lot of est meeting scheduled for fun,” Massey said. “People Sunday at 2 p.m. in the Livwill enjoy both the show ing Room of the Campus and how it accesses the Center. Woods said the past.” meeting would be for any Although they decid- junior even slightly intered to reintroduce past ested. themes so the audience “We want to get a feel could learn about the his- for what the junior class tory of Sing Song, Massey wants to do with the show said each class act would and how many people are be approached in a new interested,” Woods said. and creative way.

“Whether they want to do The freshman class and a goofy show or a quality directors Hannah Ander- show, we need to know so son, elthat we can ementary all plan and e d u c a add input.” tion maAnderson “People will enjoy both jor from and Spires, the show and how it W a c o , directors of accesses the past.” and Jamie the freshSpires, unman class, Kendall Massey, director of declared said they student productions m a j o r chose The from ArWizard of lington, Oz because will perit best fit form The plans they Wizard of Oz themed act already made for the act from 1971. and also because it was The sophomore class the first Sing Song act to and directors Kimberly include choreography.

Powell, accounting maAuditions for the freshjor from Franklin, Tenn., man class act were Tuesand Ryan Rampton, music day and Wednesday, and education major from Na- the directors both said perville, Ill., will lead their they felt overwhelmed by class in a performance of the response from their Superman from 1969. talented classmates.

The junior class and diAnderson said they are rectors Evan Woods, mu- forced to cut people who, sic education major from under other circumstancFleming, Ohio, and Brenna es, would easily make the Schartz, interdisciplinary show, to stay under the studies major from Fort 110-person limit. AnderWorth, will perform Noah’s son and Spires said they Ark from 1991. made the first cut on good And the senior class Sing Song faces, crisp moand director Kasey Spain, tions and vocal talents. art major from Southlake, The second cut was made will perform Star Wars on blend of voices. from 1984.

“We had a hard time seWoods, director for lecting because everyone the junior class, said they is just so talented,” Spires chose the Noah’s Ark said. “Our decisions were theme because the junior a lot of Hannah crying as class has a reputation for we cut someone and me not putting very much yelling, ‘Hannah, get it towork into their Sing Song gether!’” act.

“We wanted a theme E-mail McGowan at: optimist@acu.edu that would be entertain-

SPORTS JUMPS

Friday, November 18, 2005

National: NCAA Championships Continued from page 10 injured his Achilles during the Lone Star Conference Championships, will scout out the course Friday and should be able to compete for the Wildcats on Saturday. O’Kello’s ankle, Hood said, should not be a hindrance to him competing Saturday.

If Hadebe is not able to compete or does not finish well Saturday, Hood said he expects freshman Alberic Nkurunziza to step up and run in his place.

“That’s a pretty good little insurance policy,” Hood said.

“Lucky is now our sixth or seventh man — we just hope he’ll pull something out of a hat for us.”

Hood said the women’s team, competing on a national stage for the first time since 1995, is ready for the challenges it will face Saturday.

“They’re about as prepared as I think we could be,” Hood said. “We had two blazing workouts last week. They were short in quantity, but the quality was just great. I think they’re peaking right when we need them to.”

The women’s team will feature three of the nation’s best

near the front of the pack in the six-kilometer race. Senior Trina Cox, senior Adeh Mwamba and sophomore Olha Kryv’yak finished 1-2-3 at the South Central Region Championships on Nov. 5, and Hood said his goal for the trio is to finish in the top-10 at the national meet.

“That’s a pretty tall order, considering it’s the national meet,” Hood said of his goal, “but after watching the workouts last week and them competing at South Central, I think it’s a possibility.”

Like in the South Central Region Championships, the deciding factor in how the team places will be the performances of the Wildcats’ fourth and fifth runners. Freshman Mary Mwangi and senior Abbie Waters stepped up at the region meet and helped clinch ACU’s trip to the national meet, but they will need to run even better Saturday.

“If we can finish in the top10 — considering last time they went they finished 17th — that would be very respectable,” Hood said. “That would, I guess, justify the training and all the effort they put in this season.”

