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February 20, 2009
Curtain Call For Boathouse Privacy UT Students Turn Into Heroes Over Night
By Ellery McCardle News Editor
From left: Brittan Spence and Danielle Salm Photos by Charlie Hambos
Fire Marshals: It’s curtains for resident decorations By Mel Steiner A&E Editor
Privacy doesn’t come cheap, especially in the Boathouse, where fire marshals have ordered residents to remove the curtains
separating individual living areas. Signs posted around the Boathouse say students have until Feb. 26 at 5 p.m. Residence Life is recommending costly solutions such as room dividers and changing screens. Brittan Spence is upset about the expense. “We should be able to have our privacy without paying extra for it,” she said. Lexa Andreu summed up her thoughts on the policy change. “The fact that people are leaving because of this, really upsets me,” she said. “I really hope UT does the right thing here and helps us out and doesn’t neglect us.
We’re still 15 voices.” The Boathouse costs $1,450 per semester. The room dividers will cost the students an additional $100 - $200 at Wal-Mart and Target. “It started with a faulty fire alarm,” said Austin Ashby, a freshman resident. The alarm went off four times, and the fire department came to inspect it. They commented that the sheets were a fire hazard and needed to be removed immediately. Students, like Andreu, said the fire officials were blunt and to the point. Another resident, See “Privacy”
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A Life Celebrated . . . By Charlie Hambos Asst. Editor-in-chief
ROTC cadets sat silently in the center rows, gazing at a picture of Victor Strizzi, the comrade they had come to honor. Soon, the Strizzi family, escorted by uniformed men and women came down the aisle. They wept at Strizzi’s picture, which gazed back at them, bringing back the memories of the man, the friend, the leader and the soldier. The sophomore was killed Tuesday in a motorcycle crash on Bayshore Boulevard. Chaplain Anthony Wig-
gins, Capt. USAF, welcomed the mourners. “We are here to honor Victor, to salute him,” Wiggins said. He also read a scripture that resonated through the minds of the friends and family. "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am,” he read from the Gospel of John 14:1-3. Then, Dean of Students Bob
They thought it would be just another Friday night drive, but soon, three UT sorority sisters and their friends would help save the lives of a mother and her two young children. UT students and members of Alpha Gamma Delta Jessica Novy, Megan Smith and Laura Welch, along with two other friends, Alec Matthews, a junior at USF and Anthony Varano came upon a crash scene and helped the victims. The group was headed south on I-75 when they passed smoke in the median, said Jessica Novy, one of the Alpha Gamma Delta sisters. “We noticed a flipped over vehicle,” Novy said. Seeing no emergency personnel, she told the pick-up’s driver, Anthony Varano, to turn around. “We just saw a cloud of dust, so I think we got there right as it happened,” Novy said. When the group rushed back
Strizzi
Inside ...
See “Strizzi”
By Derrick Austin Commentary Editor
[2]
Welcome to post-white America! We’re not post-racial; postwhite would be a more accurate term.
Water Main Breaks [3] New Radios for Security [2]
Economy Commentary [8] Athlete Numbers [15]
Password Peril [11]
Women Win Five Straight [14] Blogs from Overtime [15]
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--Jessica Novy, Student Witness
to the scene, AGD member Megan Smith said they didn’t even know what they were looking at was an overturned Volkswagen Beetle. “I couldn’t make out that it was a Bug, it was so destroyed,” Smith said. A screaming 2-year-old was lying on the side of the road next to the car, having been ejected. Meanwhile, the mother was trapped in the car, drifting in and out of consciousness. An off-duty Hillsborough County firefighter had stopped and dialed 911. See “Heroes”
[4]
From left: Jessica Novy, Laura Welch, Anthony Varano and Megan Smith Photo by Charlie Hambos
Post-White, But Not Quite Post-Racial Ruday spoke of the grief the university community is feeling. “I bring heartfelt sorrow to the Strizzi family from Dr. [Ronald] Vaughn,” Ruday said. Ruday said Strizzi would have wanted his friends and family together.
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I checked his vitals, his pulse and breathing and he stayed okay.
Lily Allen CD Review[10]
“A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer .”
“Post-racial” has been bandied about since the election of our president as if on Jan. 21 Americans woke up in the Promised Land. Granted, as years go by, Americans grow even more progressive and accepting but I don’t think we are—or can be—post-racial. Still, what exactly describes the climate of our country? It can’t be ignored that our generation marks the beginning of a new cultural shift in our awareness and handling of issues of race. We’re not beyond race, but I See “History”
[7]
News.................[1-4] Commentary....[6-8] Editorial..............[6] A&E................[9-12] Sports...........[14-16]
[Ralph Waldo Emerson]
News
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The Minaret | February 20, 2009
Security to Connect with Tampa Emergency Units By Sarah Gottlieb Staff Writer
Editor-in-Chief Peter Arrabal parrabal@gmail.com
Asst. Editor-in-Chief Charlie Hambos chambos@ut.edu
News Editor Ellery McCardle minaret.news@gmail.com
Commentary Editor Derrick Austin minaret.commentary@gmail.com
Sports Editor Bobby Winsler
minaret.sports@gmail.com
A&E Editor Mel Steiner
minaret.arts@gmail.com
Online Editor Alex Vera
minaret.online@gmail.com
Head Photographer Mindy Tucker mindy.minaret@gmail.com
Adviser Charles McKenzie charles.mckenzie@ut.edu
Staff-At-Large
Josh Kratovil, Staff Assistant Sarah Gottlieb, Staff Writer Jillian Randel, Staff Writer JP Busche, Staff Writer Delaney Spoerl, Staff Writer Thiago Queiroz, Staff Writer Erika Escobar, Staff Writer Megan Smith, Staff Writer Austin Daniels, Cartoonist Max Roberts, Artist John Meacham, Photographer Elizabeth Harm, A&E Kadie Hayward, A&E Kristen Vasquez, A&E Shelby Kuni, Sports Olivia Glynn, Sports Kyle Bennett, Sports Samuel Gerb, Sports Shannon Grippando, Copy Editor
You can reach The Minaret directly at (813) 257-3636
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By next fall, UT Campus Safety and Security will be able to immediately connect to any police, fire department or sherriff’s office in the county, thanks to 35 new radios, a base and a new communication system, all of which were obtained at no cost to the university. Kevin Howell, assistant director of safety and security, said that this new system will allow security to become more involved and integrated with public safety authorities. He also said that the new system is like the one they have now but that security will be able to connect immediately on the same communication line with law enforcement agencies and emergency services depending on what channel they use. Howell said that if something like a hurricane were to happen, the radios would allow security and the city to instantly get in touch. He also said that if there were a statewide emergency, the radios would be able to connect to offi-
cials throughout the state. systems and that UT security was “If, God forbid, anything was able to “piggy-back” and receive to happen, we’re instantaneously some of this money as part of the connected,” he said. “We don’t same contract. have to use our phones to try to “The best part is that we don’t connect with them. It can hook have to expend any funds,” he said. us directly to what we’re looking He added that it would have been for.” hard to ask President Vaughn for Howell said the money to fund this that while he If, God forbid upgrade in hopes to never anything was to hapthe current have to use the pen, we’re instantaeconomic radios in this neously connected. turmoil. capacity, he is Every glad they will be --Kevin Howell, UT security available. assistant director of officer will “There is security be assigned nothing wrong to a radio, with what we have now, this will just make us each valued at $2,200. Howell said that these radios are the exact better [able to act],” he said. The upgrade also comes at no ones that TPD officers and sheriffs use, except a different model. The cost to the university. According to Howell, the ones TPD use cost around $6,000 Tampa Police Department was each. Howell said that while he given a grant by UASI (Urban Ar- could have asked for those, they include features security probably eas Security Initiative). The group gives grants to lo- would not use, like GPS devices. “I can’t see getting something cal law enforcement in order to help bring areas technologically we don’t need,” he said. up to date based on an area’s threat Howell also said that it is important for security to grow as the level. Howell said that TPD request- university grows and that this is ed $19 million to upgrade their one step for Security to keep up.
In addition to the new radios, Howell said in the next year he expects to have a collaborative effort and training assessment between Security and TPD. “We want to mesh what we do here with the law enforcement side so it’s seamless if law enforcement ever needs to come in,” he said, adding that if something like Virginia Tech were to happen, the two sides would be prepared to work together as one unit. “TPD is always willing to do anything we need help with here,” Howell said. Howell said that it took close to a year to work on getting the radios, but it was “well worth it.” He said the new radios should be up and running by April first, and by August, security will definitely be on the new communication system in time for the fall semester. “This is going to be a good thing for the university and the entire community,” he said. “Everything we do is really looking out for the entire campus. All of this benefits every single person who sets foot inside this campus.”
company had nearly 75 churches participate in producing shawls and prayer squares. Although the events of Feb. 14 were tragic, Beard said she has seen remarkable things in the campus over the past year. Beard said signs of hope have remained even as NIU has faced arguably the hardest time in its long history.
