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Homecoming Awareness Decreases with Incoming Freshman
Student Productions/Facebook The 2013 Homecoming King and Queen crowns were provided by International Diamond Center. By DOHA MADANI News Writer
“I honestly did not know about Homecoming until about two days ago,” said Sloan Goldberg, a freshman studying marine biology. “They gave us drink koozies and a girl walked up to me and asked me to vote for her for Homecoming Queen.” Homecoming week is a tradition to unite the student body and emphasize school spirit with events surrounding the chosen home sports game. One of the many difficulties in rallying a
school like the University of Tampa is getting the message to the students about all of the opportunities to support their school. Homecoming Week is from Oct. 23 to Oct. 26, with tailgates and parties that are free for students including raffles, giveaways and food. The week began on Wednesday night with the kickoff party in Vaughn Lobby, followed by Casino Night on Thursday in the same venue, and a tailgate for the homecoming game on Friday night between North Walker Hall and Sykes College of Business. This year,
Homecoming has expanded the program with a new event called Spartan Splash, a party being held for students Saturday morning at the UT pool. Casino Night, one of the most popular Student Productions events on campus, has also been expanded to include more tables to avoid overcrowding in recent years. The opportunity to be crowned Homecoming King or Queen has also expanded with an additional spot added. In previous years, Court has traditionally held three candidates for both King and Queen, but new this year is an expansion to four candidates each. Student Productions, the organization in charge of arranging these events, has worked on increasing their social media presence in addition to spreading the word around campus with posters and free giveaways, such as drink koozies with event information printed. Despite these efforts to expand the event and its marketing, many freshmen are unaware of any details about Homecoming Week at UT. “We are really trying to push social media this year,” said Marianna Herrera, a senior government and world affairs major who is also the chair of the Homecoming Committee. “We’re doing Facebook, we’re doing Twitter, Instagram… everything. Since so many students complain they do not hear about things, this year we are going to make our marketing a lot more interactive.” Students like Goldberg and Kristin Collins, another freshman who is studying biology, both met Student Productions representatives on campus and received free giveaways. However, while students are hearing about the events, they
Student Creates Blog Focusing on Up and Coming Artists By KIRBY JAY News Writer
With years of planning and brainstorming behind her, junior journalism major Kai Miller has finally found her niche, with a blog called Gen. Y Collective, a website that features artists who differ from the average celebrity, found on Wordpress. Miller claims that her blog, has positively enhanced her life after she created it last August. “I really try to reach out to people who appreciate different cultures,” Miller said. “I want [the readers] to get a sense of who the person is.” Born and raised in New York, Miller grew up with two brothers and a close group of friends who she said are artistically unique. Whether it’s fashion, rapping, photography or modeling, each friend had an individual focus while Miller never found something to smile about everyday. “Just going through high school and coming to college and seeing them grow into their talents, I kind of struggled with what I could be,” Miller said. Miller came to UT as a biology major with every intent of becoming a doctor. After a long two years of calculus classes and challenging science courses, she eventually switched her path to journalism, which she described as the best decision she has ever made. “I realised that [being a doctor] didn’t suit me; it didn’t make me happy,” Miller said. “I didn’t wake up every day with a burning passion or desire.” With the inspiration of her friends,
she made the move and completely changed her life direction. The artists featured on Gen. Y Collective use their talents to express themselves by dancing, singing, rapping or even designing clothing; some have made music videos which are streamed on Miller’s website. The blog exposes the artists with an aim to spread their ideas and lifestyle. One of the recent artists shown on the blog, Niqa Mor, is acknowledged for her music video called Sweetest Addiction. Miller explains the story behind the video, which uses a twisted technique of showing the artist’s dark fantasies. Miller has yet to feature any UT student artists, but claims she is open to collaborating with aspiring musicians and designers. “I really want to play a major role in showcasing the aesthetic culture here in Tampa,” she said. Today Miller is the only writer for the blog, but she hopes to expand in the near future. “I would definitely love new ideas and new ways to get [the blog] out there,” Miller said. She plans to create an interview process for the potential writers in hopes that they are relatable. Even though she is open to new ideas, Miller wants the main ideas to continue accommodating independent culture. Miller sees herself following a radio or television career where she will be able to implement her ideas around the country. Even with the resume-boosting advantages of this blog, Miller doesn’t envision building a career from it. “I just want it to be a component
of my everyday life.” She feels UT students will benefit from following the blog because it often acts as a social platform that promotes unity. “I want to lead by example in showing how powerful one voice can be,” she said. “I want to inspire others to take their first steps in paving a unique lane for themselves and following their dreams.” Kirby Jay can be reached at kirby.
still remain in the dark about the details. Collins thinks that one way to reach out to more freshmen is to go through programs that all freshmen must take like the Gateways/Pathways courses. “I had homecomings in high school, but I feel like it is different here,” Collins said. “I really don’t know a lot about it. I think [Student Productions] could talk to our Gateways professors or do what Legacy Productions does and slip cards under our doors.” Without a major football team at UT, some students feel a lack of school spirit on campus. However, the university still has several national title-holding teams including soccer, baseball and volleyball. “It will definitely be interesting to see a Homecoming without a football team, but it still sounds like a lot of fun to go out and see UT pride,” Collins said. Herrera has focused on broadening Homecoming in 2013 in efforts to meet student needs, and create a larger sense of pride in the UT community for the teams that have brought home national titles. In the end, her goal is to make a bigger impact on school spirit and include the entirety of the student body in every way she can. “School spirit comes mostly from athletic support, and this is our opportunity to really throw it in there with them,” Herrera said. “Not only that, but to get involved with alumni, athletic marketing and all the other organizations that will be present at Homecoming.” Doha Madani can be reached at doha. madani@spartans.ut.edu
In Other News...
3 Honor Symposium
Educates UT Community on Hunger
7 Spooky Celebrity
Costumes Bound to Make Heads Turn
9 LGBT Film Festival in Tampa Features Big Name Actors
11 Schools Shame Overwieght Kids with ‘Fat Letters’ to Parents
13 School Punishes Sober Student for Picking Up Drunk Friend from Party
20 Word Series
2013: A Rematch of Epic Proportions News................................. 2 Diversions........................ 6 A+E................................... 7 Photo courtesy of Kai Miller
Kai Miller, founder of Gen Y Collective.
Opinion........................... 11
Sports............................. 16
M
OCTOBER 24 2013 | THE MINARET
MINARET
2
NEWS + FEATURES
Tau Kappa Epsilon Has First Ever Theme Week
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jessica Keesee
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Members of Alpha Chi Omega carry their sorority’s poster with St. Jude’s motto: “Finding cures, saving children,” during the opening ceremony. By JESSE LONG AND KHADIJAH KHAN
News Writers
Tau Kappa Epsilon, the newest fraternity on campus, established in January 2011, held their first theme week where they teamed up with other sororities and fraternities to raise money for St. Jude’s Children Research Hospital. TKE’s Greek Olympiad was the theme agreed upon, which included a variety of games and events centered on the Ancient Greek Olympics with a modern twist. “We wanted to choose an event that would be interesting, have broad appeal and would make people want to participate,” said sophomore member of TKE and international business major Michael Paskach. TKE’s theme week was Oct. 14 to Oct. 17. All of the events took place on Pepin Field. On Tuesday, they kicked off theme week with the opening ceremony where all of the organizations ran around the track with their Greek flags and banners in order to win the spirit award. They also had Capture the Flag, where TKE hid several flags around campus. The organization that found the greatest amount of flags won. “My favorite moment was during capture the flag when girls literally jumped fences to win the gold. It was hilarious,” Paskach said. The second day of the event consisted of two games: Protect Your Base and
the Dizzy Base Race. Protect Your Base required the organizations to get balls into the other team’s garbage bin and keep them out of yours. The Dizzy Base Race had students spin around a baseball bat 10 times and then attempt to run to the other side and grab a flag in a relay. On the final day of TKE’s Greek Olympiad, they played Garbage Pong. In this game, each team had six garbage cans. In order to win, a team had to eliminate all of the opposing team’s cans, and a can could only be removed if one of the opponents succeeded in throwing a soccer ball into one of them. The first team to remove all of their opponents garbage cans won. “Out of all of the events I really liked garbage pong. It was a creative game that was a lot of fun to play,” said Allegra Mirrione, a freshman in Delta Zeta and secondary education major. The theme week came to an exciting close when both Delta Zeta and Alpha Chi Omega finished with the same number of medals. Since there was a tie, one representative from each sorority came forward to participate in a crucial game of rock, paper, scissors to ultimately determine the winner. After three wins, Alpha Chi Omega won the gold. Students from several different Greek organizations were very impressed with the turnout and the amount of money they raised for St. Jude’s. At the end of the week, the money from shirt sales, team sign-ups and penny wars, added up
to over $500. “Not only did the friendly competition fuel the events, but it allowed the sororities to unite for a great cause,” said Emily Schonaerts, a sophomore and forensic science major. “The work that was devoted to this theme week was not ignored, and the men of TKE should all be proud of this great accomplishment.” David Bowers, a senior criminology major and president of TKE, commented on the fundraising goals for TKE as an organization.. “We are actively committed to our philanthropy and put raising money for St. Jude’s ahead of everything we do as a fraternity,” said Bowers. “TKE as a national organization has pledged to donate $1,000,000 to St. Jude’s over the last two years, and we are halfway there.” New members of the fraternity were also very proud to be a part of TKE’s first theme week. “Theme week has been a wonderful experience especially as a new member. It’s wonderful to see all of the Greek community come out together to support causes like St. Jude’s,” said Luke Crawford, a freshman and forensic science major. “I’m really grateful not only to be a member of this fraternity but to have been able to be a part of our first theme week.” Jesse Long can be reached at jesse. long@spartans.ut.edu Khadijah Khan can be reached at khadijah.khan@spartans.ut.edu
PHOTOGRAPHERS Leah Beilhart
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Rebecca Barton Wendy French
STAFF WRITERS Vanessa Righeimer Khadijah Khan Jesse Long
COLUMNISTS
Samantha Bloom Avery Twible
MORE INFORMATION THE MINARET is a weekly student-run publication at the University of Tampa. Letters to the Editor may be sent to editor@theminaretonline.com. To reach THE MINARET call 813.257.3636. Your first two copies of THE MINARET are free. Each additional copy is $1.00 Casey Budd/The Minaret
Students from different sororities and fraternities on campus join together to cheer on their representatives in each Olympic-themed event.
NEWS + FEATURES
THE MINARET | OCTOBER 24 2013
3
Honor Symposium Educates UT Community on Hunger
By JESSE LONG News Writer
2008 UT Honor Brochure/ut.edu
Frank Gillen poses with a UT graduate.