Naimadu has his sights set

high for the men’s team, which will face top-ranked and perennial powerhouses Adams State (Colo.) and Western State (Colo.), along with No. 3 Chico State.

“We are fairly trained enough,” Naimadu said, “and I hope that what we have been doing since the beginning of the semester, Saturday is the day we are going to pay for it.

We hope that we can get, if not first, second.”

Sitting in the locker room after speaking at Wednesday’s team meeting, Hood sat back and sighed again. He said he would be happy with his first season, no matter how Saturday’s results turn out.

“Either way, it’s a blast,” Hood said. “I’m having a great time, especially here at Abilene Christian. I’m really enjoying working with the wide variety of athletes we have here at ACU.” The NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championships will begin with the women’s race at 11 a.m., followed by the men’s race at noon, at Prado Park in Chino, Calif.

E-mail Holt at: smh00a@acu.edu

Women: Road to playoffs Continued from page 10 “We have a lost of people who are willing to put in the work that it takes in order for us to be successful,” Lavender said. “These girls have a lot of high expectations for themselves; all they need to worry about are these 13 players.”

The Wildcats are also quick to point out that while they expect great things this season, their focus is on a day-to-day, game-by-game approach.

“I’m a firm believer that if you start looking down the road then you forget about the little things that you have to do along the way to get there,” Lavender said. Lavender said one of the things she and her assistant coaches preach during practice is the question: “What are you going to do every day in practice to help your teammate succeed?”

“If we take care of what’s on the road today, then we’ll get the results we want,” Lavender said.

Boles-Lord returns as the leading score in the LSC South Division. The 6-foot-1 center averaged 13.9 points a game and was named the preseason MVP this year.

With the division MVP title, Boles-Lord said games aren’t more difficult because of teams keying on her.

“It makes it more fun,” Boles-

Lord said. “Just knowing that I have my teammates to back me up, even if the other team decides to double down on me, I have great 3-point shooters to pass it back out to.”

Joining Boles-Lord are two starting guards, who Lavender said can do many things on the court. Sophomore point guard Alex Guiton and senior shooting guard Ashley King will give the Wildcats balance and multiple scoring options. Guiton started at the point as a freshman last year and is expected to step up as a more vocal leader for the team. She averaged 8 points a game and shot 35 percent from 3-point range.

“She’s a great threat as a shooter and a penetrator,” Lavender said about Guiton. “Defensively, she’s so quick that she can guard anyone on the floor.”

“Having a year of experience definitely helps,” Guiton said.

“That helps on the floor and the fact that my teammates trust me; I have no worries or nervousness about this year.”

King, a 3-point threat, holds numerous 3-point records at ACU, including most made in a career, season and best percentage in a season.

“She’s one of those players that just plays hard all the time,” Lavender said about the versatile King. “It’s real hard to keep her off the floor just

because she makes us a better team when she’s on the floor.”

The three returning players who will be competing for a starting position are seniors Kierstan Barbee and Haley Hammond and sophomore Ashlee Barr. Barbee is expected to fill in the 3-guard spot after averaging 9.3 points per game last year. Barr, Hammond and transfers Lacey Blau and Kristee Davidson are battling for playing time in the post, next to Boles-Lord at center.

Lavender said that 6-foot freshman center Audrey Maxwell, an Abilene High graduate, has been impressive thus far.

Maxwell is very athletic in the post and could cause matchup problems for other teams, Lavender said.

“She’s done a great job coming in as a freshman,” Lavender said. “She has to play Jamie every day in practice, and that’s only making her better.”

With the amount of depth Lavender has, she said her plan is to wear opposing teams down and be in better shape for the final five minutes of the game.

The Wildcats first chance to play in front of the home crowd will be Wednesday at 3 p.m. against Northwest Missouri State.

E-mail Fields at: jrf03b@acu.edu

Maniacs: Group aims to emulate Cameron Crazies Continued from page 10 the stadium, doing different things,” Harshman said.

“Section F has been and will continue to be a vital part of the great ACU spirit in Moody Coliseum.”

Harshman is leading the effort to get more students involved in supporting the men’s basketball team.

