The Minaret 2/6/2014 by The Minaret

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Change In Florida’s Minimum Wage Affects On and Off Campus Employement By THERESA STANTON News Writer

Lauren Richey/The Minaret

Students working at the help desk in Vaughn Lobby offer students information about UT.

In Other News... 3 UTTV Broacast

Affected by Cut in Cage Hours of Opperation

7 Beats Music Offers

Unique Music Streaming

9 Actress on the

Rise: Juno Temple

11 Disney Airs First

Same-Sex Couple in ‘Good Luck Charlie’

13 Virginia Senator

Seeks to Outlaw Oral Sex Among Teens

16 Spartans Look to Gawrych for Leadership in ‘14

News................................. 2 Diversions........................ 6 A+E................................... 7 Opinion........................... 11

Sports............................. 16

Students who work on and off campus are trying to remain optimistic about whether the minimum wage will be raised in the state of Florida. Over a week ago, Florida Senator Dwight Bullard proposed a new bill to raise the minimum wage from $7.93 to $10.10 according to Creative Loafing. Florida’s last major minimum wage increase in 2004 resulted in a dollar raise. Even though the minimum wage increases every year, many feel a few cents aren’t enough. Shiniqua Demmings, a sophomore film major who works off campus at Things Remembered and is a desk assistant at UT, supports an increase in the minimum wage. “I feel like it should be changed because the cost of living goes up every year, your taxes go up every year, cost of food and tuition; it all goes up so why shouldn’t that?” Demmings said. According to the University of

Tampa’s student employment page, each year, more than 1,200 students are employed at the University of Tampa. Most of the students who work on campus earn minimum wage. Students can work up to 20 hours a week with on campus jobs, but on average students have only been working 10 to 12 hours on campus. If minimum wage raises, there would be a strong likelihood that campus work hours could be cut. Many students have already decided to look for jobs off-campus. Director of the Office of Careers Mark Colvenbach said roughly 2,117 students came in for individual and walk-in appointments for parttime job and career advice last year. The amount of walk-ins has gone up 10 percent compared to last year. He also expects the number of students coming in to grow. Azizeh Mubaslat, a senior English major, who has worked as a Victoria Secrets Manager four years, shares how See MINIMUM WAGE Page 4

UT Organizations Hold Upcoming Events to Celebrate Black History Month By KIRBY JAY AND MARK SUGDEN News Writers

With Black History Month celebrations beginning in February, students and organizations are working together to recognize black heritage with a variety of events at UT. “It’s good to see people celebrating and continuing to learn about our past,” said junior criminology major Justin Owens. “I feel like we don’t celebrate it like we used to in elementary school and middle school, so I’m glad to see organizations taking it seriously.” Greek chapters like the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) are hosting three major events this week, the first of which will be Greek 101 on Feb. 6, consisting of a showcase to remember black history. “It’s sort of like celebrating our heritage, our history, and just how far African-Americans have come in general,” said Nashown Williams, vice president of the NPHC and member of the Alpha Phi Alpha chapter. A Greek 101 event takes place every semester, but each showcase is unique in that different themes are recognized at each meeting. This is the second year the council has hosted a black history themed Greek 101, and members are hoping to have an even bigger turnout this year. Last year’s event took place in the Austin Oak Room where all 40 seats were filled. This year’s showcase will be held on the 11th floor of West Kennedy where there will be about 60 seats available. After the showcase, an open panel will be available for questions. The NPHC will also briefly discuss the

Camara Besinger/Facebook

This is a Black History Month mural off of Armenia Avenue near Downton Tampa.

history of the organization as well as significant Black History Month events. Prospective members are also welcome to come. “We are always saying know your history before you can say that you are interested,” Williams said. “This would be a perfect opportunity to get to know the members of the fraternities and sororities.” The NPHC will then have a “switch day” on Feb. 7 at the Plant Hall Veranda, where all of the chapters will switch roles and participate in signature dances and strolls. “The fraternities are going to act

like the sororities, and sororities are going to act like fraternities,” Williams said. The last NPHC event will be a volleyball game in the Vaughn courtyard on Feb. 8. Time and other details are to be announced soon. Aminata Baro, president of the NPHC, was born in America to African parents and believes Black History Month is significant to today’s society. “A lot of slaves came from my country so I relate to it because slavery foreshadows where I am now,” See HISTORY Page 2

FEBRUARY 6 2014 | THE MINA-

MINARET

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jessica Keesee

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NEWS + FEATURES Lauren Richey, Editor

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ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT Justine Parks, Editor

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Jordan Walsh, Asst. Editor

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OPINION

Paola Crespo, Editor

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SPORTS

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ONLINE

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UTTV Broadcast Affected By New Hours of Operation By JESSE LONG AND ZOE FOWLER

News Writers

In the past, University of Tampa TV, the student-run broadcast organization, has filmed its programs on the weekends to prevent shooting conflicts between the club’s classes and extracurricular activities. However, with the new semester, UTTV found out there had been cutbacks to the equipment cage and Black Box Studio’s hours, preventing it from shooting on Sundays. The cage used to be opened seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Now it’s only open on weekdays. “This year has seen increased usage of Cage services due to increased enrollment in courses that rely on the equipment cage,” said Gregg Perkins, the chair and associate professor for the Communication Department. “We have temporarily closed the Cage on the weekends this semester as it is a time when cage usage is at its lowest.” This decision introduced new challenges for the UTTV team that they had not experienced in the past such as working around class schedules. “The process of setting up our shooting schedule became much more difficult in finding a time that worked between the Director, talent and any additional crew that are required for any particular shoot,” said Jamie Denko, film and media arts major and president of UTTV. UTTV and the Communication Department worked together to make new arrangements for scheduling issues. “We are currently working closely with UTTV to best suit their equipment and space needs, and it appears that they will now be shooting on Fridays. Additionally, we are working to get the Black Box Theatre open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sundays so that UTTV, or any other authorized student, could use the space,” Perkins said. Matt Boehling, the UTTV director

UTTV/Facebook

UTTV sets up for nes braodcast each week in the Black Box, but cutbacks are affecting its schedule.

of production, said that they will most likely have to film during multiple time slots on the weekdays. They want to make sure not to interfere with other production classes who also need the studio and equipment. “I certainly hope that all of our members are able to participate this semester with the new schedule and that it doesn’t discourage new members from bringing new talent and energy to our organization,” Boehling said. Even though the recent schedule change at the cage has caused some minor hiccups, the team at UTTV has found a way to use its current situation to its own advantage. “Due to the cutback of hours, UTTV has created some interesting attempts at some of our new shows, that we

will be implementing this semester,” Denko said. “Tampa Talk,” one of the programs that UTTV produces, will be in a different location every time it is filmed. Uchat, a man on the show program in which they ask UT students questions everyone wants to know and “UT Tour” segment will be on air again. “Our planned movie review segment will be filmed outside of the Black Box. However, we are still discussing the location at this time,” Denko said. UTTV will now be able to use the Black Box studio on Sundays from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m rather than 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jesse Long can be reached at jesse. long@spartans.ut.edu Zoe Fowler can be reached at zoe. fowler@theminaretonline.com

the actors were frozen into place, just like they would be in a museum. The actors had the names of the person they were portraying along with facts and figures, like Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. There was also a performance where the actors acted out for only a minute a pivotal moment in the person’s life. “It was a really unique way to show what people did in history and how it all tied together to get where we are now,” Baro said. AKA is planning on making the event annual and Baro hopes to repeat the act this semester. The sorority is also going to do community service in local shelters and will be hosting an event to fundraise money to donate to the NAACP for kids with incarcerated parents who need funding for college. The UT’s Diversity Fellowship is hosting the annual Black History Luncheon on Feb. 20. The event is open to UT students, faculty and staff.

Students are allowed to use one meal exchange to register for the event. “Our annual black history Luncheon will celebrate and appreciate the cultural advances spearheaded by black men and women of determination and hope for a positive future,” said Shandra Washington, president of the Diversity Fellowship. The UT community will first hear words from poet Clyla Boyd, and attendees will also learn about black historical events as well as modern testimonials from a guest speaker, not yet named. The event will include a performance from Blake High School’s Gospel Choir. In previous years, the luncheon drew up to 100 attendees, but Washington said she hopes to boost that number to 150 this year. “If we don’t push ourselves to expand our understanding of other cultures, then how can we move forward with anything?” Washington

Students come together to remember significant figures in black history From HISTORY Page 1

Baro said. “My parents and I think it’s really important to know where I come from and know the history.” Baro is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority, one of the first sororities founded in the council. AKA was founded Jan. 15, 1908 at Howard University in Washington D.C. It wasn’t installed into UT’s Greek life until Nov. 7, 2003. “It was definitely a great moment in history for black women, not only blacks, but black women as well as minorities to take control and try to make a difference in the world through community service and service to all mankind,” Baro said. Last year, the AKA put on a live black history museum, where it held auditions for students to portray prominent people in black history. When people showed up to the event,

NEWS + FEATURES

THE MINARET | FEBRUARY 6 2014

Zuzu African Acrobats Come to UT in Honor of Black History Month By THERESA STANTON News Writer

The lights dimmed and the group began to chant as the music picked up. The ZuZu African Acrobats took the stage encouraging the audience to clap and the echos filled the theater. The Acrobats ran into the crowd and picked students to come onto the stage. The audience began to sway the drums thudded louder and louder. In celebration of Black History Month, UT’s Office of Student Success hired the Zuzu African Acrobats to perform everything from contortion, chair stacking, pyramid balancing, flipping and limbo. The sounds of whistling, yelling and clapping filled the air as the audience watched the group perform. The performance took place Tuesday, Feb. 28 in Faulk Theater. From the start of the performance, the acrobats asked students to go up on stage and join them. Students participated in several events from dancing, to playing traditional African music, to competing in a limbo contest. The acrobats got their start in Kenya where they had practiced since they were nine, said performer Karanga. The group decided to name itself after the city the acrobats grew up in: Zuzu, Kenya. After years of performing, three of the members went on to audition for America’s Got Talent where they became semi-finalists as part of the group Zuma Zuma. Martina Newell, an administrator assistant for the Office of Student Success, describes why they wanted the group to perform. “We had found out they were doing tours to schools and that they were on America’s Got Talent, so we were really excited,” Newell said. “We found out they were doing a special for Black History Month.”

Ronald Woan/Flickr

The ZuZu African Acrobats perform their world famous and gravity-defying act at the San Diego Wild Animal Park in California.

Newell describes why the group performed on a Tuesday in January, instead of a weekend during Black History Month when more students would have been able to attend. “Since it was a black history performance we needed them to perform before or during February,” Newell said. “We were trying to get them in February, but their schedule was so packed and they were only able to come [on Tuesday].” Approximately 30 students and Tampa residents showed up for the event, but even though the theater was not packed the group found ways to keep up the high energy and keep the audience engaged. After performing for 30 minutes, the group took a break to educate the audience on

African traditions and customs, providing facts about Kenya. These included how to say “hello” in Swahili (“Jumba”), the common foods in Kenya, the size of Kenya and the clarification of the name Rafiki, which means “friend.” Sarah Parker said she thought it was cool that the group took time to answer questions about Kenya, but she wishes the audience would of asked more questions. After all of the questions were answered, the group asked the audience “you want some more?” and then continued to dance. Karanga noted that even with a busy schedule, the group has to take time to visit its loved ones. “We practice every day. Maybe half an

hour each day,” Karanga said. “We always tour all over the country but around October, November and December we go home.” Karanga describes why he has a passion for acrobatics. “In the head you feel like it’s somewhere you’re supposed to be,” Karanga said. Karanga wrapped the performance on a lighter note by saying how he wished the group could have had a better finale. UT’s department for Student Success plans to come out with several more performances for Black History month. “We wanted to play with fire, but they wouldn’t allow us to,” Karanga said. Theresa Stanton can be reached at theresa. stanton@spartans.ut.edu

From the Jan. 27 to Feb. 2 Reports

Sigma Delta Tau will be having The No Wi-fi for You On Jan. 28, a university owned wireless access point was taken without permission.

Blaze It On Feb. 1, a student was found in possession of synthetic marijuana.

Nomad Truck come to campus in front of the Sykes building on Feb 12. Fifteen percent of the profits will go towards

Sunday, Feb. 9, women’s lacrosse plays inaugural game at 2 p.m. Apply to be a diplomat now-Feb. 14 at the OSLE office

SDT’s philanthropy, Prevent Child DRAMAAAAA On Jan. 28, a student reported a concerning email from a former non student boyfriend.

Most Frequent Security Report: On Feb. 1, a room search resulted in a drug and alcohol violation.

Abuse America.

Sigma Delta Tau will be selling Candy Grams from Feb 10-13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Vaughn Lobby. $2 per goodie

Are You Hurt Now or Later? On Jan. 28, a student reported a delayed injury.