Last week, the Honors Program Symposia recently held its sixth event which featured Frank Gillen, UT professor emeritus of English and writing and the founding director of the Honors Program. The topic of this event was Combining Research and Service, Asking “What Do We Owe to Others?” Gillen, along with some of the students from his Honors Writing 102 class last semester, discussed their research on hunger and poverty, not just in the world but also in Tampa Bay. “The research enables us to look at root causes and rather than simply dealing with the symptoms of, let us say, hunger or poverty, to make long-lasting change,” said Gillen. The class looked at the Tampa Bay area and how it stood in relation to severe poverty and hunger. In most cases the two paralleled each other. “I think what surprised us most was the
extent of poverty and hunger in our area,” said Gillen. The class found that 12.2 percent of Tampa households are food insecure, which means that these citizens are not receiving the proper nutrition to grow. The reason behind this is that non-nutritional food is cheaper, so poorer families end up buying unhealthy foods for themselves and their children. “It’s not a question of not enough food; both here in the United States and worldwide it is a question of poverty. Often in our area it is a question of lost jobs, or the fact that many of the jobs that are created do not provide sufficient income to adequately feed a family,” Gillen said. The student panel discussed how there are established programs out there to help households in these situations, such as food stamps. However, many issues were discussed that limit the productivity of the Food Stamps program. One of the main examples was that many people in our society look down on those who use food stamps to support themselves. As a result, many people refuse to use food stamps because they are afraid of what society might think. Food stamps are in fact a stimulant for the U.S. economy. According to the Food Research and Action Center’s website, “USDA research shows that each $5 of federal SNAP/Food Stamp benefits generates nearly twice that in economic activity.” One of the main concerns surrounding food insecurity is the effect it has on children. The lack of nutrition in a child’s diet can lead to serious problems concerning his development of organs and bones, the student panel explained. Not only that, it can also have serious effects on the brain and can
harm a child’s mental health. These types of problems will affect the child for the rest of his or her life. “Child hunger is a major problem in today’s society,” said Nick Tran, a sophomore accounting major who attended the symposium. “It’s ever-present not only in third world countries, but in our hometown of Tampa Bay. The number of people that are ill affected by malnutrition is strikingly high.” Gillen closed with the questions like “How does this affect you?” and “What can you do to help?” He explained that he knows it may not seem relevant to students at this point in their lives; college is the focus right now. However, he hoped that it encouraged some students to look more into the issue, take a stand or raise
awareness on the severity of the problem. The point of the presentation was to shed some light on the people in Tampa Bay, as well as the world, who suffer from hunger and are not receiving the nutrition they need. “My hope is that if incoming freshmen or students can be made aware of problems like this, awareness will continue through their studies and out into their lives after University study is finished,” Gillen said. “Furthermore my vision, perhaps only my dream, is that of students passing on the knowledge that they have accumulated in their research and projects to sztudents who will be entering our University the following year.” Jesse Long can be reached at jesse. long@spartans.ut.edu
Marsmet481/ Flickr
A modern day form of food stamps, in which government-funded money is placed similar to credit.
From the Oct. 14 to Oct. 20 Reports
Passing By or Passing Out? On Oct.14, a student faints in the food court in Morsani Hall.
Too Turnt Up On Oct. 18, an intoxicated, underaged student urinated in a public area and was detained by a TPD officer. A subsequent search of the student’s room found alcohol violations.
That’s Not Apple Juice... On Oct. 20, unknown person(s) entered a student’s individual dorm room and urinated all over his desk.
White Out Party After Dark sponsored by UTSG! Eight organizations with the most retweets concerning the White Out Party After Dark get a Cabana! Who Rang The Alarm?! On Oct. 20, officers respond to a fire alarm in the building. It was determined to be a false alarm.
Swiper No Swiping! On Oct. 16, a non-student was found stealing a bicycle from Urso Hall courtyard by a student.
Reports compiled by Katherine Lavacca
David Starkey from Sodexo is looking for people to be secret shoppers and a student advisory board for feedback. Application process available in Dining Services office. 1080AM WUTT Radio’s WUTTapalooza on Nov. 8! Need organizations to participate. More information at WUTT.ut.edu. Student Government looking for new lyrics to UT’s fight song. Contact Jacqueline French if you’re interested.
4 OCTOBER 24. 2013 | THE MINARET
NEWS + FEATURES
Liven Up Your Spring Schedule With These Unusual Classes
By TAMARA GRANT News Writer
Open Water MAR 100-M
This course is a PADI Open Water SCUBA course that teaches safe diving procedures and the use of diving equipment. There are weekend dives, but transportation is not provided. The lab fee is $150. In order to be in this class, you must be a good swimmer. “The MAR 100 always has a waiting list to get in,” Lucci said. “I am restricted on the number I can put into the pool at the same time because of the UT pool size.” He usually teaches about 120 students in this course each year.
Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Iise Reijs and Jan-Noud Hutten/Flickr
A class offered spring semester 2014 teaches students the basics of scuba diving at the UT pool.
Specialty Diver Part 1
UT Women’s Glee Club
MAR 1021-N
MUS 295-E
This is a non-audition course for students who love to sing. They meet twice a week and have two performances every year. There are about 35 students signed up currently. Glee is different from the other choirs because it is non-audition and has people from different backgrounds. There are no prerequisites for this course, and you do not have to be a music major to take this. “This is a beginner’s class and is used to helped strengthen the singer’s voice,” Omelchenko said.
This course is a PADI diving course that covers specialty diving certificates. This class is only offered in the spring and there is a $200 lab fee. In order to be in this class, you must have taken MAR 100 or have a valid SCUBA certificate. “This class is only offered once and can hold 16 students each,” Lucci said.
Thursday, 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Monday and Wednesday, 12 p.m. to 12:50 p.m.
Learn to Coach Baseball and Basketball Witchcraft/Magic Modrn Atl World
Soft-ESC 321-M
This course teaches students how to coach baseball, basketball and softball and teaches them the difference between playing and coaching. Shirley’s said, “His goal is for students to think like a coach, not like an athlete.” This course is a study of witchcraft accusations in the early This is an elective credit class where about 60 percent of modern Atlantic world and explains concerns about witchcraft in enrolled students are some type of sports major and about 40 various countries. Tillson introduced this class to UT. percent have other majors. There are no prerequisites. Junior “A lot of students are aware that my class exists because I usually Tyrone Clayton, an exercise science major, is currently enrolled have a full class,” he said. “I teach 25 students the first semester in the class. According to Clayton, he can think like a coach now and 25 the second semester.” and hopes to become a conditioning coach for college football. There are no prerequisites because this is a 200-level class.
HIS 212-H
Tuesday and Thursday, 2 p.m. to 3:50 p.m.
Wednesday, 6 p.m. to 7:50 p.m.
Storytelling:Voice, Script, Movement SPE 300-D
This course explores storytelling as a voice for communication, self expression, self discovery, empowerment and change. This class is writing intensive and is usually full with people from all majors. There are no prerequisites. “I think that sharing our stories, and especially finding the words to tell our more challenging stories, can lead to a deeper understanding of our own lives and a means of helping to support other people in their processes and journeys. This class offers that opportunity for students,” said Lennon when asked about why she chose to teach the class. “I also perform as a ‘storytelling’ dancer. My last one-woman show was about caregiving for my mother when she had Alzheimer’s. I’m currently working on a show about aging.”
Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 11:50 p.m. Bowtoo/Flickr
A monument in Salem comemorates the people who died in the Salem Witch Trials in 1600s.
Tamara Grant can be reached at tamara.grant@spartans.ut.edu
NEWS + FEATURES
THE MINARET | OCTOBER 24 2013
5
What Happened at UT’s First Homecoming?
UT looked and operated very differently in 1934. The university was new and getting on its feet. As UT begins its Homecoming celebration for the 79th time, I thought it’d be interesting to take a look back in the archives and see how the university used to celebrate Homecoming. Tampa Junior College became the University of Tampa in 1933 and in November of that year, a 50-word announcement was made in The Minaret that declared Nov. 15 Homecoming day. It said that a “program and supper” would be held, and seniors would be recognized for winning some kind of book contest. No other mention of Homecoming was made that year. The Spartans football team played their first Homecoming game against the Miami Hurricanes in 1934 in DeLand. They lost citing the loss of 4-star players who, at the last minute, were deemed ineligible to play.
In 1935, President Spaulding declared Friday, Nov. 15 the school’s first Homecoming celebration. There was a car parade led by the band through Tampa streets that the entire student body was encouraged to participate in. The Homecoming football game was held that night against The Hatters from Stetson University, but UT lost 9-7. After the game, a dance was held in the ballroom. Photo courtesy of The Moroccan The first recorded homecoming In the 1940 Moroccan yearbook, a picture depicts students participating in the court was in 1950 when Jo Ann homecoming parade. Heinsen won Homecoming Queen. We don’t have a Homecoming football game to cheer on anymore, but traditions like the parade and nomination of Homecoming court carry on the traditions. Want a question answered by UT FYI? Send your question about anything UT or Tampa related to ut.minaret@ gmail.com
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SEPTEMBER 27 - OCTOBER 26 SELECT NIGHTS
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Howl-O-Scream is a separate-ticketed night event. Thursday 4-pack walk-up admission price $40 per person plus tax. Savings on advance purchase. Valid for 4 or more admissions on Thursdays, October 3, 10, 17 and 24. Some restrictions apply. Event dates and times are subject to change or cancellation without notice. Parking is not included. No costumes allowed. Warning: This year’s event contains intense adult content such as violence, gore & blood. © 2013 SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved.
6 OCTOBER 24 2013 | THE MINARET
Diversions
Sudoku
The Weekend Update UT Homecoming Weekend October 25-26
Various events and locations
Men’s Soccer vs. Barry October 25
Pepin Stadium
7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Free with UT Id
UT Jazz Ensemble and Opus October 28
Falk Theater 7:30 p.m. Free
Barenaked Ladies October 28
Ruth Eckerd Hall 7:30 p.m.
$35 - $55 PrintableSudokuPuzzles.net
Picture
WEEK of the
Photo by Casey Budd/The Minaret Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity plays garbage pong game to raise money for St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital during its theme week.
Scholarly Tapas October 29
Vaughn Center Crescent Club 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Free
Men’s Soccer vs. Florida Southern October 29
Pepin Stadium 7 p.m. -9 p.m.
Free with UT Id
Big Pre-Fest in Little Ybor October 29-30
Various Venues 5:30 p.m.
$70 for both days
Women’s Soccer vs. Florida Southern October 30
Pepin Stadium
7 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Free with UT Id
Volleyball vs. Flagler October 30
Martinez Athletics Center 7 p.m.
Free with UT Id
Arts + Entertainment
THE MINARET | OCTOBER 24 2013
7
Spooky Celebrity Costumes Bound to Make Heads Turn
By SELENE SANFELICE Arts + Entertainment Writer
Have you ever looked around a Halloween party and become instantly disappointed? So many people default to the Sexy Witch or Football Player costumes, and the only original costumes are too complicated or obscure to understand (a nice way to say nerdy). This year you can stand out with a costume that’s relevant, original and sure to make you the life of the Halloween party. These do-it-yourself costumes combine classic Halloween motifs with the latest pop culture icons. Graphics by Wendy French
Honey Boo-BOO
The movie Mean Girls claims that “Halloween is the one night a year when girls can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it.” Whether that’s entirely true or not, it won’t matter for you, Honey Boo BOO. For this costume you can make America’s most cringe-worthy child a little creepier. You can go for Honey Boo Boo as the pageant girl turned ghoul by wearing a tutu and leotard that has been bleached and white-washed out. Finish that off with some demonic eye makeup and pale foundation. For a simpler look, try the classic white sheet ghost and cut out some holes for pigtails. Accent the sheet with ketchup and other various grime for a look that’s better than sketti ‘n butter.
Drake-ula
If you think about it, Drake and Dracula aren’t all that different. Both, in a way, are just lost souls looking for love. Sport an outfit that shows Drake’s GQ casual persona, which could be something along the lines of sweatshirts, jeans, a flashy watch and sneakers. If you want to throw back to the Degrassi days, see if someone can hook you up with a wheelchair. Next, add in your Dracula elements with some makeup, fake blood and a cape.
Walking in One Direction
(One Direction This group costume derives itself from completely opposite ends of the pop culture spectrum. It’s pretty simple. Only hair gel and tattered clothes required. You’ll need five guys to gel up their hair in the classic boy band ‘do, while sporting zombie-
and Walking Dead) hunting attire. Another way to “Walk in One Direction” would be to become the hunted. For the boy band zombie look, tattered clothes and hair gel still apply, but you’ll need to have makeup done and face paint applied to achieve the zombie appearance.
Justin TIMBERlake
M&M/Eminem
Another option for guys is this simple costume. Baggy pants, a wife beater, a gold chain and a beanie will give you the Eminem persona, but for a candy twist get your hands on some face paint or maybe even a lot of lipstick. Cover your face, hands and any other exposed skin in the face paint or your poor girlfriend’s lipstick, and stencil in the M&M’s logo on the forehead or cheek, leaving that area bare or using white paint or makeup to make the logo.