“My goal is for everyone to know who we are and for the people to look for us at the games,” Harshman said.

The Moody Maniacs, Harshman said, will be “like the Cameron Crazies” of Duke University, known for their passion and wit cheering for the home team and for heckling opposing players and coaches, as well as referees.

“The more rowdy fans we have, the better chance we have at creating a home court advantage and, therefore, wins,” Harshman said. “It’s exciting to me to know that Moody Maniacs will have an input on the outcome of the games. That’s more fun than just sitting back and watching.”

Echoing that sentiment, Director of Athletics Jared Mosley said in an e-mail that when he played for ACU in the ’90s,

student support was high. Fans would paint their faces and get involved in the games.

Mosley said fans like the Moody Maniacs would be great for the team and environment.

“Anytime you can increase attendance and the enthusiasm of the crowd, you can impact a game,” Mosely said. “Players and coaches can really feed off crowd enthusiasm and energy — both positive and negative.”

First year head men’s basketball coach Jason Copeland said he likes the idea of Moody Maniacs.

“Not only would it be great for our team, but also for our school. Having a home court advantage is definitely a plus and we need teams to dread coming in here to play,” Copeland said, Mauro “Blessed” Matai, senior broadcast journalism major from Maputo, Mozambique, is a forward on the basketball team. He said he and the other players play better when the crowd is supportive.

Matai said though he couldn’t complain about the fans from last year, more fans would be better.

“It would help the basketball team a lot,” Matai said. “It’s real good when we have a lot of

fans. It’s no good when the visiting team comes and has more fans.”

Matai encourages students to become Moody Maniacs because of the fresh start the team is getting.

“This year is going to be great — we have a new coach and a new team.”

Though the Moody Maniacs are modeled after the Cameron Crazies, the Maniacs do not plan to cross lines that the Crazies have been known to cross in efforts to heckle opponents.

The Moody Maniacs will be different, Harshman said, because they will use discernment and think through what they will say and do before they do it.

“We want to create energy and pump-up intensity,” Harshman said. “Doing things that reflect well on ACU, not embarrass ACU.” Harshman said people are free to join in with the Moody Maniacs whenever they come to the games and that those wanting to be official Moody Maniacs can still sign up by coming to the Students Association office or by reaching him at 325-7384561 or pdh02a@acu.edu.

E-mail Josey at: optimist@acu.edu

Page 9

Robarts: Football team has promise for 2006 Continued from page 10 of the season, threw for four touchdowns and just more than 600 yards.

Rashon Myles is out of eligibility after two seasons of service at running back, but redshirt-freshman Taber Minner may have established himself as the tailback of the future.

With nearly 600 yards and four touchdowns, Minner showed strong ability to carry the ball after the first hit and highlighted his season with a 158-yard performance and a touchdown against Tarleton State on Oct. 22. The 19-7 win over Tarleton marked the second straight season that the Wildcats upset the nationally ranked Texans on their home field.

The wide outs will take a bit of a hit after losing Rob Spells to graduation; Spells proved to be a deep threat this season with 709 yards, seven touchdowns all on just 27 receptions for 26.3 yards per catch.

However, the Wildcats will return Jerale Badon, one of the top receivers in the conference, who posted 59 catches for 783 yards and four touchdowns and still has two years of eligibility remaining. Not to mention that Minner was second on the team in receptions with 30 and compiled 253 yards and added another touchdown through the air.

Jonathan Ferguson showed signs of being a good deep-ball threat to help fill the shoes of Spells next season, and Andrew Hansen and John Brock will return to the lineup next year to help provide depth at receiver as well.

Perhaps the biggest hole

that seniors will leave in the offense is the offensive line. Charles Mock, a fouryear starter will no longer anchor the left side of the line, and Jeff Thigpen and Josh Lively finished their careers as well after each starting in games this season.

The defense will take a hit next season with the loss of all-American defensive end Clayton Farrell and starters Mark Malunowe (DE), DeShun Brown (DE), Matt Allen (LB), and Doug Barnett (DB).

