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Vol. 76 No. 15
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Preview: Fall Commencement
Museum Celebrates 28th Annual Victorian Christmas Stroll
By Jeffrey Palmer Reporter
See more photos page 4 Snowmen scene displayed at the Victorian Christmas Stroll.
By Coryn Doncaster Reporter
Living in warm Florida weather doesn’t mean you can’t fully enjoy the Christmas spirit. The 28th annual Victorian Christmas Stroll is here for the entire University of Tampa community to participate in the festive exhibit right on campus. The Victorian Christmas Stroll began on Dec. 1 in Henry B. Plant Museum. “We’re trying to showcase Christmas past—Christmas as it was when the building was the Tampa Bay Hotel,” said Sally Shifke, museum relations coordinator. Throughout the museum, rooms are being decorated in the atmosphere of a 19th century Christmas. “Every exhibit room has a different tree in it with a different theme,” said Shifke. Something that makes this year’s ex-
Scott Silverstro/ The Minaret
hibit different is that a vintage clothing store in Ybor, LaFrance, has lent clothing to the museum that will be featured on mannequins throughout the rooms. The annual Victorian Christmas Stroll has changed since its first year. “It started out as a candlelight tour, and it was only for three evenings. It grew in popularity, so we changed it to 10 a.m. until 8 p.m., 23 days in a row,” said Shifke. UT students don’t need to worry about admission fees, either. Students can come in for free. Admission includes hot cider and cookies on the verandah. “The Stroll was started really to attract the community to the museum during the holidays, so the museum would become popular with the Tampa community and not just out of town visitors,” said Shifke.
December 11, 2009
Creating a Christmas exhibit is not an easy task. It takes two days just to put up the trees and lights. “UT students actually help us. We start setting up Nov. 16. It takes two days just to put up the trees and lights. It takes another three days to put up decorations and another full day to do the ceilings where fabric and stars will be hanging from,” said Shifke. The exhibit isn’t over until the 23rd, so students still have time to take a break during finals week and see it for themselves. Shifke has a challenge for all of those who choose to visit. “One of the staff people walked around and counted 100 Christmas trees. Sixty-seven are really little ones, and we have a 15-foot tree. I challenge students to find them all.”
Next week, 408 University of Tampa students will graduate. The 2009 winter commencement will take place Dec. 19 at 10 a.m. in the Martinez Sports Center. Dr. Gary S. Luter, recipient of the Louise Loy Hunter Award, director of the UT Honors Program and professor of speech, theatre and dance, will be Luter the event speaker. The Louise Loy Hunter Award is bestowed annually upon a faculty member for cumulative contributions in teaching, service and scholarship, according to Eric Cardenas, director of public information. Traditionally, this award recipient gives the winter commencement address. “I am very honored to have been selected by my peers to receive the Louise Loy Hunter award,” Luter said. Luter will be joined on stage by student speakers Nicolas David Pazmino Mora and Mark Kieslor of the class of ’09. Graduating students must apply for the honor of presenting speeches. These applications are reviewed by a committee which selects the students. Pazmino Mora will introduce the commencement speaker, and Kieslor will give the challenge to graduates. Jeffrey Palmer can be reached at jpalmer@ut.edu.
Keith Bellows Preaches the Importance of World Travel to UT Students By Jeffrey Palmer Reporter
Keith Bellows, editor-in-chief of National Geographic magazine, visited The University of Tampa last Thursday. The event was titled, All the World’s a Classroom, the third in a series of related presentations put on by the Office of International Programs. The event was introduced by John Capouya, UT journalism professor and personal friend of Bellows. “He has made his passion his life’s work,” said Capouya of Bellows. “And that’s something all of us here can think about.” Bellows opened the discussion in
Inside ...
Reeves Theater by asking how many individuals in the audience owned a passport and how many had traveled outside of the country, making the point that Americans are known abroad as deficient in international skills and experience. He stressed the importance of travel in unraveling the mysteries of cultures outside of our own. Bellows made it clear that textbook learning is no substitute for seeing the real thing. “No matter how much you study or read about a culture, you will never really begin to understand it until you visit,” he said. Bellows shared the history of his own
infatuation with travel, one that began with his birth in the Congo. He said the role his well-traveled parents played in nurturing his spirit of adventure was key. It was his parent’s creed, Bellows said, that so heavily influenced his desire to roam the world. In fact, Bellows is currently working on a book aimed at parents seeking to enrich their children’s lives through travel. In addition to highlighting the importance of travel in personal growth and enlightenment, Bellows also stressed the forming of life-long friendships through
Students’ Holiday Plans [2] Campus Libraries Modernize [2]
Student Directed Movie Review [9] That’s Some Great Christmas Music [7]
Online Reporter’s Farewell
[11]
Copy-Editor Says Goodbye [11] D1 Wins [14]
Best in History [Back]
See “Bellows” [2] News....................[1-4] Diversions..............[6] A&E....................[7-9] Editorial...............[11] Commentary....[10-13] Sports..............[14-16]
“It is Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the air.” [W. T. Ellis]
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“Bellows”: Front
Editor-in-Chief Charlie Hambos
charlie.hambos@gmail.com
Asst. Editor-in-Chief Layout/Design Editor Mel Steiner
mel.c.steiner@gmail.com
News Editor Sarah Gottlieb
minaret.news@gmail.com
A&E Editor Mike Trobiano
minaret.arts@gmail.com
Commentary Editor Derrick Austin minaret.commentary@gmail.com
Sports Editor Kyle Bennett
minaret.sports@gmail.com
Online Editor Alex Vera
minaret.online@gmail.com
Head Photographer Abby Sanford abbster50@aol.com
Head Copy Editor Shannon Grippando sgrippando@gmail.com
Adviser Stephanie Tripp, PhD. stripp@ut.edu
Staff-At-Large
Jeffrey Palmer, Reporter Mandy Carr, Reporter JP Busche, Reporter Coryn Doncaster, Reporter Zach Fraser, A&E Max Roberts, Artist Austin Daniels, Cartoonist Emilse Alvarado, Layout Scott Silvestro, Photographer Kara Wall, Photographer Brenton Burkett, Sports Ryan Burkett, Sports Daniel Feingold, Sports Laura Theobald, Copy Editor (News and A&E) Heather Gromley, Copy Editor (Sports and Commentary)
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travel and the power of what he termed, the “search for the other.” He illustrated this point through a variety of colorful anecdotes from his considerable wealth of travel experience. “True human connection is the thing you just can’t get over the internet,” Bellows said. Bellows also said that youth are the most able to travel and usually the most enriched by the experience. He said spontaneity and career uncertainty could actually
News
help to fuel the spirit of adventure implicit in travel. “A common question you get asked in life is where do you want to be,” Bellows said. “I failed this question every time and still would because I’ve never had a plan.” Bellows concluded his talk with the presentation of two brief videos that further established the limitless potential of travel. He also responded to questions from the audience about his upcoming book, his own personal moments of transformation and discovery and the dangers of exploration abroad.
The Minaret | December 11, 2009 He made clear his hopes that the American youth, as represented by students like those in the audience, would usher in a new age of global understanding and interconnectivity. “We need to stop looking at travel as a vacation, but as a lasting learning experience,” Bellows said. “A tourist wants to return home unchanged, a traveler just the opposite.” Rick Steinhauser/ MCT
Libraries Turning a Page with Cafes, Chat Rooms and Flat Screens By Cyndee Fontana McClatchy Newspapers/ MCT
FRESNO, Calif. — At Fresno State’s new Henry Madden Library, the whirr of a blender and hum of conversation are the sounds of evolution. Here, visitors eat, drink and speak above a whisper. Trade ideas. Polish off a sandwich. Sip a latte — heck, they’ll make it for you at the in-house Starbucks. In short, this isn’t your parents’ library. More and more, university libraries are ditching their quietplease personas to embrace the art of noise. It’s not a complete transformation—libraries still stake out quiet study areas—but a clear nod to a generation that loves caffeine, cell phones, laptops and Facebook. Today, libraries have invited in cafes, installed comfy chairs and sofas, relaxed the ban on food and chatter and even hung flatscreen video monitors. Competition from more-casual bookstores has driven some moves. Fresno State’s new library — which underwent a $105 million,
2 1/2-year expansion — opened in February and is an example of the modernization trend. Peter McDonald, dean of library services, said the library “needs to provide more today than just quiet space.” Authorities often use renovation or new construction to reshape a library’s space plan and ambience. Lori Goetsch, president of the Association of College and Research Libraries, said libraries evolve with the times. There are about 1,350 academic libraries around the country on campuses that grant bachelor’s or higherlevel degrees. Libraries “aren’t always viewed in society as institutions that are quick to change ... but I think more and more, we are becoming the change agents on campus,” said Goetsch, dean of libraries at Kansas State University in Manhattan. Part of that is driven by technology. Laptop computers demand more electrical outlets. New editions of scientific journals are available electronically. Books are being translated into the digital
world. And — thanks to computers and the Internet — students don’t have to set foot in the library to use it. At the recently renovated library at California State University, Long Beach, officials took a design cue from the Department of Motor Vehicles. Dean Roman Kochan said students in line for computer stations wait for their turn to flash on a flatscreen. A wall of flatscreens near the library’s Starbucks shows everything from international newspaper editions to baseball playoffs. With its mix of quiet and group spaces, the $30 million renovation pleases some — but is a tough sell to traditionalists. The greatest resistance is to the cafe, Kochan said. He remembers one faculty member, in a paraphrase of a line from the film “Apocalypse Now,” who growled: “I can’t stand the smell of coffee in the library.” But people vote with their feet. Kochan said traffic is up about 25 percent since the remodeled library opened in June 2008. At Fresno State, more than 500,000 have visited the new li-
brary since it opened in February. Weekly counts are double what they were in 2004-05. The four-story library with full basement — the largest academic building on campus — has attracted plenty of design debate on its Facebook page and beyond. Fresno State senior Jillian Holt, 21, of Clovis, Calif., registered her complaints in a Facebook post: “I have never been in a library that was this loud.” In an interview, she pointed to the rattle of mesh stairs, jet-engine roar of bathroom hand dryers and chatter on cell phones. Holt said she is a frequent library user and would like more peace and quiet — along with more outlets and space for computers. But others like the changes. Senior Arlene Rodriguez, 22, of Gilroy, Calif., said she enjoys socializing, people-watching and studying in the library. She was used to a more quiet atmosphere, where “everyone has to be in a hush-hush tone.” But the new version offers many different choices. Now, Rodriguez said, “I live in the library.”