(Justin Timberlake with a lumberjack twist) This costume is great for any single guy at the party. Take a long-sleeved, checkered flannel shirt and some blue jeans, and dress it up with some “Suit and Tie” style. Add a sleek tie and some fancy cufflinks, and finish it off with a suit vest right over the flannel. The choice between nice shoes and hiking boots is yours, but the JT hair is a must. If you’re not a natural blonde you could get your hands on some spray-in hair color, or you can go for the N’SYNC look and fashion a ramen noodle wig.
Breaking Blood
(Breaking Bad/True Blood) This couple costume puts a True Blood try splattering yourselves and your outfits twist on one of the latest and greatest TV with red paint, ketchup, your roommate’s shows of the century. You can mourn the lipgloss or any other pseudo blood you can ending of Breaking Bad by dressing up as find. Have that same roommate lend you a Walt and Jesse, but instead of Blue Sky little makeup for a paler, undead look. Carry you’ll want them to be dealing Rivers of bags of red rock candy or anything else as Red. A classic button down, apron and your “product.” If you want to portray Jesse some tighty-whities will do for Walt. For in his dark days make it look like he’s been Jesse you’ll want to pull out those old baggy “using” with accents of “blood” on his face. pants and loose T-shirts you kept from your Selene SanFelice can be reached gangster phase. For the True Blood twist at selene.sanfelice@spartans.ut.edu.
8
OCTOBER 24 2013 | THE MINARET
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
Katy Perry Offers Entertaining but Shallow New Album By TEVIN CHRISTOPHER Arts + Entertainment Writer
The 2010 release of Teenage Dream by Katy Perry cemented her pop star credibility and proved that she had the right ingredients for chart domination. In fact, the 28-year-old Covergirl did it all too easily, scoring five consecutive #1’s on the Billboard Hot 100, matching a record that only Michael Jackson has met. With her new studio album, Prism, Katy Perry attempts to repeat her last chart success with early fan favorites with cuts such as “Walking on Air,” “Dark Horse (ft. Juicy J)” and “Unconditionally” (which is already making waves on the radio) ultimately making for a fun and enjoyable listen. However, Perry’s inability to go outside the box leaves something to be desired on Prism. While previous single “Firework” was a self-empowerment anthem with bursting production and life-affirming lyrics, Prism’s first single “Roar” comes off as nonsensical, cliché and at times almost too sugary to listen to. The singer barks something about the “eye of the tiger, a fighter, dancing through the fire.” This mostly comes off as empty and boring, not unlike a cheerleading squad number--but doesn’t stop it from being incessantly catchy. But Katy Perry singles have never really been about lyrics. As radio listeners, we have grown accustomed to her recurrent staples produced by Dr. Luke. The lyrics have always appeared secondary to the melodic slow intros, climbing paced hooks and easy phonetic choruses. Arguably, it’s probably why after four albums into her career, she has scored
nine #1 hits, with “Roar” being the most recent, but has yet to score a Grammy award. However, the problem with Katy Perry has always been her chameleon personality and ability to escape yet still remain within the lines of stereotypical pop territory. While her single releases “I Kissed a Girl,” “Teenage Dream,” “California Girls” and “Part of Me” are all finely crafted pop hits tailored for auto replay, it’s her album material that executes her singer/songwriter abilities. While Perry’s tendency to keep things light and bubbly can sometimes prevent her from reaching her full potential, it also allows her to show off her proficiency at creating well-crafted pop songs. Indeed, it’s Perry’s spunky personality and sheer pop prowess that take the center stage on Prism. There are memorable party songs like the 80s nostalgia induced “This Is How We Do” and love songs with sleek productions that are anthemic yet personal (“This Moment”). The chart-topper, however, still appears to be holding back and sticking to her formula, and if the old adage has ever been true—if it’s not broken, why fix it?—then there is no rush for Katy Perry to grow up. What Katy Perry has already created thus far is a pop career built for the long run, with many albums ahead for her fans to get to know her. The singer, along with Rihanna, is probably the only one in recent years who could release a Greatest Hits album that lives up to its title. For what it is packaged to be, Prism lives up to its potential. Primarily characterized by sure-to-be chart toppers eclipsing hints of musical creativity,
Katy Perry/Facebook
Katy Perry returns with an enjoyable pop album, but it fails to venture outside her comfort zone.
Perry’s fourth studio album assuredly lives up to expectations, but somewhat disappointingly does not exceed them. Tevin Crhistopher can be reached at tevin.christopher@spartans.ut.edu
3.5 out of 5 stars
McCartney Keeps It New and Interesting on 16th Studio Album By JACKIE BRAJE
of “I Can Bet,” which snaps you out the drowsiness with a feeling of being hung over. The album jumps from the modern and experimental feel to classic rock and then back to cool synth pop with “Looking At Her.” Perhaps Paul was trying to put his wide-ranging talents on display by juxtaposing them, or perhaps he was feeling just a bit indecisive when he mapped out the album. What I respect most about McCartney is his unwavering ability to grow as an artist. It would have been well deserved for him to retire long ago, leaving his tremendous success with The Beatles to bask in its glory. Instead, he continues to push himself to the next level of artistry while always willing to experiment. He’s a man of sentiment, grit and unsurpassable wisdom. There is definitely something to be learned from him Jackie Braje can be reached at jaquelyn.braje@spartans.ut.edu
Arts + Entertainment Writer
The flame of Paul McCartney’s eternal youthfulness continues to blaze on (pun slightly intended) in his 16th studio album New, released on Oct. 14. New is McCartney’s first album since 2007’s Memory Almost Full to consist entirely of original material, and he collaborated with not one but four of his favorite producers (Mark Ronson, Ethan Johns, Paul Epworth and Giles Martin) to make this album possible. Being the naïve and painfully snarky college student that I am, I was skeptical upon hearing news of McCartney’s new album. I had an image in my head of that one drunken uncle at every family gathering pulling his nephew aside and saying something like, “Youth is always wasted on the young, kid.” That, to me, is the essence of music released by seasoned artists. Begrudgingly, Paul proved me wrong 14 times over. Every track on New holds something unique and entirely innovative, as surprising as that is for an artist over 50 years into his career. With tracks like “Alligator” and “Appreciate,” McCartney skillfully fuses that classic Sgt. Pepper sound with contemporary synth pop. Though “Appreciate” veers a bit further off the classic rock track than “Alligator” does, it still holds a memento to the psychedelic whine of the electric guitar that prevailed for The Beatles. It opens with a super chill synthetic ambience and sounds similar to Jazz Liberatorz. “Looking At Her” also has swims through a cool, fluid and electro sound, displaying McCartney’s eclectic artistry and his courage to dive into experimental elements. But perhaps the greatest treasures of the album rests in the more sentimental and idiosyncratic tracks.
Paul McCartney/Facebook
On New, Paul McCartney shows that he has the creativity to shake it up after more than 50 years as a musician.
Many of his lyrics seem to be greatly sparked by nostalgia, adding a dreamy and wistful aura to the album. “Early Days” is Paul’s ode to nostalgia. It opens with misty acoustics and the lyric: “They can’t take it from me if they tried/I lived through those early days.” His relationship with his memories is bittersweet and reflective. He continues to keep himself up with the times while still carrying the brunt of the glory days on his back, like a true rock pioneer. He wistfully carries on down memory lane with the song “On My Way To Work,” which is strongly reminiscent of an amplified “Penny Lane.” The Beatles’ classic
whimsicality is emulated with storytelling lyrics like “People came and went smoking cigarettes/I picked the packets up when the people left.” However, though each song is respectable in itself, the cohesiveness of the album is a bit jumpy. “Hosanna” is a warm, slow ballad, like pouring honey into a cup of hot tea. But the sensual ambience is interrupted abruptly with the clanking
3.5 out of 5 stars
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
THE MINARET | OCTOBER 24 2013
9
LGBT Film Festival in Tampa Features Big Name Actors By AMANEE CABBAGESTALK Arts + Entertainment Writer
The annual Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, which took place from Oct. 4-12, brought about the aroma of salty popcorn and beer amongst proudly waving rainbow-colored flags to downtown Tampa and St. Petersburg, as 55 films were shown at the historic Tampa Theatre and Muvico Baywalk Theater. Most of the films focused on homosexual themes, while others explored different aspects of human sexuality including transgender issues and gender roles. The film festival began in 1990 as a three-day extension of Tampa’s gay pride festivities. Today, the films, events and videos attract approximately 14,000 people, making it one of the country’s largest and longestrunning independent gay film festivals. “The atmosphere in the [Tampa] theatre was so lively and cheerful. It even poured out into the streets after the show ended,” said Dmitri George, a senior double major in communication and government and world affairs. “My girlfriend and I went to see a film for sociology class, and even though we aren’t a gay couple, we still felt welcome. Everyone was like a big, happy family.” The predictable yet hilarious closing film, G.B.F., chronicles the story of Tanner (United States of Tara’s Michael J. Willett), the first openly gay person at North Gateway High School. The title stands for “Gay Best Friend,” the must-have accessory for any high school queen bee. The three main prom queen contenders-the rich, blonde cheerleader, Fawcett (Pretty Little Liars’ Sasha Pieterse); the virgin Mormon, ‘Shley (Desperate Housewives’ Andrea Bowen) and the dramatic diva, Caprice (Precious’ Xosha
Roquemore)--all want to get an edge up on the others by obtaining a fabulous G.B.F. Brent (The Hard Times of R.J. Berger’s Paul Iacono), Tanner’s stereotypical flamboyant gay best friend, planned to come out to the school and have the potential queens all fight for his attention. Unfortunately, Tanner was exposed first via the “guydar” iPhone app. This causes a huge fallout between the friends that continues throughout the movie. Consequently, the prospective queens fight for Tanner’s attention. In the process, Tanner, who doesn’t fit into any of the typical gay stereotypes, receives a fashionable makeover and quickly climbs the social pyramid to be the top prom king nominee. Things get complicated when an anti-gay campaign comes into the picture and alters everyone’s prom plans. G.B.F. culminates at the senior prom where you find out who takes the crown. “It was really funny and had a great storyline. At some points the people around me were laughing so hard that I couldn’t even hear what the characters were saying,” said Isha McLennan, a sophomore advertising and public relations major. “It also had a great message. I went to a Mormon high school and there were only a few openly gay students. It was nice to see a majority of the people at their school embrace the boys so openly. I especially enjoyed watching [G.B.F.] at the Tampa Theatre. It’s a beautiful building.” G.B.F. offers a different spin on the typical “teen comes out, high school career ruined” drama. It was well produced and directed by Darren Stein (Jawbreaker). This was the first film written by George Northy. The success of G.B.F. has opened new doors for Northy. He quit his advertising job
Tampa International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival/Facebook
The Tampa International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival showed multiple films including G.B.F.
and relocated to Los Angeles where he has been hired to write a show for MTV and another feature film. In an interview with The News Tribune, Northy stated, “We really wanted it be a comedy, but it’s also a story about objectification – in every sense. While the plot is based on the girls’ objectification of the two gay boys, the two gay boys have their own way of objectifying the girls. The girls
are treating them like status symbols, and the boys are treating them like ladders to climb the social structure.” Amanee Cabbagestalk can be reached at amanee.cabbagestalk@ spartans.ut.edu
4 out of 5 stars
Hunnam Drops Out of Grey Role: Who Will Fill His Shoes? By SONNY BILLOTTE
Arts + Entertainment Writer
An open spot has appeared on the bill for the upcoming adaptation of the controversial novel 50 Shades of Grey since Charlie Hunnam stepped down from his role as the infamous Christian Grey last week. So the question arises: Who will be take his place? There are various actors rumored to being considered for the role such as True Blood star Alexander Skarsgard, Once Upon a Time star Jamie Dornan, Divergent star Theo James, British Romeo and Juliet actor Christian Cooke and The Vampire Diaries star Ian Somerhalder. Matt Bomer in particular has over 88,000 fan votes on an online petition to play Christian Grey. Some UT students think other actors have the potential. Ashley Fernandez, a junior communications student at UT, has her eyes set on English actor and model Alex Pettyfer to take on the role. Pettyfer played Matt Bomer’s costar in the movie Magic Mike, and his name also appeared on People magazine’s list of potential people to play the lead. “Alex Pettyfer is a perfect person for the role because he’s got the dark blue eyes, the wispy hair... he looks very mysterious, and he’s exactly what I picture for Christian Grey,” Fernandez said. “Also, he’s not really famous with another movie already, which I think is a good thing for this role.” UT senior and business management major Fedra Cortines is hoping that Matt Bomer, one of the most popular candidates, can replace Hunnam now
LEFT TO RIGHT: Alex Pettyfer/Facebook, Matt Bomer/Facebook, Chris Hemsworth/Facebook
Alex Petyfer, Matt Bomer and Chris Hemsworth hoped to be casted for the new and highly publicized role as Christian Grey in 50 Shades of Grey.