But perhaps the biggest question will be whether defensive back Danieal Manning will return. From what I’ve heard from him, he sounds like he’s coming back; he understands the importance of getting a degree and he wants to help ACU get to the playoffs. The only question is whether he will be able to resist the beckoning of NFL teams and salaries when the calls start to come near draft time in April.

Manning’s statistics this season didn’t quite match the amazing numbers he put up in 2004, although he still had 667 all-purpose yards through special teams, defense and receptions. He scored three touchdowns: one punt return, a kickoff return and an interception return. He had 49 tackles, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and three blocked kicks, but his presence alone caused opposing coaches to re-think their offensive and special teams’ schemes.

The team’s two top tacklers are expected to be back next season. Linebackers Marcus Brown and Cody

Stutts led the team with 89 and 97 tackles respectively.

Brown recorded 9.5 tackles for a loss while Stutts added 4.5 and Stutts added two interceptions as well.

On special teams, once ACU decided to stick with freshman Matt Adams at kicker, it paid off. Adams was named the LSC Special Teams player of the week for his four-field goal performance Oct. 29 against Texas A&M-Kingsville including a 53-yarder that helped ACU beat Kingsville for the second straight year despite its top-10 national ranking. The Wildcats will be in search of a punter next season after Chase Fishback played his last game Saturday.

The bottom line is that ACU put an exciting brand of football on the field this season with a high-powered offense, but if they want to be successful in the future they will need improvements in the secondary and at the linebacker position to keep opponents out of the endzone and to force more turnovers.

It isn’t the reporter’s job to coach, that’s why ACU has a paid staff, and I’m confident that Thomsen and his staff will attempt to make adjustments that will bring improvement to the 2006 squad. The Wildcats have a lot to build on next season; they have some holes to fill and their biggest recruiting job in the off-season will be keeping Manning away from the NFL, but the future could be bright for the program if the right pieces are brought in to help complete the puzzle.

E-mail Robarts at: kdr00c@acu.edu, optimist@acu.edu

Page 10

November 18, 2005 Standings

Men’s Basketball Team Conf. Overall ACU 0-0 1-0 Angelo St. 0-0 0-0 ENMU 0-0 0-0 Midwestern 0-0 0-0 TAMU-C 0-0 0-0 TAMU-K 0-0 0-0

Cross country teams prepare for nationals n The men’s and women’s cross country teams will be competing in the NCAA Division II National Championships this weekend in Pomona, Calif.

Cross Country For the men’s team, Hood is hoping the training was good enough to yield at least a second place finish at Saturday’s NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships in Pomona, Calif., if not the team’s first team championship.

For the women’s team, Hood hopes his training regimen this season produces three all-America runners and the team’s best finish in school history.

Ranked No. 4 nationally in the men’s coaches poll and 20th in the women’s poll, ACU is taking both cross country teams to nationals for the first time since 1995, and

By STEVE HOLT Sports Writer

women’s Basketball Team Div. ACU

0-0 Angelo St. 0-0 ENMU 0-0 Midwestern 0-0 TAMU-C 0-0 TX Woman’s 0-0

Overall 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0 0-0

Scores Friday

Volleyball ACU 3, Texas Woman’s 0

As an orange sun set Wednesday over the last official practice of the season, head cross country coach Derek Hood sat back in his seat and sighed.

Maybe for the first time all season, Hood was in a position of complete surrender, depending completely on the training he had orchestrated for his men and women up to that point in the season, praying it was enough.

Saturday

Monday

Tuesday Men’s Basketball ACU 82, Huston-Tillotson 69

n The women’s basketball team begins the year this weekend in Austin against Incarnate Word and St. Edward’s. ACU is picked to win the LSC South Division.

By JARED FIELDS Sports Editor

Upcoming Schedule Friday

VOlleyball ACU at Central Oklahoma, noon Men’s basketball ACU at Northeastern State, 5 p.m. women’s basketball ACU at Incarnate Word, 2 p.m.

Saturday

VOlleyball NCAA Regional Semifinal, 5 p.m. cross country Women: NCAA Division II Championships, 11 a.m.

Men: NCAA Division II Championships, 11 a.m.

Women’s basketball ACU at St. Edward’s, 6 p.m.