How to Get A’s in College: What to Eat While Studying MCT Campus
-Two Hertz cars will be available for people to rent beginning next semester! -Next semester, you will be able to rent Blockbuster DVD’s for only $1 on the first floor of Vaughn at the Express DVD rental kiosk. -The first SG meeting of the semester will be the Tuesday, Jan. 26. -Check utampaSG.org for more information and exciting UT updates!
Need help with your grades? Here’s some advice about eating while studying, from the book “How to Get A’s in College” (Hundreds of Heads Books, www. hundredsofheads.com, $14.95), straight from people who’ve done it: “I recommend fruit, like apples, oranges and grapes when studying. Not only are they tasty, but they are full of water, which is critical, since hydration improves awareness and concentration.” —Samuel, Palo Alto, Calif., Stanford University “My mom used to send me her homemade treats, like stuffed zucchini with rice and meat, and baklava. That worked well as a care package because it was fast, filling and reminded me of home. You need that sometimes when you’re in the heart of studying.” —Michael Paoli, New York, N.Y., University of Toronto “My best friend and I existed on chocolate-chip
cookie dough each time we attempted to buckle down and write our English papers the night before they were due. In retrospect, I realize we could have given ourselves a deadly case of salmonella poisoning; the raw eggs in the batter can potentially kill you. But the sugar rush from the chocolate chips and the dough really helped us counteract the serious procrastination we suffered from when it came to writing papers.” —Steve, South Orange, N.J., University of California, Berkeley
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The Minaret | December 11, 2009
News
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Students are Going Home and Away for the Holidays
The Peace Volunteer Center will be putting on a Goodwill clothing donation drive from Dec. 10 - 15. Collection Bins will be located at the bottom of most dorms and there will be an outdoor collection bin located on campus as well. If you have any questions please stop by the PEACE Volunteer Center located on the second floor of Vaughn. Bedison/MCT By Mandy Carr Reporter
The semester is over and students are preparing to part ways for the holidays. Some students plan on vacationing abroad, but most will either travel back home to relax or stay in Florida to hang out. “[I’m] going home, eating a lot of my mom and grandma’s cooking,” said Rebecca Dawson, a sophomore from Ala. “[And] hanging out with family and friends.” Dana Padilla, a sophomore, said she’s going home to Chicago.
Christal Ceithamer, a junior, is going home to Singapore, where her dad is stationed in the military. Stephany Campins, a senior, is going home to Guatemala while John Ormaechea, a sophomore, is going home to Venezuela. Other students have chosen to spend their breaks traveling abroad. “I’m going swimming with the dolphins in New Zealand,” said Mario Gonzalez, a junior. He’s going with family and friends. Christian Carrillo, a sophomore, is also going to New Zealand for the holidays.
“We might go to Australia, too,” said Carrillo, who is traveling with family. There are some students, however, that are staying put in Florida for the break. “[I’m going to] stay here and work,” said Paige Burnwell, a sophomore, who has a job in Westshore Mall and wants to make some money over the break. Ryan Grosjean, a junior, doesn’t know what he’s doing yet. “I should be in Florida,” he said. Wherever students are going for the holidays, we will all be brought back together for spring semester.
Stay tuned for next semester, when we will be releasing applications for two weekend trips, as well as a week-long domestic trip to Boulder Creek, Calif.
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Victorian Christmas Stroll News
The Minaret | December 11, 2009 Photos by Scott Silvestro/ The Minaret
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The Minaret | December 11, 2009
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The Minaret | December 11, 2009
FOR RELEASE DECEMBER 21, 2009
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
Scott Silvestro / The Minaret
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis
ACROSS 1 Urge forward 6 Rock genre involving flamboyant garb 10 Hasn’t yet paid 14 __ Gras 15 Insolvent banking giant, familiarly 16 Green Hornet’s sidekick 17 War on terror foe 19 Yardstick division 20 Cake-making aid 21 1492 ship 22 Crow’s-nest cry 24 Tex-__ cuisine 25 Litigator’s org. 26 Elton John tribute rededicated to Princess Diana 35 Util. product 36 Crock-Pot meals 37 Not in port 38 Litigator’s field 39 “__ Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts”: old song 40 Hens do it 41 Hwy. mishap respondents 43 Three-time Masters champ Sam 45 Crumbly cheese 46 “Alice Adams” novelist 49 Pickle holder 50 Ballot marks 51 Canal country 54 Bar in a grill 56 Tarzan raiser 59 Economist Smith 60 Donald Trump catchphrase, and hint to the first two, three and four letters, respectively, of 17-, 26- and 46-Across 63 Donate 64 Ticklish Muppet 65 Exorbitant interest 66 Change of a five 67 Johnny of “Public Enemies” 68 Sugar bowl cubes
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Horoscopes By Linda C Black / Tribune Media Services
Aries (March 21-April 19) You’ll need your imagination today. Group members are going in 10 different directions, and you need to draw it all back together.
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Plan to get through the day under your own power. You have plenty for yourself, but maybe not enough for everyone.
Taurus (April 20-May 20) Does your waistband feel a little tight? Give your digestive system a rest today. You’ll make up for it tomorrow.
Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) You’re surprised when everything softens up around the edges so that you can finish early. Seasonal activities keep you busy today and tonight. Drink moderately.
Gemini (May 21-June 21) Imagine a station that plays only your tunes. Everything you touch today is golden.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) As long as you don’t get hung up on a confusing point, work will move forward today with satisfying results.
Cancer (June 22-July 22) Pay attention to the undercurrent of energy around you. Folks may not say what they really mean. Read between the lines.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Get together with one other person and apply yourself to the task at hand. A cheerful attitude goes a long way. A little cash helps.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) Start out in the morning as if you know exactly where you’re going. You discover opportunity leading you in a fruitful direction. Don’t let others cast doubt on your ideas.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) If you think that you’ve understood everything, think again. Most of the facts make logical sense. An associate identifies one error.
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Arts & Entertainment
The Minaret | December 11, 2009
A New “Princess” In Town
Now That’s Some Great Christmas Music
By Rafer Guzmán Newsday, MCT Campus
By Zach Fraser Staff Writer
Finding a good Christmas compilation CD is not as easy as it sounds. Nearly every noteworthy artist seems to have a holiday themed album out, which makes choosing just one a difficult task. The Now! compilation albums have been around for years now. Known for producing albums that feature “top 40” hits, the franchise has become the standard in assembling a collection of hits onto one album. Years ago, the Now! franchise wandered into holiday territory with Now That’s What I Call Christmas!. The blend of old and new songs and artists turned out to be the perfect mix, setting the bar for all Christmas compilation albums to follow. The third and the most recent installment, Now That’s What I Call Christmas! Volume 3, sticks with their successful formula and combines the old with the new and ends up producing a wonderful blend of holiday music. The first CD features the timeless classics that any age group will recognize with songs like Nat King Cole’s O Come Ye Faithful and Frank Sinatra’s Jingle Bells.