that he has dropped out of the movie. There has been debate from students over whether or not Bomer would be a good fit for the role because of his sexuality, but Cortines believes that this information should be irrelevant when it comes to casting the part. “The fact that he is gay should not matter; this is a movie and the only thing that should matter is how well he is able to fit and play the role,” Cortines said. “Matt Bomer fits the exact description of Christian Grey in 50 Shades of Grey; he has dark hair and steel blue eyes and is mysteriously sexy. I will be very disappointed if he does not get the part.” Another actor who Anna Urick, a senior advertising student at UT, believes would fit the part of Christian Grey is Chris Hemsworth. Hemsworth
is an Australian actor best known for his role in Thor. “Chris Hemsworth fits into the general categories of Christian Grey’s looks, but more importantly he’s a great actor and would be able to pull off the mysterious sexy but broken Christian Grey persona,” Urick said. Charlie Hunnam’s reasons for leaving the film have not been made completely clear. At first, Entertainment Weekly reported that Universal Pictures had released a statement saying that the filmmakers and the 33-year-old Sons Of Anarchy star have agreed on the decision to “find another male lead given Hunnam’s immersive TV schedule which is not allowing him time to adequately prepare for the role of Christian Grey.”
Additionally, NY Daily News reported Tuesday that Hunnam wanted more time to spend on family matters while working on the final season of Sons of Anarchy. Regardless of the reasoning behind Hunnam’s departure, Hollywood is left looking for a new male actor to take on what is currently one of the most anticipated roles in America. Despite the many possible candidates suggested, the final decision for who will be the next Christian Grey has not yet been made. Meanwhile, the public’s consistently strong opinions of who they want to play Grey are making this one of the most anticipated roles in Hollywood. Sonny Billotte can be reached at sonny.billotte@spartans.ut.edu
10 OCTOBER 24 2013 | THE MINARET
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THE MINARET | OCTOBER 24 2013
Opinion
11
Schools Shame Overweight Kids with ‘Fat Letters’ to Parents By AVERY TWIBLE Opinion Columnist
Could Americans’ sensitivity be getting in the way of their children’s health? It seems this may be the case, as some parents are becoming outraged by the so-called “fat letters” they are receiving from school dieticians regarding the weight and overall health of their children. As many as 21 states in the country, Florida included, have hired dieticians in elementary schools to evaluate students’ health; nine states even send letters to the parents if the child is deemed at risk for life-altering health risks such as vision issues, hearing issues and scoliosis, according to USA Today. The letters are addressed to the parents or guardians and sent home with the student in a sealed envelope, but parents are supposedly concerned that their children are opening them prematurely and seeing that they are being called overweight, according to Today. This health evaluation process should be tweaked so the results are truly confidential between the school and the parents, for example, by sending the letter to a personal email account. “It would have been a softer approach to send the letters out to all parents regardless of the students’ body mass index (BMI),” said Katie White, Assistant Director of Campus Recreation and Wellness at UT. “A general educational message may have made less people feel like they were being targeted” Parents have expressed concern that it will lower children’s self esteem knowing they are bringing home “fat letters” and worry that it could promote unhealthy methods of losing weight, according to U.S. News. Dr. Michael Flaherty at Tufts School of Medicine published in the journal Pediatrics that “there is little evidence they cause eating disorders or unhealthy eating habits or an increase in peer bullying,”
reports Today. Parents and schools need to work together to be vigilant of students’ physical health all while protecting their psychological health because fitness practices in childhood and adolescence will affect the rest of their lives. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than onethird of children and adolescents were overweight in 2010. They define being overweight as “having excess body weight for a particular height from fat, muscle, bone, water or a combination of these factors,” and they define obesity as “having excess body fat.” The CDC says there are many immediate health concerns in obese children such as high risk factors for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, bone and joint problems, sleep apnea, poor self esteem and social and psychological problems. The CDC also says being overweight and obese increases the risk of cancer in adulthood. All these things can be easily prevented with healthier eating and more exercise. Parents getting angry at the schools making an effort to ensure the health of the children doesn’t make any sense to me. Students often spend a significant portion of their days at school. When the children are on school property, school administrators are responsible for them, and that includes their health. Parents trust schools with their children for many hours of the day and most days of the week, so it isn’t fair for the parents to get upset when the schools send home letters respectfully informing them their children might be overweight. Shouldn’t parents be glad they send their kids to schools that actually take interest in their children’s health? Aren’t teachers suppose to care about what goes on in the students’ home lives, especially if they see warning signs of insufficient care such as unhealthy eating and exercise habits? Parents are concerned that if their
children open the letters, it may hurt their self esteem. My problem with this argument is the discipline of the children. Kids should learn not to open their parents’ mail, especially since it is a federal offense. But the schools are partially at fault too. They should either send the letters through the U.S. postal service and not put them in the hands of the students, or they should notify the parents directly through email. The evaluations have good intentions, but some parents are also concerned about the credibility of the tests since they go by BMI, which is notoriously inaccurate when looked at on an individual level as opposed to a whole population, according to Yahoo Shine. “There are many better indicators, but BMI still offers that general indication of health,” White said. Dr. Dyan Hes, founder of Gramercy Pediatrics in New York City and also a member of the American Board of Obesity Medicine, told Yahoo Shine, “[BMI] is a screening tool, that schools don’t have the money to do MRIs on each student to calculate their actual body fat… the letters aren’t meant for children’s eyes but for parent’s.” USA Today reports that the letters have been given the nickname “Fat Letters” so when kids receive one, they assume they are being called overweight. The schools in some states have resolved this issue by sending letters to parents of every child whether they are in good health or not. If all states did this it would eliminate the letters’ stigma and provide anonymity, preventing possible bullying. Students should learn about healthy life habits both at home and at school. Lynn Grefe, president and CEO of the National Eating Disorders Association, said, “If we would all focus on the word ‘health,’ rather than weight and size, we would see better outcomes,” according to U.S. News. I completely agree with Grefe. As soon
as people hear the word “weight” they tense up and tune out. But this habit needs to be broken. Parents are concerned these evaluations will drive their children to develop eating disorders, according to Today. Guess what, parents? The way to break the negative stigma around weight is to educate them on the truth, not blame the schools and their tactics for trying to help. Children and their parents need to be taught the difference between being healthy and being skinny, because they are certainly not synonyms. I don’t have a problem with these health evaluations beginning in elementary school, because it’s better that the children learn healthy diet and exercise practices early on. Another positive side effect of starting early is that it will help kids continue to be healthy for the rest of their lives. Not to mention, exercise increases the release of endorphins, which leads to better moods. Also, healthy eating during childhood and adolescence is crucial for proper growth and development, according to the CDC. “An overweight student might be lethargic and sleepy, less attentive in the classroom, miss class more often due to weight related illness and a decrease in immune system function, and might suffer from bullying and mental health issues because of it,” White said. Exercise will help children in many ways whether it be through their weight, mental health or social skills. This is a very sensitive topic, and schools can improve the process of evaluations. Unhealthy practices need to be faced head on. I applaud schools for taking the initiative and addressing obesity problems with parents directly, because schools and parents need to be partners in the war on obesity, not enemies. Avery Twible can be reached at avery. twible@spartans.ut.edu
Young Women’s Rights Advocate Malala Robbed of Nobel Peace Prize By IRENE SIDEDE Opinion Writer
Malala Yousafzai, a 16-year-old Pakistani girl, spends her time fighting for women’s education in her country. This year, she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, but, unfortunately, she didn’t win. After finding out she hadn’t won, Malala told Christiane Amanpour of CNN, “I would feel proud, when I would work for education, when I would have done something, when I would be feeling confident to tell people, ‘Yes! I have built that school; I have done that teachers’ training, I have sent that (many) children to school. Then when I get the Nobel Peace Prize, I will be saying, Yeah, I deserve it, somehow.” According to CNN, Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, an organization that has been fighting for the global ban of chemical weapons for 16 years, won the prize instead. The actions taken by the OPCW to achieve this global eradication are remarkable. They are helping avert a U.S. strike against President Bashar alAssad of Syria, according to Reuters. The OPCW is undoubtedly important, especially at this specific time of international struggle regarding chemical weapons, but should they have won the prize over Malala?
The work of the OPCW is very noble, but, taking into consideration that Malala has already come so far in her journey to advocate her campaign for women’s education rights and reached audiences worldwide at only 16 years old, I would have chosen Malala to win the prize. She almost encountered death at the age of 14 when she was shot in the head by a Taliban gunman on Oct. 9, 2013, targeted simply for defending her beliefs. A report from Reuters said Malala was constantly being sent death threats from the Taliban during her campaign, but she still managed to stay strong and continue. The amount of courage, leadership and bravery this young girl has shown the world is not only fascinating but extremely surprising. A few days before OPCW was announced as the winner, Malala was interviewed on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and asked what she would do if attacked again by a Taliban gunman. She replied, “I would tell him how important education is and that I would even want education for your children as well. That’s what I want to tell you, now do what you want.” It is unbelievable to hear such powerful words from such a young soul. Her statement fills me with hope that there are people out there who can change the world for the better, but it also reminds me of how rare it is to find
them and how we need more people like history, because she opened the doors Malala in the world. for more young people to fight for According to NBC News, although what they believe is right no matter the decision not to reward Malala with what. Malala is and will continue to be the Nobel Peace Prize was a major a phenomenal person and inspiration. disappointment to many, one group was I can’t wait to see what more she pleased: the one that tried to kill her. can do and what else is in store for this Taliban spokesman Shahidullah young girl. Shahid called the decision “very good Irene Sidede can be reached at irene. news” and praised the Nobel Prize sidede@spartans.ut.edu committee for “not selecting this immature girl for this famous award. She is not a brave girl and has no courage. We will target her again and attack whenever we have a chance.” The Taliban’s statement is appalling in so many ways. Attempting to kill a young girl and continuing to threaten her is unbelievable. Kwesi Ampofo, a junior digital arts major, made an interesting argument in favor of the Nobel Prize committee’s decision: “Although Malala’s act was very noble act I think that she is still too young to win the prize and I think she still has more to do before she gets the award.” It is true that it would be unusual for a 16-year-old girl to win the Prize. Malala would have become the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, as well as the Nobel Prize in any category, according to CNN. world bank photo collection/Flickr Although she did not win, she Malala is the youngest Nobel Peace Prize nominee. has definitely made a mark in world
12 OCTOBER 24 2013 | THE MINARET
OPINION
Don’t Save the ‘Tatas,’ Save the Person: Awareness Campaigns Sexualize Breast Cancer By ANNABELLA PALOPOLI Opinion Editor
October (or “Pinktober”) is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This month, there’s a good chance you’ll see students around campus sporting an “I love boobies” bracelet or a “Save the Tatas” T-shirt. The large amount of attention given to breast cancer is undoubtedly important, as one out of every eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in her life, according to the National Cancer Institute. However, the problem with the rising societal attention to breast cancer since NBCAM’s inception in 1985 (NBCAM.org) is the relatively recent phenomenon of sexualizing the disease. Western society publicly values breasts over women. Breast cancer has been sexualized through a number of campaigns, such as Save the Ta-tas, Keep a Breast (makers of the “I love boobies” bracelets) and Save 2nd Base. These operations sexualize breast cancer in their propaganda (shirts, bracelets, bumper stickers, etc.) by telling society to “save the breasts” instead of “save the cancer victims.” For example, one video advertisement by the Canadian organization Rethink Breast Cancer shows a woman walking around in a bikini with both men and women staring at her breasts as she passes by. Most of the video is a closeup shot of her chest. At the very end of the video, a message reads, “You know you like them, now it’s time to save the boobs.” Just like the aforementioned campaigns, this advertisement is centered around breasts, failing to acknowledge the woman and the victims of breast cancer. September Lain, a 23-year-old FSU student who has lost a number of friends and family members to breast cancer and is herself at high risk, believes that “sexualizing breasts detracts from
the fact that there’s a person behind them.” Focusing awareness on breasts is dehumanizing and, according to Jessica S. Holmes of huffingtonpost. com, “reduces a woman’s value to her body parts.” Holmes also writes that “cancerous breasts threaten idealized femininity and the eroticization of the female body, and these ‘awareness’ campaigns are no different from the over-sexualized and fetishized imagery in mainstream culture.” Saving a woman’s life is infinitely more important than saving her breasts. Unfortunately in our society, sex sells, so it’s no surprise that some of the most successful and prevalent breast cancer campaigns rely on sex for marketing. But these awareness campaigns aren’t sending the right message. “There is nothing sexy about breast cancer,” said Jamie Stec, a 36-yearold from Michigan currently battling breast cancer. “There is nothing sexy about being bald, being without nipples, having burns covering your body from radiation, having sores on your face and mouth from chemo.” The problem is society doesn’t want to see that side of breast cancer. A few years ago, The Breast Cancer Fund attempted to break this sexualization by proposing an advertisement portraying a woman pulling down her bra to reveal a mastectomy scar, according to huffingtonpost.com, with a tagline that read “It’s no secret. Society is obsessed with breasts. But what are we doing about breast cancer?” Unfortunately, the ad that was supposed to be put up in San Francisco bus shelters was deemed too disturbing to be shown in public. But cancer is disturbing, and only showing women with perfect breasts isn’t going to spread the right kind of awareness. Some may argue that all press is good press. Lain is “glad that there’s a large
Orbital Joe/Flickr
Breast cancer awareness campaigns sexualize the disease and send the wrong message to society.