Sunday

VOlleyball NCAA Regional Final, 3 p.m.

• Home games listed in italics

Maniacs bring energy to games n A group of fans is forming to create fan support during basketball games. The Moody Maniacs intend to be similar to Duke University’s Cameron Crazies.

By DENTON JOSEY Student Reporter

This season when people enter Moody Coliseum to watch a men’s basketball game, they will notice a group of students who look more like extras from a Braveheart battle scene than basketball fans but with more purple and basketball motifs.

In an attempt to enhance the efforts of an already effective group, raucous students known as Moody Maniacs will join fans from Section F in Moody, and students can still join the group.

In place of weapons, the maniacs will wear wigs; instead of war banners they will wave homemade signs filled with encouragement for the Wildcats.

“They’ve had a rowdy crowd in Section F for as long as I remember,” said Paul Harshman, junior marketing major from Austin.

“What I’m trying to do with the Moody Maniacs is different from Section F. Moody Maniacs is less of a section and more of a group of rowdy yell leaders that will most likely move around See

MANIACS page 9

about Saturday’s meet is the performance of sophomore Nicodemus Naimadu, who is a heavy favorite to defend his individual national title on the 10-kilometer course.

“I really feel good,” Naimadu said. “If all factors remain constant until we get to the starting line, I think I Kryv’yak will do better than I did last year.”

Hood, who a year ago was coaching at Keller Central High School, said he has been taking his successful first season at ACU in stride.

Back on the prowl

Volleyball ACU 3, Central Oklahoma 0

Men’s Basketball UTEP 82, ACU 53 WoMen’s Basketball ACU 64, Lubbock Christian 59

Hood said he has approached the workouts leading up to Saturday’s race with a calm, low-key attitude.

“At the high school level, I would have every little detail outlined and hold their hands through it,” Hood said.

“Here at the college level, I’m really stepping back and letting Naimadu them try to diffuse the pressure instead of building pressure. There’s going to be enough pressure when we get there.”

Perhaps the closest thing Hood has to a guarantee

A year after advancing to the NCAA II South Central Region Tournament when the women’s basketball team was picked to finish fifth in the South Division, the Wildcats enter the 200506 season as the favorites to win the LSC South Division.

The Wildcats didn’t let last year’s success lead to a settled mood in the locker room. Instead, the team worked harder than years past in preparation for the upcoming season.

“They got a taste of success last year, and I don’t think they’re going to settle for anything less,” said head coach Shawna Lavender.

“We worked really hard

Point Guard

2-Guard

Soph. 5’5” 8.0 ppg 79% FT

Sr. 5’17” 10.2 ppg 34% 3-pt

Women’s Basketball this preseason, just killed ourselves,” said senior center Jamie Boles-Lord. “We’re definitely ready to start taking it out on other people instead of each other.”

Boles-Lord and the team will get that chance Friday and Saturday in Austin against Incarnate Word and St. Edward’s to begin the season.

The Wildcats finished the 2004-05 season with a 2010 overall record, and were third in the LSC South with a 10-4 record.

Seven newcomers are added to the three returning starters, as well as three other contributing players.

The mix of experience and youth will add a great deal of depth to the team. Lavender said she views this year’s squad as one with great potential.

See

WOMEN page 9 3-Guard

Sr. 5’8” 9.3 ppg 80% FT

Fr. 5’11” Cal-Irvine, Ft. Worth Christian HS

brian schmidt/Chief Photographer

Sophomore Ashlee Barr goes under two defenders arms as she goes up for a layup in a scrimmage against LCU on Monday.

King

Guiton

Barbee

Post

Barr Soph. 5’8” 6.7 ppg 36% 3-pt

Davidson Center

Hammond

Boles-Lord

Sr. 5’11” 2.9 ppg 40% FG

Sr. 6’1” 13.9 ppg 55% FG

Maxwell Fr. 6’0” Abilene High School

brian schmidt/Chief Photographer

Senior Ashley King is fouled going toward the basket in the Wildcats final scrimmage before the regular season begins Friday in Austin.