Whoever Did This Is Really MEAN On Jan. 28, a staff member reported her wallet was stolen from her office in Graduate and Continuing Studies. Reports compiled by Katherine Lavacca

Elections are coming soon; get applications Feb. 24 and turn them in by March 17 by 5 p.m.

bag and $3 to have it delivered to your Valentine on Valentine’s Day.

Kappa Alpha Theta will be selling Crush Grams in Vaughn Lobby on Feb 7. from 12-2 p.m. and Feb. 10-12 from 11-2 p.m.

Spartans After Dark coming up on Feb. 7

4 FEBRUARY 6 2014 | THE MINARET

NEWS + FEATURES

Students hope to find relief in minimum wage raise From MINIMUM WAGE Page 1

earning minimum wage has made it hard to pay bills. “I think it would be easier for me to pay my tuition” Alhzea said. “Its really hard if you’re on minimum wage to pay off tuition and bills. Its really tough to manage your money.” According to the University of Tampa First Destination Undergraduate Report, 55 percent of students who come into the Office of Careers end up becoming employed full time off campus. Daylin Jones, a senior studying forensics, fears there will be fewer jobs available if the minimum wage is raised. “[Raising the minimum wage] is good in theory because at this point, we can’t live off of minimum wage,” Jones said. “But it might decrease the jobs available, but hopefully it doesn’t end

up in less jobs.” Jones, like many students employed at the university, earns a stipend of less than $1,000 a semester. She also works a second job at Old Navy, earning barely more than minimum wage. Holley Nordman, a staff assistant at the Office of Career services, said the school doesn’t have the budget to give students more hours because of the $1,000 limit on work study stipends. “[Raising minimum wage] will inhibit the hours students’ work a week,” Nordman said. “Work study students can only earn $1,000 a semester. So, what’s going to happen is you’re just going to burn through those hours quicker.” Students like Demmings who rely on their paycheck to pay tuition and bills could use the raise. “It will probably affect me in every way since every decision I make is

based off of finances,” Demmings said. “I come from a single parent home, my mom is widowed and I’m the youngest of four. So funds are already tight; it would essentially help me survive.” Mubaslat shared a similar idea, that a higher minimum wage would not only help her, but could help other students. “I feel like it would help us manage our money better and as we get into the real world it’ll help us manage ourselves better” said. “We could actually [focus] on what we’re learning so that we can make money instead of having to give school a little bit of priority because you have to work, you have to pay bills.” Theresa Stanton can be reached at theresa.stanton@spartans.ut.edu.

Graphic courtesy of Wendy French

Jessica/Flickr.com Water refill stations such as this can be used to cut back on water bottle usage.

Mia Glatter/.The Minaret Students arrange metal type for a project in the Printing, Publishing and Book Arts class taught in the Book Arts Studio.

What are some fun facts about UT? 1. Soy milk available in the café

Do you have lactose intolerance and cry yourself to sleep every night because you can’t partake in eating cereal for breakfast in the café like all your friends? Some life changing news for you may be that if you ask for soy milk at the classic station of the café, they can provide some for you.

2. Book Arts Studio in the back of Edison

You may have passed the Edison building or even gone inside to dance and not realized the amount of cool history that lies tucked away in the back of the building. The Tampa Book Arts Studio has been a part of UT for 49 years and is a “letterpress laboratory with a collection of foundry types, typecasting machines, and printing presses” (ut.edu/ tampapress). The course Printing, Publishing and Book Arts, taught by professors Richard Matthews and Kendra Frorup, uses the studio and teaches students the art and history of books, allowing hands on work with printing, book binding and papermaking.

3. Recycling bins in residence halls

In a step toward a more environmentally friendly campus, the Student Environmental Action Coalition worked with the administration to get recycle bins put in the laundry rooms of all the major residence halls. Students often complain about the lack of convenient recycling facilities in dorms. Now all students have to do is bring their recyclables down to the nearest laundry room.

Want a question answered by UT FYI? Send your question about anything UT or Tampa related to ut.minaret@gmail.com

4. Water refill stations

Why go all the way to Wal-Mart to get water when we’ve got these fancy new water refill stations? In another environmental effort to cut back on the number of water bottles used, several bottle refill stations have been installed in Martinez, West Kennedy Hall, by the pool and in McNiff.

Chipotle Chicken Pita

Buy 1 Get 1

FREE

5. Riverside has a second floor

Not many people know the second floor of Riverside exists; the staircase is right inside the double doors. The second floor is home to the Alumni and Parent Relations office, the Public Information and Publications Office and the University Relations office.

DELIVERY HOURS Mon.-Sat. 6pm To 9pm

2618 W. Kennedy Blvd. Tampa, FL 33609

(813) 877-5252 14596896T402

Additional parking in the rear.

NEWS + FEATURES

THE MINARET | FEBRUARY 6 2014

Master It

Graduate Open House, Nov. 22, 6 p.m. Vaughn Center, ninth floor Join us for a special Graduate Open House event to learn more about UT’s graduate degrees! Talk with faculty, admissions counselors, students and alumni about the following programs: Business • MBA (seven concentrations) • M.S. in Accounting • M.S. in Finance • M.S. in Marketing • Certificate in Nonprofit Management • Certificate in Accounting • Certificate in Business Administration Exercise Science and Nursing • New! M.S. in Exercise and Nutrition Science • M.S. in Nursing Education • M.S. in Instructional Design and Technology • M.A. in Teaching • Master of Education Creative Writing • MFA in Creative Writing

RSVP at www.ut.edu/gradvisit.

6 FEBRUARY 6 2014 | THE MINARET

Diversions

Sudoku

The Weekend Update The Power of Pause February 7

Dickey Health and Wellness Center 8 a.m. Free

Lover’s Recital February 7

Sykes Chapel and Center for Family Values 8 p.m. Free

Valentine Making Workshop February 8

Henry B. Plant Museum 10 a.m. $5

Tennis vs. Lynn February 8

Naimoli and Young Family Tennis Complex 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. PrintableSudokuPuzzles.net

Picture

WEEK of the

Photo by Justine Parks/The Minaret The Zeta Chapter of Pi Beta Phi held its first Cookie Shine to celebrate the initation of its new members this past weekend.

Free

Women’s Basketball vs. Florida Tech February 8

Bob Martinez Athletics Center 2 p.m. - 4 p.m.

Free with UT ID

Men’s Basketball vs. Florida Tech February 8

Bob Martinez Athletics Center 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.

Free with UT ID

Women’s Lacrosse vs. Rollins February 9

Naimoli Family Athletic and Intramural Complex 2 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. Free with UT ID

Campus Movie Fest Finale February 13

Falk Theater

8 p.m. - 10 p.m. Free with UT ID

Men’s Lacrosse vs. New York Institute of Technology February 14

Naimoli Family Athletic and Intramural Complex 7:30 p.m. - 10 p.m. Free with UT ID

Arts + Entertainment

THE MINARET | FEBRUARY 6 2014

Beats Music Offers Unique Music Streaming By SELENE SANFEICE Arts + Entertainment Writer

Beats, a brand founded by Dr. Dre in 2008, has branched out from highend headphones to Internet radio. First developed in 2012 under the name “Daisy,” the online music streaming service seems to have blossomed quite nicely and was released on Jan. 21 of this year. Although Internet radio is certainly not an original concept, Beats Music proves to be a worthy competitor to big names like Pandora, Songza and Spotify. When first starting Beats Music, the user is asked to select artists and genres they like, love and hate. This takes personalizing suggestions a step further than just a thumbs-up button. A “Just for You” page is personalized with full albums and playlists to listen to based on the user’s interests. Even better, Beats Music knows what you don’t like, so if you’re not a fan of a certain artist or genre it will never show up as a suggestion. Unlike other online radios, Beats Music gives the users total control, allowing them to see every song in a playlist and even skip around. The users can shuffle, fast forward, rewind and put playlists on repeat as well. They can also follow artists they like and make customized playlists. On the Beats Music App, users can listen to music based on a “sentence” they put together from hundreds of mix and match options. So, they will fill in the blanks in the statement “I’m… & feel like… with… to…,” to tell the app to cater a playlist to the listener’s setting, mood, company and music preference. Like its competitor, Songza, Beats Music allows mobile users to listen to music based on moods and activities. Songza offers a larger variety of activities, but only provides four

playlists per activity. Beats Music may have a shorter list of moods and activities, but each category comes with up to 40 playlists. Beats Music also allows users to select songs and playlists to listen to in Offline Mode, which is handy for mobile users trying not to burn up their data and has never been seen from other Internet radio competitors. Are all these features really worth it? Beats claims its Internet radio is “a completely new way to experience music.” This statement is debatable, but what does set Beats music apart from other top Internet radios is that Beats Music only offers free trials. On their

website a seven-day free trial is offered, and a three month free trial is advertised for “eligible AT&T users.” This is a bit misleading, as only new Beats Music Family Plan subscribers will receive their first 90 days free, and Beats Music Individual Plan subscribers will receive their first 30 days free. The Family Plan entails paying $15 per month for five users across 10 devices. The individual plan is $9.99 per month or $119.88 per year for one user across three devices. As mentioned before, most of the top Internet radios are completely free and charge a fraction of the Beats amount for premium service (Pandora One is only $3.99 per month).

Although Beats Music Individual Plan matches the price of Spotify Premium, neither seems to meet the budget for the average college student. Some would have never predicted college students to shell out the outrageous amount of money that Beats asks for their headphones, yet students can be seen all over UT with Beats Headphones wrapped around their necks. Maybe some will still pay for the Beats name, but chances are with so many other free Internet radio options out there, collegiate Beats Music users won’t make it past the free trial. Selene SanFelice can be reached at selene.sanfelice@spartans.ut.edu

LEFT: Beats/Facebook, RIGHT: Screenshot

Beats Music poses as a worthy adversary to other online radio services like Spotify or Rdio, but the price tag might be a deal-breaker for college students on a budget.

Fitbit Force: Most Versatile Fitness Band Yet By KAELA BERNARDINO Arts + Entertainment Writer

Pedometers have been around for quite some time tracking your steps, and now there are apps upon apps for tracking food intake, logging workouts and setting goals for weight loss. And what’s really become a market of its own are fitness wristbands. Devices like the Nike FuelBand or the Jawbone UP have become popular because of their ability to combine all of these functions into a single package. However, it seems like the one fitness band that stores can’t keep on the shelves is the Fitbit Force, $129. The Fitbit family is quite versatile, consisting of five different trackers that sync with each other effortlessly, making the data they track easy to access and understand. The Fitbit Force is their most advanced and best-selling tracker so far. Unlike one of its main competitors, the Jawbone UP, it has a flexible and adjustable wrist band. This feature I’ve found to really make the world of a difference when it comes to comfort, especially when using the sleep tracking feature. The Fitbit also sports a small yet easy to read backlit digital screen with a button on

the left side so users can check the time, how many steps they’ve taken, distance they’ve walked and even how many floors they’ve climbed. It’s also waterproof so users can swim, shower or wash their hands without ever having to take it off. To view all of these stats and more, the Fitbit app can be downloaded for free from the Google, Apple or Windows app market. Once downloaded, an account will have to be made, then directions on how to sync the Fitbit to the user’s phone will follow. It’s a quick process, taking five minutes at most. Once the app is all set up, a weight loss plan can be created with three different level of intensities that adjust the calorie intake per day. These features set the app apart from the rest. Unlike the Jawbone UP, which has to be taken off and plugged in for every update (recommended 23 times a day), or the UP24, which is compatible with Apple products only and not truly Bluetooth, the Force is compatible with Apple, Android and Windows and connects to your phone via Bluetooth. Kaela Bernardino can be reached at kaela.bernardino@spartans.ut.edu

Fibit/Facebook

The Fitbit Force tracks physical activity levels and sleep patterns; it is compatible with most operating systems.

FEBRUARY 6 2014 | THE MINARET

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

The Dum Dum Girls Progress With Mixed Results By JACKIE BRAJE

Arts + Entertainment Writer

Iggy Pop-inspired and 60smodulated, it’s easy to understand why I loved the Dum Dum Girls so much back in my embarrassingly pretentious thrift-store-browsing high school days. However, that unique sound they coined in their debut album I Will Be disappeared in lieu of their newest album Too True, released on Jan. 28.

