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April
10,
2014
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Late Night Flooding in Straz The Damage Caused and Why it Happened
By KHADIJAH KHAN News Writer
DavidA. Straz Jr. Hall, home to approximately 480 upperclassmen residents, experienced flooding just after midnight Monday, April 7. The flooding was caused by a student breaking a sprinkler by hanging a clothes hanger from it. “The sprinkler ran for approximately 15 minutes, causing damage to six residence hall apartments on the second and third floors, as well as the first floor laundry room, break room, men’s bathroom and hall area by the water fountain,” said Eric Cardenas, the director of Public Information and Publications. “A dozen residents were displaced while repairs took place, and one apartment is still undergoing renovation and should be completed presently. Displaced residents were housed in Urso or Morsani, and some stayed with friends. The incident was responded to by Campus Safety, Facilities, Residence Life and Tampa Fire Department,” Cardenas said. Despite the inconveniences students experienced including possible damaged property, the University is not liable, according to the UT housing agreement. UT is also not liable for interruption of utilities, mechanical failure of its equipment or for damage resulting from electrical problems, including electrical surge. It states that no consideration will be given to a student who suffers loss or discomfort due to these events. Although the flooding didn’t affect many students, some were irritated at the disturbance it created, like junior advertising and public relations major Caitlin Olewinski. “The alarm went off at around 12:30 and it Mia Glatter/The Minaret took about a half hour until we got the okay to A facility worker is in the process of cleaning two inches of water from a Straz dorm room with specialized water vacuums. go back up, but the floor still had a few inches of water. Personally, it didn’t affect me. It was more annoying than anything else. There are also huge fans trying to dry the floor and walls,” Olewinski said. Social media outlets like Facebook and Twitter blew up with students who were forced from their beds and had to wait outside of Straz in the middle of the night. “Whoever broke that fire sprinkler is definitely the most hated person in Straz right now,” was one of many tweets from that night posted by Brianne MacNeil @ brimac01. Several resident assistants in Straz were approached about the incident but weren’t allowed to comment. Khadijah Khan can be reached at khadijah. khan@theminaretonline.com
In Other News...
3 Texting and Driving 9 Ultra Music Fest’s Might Become Future in Florida Up in Primary Offense the Air 7 Tampa’s Best Musicians Championed at AZ1 Awards
11 Middle School Bans Leggings: Male Students Distracted
14 Should Consumers Boycott a Company for CEO’s Beliefs? 18 An MVP Race for the Ages: LeBron James or Kevin Durant?
News..................................2 Diversions.........................6 A+E....................................7 Opinion............................ 11
Sports..............................16
M
APRIL 10 2014 | THE MINARET
MINARET
2
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jessica Keesee
jessica.keesee@theminaretonline.com
NEWS + FEATURES
New Professors Coming to UT Just in Time for Registration
By DANIELLE CARPENTER AND MARK SUGDEN News Writers
Jeff Neely Journalism
MANAGING EDITOR Mia Glatter
mia.glatter@theminaretonline.com
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Natalie Hicks
natalie.hicks@theminaretonline.com
NEWS + FEATURES Lauren Richey, Editor
lauren.richey@theminaretonline.com
Katherine Lavacca, Asst. Editor
katherine.lavacca@theminaretonline.com
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT Justine Parks, Editor
justine.parks@theminaretonline.com
Jordan Walsh, Asst. Editor
jordan.walsh@theminaretonline.com
OPINION
Paola Crespo, Editor
Paola.Crespo@theminaretonline.com
Annabella Palopoli, Editor
Photo courtesy of Jeff Neely
annabella.palopoli@theminaretonline.com
Jeff Neely is an incoming journalism professor who currently teaches at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Neely is no stranger to the Tampa Bay area, which gave him the push to apply to UT. He moved to Tampa when he was 15 years old and attended the Health Academy at Tampa Bay Technical High School. He has family members living across the area. Neely also said that “UT is highly regarded in the community.” He also described how UT’s size is kept at a manageable level, which will allow him to interact closely with his students and fellow faculty members. The big draw for Neely to teach at UT is its journalism program, while UNCW does not have one. “I’m very excited to be working with students involved in the journalism major as well as with the student newspaper,” Neely said. Next semester, Neely is going to be teaching Intro to Journalism, News Reporting and Writing and Feature Writing. “I have been very impressed
Richard Whitaker, Asst. Editor
richard.whitaker@theminaretonline.com
SPORTS
Jordan Llanes, Editor
jordan.llanes@theminaretonline.com
Griffin Guinta, Asst. Editor
griffin.guinta@theminaretonline.com
PHOTOGRAPHY Casey Budd, Editor
casey.budd@theminaretonline.com
ADVERTISING
Brandon Caples, Ad & PR Director minaret.ads@gmail.com
ADVISER
John Capouya
Jcapouya@ut.edu
COPY EDITORS
Zoe Fowler, Head Copy Editor
zoe.fowler@theminaretonline.com
Khadijah Khan
khadijah.khan@theminaretonline.com
For the upcoming fall semester, students will have a choice in choosing newly hired professors for their classes. As of April 3, The University of Tampa hired 18 new faculty members in different departments, according to Provost David Stern. Aaron Wood, a 29-year-old PhD student at the University of Wyoming, is graduating in May. He will join UT as a new assistant professor of economics. Wood currently teaches Principles of Economics and will be teaching three sections of Principles of Microeconomics at UT. Wood won the 2013 and 2014 PIE (Promoting Intellectual Engagement) teaching award in Wyoming. These awards are mainly given to professors of first year students, but Wood won them as a graduate student.