movement to address such a widespread, serious issue.” But these advertisements are only perpetuating the eroticism of a serious disease. Even if these campaigns bring in more donations with sexualized merchandise, it’s harmful to society as a whole. In any case, this extreme awareness is not where we should be putting our money and resources. According to Stec, our society is already aware enough. “Aren’t we all aware at this point? This entire pinkwashing phenomena is a waste...the money rarely goes where it should.” Instead of spending so much money on the highly commercialized “pink campaign,” we should put more money into research. There are organizations that use donations and sales profits to donate to research, but overall, the commercialized, sexualized disease isn’t using their money wisely. Recently, the NFL has been under scrutiny after it became public that only eight percent of NFL pink merchandise sales actually go to breast cancer research, according
to The Washington Times. We need to cut the bullshit campaigns, advertise a reasonable amount with accurate representations of breast cancer and put more money toward research. More attention needs to be paid to cancer victims than to breasts. Who cares if a woman still has her breasts if she survived cancer? Sexualized campaigns are harmful, especially to victims. “All of us are fed up,” said survivor Lani Horn to USA Today. “There’s a cruelty to [making breast cancer sexy], when you’re in danger of losing the very sexuality that they’re selling.” We need a wake up call. Both the eroticized awareness campaigns and their patrons need to stop trying to make a horrible, life-threatening disease seem sexy. Save the testicles? We don’t say that about testicular cancer. So why do we need to save the breasts? Annabella Palopoli can be reached at annabella.palopoli@theminaretonline. com
MINACOMICS Another Day at the Office
Comic by Lauren Richey
THE MINARET | OCTOBER 24 2013
OPINION
13
School Punishes Sober Student for Picking Up Drunk Friend from Party By SAMANTHA BLOOM Opinion Columnist
“Don’t drink and drive, and don’t ever get in a car being driven by someone who’s been drinking.” My parents used to give me this kind of advice practically every time I would leave the house, whether or not I was going out with friends or just to the grocery store. It was stressed upon me by my parents and teachers to never, ever get behind the wheel of a car while intoxicated to avoid endangering my life or the lives of other people. It’s a lesson that’s crucial to push on teenagers in high school who are just learning to drive as well as starting to drink (in 2012, 72 percent of high school students had consumed alcohol before graduating, according to dosomething.org). Mixing the two is dangerous and often deadly. According to the organization Mothers Against Drunk Driving, roughly 27 people die every day in America due to drunk driving accidents. I was taught, like many teens, to call a parent or sober friend if I was ever in a situation that would put me at risk. Erin Cox, a high school student at North Andover High School in Massachusetts, did the responsible thing when an intoxicated friend of hers called from a party asking for a ride home. Rather than risk her friend getting behind the wheel of a car, Erin drove to the party after work to pick up her friend, reports the Boston Herald. Unfortunately, Erin showed up just
as the local police did, arresting students that had been participating in the underage drinking. Cox was cleared by the police who recognized that she was sober, says huffingtonpost.com, but the the North Andover High administration issued a harsh punishment on the 17-yearold student, stripping her of her title as volleyball team captain and suspending her from five games in accordance to their alcohol tolerance policy. North Andover Public School Superintendent Dr. Kevin Hutchinson issued a statement on the district’s website defending their stance, claiming that they, the administrators, “are tasked with applying the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) rules pertaining to student-athletes and alcohol in a consistent and fair manner…[T] he MIAA’s, and by extension North Andover High School’s, ‘chemical health rule’ prohibits student-athletes from possessing alcohol, in addition to prohibiting its use, consumption, or distribution.” However, from the accounts given by various news sources such as huffingtonpost.com, the Boston Herald and CBS Local News, Erin wasn’t in possession of, using, consuming or distributing alcohol. Local police officer Brian Neeley vouched for her sobriety in writing, according to the Boston Herald. Also, according to the various accounts, she wasn’t even attending the party. She merely stopped by after work to pick up her friend. I fail to see how this vague message from the school district serves to clarify or
support their decision. Punishing a student for being responsible and helping a friend in need is a very backwards situation. Attorney Wendy Murphy, who is trying to help the Cox family get the school’s decision reversed, told CBS Local News, “If a kid asks for help from a friend, you don’t want that kid to say ‘I’m sorry I can’t help you. I might end up in trouble at school.’” Responsibility, a desire to help others in need and a strong moral compass are important things, and Erin Cox demonstrated these qualities by going to pick up a friend from a potentially dangerous situation. By punishing her, the lesson is not to get caught in a place where you shouldn’t be. Instead, it should be to do the responsible thing to help a friend in need, as long as you’re not endangering yourself. Erin’s mother filed a lawsuit on Friday, Oct. 11, but an attorney for the school district argued against any injunction. According to CBS Local News, the judge ruled that the court had no jurisdiction over the case. The parents of Erin’s volleyball teammates have started a petition to support her, hoping that pressure from supporters will coax the school into reversing their decision, says huffingtonpost.com. I hope that the North Andover School District decides to void the punishment. I think she did the responsible thing in helping out a friend. John Norberto, a freshman GWA major, also believes that the school district has made the
jesh1223/Flickr
Cox was reprimanded for doing the right thing.
wrong decision. “Zero tolerance for alcohol or not, Erin didn’t have [alcohol] on her. Added with the fact that she was only there looking out for a fellow classmate, that shows that she is a respectable individual. The school should be glad to have her in their institution,” Norberto said. Instead of punishing Erin, I think she should be used as an example of what should be done when a friend is too drunk to get behind the wheel of a car. If more people did what Erin did, the roads would be a much safer place. Samantha Bloom can be reached at samantha.bloom@spartans.ut.edu
14 OCTOBER 24 2013 | THE MINARET OPINION Has Separation of Church and State Gone Too Far? European Nations Impose Restrictions on Religious Face Coverings By VANESSA RIGHEIMER Opinion Columnist
More and more countries around the world are pushing to ban face veils being worn in public. Just this September, the southern Swiss canton of Ticino voted in favor of a proposal to forbid individuals from covering their faces in public, according to the International Service of the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation. In June, British politician, Philip Hollobone, presented the “Alternative Queen’s Speech” to the House of Commons in which he outlined a list of over 40 new bill proposals. One of these bills was similar to the ban on face covering and has been presented to Parliament this September. Many of these countries are looking to France who had adopted this policy in 2011. France had introduced a ban on
face covering in which the wearing of anything that covered the majority of a person’s face in public places, whether it be a mask, helmet, veil or burqa, was considered illegal, according to the New York Times. Burqas were initially banned in public primary and secondary schools in 2004 under the French law on secularity and conspicuous religious symbols in schools. This law prohibited students and faculty from wearing any symbols or clothes affiliated with a specific religion. The clashing of religions has been the root of most wars for centuries, so I understand France’s desire to completely separate church and state. However, the differences of people’s religions or beliefs is not something that can be easily swept under the rug. How do we teach children at a young
peter cook UK/Flickr
These laws are not only hindering a community’s need for toleration but also taking away citizens’ religious rights.
age the value of toleration if none of their classmates show any sign of a religious background? When I attended a Catholic school at a young age, I was under the false pretense that everyone believed in God and attended a church like mine did every Sunday. However, when I switched to a public school I saw how many of my classmates and I differed in regards to religious and spiritual beliefs. Whether it was in the form of a yamaka, niqab or the Wiccan Pentagram, these small symbols individualized my classmates and opened my eyes to the world outside the Catholic Church. For France to ban their citizens from openly representing their religious beliefs, I believe that they are not only hindering a community’s need for toleration, but they are also taking away the rights of their citizens to freely practice their religion without the scorn of authority. In regards to how the ban on face covering primarily affects practicing Muslim women, UT criminology professor and French citizen Cedric Michel said, “I think the law is an excuse to control the spread of Islamism in an otherwise secular country. Some critics have called such effort paranoid and racist, but I believe it stems from a shared concern regarding the importation of cultural norms felt to be incompatible with French republican ideals.” The French law on secularity and conspicuous religious symbols in schools roots back to the separation of church and state which was established in France in 1905. According to the Center on the United States and France, “The purpose of separating Church and State was to protect the new French democracy from the Catholic Church, which was socially dominant and a strong political force opposed to the establishment of secular democracy… That law is now recognized, even by the Catholic Church, to have benefited all religions and to have helped preserve public order.” The Catholic Church was certainly dominant in many parts of Europe during the 19th century, and I agree
that a separation of church and state is necessary. It’s discriminatory for a public school that is funded by an entire community’s taxes to feature religious icons that would only cater to one type of religion and leave out other beliefs. However, telling a student or teacher that they are not allowed to wear a cross or yamaka is equally discriminatory for it is their personal, religious choice. Making a law against a specific action symbolizes that the action is wrong. Murder, theft and rape are all illegal actions that the majority of people could agree are morally wrong. By making a law that bans Muslim women from wearing burqas, France is stigmatizing Muslim women and fueling the fear and prejudice citizens may have already had. Nabila Ramdani, a French freelance journalist and member of the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, expressed her disdain for the burqa ban in an article she composed for The Guardian: “It suggests that a cartel of faceless bogeywomen dressed in medieval black personify an alien religion, one whose values threaten those of the secular French republic and, by implication, those of all civilised nation states.” Ramdani believes that after this ban was introduced and enforced, more anti-Islamic incidents were brought on in which many Muslim women were verbally attacked in public places, but they continued to wear the burqas. The government can only do so much to protect its citizens. But in some cases, a conflict of beliefs among citizens is necessary in order to teach them how to tolerate each other. At a young age, children need to learn about tolerating differences between their fellow classmates. With these necessary skills instilled in the minds of children, perhaps adults can learn a thing or two in regards to accepting people of all values and faiths. If countries continue to push for such a discriminatory policy, it will exemplify the Islamophobia that is present in this generation. Vanessa Righeimer can be reached at vanessa.righeimer@spartans.ut.edu
15 Hyper-Realistic Halloween Display Prompts Concern from Neighbors THE MINARET | OCTOBER 24 2013
OPINION
By LAUREN MILICI Opinion Writer
Multiple 911 calls in an Oklahoma neighborhood led police to the driveway of Johnnie Mullins last week, where a bloodied body lay crumpled underneath his garage door, according to the New York Daily News. They were shocked and relieved to find that the body was a dummy and the horrific scene was only part of the Mullins family Halloween décor. After being told by officials that he was not breaking any laws, Mullins and his two children added another crumpled body to the scene, this time crushed under the wheel of his truck. In an interview with KWTV, Mullins stated that he wanted to take this year’s decorations to the “next level.” Local residents, however, don’t seem to agree. According to the New York Daily News, many thought they had stumbled upon an actual crime scene. One neighbor, Rebecca Fuentes, said, “My heart about came out of my chest. I thought, ‘Oh my God.’ I think it’s real, just think of what a child would think?” This isn’t the first time a gruesome Halloween decoration has prompted a 911 call. According to WBTV, in 2011, North Carolina property owner Chris Deaton placed a bloodied dummy underneath a lawn mower. The photo of the display spawned an Internet debate, but did not stir up the same residential response as Mullins’, possibly because the dummy used is less realistic. But what happens when it is, in fact, real? In 2009, the real body of a Los Angeles man sprawled out across his balcony was thought to be part of Halloween décor by passersby. He remained undisturbed for five
The Richard Fowler Show/Youtube
Although legal, Johnnie Mullins’ horrific Halloween display blurs the line between entertaining and disturbing, raising many questions in his neighborhood.