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Arguably two of the greatest Christmas singers of all time kick off the album with a mood that will inspire hot chocolate and a warm fire. The album features other songs from old singers such as Bing Crosby, Elvis Presley, Ella Fitzgerald, Johnny Cash, Louis Armstrong and many others. Keeping on with the holiday cheer, the second album rolls along with the original theme song from Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas. “You're a mean one, Mr. Grinch,” the song goes. “You really are a heel. You're as cuddly as a cactus; you're as charming as an eel, Mr. Grinch.” The deep vocals of this song will surely bring many the hint of nostalgia for Christmases past and remind listeners of holiday child-
hood memories. Where the second album gets really interesting is in the later half.The eclectic mix of musicians all have a go at their Christmas renditions and really prove why these albums have become so unique and well received. From Celine Dion to Mariah Carey and even Relient K, the second album proves that there is a Christmas song for everyone. Whether you prefer the old Christmas songs or the new, Now That’s What I Call Christmas! Volume 3 is the perfect compilation album to get you into the holiday cheer. Twenty minutes in, you’ll have the tree lights on, 40 minutes in, you’ll have the eggnog out and 60 minutes in, you’ll realize why Christmas really is “the most wonderful time of the year.”
As you might guess by the title, "The Princess and the Frog" is a fairly familiar story. And because this animated musical comes from Walt Disney Pictures, you can expect talkinganimal sidekicks, a perilous journey, a budding romance and a moral to the tale. What's new, if you haven't heard, is the debut of Disney's first African-American princess, Tiana. She adds another dash of color to a nine-member lineup of ink-and-paint Caucasians, such as Snow White and Cinderella but also the Arabian Jasmine ("Aladdin"), the Chinese Mulan and American Indian Pocahontas. By setting "Princess" in the New Orleans of the early 1900s — a briefly seen newspaper headline reads "Wilson Elected" — Disney gets to focus on Cajun food, Southern accents and Dixieland jazz rather than on skin color. In fact, although Tiana (pleasantly voiced by the Broadway singer Anika Noni Rose) begins
the film as a hardworking waitress, she spends most of her screen time as a frog. That's the result of her chance meeting with Prince Naveen (Bruce Campos), a freewheeling playboy hoodwinked by the local voodoo man, Dr. Facilier (Keith David, delightfully wicked). The newly green Naveen manages to charm Tiana into a kiss, but after that backfires, the two amphibians travel the bayou to find their voodoo fairy godmother, Mama Odie (Jenifer Lewis). Along the way, they'll befriend a trumpet-playing gator, Louis (Michael-Leon Wooley), and a gap-toothed Cajun firefly named Raymond (Jim Cummings). With songs by Randy Newman (himself raised in New Orleans) and some visually fizzy animation styles, "The Princess and the Frog" sticks to a dependably pleasing Disney template. As for issues of race — you were expecting maybe "Precious"? Rating: 3 stars Cast: Voices of Anika Noni Rose, Bruce Campos, Keith David.
- Take the Victorian Christmas Stroll in Plant Hall. - Start packing early to leave for vacation. - Go to the 88.5 FM Holiday Bazaar 2009 at the Cuban Club in Ybor. - Take a trip to ICE at the Gaylord Palms in Orlando. - Buy your RA a present. - Enter in the Ugliest Christmas Sweater Contest at The Hut on Saturday night at 10 p.m. (There’s a $1000 prize!) - Go searching for holiday decorations in your neighborhood.
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Arts & Entertainment
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Your weekly look at the greatest jazz artists of all time.
By JP Busche Staff Writer
Many people probably think of the character “Chef” from South Park or the theme song from Shaft when the name Isaac Hayes is mentioned. It's few who remember and appreciate the life that helped create some of the most memorable icons in American entertainment. Isaac Hayes Jr. was born on Aug. 20, 1942 in Covington, Tenn. To his sharecropping parents, Isaac Hayes Sr. and Eula Hayes. His parents passed away soon after his birth and his grandparents were left to raise him. Like a number of other artists, he first sang in the church choir and went on to teach himself a number of instruments, including piano and saxophone. When he was 11, he lost his grandfather, which led him to seek work early on. He worked at a restaurant, trying to support his grandmother and himself. Nevertheless, he didn’t make a lot of money and eventually dropped out of high school, because he didn’t want to attend school in mediocre clothes.
His teachers felt that Hayes was a bright individual and eventually convinced Hayes to return to school. After his little hiatus, Hayes graduated from high school in 1962 and soon joined the new found label, Stax Records. There he would first support other artists, his first gig being piano man for Otis Redding. While there, Stax producer and songwriter David Porter asked Hayes to collaborate, and the two went on to write a number of songs together, Soul Men being the most notable (Hayes ended up winning a Grammy for this song). In 1969, Hayes had his ultimate career launcher with the LP, Hot Buttered Soul. The LP exhibited Hayes’ interpretation of Dionne Warwick’s Walk on By and Johnny Rivers By The Time I Get to Phoenix and remained on the top of the R&B charts for over three months. Some younger people might be familiar with the 2000 Samuel Jackson version of Shaft, but there was indeed an original Shaft motion picture in 1971. None other than Mr. Hayes composed the original score for this legendary motion picture, for
The Minaret | December 11, 2009
The Scoop on Musician Issac Hayes?
which he earned an Oscar for Best Musical Score in 1972. The same year, he also composed the score for the TV series The Man. Hayes went on to work in the film industry, playing the main character in Truck Turner and another lead in The Three Tough Guys. It almost goes without saying that he composed the soundtrack to both movies. Nevertheless, Hayes ended up in debt and sued his record label, Stax, for over five million dollars. Not able to pay Hayes, Stax offered to release him from his contract instead, which led Hayes to found his own label HBS, Hot Buttered Soul. His financial problems persisted, yet he recovered through the production of a number of records, such the And Once Again (1980) and A Lifetime Thing (1981). The same year, Hayes also played the villain in John Carpenter’s Escape From New York, which provided him with some additional income. Further appearance include Kennan Ivory Wayan’s 1988 film I’m Gonna Git You Sucka and Mel Brook’s 1993 Robin Hood: Men in
Tights. Hayes released a sort of comeback album named Branded in 1995, which was appreciated by critics and listeners. His biggest success in the '90s though, was his involvement in the successful animated series South Park. In the show, Hayes plays Chef, the African-American cook who works at the local high school and enjoys singing raunchy tunes when kids are around. This role helped him financially, as well as publicly. He remained
with the show until 2006. He had a minor role in Malcom D. Lee’s 2008 motion picture Soul Man, which turned out to be his last film. On Aug. 10, 2008, Hayes suffered a stroke at his house right outside Memphis, Tenn. Although he was quickly rushed to the hospital, doctors could only pronounce his death. To this day, Isaac Hayes’s work positively influences people of all ages and reminds us how valuable life is.
Hayes album, Hot Buttered Soul.
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Arts & Entertainment
The Minaret | December 11 2009
9
Games on the Horizon: What 2010 has in Store for Gaming By Shannon Grippando Staff Writer
PC)
Final Fantasy XIV (PS3,
Sure, Final Fantasy XIII is coming out in early 2010, but later that year Square Enix will release its next rendition of its MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) chronicles. XIV promises to fix some of the things that Final Fantasy XI got so horribly wrong: total dependence on other players to do anything, grossly difficult quests and no innate ability to warp back to a home point (other than killing yourself). As a former XI player myself, I can’t wait to once again lose myself in Square’s enthralling virtual world, forgetting to eat and spending more hours playing in a week than sleeping. |Party|? |Valkurm Dunes|? |Japanese| |I can speak a little|. StarCraft II (PC) StarCraft is literally a competitive sport in Korea. Their best gamers are treated like American football players. Our best gamers? They’re fat kids in their moms’ basements screaming racist remarks and obscenities at you
on XBOX Live—huge cultural difference. But whether you’re Korean or American, StarCraft II will be one of the hottest games of 2010. It’s been over ten years since the release of the original, and a huge cult has formed around it. It’s certainly more than time for a sequel. StarCraft is one of those games with the Pringles effect: once you pop, you just can’t stop. And it’s been my experience that the ladies dig StarCraft once they give it a try. Fellas, 2010 may be the year to get your lovely lass into hardcore gaming. But the two of you won’t be playing over a local network, Blizzard has confirmed no LAN support for StarCraft II. And the gaming community "QQ"s. Metroid: Other M (Wii) Team Ninja, the same guys who brought you the ridiculously hard Ninja Gaiden series, is taking a stab at the future of 3D Metroid games after Retro Studios gloriously completed their Metroid Prime trilogy a couple years back. Other M promises intense battles, a more intimate storyline about our lady Samus Aran and possibly the return of the Space Pirate lord Mother Brain.