The band began as a solo project in Dee Dee Penny’s (aka Kristin Gundred’s) makeshift bedroom recording studio in 2008. After the release of a five-song CD-R and an EP, Dee Dee clutched the attention of Sub Pop Records and signed onto them in 2009. I Will Be was painfully hip and quite easy for any indie music buff to love with its lo-fi and post-punk elements, and was reminiscent of The Go-Gos. “Jail La La,” the first single released off the album, had an awfully feminine and bubbly aura about it that set it apart from the other indie hits that were circulating around the same time. The track “Baby Don’t Go” was a beautifully sad, honest, stripped-down simpleton, both musically and lyrically. Perhaps it can be said that only the truly noble bands dare to be eclectic. Radiohead, for example, is known to metamorphose entirely with each new album they put out, and a number of styles are expressed in Pablo Honey and King of Limbs. Artistically, I can appreciate what the Dum Dum Girls have done with their third full-length album Too True; they dived headlong into the pop-rock genre

and emulated somewhat of an 80s glam rock vibe to their music. It’s fair to say that they have a complete grasp on how pop rock is intended to sound: catchy arrangements, light lyrics and deep electric guitar roots. Their knowledge of the genre was, at least, smartly crafted and displayed throughout the album. One could readily find elements of The Cure, Jesus Mary and Chain and other bands of the garage-rock persuasion in their new music. It almost seems as if they’ve ditched their hazy lo-fi dissidence and instead adopted a knack for creating a cluster of pop-rock hits. The album held a few gems with songs like “Cult of Love” and the underdog anthem “Lost Boys and Girls Club.” These songs, I feel, only validate the fact that Dee Dee has stepped out of her bedroom recording days and created a much fuller atmosphere to her music. Other songs I found to be aesthetically striking were the angsty love sick tune “Too True To Be Good” and the 19thcentury poet-inspired “Rimbaud Eyes.” However, I found the album slightly difficult to enjoy as a whole. Perhaps I’m caught up in the throes of nostalgia of I Will Be, unable to accept the fact that Dee Dee has chosen an entirely new angle and direction for her music, like all great artists should and usually do. Or perhaps I simply cannot appreciate the 80s pop-rock aura that emanates so potently from Too True. The lyrics and bubbly arrangements felt quite cheesy i Juno Temple will star in Maleficent later this year. n some songs like in “Are You Okay?” and “Evil Blooms.” The repetitive chorus of “Are

Dum Dum Girls/Facebook

On Too True, The Dum Dum Girls make valiant artistic strides but fail to live up to past records.

you okay? Are you okay?” began to make me question whether or not I was, in fact, okay. It seems the Dum Dum Girls are shoveling their way upwards in attempt to dig themselves out of the underground and into the more easily flowing mainstream of indie music. And while I miss the sheer uniqueness of their old music, one has to

admit that their transformation over three full albums is quite admirable. Jackie Braje can be reached at jacquelyn.braje@theminaretonline.com

2 out of 5 stars

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THE MINARET | FEBRUARY 6 2014

‘That Awkward Moment’ is a Surprising Success By CLAIRE FARROW

Arts + Entertainment Writer

I was skeptical about what That Awkward Moment had to offer. The trailer was dumb, to put it mildly, and gave no hints as to what the movie was about. As it turns out, there’s so much going on in That Awkward Moment that it’s hard to talk about any of it without giving some crucial detail or spoiler away. In a shocking twist of fate, this movie was good. Really good. I found myself totally engaged in the film and not just because I was looking at Zac Efron’s toned body. The film had just the right amount of seriousness and hilarity to produce an impressive mix of dramatic tears and side-splitting laughter. Zac Efron (High School Musical, Hairspray, The Lucky One), Miles Teller (Footloose, 21 & Over) and Michael B. Jordan (The Wire, Friday Night Lights) play three 20-something best friends who are trying to navigate their way through life and love. The premise is simple—every romantic relationship has that awkward moment, the moment where the question “So… where is this going?” is asked, and all the ups and downs that come after that all-important question. What can you do to combat that situation? Stay out of a relationship. That is exactly what these three guys plan to do. They decide to make a pact to avoid getting into any kind of dating relationship and have fun instead. Of course, this wouldn’t be a romantic comedy if something, or rather someone, didn’t come along to mess up the boys’ pact. And that is where the comedy lies in this movie. One of the most ridiculous aspects of this movie is Jason’s and Daniel’s roster. Each of their rosters is a list of women with whom they have casual hook-ups, and after a few weeks, they fade them out, bringing along more women.

Zac Efron’s character Jason is supposedly the “typical guy”—not willing to commit and viewing every relationship as purely sexual. Of course, as the movie title implies, he’s going to meet someone who challenges his current lifestyle— enter Imogen Poots’ (Solitary Man, Fright Night) character, Ellie. After an initial attraction, obstacles start popping up that could hinder their potential relationship. Miles Teller plays Daniel, one of Jason’s best friends. Adorable yet utterly stupid, some of the best dialogue in this film tumbles out of his mouth. At first, he is portrayed as a moron who will do just about anything to get laid, but as the movie goes on, he is confronted with the fact that he is falling in love with someone. Michael B. Jordan portrays Mikey, Jason’s other best friend. As the most conventionally successful of the three, one would think he’s got it all together. However, when a part of his life falls apart, it is up to his friends to help him through it. What I liked most about this film wasn’t the comedy or the romance, but, in fact, the relationships. While I was watching the way the characters interacted, I never once thought that what they said or did was out of the ordinary. Everything felt real. In particular, the friendship between Jason, Daniel and Mikey was refreshingly believable. The romantic relationships that the three are caught up in follow a very natural progression and seem authentic. Throughout the film, the audience is wondering what will they choose—the relationships or their original game plane? Claire Farrow can be reached at claire.farrow@spartans.ut.edu

4 out of 5 stars

Actress on the Rise: Juno Temple

By SAMMI BRENNAN

Arts + Entertainment Writer

Temple’s cast mates include countless notable stars such as Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Jessica Alba, Rosario Dawson and Josh Brolin. In the 1970s drama Truck Stop, a bond is formed between a child with cerebral palsy and a struggling runaway played by Temple. As confirmed by her win of the 2013 EE Rising Star Award, Temple’s career is worth the attention. Sammi Brennan can be reached at samantha.brennan@theminaretonline.com

Since the age of four, Juno Temple knew she was going to be an actress. Temple currently has four films in the works including Maleficent, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For and Truck Stop, all releasing in 2014. With a director as a father and a producer as a mother, her parents showed her nothing but support. At the age of 18, Temple’s career took off after she played the daughter of Cate Blanchett in the drama Notes on a Scandal. A year later in 2007, Temple would star in the Oscarwinning romance Atonement. It seemed as if Temple was unstoppable as her roles began to pile up. Her acting credits include The Other Boleyn Girl, Wild Child, Year One, Greenberg, Kaboom, The Three Musketeers, Killer Joe, The Dark Knight Rises, Lovelace and many, many more. In the highly anticipated Disney film Maleficent, a twist on Sleeping Beauty told through the eyes of the villain, Temple will play the character of Thistletwit. Later this year, Temple will star in the sequel to Frank Miller’s and Robert Rodriguez’s disturbing thriller Juno Temple/Facebook Sin City which released in 2005. Juno Temple will star in Disney film Maleficent later this year.

That Awkward Moment/Facebook

That Awkward Moment starring Zac Efron, Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan is surprisingly entertaining.

10 FEBRUARY 6 2014 | THE MINARET

ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT

New Girl Star to Release Quirky Fashion Line By BRIANNA KWASNIK Arts + Entertainment Writer

New Girl fans are in luck. Just in time for spring, actress, musician and now fashion designer Zooey Deschanel announced the launch of her new clothing line. Deschanel, who is best known for her old school, quirky and adorable style, recently announced her partnership with Tommy Hilfiger. She will be working with him on his upcoming Capsule Collection. The pair met last year at a mutual friends home in California. It was then that the two realized they had a mutual love for all things vintage, and shared many of the same inspirations, including: classic films, old Hollywood and old school music. Inspired by her own personal style and her character Jess on the hit show New Girl, the collection is titled “To Tommy, From Zooey.” The title accurately describes the collection. It allows her fans to copycat her everyday style at a cheaper price. The prices range from $98-$199. Deschanel commanded most of the designs. Hilfiger explains in an interview with entertainmentweekly.com that the collection focuses on “what she likes and what she doesn’t like.” Although the shapes of the designs stray from what would normally be included in a Tommy collection, it stays true to his red, white and blue color scheme. “I think the pieces in the line really bring back old-fashioned styles and give them an updated twist. If the pieces comes in petite sizes, I would definitely purchase them,” sophomore communication major Miranda Palumbo said. Zooey, in the entertainmentweekly. com interview, describes her designs as “Modical,” representing a combination of

Zooey Deschanel/Facebook

(500) Days Of Summer star Zooey Deschanel will partner up with fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger to create a new line of clothing.

mod and nautical influences. She put her own fun and flirty twist on Tommy classics by integrating feminine fabrics, pleats and polka dots. In addition to the shirt dresses, the collection will also include coats. Besides naming the collection, Zooey also named each dress after some of her friends. Deschanel also designed jewelry and accessories for the line, which are set to be released on tommy.com and Macy’s stores on April 21, a week after the dresses

are released on April 14. “I would buy pieces from the line because I like Zooey’s style. Her style is very different, and I think it would provide an alternative option to the kinds of styles currently available in stores,” sophomore marine biology major Erin Brosnan said. Tommy described his co-designer as the “epitome of a Tommy girl––AllAmerican, youthful, and fun,” which is why Deschanel is perfect to be the star of the ad

campaigns for the collection, according to entertainmentweekly.com. If the collection goes well, we may expect to see more of the quirky, cute collection as Hilfiger has stated, “We enjoy working with each other so far, so who knows what might be in store for the future,” according to entertainmentweekly. com. Brianna Kwasnik can be reached at brianna.kwasnik@spartans.ut.edu

Couture for Less: Target Teams Up with Peter Pilotto for Latest Collection By JESSICA KEESEE Editor-In-Chief

Fashionistas everywhere, brace yourselves. Check your bank accounts, clear some space in your closets and meet me at Target on Sunday, Feb. 9, 8 a.m. sharp. Yes, it’s almost here, Target’s next designer collaboration is dropping this weekend. Prepare for abstract, geometric prints and catwalk-ready dresses courtesy of British brand Peter Pilotto. Target’s upcoming collaboration follows the immensely successful 3.1 Phillip Lim collaboration that debuted in September of last year, dubbed by many as “Limsanity.” Londonbased designers Peter Pilotto and Christopher De Vos started working with the budget-friendly retailer after being approached in March 2013. They follow in the footsteps of design giants like Zac Posen, Missoni, Prabal Gurung and Jason Wu, to name a few, who have all produced successful collaborations for Target, providing high-end design without high-end prices, perfect for the fashion savvy woman on a budget. Many celebrities from Miranda Kerr to Kerry Washington and Selena Gomez have been spotted wearing the iconic prints and sculptural designs the brand is known for. “Our brand is about print, yes, but it’s also about the emotional feeling you can get from color and color combinations,” the designers said to Target.com. A Peter Pilotto garment can range anywhere from $500 to $2,000, with dresses averaging around $1,500, but the Target collection offers shoppers the same iconic designs as the designers’ regular collection. The Target looks, however, range in price from only $14.99 to $79.99. Let your wallet breathe a sigh of relief. The collaboration is a work of abstract art, filled with bold, black and white floral prints with pops of yellow, royal blue, hibiscus orange and apple red, overlaid with vertical, black stripes.

Shoppers can expect runway-worthy cocktail dresses, bustier-style swimsuits, separates from pencil skirts to sleek rash guards and beach gear from coverups to totes. Get classy with colorblock blazers and belted dresses mixing florals, stripes and geometric designs. The collection also features an edgy, printed crop top with cutouts, geometric sweatshirts and a too cute floral romper in a bold, multicolored floral print. Pilotto and De Vos must have thought of everything a woman needs in her spring wardrobe when designing for the collaboration. The standout pieces include a strapless, fit and flare cocktail dress with a bold, floral print, coming in at the top of the price range at $79.99. A scuba-styled, fit and flare dress with a blue and green, psychedelic floral print is a must have from the collection, priced at $69.99. The swimsuits are also must haves, including a yellow, bustier bikini top in a black, white and yellow floral print with vertical stripes overlaid. The swim top is $22.99 and bottoms are $16.99. This is the first Target collaboration that will also be sold internationally on Net-A-Porter.com, previously only being sold in the states. Target doors won’t open till 8 a.m. on Sunday, but the collection should be available on the retailer’s website in the early hours. Target will likely not release that time due to the site’s crashing in past Target collaboration releases, leaving anxious shoppers to refresh the Target homepage until the collection drops Sunday morning. Until then, plan ahead. Most Target collaborations mean hoards of passionate shoppers waiting for the doors to open so they can dash inside and buy everything they can, many of whom end up re-selling pieces from the collections on eBay for double or triple the price. Know what you want from the collection, budget yourself, grab what you can, quickly try on and make your way out, couture in tow. Jessica Keesee can be reached at jessica. keesee@theminaretonline.com

Photos courtesy of Target

Peter Pilotto for Target features multicolored geormetric and floral prints ranging in price from $14.99 to $79.99.