“It makes it somewhat easier to communicate in some ways sharing life experiences,” Wood said. “I don’t have an advantage over anybody. I think I’m a very energetic person. Students have seemed to have liked me,” Wood said. Wood is originally from Peoria, Ill. and said he is used to transitioning to somewhere different. “I’m not too worried about the transition. I think it’s going to be a lot of fun,” Wood said. Outside of the classroom, Wood likes to stay active by playing basketball, soccer and running. He is also a self-proclaimed jazz pianist. “I was a musician in a former life,” Wood said. “So I incorporate music and pop culture and current events into economics.”
[meeting with UT’s students and professors]. I was excited by the enthusiasm that the students at the paper have for journalism and getting the stories,” Neely said. When teaching journalism, Neely prefers a hands-on teaching method. He envisions himself as more of a coach, guide and mentor to students, as opposed to being “the sage on the stage,” which means loading students up with tons of information at once. “I learned that every student population is different. It’s exciting to come into a new environment and work with new students,” Neely said. John Capouya, UT’s current assistant professor of Journalism and Writing, met with Neely during the hiring process. “We thought he was extremely personable, likeable, cooperative and a good guy,” Capouya said. “But before that I thought he had all of the relevant training and experience.” As a parting statement, Neely said, “[Tampa] seems like a great place to work, [and I] know it’s a good place to live.”
Aaron Wood Economics
Photo courtesy of Aaron Wood
Jackie Braje
jackie.braje@theminaretonline.com
PHOTOGRAPHERS Alex Jackson
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Wendy French
STAFF WRITERS
Jami Lobpries Sports Management
Mark Sugden Selene San Felice Kai Miller Danielle Carpenter Doha Madini Claire Farrow Brianna Kwasnik Sonny Billote
COLUMNISTS
Terry Preston Jake Koniszewski 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 Jami Lobpries/Facebook
Jami Lobpries was born in Wharton, Texas and will be finishing up her PhD at Texas A&M, where she also received her undergraduate and graduate degree. She will teach at UT in the Sports Management department. Lobpries is currently a teaching assistant who has taught sports marketing, facility and events management and sport management. She will teach Intro to Sport Management and Facility Management at UT. Lobpries will be the first woman sports management professor at UT, which is one of the unique perspectives she hopes to bring. “I think it’s great because I think you are seeing a lot more women enter into the sport industry, so it’s always nice to have a female professor or mentor you could relate to,” Lobpries said. “The idea of me teaching four classes my first semester will probably be the biggest transition because I’ve never done it before, but I do feel pretty equipped to do it,” Lobpries said.
Lobpries applied to UT because of the “nothing but good things about the faculty, university and student body” she heard from professor Brandon Brown, who was a PhD student with Lobpries for two years at Texas A&M. “It also offers a great opportunity to start my career,” Lobpries said, who felt a lot of great energy while visiting the campus. “I’m just excited to help bring a different perspective to the sport management students and connect them to different parts of the sport industry that I’m familiar with.” Lobpries also played four years in the National Pro Fastpitch league and helped her team out with the marketing and business aspects. “I feel like I offer a little bit different perspective of being a college professional athlete, so although I might not have worked in the industry in your typical sport job, I feel like I bring a really unique perspective with what I’ve witnessed,” Lobpries said, referring to her time as a collegiate softball player.
NEWS + FEATURES
THE MINARET | APRIL 10 2014
3
Texting and Driving Might Become Primary Offense Florida Drivers Watch for Potential New Bill Next Month By THERESA STANTON News Writer
VCUCNS/Flickr
Texting and driving is occurring more often, resulting in Florida legislators to write a bill against it.