These signs include candlelight vigils that were organized, the availability of counselors on campus and students concerned with other issues, although they still are dealing with their own. “Those are all ways that are more powerful than what happened in Cole Hall,” Beard said. “I have seen so many signs of hope and new life.”
and laminated. Then the production will get serious,” says Neyland. With the construction in progress, the central part of campus
where the commuter lot was by the Fairground Offices is now gone raising concerns of minimal parking for commuters. Bob Ruday, Dean of Students said in regards to parking, “No one has come to me directly about the Chapel.” According to Ruday, Rick Ogorek, Associate Vice President for Administrative Services, gave an update to the Student Government Executive Board last Friday. “I meet with Andrew Learned every week and he hasn’t expressed any large concern from Student Government.” As for the commuter parking concerns on campus, Eyleen Torres, the Student Commuter Organization President, and freshman, said, “I commute from Plant City. You take
an extra 10 minutes.” All freshman parking is designated in West Parking Garage from the second to top floor. Commuter, Nicole Ackels, a UT junior, “The only designated commuter parking is in West. It’s almost pointless to have a commuter tag because they took away so much commuter parking.” Torres hopes to have a Laser Team-like service, “People would take like a shuttle system for people to get to class.” According to Torres, the top concerns involving commuter students were: more space in Thomas, building a 3rd Parking Garage instead of a Chapel and have Laser Team shuttle students to class.
Germany stating he was an excellent soldier and that his death is a true loss. Proctor said Strizzi was able to delicately balance his body, mind and soul with God. Roommate Andre Burrell was Strizzi’s friend and battalion leader. “[Strizzi] was a local humanitarian who ignited this campus with his enthusiasm,” Burrell said. Juan Gomez spoke of Strizzi highly and someone that he was looking forward to know even more. Gomez was accustomed to receiving a text from Strizzi every morning for the last six months, and he recalled the first morning
the text never came in. Gomez, also on the route to medical school recalled Strizzi’s schedule and was prepared to go to each class and take notes to make sure Strizzi wouldn’t get behind while he was in the hospital. These are the kind of friends Strizzi had and the memories of him will live a lifetime. Then as “Taps” played, the men and women in uniform stood up and remained at attention. Wiggins concluded the service with a quote from Strizzi and scripture. “There is a hole inside all of us. We try and try to fill this hole with whatever we can. Some fill it with love, some with material
items; each of us fills our hole with something, in an attempt to find happiness.” As we leave ourselves open and attempt to fill this hole, sometimes we allow darkness in our lives. “Our holes should be filled with God. Through HIM is the only way to find peace.” –Victor Strizzi “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks and receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened,” he read from the Gospel of Matthew 7:7-8. The family left and the rest followed after.
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NIU Shooting One Year Later: Shawls Honor Those Lost Last Feb. 14
By John Ronallo Northern Star
(UWIRE)- After the Feb. 14 shootings, the Wesley Foundation at Northern Illinois University asked for help supporting the campus. What they received was more than 350 handmade prayer shawls. Kelli Beard, pastor of the Wes-
ley Foundation, organized the shawl-making as a way to honor those killed. A member of the Association of Campus Religious Organizations and partnered with Lutheran Campus Ministry, Beard and
Chapel Construction On Course, Projected Finish, Jan. 2010 By Megan Smith Staff Writer
Last semester, a donation was made my John Sykes for the construction of a religious facility on campus. The Sykes Chapel of Center for Faith and Values is expected to be completed by January 2010. Since October, when the Chapel’s groundbreaking was commenced, only minimal construction has taken place. Bill Neyland, project manager of facilities. “Steel work is being done two weeks before beams come in. Each beam is to be 16” by 30” by 35ft. long,” Neyland stated. “Once the beams are ready, the steel work will be anchored, glued, From “Strizzi”: Front Page “Please go beyond the feeling of words today to examine your own emotions,” Ruday said. Then, Lt. Col. Proctor, a professor of military science, spoke about Strizzi as the cadet and the student he and many of his friends knew. “Remember the good times, the laughs and the celebration of his life,” Proctor said. “Above all, he was a leader and friend.” Proctor said when he first met Strizzi, he immediately saw the young man’s confidence. Strizzi received letters from his fellow soldiers both in Iraq and
Photo by Megan Smith
News
The Minaret | February 20, 2009
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Water Main Breaks, Rescom, Security Without Water Pipe unmarked on map, hit and ruptured during construction work By Cristobal Gomez Staff Writer
Contractors working on installing a new fire main to service University of Tampa buildings accidently hit an old water line on North B. Street at around 9 a.m. The old line was not shown on any drawings and was probably used to service old houses or the fairgrounds, according to Bill Neyland, senior project manager for UT facilities management. The City of Tampa Water Department was called in to assist with the problem but it took the department a while to find the shut off valve for the old line. Water pressure to Rescom and the Safety and Security office was shut down until around 1 p.m. Students were unable to shower, use their sinks, or flush their toilets. For hours water from the damaged main flowed onto North B Street and North Boulevard Avenue. Neyland said that the potable water line to Rescom was affected but the fire line was not affected. Student Reaction Many Rescom residents were inconvenienced by the water shortage that lasted about four hours. RA Felice Knowles came back from class and didn’t realize
Photo by Mindy Tucker
Tampa Universities Team Up to Test Hillsborough River By Emily Benham Staff Writer
Water gathered along some of the streets on campus Monday after a pipe broke Photo by Cristobal Gomez
Photo by Cristobal Gomez
the water was out. “I didn’t eat because I couldn’t wash my hands.” Knowles was also upset when she called facilities and they couldn’t give her a time when they thought the water would be turned on again. Resident Peter Espindola
came back from tennis class, used the bathroom and then realized he couldn’t flush the toilet. “I needed to wash my hands but couldn’t because there was not water.” “I didn’t even know about it until I saw the sign on the door,” said resident Tanner Cox. “Will I be reimbursed for the inconvenience? No.” “I tried to use the bathroom but I couldn’t flush,” said resident Robert Binger who figured something was wrong after he saw water flooding onto Brevard Street. “It ruined my morning,” resident Kyle Lovenduski said.
USF Med School VP Accused of Stealing Bicycle Resigns By Inside Higher Ed
The University of South Florida is investigating Abdul Rao, senior vice president for research, after he was seen on a video, posted on YouTube, taking a bicycle from the loading dock of a research center at the university, The St. Peters-
burg Times reported. Rao, whose salary and stipend total nearly $400,000, said he took the bike to help a homeless friend who needed it for a short period of time and planned to return it. Rao resigned Feb. 17. The bike belonged to a graduate student.
Photo by health.usf.edu
UT Benefits from Stimulus Package By Cristobal Gomez Staff Writer
President Barack Obama signed the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act on Tuesday, after it was passed by Congress last week. Controversy still surrounds the massive economic stimulus package that is designed to make the US economy recover faster. With close to $1 trillion of taxpayers’ money being allocated many are wondering, including UT students, how the stimulus package will affect them. Marcus Ingram, associate professor of finance, said the package is good news for UT students with
Photo by MCT/Casanova
Federal Pell grants. The package provides $100 billion towards education spending and contains a huge $15 billion funding increase for Federal Pell grants. Pell grants for low-income students will be raised from $4,731 to $5,350 and there is an additional $13 billion for schools that serve low-income families. “Federal pell grants don’t discriminate,” Ingram said, so eligible students attending private universities like UT have just a good chance as students attending public universities. Another possible benefit for UT students could be tax credits. “Possible tax credits could benefit students as long as they declare some income,” Ingram said. In the package, college students and their parents if they are dependents are eligible for up to $1,000 in tax credits to help with tuition expenses in 2009 and 2010. Ingram wasn’t sure the package would stimulate the economy in time to help UT graduates in May and December to find jobs. “No, its not designed to improve corporate outlook,” he said, and it
“doesn’t have much in it for businesses to encourage them to invest.” Ingram cautioned students to think about the effect the stimulus package will have on their future. “Students need to be real about whose money we’re spending, it is yours.” The US national debt is now over $10 trillion and that this stimulus plan will add close to another one trillion dollars to national debt. Ingram’s overall opinion about the stimulus plan is not negative, but he said he’s just not happy with it. “I fear it. I fear the amount of debt involved and wish it was smaller and more thoughtful.” Ingram fears that with the package being so complex, “we get the good with the bad.” “It seems that there is still a great deal of confusion about exactly what is in the bill that was passed,” he said. Ingram believes there will eventually be a strong recovery but isn’t sure the stimulus plan will do what it was meant to do, which is to make the economy recover faster.
The Hillsborough River located outside of McKay Hall and the Riverside building here at UT now has a new purpose: monitoring the Tampa Bay water quality. UT will be collaborating with USF college of Marine Science/ Costal Ocean Monitoring and Prediction System (COMPS) to monitor the nitrate, salinity, water temperature and tide height as the water flows towards Tampa Bay. Steve Hendrix, a UT associate professor sees educational possibilities with the river. “UT’s location is prime for water quality monitoring since it is situated in a heavily urbanized area on one of the major river’s providing fresh water to Tampa Bay. Plus, we house the Laboratory for Atmospheric
and Marine Analysis (LAMA), and we have a long history of collaboration with USF in the area of oceanographic nutrient research,” he said. This will provide an opportunity for UT chemistry students to get involved in an extensive project with their community. Dr. Rob Masserini, who is working out of USF, is leading this project with the station assembly and associated infrastructure provided by USF at no cost. The base for this project will be provided by solar power and is located on UT campus, north of McKay hall. This project will be connected with the Oceanic Nutrient Laboratory, Tampa Bay Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System (PORTS), USF COMPS as well as NOAA coastal ocean observing systems (COOS).