Details are still few and far between for this title, but the video trailer readily available on the web through a quick Google search is deliciously tempting. Don’t expect this title until mid to late 2010. The wait will be worth it, though. Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (PSP) Hideo Kojima seems to precede each impending Metal Gear Solid game announcement with the news that this will be his last Metal Gear. And we were graciously lied to again with Metal Gear Solid 4. Peace Walker is set for release on PSP and will continue the Metal Gear Solid 3 and Portable Ops storyline. The focus this time is on cooperative play among four friends who take control of different types of Snakes, each with different battle specifications such as stealth or heavy weapons. The storyline is intended to be the “missing link� between Metal Gear Solid 3 and Metal Gear, explaining more fully the creation of Outer Heaven and the rise of Big Boss. Dante’s Inferno (PS3, XBOX 360) The Divine Comedy is one of
Students Direct Movie Review
By Mandy Carr Staff Writer
Two University of Tampa film students presented their film, "Franky and Ty," in the Reeves Theater on Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 10 p.m. to an almost full theater. According to Austin Daniels, director and star of the film, most film students want to see something crazy that appears hard to do. Instead, he said he wanted to do something simple but fun and have it be well done. Daniels played the character Franky in the film and another student, Andrew Lopes, played Ty. Lopes also wrote the film. Both have been working on the film for almost the whole semester. “It took from the beginning of the semester to 7 a.m. Tuesday morning, [Dec. 1, to make the film]� Daniels said. The film is about two best friends: the typical mean guy, Ty, and the typical sweet guy, Franky. The plot unfolds when Franky’s date does not go well because he's "too nice," and Ty decides to teach him how to be a mean guy. According to Daniels, everyone who worked on the production was students. They made the film for a Senior Seminar
class with Tom Garret. At the premiere they showed a promotion for the film and a trailer for another movie in which Daniels is a supporting actor before showing the film. Afterwards there were questions and answers and a special bloopers reel. The event was a little over an hour long. “For the most [part it] ran smoothly,� Daniels said. According to him, the only problems they ran into were with extras for the club scene and with the owners not realizing how long it would to take to film. The film was very funny. Daniels and Lopes had great chemistry on the screen together. It was funny seeing Franky going through his mean guy training and watching Ty fall asleep through it. In the club scene, Franky gets a drink thrown on him, slapped in the face and beat up by a bouncer trying to pick up girls. Each scene was well shot without leaving the camera on one person for too long to keep it interesting. There was no unneeded conversation; all of it related to the story line. These are a couple of students who are clearly going to go somewhere in the movie business, according to the talent they displayed in the film.
literature’s greatest works. Dante’s Inferno, set for release in February 2010, may not look like it will trump gaming’s greatest titles such as Ocarina of Time, Super Mario 64 or Grand Theft Auto, but it’s intriguing nonetheless. The game appears to play like a God of War title, which is a perfect fit for traversing the rings of Hell, slaughtering demons and beating your way through legions of the damned.
But abandon all hope, all fans of Dante, who enters here. Don’t expect this game to stick to the original plot. The developers have taken great liberties to manipulate things. The idea of The Divine Comedy is here, but it’s certainly not Dante’s interpretation. Who knows? Even if this game is a flop, it might inspire more people to read Dante to understand where the developer went so wrong.
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Commentary
10
The Minaret | December 11, 2009
Copy-Editor Looks Back on Laughs By Shannon Grippando Staff Writer
Ever since my second year at The University of Tampa, I’ve worked for The Minaret. I met a crazy kid some of you might remember named Simos Farrell and suggested the newspaper should include video game reviews. For seven semesters now, The Minaret has covered the latest and the greatest of games, and I’m proud to have started the movement. I met former UT professor Charles McKenzie through my Journalism I class, and he reignited my passion for journalism I acquired in middle school. Charles always pushed me to be more, to try harder. Because of Charles I ran for assistant editor-in-chief (and thank God Charlie Hambos got the position. I had no idea what I would be getting myself in to), worked as online editor for A&E and became head copy-editor. Charles was one of those professors that just clicked. He’s hilarious, and I carry some of his humor with me to this day (but I’ll never quite have his delicate execution). Charles, I’m eternally thankful. When I look back on every late Tuesday night I’ve spent in the office, no matter how tired or frustrated or busy I was at the time, I cherish every single moment of them. I want to thank all of the staff members, past and present, for making my Tuesday nights quite possibly my most memorable experiences at UT. And thanks for putting up with my sarcastic and immature humor; you deserve medals (that’s what she said).
Shannon living it up with Minaret editors.
Speaking of humor, I’m going to miss all of our jokes at the office. I’ll miss learning to let a man take a bath. I’ll miss Theooo! And Ruuudy! Did…*sniff*. And I’m sure all my dear copy-editors will miss my amazing meetings centering around my obsession with Google Wave. I’ll never forget our trip to San Diego for the journalism conference. Alex, you’re the man for going in with me for the Queen of Thailand feast. “Is there any MSG in there?” “Oh, yeah!” Specifically, I want to express my appreciation to Mel Steiner. Along with Charles, Mel has influenced me the most on this paper. From my days working for her when she was A&E editor to currently copy-editing for her as assistant editor-in-chief, I couldn’t have asked for a better co-worker and boss than Mel. Her passion for what she does is infectious, and it’s driven me to produce continuously better work. And she’s become a
Mel Steiner / Facebook
dear friend in the process. Thanks, Mel. You’re the best. I also want to thank every single person that’s read my articles throughout the years, in the paper or online. I’ve written these articles and reviews for you guys, and I appreciate all the feedback I’ve received. If one person laughed or learned something new from my articles, then I did my job. Thanks guys. It was great writing for you all. To my copy-editing staff: You’ve made me proud, I couldn’t have asked for better. Heather, I stuck you with the sports section because I absolutely hated editing the stats for AP style. Sorry, but thanks for putting up with it. Laura, you’re a pain for always questioning every decision I make about grammar and punctuation, but that’s a great trait for a copyeditor. You guys are awesome. I want to leave with two pieces of advice. First, don’t get too caught up
Shannon munching on pizza.
Shannon Grippando / Facebook
in life. Life does a good enough job on its own being chaotic; it doesn’t need your help making it worse. Relax. Enjoy the moment. Savor every second. Before you know it, life flies by. Remember to enjoy the journey. Second, laugh. Laugh when life’s hardest, and laugh when it’s not necessary. Laugh while you cry, and laugh while you’re angry. But always laugh from the heart. We have enough formalities and seriousness in the world. We need people that just let everything drop,
let every stigma and insecurity shatter, and laugh with each other over life’s beauty. I’ve loved The Minaret, and I can’t wait to watch it grow in my years as a Spartan alumnus. Even though I won’t be in the office on Tuesday nights from now on, you guys know I’ll be there in spirit. Every time someone says, “That’s what she said,” I’ll be there. I’ll see ya around. Shannon Grippando can be reached at sgrippando@ut.edu.
Online Reporter’s Farewell
By Ellery McCardle Online Reporter
and understand their stance on issues. That in itself is rewarding. During my three and a half years here, I served as a print and radio reporter, news editor and online reporter. Having interviewed some of the top UT administrators, and Today Show hosts Matt Lauer and Al Roker, working at The Minaret gave me so many rewarding opportunities to achieve my goals as a journalist. When I first walked into Vaughn 211, I knew nothing about journalism and since have learned so much and so I thank the following people endlessly: Charles McKenzie, you taught me journalism from the beginning. You inspired me to get the big interviews and to leave an interview only when I had the answers I wanted. You pushed me to investigate and to never give up. For all of that and more, I’m forever grateful. Josh Kratovil, you took me under your wings and put up with my rambling stories week after week. Victor O’Brien and Steve Knauss, thanks for letting me chase the big stories. Alex Vera, the webcasts would not have been possible without your hard work. Another round of applause goes to past and current staffers. Your dedication to the paper each week is truly inspiring. I feel privileged to have worked with you throughout the years to help make The Minaret better with each semester. And to future staffers. If there’s one thing I learned about working at The Minaret, it’s that you’ll have more fun on a Tuesday night that you’ll ever have again in your life. Thanks everyone!
Ah, those endless Tuesday nights/ Wednesday mornings when random laughter consumed us as each hour passed. When I leave the office of The Minaret for the last time, I’ll be reminded of so much. Derrick’s stories of the “McCardle farm”, Knauss and Phifer’s bickering, Peter and Bobby’s basketball games at 3 a.m., Charlie zoning out while standing in everyone’s way, Max’s annual Thanksgiving drawings, Charles’ jokes that made me laugh so hard I would cry and the bursts of laughter from Mel and Alex to break the silence in the office. I would never trade those moments because during those times I learned to be a journalist. But it’s also when I’ve made some everlasting friendships. When I was 10 years old I went on a field trip to the CBS station back home. From the moment I stepped in that studio, I knew I belonged in the world of journalism and The Minaret helped me reach my dream of working in television news. My career with The Minaret started freshman year, when I became known as “Nancy Drew” in the office. That name started because I helped unravel a sexual assault case on campus, which sparked an investigation by the Department of Education. That next year I worked on a story about a string of health violations racked up by UT’s very own Dining Services. But it wasn’t just those stories that made an impact on my experience as a reporter. I’ve had the opportunity to Ellery McCardle can be reached at connect with fellow students and faculty emccardle@ut.edu.