days before officials arrived at the scene. Are we taking the holiday too far and becoming desensitized to gore? According to the History Channel Online, Halloween, originally known as All Hallows’ Eve, is a Christianized feast influenced by Celtic harvest festivals. When the holiday arrived in America in the early nineteenth century, it centered around telling ghost stories and creating mischief. Since then, Halloween has evolved in popular culture as a holiday of horror, topped off with gruesome costumes and decorations. Lights, jack-o-lanterns, and
ghosts are popular house decorations, but displaying corpses out front seems to have picked up in popularity over the years. Personally, I’m all for the blood and gore aspect of Halloween. As an avid-fan of the horror genre, I see no harm in getting a little bloody or feigning a lost limb in the spirit of Halloween. However, I don’t agree with a public display of fake corpses made to look like an actual accident scene. Mildly scaring others as a prank is one thing, maybe with the use of a rubber zombie or vampire placed in front of your door our in your yard. But creating life-like corpses and covering them
with realistic blood can do more than simply frighten another person. It could cause shock or extreme panic. For a child walking by, it could possibly scar them for life. Mullins’ display could have been made to look more fake and less alarming with rubber, obvious dummies or another type of noticeable prop. In the future, I hope people become more mindful of their gory displays and remember that Halloween is a fun-spirited holiday and not everyone appreciates public horror. Save the gore for Freddy and Jason. Lauren Milici can be reached at lauren. milici@spartans.ut.edu.
16 THE MINARET | OCTOBER 24 2013
Sports
No. 2 Volleyball Team Continues Dominance By PAIGE SHALLCROSS Sports Writer
Casey Budd/The Minaret
The Lady Spartans are having a memorable 2013 campaign, going 18-1 on the season.
The women’s volleyball team is undefeated in the Sunshine State Conference with a record of 6-0 with only one loss overall. The Spartan team shows how, with dedication and determination, they can reach their goals of winning. The team has a lot of motivation especially from last season and is working extremely hard so they can hopefully get to where they want to be at the end of the season. Seniors Kim Amerell and Holly Reschke, who are both outside hitters, are pushing themselves and the team to keep on playing as well as they are right now. “Coming back this year we all want a National Championship so bad, and that is really helping us with our work ethic,” Amerall said. “It makes me want to work and fight even harder, and it’s translating into every aspect of my life whether it’s classes or anything else.” After losing the National Championship last year, the Spartan team is using that as their number one motivation to hopefully return to the championship and win. “In our locker room we have a picture of Concordia celebrating,” Reschke said. “It is hard to be motivated everyday but then we come and look at that picture and it reminds us how hard we need to work and how bad we want to be back there. On the court I feel like our chemistry transfers because we all come together, and we slap hands even when we make mistakes and are like ‘hey, it’s fine’,” Reschke said. “We push each other to do our best all the time.” Since the team is so close, the way they interact outside of the court reflects back to how they play together on the court, and that is a huge advantage for the Spartans. “This has been the closest team I have ever been on so it has been so much fun,” Amerell
said. “Usually girls teams have some sort of drama but our team just loves each other.” Because the Spartan team is doing very well this season, they have to work even harder to keep their success up. “Everyone always gives us their best because we are up here,” Reschke said as she motioned above her head. “But it does give us some extra motivation because if they give us an upset than that changes everything, and we don’t want that to happen.” This past weekend, the volleyball team went to Pensacola for a tournament, and they were doing everything to prepare for the teams they were going to face. “[When we go to Pensacola] we are the ones that have the target on our backs because everybody thinks we are the team to beat,” Amerell said. “I think that everyone is going to come in and play their best game against us, but we just try to play our game, and usually that helps us and gives us an advantage.” Even though their success has be great so far this season, they still have more things they would like to work on as a team. “Right now we are showing our weaknesses early,” Reschke said. “But we can keep getting better and learn from them instead of later on in the season when it really matters.” With their season headed in a positive direction, the Lady Spartans are working toward where they need to be and enjoying the journey. “It is our [Amerell’s and Reschke’s] senior year so it is pretty exciting,” Amerell said. “We want to give it our all especially after how close we came to winning last season.” The Spartan team’s next home game is Oct. 30 against Flagler. Paige Shallcross can be reached at paige. shallcross@spartans.ut.edu
Swim Team Falls in First Away Meet at FSC By MICHELLE SPEAKER Sports Writer
The Tampa men’s and women’s swim teams had their first away meet against rival Florida Southern College this past Friday, Oct. 18. Despite a hard fought battle by both teams, the Mocs narrowly edged the Spartan men’s team by 13 points, with a final of 137.5 to 124.5 and also defeated the women’s team with a final score of 154 to 108. The men’s team concluded the meet with a Medley Relay victory that included swimmers Karl Burdis, Philip Nordenberg, Runar Borgen and Khalid Aldaboos with a time of 1:33:09. The men also added a victory in the 200 Free Relay with a finishing time of 1:23:56. The squad of Runar Borgen, Khalid Aldaboos, Jordan Augier and Martin Hammer participated in the relay. Individually, the men captured five races. Most notably, Karl Burdis won the 100 Back with a time of 50.33 seconds. Other notables include Nordenberg (100 Breast in 59.95 seconds), Aldaboos (50 Free in 21.06 seconds), Hammer (100 Free with 46.66 seconds) and Danny Duhig (200 Breast in 2:13:73). Meanwhile, the women’s team picked up a first place win in the 200 Free Relay consisting of Erin Plachy, Marisa Barton, Emily Grams and Heather Glenday with a finishing time of 1:38:50. In the individual efforts, freshman Jesse North won the 200 Fly for the women’s team with a time of 58.68 seconds.
Shannon Armstrong, a junior entrepreneurship major from New York, swam the 1000 and 500 yard at the race this past weekend. Despite the loss, Armstrong believes she (as well as the team) is improving with every practice. “The season so far has been challenging but I feel that I’ve been improving each and every day.” Armstrong is in her third year of swimming at UT but still seeks to grow every day. She also applauded the veteran seniors on the team for their hard work and dedication to the sport. “Compared to how I was doing last year at this time I’m doing significantly better, but there is always room for improvement. The seniors on the girls team have really stepped up and taken control of the team as a whole,” Armstrong said. UT and Florida Southern were both in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month at the meet, raising funds for The Gina McReynolds foundation to help out the families of the cancer victims to be able to support their loved ones financially. Tampa swimmers wore their new pink swim shirts to the meet and raised an amount of over $700 for the foundation. In the history of the program the team has never altered their shirts. Tampa’s next swim meet is home on November 1 at 3:30 p.m. against the Lynn University Knights. Michelle Speaker can be reached at michelle.speaker@spartans.ut.edu
Taylor Sanger/The Minaret
Sophomore Tyler Blackburn exits the pool after a rigorous morning swim practice.
17
OCTOBER 24 2013 | THE MINARET
Annual Spartan 5K Challenge Fosters Community on Campus By GRIFFIN GUINTA Asst. Sports Editor
As my alarm clock blared louder and louder, I emphatically pounded the snooze button with my fist and crawled back into bed to catch just a few more minutes of sleep. It was 6:45 a.m. (an ungodly hour for a college student to be awake) and I was about to participate in the seventh annual Spartan 5K Challenge. Although my body desperately craved sleep after a long week, I somehow managed to free myself from my deep slumber and prepare for the race. I trudged towards the closet, rummaged through a pile of unfolded clothes and suited up in my finest workout attire. The moment I stepped outside and saw the magnificent sunrise, I instantly became awake. Hues of orange, pink and blue filled the sky, and the moon was still visible in the west. The sight was so breathtaking that I plan on waking up earlier on weekends just to see all the beautiful colors that the morning brings. Upon arriving at Pepin Stadium (the site of the race), I saw an array of UT students, families and even a few faculty members. In fact, the entire UT Lacrosse Team was out at the event running as a teambuilding experience. Sponsors such as Chick-fil-A also made an appearance and handed out promotional items like they were candy. Though it was 7 a.m., people were bright, cheery and eager to have a good time.
“It was a fun way to test my endurance and stay active. I’m definitely going to participate next year too,” said junior Nolan Tashjian. Having not run a 5K race in a long time, I forgot just how much of an electric and exciting atmosphere it is. Runners of all skillsets flock to the race, and some people even run while pushing their baby carriages (trust me, it happens). The most beautiful part is that people genuinely do not care about winning. Sure, there are prizes and plastic trophies for the winners, but the idea of the race is to get some exercise, build community and experience the beauty that the morning brings. That being said, the Spartan 5K Challenge is no walk in the park. On the surface it seems like a run of the mill 5K, but the challenge is certainly fit for a Spartan. Runners had to leap over large bales of hay, tiptoe through tires and overcome tumultuous terrain before they cleared the finish line. At the start of the race, I sprinted ahead triumphantly, and thoughts like “This isn’t so bad” and “I got this” began flooding into my brain. I had my favorite workout playlist pumping through my headphones, my body felt great and I really had a chance to take in all the sights around me. The course itself began at the track, looped around the intramural fields
and sent runners all the way through Plant Park twice. While it was cool to glide through the scenic park during such a beautiful time of the day, Florida is still a swamp and is brutal in the humidity department. At times, I felt like I was swimming through an ocean of heat and humidity, and it didn’t help that I saw signs that reminded me of water all around me. Eventually, I did finish and feasted on the bevy of free food samples that were provided to participants.
It sounds cheesy, but the race really was life changing. It gave me a new perspective on running, waking up early and staying active. For all of you that missed out, I implore you to try this race next year. Yes, it’s early, and running in Florida is like baking yourself in an oven, but the overall feeling you gain from it far outweighs the pain you experience during the race itself. Griffin Guinta can be reached at griffin.guinta@theminaretonline.com
Photo courtesy of Spartan 5K Challenge/Facebook Dozens of UT students were up bright and early for the seventh annual Spartan 5K.