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News From “Heroes”: Front Page
The mother told him there was still an infant in the car. All three students are certified in First Aid and CPR. Novy is also an experienced lifeguard. Despite all of their combined training, Welch said she still felt unprepared for the accident. “You get so much training but nothing is really comparable to what’s it like out there,” she said. 2-year-old on Ground “The 2-year-old was bleeding from a gash on the back of his head and was trying to walk around,” said Welch who treated the boy for shock. She then found a pile of blankets, which had been ejected from the car. She put one blanket on the boy’s head and laid him down on the rest.However, she said the boy’s behavior was erratic. “He would get calm and then get excited again and scream for
his mother… then he’d scream for his brother,” she said. To calm him, Welch and Smith sang him “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” and the “ABC’s.” “I kept saying, ‘Just lay down. Its okay,’” Smith said. Meanwhile, Welch rubbed his stomach. Infant Trapped in Backseat While her two sorority sisters were consoling the toddler, Novy attended to the 6-month-old, who had been pulled out of the wreckage by the off-duty firefighter. “I checked his vitals, his pulse and breathing and he stayed okay,” Novy said. She held the baby until paramedics arrived 20 minutes later. Mother Pried Out The mother, still trapped inside, was injured the worst. The fire rescuer could not get her out of the car. Later, rescuers pried her out with the Jaws of Life. All three were then air lifted to Tampa General Hospital. As for Varano and the fifth passenger, Alec Matthews, they were holding flashlights and getting
The Minaret | February 20, 2009
hand sanitizer for the women so they could wash the blood of their hands. Their First Reactions “My first thought was ‘I hope no body died,’” Welch said. The group decided not to visit the family. “We didn’t want to bring back the memory of the accident,” Novy said. But they do hope for the best for the mother and her two children. Although they do not know the current condition, as of last Saturday, the mother was still in critical condition but stable. Although the experience will leave a mark in their memory, Welch said, “It was a bad experience, but we gained more confidence that we were able to do something good for somebody.” Novy said it was the worst accident she has ever seen, but she said, “It felt good to help them.” Smith agreed. “It was intense, but we were in the right place at the right time.”
UT Appoints Chair in Entrepreneurship By Sarah Gottlieb Staff Writer
The University of Tampa named Dr. Rebecca J. White as a new Distinguished Walter Chair in Entrepreneurship at the John H. Sykes College of Business last week. As Chair, White will lead the Florida Entrepreneur and Family Business Program at the Sykes College of Business. “This is a very high profile position given that entrepreneurship majors are the fastest growing majors in the country,” said Dr. Frank Ghannadian, Dean of the Sykes College of Business. White, who received an MBA and a doctorate in strategic management, marketing and entrepreneurship from Virginia Tech University, has a long list of credentials boasting her experience in entrepreneurship. White is a professor of management and is the director of the Fifth Third Bank Entrepreneurship
Institute at Northern Kentucky University. Under her leadership there, the entrepreneurship programs were ranked among the top 25 in the nation by the Princeton Review. The program also received many national awards. Also at Northern Kentucky University, she created the Women’s Entrepreneurship Institute, a webbased educational program for female entrepreneurs. White is also the co-founder of the companies RiskAware and adEsse LLC. She is also a member on the national board for the United States Association for Entrepreneurship and Small Business and on the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers. White will start at UT on Aug. 15.
Feb. 17 Meeting
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Morgan Tanafon is the newly elected Vice President of Finance. Election speeches for SG Fall ‘09 are due March 31. Applications for the P.E.A.C.E. spring break weekend trip to Homestead, Fla. are due by March 16 at midnight. email P.E.A.C.E. at AlternativeBreaks@ut.edu CMF Finale will be March 26 in the Vaughn Courtyard. Day Events are from 12-4p.m. in Vaughn Courtyard A BBQ catered by Sodexo starts at 5 p.m. Screenings begin at 8 p.m. Major Spring Concert Performer(s) will be announced Support UT vs. Florida Tech on Feb. 21, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. C.A.R.E. monitors are needed for senior party at the Florida Aquarium on April 18. For more information contact William Ross at wross@ut.edu or stop by OSLE.
Heat things up! ’09 SUMMER SESSIONS s %ARN CREDIT FASTER s 3ATISFY PREREQUISITES s 3NAG HARD TO GET CLASSES
visit www.ut.edu/09summer for a complete schedule of classes and more information Session I: Session II: 12-Week Session: Saturday MBA: Inter-Sessions:
May 26 - July 2 July 6 - Aug. 13 May 26 - Aug. 13 May 16 - Aug. 8 May 11-22, Aug. 17-28
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Register today on SpartanWeb!
Austin Ashby (center) and Stefan Allard (right), Boathouse residents. Photo by Charlie Hambos
From “Privacy”: Front Page Danielle Salm, said the firemen told her that because she was a college student she didn’t need privacy. When the students got their room assignments in the fall, they understood their living environment. Sixteen students – 15 residents and one RA – live in the Boathouse, sectioned off by gender with two bedrooms each. Concerned that there were no walls between the students’ individual living areas, Andreu called UT in July, she asked about her privacy due to the openness of the layout. She said ResLife informed her that in the past years, students hung curtains to separate their areas so that it would be just as suitable of a living environment as any of the other dorms on campus. M a t t L e B r a s s e u r, A r e a Coordinator of the Boathouse and Nichole Wagner, Head Resident of the Boathouse and McKay, talked to the residents last week. They informed them that there is nothing they could do about the rule; they had to enforce it by law. By Feb. 26 at 5 p.m. the two are going to carry out an inspection of the house. The fire marshal is coming after that. According to residents, if the Boathouse does not pass the inspection this time, it will be closed off from housing. At this point, the only solution given to the students so far is to purchase another form of a divider – floor room dividers.
“I’m pretty pissed that I spent “We’re living in the Boathouse with very little privacy as it is.” all this money to get them. UT just said Caitlin McGrath, a sophomore made me waste money and isn’t resident. “For them to take away helping anyone out with the extra that one, little, thin sheet of privacy expense.” According to him, other and not reimburse us for the solution is ridiculous. They are expecting us residents are planning to move out to pay an additional fee for these as well. Simos Farrell, a former RA and room dividers when I already spent HR of the Boathouse $80 on my gave his opinion on the curtains that GO ONLINE decree. “It [hanging I was told I Check for updates on the curtains] would could have this story and others on be the first thing in the first www.theminaretonline. com. Leave a comment and everybody would do,” place.” he said. Austin let us know what you think. “The curtains A s h b y, a were entirely a student freshmen, is now moving out due to this situation. initiative,” Farrell said. “[The “I really need my privacy,” he said. curtains] are known throughout “We have to pay for these room ResLife.” Farrell said it was possible dividers out of our own pockets, that the curtains have never been which is absurd. I’m just trying to an issue in the past because the get out of the entire situation all inspections could have been done together.” over the summer when no one was He, too, was told that he living there. could have curtains hang from the Wagner, the HR, offered some ceiling. advice to students. “It’s not ResLife’s fault. At this point, the residents should go to the RHA meeting and request that the organization pay for the room dividers. The residents knew about this before the open room change so they could have moved out,” Wagner said. Krystal Schofield, director of Residence Life was unable to comment by press time on Tuesday. The Tampa Fire Marshal’s Office was closed and did not return calls from The Minaret.
The Minaret | February 20, 2009
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Commentary The Minaret | February 20, 2009 UT Needs To Open Up To Students There’s a reason every student is at this university. For some, it is the education. For others, it was a scholarship. Perhaps it was something as simple as the good weather and its location near the beaches. Still more chose the University of Tampa for its athletic program, its fine arts program, or its excellent publications. But The Minaret is willing to bet no one chose this private school because they wanted to forfeit their basic rights. Time and again students have problems with professors, administrators and more, and are told they have no argument because this is a private university. Why have we forfeited our rights? Why are we not allowed the basic due process afforded to everyone else? This university has the wrong mindset. It has chosen not to be a research-oriented university, and therefore should aim to be a studentcentered one. Instead, we are forced to turn to the courts and have judges order that plagiarism charges be dropped, and that grades be changed. Instead, we are forced to give up our right to question decisions because no one is listening. At nearby University of South
Florida, the president of the student government is appointed to the Board of Trustees and is involved in major decisions at their school. There are 13 other trustees there. At UT, the SG president attends a 30-minute glimpse at the trustees’ meeting and then is shuffled out as decisions are made. There are hundreds of UT trustees. Too often, when the question is raised about why things like the plagiarism lawsuit happen, the answer comes back, “Because this is a private university.” It is a pitiful excuse. Being a private university affords this university certain powers and privileges, but denying students their rights, imposing convoluted rules and circular reasoning are not those. This school is one of the best in the state boasting a stellar campus and faculty. Students apply to UT in droves just for the chance to come to attend. We chose to go here because of a 15:1 student-to-professor ratio. We chose to come here because the campus is small and convenient. We did not choose to come here to give up our rights, yet we willingly let it slide, letting that absurd excuse siphon away our
freedom. We cannot question our leaders without trepidation, rational or not, of a subversive effort to kick us out, hurt our grades or discredit our names. This tyrannical stranglehold on power only reduces the level of respect students have for university leadership. If those in charge are untouchable, how are we able to respond? There’s nothing we can do about it—we go to a private university. Someday, this will come back to haunt us. We will give up the wrong right. We will lose the ability to stand up for ourselves, and we will be so mired in a hole of secrecy that we will never see the truth again. This is a call to openness at the University of Tampa. This is a call to stand up for the rights of the students. This is a non-profit business, yet the veil of secrecy shrouds any ability to see the true nature of the school. And to students, beg for this openness. This is your school. This is your money. These are your rights. If you aren’t willing to fight for them, you don’t deserve them.