The Minaret | December 11, 2009
& Tiger Wood’s Ten Mistresses
Henry VIII’s Eight Wives
Post-Graduation Halfway House
Unemployed Graduates
Guys Named Shannon
Girls Named Shannon
Jeers
No Middle Names
Cheers
Awkward Middle Names
Final Papers
Final Exams
“The Inferno”
“Paradise Lost”
Believing in Santa
Not Believing in Santa
Insanity
Sanity
Commentary
11
Editorial: Reflecting on a Rough Fall Semester The end of the semester is finally here. For some it was short and others it was long, but we can all look back and say that it is finally over. This fall started off rough with the murder of senior, Ryan McCall, a beloved University of Tampa cross-country runner. To this day, the murderer has not been caught and UT students continue to walk the same path that he did only a few months ago. Another student was robbed later in the semester and violence continues to occur in the area. Take this past weekend’s shooting in the apartment complex at Cypress Avenue and North Boulevard; someone shot through a window barely missing a person inside. Let’s hope next semester is a little more peaceful on this end of town. Although UT partnered with Yellow Cab in an effort to provide safer transportation, some incidents have led to worse conditions. Let’s not forget Erik Nicoletti, who was hit while crossing the street near Frankie’s on Kennedy Boulevard and North Boulevard. Andres Trujillo, the driver
responsible, turned himself in and claims that no alcohol was involved. His rap sheet is long and includes at least one DUI and multiple battery charges. He’s been in and out of the legal system. The Minaret sees no reason why the law should treat him nicely and are awaiting to see justice served. Even though violence has been high, there have been several positives. We started this semester with the largest incoming freshman class ever, which caused some growing pains. In a few days 408 UT students will graduate, and although they will enter a difficult and uncertain economy, they will be sure to look back on a fruitful career at UT. Energy conservation efforts were increased over the winter break, including light censors, air-handler replacements, energy efficient lights installed in Thomas Garage and the addition of multiple recycling bins spread throughout campus just to name a few. The commuter parking lot was finally opened (a little past the scheduled time) and the Sykes Center for Faith and Values is taking shape day by day with
more construction ahead. As soon as we leave campus for break, the construction crews will flock to campus. UT will attempt to cure some of their growing pains by using one of the buildings on the new land tract but long term plans remain a mystery. As we end another challenging semester, we can only look back to hope that the next will be better. The university needs to establish better communication with students, not with repetitive tips and warnings, but rather by getting to the bottom of the problem. Tell students how it really is and what really needs to happen. Although we cannot prevent everything, educating students with real-world advice will benefit them most. Students also need to try to be more aware and make the right decisions. Stay safe over break! Congratulations to those who are graduating. Make us proud. For those returning, get ready for another great semester and a great beginning to 2010. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
with love and dedication—that’s how humanitarians are born. It’s easy to ignore suffering when it’s some kid from some Third World country on a commercial, because that suffering is way out of your ball park. Yet, how can you ignore the suffering that is in your backyard? Walking to Walgreens, I often see the same homeless guy sleeping under the bridge. He has a wheelchair, and sometimes I catch him reading a book, sitting there with his moth-eaten gloves. But I have never tried to help him; I haven’t asked him if he was hungry, or if I could help him out with a dollar or two, a shower or an extra blanket. Why not? Because it’s a lot easier to just keep walking and say that he’d only use the money I give him to buy drugs or think he’s homeless because he’s a lazy bum. Or it’s safer because he may intend to rob me, or beat me up—oh, the little excuses we tell ourselves to keep us from compassion. Being fortunate is not something that we do on our own, many people contribute to the maintenance of our standard
of living, therefore it would be astoundingly loving to contribute to someone else’s life in turn. When I heard about America back home in Zimbabwe, I could have sworn that the streets were paved with gold because that’s how America was presented. Yet there is as much of a divide between those who are fortunate and those who are not. The America whose paved, golden streets are the mecca of humanity’s material desires is only real for the affluent. With the holiday season before us, I think we should do something positive to change that standard. Christmas should inspire us to open our arms and nurse the impoverished at our front doors, help the homeless, feed the hungry and give them that warm feeling in one’s toes that comes with realizing someone cares about you. Add more cheer by brushing up on your philanthropy. Perhaps if we all do that (myself included) this Christmas will be a lot merrier for everyone!
Spread Joy: Help the Homeless and Others this Holiday Season
The spirit of the season calls for charity. By Philippa Hatendi Columnist
Q u i l t ’s , U T ’s l i t e r a r y magazine, last Open Mic happened last Thursday, and what a glorious event! As a writer it is always rejuvenating to spend time with other writers, immersed in different styles and views of the world. While there, I heard a bit of politics in the form of poems by John
Michael Windham about how fortunate we are in this American society, yet we take it for granted. So many people in the world look at us and think of us as blessed to have an education, clean water, food, functioning sewer systems, actual beds and, best of all, fast-food. Yet we look at ourselves seeing only struggle, constantly focusing on our difficult lives
Chris Carlson / Flickr
and the challenges we face as individuals. It is not selfish to notice one’s own particular struggles; it is selfish however to neglect the struggles of the world. People who make a difference don’t start by doing big things in foreign nations; they start at home. They start by looking at needs in their own communities, working hard
Philippa Hatnedi can be reached at phatendi@ut.edu.
Commentary 12 The Minaret | December 11, 2009 Valuing Family Over Career Doesn’t Make One Less of a Feminist By Carolina Medelin Columnist
Recently, I got into an argument with one of my friends from high school. It seems that, even though we both think of ourselves as being feminists, each of us has a different definition of the word. In a previous article, I explored how the idea of “freedom” for women has changed in the last century, and nowadays we are slaves to societal standards. Sadly, women have lost their essence. Most women fight for an idea of “equality” that pretends to fit men’s standards. “If men can do this and that, why can’t we?” But, how accurate is this? Do we really need to claim our freedom by doing all that men do? Certain women believe that the right thing to do is to compete against men. So, if they smoke we should smoke too; if men hook-up, maybe we should hook-up too. After all, if men are doing it, it has to be good, right? There is nothing wrong with women going to school and getting a degree. There is also nothing wrong in women having a job. What is wrong is not being able to make equilibrium between career and family. Family life has been underrated to the point that some women feel ashamed to stay at home or to be a housewife. It’s even described as slavery. By taking care of your family and children, you are being
submissive. I always get looked down by other women when I say that I want to stop working when I have my first child, and I get called names like “soccer mom” or “retrograde.” I don’t take it as an insult; I just take it like a sign of ignorance. The reason why I would like to stop working when I have my children is because I understand how important I’m going to be for my kids. The most important thing for me while I was growing up, was to know that my mom was there for me when I got back home and during holidays. I knew that whenever volunteer parents were required for any activity, my mom would be there, away from me, but offering her time and services. My mom never felt she missed out on something by not working. And I admire her for choosing us over her career. I never felt ashamed of her, all the opposite, I will always be very proud for what she did. Wo m e n h o l d t h e m o s t important role in society. We are the ones who give life and are therefore responsible for the perpetuation of the species. And, as if it wasn’t enough, most of the time, it is the duty of women to raise the future citizens and ensure the progression of an upright society. Not everyone acknowledges and values this responsibility beginning with women themselves.
Juggling a job and kids: Women can balance both.
The reason why many women would rather go to work for hours and hours rather than stay at home is because they don’t understand how important they are to society. Of course, I’m not talking about single mothers, or those mothers who need to work hard in order to provide a better future for their families. I’m talking about women that put work before family. It’s pretty common nowadays to find women who, having the chance to spend more time with their children, prefer work and career-oriented pursuits.
Women under appreciate and underestimate their importance in society. We are equal to men in rights, but that doesn’t mean that we are the same as men in every other aspect. Without going too far, from an anatomical point of view, we are different. We are not better or worse than men; we’re just different. Whether that’s a good thing or not depends on nobody but women. But, let’s put it this way: no matter what one’s job (either men or women) is, the hard truth is that there will always be someone able to do the exact same job just as good or
rankun76 / Flickr
better than you. But, when a mother is not at home, you can ask her children if their teacher, their nanny, their grandma or any other women will ever take that place. Now, does that mean that women can’t go to school or to college or even to work? Not at all. It just means that women have the added responsibility of managing their time and keeping their priorities. After all, what other job gives you the chance to raise and therefore change society? Carolina Medelin can be reached at colaya@ut.edu.