THE MINARET | FEBRUARY 6 2014

Opinion

Boston Bomber May Face Death Penalty By AVERY TWIBLE Opinion Columnist

Is it morally acceptable to sentence a 20-year-old to the death penalty? What if that 20-year-old is the alleged Boston Marathon bomber who killed three people, wounded 260 and mentally scarred a nation? This act of terrorism is possibly the worst since September 11, and such an act is deserving of death by lethal injection. The actions determine the punishment, not the age of the perpetrator. On Jan. 30 the Justice Department informed a federal judge that it is planning to seek the death penalty for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, also known as the Boston Bomber, if he is convicted by a jury for the crime committed last April, according to NBC News. Tsarnaev will soon face trial for his alleged crimes of the terrorist attack on Boston on April 15, 2013. He was accompanied by his older brother Tamerlan Tsarnaev, who was 26 at the time, in the planning and execution of the attacks where two homemade pressure cooker bombs exploded near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, according to investigators. The eldest brother, however, did not survive a shootout with the police during their attempted escape. While later running from the FBI, the surviving Tsarnaev brother was caught and injured badly in the process. In the nine months since the bombing while Tsarnaev has been recovering, Attorney General Eric Holder has been deciding whether or not to seek the death penalty. Last week he came to his conclusion. The statement released of Holder by The United States Department of Justice read, “After consideration of the relevant facts, the applicable regulations and the submissions made by the

defendant’s counsel, I have determined that the U.S. will seek the death penalty in this matter. The nature of the conduct at issue and the resultant harm compel this decision.” Aiten Goelman, a former federal prosecutor who assisted in the prosecutions in the Oklahoma City bombings, said that Holder is personally opposed to the death penalty, but his decision to seek it in this case was the right choice, according to USA Today. NBC News reported that Holder talked to victims of the bombing and their families when making this decision. This shows that he did not hastily make his choice. As a state in which the death penalty has long been opposed, a Massachusetts jury may have mixed feelings on whether or not to use the death penalty on the Boston bomber. His murderous actions are certainly worthy of execution in minds such as my own, but putting someone to death is the harshest of punishments and one that cannot be undone. However, there are photos of Tsarnaev and his brother placing the bombs at the Boston Marathon, among more evidence that will no doubt incriminate him for the bombings. The evidence, combined with heart wrenching testimonies of the bombing’s victims, will hopefully lead a jury to sentence him to be executed. Historically, death penalty executions by the federal system are rare, and in the last few decades only three people have received the death penalty on federal charges. The last person to be executed by the federal government was the Oklahoma City Bomber, Timothy McVeigh, in 2001. Now Goelman said, “if not in this case, then you have to ask when?”

I agree with Goelman; if Tsarnaev is not deserving of the death penalty, then who is? Especially when, according to NBC News, prosecutors say that Tsarnaev has shown no remorse for his crime. The Washington Post reported that 16 people had to have their legs amputated after the Boston bombings because of where the bombs were placed. Although the crimes that Tsarnaev allegedly committed are heinous, even some victims of the bombings are unsure of whether or not the death penalty is the right decision to be made. USA Today reported that Lee Ann Yanni, a 32-year-old from Boston who was wounded in the attack, commented on the possibility of the death penalty in this case saying, “It’s not going to change what happened. I really don’t think there is a right or wrong in this situation. It’s not going to bring anybody back.” On the other hand, USA Today reported that Liz Norden, whose two sons were injured in the Boston Marathon bombings, said, “I support it. ... It is a step in the right direction.” Susan Brinkley, a UT professor who teaches about the Death Penalty as well as Ethics in Justice classes said, “Personally, I believe that a life sentence without parole would accomplish the same goal as seeking the death penalty. If convicted he could/would be housed at the facility in Florence, Colorado; the only level 6 federal prison. The 1993 World Trade Center offenders are there as well as others convicted of terrorist acts.” Last September, just six months after the bombing, the Boston Globe conducted a poll that found 57 percent of respondents wanted life in prison for Tsarnaev and 33 percent thought that he was deserving of the death penalty.

Tsarnaev pleaded not guilty to his 30 criminal counts, according to NY Daily News, which include using weapons of mass destruction to kill and to maim or injure, and killing an MIT police officer during his attempted escape. “Authorities have said Tamerlan Tsarnaev came under the influence of radical Islam and probably recruited his brother to help him with the bombing, a possible line of defense if the case goes to trial,” reported The Washington Post. Although Tsarnaev deserves to be executed for his crimes, seeking the death penalty may be a way to get him to plead guilty instead. If he pleads guilty, it would save all the victims and their families the horror of having to get up on the stand to testify against him, forcing them to relive the painful events. Right now the case will take place with a Massachusetts jury, a state which has long been opposed to the death penalty, reported USA Today. Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick said in a statement, “One way or another, based on the evidence, Tsarnaev will die in prison,” meaning whether it is by execution or from spending the rest of his living days behind bars. Still, Goelman said, “It will be a challenge for a Boston jury to vote for death.” The death penalty was created in this country specifically for cases like this, for people like Tsarnaev who make it their life’s mission to hurt innocent civilians. He is a mere 20-year-old, as I am, but I think his actions have earned him the death penalty. To quote Dexter Morgan, it’s not that some people deserve to die; it’s that “some people don’t deserve to live.” Avery Twible can be reached at avery. twible@spartans.ut.edu

Disney Airs First Same-Sex Couple in ‘Good Luck Charlie’ By JAKE KONISZEWSKI Opinion Columnist

Growing up, I would come home from middle school and turn on the Disney Channel. These shows represented the traditional American family: a mother, a father, kids, maybe a dog. However, I never noticed any gay presence on television. Now, marriage equality is one of the most pressing issues in America. To reflect this, Disney has shown its support for marriage equality and acceptance of homosexuality as a whole. On Jan. 26, the Disney Channel show Good Luck Charlie aired an episode (entitled “Down a Tree”) featuring a lesbian couple. Disney announced the decision to include a same-sex couple in an episode back in June 2013, according to TV Guide. “Like all Disney programming, it was developed to be relevant to kids and families around the world and to reflect themes of diversity and inclusiveness,” said a spokesperson from Disney. US magazine noted that Susan and Cheryl will most likely not be featured again considering the series is ending this month. I applaud Disney for including a same-sex couple in their programming. While not all states in the U.S. have legalized same-sex marriage, according to statesthatallowgaymarriage.com, 16 states and the District of Columbia allow it while Oregon, Nevada, Colorado and Wisconsin allow civil unions or domestic partnerships. Eight of those 16 states legalized same-sex marriage in 2013, and marriage equality takes effect in Illinois on June 1 this year. A poll conducted by The Washington Post and ABC News “showed 55% of Americans support allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally; seven in ten Americans between the ages of 18-39 said they support same-sex marriage.” With so much support for samesex marriage, especially from the younger generation, Disney wants to continue that

Potvin Alberto/YouTube

The lesbian couple will most likely not be featured again, as the series ends this month.

momentum of support by showing kids it’s okay to have two moms or dads. After the decision was made to air the episode, former Disney star Miley Cyrus tweeted her support, writing, “[Disney] control[s]… so much of what kids think! Life isn’t bright sets & wardrobe & kids becoming superstars! This is INSPIRING.” Cyrus brings up a couple of good points. First, Disney plays a large role in the upbringing of children with its movies, television shows and toys. As a kid, I grew up watching movies like Pinocchio and The Lion King and after-school cartoon shows like Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers and Darkwing Duck. As I got older, my sister and I would come home and watch Lizzie McGuire and Even Stevens. Now, I still find myself going to the theater for the latest Disney animated movie and watching older ones from time to time. My experience isn’t unique. Nikki Nunzio, a freshman undecided major, watched many of Disney’s classic movies when she was younger, including Aladdin and Cinderella.

“I feel like Disney movies are [now] giving a more realistic approach,” Nunzio said. According to disneybythenumbers.com, in 2009, “Disney Online averaged over 30 million unique visitors and over 140 million videos streamed per month.” With online presence increasing every year, it is inevitable that more and more children will be exposed to Disney content, especially online. Cyrus also has a point in terms of Disney’s live-action shows. While Hannah Montana featured Cyrus as a girl with a pop star alter ego, such a situation is not very realistic. The presence of same-sex couples and homosexuality in general, on the other hand, is not only realistic, but it has been a hot topic politically and socially these past few years. I am not saying Disney should do away with unrealistic, live-action shows, but including same-sex couples in their shows can positively affect the way children see families and allow them to become more openminded. The organization One Million Moms, on the other hand, believes the episode will have a

negative effect on children. The organizations website indicates One Million Moms was created “to give moms an impact with the decision-makers and let them know we are upset with the messages they are sending our children and the values (or lack of them) they are pushing.” After the episode was announced, One Million Moms responded by writing, “Conservative families need to urge Disney to exclude confusing topics that children are far too young to comprehend.” While I may not be a parent and while love can be confusing, I doubt seeing a family with two mothers would harm a child viewing the episode. If your child asks about it, tell him/ her that the two moms love each other like a mom and dad do. The world is changing and becoming more open to the idea of homosexuality and same-sex marriage. Parents should encourage their children to be more openminded, including the idea that some families have two moms or dads. With Disney having such a heavy influence on children, Disney is a good place for children to be exposed to such ideas. The One Million Moms article went on to ask readers to email Disney to request the scene with the two mothers be taken out of the episode, and if Disney did not omit it, they would no longer allow their families to watch the Disney Channel. Since the episode aired anyway, I’d say Disney disregarded the threats. They may have “one million mothers,” but according to a 2011 report from The Williams Institute, roughly nine million Americans identify as LGBTQ. Chances are that some of those one million mothers have children who have a classmate who has samesex parents. Disney is doing the right thing by showing children same-sex marriage exists. Let children see the episode and decide what they think. Jake Koniszewski can be reached at john. koniszewski@spartans.ut.edu

12 FEBRUARY 6 2014 | THE MINARET

OPINION

White House Will Address ‘Deport Justin Bieber’ Petition By VANESSA RIGHEIMER Opinion Columnist

As I scrolled down my news feed on Facebook last week, I expected to hear people buzzing about Obama’s State of the Union speech that was given last Tuesday. However, I came to realize that there were more pressing matters at hand going on in our country, namely a petition for Justin Bieber’s deportation. I always thought the mere presence of the Biebs could in fact be lethal. When he toured major cities, I anticipated headlines to read, “Hair Pulling Brawl for Bieber’s Autograph Leaves One Teen Slain.” The hashtag #OneLessLonelyGirl would shortly start trending following this incident. I also have to admit that if Bieber was ever in a 100-foot radius of me, my body would erupt in turbulent convulsions. However, after a few wrong turns this year, this Canadian smoke show is now facing some serious backlash. These wrong turns have included various forms of vandalism, drug possession, assault and a DUI. A petition was formed last Thursday to deport Justin after he was arrested in Miami for driving under the influence, resisting arrest and drag racing. Bieber was easily able to post bail that was set at $2,500. Earlier in January, the superstar was caught egging his neighbor’s house, which the neighbor said will cost them $20,000 according to a report published by CNN. In less than a week, the petition exceeded 100,000 signatures, which is mandatory in order for the White House to review it and respond. While I’m disappointed in Bieber’s recent behavior, I’m more

disappointed how people would go out of their way to sign such a petition, yet ignore some extremely major social issues. With all of the problems our country is dealing with today, it’s upsetting to see how our obsession with celebrities has amounted to us wasting our government’s time with such a ridiculous petition. I believe that the petition system our government has is a good idea because it gives a platform for citizens to voice their concerns for

walked away free after neglecting his mentally retarded son who ended up dying of starvation. When I think of a tragic story like that, which may not reach 100,000 signatures, and then I see Justin Bieber’s petition reach over 100,000 signatures in a couple of days, it makes me absolutely sick. Yes, a DUI is a terrible crime that can result in the loss of innocent lives, but the only reason that petition reached so many signatures is because of the celebrity status of that particular

Justin Bieber Mugshost/Facebook

You can focus on the economy later, Obama. We the people would like to waste your time with a popstar.

issues they believe in. I’ve signed a number of petitions through the website Change.org, which organizes petitions that relate to things such as human rights, criminal justice and human trafficking. Before you sign the petition, you read a summary which may include some video to inform you on the issue at hand. Most recently, I signed a petition for a father who

individual. To get a better understanding of where our priorities lie, I looked through the open petitions that are up to be signed on the White House’s “We The People” website. As of Feb. 2, 239,421 people have signed the Justin Bieber deportation petition. Two weeks ago, a petition was formed to protect net neutrality which has only

received 4,507 signatures. In three days, a petition to increase research funding for Angelman Syndrome, a rare neuro-genetic disorder which is characterized by mental retardation and frequent seizures, reached 268 signatures. Overall, the Bieber petition topped issues ranging from the violence in Ukraine to affordable public education. In 2012, the amount of signatures needed in a petition for the White House to respond was 25,000. Since then, it has been upped to 100,000. I don’t think increasing the amount of signatures needed will do much help except hinder less glamorous, but important issues being raised. The fault lies in the values of our citizens. We have been given an opportunity to raise awareness on issues that are being ignored, but have made a mockery of this democratic system to the extent of petitioning for the deportation of Piers Morgan and the construction of a Death Star spacecraft. While I’m upset at Bieber’s new bad boy ‘tude and awful attempt at growing a mustache, I still don’t think his crimes should reach the White House level. With all the money he has, he could have easily called a cab to drive him home, or better yet, reach out to a Tampa fan girl who would have gladly made the trek to Miami to secure the safety of Biebs and the people of Miami. While it’s unfair that many celebrities get off the hook with crimes or are given special treatment in prison, this is mainly a societal issue brought on by our country’s obsession for celebrities and is not something that can just go away by deporting Justin Bieber. Vanessa Righeimer can be reached at vanessa.righeimer@spartans.ut.edu