Losing Loved Ones Teaches Us To Embrace Those We Have Compassion and empathy bring people together through the pain of loss and heartache By Kadie Hayward Columnist
I think I’m lucky so many of my friends have died. I know that sounds twisted, but as this campus copes with the loss of an outstanding student and friend to many, I am reminded of the many friends I have lost. Many is not an understatement, I assure you. I’m shocked by those around me who have not yet faced such a loss. After all that I’ve seen through my life, it takes some time realize that there are some people who have yet to suffer death’s particular sting of loss. Those are the people I looked at with a little bit of envy. I used to think they were the lucky ones, those people who made it through a couple of decades of life without ever having to say good-bye for one last time. I used to wish I could count myself among the inexperienced funeral-goers and inept sympathy card writers. I was jealous of my peers who weren’t sure what to wear to a viewing or a funeral service, as I mechanically pulled my usual out of the closet. I wondered how it was possible that newbies existed in the strange circumstance that is death when I was rich in frequent-crier miles. For a long time I thought I was cursed or God was angry at me for something. I was being ridiculous, I know. But as those who have gone through the loss of a loved one
can tell you, not much makes sense when you can’t think about anything except never talking to a best friend or family member again. I said that I was lucky to have lost so many. Don’t get me wrong. I’d give anything to have my loved ones back, but I know I can’t do that. Sometimes all you are able to do is take what life has given you and respond the best way that you can. Managing this kind of pain transforms people. There are sparks of charity, kindness and compassion that you may never have noticed before. Losing someone changes people, briefly or permanently. Regardless of length, it is a rare opportunity to see something deeper in those around you. It is a rare opportunity to see the best in people, to see their compassion. It is a rare opportunity to see in someone empathy that may never be shown otherwise. Loss brings people together, unites them through the emotional turmoil. It allows others to care for you and you to care for others. Hearts seek refuge in each other to survive. There is a level of understanding rarely felt between individuals. It can create bonds that last much longer than the pain of loss. When I was 16, the guy I had a huge crush on finally asked me out. It was on an early release day
at school, and he told me he’d call after lunch so we could work out plans. Neither of us made it through lunch; we found out a close mutual friend had passed away. We certainly couldn’t go on a date, but we didn’t want to be alone either. Instead of a first date, we spent hours at the beach talking about how great our friend was. We talked about the kind of man he would have become and the good times we had with him. Together, we felt our way through something agonizing and created something new between the two of us. We remain close friends today, something I accredit to our ability to become so close so quickly, despite the pain of loss. Perhaps the friendship was a last gift from our friend, or maybe that is too cliché. Even if it is, I often wonder whether he and I would be the friends we are without having gone through what we had together. It is these bonds that make me feel lucky to have experienced the losses I have, but it is something so much more as well. It’s a rare day when I don’t think of someone I have lost and grow thankful for what I have left to experience. The little moments I share with friends, family, even acquaintances means more to me now because I know this may be all I have left of them—or all they have left of me. For those of you who have experienced loss first hand, remember the caring and the compassion that came with the
tears and heartache. Remember how much more you appreciated the little things when you were reminded it could be taken away so quickly. For those of you currently suffering, stay strong and hold on to those who are helping you through it all. Take a look at all of those things that remind you of your loved one. Don’t avoid it.
Cherish it. Love those moments and remember them while they are still fresh in your mind. Be thankful for the experiences you shared with them. Feel lucky for being reminded how much joy life can give you, joy that can only be measured appropriately when compared to great pain. Kadie Hayward may be reached at khayward@ut.edu.
Image by lusi / sxc.hu
Commentary
The Minaret | February 20, 2009
American History Still Refuses To Integrate By Anne Napatalung Columnist
The presidential election called into question the need for Black History Month. It has been suggested that we now exist in a “post-racial” era. Though I hope for a time when race will no longer be an issue, I don’t believe the induction of President Barack Obama into office has by any means made way for an entirely non-prejudiced nation. Our country has elected its first non-white president it has ever had, and I can’t help but think that’s not just a coincidence. Therefore, why not take the
opportunity to celebrate change and immerse ourselves in equalityseeking education? If we want to appreciate and respect the diversity that exists in America, we need to fully understand the history and impact of all peoples within our borders, as opposed to merely ignoring our differences. In regard to such an understanding, I find it a little ridiculous that we make a point to educate ourselves on black history for a mere 28 days of the year. Though the month serves as a quick fix to educate the ignorant, I don’t think this time period would be needed if black history played a
larger role in American history. African Americans have contributed culturally, artistically and intellectually to this country and its past. It is unfortunate that we have yet to see their achievements represented in an equal manner in our written history. Therefore, if we are looking to make progress in regard to the celebrated month, integrating black history into American history seems to make the most sense. When this observation first began in the 1920s, African Americans had barely been studied or incorporated into the country’s history in any way.
At this point, we have seen some integration of black history into American history, and we have seen the election of a single black president. I don’t think either of these two facts legitimizes either an end to the observance of Black History Month or its status. Don’t get me wrong; I fully support the observation of Black History Month. I just find it unfortunate that there is still a need and purpose for its existence. I look with wide eyes to the future where the history of African Americans will be fully and rightfully incorporated into
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American history, as it should rightfully be. Anne Napatalung may be reached at anapatalung@ut.edu.
Wake Up: “Post-Racial” America Remains A Dream From “Post-White”: Front Page feel that we’re beyond whiteness as a concrete cultural base. For centuries whiteness has been the marker by which everything is judged. All things perceived to be non-white being deviations from the norm. In a post-white world, we’re not less aware of race—far from it—in some ways we are more aware of it—instead we seem to be less apt to judge others by the “valued” cultural tropes of whiteness. Nowadays, the group mentality that dominated American thought in regards to race relations is radically
different. Racial boundaries have been broken. Now more than ever, we are allowed to engage with a broad spectrum of interracial friendships, families, couples and other relationships. It seems our generation values individualism more than any other. If our generation had a company slogan it would be Burger King’s: Have it your way. W e w o u l d rather define ourselves than have any group— racial or otherwise—define us as a singularity. We borrow from so many cultures. We blur racial lines.
But can the world—let alone the United States—ever be postracial? As I see it, race is nothing more than a series of cultural tropes and physical characteristics that generally occur among a people. Race is the culmination of our cultural and biological inheritance. We would in essence have to sublimate cultural pride and nationalism, ignorant of it to achieve that blissful sentiment of “racial blindness.” This is, of course, adhering to a strict definition of post-racial. How do we move beyond
“We can’t unlive racism.”
cultural traditions and the various perceptions of those cultures? We’ve been post-racial forever, yet we never will be. We are post-racial in the sense that we’re individuals, but at our cores we’re different people with a few similarities. I’m Derrick; that’s Nicole; that’s Stacy; that’s Amadu. We’re all black and have some similarities thanks to black culture, but we’re each completely different. There are days I feel that everyone is racialized at the expense of the individual. We’re so busy trying to define what blackness, whiteness or Asianness are; or we’re trying to give etiquette lessons on what to do or not do around each other; or who suffered the most—any of the
dozens of paltry cultural arguments that rarely get anything done. What’s done is done. The Trail of Tears cannot be undone; Japanese-American internment camps cannot be undone; Darfur cannot be undone. We can’t un-live racism. We a c t c o n s c i o u s l y o r unconsciously aware of race, so can we ever expect a post-racial America? Race is part of our daily experience. We may not be able to transcend it, but we can manage it. We must live wisely with the knowledge of what has happened, so it cannot happen again. Derrick Austin may be reached at daustin@ut.edu.