Homophobia Rooted in Misogyny I raved about Julie & Julia in my last column, calling it one of my favorite movies of the year. Over the weekend, on The Minaret Online, I checked the four comments that the readers had left involving the article; one read: “How was that your favorite movie? Are you gay?” Classy right? I’m tired of hearing “gay” used as an insult, flung around as if it By Derrick Austin were a synonym for “stupid.” Commentary Editor Regardless of sexual orientation, why does indulging in a movie about a world-renowned chef and a blogger imply homosexuality? The lead characters are female portrayed by A-list actresses, the film could be considered domestic as cooking and the kitchen are integral to the movie and the largest consumers of this film were women—therefore it’s a chick flick. Men who enjoy anything remotely associated with women are subject to scrutiny. The trouble with preventing homophobia is that it’s deeply entrenched in misogyny. Religion and politics aside, why are effeminate men and masculine women ridiculed? It’s because they’re breaking gender roles: men are acting like women and women acting like men. Certainly, there are gay men who can be considered traditionally masculine and traditionally feminine lesbians—yet the blurring of artificial gender roles upsets people firmly tangled within the patriarchy. Historically, masculine pursuits like politics, athletics and warfare were honored and exclusive. Feminine activities were marginalized. Masculinity is good and treasured; femininity is lesser. More often than not, the easiest way to wound a man is to question his masculinity. Think of all the insults guys use against each other—“bitch,” “pussy” and “fag” among others—all of them have to do with women and our negative conceptualization of womanhood. We may not be thinking about misogyny at the time, but our language is rich with misogynist undertones. Being delicate, passive, sensitive or weak is equal to femininity, which returns us to the subject of homophobia: “gay” as an insult refers not only to sexuality but our ideas of gender; why would a man want to act feminine? Or, who do those lesbians think they are stepping outside our preconceived notion of what defines a maleness and femaleness. I’m an ardent feminist, supporting woman’s ability to organize their life, career woman or mother, whatever their goal, because it’s about choices and their sense of self as an individual. It’s so difficult to extricate homophobia from misogyny because it affects everyone. We’re taught gender roles at birth—from the pink or blue cap, to our first bike or doll, to being enrolled in soccer or ballet. It’s an issue that doesn’t affect the gay community. A good friend of mine, a straight man, is a little soft-spoken because he’s so laid back, acts polite and genuinely complements with no ulterior motive in mind. He’s told me many times that inevitably people assume he’s gay—myself among them. The unease and anxiety around blurring gender roles harms men and women. We’re all missing out on experiences, too busy being ashamed or self-conscious. Though, little by little, our generation is redrawing the age-old boundaries and creating a more accepting society in our clothing, our pop culture and how we interact with one another. Still, we’re far from the days where a guy can watch a chick flick or a girl can hit the softball field without us judging their sexuality. Derrick Austin can be reached at daustin@ut.edu.
Commentary 13 Another Year, Another Failed Resolution: Will You Succeed in 2010?
The Minaret | December 11, 2009
By John Jacobs Columnist
While getting ready to go back home for winter break, we can all look forward to the holiday season, the new year coming up and, specifically, New Year’s resolutions. For some reason, we all decide it’s time to fix something in our lives and come up with a random “New Year’s resolution.” Some take the easy way out with a resolution that doesn’t change any aspect of their life; it’s just to say they made a New Year’s resolution. Things like, “My New Year’s resolution is to not smoke crystal meth for the whole year!” and because the person’s never done it in the first place (you think) nothing will change. Or, “My New Year’s resolution is not to punch any newborn infant (emphasis on newborn).” These are the kinds of resolutions which mean absolutely nothing! And also shouldn’t be resolutions you would say in front of your parents. Then, there are meaningful resolutions, but people quickly alter them. “Due to the horrible treatment of animals this year I promise not to eat any meat products!” Later that week you see that same person, “Hey, I thought you gave up meat for the year?” “I did! What’s wrong?”
“You’re eating pepperoni pizza.” “Oh yeah, that’s meat isn’t it. I meant to say I won’t eat any meats that don’t come as toppings on foods…with the exception of hamburgers…and steak.” A month later that person will forget what their new year’s resolution was in the first place. Of course, we all have the urge to try and break their resolutions, as if it’s a game. If your friend vows to give up alcohol the next day you see him, here’s what will probably happen: “Oh, hey! I have a question for you. Do you know anybody who could drink these 12 beers for me? Yeah, I can’t do it myself, and I really need somebody to help me out here. I won’t charge them anything. They’re just sitting in the fridge waiting to be drunk by someone. If only somebody could help me!” Then once we get our friend to break their goal all of a sudden we turn it around on them. “I knew you couldn’t keep that resolution up! Ha! By the way you owe me like $15 for beer.” There are also a number of cliché resolutions. One common resolution is making a physical health goal like “This year I promise to lose 10 pounds / eat healthier / not masturbate as much.” These are the people when you ask them what their resolution was the year before they’ll answer, “Same thing as this year, live healthier hopefully lose 10 pounds.”
Try making a realistic goal that way you might actually succeed..
“How’d that resolution go for you last year?” “Gained 35 pounds and began smoking. You win some you lose some, let’s try again 2010!” For some reason people use New Year’s resolutions as an excuse to finally get into shape. You shouldn’t need a motivation like a “New Year’s resolution” to be healthy! Another common “go to” for New Year’s resolutions is making some broad statement like, “I promise to be a better person in 2010.” Who decides what constitutes being a better person?
Is it based off your own selfimage or are you waiting for random people around you to say something like, “Hey last year you were a real douche, but this year you’re really a ‘better person’!” And by making a statement like “be a better person,” that’s suggesting you’re not being “as good a person” and you’re already aware of it. This year try to come up with a meaningful challenging goal for yourself and use that as motivation to get something done you really want to accomplish. The worst thing you could do is come up with it on New Year’s Eve while you’re drunk with all of
SqueakyMarmot / Flickr
your friends. “My New Year’s resolution this year… is to hang out with all my boys every single night! I love all you guys so much… so much… (Begin crying) I promise we’re always going to be best friends forever! And we’re going to drink every single night, I don’t care what day it is! I hate my life! Go Bucs!” Try to avoid that situation. Remember to be sober and avoid making those cliché meaningless resolutions for 2010. John Jacobs can be reached at jjacobs@ut.edu.
The Minaret | December 11, 2009 Sports 14 Week 14 Matchups: The Good, The Bad and Jay Cutler
Jay Cutler reacts to throwing an INT. Jose M. Osorio/MCT Campus
By Daniel Feingold Sports Writer
Before determining who to start and who to sit this week, there are a few notable players on the waiver wire that deserve a roster spot. First, Kenny Britt of the Titans has played well the past three weeks, notching a touchdown in each as well as one 100 yard receiving game. Vince Young appears to favor Britt as one of his top targets, and Britt is only owned in approximately 14 percent of ESPN leagues. Two others I like are Jerome
Harrison in Cleveland and Antonio Bryant of the Buccaneers. With Jamal Lewis on IR, Harrison filled in nicely, even catching two short touchdown passes while being featured in the ground game. As for Antonio Bryant, since coming back healthy, he has been Josh Freeman’s clear deep threat with 207 yards receiving and a touchdown in the last two games. These two fantasy free agents are only owned in 5.8 and 53.3 percent, respectively, of ESPN leagues. Start/Sit Julius Jones and Justin Forsett, RB, Seattle- After returning from his injury, Jones was put back into the Seattle offense as the feature runner. Despite Justin Forsett proving his value, Jones seems like he will be used more frequently. Houston, who Seattle is facing in week 14, allows over 118 yards on the ground per game. With Matt Hasselbeck finally healthy and having the Seahawks playing well, the running game should open up. Jones is worth a start and Forsett could even be a decent flex if you are out of options. Braylon Edwards, WR, New York Jets- Edwards managed to make the SportsCenter “Not Top 10” plays after a perfect pass bounced of his helmet last Thursday versus Buffalo.