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THE MINARET | FEBRUARY 6 2014

OPINION

Adult Entertainment Expo Features Hyper-Realistic Sex Dolls By HANNAH WEBSTER Opinion Columnist

Lonely nights filled with sexual frustration are bound to happen to everyone once in a while. Maybe you’ve just gone through a breakup, perhaps you’ve been too busy with work to date or maybe the hooking-up lifestyle just really isn’t your thing. Society is currently in the height of dealing with such occurrences, with sex toy usage being more popular than ever. A study conducted by AdamandEve.com, one of America’s largest sex toy distributors, found that $15 billion are spent on sex toys annually, with 82 percent of the surveyed adults claiming to have used a sex toy before. The overall trends from this data suggest that within the last decade, these devices have become more popular for both couples and singles. The response to such a demand is a more innovative product. Walk into any sex store and you will surely see something that is supposedly for your lady parts but looks NOTHING like what you usually encounter down there. The same thing goes for the products geared towards men. All these strange shapes and sizes promise sensations beyond your wildest sex dreams. The Adult Entertainment expo this year featured a variety of these products, as well as a “new” company that is taking the idea of artificially generated pleasure to a new extreme. A line of sex dolls called “Real Doll” is not entirely new, but the feature of being able to turn whoever you’d like into a realistic sex bot certainly is. The line of dolls showcased at the adult expo included those that looked incredibly like famous porn stars. While there are “pre-made” dolls starting around $6,000, customers can also design their own doll from scratch. There is a range of body types, facial expressions, nail colors, eyeliner styles, and specifications that involve their most intimate places. Don’t worry, you can even add elf ears for just an extra $150. In an effort to do some research on this company, I started by scrolling through its website and felt, well, immediately disturbed. The realism shown in some of the dolls was amazing but also unnerving in how they just weren’t quite natural. It reminded me of walking through a wax museum, being in awe and getting the creeps all at the same time.

“I don’t think that I could choose to partake in that or use one,” said Bre Wright, a senior criminology major. “Modeling them after real people seems so creepy and almost makes me feel that in a way it could lead to an obsession with someone because of that. People obviously do whatever they please behind closed doors, but the dolls being modeled after real people makes me feel uneasy and uncomfortable.” My initial thought was the legality of it all. There was no way that someone could get away with making a doll of their ex-girlfriend or celebrity crush and have it be okay, right? Well, kind of. The company’s site (realldoll. com) states, “We cannot legally do a likeness doll in an exact likeness of any person, celebrity or otherwise, without their explicit consent.” It does, however, go on to explain that they will look at photographs in order to help you obtain the closest possible match without achieving exact likeness. Still creepy. But there are still people who seem very excited about owning one. Take a customer testimonial from the company’s website: “I have purchased three of the most beautiful forms of art I have ever seen. To just look at these dolls makes my heart melt. I truly love them from within.” Others talk about thinking they can actually communicate with their doll, and some enjoy “spoiling” their dolls with expensive gifts. As a woman, looking at these dolls gave me the same concerns involving guys who watch a lot of pay-per-view porn. Having sex with a real woman is not like what you see on the screen. There is an endless amount of variety between women’s body types. Parts aren’t always proportional, things jiggle, blemishes and birthmarks happen and I’m fairly certain the average female college student doesn’t get her pubic hair waxed into crazy shapes every week. While the shapes and sizes of Real Dolls are somewhat varied, they all still fall into the range of society’s ideal for a female body. The curviest model donning gel butt implants and a DD cup still has a flat stomach and a 25-inch waist. I understand that these things are for the ultimate fantasy, but what happens when someone who has been using one of these dolls encounters the imperfections of a real female body? Women can also be guilty here; it’s not just men who appreciate an ideal image of the opposite sex. The Real Doll company also has a

male doll. In the same fashion, men in porn and in movies can also be portrayed idealistically with cut abs, massive biceps and larger-thanaverage male parts. The male dolls exhibit similar (but customizable) features. The whole thing seems to suggest a general trend, a moving away from personal intimacy and a focus on pure physical sensation. But is that really ultimately satisfying? We all go through dry spells every now and again and perhaps get a little antsy. But even if I was stuck in a desert of sexual deprivation, I can’t imagine being in a state of mind where getting it on with a realistic looking doll would feel anything but strange. And then when it’s all over, you are just laying there with a piece of glorified plastic that will certainly not partake in pillow talk. In some ways, the lack of emotional connection makes sense when you consider today’s hook up culture, a world with more one night stands and less relationships. While the idea of using a doll personally freaks me out, there is so much diversity in

personal sexual preferences and behavior that I could never bring myself to actually condemn someone who uses one. But I do believe there could be consequences for our culture as a whole if these types of interactions became the norm. Unrealistic ideals of the human body and sexuality are already clearly present. Dolls that can be engineered to exactly what you think someone should look like wouldn’t exactly help to discourage that. The fact that our generation has also been deemed “the hook up generation” says something about an increasing trend toward emotionless sexual satisfaction. There has to be a line drawn somewhere between what is “just for fun” and part of someone’s normal sexuality and what constitutes abnormal behavior. Everyone finds a different way to cope with times of loneliness, but I definitely believe there is no substitute for real human intimacy. I can only hope that the future doesn’t suggest abandoning that as a whole in favor of a personalized sex robot. Hannah Webster can be reached at hannah. webster@spartans.ut.edu

How would the state go about enforcing a law like this? Unless police officers are assigned to patrol the basements of suburban homes, parking lots at night and the occasional high school bathroom, there is no way that Virginia will be able to put an end to oral sex. Chelsi Posey, a senior health sciences major at James Madison University and Virginia resident, finds the bill to be idiotic. “It’s kind of stupid to make oral sex illegal without making all sex in general illegal,” Posey said. “Oral sex is often a safer alternative to intercourse. If oral sex were illegal, teens would forget that it is even an option and will go straight to intercourse. With inexperience and lesser education, that could make way for a lot more teen births and transmissions of STIs.” As a fellow resident of Virginia, I agree with the risks associated with pushing legislation as restrictive as Senator Garrett’s bill. It is not only a direct violation of our guaranteed right to the pursuit of happiness, but let’s face it—few people are going to argue against the experience of oral sex. Why is it feared that people are participating in a sexual act that does not result in pregnancy, and, according to the Center for Disease Control, has a remarkably lower STI transmission rate than vaginal sex?

Most importantly, what difference does it make to Senator Garrett whether or not teenagers that he does not know are giving and getting blow jobs? The activity is neither harmful nor uncommon, and it is a personal choice. The government should not have the ability to rule over activities in our bedroom. Virginia, with its history of passing antigay legislation, has decided to follow in its own footsteps and attempt to make homosexual teenagers illegal by technicality. With both oral and technically anal sex made illegal for being “crimes against humanity,” homosexual teenagers will find themselves unable to act on their desires without legal consequences—a Class 6 felony, Huffington Post reported. Junior international and cultural studies major Sam Pfaff views the law as a corruption of our political system. “It seems rather absurd in the sense that creating this law won’t actually prevent these sexual encounters,” Pfaff said. “Criminalizing people for being human draws negativity into the judicial system. This type of law is largely discriminatory and would especially alienate gay teens.” According to The Huffington Post, Garrett claims that the purpose of the law

outlawing oral sex is to protect children from child predators—but how do the two concepts relate? UCLA law professor Eugene Volokh contacted The Huffington Post to share his opinions on the legislation. “Virginia law takes the view that ordinary genital sex among 15-to-17year-olds isn’t abuse at all (and indeed isn’t a crime), and that adult genital sex with 15-to-17-year-olds is a misdemeanor. How is that consistent with making all oral and anal sex with minors (including such sex among 15-to-17-year-old minors) a felony?” Volokh said. The “hidden agenda” behind this law isn’t actually all that hidden. The passing of said legislation is a blatant attack on the rights of teens, gay, straight or in between, to act on their sexual freedoms. It is time that a state in which it is still legal to marry your first cousin focuses on larger issues and comes to terms with the changing times. Nobody has the right to tell you what your sex life should consist of. I encourage everyone to exercise their right to play third base. Save the blow jobs. Terry Preston can be reached at terrence. preston@spartans.ut.edu

Real Doll/Facebook

Human supermodel or Real Doll? ‘Brooklyn’s’ lifelike facial features could fool anyone, but those empty eyes are a dead giveaway. Thankfully, she features closeable eyelids.

Virginia Senator Seeks to Outlaw Oral Sex Among Teens By TERRY PRESTON Opinion Columnist

A wise, fictional high school student once said, “I was half a virgin when I met him.” A reference to the general mulligan that is oral sex, Mean Girls’ Regina George was able to retain part of her innocence by participating in an alternative form of sexual relations. Unfortunately, the fate of half-virginities of Virginia teenagers is now threatened. Republican Senator Thomas Garrett of Virginia seeks to make oral sex between teenagers illegal. According to The Huffington Post, the ulterior motive behind the bill is to indirectly reinstate Virginia’s anti-sodomy law, which was named unconstitutional by the Supreme Court over 10 years ago. The bill states that the “crimes against nature” statute of the former law will be reinstated—but adults over 18 years of age enjoying oral and anal sex in the privacy of their own homes are not in a violation of the new law. Garrett contacted The Huffington Post and said the intention of this bill is to bring Virginia’s former anti-sodomy law into compliance with the Constitution. Initially, this law appears as an effort to produce hysterical laughter amongst Americans.

14 FEBRUARY 6 2014 | THE MINARET

OPINION

Atheist Billboard Posted Across from Super Bowl Stadium

American Atheists, Inc. (Official)/Facebook

By ELIZABETH ROCKETT Opinion Writer

When you hear the words “Super Bowl,” three things come to mind: football, food and commercials. Brand marketers flood our screens with creative ads during one of the most watched annual events on television in America. While most ads are entertaining and funny, every year there are a few that walk the line of controversy. This year, according to the Huffington Post, a billboard posted across from the MetLife stadium in New Jersey promoting atheism was one of the first ads to spark debate. The billboard that was sponsored by the American Atheists reads, “A ‘Hail Mary’ only works in football. Enjoy the game!” The billboard promotes the American Atheists’ upcoming convention in Salt Lake City, Utah. Christians may take offense to this ad due to the fact that it is mocking one of their most common prayers. However, most advertisements— regardless of religious affiliations— could be offensive to at least one person because not everyone has the same

beliefs. Although we may not necessarily believe the same thing as the person standing next to us, everyone is entitled to their own opinions and beliefs. The same goes for organizations because they have to right to promote their beliefs as well. In an interview with the Huffington Post, David Silverman, president of the American Atheists, believes that we need to focus our attention on the athletes who work hard to play in these games instead of giving credit to a higher power for the outcome, which many fans may tend to do. American Atheists’ Managing Director Amanda Knief said, “During the Super Bowl, people of all religions and atheists come together as a community. Like many in New Jersey, we at American Atheists are excited to be part of this event and with this billboard share our voice,” according to the Huffington Post. I really appreciate this quote because to me, it seemed like Knief made a good case as to why she and the American Atheists believed that this ad was fair-simply because their organization wanted their voice to be heard as well. Many people found the ad offensive. On the Huffington Post

MINACOMICS

article, user ianmcewan7 commented, “They should think up something positive to say instead. If people want to pray, let them pray.” User sockrattease wrote on patheos. com, “Asinine over-simplification of prayer...yet another ridiculous pompous [sic] billboard put out by the AA.” It does not seem right to use a word like “pompous” to describe the views of another person or organization. These reactions to the billboard exemplify how some people are overly sensitive when they hear things that they don’t like because it goes against personal beliefs. “The constitution gives [the American Atheists] the right to say whatever they want,” said Cassandra Luddy, a criminology major and senior at UT. Luddy attended Chapelgate Christian Academy in Marriotsville, Maryland prior to studying at UT. Although she is a strong believer in a higher power, she is very liberal in her faith. “When I initially saw the ad, I chuckled,” Luddy said. “It was a funny play on words, they got creative with it. I’ll give them that. Do I necessarily think it is the best place to put a sign? Maybe not… It was a good marketing strategy on their part, but I can see where it would

be very offensive to other people.” Luddy said she was not personally offended by the ad because “we should be able to be accepting of other people’s choices or beliefs. We don’t have to like them, but we have to respect their choice.” The American Atheists have just as much of a right to advertise during the Superbowl as any other company or organization, even though their message may be offensive to some people. After speaking with someone who is religious but remains neutral about this ad, I am able to see how people may take offense to it, but I can also see how people should be able to promote their beliefs. At the end of the day, this organization has every right to promote its views, even if it may push people slightly out of their comfort zones. It is important that Americans learn to accept that not everyone has the same beliefs. Our government system legally separates the church and the state, and it is important to allow people to express their own beliefs, just as you wish to express yours. Elizabeth Rockett can be reached at elizabeth.rockett@spartans.ut.edu

It Worked for the 49ers Last Time...