“If you had told me when I was hired that the season would progress like it has, I would have thought I’d be a nervous wreck when nationals rolls around,” Hood said.

“But it’s funny, this past week, everything’s been good. I’ve been relaxed, the team’s been pretty relaxed — everything’s been going as planned.”

Hood might have a couple reasons to be nervous, however, regarding his men’s team.

Senior Lucky Hadebe might not run Saturday because of an inflamed Achilles tendon, and senior Martin O’Kello is walking tenderly on an ankle he sprained last week.

Hood said Hadebe, who See

NATIONAL page 9

Gearing up for the ‘06 football year I don’t know what Chris Thomsen’s expectations for ACU’s football team were in August as he prepared for his first season as head coach.

However, my guess is that no coach hopes or expects for a 4-6 season.

And while Kyle’s a 4-6 seaColumn son isn’t the Kyle worst thing that could Robarts happen to a team in the Lone Star Conference this year, at least five of the losses were winnable games at some point during the contest. And with the talent of the 2005 squad, it’s unfortunate that Thomsen couldn’t swoop right in and connect the broken link that has the program in a 28-year playoff drought.

But even though 2005 may leave a bitter taste in the mouths of the coaching staff, as they couldn’t jump the postseason hurdle, Thomsen should have a lot to look forward to in 2006 and the years to follow.

On the offensive end, he has two capable quarterbacks, Nick Bird and Billy Malone, each with three years left of eligibility. Unless ACU recruits more competition, the pair will probably continue to compete for playing time in the future after splitting snaps most of the season. Malone tossed 14 touchdowns and had just more than 1,750 yards, while Bird who saw most of his playing time at the end See

ROBARTS page 9

Copeland begins with win n First-year head coach Jason Copeland won his first game at ACU on Tuesday, 82-69 agaisnt HustonTillotson. Copeland was an assistant coach at LCU before coming to ACU.

By BRIAN HOLLAND Student Reporter

brian schmidt/Chief Photographer

Junior Will Alexander goes around a Huston-Tillotson player toward the goal in Tuesday’s regular season opener, an 82-69 win.

The Wildcats defeated HustonTillotson to win its season opener 82-69 Tuesday night, giving the Wildcats their fourth straight season-opening win.

The Wildcats went into halftime trailing the visitors 41-38 but jumped all over Huston-Tillotson to outscore the Rams by 16 points in the second half, only allowing the opposing offense 28 points.

Leading the way for the Wildcats was senior center Mauro Matai, who went eight-for-eight from the floor, scoring 21 points in 22 minutes of playing time. Junior guard Tiago Souza was second in scoring with 15 points, shooting 60 percent from the field and 33 percent from the 3-point line,

Men’s Basketball while Cameron Holson, freshman guard, came off the bench to score 13 points and grab 10 rebounds.

Nine Wildcats played 10 minutes or more, which may have resulted from an away game Monday night in El Paso, but more importantly asserted how deep this year’s team is. Contributing to that depth was freshman guard, Cameron Holson.

In Holson’s first collegiate game, he came off the bench and was the only player on the court from either team to score a double-double Tuesday night, contributing to the Wildcats’ depth.

“I feel like we have eight or nine guys who can start,” said head coach Jason Copeland.

Copeland, who is in his first year as head coach of the men’s basketball team, said he was pleased with the win and the way the Wildcats executed on offense and defended well.

However, Copeland was quick to point out the areas he thinks need improvement in the games to come.

“I thought we did everything well except take care of the ball,” Copeland said. “That’s all it boils down to; taking care of the ball.”

The Wildcats surrendered 25 turnovers while still scoring in the 80s, a feat the team failed to accomplish in its two preseason games against North Texas and University of Texas-El Paso.

The Wildcats’ next competition comes in the Russell Marshall Invitational on Friday and Saturday.

The team’s first game features a clash with north-division opponent and conference powerhouse, Northeastern State, which is perfect on the season so far. The game will be in Arkadelphia, Ark. At 5:30 p.m. Friday. As for goals Copeland wants to accomplish in the tournament this weekend, he said: “continue to play better.”

E-mail Holland at: optimist@acu.edu