Quarterback Mark Sanchez still connected with Edwards for a touchdown, but that was the first time since week eight. The Jets will be in Tampa to face a Buccaneers defense who has played better since going back to the Tampa Two; granted, those games were against backups, but Sanchez is no Tom Brady. Additionally, Edwards will most likely be matched against, if he is healthy enough to play, Aqib Talib. Talib has been a definite bright spot for the Bucs this year, and has especially had recent success shutting down good receivers. Give Edwards a seat on the bench this week. Jay Cutler, QB, Chicago- If you can remember back to the first week of the NFL season, Cutler was showcased in his new uniform against the rival Green Bay Packers. Putting it lightly, Cutler disappointed the Chicago fans, throwing four interceptions in his debut. Fast forward to week 14, and we have the same match up. The only two differences are that Cutler, throughout the course of the year, has shown he wasn’t as good as everybody thought, and that the Packers defense is much better than anybody expected. The Packers allow the least amount of total yards in the league. That being said, keep Cutler on
Julius Jones returned from injury to his feature spot in the backfield. Peter Haley/MCT Campus
your proverbial sideline. Pierre Garcon, WR, Indianapolis- The last four weeks especially, Pierre Garcon has found his niche in the Colts offense that already had playmakers. In those four games, he has two 100 yard receiving performances along with two touchdowns. Even better for point per reception league owners, the last three weeks Garcon nabbed 17 passes. He is worth at least a flex spot until his hot streak wears off. Defense/ Special Teams of the Week The Tennessee Titans defense has struggled the past three weeks, but those games were against In-
dianapolis, Arizona and Houstonthree great offenses. In week 14, the St. Louis Rams come to town with an offense that ranks 25th in the league in terms of total yards; their turnover differential is six under. Look for Tennessee to get their sixth win of the season against a poor St. Louis team. The Titans D/ST is available in over 55 percent of ESPN leagues.
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Rose Bowl Oregon (10-2) vs. Ohio State (10-2) The Oregon - Ohio State matchup is an intriguing one. The Ducks come in the with the sixth best running attack in the country averaging over 200 yards per game, while the Buckeyes bring in a stout defense that ranks fifth in the country allowing less than 90 yards per game. So who prevails? Ohio State is coming off a stellar November as they defeated two top-15 opponents. The deciding factor will be a combination of both the Ohio State defense and QB Terrelle Pryor. The Buckeye offense cannot match the Ducks score for score. It will come down to the defense of Ohio State making a few big stops and Pryor stepping up and making a big play or two. I expect The Buckeyes to continue their role and snap its current three-game BCS bowl skid and defeat the Ducks Sugar Bowl Cincinnati (12-0) vs. Florida (12-1) SEC rival Alabama defeated
Florida in the SEC championship game to snap a then 22 game win streak. Cincinnati put up an impressive perfect season, making a push to be mentioned in the national championship game, but they will have to settle with playing the former national champion Florida Gators. Florida looked unprepared and certainly not impressive against Bama. You can guarantee Urban Meyer will have his team better prepared with a month to prep for the Bearcats. I do not expect this game to be close. Cincinnati has not played a defense as stout as the Gators. A team full of Florida seniors will want to end its career on a win. I expect Cincinnati to be held under 24 points for the first time this season and Florida to win in blow-out fashion. Oh, and don’t forget the distraction of Brian Kelly being the “leading candidate” to be the next coach at Notre Dame. Fiesta Bowl Boise State (12-0) vs. TCU (120) This matchup is fairly uneventful and un-intriguing game, to me. Both teams bring in an undefeated record, but do little to impress me because of the soft schedules each team play. TCU puts up obnoxious numbers; such as the less than 25 yards allowed per game on defense, while also posting a staggering 40+ point average per game. Boise lost to TCU last year in the Poinsettia Bowl, and will do so
again in the Fiesta Bowl, this time however the spread will be larger than one point. Last year TCU won 17-16. Orange Bowl Georgia Tech (11-2) vs. Iowa (10-2) The question mark in this game is whether or not Iowa can stop the Georgia Tech offensive attack. In a word; no. Tech brings in the nation’s No. 2 rushing offense in the country and the No. 11 overall scoring offense. To make matters worse, Tech is riding on adrenaline after defeating Clemson in the ACC Championship game, and Iowa has lost two of its past three games. Give Georgia Tech the win. National Championship Game Texas (12-0) vs. Alabama (12-0) I look forward to this game for one reason; to see the SEC reign supreme for another year. The Alabama offense is going to take it to the Texas defense all game long. McElroy slashed the defense of Florida for 32 points, a defense that had only given up 20 points once before they met. On top of that, Texas barely beat Nebraska. Really…Nebraska? The O-line of Texas struggled mightily against the Nebraska D and forced Colt McCoy out of the pocket all game long. You can bet with over a month to prepare Nick Saban will have his defense ready for blood as they take on Texas. Chalk up another win for the SEC. Kyle Bennett can be reached at minaret.sports@gmail.com.
15 Sports Tampa Roller Hockey Improves to 8-0 With Wins Over DI Rivals
The Minaret | December 11, 2009
By Brett Kotcher Special to The Minaret
This weekend, The University of Tampa’s roller hockey team traveled to Fort Myers for the second of four National Collegiate Roller Hockey League events. The first game of the event Tampa took on The University of Florida. Tampa looked to impress the fans during this game as a few UT students decided to take the short drive down to watch the team in action. Junior Rob Harrison scored a goal 25 seconds into the game giving the Spartans a 1-0 lead.
Tampa did not look back and won the game 9-2 as senior forward, Rowan Porter, added two goals and four assists, while sophomore Phil Gilchrist and junior transfer, Cameron Rowand both added two goals and an assist. In the second game of the event, Tampa took on Florida International University. Newly added freshman, Bryan Kaplan, started the scoring for Tampa, putting the puck past the FIU goalie only 19 seconds into the game. Sophomore forward PJ Catania was named the games’ first star adding a goal and two assists as UT won the game 8-3. Freshman Sam Sherman and Chris Whelan along with senior John Recenello chipped in with great efforts. After a good night's rest, the Spartans had two statement games on Sunday. Tampa took on state rival
Florida Atlantic University. FAU defeated the Spartans in last year's Southeast Regional Championships, so the Spartans were eager for revenge. Tampa came out flying as Porter and Rowand scored early. FAU came back with two quick goals. As both teams traded goals, the score was 4-4 entering the third period. Porter took over the scoring in the third period with a natural hat trick as Tampa defeated FAU 8-4. Porter was named the games’ first star with four goals while Rowand was the games’ third star with two goals. Even though Tampa entered the fourth game of the event against power house UCF with a 7-0 record, the Spartans were not satisfied. UCF, ranked seven in Division I by IRC National Rankings, came at the Spartans full force, but
the Spartans didn't back down. Tampa was led in this game by their Junior Captain, Jeff Kotcher. The first period was dominated by the Knights, but senior goaltender Guy Antonacci, stood on his head making 15 first period saves. The Spartans trailed the Knights 2-0 at the end of the first period, but Porter got the Spartans on the board with a seeing-eye backhand. UCF adding another goal to bring the score to 3-1, but that is when Kotcher started to take over. The captain from Valley Stream, N.Y. scored a goal at the end of the second period to make the score 3-2 and then scored again a minute into the third period to tie the game at three. Rowand then took advantage of the power play to give the Spartans a 4-3 lead. After the Spartans took the lead, the intensity of both teams picked up.
UCF came out flying, but junior Jimmy Westwood and sophomore Marco Varrino made some excellent defensive plays to keep Tampa in the lead. With three minutes left, UCF tied the game. With both teams refusing to accept a tie, more and more fans were drawn to this exciting finish. With 37 seconds left in the game Porter made a pass through the slot to Kotcher who sniped the UCF goalie low blocker side, which gave the Spartans the lead and ultimately the win. Tampa finished the weekend 4-0 and brought their overall record to 8-0. Tampa is looking to improve on their elite eight finish in last years Nationals in Feasterville, Pa. The Spartans next event is in Lake Worth, Fla., Jan. 23 and 24. You can follow UT’s Roller Hockey Team on www.secrhl.org.
SEC, Big 12, Pac 10 Represented in Heisman Race
Ndamukong Suh earns the Bronko Nagurski trophy. Robert Lasher/MCT Campus By Kate Hairopoulos The Dallas Morning News (MCT)
Texas quarterback Colt McCoy, Stanford running back Toby Gerhart, Alabama running back Mark Ingram, Nebraska defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh and Florida quarterback Tim Tebow are the finalists for the 2009 Heisman Trophy. Tim Brown, the 1987 Heisman winner, announced the five names Monday evening on ESPN. Which snazzy dressed player will be named the most outstanding in college football Saturday night in New York's Nokia Theatre? Well,
Colt Mccoy looks for a WR down field. Chris Lee/MCT Campus
that certainly is the question. "It's going to be a really fractured race," said Chris Huston, the creator of Heismanpundit.com, "with a lot of guys bunched together in point totals." Indeed, no player has been able to separate himself all season. Huston's final poll _ which included input from 13 of the 925 voters, whose voting deadline was late Monday afternoon _ had Ingram on top, followed by Gerhart. McCoy tied with Suh for third. Tebow was tied for sixth in the poll. The finalists represent a turn from last season, when only three
Tim Tebow points to the sky after scoring a Touchdown. Gary W Green/MCT Campus
were invited to New York, all quarterbacks. Suh, who had a dominating performance against McCoy and the Longhorns in last week's Big 12 title game loss, would be the first defensive player to win since Michigan's Charles Woodson in 1997. McCoy, who played a gracious runner-up to Oklahoma's Sam Bradford last season, will make his second straight appearance as a finalist. Monday, Huston still warily considered McCoy as the slight favorite, considering he's a senior, a well-known name playing for a
Mark Ingram running the ball for Alabama. Mark Cornelison/MCT Campus
program that will compete for the national championship and is the winningest quarterback in major college football. McCoy may have put together his signature game in the Longhorns' dramatic win over rival Texas A&M on Thanksgiving. But, Huston said, he may have given some of that back in the Big 12 title game, when he was sacked nine times and threw three interceptions. Ingram is Alabama's career single-season rushing leader with 1,542 yards. He rushed for 113 yards and three touchdowns in the SEC title
game victory over Florida. Alabama has never had a player win the Heisman, or place second in the voting. Gerhart, who also plays baseball for Stanford, leads the nation with 26 touchdowns and ranks second in rushing average (144.7 ypg) after tallying 1,736 yards in 12 games. He's lifted Stanford (8-4) to its first winning season since 2001. Tebow, the 2007 Heisman winner and 2008 third-place finisher, earned another invitation even after Florida fell to Alabama in Saturday's SEC title game.