THE MINARET | FEBRUARY 6 2014

OPINION

MSNBC Tweet Implies All Republicans are Racist

By CAITLIN MALONE Opinion Writer

George Washington once said, “I was no party man myself, and the first wish of my heart was, if parties did exist, to reconcile them.” In the late 1700s America was split into political parties so that those with certain morals and beliefs could come together to create the change they wanted to see in our country. Now, to belong to a certain party nobody has to believe every single thing that the party stands for, but typically those with more conservative views are Republicans, and those with more liberal views tend to be Democrats. With that being said, individuals should not be defined by their political party but by their own individual set of morals and beliefs. Unfortunately, this problem stems from the constant presence of bias in the media today where journalists too often let one party’s views define the thousands of people that belong to it. In a recent tweet that suggested the majority of Republicans are racist, MSNBC gave viewers good reason to classify them as a liberal network, which has a tendency to be bias when it comes to more conservative issues. On Jan. 29, MSNBC tweeted about a new version of the controversial 2013 Cheerios commercial starring a biracial couple that aired during the Super Bowl on Sunday, according to The Huffington Post. The tweet read, “Maybe the rightwing will hate it, but everyone else will go awww: the adorable new #Cheerios ad w/ biracial family.” After the tweet, Chairman of the Republican National Committee Reince Priebus wrote a letter to the president of the cable’s network, Phil Griffin, threatening that all RNC personnel would be banned from appearing on the channel’s shows if he did not

apologize. MSNBC later deleted the offensive tweet and apologized saying, “I personally apologize to Mr. Priebus and to everyone offended. At MSNBC we believe in passionate, strong debates about the issues and we invite voices from all sides to participate. That will never change.” The person responsible for the tweet was also fired. As someone who usually votes more conservatively, I was offended, but not at all surprised by MSNBC’s tweet. That particular network is known for having more liberal views, like Fox is known for being more conservative. A comment left by Rick L. on The Huffington Post referred to the tweet saying, “It absolutely does represent

UT sophomore and communications major Alex Medvedev agreed saying, “I think that MSNBC shouldn’t have commented at all because the ad generates comments and controversy in itself. MSNBC opened themselves to criticism they could’ve avoided.” As Medvedev mentioned, this ad has generated a lot of controversy apart from the MSNBC tweet. When the commercial first aired in May 2013, it received so much backlash after being posted on YouTube that the comment section had to be closed. Some even wrote on Cheerios’ Facebook page saying that they found the commercial “disgusting,” and others expressed shock that a black

MSNBC/Twitter

MSNBC apologized for the offensive tweet. Additionally, the person responsible was fired.

MSNBC’s point of view,” especially since this is the second time this month they have had to apologize for a comment concerning Republican’s views about race. A previous comment joked at the fact that Mitt Romney has an adopted grandson who is black. Griffin told the Hollywood Reporter that he didn’t want these unfortunate events where the network showed a lack of judgment to define MSNBC. But I’m afraid it’s a little too late for that.

father would in fact stay with his family. Of course those comments are extremely offensive, but the fact that the general public would automatically assume that Republicans are the ones leaving them is offensive as well. LeftieAllTheWay left a comment on a Huffington Post article referring to the negative YouTube comments saying, “I wonder how many of those hate messages were posted by elephant voters,” (the elephant

symbolizing the Republican Party.) In response to that comment, tuliprose said, “I’m gonna guess 99.89%, and then I’m gonna round up….” Unfortunately, some Republicans have been known to make racist comments in the past and have been accused of disliking President Obama solely because of his skin color. According to bigstory.ap.org, the Associated Press conducted a poll back in 2012 that showed that 51 percent of Americans still had anti-black attitudes, the majority of which were Republicans. However, not all are guilty of this. Since when is it okay to stereotype all Republicans as racists? Obviously this world is filled with all kinds of people with different views, and yes some may still have issues when it comes to race, but that doesn’t mean that everyone that feels that way is a Republican. A Huffington Post article quoted retired Army Colonel Lawrence Wilkerson, a Republican and former chief of staff to Colin Powell, saying, “My party, unfortunately, is the bastion of those people -- not all of them, but most of them -- who are still basing their positions on race... My party is full of racists, and the real reason a considerable portion of my party wants President Obama out of the White House has nothing to do with the content of his character... and everything to do with the color of his skin, and that’s despicable.” I agree. The fact that what he is saying could be true is disgusting. But again, the Republicans that do not have racist views should not be lumped together with those who do as MSNBC did in their tweet. Every individual has their own opinions about race, and the entire Republican party should not be defined by racist individuals. Caitlin Malone can be reached at caitlin.malone@spartans.ut.edu

16 THE MINARET | FEBRUARY 6 2014

Sports

Spartans Look to Gawrych for Leadership in ‘14 By PHIL NOVOTNY Sports Writer

The University of Tampa baseball team is looking to repeat as NCAA champions yet again. This year, senior right fielder Zach Gawrych will play a huge role in getting Tampa back to the top. Last year, Gawrych made the NCAA Division II Championship Series All-Tournament team and started 55 of 57 games throughout the season. He ended the season with a .305 batting average and had five home runs and 43 runs batted in during his junior season. Gawrych’s speed on the base paths

was relentless as he stole 21 bases without getting caught once. He also started all 13 postseason contests in which he had 13 hits, stole two bases and scored 11 runs in helping to leading the Spartans to glory. Gawrych is from Tampa and a graduate from Wharton High School. He was considering many different offers during his senior year of high school from other universities to play baseball. In the end, he chose to stay close to home and decided that UT was the best fit for him. “[Being at UT] I can have the chance to win a ring every year and the university will help me in my life

Alex Jackson/The Minaret

Right Fielder Zach Gawrych’s hot bat could be the X-factor in a highly potent offense.

after baseball,” Gawrych said. He later referred back to his experience of winning the national title in Cary, North Carolina last season as “a blast and an awesome feeling.” He also mentioned that the quality of the business school was another major factor in his decision. Since his freshman year, Gawrych has been an impressive asset to the Spartans in more ways than one. He only started 16 games during his freshman year, but his workload increased and he started to blossom as a ballplayer during his sophomore season. Gawrych led the Spartans with a .365 batting average with three home runs, 14 runs batted in and an impressive .548 slugging percentage during his second season with the baseball team. Gawrych also played 40 games and was named Daktronics All-South region first team member and an AllSunshine state conference first team member. Overall, he has able been able to lead by example with his play on the field, which has clearly rubbed off on the rest of the team. This year, Gawrych will need to put his leadership skills to the test. In fact, he has big plans to help with the younger players on the roster. “I want to be more open with the guys and help them improve as players so they can contribute to the team,” Gawrych said. He hopes to utilize the skills he learned from players who have already graduated, but now that he is a senior, he has more of the responsibility this season and says that they must be patient throughout the entire process. “We need to take it one game at a time and it will be a long road to get to where we want to be,” he said. Anybody who has played baseball will tell you that the game is a marathon, not a sprint, and this 50-game regular season that the UT baseball team will have (not including regionals, conference tournaments, and potentially nationals) will be just that. Phil Novotny can be reached at philip.novotny@spartans.ut.edu

Bio Blast: Zach Gawrych Class: Senior Hometown: Tampa, Fla. Major: Accountng Position: Right Field 2013 Stats .305 Average 57 Doubles 5 Home Runs

Tess Hooker Embraces Role as Lone Lacrosse Senior By LAYLA SOUCHET Sports Writer

As a marine biology major, Tess Hooker leads a busy life. As a marine biology major who also happens to be a college athlete, time management has become her best friend. But a busy schedule and workload hasn’t stopped this senior from planning out her future and having a personal life, too. When she’s not studying wildlife or running drills at Naimoli for women’s lacrosse, Tess partakes in a number of activities on campus. Throughout her four years she’s been involved with the Scuba Club, a member of the Women’s Indoor Soccer Team and has danced in multiple Dance Happenings and Spring Dance Concerts. To add on to her physical lifestyle, she also works for Campus Recreation for Intramurals.

“First semester freshman year I didn’t really do anything because I was a little nervous, you know?” Hooker said. “Everyone’s a little nervous! But by the second semester I realized that I could start being more involved in other things besides just academics, so I joined clubs like Tri Beta, and I just expanded from that.” On top of all of her extra curriculars, she still has time to work as a teaching assistant in biology and maintain a 3.7 GPA. She hopes to use her degree to go into teaching and work with children to teach them about marine life. “I didn’t take on everything at once, but it did kind of pile on and you just get better and better at time management. I used to be really bad at time management. Like in high school, I had no idea what I was doing,” Hooker said.

Now, with the lacrosse season fully under way, her last semester is full of excitement. Fox 13 recently visited the school to interview Coach Gallagher about the upcoming season, which will be the program’s first ever campaign. Although the Tampa Tribune did a story last fall, this recent story has kicked the team into high gear. “It [the interview] helped, but it’s felt really real since last fall. The Fox 13 thing was more excitement like ‘Oh my god, we have a game in two weeks! This is really happening!’ It’s more like it’s almost about to happen,” she said. If you would like to catch the women’s lacrosse team’s first game and home opener, it will be Sunday, Feb. 9 at 2 p.m. Layla Souchet can be reached at layla.souchet@spartans.ut.edu

Photo Courtesy of UT Athletics

Tess Hooker finally gets to play a regular lacrosse season for her senior year.

FEBRUARY 6 2014 | THE MINARET

Athletes Could Receive Priority Registration in Near Future By NATHAN KROHN Sports Writer

As far as the eye can see, student athletes today live the good life. They get to travel across the state and country representing the school and they receive free school gear as well as getting trained by professional coaches. From the outside, this seemingly glamorous life would be the envy of most students. But what most students don’t see are the countless hours in the weight room after class, the summer workouts when everyone is at the beach and more importantly, the time spent studying for classes on a cramped bus driving back from a road game. The life of a student athlete may not be quite as flashy as it appears as they work at being both full-time students and full-time athletes. “It can be difficult to organize your time,” senior women’s basketball player Illyssa Vivo said in between treatment sessions. “I don’t have time to eat in the time after class and before practice, I just carry around snacks.” For several years now, the athletic department has brought about the issue of allowing student athletes priority registration in order for them to register for classes around their sports practices and games. Their pleas have mostly fallen on deaf ears but this year, with the addition of new

Provost David Stern and Associate Provost Katharine Cole, the possibility of student athlete priority registration is receiving a second look. “The issue is we’ve grown,” said Athletic Director Larry Marfise. “It’s a delicate subject because there are lots of reasons why non-athletes should have priority registration also. The fact is we have limited facilities for everything that goes on.” One of the most pressing issues is the gym. Currently, the men’s basketball team, women’s basketball team and women’s volleyball team all practice in the gym at the same time. “You need earplugs in there,” said women’s volleyball coach Chris Catanach. “3-6 p.m. is all of our designated practice times. It was supposed to be the easiest time block for athletes to schedule their classes around.” However, over the years, the University has added more afternoon and night classes to meet class demand, resulting in players missing practice for class. “It can be critical to team cohesiveness,” Coach Catanach said. “If my center has to miss practice it’s like running an offense with no quarterback––everything goes through our center.” The argument is that if athletes were given

Alex Jackson/The Minaret

Jason Steele feels that the team has a lot of potential and has high hopes for the future.