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SYMBOL OF EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE
8 Commentary The Minaret | February 20, 2009 Racial Tension Sparks Emotional Confessions At Forum
By Nicole Robinson Columnist
She stood up in tears as every eye looked on, stuck on her every word: “My name is Marlo.” This one girl would change a laid back discussion on race, sponsored by Diversity Fellowship, scheduled to last one hour, into an intense two hour discussion. The topic was on skin color and stereotypes, which served as a release for those who had been dealt with unfairly because of their skin color. Faces showed surprise and disgust as an Asian skin bleaching commercial was shown to them. Many students had no idea that those sorts of things went on but were quickly informed that almost every culture had their own form of skin bleaching technique. Students mumbled. Discussion was straight forward and heated. . One student rose her admitting that she was “the ignorant white girl;” in the past, she said some racially insensitive comments. Then, Ramos revealed how she felt outcast by students of both
Forum attendees. Marlo Ramos to the left in the back with red headband. Photo by Randy Tarnowski races, changing a lot of student’s perceptions on race. The room was silent as she tearfully confessed her strife and frustrations over her lonely existence on campus because of what she thought was her skin color. She came to UT fall semester with an open mind, ready to make friends but was quickly shot down from all sides at which point she became a recluse. Her plea for acceptance touched so many
Present Economic Woes Prepare Us For Future Trouble
By Amadu Wiltshire Columnist
In the past, when the economy was thriving and the economic might of our country was unbeatable, we took many things for granted. Many of us took our jobs for granted and gave our society poor service in many aspects of the private and public sectors. In addition, we did nothing when many companies were taking away jobs from Americans, outsourcing those very jobs to people in China, India and other parts of the developing world. We took for granted the fact that we should save for rainy days, instead of living above our means. We have not held many of our politicians accountable for the many years of mishandling the economy. The management of the past Bush administration left a legacy of raising our public debt to almost 10 trillion dollars. When the Clinton Administration left office, public debt was around $2 trillion. It is shocking that public debt has risen by this much, yet very little has been done to improve industry, health care, education and the many other aspects of this country which need to be fixed. With the previous mismanagement of public funds,
it makes me wonder if the current state of the economy is an indicator of times to come. Will we be continuously faced with economic hardship, or will we be able to rally around our country and help it to soar like the phoenix rising out of the ashes? We can mend out economy by doing some of the following. 1. Buy locally produced items. Yes, it is time for us to show our sense of patriotism. If we continue to purchase locally made goods, then we will be encouraging growth building industry in this country.
2. Hold our politicians accountable for the manner in which they spend our tax dollars. Be vigilant. Constantly pressure our law makers to manage the economic affairs of nation properly. 3. Pressure our government to invest in the following areas education, industry, infrastructure, health care and agriculture. 4. Ensure we seize every opportunity to become as educated as we can be. Education is the driving force to the building of a strong nation. 5. Remember we have the power to either leave our country in the ashes or to help the phoenix rise again. Amadu Wiltshire may be reached at awilthsire@ut.edu.
students and set the tone for the forum from that point on. Although she was not feeling accepted at that point, she was taken in by every student in that room. People gave her hugs and Facebook friend requests but most importantly their respect and friendship. Students should speak openly and come together. Discussing controversial issues are the only way we can learn and grow as young adults.
What the Diversity Fellowship did by setting up this forum was just the beginning. Students need to be able to have an open discussion outside the parameters of a structured classroom setting. This sort of learning is essential to the college experience. As for Marlo, were those proposals of friendship just superficial promises to be lost in the fever of that night?
I caught up to her sitting with her new group of friends in Vaughn: “People actually cared and listened and on top of that it was the first time in all of the time that I had been at UT hat I felt welcome. It was the very first time. That day was the first day of my UT career.” Nicole Robinson may be reached at nrobinson@ut.edu.
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Arts & Entertainment
10 Producer Gives UT Students the Hollywood Low-Down
The Legend of 182: A Blink to the Past By Zach Fraser Staff Writer
By JP Busche Staff Writer
The producer of famous shows such as “Miami Ink” and “Miami Vice” shared his experiences in the entertainment business with UT students, providing them with insightful tips on how to make it in an already tough industry during tough times. Fabio Arber works as line producer, and a location and unit production manager with silver and small screen productions such as “Miami Vice”, “Miami Ink”, “Bad Boys II”, “21 Jump Street” and “Confessions of a Shopaholic”. After graduating from the University of Miami’s Film school, he was soon part of the crew behind “Miami Vice”, serving as a key production assistant. At the beginning of his career, he did not mind being the first to come and the last to leave, which makes up part of his success. Especially in the film industry, networking is a substantial part of the job. With the current economy, it’s difficult to get a job in the film industry. “Students nowadays are blessed with all the social networking tools that help them to get and stay in touch,” said Arber. Nevertheless, if graduates are talented and persistent, they will find a job. “Students should not be reluctant about working for free. If they are good, they will end up getting paid,” said Arber. Arber told the students that he is very optimistic about the future, citing a movie being shot
The Minaret | February 20, 2009
exclusively for the iPod. “It is important to go out, taking the initiative and making mistakes instead of just doing nothing,” Arber said. JP Busche can be contacted at jbusche@ut.edu.
For those who have been living under a rock for the past 15 years, you might not have heard the name “Blink-182”, but for the rest of us, the band’s name probably strikes a chord somewhere in the memories of our youth. So let’s take a journey down Nostalgia Lane and relive the wondrous years of “Blink-182” to better appreciate the future of the most talked about band of 2009. “Cheshire Cat” (1994) “Blink-182” had released a number of demos in years prior that would later be re-released, but technically speaking, “Cheshire Cat” is the band’s first studio album. An album that is punk to its core, the CD highlights the sounds that would define “Blink-182” for the rest of their career. Immature jokes, quick ballads and up-tempo songs are all common ground on their first release. Although the album is unpolished (as most first albums are), “Cheshire Cat” is an album that is overall a good first release that paved the way for the band’s future. “Dude Ranch” (1997) “Dude Ranch”, the second studio release from Blink, saw the band start to receive more attention with roughly 1.5 million copies sold. The album’s most popular single, “Dammit” gave Blink a touch of commercial success and showed the band’s promising future. Other key tracks on the album are “Pathetic” and “Josie,” which are entreatingly catchy. Even though the album wasn’t necessarily considered their breakout album, most diehard Blink fans swear by “Dude Ranch’s” sound as it separates the early years of Blink from their more commercial years.
“Enema of the State” (1999) Blink with singles. “The Rock After original drummer Scott Show”, “First Date” and “Stay Raynor was asked to leave the Together for the Kids” all received band, Travis Barker stepped in huge amounts of radio play. for his first album with “Blink“Blink-182” (2003) 182”, “Enema of the State”. Blink’s fifth studio album saw An album that most people will a departure from the pop-punk forever remember as the album sound of their previous two releases that catapulted “Blink-182” into and showed a more mature side the mainstream, their third studio to the group. Although different, album resulted in huge commercial the album was received well by success for the critics and most band with fans. Songs on singles like the self-titled “What’s My “Blink-182” Age Again?”, showed more “All the Small meaning in Things” and the lyrics and “ A d a m ’s experimentation Song.” All with different three songs instruments. resulted in “Feeling This”, extremely “I Miss You”, successful “Down” and music videos “Always” were that saw an the four singles enormous chosen from the a m o u n t album, which of airtime scored a huge Photo from Wikipedia Commons on MTV’s success on radio prominent TV show “Total Request and TV station. “Blink-182” was Live”. “Enema of the State” further the last studio release before the strayed away from the raw punk band announced their indefinite sounds of their earlier demo’s such hiatus in early 2005. as “Flyswatter” and “Buddha” and “Sixth Studio stepped in the direction of their Album” (Summer 2009) signature pop-punk sound that As confirmed recently at the defined a generation and paved the 51st annual Grammy’s, “Blink-182” has made their heavily anticipated way for bands for years to come. return to the music scene and “Take Off Your plans to record new material and Pants and Jacket” (2001) A clever play on words, don’t tour in the summer of 2009. “It’s you think? If the title didn’t give not really a reunion,” said singer/ it away, this album followed in guitarist Tom DeLonge in a live the footsteps of inappropriate video feed Sunday night. “It’s a and crude jokes that are just continuation…we are picking up downright hilarious. Songs like exactly where we left off.” The “Happy Holidays You B******” band, which took nearly a fourare strikingly offensive and, yet, year hiatus, is currently working addicting and enjoyable. “Take on their sixth studio album with a Off Your Pants and Jacket” was release date set for sometime later yet another successful release for this year.
Lily Allen Gets Personal With “It’s Not Me, It’s You” By Vicky Blyde Special to The Minaret
Tyler Perry’s “Madea Goes to Jail” After a high-speed car chase puts Madea in front of a judge, her anger management issues get the best of her she lands in jail. Madea’s family, the Browns, rally behind her and lend her their special “country” style of support. Director: Tyler Perry Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 103 min F-I-R-E-D U-P What does that spell? “Fired up!” The two most popular guys at high school ditch their football gear and pickup some pompoms. They find themselves awash in a sea of gorgeous young women. But everything is at stake when lust turns into love. Director: Will Gluck Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 93 min
By Katy Sandusky Staff Writer
Lily Allen’s “It’s Not Me, It's You” hit shelves this month. A highly anticipated album from the quirky British Pop sensation delivers a performance of maturity, experimentation and recounts personal experiences. Lily Allen has been very public about wanting her album to be No. 1 on the charts. Some a r g u e that she is loosing her dignity, but she feels this is her only real shot. The album is so personal and well thought out, it seems reasonable that she is so passionate about promoting it. She isn’t handing out the albums, but sold them for only $3.99 from the albums release to Feb. 16. She also reportedly begged fans to buy her album and plans to put on a few free promotional
shows in London, Tokyo, and New York City. The albums 12 tracks are all very personal. Lyrics range from the drug lore of fame, bad sex’s effect on a relationship, and apologizing for bad friendships. The singer maintains her poppy edge and outspoken image but has grown up after a plethora of tabloid drama she experienced since her last albums release. She even has a track to tell off the paparazzi. T h e div e r s i t y of subject matter in her songs keeps the listener intrigued. There is sure to be at least one song on the album that a listener can relate to. Allen leaves no stone unturned in topic. Her songs are real and evidently from personal experiences. The songs lament relationships past and even fears of the future. The track titled 22, though
not the strongest piece musically, showcases the vulnerability Allen feels of the ominously approaching age of 30. The track titled “I Could Say” showcases her talent and CD title with lyrics resenting a past boyfriend. “Since you've gone I've lost a chip on my shoulder/ Since you've gone I feel like I've gotten older/ And now you've gone it feels as if the whole wide world is my stage/ And now you've gone it's like I've been let out of my cage.” The songs are beat based and though the lyrics are darker and arguably more serious than her previous album, the vibe is still upbeat. There are some piano based songs as well. The CD has some experimental tracks that sound more like techno than viewers would anticipate based on previous albums, but the club style sound doesn’t detract from the subject matter. Allen’s obvious attention to detail on this album will not let fans down. She has expanded her style and matured but maintained the musical quality that set her apart in the first place. Katy Sandusky can be contacted at ksandusky@ut.edu
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Arts & Entertainment
The Minaret | February 20, 2009
Quilt’s Corner
Anna and the Slick Fish
Crew
Anna, inside There is a rampant fish. It sounds silly until it moves Down into your belly Or up towards your gullet.