Intramural Sports Provide Alternative for UT Athletes By Kelly Bates Journalism 1
At The University of Tampa there are many student organizations to get involved in. One popular organization that many UT students take part in every semester is intramural sports. It is an organization that not only students take part in but faculty and staff as well. Intramural sports allow those
not part of a varsity team a chance to participate in competitive structured leagues throughout the whole school year. Kaitlin Hall, a junior transfer student, explained how she played varsity soccer at her previous school and did not want to give up soccer when coming here. “Being a part of a varsity sport in college is hard to juggle at times with academics and other organizations on campus,” Hall said.
Hall explained that when she decided to transfer here she wanted to continue to play but not as competitively. Hall was thrilled when she found out UT provided its students with a variety of intramural sports not as demanding as varsity sports. Intramural sports not only provide entertainment for its players but a job for its faculty, staff and students as well.
UT senior Jared Bilsland plays for Tampa’s JV baseball team and explained how working as an official for the different intramural sports is a great way to make some extra money. “It only takes up an hour of my day a few times a week, and it's right here on campus. It’s the ideal job for me,” he said. Although the season only lasts a few weeks, it is a good way to stay active, meet new friends
and stay fit. Currently, the following sports being played are 3-on-3 basketball, co-ed softball and ultimate frisbee. If you missed the deadline to sign up for a sport this semester, be sure to mark your calendars for the 2010 spring schedule. The schedule can be found on the school’s website at www. ut.edu/recreation/intramuralsports.
“Face your deficiencies and acknowledge them. But do not let them master you.” - Hellen Keller
3
‘n t u O
Tampa Concludes Season With No. 4 National Rank
Minn., where Concordia hosted the NCAA Tournament. They were matched up with Cal State San Bernardino, who had beaten UT in all four of their previous meetings. The Spartans managed to win a close opening set 25-21 with a
.455 hitting percentage. That would be UT’s last win of the season, however, as the Coyotes took the next three sets by scores of 25-20, 25-22 and 2520. The Spartans hit a season-low .222 in the match. Three Coyotes finished with double digit kills while three also had double digit digs, with two players recording double-doubles. For UT, junior Melissa Vanderhall led with 18 kills, while sophomore Julie Howlett had 20 digs. Junior Meghan Sherman recorded her 2,000th career assist in the first set, finishing the match with 42. CSU San Bernardino went on to lose in the semifinals to Concordia, who won their third straight national title and is the only team to win it all since UT captured the championship in 2006. Overall, the volleyball season can be considered a successful one for UT. The Spartans finish the season with a 31-3 record and the South Region championship. This also marks the ninth season in which Tampa has finished in the top five. UT was led by Vanderhall, who captured both the Sunshine State Conference and South Region Player of the Year awards for the second straight season. Vanderhall finished 2009 with a team-best 416 kills. She is one of five All-SSC players and one of three AllAmericans on the team.
The team’s other juniors, Kaleigh Cunningham and Meghan Sherman, were also named AllAmericans. Additionally, head coach Chris Catanach was named South Region Coach of the Year for the fifth consecutive season and 13th time in his career. Highlights from 2009 included defeating fierce conference rival Saint Leo at the Martinez Center for the South Region title. The Spartans and Lions split their matches in the regular season and shared the SSC title leading up to the rematch in the tournament final. “I personally felt like the game was more than just a regional game,” Vanderhall said of the win. “We wanted to prove that we were the better team.” Catanach stated hosting the regional tournament and making it to Elite Eight were goals for the team at the beginning of the season. Now having accomplished those, the Spartans can declare this season a strong showing. Next season also looks to have high expectations for UT. The team had no seniors this season and will be returning their core in 2010. The team will also add a couple new players as the team continues to recruit, according to Catanach. The Spartans will return to action at the beginning of the fall 2010 semester. Ryan Burkett can be reached at rburkett@ut.edu.
Tampa (7-0, 1-0 SSC) battled through a close first half, using a late 16-5 run to take a ten-point lead into halftime. They ran away with a 24-6 stretch early in the second half and never let FIT back into the game. Four of the seven Spartans who scored reached double figures. Tiara Cook, who was later named SSC Player of the Week, led UT with 19 points in 35 minutes. She went to the foul line 18
times and was successful on 15 attempts. She finished with nine rebounds and five of the team’s eight steals. Gianna Messina recorded her first double-double of the season after having three last season. She racked up 17 points and 11 boards. Angela Guiu went 4-for-4 from three-point range en route to 16 points and Taja Green added ten more. The Spartans shot 10-for-19 (52.6 percent) on three-pointers
and 29-38 (76.3 percent) in free throws. Florida Tech leading scorers Emi McCullough, Lynisha Nelson and Kaylin Jaichon totaled ten points apiece. Jaichon also led the Panthers with eight rebounds. UT’s next scheduled game came at home against Palm Beach Atlantic Dec. 9. This is a rematch from the Nov. 17 season opener, where the Spartans defeated PBA 64-37. Brenton Burkett can be reached at bburkett@ut.edu.
SSC Honors
W. Basketball: The University of Tampa women’s basketball team was awarded its second straight Sunshine State Conference Player of the Week Honors. Tiara Cook tallied 21 points, eight rebounds and five steals in just 18 minutes on the court. Cook’s performance led the Spartans to a 72-39 victory over Florida Memorial. The senior, Cook, leads Tampa in points with 15.1 points per game and 7.6 rebounds per game.
Annual Golf Tournament Baseball: The Spartan baseball team will host its 21st annual Rene Martinez, Sr. Golf Classic. Martinez was a Tampa native that died in 1990. He also was a local fund raiser and active member of the community. All interested players should contact Joe Urso at jurso@ut.edu.
Top Five Finish Volleyball: The University of Tampa volleyball team fell to Cal State University San Bernardino in four sets in the Quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament. Although Tampa dropped the match it jumped two spots to end the season No. 4. The finish is the ninth top five finish for the Spartans.
Tampa scored a total 1671 combined team kills. The kills were a key role in its success and forth place national ranking. UT knocked home almost 400 more team kills than its opponents. Chelsea Michelson/The Minaret Ryan Burkett Sports Writer
The No. 4 University of Tampa volleyball team concluded its season with a loss to Cal State San Bernardino in the NCAA Elite Eight tournament. UT made the trip to St. Paul,
Women’s Basketball Extends School Best Start to 7-0 By Brenton Burkett Sports Writer
UT women’s basketball coach Tom Jessee called Melbourne’s Charles and Ruth Clemente Center “a very tough place to play.” The team got the message. The No. 15 Spartans leaped to a fast start on the Sunshine State Conference schedule, defeating the Florida Tech Panthers (5-3, 0-1 SSC) 75-57 in Melbourne on Dec. 5. Their school-record start was extended to 7-0.
M. Basketball
No. 15 W. Basketball
No. 4 Volleyball
Dec. 12 @ 7:30 p.m. vs. Valdosta State
Dec. 12 @ 5:30 p.m. at Florida Memorial
31-3 (15-1 SSC)
>>> After losing its season opener the UT men’s basketball team has strung together three straight wins. Following an away game against Benedict UT will host Valdosta State.
>>> The women’s basketball team has opened the season with a record setting 7-0 (10) record. After hosting Palm Beach Atlantic, UT will travel to take on Florida Memorial.
>>> The University of Tampa volleyball team finished its season ranked in the top five for the ninth time in the program’s history. Tampa fell in the NCAA Quarterfinals. The Elite Eight appreance was the 12th in program history for UT.
Interested in Writing for The Minaret Sports Section next semester? Email Kyle Bennett at minaret.sports@gmail.com.