Amira Abdelmouneim/The Minaret

Athletes could potentially recieve early bird scheduling due to their busy schedules.

priority registration, the school would be able to stagger team practices while allowing athletes to work their class schedule around practices. “The system we’re in just doesn’t work,” said women’s basketball coach Tom Jessee. “If a player misses practice I have to ask myself ‘What do I teach this hour? Something that’s not important?’” The noise in the gym can be especially frustrating for coaches when trying to teach and implement new plays. “I challenge any teacher or anyone who opposes [priority registration] to come to our practices and try to teach,” Coach Jessee said. “It’s simply too loud to teach.” In basketball, the disadvantage runs deeper than just the noise. The 3-6 p.m. time block negates recruiting high school athletes as their games begin at 6 p.m. When you take into account that schools across the nation allow student athlete priority registration, including six of the nine schools in the Sunshine State Conference, the question remains, “Why has it not been put into effect at UT?” University Registrar and former UT student Michelle Pelaez explains that priority registration did exist at one point. “Approximately 15 to 20 years ago, honors students, UT diplomats and athletes were all allowed priority registration,” Pelaez explained. “But it got to the point where there were more students in the priority registration group than not so it was scrapped.” However, as the school has expanded greatly in recent years, the need for priority registration has returned, and as athletic director Marfise made his usual case this past fall for priority registration, it did not fall on those same deaf ears this time. “It was discussed at the January meeting with the University Registration Task Force,” Pelaez said. “If all goes quickly and in favor of priority registration the earliest implementation would be seen in spring 2015.” While this may be fantastic news for athletes and students who are part of the other chosen priority registration groups, it could be seen as a slap in the face to other students. Senior marketing major Ricardo Sotomayor had his share of registration troubles during his

four years at UT. “Last year, I heard about a good teacher for a finance class. Registration time came and the class was full and I was stuck with a four-hour night class and a teacher who didn’t connect with me at all. I ended up with a C in the course,” Sotomayor said. Ricardo’s story is not an uncommon one amongst UT students. When classes fill up quickly, it leaves some students either left out of a required class or forced to take it at an inconvenient time. The negative sentiment increases with the thought that freshmen athletes could have priority registration over seniors. The athletic department has already found a solution for this. “I call it ‘first in line’,” Coach Jessee said. “Freshmen athletes would only cut the line in front of other freshmen and likewise sophomore athletes would only cut in front of other sophomores, etc.” While the “first in line” idea seems to quiet some concerns, it won’t solve all the students’ objections to athlete priority registration. However, the fact remains that many schools have already adopted priority registration for athletes and other campus groups, and students have simply had to deal with it. “I transferred here from Indiana State University,” Vivo said. “It was a school of about 11 thousand and we had priority registration there. [The students] and everyone just respected it.” If the University decides to change its policy it will still have to respond to the other hard working students who will see it as unfair. “I understand not all student athletes are going to be career athletes,” Sotomayor said. “Some are playing sports for the scholarship, but I’m an RA for the discounted housing. I understand I’ll have meetings and work duty on weekends. It’s something you just have to do. We all have our struggles.” Nathan Krohn can be reached at nathan.krohn@spartans.ut.edu

After Last Season’s Success, Urso Has High Expectations By GREG PRAVER Sports Writer

As the manager of the University of Tampa baseball team, Joe Urso has compiled an historic record during his tenure. A former All-American player for his alma mater, Urso is entering his 14th season as manager. In 2013, he won his third College World Series Championship in 13 seasons, which undoubtedly makes him a legend here at UT. He described how it felt to win yet again. “It was very important to me. In UT baseball, we are measured by our national championships,” Urso said. “So, it meant the world to me to get that third one. Thirteen years ago, there was pressure in front of me about taking this program on top… I’m just proud to say that UT baseball has been on top.” Much to Urso’s delight, the Spartan offense in the past year has been consistently good. In the College World Series, the offense continued to average eight-plus runs a game, as they had done all season. In addition to hitting, the pitching staff got hot at the right time. The team just “clicked” in all aspects of the game, and he attributes the team’s success in both the playoffs and the championship games to that symbiosis. “I treat my players like men and let them come out with a good practice plan,” Urso said. “I try to develop good relationships with my players and build a family-like atmosphere. Last year was a great example of that. Championship teams usually have great chemistry and we had that last year.”

His greatest influence was Tom Kotchman, whom he coached with in Boise, Idaho before accepting the University of Tampa managerial job in 2000. “He taught me so much about the game and how to manage and scout players. I have taken a lot from his style and have been able to put it in to what I believe in, to create my own style,” Urso said. This year, he is bringing in 12 or 13 new players. One way the team can improve, he said, is to recreate a family-like atmosphere that includes the surplus of new talent. The seniors will be tested by how effectively they can serve as leaders on the team, and most importantly, to the new additions. Urso has big standards for how the team should perform this season. The expectations are high that the team can continue to score runs. The pitching staff has many new faces, including a transfer from the University of Virginia, sophomore Trey Oest, who posted a perfect 5-0 record in his first season in Charlottesville. “The pitching rotation will be built around him,” Urso said. Urso set a few key goals for the upcoming season for the defending champions. “I’ll start with trying to win the [Sunshine State] conference. When you win your conference, it gets you an automatic bid to the playoffs,” Urso said. “Number two would be creating that family atmosphere again. At the end of last year, we had guys that we didn’t want to say ‘bye’ to [at season’s end], and it was really

special. The third and biggest goal is to always win the championship.” Looking at Urso’s career as the manager for UT, the championship titles in 2006, 2007 and 2013 in the statistics book jumps out the most. In addition to those triumphs, there are other impressive numbers and accomplishments. Let’s start with the fact that he has the most wins in the history of Spartan baseball. He has led the Spartans to 40 or more victories in 10 of his 13 seasons. He is also the only Tampa manager to guide his team to 50 or more wins in a season, which he did in 2006 and 2007. He had a successful four years as a starter at second base during his college years here, including being named MVP of the Spartans National Championship squad in 1992. His performance led to the Anaheim Angels taking him in the 49th round of the MLB draft in 1992. He played for four years within the Angels organization. After his playing career for the Angels, he eventually became one of their coaches for three years. His record as a manager at UT is 567176-1, giving him a win percentage of .763. These numbers could very well increase, given that the Spartans have a talented team this season. In 2013, eight hitters who had over 150 plate appearances hit for a .300 average or higher. Ten pitchers, including both starters and relievers, had winning records and six of those had an ERA of 3.75 or lower. Those are very impressive numbers that, with great determination from the players, can be

repeated again during this upcoming season. If most of the players have improved during the offseason and the newbies can blend in with the veterans, this team will be a force to be reckoned with in the Sunshine State Conference. Urso has proved he has what it takes to win yet another National Championship. Urso and the Spartans open up the season on Saturday, Feb. 1, at home against the Bentley University Falcons at 1 p.m. in a doubleheader. The second game begins at 4 p.m. Greg Praver can be reached at gregory. praver@spartans.ut.edu

Photo Courtesy of UT Athletics

Manager Joe Urso is entering his 14th season leading the Spartan baseball team.

18 FEBRUARY 6 2014 | THE MINARET

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Pro Sports

Hockey a Big Draw at Winter Olympics

By DOMINICK FALCO Sports Writer

In the sports world, there is one event that is bigger than any record, award or league championship. It is the Winter Olympics, which take place in Sochi, Russia this year February 7-23. The Olympics is the time for the best athletes of each sport to come together to one location and represent their respective home countries. The NHL will halt play for two weeks to send their best stars to Sochi, such as Sidney Crosby of Canada, Patrick Kane of the U.S. and Alexander Ovechkin of Russia. Those are not the only familiar names on these loaded rosters. Let’s take a closer look at them. The format will stay the same as The Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010. The four teams with the best records in group play, which include the group winners and the second place team with the best record, advance to the quarter finals, with the remaining teams playing a qualification game. The groups will be as follows: Group A: Russia, Slovakia, United States, Slovenia. Group B: Finland, Canada, Norway, Austria. Group C: Czech Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, Latvia. For Group play, I see Russia, Canada and Sweden winning their respective groups, with the U.S. doing well enough to get the best second place record. That leaves the rest to play in a qualification game to get to the quarter-finals. In my predictions for the Qualification games, I have Czech Republic defeating

Latvia; Slovakia defeating Norway; Switzerland defeating Slovenia; and Finland defeating Austria. With these four teams advancing to the quarterfinals, the matchups would be Russia vs Finland, Canada versus Switzerland, Sweden versus Slovakia and the U.S. versus Czech Republic. Out of these teams, I see Russia, Canada, Sweden and the U.S. advancing to the semifinals. In the semifinals, Russia would be playing the U.S. and Canada would be playing Sweden. The scoring ability of Ovechkin, Malkin, Datsyuk and Kovalchuk will be too much for the U.S. team to overcome. Canada vs Sweden will be one of the most intriguing matchups of the entire tournament. Canada has the most talented team in the entire tournament; however, if there is weakness or a point in Canada that can be exploited, it is their goaltending. On the other hand, I think there is too much firepower on team Canada with Stamkos, Crosby, Nash, Tavares and Toews for Sweden to overcome. With Canada defeating Sweden and Russia defeating the U.S., Sweden and the U.S. will be sent to the Bronze Medal Game. In the Bronze Medal Game, Sweden and Henrik Lundqvist will slam the door on Zach Parise and the U.S. team. Lundqvist will be on a roll and it will be hard for the U.S. to score enough goals to get past Sweden and steal the Bronze Medal. In the Gold Medal Game, the two best teams will meet up to see which country has the best skill in hockey. Alex Ovechkin will lead home

ChaseN/Flickr

Russia has a star-studded roster including NHL stars Evgeni Malkin, Sergei Bobrovsky and Ilya Kovalchuk.

team Russia against a Sidney Crosby captained team Canada. Although I believe that Russia has a slight advantage based on emotion and home ice, I do believe that Canada will be able to bring home the gold based on the amount of all around talent and scoring ability. The Winter Olympics is one of the most

exciting spectacles in sports. When you combine that with the great game of hockey, you are assured to have a great time. I look forward to watching the best in hockey represent their country in the quest for the gold in Sochi. Dominick Falco can be reached at dominic.falco@spartans.ut.edu

A Comprehensive Guide to the Sochi Olympics Olympic Must-Sees 2/7-2/23

Freestyle Skiing TeamBC/Flickr

By RICHARD DUH Sports Writer

Freestyle skiing, a sport associated with extreme agility, balance and poise, is definitely one of the more popular events at the Winter Olympics. Athletes tend to wow their spectators with their amazing leaps of various slopes and almost death-defying stunts. As with all Winter Olympic sports, one would think that only countries in the cold environments such as Canada, the United States, Norway, Sweden, Russia and Norway, to name a few, would dominate the sport. This is exactly the case; however, it is the U.S. that outranks everyone in this discipline. The following is a list of countries that have won gold medals in the past: France, Canada, the U.S., Finland Uzbekistan, Australia, Czech Republic,Switzerland, Belarus, China and Norway. Despite the U.S. leading the way with gold medals, there is a wide range of countries that have won medals. Even Australia, a country somewhat alien to frosty weather was able to win. Therefore, the gold medals for freestyle skiing this year are definitely up for grabs.

Snowboarding Prostophotos/Flickr

It is widely accepted that this is a sport related more to the Winter X Games than the Winter Olympics, with most followers in the U.S. However, it is still a sport in the Winter Olympics with great competitors. There are different forms of snowboarding. There is the halfpipe, which involves gathering momentum on the slope and using that speed to perform thrilling aerial tricks on the obstacle course. There is also the parallel slalom, which is a bit more competitive. With the halfpipe, athletes compete against each other indirectly to see who has the best time. But with the parallel slalom, athletes compete directly against each other to see who can get to the finish line through the obstacle course first. It is more complex than it seems. The obstacles may hamper overall performance such as different levels of snow (valleys, troughs) and the amount of turns that need to be made. Unlike the freestyle skiing, the U.S. stands out as being a favorite. It isn’t a surprise since snowboarding is relatively prominent in the U.S. There is even a competition for it, namely the Winter X Games. The athletes who will be performing for the U.S. include Jamie Anderson for the women and Nick Baumgartner for the men. They will be aiming to continue the gold medal trend for the old red, white and blue.

Bobsleigh DuncanRobinson/Flickr

The bobsleigh event is one of the relatively few team sports in the Winter Olympics. It involves multiple people going into a sleigh to race other countries down a mountain. One can say that this is similar to a relay in the Summer Olympics. It is usually the most exciting event in the whole Olympics. Arguably, the same could be said of the bobsleigh. Oddly enough, there is no such thing as a tie breaker or a sudden death. Countries who finish the race at the same time are both awarded the medal which, in a way, is an unexpected and slightly anticlimactic compromise. In the four-man race, Germany leads the way in this event with the most gold medals of eight, followed by Switzerland. The U.S. is third with four gold medals. However, the U.S. won the event in the last Winter Olympics so they will be hoping to add to their success this time around. Germany also dominates the two man race with seven gold medals, with the U.S. down to fourth in the category with only two. Germany is also the current champion, having won it in the last Olympics.