Acid flies up my thighs, my arms are torn with fire, my lungs are consumed, covered with Icy-Hot from the inside out. I heave and I huff, 10 more, 9 more, 8 more to go. My body has said no, yet my mind screams “yes” 7 more 6 more 5 more hell. My starving body hates me, every breath burns Pull! Pull! Stroke! 4 more 3 more 2 more My arms give out with one final push. My tanks are empty I’ve given what I have, out of the boat, lay on the grass, trying not to pass out.
By Laura Theobald
By Michelle Magner Staff Writer
Whether you’ve gotten a cold from your roommates or want a meal to warm you up on a chilly night, a delicious bowl of soup is exactly what you need. A rich, creamy texture mixed with delicious clams and spices makes for a fast and easy relief after any long, and hard day. All of the ingredients can be found at your local grocery store. The preparation is simple and the cleanup is even easier. Ingredients: 3 small yellow onions 3 tbsp butter or margarine 2 (10 ½ oz) cans minced clams 3 cups diced potatoes 1 tsp salt 1/8 tsp white pepper 2 cups milk 1 cup light cream ¼ tsp paprika Preparation: Peel and mince the onions. Measure out the butter or margarine. Open the cans of clams, but do not pour out the water. Wash,
Anna, I wonder: What if my soles Scratched along the same street Or my hand grabbed hold Of the same mailbox lever? What if I stop waking up?
Photos by Michelle Magner
peel and dice the potatoes. Measure out the salt, white pepper and paprika. Measure out the milk and light cream. Put the onion and 2 tablespoons of butter or margarine into a large saucepan and turn the heat to medium. Sauté the onions by cooking them in the pan and stirring until they are pale golden. Reduce the heat to low-medium and pour only the water from the clam cans into the saucepan.
Add the potatoes, salt and pepper. Cover the pan and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Stir every 2 minutes. Add the clams, milk and cream. Cover the pan again and simmer 5-7 minutes. Add the rest of the butter or margarine and stir until it is melted. Add the paprika, turn off the heat and serve.
You and me, Anna, We’re home at last. We look Into the mirror, we look like ghosts, And you see it, I see it: that old fish Flopping around in there. We’re not well. We’re having difficulties Pin-pointing the gaps between us. Distinguishing slick floppy fish From a thumping in the chest. Anna, your spoons Staring back at me, now black Widows, now nothing at all, now Wishing wells. And here, a pocket Full of change. What luck.
By Anna Burrell
Victory is worth it all get the blue from the blue one stroke. We win, I win.
Password Peril: Simplistic Passwords Jeopardize Security By Shannon Grippando Staff Writer
“No! Wait, wait! I’ll tell.” King Roland cripples to the threats made against his daughter by the evil Lord Helmet. The passcode for his planet’s entire air supply is at stake, but so is his daughter. “The combination is...1, 2, 3, 4, 5.” In a fluster, Lord Helmet throws back his visor. “That’s the stupidest combination I’ve ever heard in my life. That’s the kind of thing an idiot would have on his luggage.” President Skruub joins Lord Helmet in the interrogation room and is informed of the victory. “That’s amazing! I’ve got the same combination on my luggage” This is only a scene from the classic comedy “Spaceballs,” but, according to a recent study published in “Information Weekly”, this may not be too far from the truth. Hackers recently stole 28,000
passwords from a popular American website and leaked the contents on the internet for public viewing. Errata Security, the company conducting the study, analyzed the passwords and discovered some shocking patterns. They found that 16 percent of passwords contained only the first name of the user or one of their loved ones. A further 14 percent used easy-
to-remember combinations such as “12345678” or “QWERTY” (the top row of the keyboard). Another four percent consisted of the word “password” and sometimes a number or two attached to the end. Altogether, over 31 percent of passwords were considerably simple or easy to guess given a small amount of information about the user. Thirty-one perfect is a staggering number of individuals who do not practice password safety. That means almost one out of every three people have an easily crackable password. While savy Web users know security-boosting tricks like adding capitals, using numbers and changing passwords every few months, sometimes these tactics just aren’t enough. Personal PCs and public computers, especially, can be infested with annoying pieces of malware called keyPhotos Illustration by Mike Trobiano
stroke loggers. These vicious little programs record every keystroke by a user, including user names and passwords. This information is then sent back to the keylogger’s master, and the hacking begins. This isn’t just a threat against Facebook profiles or AIM buddy lists, but bank accounts and online stock portfolios. One might expect Window’s on-screen keyboard to be an option against these attacks, but unfortunately, the on-screen keyboard translates clicks directly into keystrokes, so keystroke loggers have no problem extracting the data. However, Aplin Software created a quick and convenient fix for the security conscience. SafeKeys is a lightweight program that looks similar to Window’s on-screen keyboard. However, if SafeKey’s keyboard is clicked, the button presses are not easily detected by keystroke loggers. What’s best about SafeKeys is there’s a portable edition. Its small
by Austin Daniels
file size (around 300 kilobytes) allows users to carry it with them on thumbdrives. This makes browsing accounts in libraries, computer labs and other public places much safer. While nothing is perfect in the fight against hackers, SafeKey is certainly a step forward in secure Web surfing. Remember to practice safe password protocol when browsing the net. Use passwords longer than eight characters, throw in capitals and lower-case letters to mix things up, always insert a few numbers and, especially in a public place, remember there could be dozen of keystroke loggers lurking on a system just waiting to gobble up your log-in info. Whatever you do, don’t make your password something as simple as an idiot would have on his luggage, like “12345.” For more information about SafeKeys visit http://www.aplin. com.au/.
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Arts & Entertainment
By Linda C Black Tribune Media Services
Aries (March 21-April 19) If you can solve an important person’s problem, you’ll gain lots of points. You may be able to turn these into a lucrative career. Keep looking for ways you can help. Taurus (April 20-May 20) Somebody else’s brilliant idea makes your life easier. You ought to show appreciation. Do something really nice for those who did something nice for you. Gemini (May 21-June 21) Do the homework. Figure out what’s going on behind the scenes. Follow the money trail, and all that. This will allow you to route more of it into your own pocket. Cancer (June 22-July 22) Do you have a reputable firm working on the details of your cruise? If not, it’s a good time to get started. At least write down where you want to go, and how. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) The competition is fierce. They may even seem to be winning. They could if you don’t come up with something special, soon. The spotlight is on you. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) You don’t have to say what you feel; your actions communicate. You’re past the “talking about” phase, anyway. You’re into the “doing” part.
The Minaret | February 20, 2009
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) A friend can help you out of a mess you’ve stumbled yourself into. Call a person you haven’t seen in a while, preferably one who owes you a favor. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) No need to tell all the others about your secret agenda. You know what you want, and they can figure it out if they really try. Maintain your competitive edge. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) You may be feeling the urge to run and climb and get outa town. See what’s on the other side, from the top of the hill. Should you go? Yes, yes, yes! Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Don’t go around telling everyone about your new endeavors. Give yourself a chance to get a little more knowledge first. Unless, of course, you’re talking to someone who can help you learn. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) What you need is a good person to help you accomplish your mission. You have the funding and the good ideas; what you need now is a builder. Ask around. There’s at least one nearby. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) Your instincts are better now, so give them more credence. This is especially true if your urge is work-related. Selfdiscipline is required. Practice that and you can do something very interesting.