A new bill concerning texting and driving could soon be passed that would affect hundreds of Florida drivers. Texting behind the wheel could become a primary offense in the state of Florida within the next month. Several UT students believe this could be a positive change for not just the UT community but for drivers in Florida. Currently, cops have to pull drivers over for a traffic violation in order to issue them a ticket for texting. However, with this new bill, cops can pull over any driver texting, using their GPS or checking social media sites. Last year, over 4,500 accidents occurred because of distracted drivers, according to WLRN. Law enforcement officials say that 255 of those accidents were caused by texting. Since last October, 393 secondary offense tickets have been issued statewide, according to the Sun Sentinel. Last semester, UT’s It Can’t Wait campaign worked with AT&T to get students to sign the pledge. Within five hours, over 843 students signed the pledge, promising not to text and drive. If it weren’t for the campaign, the severity of texting and driving wouldn’t of been recognized by FOX 5 news, who in turn helped use the story to pilot the law. PK Creedon, Student Government president and a senior majoring in international business, has seen the effects of texting and driving. A few days ago when Creedon checked his Facebook page, he was shocked to see that a close friend was hit by a driver that was texting. Underneath the picture was a caption with a message that many of drivers tend to forget, “It’s not worth
texting and driving.” Even when quickly glancing at a text, a driver’s attention is taken away for five seconds, according to the Texting and Driving Safety Association. If traveling on a highway at 55 miles per hour, a driver could easily pass the length of a football field without glancing at the road. “Until you know someone that it has happened to, it doesn’t seem to register,” said Kelsea Roccapriore, a senior nursing major. Lexi Loring, a senior majoring in communication who signed the It Can Wait campaign, thinks drivers can easily lie about using their GPS on their phones to get out of a ticket. Loring said there needs to be no gray areas “so that they [cops] can crack down on texting and driving.” Another aspect the bill covers is punishing drivers who cause deadly accidents. For a driver that causes a deadly accident, it could land them 30 years in jail, according to WPTV. Representative Irv Slosberg said if the bill is not passed, he will push for it to be passed next year. Many drivers find themselves getting distracted by checking Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, a text or snapchat while driving. “It’s a rapidly increasing problem, especially with our generation. We are kinda blacklisted as the technology age,” Loring said. “Everyone needs to be a responsible driver. Already your focus is impaired by everything else you have going on.” The House of Representatives is expected to approve the bill by the end of May, according to UTV44. Theresa Stanton can be reached at theresa.stanton@spartans.ut.edu
From the March 31 to April 6 Reports
Breakin’ the Law On March 1, graffiti was found in the elevator of the Thomas Parking Garage.
Getting a Little Smoky in Here On March 1, a room search was done based upon an anonymous complaint. Drugs and drug paraphernalia were found.
THIS IS NOT THE VIDEO GAME On March 3, two nonstudents were arrested on campus for felony trespassing, grand theft auto and criminal mischief.
Go Speed Racer, Go Speed Racer On March 3, a student was observed driving recklessly inside a parking garage.
Phi Beta Sigma, in partnership with other student organizations like Alpha Tau Omega and the Caribbean Student Association, are hosting a Hawaiian Luau Pool
CRIKEY! On March 3, a poisonous snake was exterminated due to a potential threat to the campus community.
Reports compiled by Katherine Lavacca
There will be no general assembly on April 15. Leadership Awards Night will be occurring instead.
The Student Government Executive Board is accepting applications.
Party on April 12 at 12 p.m. at the UT Aquatic Center. Sigma Delta Tau’s theme week will
Party in the Park is Friday, April 11. You can get tickets online at utpartyinthepark.com
take place from April 15 to April 17. The Panhellenic and Interfraternity Councils will be holding a Greek Life Scholarship Banquet on April 24 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.
King’s Music Fest will be held by WUTT on April 18.
4 APRIL 10 2014 | THE MINARET
NEWS + FEATURES
Global Brigade Organization Denied as Travel Course
ben.chaney.archive/Flickr A group of Global Brigades members pose with the people of Honduras on their trip to Honduras in 2012.