February 7 Opening Ceremony February 10 Curling Events Begin February 12 Men’s Ice Hockey: Canada vs. USA

February 13 Men’s Ice Hockey: Russia vs. Sweden February 16 Two Man Bobsled February 20 Men’s Ice Hockey: Gold Medal Game February 23 Closing Ceremony and Festivities

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THE MINARET | FEBRUARY 6 2014

Nothing ‘Super ’ About Big Game as Seahawks Romp By JORDAN LLANES Sports Editor

Well, that was unexpected. Even though pretty much every football expert, analyst and writer had predicted a close game between the AFC champion Denver Broncos and its counterpart from the NFC in the Seattle Seahawks, no one saw a blowout. Well, apparently no one told Seattle. The Seahawks, who had been carried by their top ranked defense the whole season, demolished the Broncos 43-8. The 35-point margin of victory was the third largest in Super Bowl history. The vaunted Seattle defense did not disappoint, forcing Denver quarterback Peyton Manning, the newly anointed MVP, to turn the

ball over three times in what can only be described in a shocking display of dominance by the young ‘Hawks. Manning and his top ranked Denver offense just couldn’t get anything going against a defense that is now considered one of the best in NFL history. Seattle linebacker Malcolm Smith was named the game’s MVP after returning a lame duck pass thrown by Manning for a touchdown in addition to his recovery of a fumble by Broncos wideout Demaryius Thomas and nine total tackles. Seattle didn’t just dominate on defense, they pummeled Denver in every way: on offense, special teams and coaching. The offense, led by

Marsmet522/Flickr

Many fans were left dissappointed when Super Bowl XLVIII resulted in a blowout.

second year quarterback Russell Wilson, scored 27 of the total 43 put up by the ‘Hawks and they did so by mostly riding the arms of Wilson, who spent the whole game shaking off the label of “game manager” he had been given over the past few weeks. Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch only ran for 39 yards, but his 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter gave Seattle its first touchdown of the night. Seattle multi-purpose threat Percy Harvin didn’t disappoint either. After being acquired in the offseason, Harvin sat out pretty much the entire year after having hip surgery in August. Harvin’s 137 all-purpose yards were more than he had all season, and he brought the crowd to its feet when he jump started the second half with an 87-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to give the Seahawks a 29-0 lead. The Seattle coaching staff, led by head coach Pete Carroll, defensive coordinator Dan Quinn and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, put together the perfect game plan to halt the Broncos right in their tracks. Quinn’s defense was a motley crew of smothering ballhawks, while Bevell’s game plan put Wilson in the best possible position to win the game. Of course, none of this is possible without Carroll and GM John Schneider, whose vision of how football should be played, led to the current Seahawk roster filled with young, hungry players who treat everyday like its

championship day. That is what ultimately led to this franchise’s first ever title. As for Manning and the Broncos, look for them to come back with a vengeance next season. Personally, I would not be surprised if Manning tops this season’s stats, even if receiver Eric Decker departs in free agency. You don’t break the NFL’s single season record for passing yards and touchdown passes without being somewhat decent. Even at age 37, Manning captured his league record fifth MVP title this year and arguably is the best quarterback in NFL. But at the end of the day, having a great offense allows you to succeed in the regular season only, even in today’s pass happy NFL. However, a great defense allows a team to capture the Lombardi. For Pete Carroll, Richard Sherman, Russell Wilson and the rest of this young team (whose average age is just over 26 years old), a possible dynasty is not out of the question, especially with players such as Sherman, Wilson, Lynch, Earl Thomas, Russell Okung and Bobby Wagner entering and still in their primes. Enjoy your first title, Seattle. You definitely deserve it. But in six months time, you will have to defend it. And we are all excited to see if you are up to the task. Jordan Llanes can be reached at jordan.llanes@theminaretonline.com

Where is all the Money Going?

Russia spending outrageous amounts on Olympics

By MARCUS MITCHELL Sports Writer

Tomorrow, the entire world will turn their attention towards Sochi to watch the 2014 Winter Olympic Games. Sochi is a subtropical beach resort city in Russia on the coast of the Black Sea, and the games will be the first Olympics held in Russia since the 1991 breakup of the Soviet Union. While these Olympics were intended to create positive publicity for Russia, it has been quite the opposite over the past year leading into the Winter Olympics. The Sochi games have been criticized for their lack of tolerance for LGBTQ athletes and propaganda. Serious threats of terrorism have already been declared by rebel leaders, which have led to extensive security and police force in Sochi. Many participating American Olympic athletes have told their family members to stay behind, worried that their families will not be safe while at the games. Despite it all, Russia remains determined that the Olympic games will be a success, but this success comes with a hefty price tag of over $50 billion, according to a CNN report. Once Sochi was selected as the host for the 2014 Olympic games, Russian president Vladimir Putin appointed himself as the general manager of the Sochi Olympics. Putin has spent the last six years transforming the games into his own personal project as he serves as the final say in development and spending decisions. He has put together a stellar infrastructure for Sochi through tight connections with construction company presidents, albeit for about $45 billion. All in all, the total cost of the games comes to about

$51 billion. This total tops the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, which according to a report from interpretermag.com, cost around $40 billion. But the Beijing Games also featured more than triple the amount of events, with 8,500 more athletes and 25 more venues than the Sochi Olympics. The per event costs of the Sochi Olympics comes to roughly $520 million as opposed to a mere $132 million of Beijing’s games. This is an outrageous amount of money to be spent, especially since Putin advised the International Olympic Committee that his country would only be spending an estimated $12 billion back in 2007. So what caused this massive Olympic sized total? Well, $10 billion came directly from the

Russian Government and another $4 billion came from private investors and this roughly reflects the estimate of $12 billion that Putin declared in 2007. This leaves about $40 billion to account for. A chunk of this comes from poorly executed construction attempts by unprofessional and lowly paid workers along with very poor geological conditions. For instance, the Olympic Village was subject to consistent flooding and had to be rebuilt multiple times according to officials and Putin’s insistence to spare no expense has led to less care about cost to local subcontractors and construction designers, much to the chagrin of Russian citizens who are paying for the endless ripping up of roads and ludicrous deliveries of steel

World Economic Forum/Flickr

Vladamir Putin has been mum about where funding has gone for the Sochi Olympics.

and asphalt through helicopters. Other such problems have occurred such as the breakage of sewage lines but the most conspicuous Olympic waste was the construction of the ski jumping facility. Due to poor location and loose soil, the facility was delayed in construction and ended up costing five times as much than previously thought before finally being finished. But even with these setbacks the total cost of the games should be no more than $20 billion. The remaining $30 billion or so is unaccounted for and many people, including Gian-Franco Kasper, the president of the International Ski Federation and a Swiss member of the IOC, believe that this money lies in the multitudes of embezzlement and kickbacks, according to the Washington Times. But this corruption has not reached any Russian courts and the International Olympic Committee refuses to get involved, leading many to believe that some of the kickbacks went toward the IOC as well. Adding this corruption to the extensive amounts of security being paid to protect the game gives you a sum of the most expensive Olympic games yet. Putin hopes that the infrastructure will lead to increased tourism in Sochi in the future after the Olympics but filling a multi-billion dollar hole will be very hard to do, and there are only so many stadiums and venues that become useful after the next twenty or so days. definitely deserve it. But in six months time, you will have to defend it. And we are all excited to see if you are up to the task. Marcus Mitchell can be reached at marcus.mitchell@spartans.ut.edu

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Manning Still Reigns Supreme After Super Bowl Loss By GRIFFIN GUINTA Asst. Sports Editor

The Super Bowl was finally here. Across campus, hordes of screaming students huddled around their televisions and stuffed their faces with hot wings, pizza and other classic college delicacies in order to get into the spirit for the big game. It was a matchup that any sane football fan could have been content with: Peyton Manning’s Broncos vs. the mighty Seattle Seahawks defense. Despite the bevy of other star players taking the field that evening, Manning was still the epicenter of all the attention. Questions loomed left and right throughout the sports world about what to expect out of No. 18 on this historic night. “Is he going to retire after this?,” “Can the Seahawks stop his passing game?,” “Does this cement his legacy as the greatest?” After Denver’s crushing loss in Super Bowl XLVIII, most of those questions are a blur. Manning has lost a Super Bowl before, but at least in that one he had points on the board at halftime. This game, he looked as if he were a dazed freshman at Tennessee again, not the 2013-14 NFL MVP that we’d been accustomed to. Quite simply, he looked out of sync and extremely affected by all the hype and frenzy. You’d have thought that his 25-yearold counterpart, Russell Wilson, would have been the one to melt under the pressure. Playing in his first Super Bowl

and second season overall, he could have easily succumbed to the intense expectations. Wilson, whose personal motto is “why not me?,” looked instead like a brigadier general swiftly matching his troops through battle. Granted, Manning did not have a “bad” game statistically (34/49 completions for 280 yards). However, it was his inability to make big plays that baffled most. Most of the game, Manning was throwing short dump passes to Demaryius Thomas and Knowshon Moreno–with many of the drives ending with Broncos punter Britton Colquitt booting it away. Aside from a powerful strike to Thomas for their only touchdown,

Manning looked unimpressive. Ironically enough, Manning’s 438 loss has striking parallels to John Elway’s 55-10 Super Bowl loss to the 49ers in 1989. Elway eventually went on to win two Super Bowls at the ripe age of 37 (the same age as Manning now). Future speculations aside, where does Manning’s legacy stand right now? He’s unquestionably the greatest passer of all time, one of the smartest to ever play and has arguably the best overall statistics. But do statistics alone define greatness? It’s tough to call. Dan Marino is a Hall of Fame quarterback with very similar statistics as Manning, and he didn’t win any Super

Jeffrey Beall/Flickr

Despite an embarrassing 43-8 Super Bowl loss, Peyton Manning is still arguably the best quarterback in the league. Manning led the league in passing touchdowns this year.

Bowls. At least Manning has one, right? Manning’s legacy isn’t as tarnished as people might think. Sure, it would’ve helped if he had cemented another Super Bowl victory, but let’s not forget that Manning had the most impressive season of his career at the age of 37. Elway was 0 for 3 going into Super Bowls until he finally won two of them in his upper thirties. This isn’t the last of Manning and it is definitely not an embarrassment to his legacy. According to ESPN.com, Manning was baffled by critics who called his loss a travesty. “It’s not embarrassing at all, I would never use that word. The word ‘embarrassing’ is an insulting word, to tell you the truth,” he said to the media after the game. It’s true that Manning was not himself in Super Bowl XLVIII. It’s also true that he could have been better and probably should have been more on top of things. However, there’s no need to be hasty and start attacking his personal legacy. Championships are a vital component to a player’s ultimate recognition, but they are not the be all, end all. Manning still has two or three more chances at another ring and at this moment is probably figuring out how he’ll be even better next season. One ring or five, Manning’s legacy still shines bright. Griffin Guinta can be reached at griffin.guinta@theminaretonline.com

‘ Le gio n of Boo m ’ S t a k e s I t s P l ac e in His t o ry

By JAMES BELLUSCIO Sports Writer

When football fans think of great defenses they think of the 1985 Bears, the 2000 Ravens and now, the 2013 “Legion of Boom” Seattle Seahawks. Over the last few months the Legion has been a major topic of discussion. But do you really know the men behind the Legion of Boom? Where did this persona come from? How did it begin? Well, two years ago when the Seattle defense was starting to get attention for their hard-hitting style of play, safety Kam Chancellor made a remark that will be forever frozen in the football archives. He was asked by a local radio station to describe the defense’s style of play. Is it man? Is it zone? “We lay the boom,” Chancellor said. Chancellor is “The Enforcer” of the group. The oversized strong safety has made a living off leveling some of the best wide receivers in the NFL. His ability to hit has made him a staple in the secondary, and after watching his highlight reel you see a common theme: players backpedaling to avoid Chancellor. Playing next to Chancellor is Pro Bowl Free safety Earl Thomas. The soft-spoken and undersized free safety sticks his nose into nearly every play. Almost every play, Thomas is throwing his body at the opposing running backs with no regard to injury. He can cover, he can stop the run, and many now know him as the best free safety in the NFL.

Every group of destiny needs a loud mouth that will be the face and voice to get the message across. Cornerback Richard Sherman has taken that role to an entirely different level. The brashly outspoken media magnet played and studied at Stanford. He was brought up in the devastating streets of Compton and now is known as the best cornerback in the NFL. His lockdown play and controversial postgame rants have made him a poster

child for not only the Legion of Boom but also the National Football League. Players like Bryon Maxwell and Walter Thurmond are the newest members of the Legion. Their play has mimicked the play of their defensive teammates. It’s like a illness; there is something about playing in Seattle with the 12th man that makes once “mediocre” college players to a dominant level. The last “original” member of the

L.O.B is Brandon Browner. He was suspended indefinitely and most likely played his last game in a Seahawks jersey, but the Legion will live on. It is more than a list of names. It’s a style, attitude and a state of mind. “The Legion of Boom is a legacy. It’s a legacy, it’s a group, it’s a legion, it’s a vast army of individuals and we have countless bodies behind us that are more than capable of doing the job,” said Sherman to Yahoo Sports. Kam Chancellor underscored Sherman’s sentiments. “You have to be able to understand ball, understand offenses and understand our terminology. We have terminology ourselves back there. And we have to be on the same page, a connected unit. You can see all the passion that each player has for the game, and that’s what you can expect,” he said. Love them or hate them, you must acknowledge them. Their play and Super Bowl victory over the statically ranked #1 overall offense in the history of the NFL validates how good the L.O.B is becoming. The Hawks won 43-8 over League MVP Peyton Manning’s Broncos. Before SB 48, many believed the Broncos highpowered offense would overpower the Seahawks defense. As we all know, it was the exact opposite. The Seahawks defense was hitting harder, playing faster and creating turnovers that crowned them champions. James Belluscio can be reached at MaximX40K/Flickr Seattle’s defense is comprised of enforcers such as Kam Chancellor and Malcolm Smith. james.belluscio@spartans.ut.edu