The Minaret | February 20, 2009
13
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Sports
14
The Minaret | February 20, 2009
Lady Spartans Power Through SSC Opponents
By Brenton Burkett Sports Writer
The University of Tampa women’s basketball team came through big on both their own and opposing courts. The Spartans held on and defeated Sunshine State Conference rival Eckerd College Tritons (149, 7-5 SSC) 64-59 on Feb. 11 at the Bob Martinez Sports Center. The drama began to unfold at the end of the first half when junior forward Caitlin Mytrik’s buzzerbeater from near half court turned a one-point UT deficit into a twopoint lead. “Anytime you make a shot like that, it ignites the crowd, it ignites the players coming into the locker room,” coach Tom Jessee said after the game. “So you ride that momentum coming right back out.” Tampa forged ahead by 17 points with less than nine minutes left. But an unlikely 19-2 Eckerd run tied the game at 56 with less than three minutes remaining. The Tritons then took the lead with 1:28 to go. Down to 39.2 seconds, sophomore guard Gianna Messina and her team proved they would not be denied on their home court. Messina drove through the lane and sank a layup to give the Spartans a 60-59 advantage which they would not relinquish. Despite a late Mytrik injury, UT held on thanks to clutch free throws from Messina and Hailee Sullivan. “Our offense works around
everybody equally,” Messina said. “So if it just happens that you get the open shots that night, you just have to step up and make them. Tonight I just felt like I had to step up and that’s what I did.” Messina had a career evening, scoring 24 points along with 7 rebounds and 4 assists. The Spartans took their fourgame winning streak on the road to Barry University for a Saturday
contest. "If you can’t get up for a home or away game, then you shouldn’t even be on a team in this conference," Messina said before Saturday's game. "You treat every game like it’s the biggest game of the year, which it is." Tampa (18-5, 8-4 SSC) did indeed get up, as they edged out a 60-59 overtime victory to improve to 2-0 on the season against the
Buccaneers (14-9, 5-7 SSC). Down by 18 early in the second half, the Spartans battled back to within three with five seconds left. Then Messina made magic happen again, knocking in an improbable three pointer as time expired to tie the game at 53 and send it to overtime. UT held on through the extra period and won by one point.It was UT’s SSC-leading third conference road win. “We’re playing our best basketball right now, at the most important time of the year,” Jessee said. “A huge road win for us, just huge.” Messina, with 17 points and 8 rebounds, was one of a few key contributors. While starting center Kym Taylor recovered from the flu, junior forward Tiara Cook earned her fourth double-double of the season with 15 points, including two late free throws, and 11 boards. Freshman guard Sarah Wickham came off the bench and scored 13 second half points, shooting 3-of-4 from 3 point range. With Taylor returning and Mytrik back from her ankle injury, the team appears to be healthy going into the stretch run. "You want to be 100 percent healthy this time of year," Jessee said. "So we certainly hope that by Wednesday (at St. Leo) we’re back to 100 percent healthy." Brenton Burkett can be reached at bburkett@ut.edu.
ing into overtime, junior guard Anthony LaBruno scored the final 2 of his 14 points by draining 2 free throws in the final minute to knock off the Tritons. The victory gave the Spartans their fourth consecutive home win and improved the team’s record to Callaway 13-7, with a 6-4 record against teams in the Sunshine State Conference. “It’s definitely a good energy coming into these games, everybody understands how important these games are,” Ball said. Then came the weekend. The Spartans played two games over Valentine’s Day weekend, starting with Saturday’s matchup with conference rival Barry University in Miami Shores.
Despite Rashad Callaway’s team-leading 15 points, the effort ended in Barry’s favor by a 60-53 margin. The Buccaneers (9-14, 4-8 SSC) dominated the game in both rebounding, 34 to Tampa’s 22, and field goal percentage, 47.9 percent to Tampa’s 35.6 percent. Barry also managed to hold their lead for the final 13 minutes of action, which they topped off with a 6-1 run in the final 1:55 to ensure the home win. Sunday’s battle against Nova Southeastern in nearby Fort Lauderdale was a make-up game for a Feb. 4 matchup postponed due to bus problems. While the Spartans hoped that their road luck would turn around, it did not. In their second game in as many days, Tampa fell to the Sharks by a final score of 76-68. The Spartans were again out-
rebounded, this time by 18, and also outshot from the field 52.6 to 44.2 percent. Tampa head coach Richard Schmidt noted the disparity between playing at home and playing away. “It’s always harder on the road than it is at home,” Schmidt said regarding the importance of home-court advantage. “For some reason you shoot better [at home] and the ball bounces differently on the road.” On the bright side for Tampa, Callaway again led the team with 17 points while senior forward Arnaldo Abreu made his first start as a Spartan. Abreu, a graduate student in his final year of NCAA eligibility who earned his B.S. degree while playing for three seasons at rival Florida Southern, scored 16 points over 36 minutes in the contest. Ryan Burkett can be reached at rburkett@ut.edu.
Messina drives to the hoop.
Photo by Andy Meng/Sports Information
End of Season Games Prove Important for Spartans Basketball wins one, drops two on road to the postseason
By Ryan Burkett Sports Writer
The University of Tampa men’s basketball team (13-9, 6-6 SSC) started the week off well with a hard-fought 77-75 overtime triumph against Eckerd College. The team was led to victory by senior guard Johnathan Ball. He had a career day with a team-high 9 rebounds and 28 points, including two critical 3-pointers during the overtime period. “I’ve got to recognize the opportunities to step up and help my team in the critical moments, and I’m glad I was able to come through,” Ball said. Tampa held a slim 60-59 lead with eight seconds remaining in regulation when Eckerd’s Lewis Lampley hit one of two free throw attempts to tie the game. With the score tied at 60 go-
Spartans Continue with Successful Strokes Towards Postseason From
“Swim”
Continued From Back Page as competitive as we were even though we don't get to experience that a lot." Brennan was also very pleased with both teams' performances throughout the competition. "Needless to say, I think you feel good whenever you win any
meet," Brennan said. "It's a very good competition against some good schools academically as well as in terms of swimming. I enjoy swimming against the likes of Washington & Lee and Johns Hopkins." Throughout the Bluegrass Mountain Conference championship, swimmers competed in anywhere from 10-14 races over the three days. "When they race like that for
three days in a row, it takes a tremendous toll on their bodies and also on their heads," explained Brennan. "It's a lot harder than most people think; it really is." Brennan hopes that the effort put forth by the Spartans did not take too much out of them as they prepare for the NCAA championships. Even though he stated that the chance of UT winning at nationals
is out of the question, Brennan believes that both teams are capable of finishing in the top five. "If we finish in the top ten we're doing very well, and we do that very often," Brennan said. "This year our goal is certainly top five for both teams. Maybe we get there or maybe we don't, but it's been a fun time with this group." Olivia Glynn can be reached at oglynn@ut.edu
State of the Union: Spartan Sports
By Bobby Winsler Sports Editor
The previously undefeated University of Tampa baseball team may have dropped its first three games, and the men’s basketball may still sit uncomfortably in the middle of the conference standings, but these are no reasons to lose faith in our teams. Panicking now would be like rushing a child to the emergency room the first time it coughs. This past weekend for Spartan sports wasn’t even a cough, much more of a hiccup. Baseball dropped from first to tenth in the nation, allowing Sunshine State Conference rival Lynn to sit atop the rankings for a week. As men’s soccer proved in the fall of the last two years, Tampa teams love to knock Lynn out of the top spot. All three of UT’s losses were delivered by top-20 ranked teams. The only other SSC school in the rankings is Florida Southern Abreu that barely make the charts in the No. 25 spot. Near the end of the season, the Spartans will play the majority of these conference matchups and easily tally up the win column. The last regular season game doesn’t come until May 3, with 44 more chances to take the field between now and then. To get worried over losing one-fifteenth of the remaining games, none of them in conference, is absurd. Men’s basketball’s mediocre mid-season run will carry into the SSC tournament, set to tip off in early March. Fortunately, the make-up game against Nova introduced Arnaldo Abreu. A transfer from Florida Southern, Abreu debuted scoring 16 points and nabbing a few rebounds. So while the regular season may have its twists, instead of forgoing hope of a national title the best thing to do would be to embrace the defeats. Both baseball and basketball will enter the postseason better for having experienced the losses and have a clear vision of what it will take to advance to the next levels. Bobby Winsler can be reached at minaret.sports@ gmail.com.
Sports From Champ to Chump, and a New Fan Favorite Arrive in The Minaret | February 20, 2009
Terrible Towel-less Athletes get angry about a number of different things. Bad calls, bad games, poor performances…but the fact that a convenience store ran out of paper towels in the restroom was enough to set off Pittsburgh Steeler kicker Jeff Reed. Reed decided to take his anger out on the empty towel
dispenser, and had some choice words for an innocent employee working the graveyard shift. How typical is it to find that a public bathroom has run out of paper towels? And what can be expected close to 3 a.m.? The anger escalated into disorderly conduct and criminal mischief charges against the champion. The charges against Reed can carry a maximum fine of $300 and 90 days in the slammer, quite the price to pay for an uncalled for overreaction.
based on tradition. “I picked my number [20] because it was my high school coach’s number when she was in high school,” said women’s basketball player Angela Guiu. “She passed away of breast cancer during one of our seasons, so I wear it in memory of her.” An athlete’s number distinguishes them from the rest of their team, and it can very well affect their performance during the game. “Brittney and I have been number six and nine since we were young, so those numbers are really important to us,” said athlete Courtney Evans, describing her and her twin sister Brittney Evan’s soccer numbers. “We’re just so comfortable with six and nine that I’m not really sure how we would play if we were any other numbers,” Evans added. The number an athlete wears on their jersey tells a story of their life and usually something
significant that has happened in it. Since an athlete is associated by the number they wear, they like to choose one that is meaningful to them. A lot of older athletes’ current numbers are based off the numbers they wore when they first started playing sports. “In little league the jersey numbers ran from one to 20, with one being the smallest. I was one of the smaller kids, so I chose number five,” said baseball player John Carrick. “Then I hit a growth spurt so I decided to double that number to 10. Then as a seventh grader I made the eighth grade baseball team; I thought I was a big timer after that so I figured I should double my number again, so I picked 20. I started playing really bad then ended up breaking my wrist, so I went back to number 10, and have been that ever sense,” Carrick explained. Shelby Kuni can be reached at skuni@ut.edu.