By ZOE FOWLER
Copy Editor & News Writer
In 2013, the former members of Global Brigades attended a board meeting to discuss whether the club would be eligible to become a travel course. Founded in 2010, Global Brigades is a student-led organization whose main focus is on global health and sustainable development in Honduras,
Ghana, Nicaragua and Panama, according to globalbrigades.org. There are multiple university chapters all over the world. The International Programs Faculty Committee decided they weren’t eligible. Carina Dominguez, a senior public health major and former president of Global Brigades, says she was warned by IPO that her graduation and the other senior brigaders’
graduation would be in jeopardy if they continued the organization. Marca Bear, Associate Dean of the International Programs Office, stated that IPO has no knowledge of this claim. “We were placed on this planet to help one another; declining our invitation to do this is unreasonable and disrespectful. Then going a step beyond and placing our graduation on the line is absurd,” said Samantha Robinson, a senior, marine science and biology major and former member of Global Brigades. “How would it look to prospective job employers if my resume said the University of Tampa did not let me graduate?” In the meeting, the public health brigaders told stories about their time in a village called El Canton. They built seven different sustainable projects in the homes of the villagers such as water pilas (water storage unit), showers, eco stoves and latrines. They also taught children about their digestive health. Even though they felt successful in their efforts, IPO was still concerned about the safety and legitimacy of the program, which is why they suggested Global Brigades become a travel course instead. “At the time the Global Brigades program was proposed, it did not meet university criteria for being a responsibly managed program and could have potentially put students
at unnecessary risk of health and/or safety threats,” Bear said. “There is a U.S. Department of State travel warning for Honduras. For the safety and security of UT students, faculty and staff, it is UT policy to not allow travel to any location on the U.S. Department of State travel warning or travel alert list,” Bear said. The Global Brigades adviser who was assigned to their chapter provided them with everything they needed in order to have a successful trip, including an insurance policy, health plan and an empowered.org account to keep track of donations, according to Dominguez. For the duration of the brigaders’ trip, they had soldiers and two travel guides with them. “We had soldiers with us at all times; there was not a doubt in my mind that if something happened I would not be protected,” Robinson said. Dominguez wanted to create a chapter that didn’t have any affiliation with the university. She wanted to hold meetings off campus and become the Tampa Bay Public Health Global Brigade chapter. “I made the decision myself to not go about doing it because I didn’t want to disrespect anyone’s say. I also wouldn’t want to put other brigaders in that situation,” Dominguez said. Zoe Fowler can be reached at zoe. fowler@theminaretonline.com
Professor Skydives to Raise Awareness for Sexual Assault By CAITLIN MALONE Opinion Writer
April 1 is not only dedicated to playing personal jokes on friends and families, but more importantly it marks the beginning of sexual assault awareness month. Criminology professor Kathryn Branch is raising awareness by encouraging her students to participate in a one-of-a-kind fundraiser that raises money for victims of sexual assault called Operation Freefall. On April 26, people all over the country will take what is called the Two Mile High Stand Against Sexual Assault and skydive from 10,560 feet in the air. Branch’s research is focused on the impact of sexual violence on the campus community. “I am involved in many organizations and activities that highlight sexual assault (e.g., One Student, the Sexual Violence Task Force of Tampa Bay, Take Back the Night),” Branch said. “This is just one of many opportunities I have announced to students.” Branch has mentioned this opportunity in all four criminology classes she is teaching this semester, and a number of students have expressed interest in participating. They are actively trying to raise the money. “I have for lack of better words ‘harassed’ people on my Facebook,” said Enrique Hernandez, a senior criminology major. He heard about the fundraiser in her Race, Class Gender and Crime class and thinks this cause is of great importance. “The equality of everyone is an important aspect to me,” Hernandez said. “So anyone thinking it’s okay to act upon someone they see as vulnerable because of these ‘labels’ of prominence is pretty disgusting and needs to be stopped.” This will be his first time skydiving, and he seemed more excited than nervous. “I am an adrenaline junky,” Hernandez said. “Ever since getting shot at and undergoing other extra eventful activities in Afghanistan, I have been frenzy hunting when it comes
to exciting activities. Like any other human being I assume I will experience nervousness (especially at the door), but I am ready to face fear again in the face and do this for all victims who live with fear day to day.” Operation Freefall was created back in 2001 when Kellie Greene, the founder of the organization Speaking Out About Rape (SOAR), was looking for a way to face the fifth anniversary of her attack. In 2001, she skydived for the first time and turned a day of horror into a day of fun and celebration. From then on, this fundraiser has been held every year on the last Saturday of April. In the past 13 years, it has raised over $1 million for this cause, according to operationfreefall.com. Many of the victims of sexual assault are female and suffer from a lack of trust in males. Operation Freefall forces them to face their fears head on by putting their lives in the hands of a male while also being physically close to one during the jump. “Facing these fears can be transformational,” Branch said. “The look on an individual’s faces when they finish the jump is priceless.” The money raised goes to organizations like SOAR and other anti-sexual violence organizations to help with local support for survivors in the community, creating and maintaining recovery programs to help victims in the healing process and to educate others about the personal impact of sexual assault. Branch made this daring jump with students in 2011 and 2012. However, she will not be able to jump this year because of medical reasons, but she will be there to support her students and others that will be making the jump. “It is a powerful event to be a part of and the support is felt by survivors,” Branch said. “It is critical that survivors understand that the community will not tolerate sexual violence.” Caitlin Molone can be reached at caitlin. molone@spartans.ut.edu
Photo courtesy of Kathryn Branch
Branch accomplishing her “Two Mile High Stand” by jumping out of a plane to fight against sexual assault.