Sports News and Notes from Around the State: Men’s Soccer 1
Men’s Soccer Rankings Rollins College Tars 2013 Record: 13-0 (5-0)
2
St. Leo University Lions 2013 Record: 9-1 (3-0-1)
3
Lynn University Knights 2013 Record: 6-4-1 (3-1)
4
Tucker Hume Rollins College Jr. Forward
Height 6’5 Weight 190 Hometown Westlake, TX
Alex Knaggs University of Tampa Jr. Defensive Back Height 6’0 Weight 170 Hometown Port-of-Spain, Trinidad
Manuel Schoenhuber
St. Leo University So. Goalkeeper
Barry University Buccaneers 2013 Record: 6-7-1 (3-2)
5
Impact Performers
University of Tampa Spartans 2013 Record: 6-4-2 (2-3)
Height 6’1 Weight 180 Hometown Traunstein, Germany
Jonathan Radvogin Florida Southern Fr. Midfielder
Height 5’9 Weight 160 Hometown Vasteras, Sweden
Tucker Hume is a major reason why Rollins is 13-0 right now. He’s scored eight goals this season and even recorded a hattrick against Nova Southeastern University. Hume and the Tars are favorites to win the SSC Title.
Though Alex Knaggs’ primary position is defense, he’s managed to score twice and set up five assists this season. Knaggs’ has been anchoring the Spartan defense with gritty tackling and leads a strong counterattack.
With every great soccer team comes a fantastic goalkeeper. Keepers must block incredible shots and risk their bodies for the good of the team. Manuel Schoenheiber has been doing just that, recording five clean sheets this season.
Despite only being a freshman, Swedishborn Jonathan Radvogin hasn’t dissapointed. Radvogin has scored six goals and has carried a Florida Southern team that has struggled at times this season.
18 OCTOBER 24 2013 | THE MINARET
SPORTS
Pro Sports
Road to Brazil
Many Countries Begin Path to 2013 World Cup By RICHARD DUH Sports Writer
If any of you have been following the World Cup qualifiers over the past week or so, I’m sure some of you may have been wishing the Premier League was on. After all that drama, I hardly think so. The past week was the penultimate round of matches across the world to see which teams with question marks would qualify to go to Brazil next year. In Europe, the major story coming out is that Bosnia and Herzegovina qualified for the first time in their history in style by scoring 30 goals during the group stages and pipping ErikDrost/Flickr Greece for the top spot. The Belgian National Team recently qualified for the 2013 World Cup. Belgium has not They did so with a 1-0 away win at appeared in the World Cup since 2002, when they were knocked out in the first round. Lithuania. With an attack force of Edin Dzeko and Vedad Ibisevic, they might Elsewhere, England made sure to the World Cup. The best result of just ruffle some feathers in Brazil. of qualification with a 2-0 win over the first legs would undoubtedly be To the delight of many soccer Poland with goals from Wayne Rooney Ghana’s 6-1 win over Egypt in what connoisseurs, Belgium, touted as and Steven Gerrard. was a master class in attacking soccer. one of the challengers for next year, In South America, Uruguay managed The Egyptians would find it very tough qualified (first time since 2002) with a to keep themselves within a whisper to overturn that deficit despite impressing 1-1 draw at home against Wales. of qualifying by winning a thrilling in qualifying when they finished top of Belgium is a team packed full of match at home against Argentina 3-2. the group with a 6-0-0 record. quality players including the likes of Goals from Cristian Rodriguez, Edison Elsewhere, Nigeria won a hard Lukaku, Hazard, Kompany, Vertonghen, Cavani and a Luis Suarez penalty fought away game in Ethiopia thanks to Mirallas and Dembele; a team that would cancelled out a brace from Argentina’s two late goals from Emmanuel Emenike frighten the pants off any opponents. Maxi Rodriguez. They will have to after falling behind earlier in the match. What may scare fans even more play an intercontinental playoff against That result leaves them on track to is a World Cup without Portugal and Jordan (qualified from Asia) to decide the qualify with the second leg coming France. This is because they both who goes through. up in a month in Nigeria. The Ivory finished in the playoff positions Uruguay could potentially join Coast are in pole position as well, (second in table) and would have Argentina, Colombia, Chile and Ecuador thanks to a 3-1 home win over Senegal to be drawn against other European among the crop of South American teams. with goals from Didier Drogba, teams to see who qualifies in a twoAfrica saw the first round of the two- Ludovic Sane and Salomon Kalou. legged playoff series. legged playoffs to decide who qualifies In other games, Burkina Faso edged
Weekend Ripe with College Football Upsets
By JORDAN LLANES Sports Editor
undefeated records, while No.6 LSU, No.7 Texas A&M, No.11 South Carolina, No. 15 Georgia, No.20 Washington and No.22 Florida also lost on Saturday. No.14 Missouri took control of the SEC East with their victory over the Gators, and No.5 Florida State looked absolutely dominant in a 51-14 throttling of Clemson in Death Valley. Ten teams are still undefeated halfway through the season, including the top seven teams in the nation. The next few weeks will be very interesting to watch to say the least. Meanwhile, the Heisman race is also beginning to clear up. Seminoles quarterback Jameis Winston, a redshirt freshman, absolutely shredded the Tigers’ defense to the tune of 444 passing yards and four total touchdowns. However, he still has some ground to make up on Oregon’s signal caller, redshirt sophomore Marcus Mariota. He leads a potent Ducks offense that has not scored below 50 points in any game this season. The Heisman race this year is all about quarterbacks, as Ohio State’s Braxton Miller and Alabama’s AJ McCarron are also leading undefeated squads. This will be another close race this season, but it looks like it will be Mariota in the end as long as Oregon stays unbeaten. Game 1 of this year’s World Series was played last night, but as of press time, I can’t give you an analysis. But I can talk about the teams playing in it. The Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals were the best teams in each of their leagues, finishing with league Noles274/Photobucket FSU Head Coach Jimbo Fisher has lead the leading 97 wins apiece. Seminoles to an undefeated record this year. The Red Sox underwent a worst to first
Last week’s grave events overshadowed an otherwise fantastic week in sports. Assistant Editor Griffin Guinta did a great job over the past couple of weeks with our column. I told you that he’s a better writer than I am, right? Anyway, I’m back with another great week in sports filled with twists and turns. Let’s get to it. What a weekend in college football. After having the season’s first true upsets last week, we had even more this week. No.3 Clemson, No.8 Louisville and No.9 UCLA each lost their
turnaround under new manager John Farrell and a new, gritty attitude. Led by blue collar players such as Mike Napoli and Dustin Pedroia as well as a superb pitching staff, the Red Sox grinded through the postseason, dispatching division rival Tampa Bay in the Division Series and defeating the Detroit Tigers in six games in the ALCS. Meanwhile, the Cardinals rode an even better pitching staff stocked with rich, young talent to yet another Fall Classic appearance. Veterans Adam Wainwright, Matt Holliday and Yadier Molina know what it takes to win on this stage and will show the youngsters the way. Look for the Cardinals to capture their second title in the past three years in seven games over Boston. Despite an 0-6 start, the Bucs showed real progress this week. In his first away start, rookie quarterback Mike Glennon showed even more promise, throwing for 256 yards and two scores against a solid Atlanta defense. His growing chemistry with top wideout Vincent Jackson was apparent, as the veteran had 10 catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns. However, the defense lost a step against a hobbled Falcons offense that was missing its top two receivers in Julio Jones and Roddy White. It’s time for Coach Greg Schiano and coordinator Bill Sheridan to allow star cornerback Darrelle Revis to do what he does best: put the opponent’s best receiver on an island in one-on-one coverage. Once that happens, the Bucs’ defense can be even better than it has been so far this season. They might as well call Lucas Oil Stadium
out Algeria 3-2 while Tunisia and Cameroon played out a goalless draw. Possibly the most dramatic story comes from CONCACAF (the North American and Central American Region). Panama faced off at home against the U.S. (who have already qualified) needing a win to even have a chance of qualifying. They would also need Mexico, who played Costa Rica in San Jose, to lose at the same time. Panama ended up taking the lead in the first half when they dominated and held that until halftime. U.S. boss Jurgen Klinsmann clearly wasn’t satisfied, and the U.S. came out firing in the second half as they equalized through Michael Orozco. The game then came alive as Panama (who started the half slowly) came out of their shell and eventually took the lead in the 83rd minute. It seemed Panama was about to make history, since Mexico were losing 2-1 to Costa Rica, and qualify for the first time to go to the World Cup. Little did they know the U.S. had fight in them. Two injury-time goals from Graham Zusi and Aron Johansson sealed their fate. Panama was eliminated but put out a brave effort in the end. In the end, the U.S., Honduras and Costa Rica qualified. Mexico, who had a poor group stage, will settle for a play off against New Zealand to determine who qualifies. Richard Duh can be reached at richard.duh@spartans.ut.edu
“The House That Andrew Owns.” Andrew Luck, the Colts’ second year star quarterback, showed why he is every bit as good as advertised on Sunday night. Going against former Indianapolis franchise signal caller Peyton Manning and his new team, the Denver Broncos, Luck and the Colts’ offense turned up the firepower in a 39-33 victory over the now previously undefeated Broncos. Despite only throwing for 228 yards and three scoring passes, the young signal caller didn’t turn the ball over once against a vaunted Denver defense led by star pass rusher Von Miller who returned from a six-game suspension. Manning himself threw for almost 400 yards but seemed off the whole night. He overthrew his receivers and had a lot of passes broken up. Now Indianapolis has sole possession of first place in the AFC South, and it doesn’t look like it will give it up anytime soon thanks to their new franchise quarterback. As you can tell, football has dominated this week in sports, and why shouldn’t it? Even though the NHL is back, MLB is going into the World Series and the NBA is poised to make its return in the next few days, this country is now one controlled by football. And why shouldn’t it be? After this weekend, the sport has the whole country captivated due to its “any team can win on any given day” mentality. I’m definitely looking forward to the rest of this season in both college football and the NFL. See everyone next week. Jordan Llanes can be reached at jordan. llanes@spartans.ut.edu
SPORTS
THE MINARET | OCTOBER 24 2013
Can Anyone Stop
19
The King?
2013 NBA Eastern Conference Preview Keith Allison/Flickr
LeBron James is looking to lead the Heat to their third straight NBA Championship. By JOSIAH KACHELMEYER Sports Writer
Derrick Rose is ready to go, the Boston Celtics may be a cellar dweller and the Washington Wizards could have what it takes to make the playoffs. It seems the world has turned upside down as far as the NBA (the East in particular) goes, but the 2013-14 season has a chance to be a lot different than what basketball fans have become accustomed to over the past few years. Luckily, for those who can’t take too much change, the Heat are still the clear team to beat, and LeBron James’ hairline is still receding. Ladies and gentlemen, your 2013-14 NBA Eastern Conference Preview: As the season approaches and preseason games get underway, it’s just about that time of year when instead of tuning in to the usually lousy Thursday Night Football matchups, you can turn on the NBA on TNT. Once again in the Eastern Conference, the Miami Heat are the runaway favorite. However, teams such as the Chicago Bulls, Indiana Pacers and Brooklyn Nets (sorry Knicks fans, the Nets are the best team in the Big Apple) will all be contenders.