By Olivia Glynn Sports Blogger
Reed faces fines and jail time. Photo by Joe Rimkus Jr./MCT
Rays Fan Fest Returns By Brenton Burkett Sports Blogger
Baseball is life to many of its die-hard fans. For them, life is back. Over 30,000 Tampa Bay Rays fans jammed Tropicana Field and its parking lots on Valentine’s Day to get a glimpse of the defending American League champions at Rays Fan Fest 2009.
15
Fan Fest’s success paralleled that of the 2008 Rays. Attractions and exhibits were sprayed all across the field and enjoyed by every type of fan. Fans could tour the Rays’ clubhouse, get player autographs, talk to the broadcast teams, have players call their unsuspecting friends and even win prizes such as autographed baseballs. Kids had it made – they could run the bases, pet the live rays in the Ray Tank and participate in the Wiffleball Home Run Derby.
Athletes Count on Numbers for Personal Reflection By Shelby Kuni Sports Columnist
We are all identified by numbers: phone numbers, street addresses, tax I.D. numbers. At colleges and universities you’re usually only known by your social security or school I.D. number. Most of the time you’re given these numbers, and they mean nothing to you. But when you’re an athlete, picking the number that’s going to be on the back of your jersey could be one of the most important and arduous decisions of your life. There are many factors that go into choosing your number. You could choose your lucky number, a number for religious or superstitious reasons, a completely random number, or even a number From “Ball” From Back Page 2-2. UT added another run in the following inning with a solo home run off the bat of Nick Nordgren. A.J. Pinera relieved Tampa starter and followed suit, throwing four scoreless innings. Pinera gave up just two hits as he held off any Tiger attempt at topping UT. Tampa added more insurance in the eighth and ninth innings. In the ninth Barroso, Schwartz, and Steven Broschofsky smoked back-toback-to-back homeruns to rub salt in the wounds. Similar to the previous three games, Tampa started in an early hole. The Southern Arkansas Mule Riders tacked two runs on the scoreboard before UT batters even had a chance to step to the plate. The Spartans did win one category against SAU in the matchup. To their displeasure,
however, they only found themselves come out on top of the hit column rather than the runs column. A homerun from Jose Jimenez and a RBI single by Schwartz scoring catcher Garrett Maines tied the game at 3-3 in the fifth. A four-run Mule Rider sixth sealed the win for SAU. With the bases loaded Tampa pitching walked in a run. Following the walk, Tampa’s left fielder coughed up a fly ball. Not that SAU needed it, but Dane Lucas added another insurance run with a solo home run over the right field wall. Tampa will need to respond, as they went into the weekend with an undefeated record and No. 1 national ranking. UT travel to Eckerd College for a Friday night matchup. Kyle Bennett can be reached at kbennett@ut.edu.
Get your articles in print and your blogs posted online. Contact minaret.sports@gmail.com to find out more information.
Guiu honors her late coach by wearing No. 20.
Photo by Andy Meng
3
‘n Top Swimmers Dive Into Competition t u O Spring
Soccer
The University of Tampa’s men’s soccer team announced their spring schedule, which includes some very healthy competition. The first two opponents for the Spartans are Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew and Real Salt Lake. The game against Real Salt Lake will be held at UT on Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. UT will also take on NCAA Division I Marquette and Stetson later this Spring.
Player of the Week Gianna Messina helped lead the women’s basketball team to a couple of valuable conference wins over Eckerd and Barry, earning herself the SSC honor . Messina had 24 points and seven rebounds in the win against Eckerd. She also nailed a vital Messina 3-pointer at the end of regulation in order to send the game into overtime. This is the second week in a row that a UT player has earned the honor.
Softball Starts
For the first time, the University of Tampa softball team will take a preseason ranking into the season opener as they travel to Clearwater to compete in the Eckerd Tournament. UT will open tournament play with a double header on Feb. 20 against Palm Beach Atlantic followed by a showdown against Armstrong Atlantic State. A double-header Feb. 21 will pair Tampa against Florida Tech and, later, Saint Leo University.
By Olivia Glynn Asst. Sports Editor
The University of Tampa men's and women's swim teams have put together a year of performances worthy of making it to the NCAA championships. The men and women will represent UT in Houston, Texas, on March 11-14. "Our goal every year is to finish as high as we can in NCAA's, and you have to qualify, of course, to get there," said head coach Ed Brennan. "The goal of the coaches is to qualify with as little emotional expenditure as possible because that emotion is what you need when you get to the major competition." Having high expectations going into a big competition is very common for coaches and athletes alike, but Brennan tries his best not to worry about things that he does not have direct power over. "I've learned over the years not to have too many expectations because this situation is something that I don't necessarily control," he explained. "You have hopes, perhaps, but you try not to expect too much." Even if expectations were not made in advance, the Spartans met, or exceeded, any hope they had entering the Bluegrass Mountain Conference championship over
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Feb. 11-14. The women took home the Bluegrass Mountain Conference championship in Charlotte, N.C., competing against a field of 15 teams such as Johns Hopkins, Savannah College of Art and Design, Wingate and Limestone. Although the men suffered from a couple of disqualifications,
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they placed second in the field of 14, behind Wingate, who took home the honors. Brennan explained that the idea going into the meet was to keep it low key. The swimmers took it upon themselves to take it to the next level, and that ultimately proved successful. "Once the girls and the guys got into a situation where people were beating them, they just de-
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cided to turn it on by themselves, whether I was going to turn it on or not," laughed Brennan. Sophomore Ellie Eshleman, who won the 200 Backstroke for the women, had only good things to say about the meet. "It was the most exciting meet that I've been to, just because we don't usually have a lot of meets like that during the year with competition like that," said Eshleman. "It was very rewarding to know that we can compete and be See
“Swim” [14]
Spartans Lack Offense in Weekend Road Trip By Kyle Bennett Online Sports Manager
The top ranked University of Tampa Spartans took an undefeated record into Livingston, Ala. as they faced No. 12-ranked West Alabama and No. 19-ranked Southern Arkansas in two contests apiece. The first matchup, scheduled for Feb. 13 against West Alabama was put off due to rain. Because of the postponement, UT was forced to take on the Mule Riders of Southern Arkansas followed by a tango with the Tigers of West Alabama Feb. 14. Valentine’s Day brought no love to the Tampa Spartans. They were handed their first two losses of the season, in blowout fashion. The Spartans were beaten by the Mule Riders and Tigers by a
Basketball
Feb. 25, 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. vs. Florida Southern >>> The Spartan men and women take on very strong Moccasin teams in one of the final games of the regular season.
combined score of 25-6. Tampa fell into a very large hole early in the first contest as starter Tommy Meagher was slashed for 9 runs in just 2 innings. The Mule Riders were not forced to dive far into their pitching rotation. Starter James Schroeder threw all seven innings for SAU, giving up seven hits. Tampa third basemen Devin Gonzalez blasted a solo homerun in the contest off of starter Schroeder. Tampa pitching gave up 14 hits to the No. 19-ranked squad from Arkansas in the slaughter. The Spartans then took on the No. 12-ranked Tigers. The outcome was not much different. This time, however, the Spartans took the lead early in the first. Designated hitter Mike Schwartz ripped a two-run home
run down the right field line in the first inning. Tampa starter Josh Bowman threw three scoreless innings until Tiger third baseman Nick Wheeler took him deep in the bottom of the fourth inning. With a two run lead in the fifth inning, the Spartans handed the Tigers 6 runs. The Tigers cranked back-to-back home runs in the inning, first by Rob Dahlberg, followed by Wheeler’s second of the day. The Spartans tacked up another run in the seventh inning, but the deficit proved to be too much for them to overcome. Southern Arkansas added another three runs as they capped off the game 10-3. Tampa pitchers allowed 13 in this matchup. Tampa’s lumber also left 16 runners on base between the
Softball
No. 10 Baseball
>>> The season opens for the Lady Spartans with a five-game tournament in Clearwater against non-conference opponents.
>>>The Spartans are home this weekend for two double-headers after coming off their first losses of the season.
Feb. 20-22 Eckerd Tournament
Feb. 21-22, vs. Stillman
two games. Feb. 15 brought a little more love to the Spartans as they finished the day going 1-1 with a win over the West Alabama Tigers and another loss to the Southern Arkansas Mule Riders. At the end of the first against West Alabama, UT found themselves down 2-0. Tampa starter John Wiedenbauer responded by throwing four consecutive scoreless innings, striking out eight during the stretch. Devin Gonzalez led the comeback with an RBI double to knock in shortstop Jesus Barroso. Barroso went 3-for-5 in the contest. Tampa slowly chipped away at the one-run deficit until in the sixth they were able to tie the Tigers at See
“Ball” [15]
Super Bowl Champ Jeff Reed in Trouble [15]