The Heat, coming off their second consecutive NBA title last season, are looking to make it a three-peat and further cement LeBron James in the record books as one of the greatest players the game has ever seen. Miami is returning just about every significant player from their 2012-13 roster, which makes them hard to bet against. In addition, the Heat added a pair of low-risk, high-reward players in Greg Oden and Michael Beasley. They both have the potential if they pan out, to make the team even scarier than it already was. It would be wrong, however, to not pay attention to this season and automatically assume Miami will win the Eastern Conference. There are several other contenders that may have what it takes to make deep runs into the playoffs. Since Derrick Rose last played an NBA game, a new Pope has been chosen, Barack Obama has run for and won re-election and Adrian Peterson has returned from an ACL tear. The Chicago Bulls will finally get their star point guard back when they tip off their season Oct. 29 with a heavyweight matchup against the Heat. Chicago has been a strong team without Rose. However, they have
lacked that necessary spark to seriously contend in the playoffs. The return of Rose, as well as the addition of the underrated Mike Dunleavy, may be enough to finally allow the Bulls to get over the hump. As optimistic as Chicago fans are about the upcoming season, the Bulls may not even be the best team in their own division. That accolade may belong to the Indiana Pacers. After taking the Heat to a game seven in last year’s Eastern Conference finals, the Pacers went into the offseason to improve what they thought was a weak bench and signed the always productive Luis Scola. Additionally, Indiana will be getting back one of their best players in Danny Granger, who missed nearly all of last season due to a knee injury. The Pacers have quietly turned into one of the strongest teams in the NBA over the last several years and will look to officially take the next step heading into this year. Unfortunately for Knicks fans, the Brooklyn Nets look to be the better New York team heading into the 2013-14 season. It appears the Nets are building to win a championship now rather than later with the additions of veteran future Hall-of-Famers Kevin Garnett and Paul
Pierce. GM Billy King also brought on 10-time NBA All-Star and recent retiree Jason Kidd as head coach with the hopes of sparking a talented but underachieving Nets roster. The Nets may be the biggest boom or bust team in the NBA this year with so much of their season relying on the health of seven players who are aged 30 or older. The rest of the conference certainly has some bright spots, but barring an unforeseeable event, it is unlikely any other team will go deep into the playoffs (But that’s why they play the games). The Boston Celtics era of excellence has officially come to an end as this is largely seen as a rebuilding year for them under new head coach Brad Stevens. Meanwhile, two young teams to keep an eye on are the Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Wizards. The Cavs added the always interesting Andrew Bynum and hope he can produce alongside their young star Kyrie Irving. The Wizards, on the other hand, believe they have a shot to contend, following a strong finish last season and after locking up point guard John Wall long term. Josiah Kachelmeyer can be reached at josiah.kachelmeyer@spartans.ut.edu
Staff Predicts End of Season MLB Awards National League
By CONNOR ANTHONY Sports Writer
With the MLB Postseason wrapping up and the World Series starting it’s time to get around to handing out awards. The MLB hands out multiple awards, but there are three that are the most prestigious. The Cy Young award is handed out to one pitcher in each the National and American League who have been voted the top pitcher. The Most Valuable Player award and the Rookie of the Year award are self-explanatory. The Cy Young award should unanimous, with Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers winning his second award in three seasons. Though Kershaw only went 169 this season, he led all of Major League Baseball in Earned Run Average for the third straight year, with a mark of 1.83. He also led the league in Strikeouts (232) and WHIP (0.91). At age 25, Kershaw became only the fourth pitcher in the live ball era to lead the league in ERA for three straight seasons. After taking the whole league by storm and having a fantastic rookie season despite missing the first sixty games, Cuban sensation Yasiel Puig won’t win the Rookie of the Year award this season. The Dodgers right fielder, who many credit with helping turn the team from last place to first place, will finish second to fellow Cuban, Miami pitcher Jose Fernandez. While he has been handicapped playing on the last place Marlins, Fernandez had what many analysts have called the greatest rookie pitching season ever.
Fernandez finished with a 12-6 record, but an ERA of 2.17, second best in all of baseball. Even though he was shut down for the season with only 172 innings, Fernandez struck out 187 batters. He also was able to edge out Cy-Young-To-Be-Winner Clayton Kershaw with a hits per nine innings average of 5.8. Even though the Marlins lost 100 games and finished the season with the 2nd worst record in the league, the future looks bright for them and their 21-year-old ace. The MVP award is the only one out of the three that doesn’t have a clear winner. Andrew McCutchen of the Pirates and Yadier Molina of the Cardinals battled each other for the award all season. Though there is a great case to be made for both, in the end McCutchen will come out victorious. The biggest argument for McCutchen is that he was able to help anchor a team that hadn’t had a winning season since 1992 to within one game of the NLCS. With a WAR (Wins Above Replacement) of 8.2, a .317 batting average and 27 stolen bases, McCutchen has finally made being a Pittsburgh Pirates fan something to be proud about. Molina will come in second, being affected by the time he missed due to injury during the season, and the Pirates finally reaching the playoffs after 20 years of heartbreak. With these awards almost comically predictable, it will be interesting to see the mess that will be the major awards in the American League. Connor Anthony can be reached at connor. anthony@spartans.ut.edu
American League
By NATHAN KROHN Sports Writer
It almost seems irrational to look back and reflect on regular season baseball in the heat of playoff action, but with awards season coming next month, predictions must be made. Last year, the great MVP debate was between Miguel Cabrera and Mike Trout and how the word ‘valuable’ was intended to be defined by the rule maker’s way back when. On the one hand, Cabrera was the first Triple Crown winner since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967. “What more do you have to do to be named MVP?”, Cabrera supporters argued. On the other hand, Trout not only had stellar offensive numbers, he played gold glove defense and was a man possessed on the base paths. After much debate, Cabrera added the MVP trophy to his record breaking 2012 season. This year, Trout and Cabrera again are the frontrunners for the award and it appears, again, that Cabrera will edge out Trout. Both players sport nearly identical numbers to last year, with the exception of Cabrera who upped his batting average an unearthly 18 points to .348. The difference again lies in the fact that Cabrera’s Tigers made the playoffs and Trout’s Angels are in off-season training. Without Cabrera, the Tigers would not have made the playoffs, but without Trout, the Angels would still not be in the playoffs. The Cy Young award is a much more open race but Cabrera’s teammate in Detroit,
Max Scherzer, seems to be holding the upper hand. Scherzer finished the year with a record of 21-3 with a 2.90 ERA but if the 2010 Cy Young award taught us anything, it’s that wins and ERA don’t matter much anymore. Luckily for Scherzer he has all the other right numbers in all the right places. He was fifth in K/BB ratio, second in strikeouts with 240 and led the league in WHIP. Throw in Yu Darvish and a token Felix Hernandez plug to make a discussion of it but the Cy Young award most likely will be going to Scherzer. Many have said they would like to do away with American League rookie of the year for 2013 and give both awards to the National League. The AL rookie of the year award is completely up for grabs. Jose Iglesias of the frequently mentioned Detroit Tigers is considered a top candidate but a Tigers sweep would just be no fun. Iglesias put up solid numbers in 2013, splitting his time between Boston and Detroit but couldn’t really hold a torch to the numbers Wil Myers put up in Tampa Bay playing in nearly half the games. Iglesias has the upper hand in defense but the rookie of the year should belong to Myers. No clean sweep at the award shows for the Tigers but they may just have a bigger trophy in their grasps come the end of the MLB season. Nathan Krohn can be reached at nathan. krohn@spartans.ut.edu
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World Series 2013 A Rematch of Epic Proportions Why the Boston Red Sox are too hot to handle By JAMES BELLUSCIO Sports Writer
The AL Champion Boston Red Sox will be playing in their third World Series in the last decade. Winning this one may be the most difficult of the three. They are going against the best team in the National League since the April days of the season. The Cardinals finished with 97 wins and the National League’s best record. The Cardinals have one of the most well-balanced teams in the league. It is fitting for these teams to be matched up for the title; they have been the strongest two teams all year. In order for the Red Sox to win the World Series they will have to play their best ball. Here are my three keys to victory for
the Red Sox: 1. Start Xavier Bogaerts The 21-year-old rookie came through huge in the ALCS. Bogaerts took over for the slumping Will Middlebrooks and ripped three doubles and three walks on nine plate appearances. He started in game 5 and it may be the move to put the Sox over the top. Batting against the tough starting pitching of the Tigers, he looked like a seasoned pro. He battled into deep counts and managed to draw walks in key situations. He may be young, but he is the hot hand. Boston should continue playing him and hope it helps it take the series. 2. Bullpen The entire teams pitching staff has been great, but what really stood out to me is their bullpen. They have allowed
Keith Allson/Flickr
Can Dustin Pedroia and the hard-hitting Red Sox offense beat the St. Louis pitching staff?
just three runs in 32.1 innings; they have a stunning 0.84 ERA. Closer Koji Uehara won the ALCS MVP Award after looking lights out against the Tigers. If he can continue his dominance it will make the game shorter, which benefits the Sox. A deep bullpen puts teams over the top in the last weeks of the season. Every team would like to see their starting pitchers going 7-8 innings in the playoffs, but that’s easier said than done. When Jake Peavy pitched game 5, Sox manager John Farrell took him out with 2 outs in the 6th. Many thought he could have finished that inning, but why risk an inning getting away from you when your bullpen is dominating? Having a hot bullpen makes it easier on the entire team. The starting pitchers feel less pressure knowing they have strength behind them that can finish out the victory. It also helps the manager (he can have confidence taking out the starter early), which saves their stamina and arm for other games in the series. Let’s not forget what it does for your offense, too. If your pitching is only giving up two to three runs a game, the offense can play “small ball” and scrape together a few runs to win the game. Or, at any time a player can step up and hit a bomb. It takes one pitch in close games.
Look at the ALCS. The Red Sox offense looked terrible besides 2 swings of the bat. Take Ortiz’s and Victorino’s grand slams away and I would probably be writing about the Tigers right now instead. So Boston, keep it close. Boston relievers have already managed heavy load, but it still seems like they have gas left in the tank. If the team can squeeze out one more excellent series from them, they will likely have a World Series trophy. 3. Ortiz Needs to Play First Playing in St. Louis means there is no DH in the lineup. So, do you bench David Ortiz or play him at first base? Clearly Ortiz is not your best option playing first, but the Red Sox cannot lose his bat in the lineup. He only played six games at first this year, but he has not committed an error since 2009. This will be another decision that will be crucial for Farrell and his team. I hope this series lives up to its hype. I believe it will go down to the final pitches and the last moments to declare a winner. Both teams are well-balanced with impressive bullpens. If the Red Sox can control the late innings of the game like in the ALCS, then they will win. James Belluscio can be reached at james.belluscio@spartans.ut.edu
Why no one is stopping the St. Louis Cardinals By PHIL NOVOTNY Sports Writer
It has happened yet again. The St. Louis Cardinals are going back to the World Series after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers in game 6 of the National League Championship Series (NLCS) by a score of 9-0 to win the series 4 games to 2. This is the Cardinals fourth World Series appearance in the last decade and the 19th appearance in franchise history. It is safe to say that they have established themselves as the class of the National League. The St. Louis Cardinals will play the mighty Boston Red Sox. The Sox are looking for their first appearance in the fall classic since 2007 and their third time since 2004 under the leadership of David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia. Overall, their previous exposure to the World Series should increase national appeal, which means a higher television audience and revenue for Major League Baseball. Nevertheless, the Red Sox will not defeat the Cardinals in the World
Series. The Cardinals are anchored by a strong pitching staff lead by NLCS MVP Michael Wacha, starting pitcher Adam Wainwright and closer Edward Mujica, Major League Baseball’s best closer over the past year. What baseball fans should not overlook is the potent Cardinals lineup, lead by Carlos Beltran, one of the best postseason hitters in the modern era with a postseason batting average of .327 all time. Beltran has had many clutch atbats during his postseason career. For example, he sparked the Cardinals 9-run scoring barrage off Clayton Kershaw in game 6 of the NLCS. Also, he is notable for hitting eight home runs as a member of the Houston Astros during the NLCS against the St. Louis Cardinals. Many baseball fans doubted if the Cardinals could return to glory without former manager Tony La Russa, but new manager and former Cardinals catcher Mike Matheny has done a tremendous job leading this young group of players back to postseason dominance yet again. The most impressive aspect of the
Cardinals’ game is how they grind out runs---the reason why they have gotten this far in the first place. In game 6 of the NLCS, the Cardinals scored four runs in the bottom of the third. This inning led to Clayton Kershaw throwing 48 pitches and allowing 10 batters coming up to the plate in the inning. Moreover, there has been unexpected production from players like Matt Carpenter, Matt Adams and Shane Robinson, which has taken a toll on
opposing pitchers. Both teams ace pitchers better be ready for a huge workload against this gritty team who has a warrior mentality on the field. St. Louis Cardinals fans should be optimistic that this trend will continue into the fall classic for their role players. A fair warning to Red Sox fans: you might not want to underestimate a team who can produce runs in any part of their lineup. Phil Novotny can be reached at philip.novotny@spartans.ut.edu
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Matt Holliday and Yadier Molina helped bring St. Louis their 2011 World Championship.