Photo courtesy of Kathryn Branch
Branch stands with the other members of her Operation Freefall Team in preparation for her first skydiving attempt.
NEWS + FEATURES
THE MINARET | APRIL 10 2014
Master It Graduate Open House, April 25, 6-8 p.m., Vaughn Center, ninth floor Join us for a special Graduate Open House event to learn more about UT’s graduate degrees! Talk with faculty, admissions counselors, academic advisors, students and alumni about the following programs: Business • MBA (seven concentrations) • M.S. in Accounting • M.S. in Finance • M.S. in Marketing • Certificate in Nonprofit Management • Certificate in Accounting • Certificate in Business Administration Exercise Science and Nursing • New! M.S. in Exercise and Nutrition Science • M.S. in Nursing Education • M.S. in Instructional Design and Technology • Master of Education Creative Writing • MFA in Creative Writing
RSVP at www.ut.edu/gradvisit.
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6 APRIL 10 2014 | THE MINARET
Diversions
Sudoku
The Weekend Update Classical Guitar Ensemble Performance April 11 Music Room 7 p.m. Free
Student Productions Drive In Movie Night Fast and Furious 6 April 11 West Parking Garage 8 p.m. Free
UT Student Chamber Music Concert April 12 Sykes Chapel 3 p.m. Free
Men’s and Women’s Track Invite
PrintableSudokuPuzzles.net
Picture
WEEK of the
Photo by Stephanie Dookiesingh/The Minaret Male students participate in the “She’s So Hot” event at Relay for Life.
April 12 Pepin Stadium 7 p.m. Free with UT ID
French Club Movie Night Midnight In Paris April 14 Lecture Hall B 7 p.m. Free
Leadership Awards Night April 15 Vaughn Center 9th Floor 7 p.m. Free with UT ID
Daniel Packard’s Live Group Sex Therapy Show April 16 Reeves Theater 8 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Free
Softball vs. Lynn
April 17 Naimoli Family Softball Stadium 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. Free with UT ID
Arts + Entertainment
THE MINARET | APRIL 10 2014
7
Tampa’s Best Musicians Championed at AZ1 Awards
By KAI MILLER AND SELENE SANFELICE
Arts + Entertainment Writers
AZ1 Promotionz celebrated the best of Tampa’s music scene last week during its third annual awards show. On April 1, the 2014 AZ1 awards were held at the Tampa Improv in Ybor City. The red carpet event featured performances from local indie artists that represented a wide range of genres such as hip-hop, R&B, indie and alternative. AZ1 Promotionz is a local company that promotes artists and brands in the Tampa area. They are known for working with musicians of several different genres as well as models, model agencies, fashion labels and entertainment labels. For Joi Banks, a presenter at the 2014 AZ1 awards and host of WhatZ Next TV, this was her second time attending the prestigious celebration. “It’s a beautiful event,” Banks said. “It really is bringing life to the city and pointing to the different types of culture that we have in Tampa.” According to Banks, AZ1 Promotionz looked at the local talent in Tampa over the past year and held a voting process that lasted for about a month. During this time, different categories such as best breakthrough artist, best videographer, best movement and much more were voted upon. “[Tampa’s] got a blooming culture,” Banks said. “It’s one big mesh of different types of things that, if you’re into arts at all, you really should be a part of.” Throughout the night, artists of varying genres graced the stage to share their unique talents. One performer in particular who UT students should definitely pay attention to is 20-year-old R&B singer Amanda J (Amanda Jeannette Torres). In addition to being an artist, Torres also models and attends school at St. John’s Community College in Jacksonville. She has opened for several big name artists including Twista, Mac Miller and Machine
Kai Miller/ The Minaret
AZ1 Promotionz held its third annual award show last Tuesday, April 1, rewarding local musicians like Amanda J and Samurai Shotgun.
Gun Kelly. Amanda J caught the attention of the AZ1 Promotionz board in Tampa and was able to take home the award for R&B Artist of the Year, while also being nominated for Breakthrough Artist of the Year. Amanda J aspires to not only make a name for herself but also help uplift the next generation. “I want to help inspire young individuals,” Torres said. “Right now the economy’s hard, life’s hard. I’m sort of afraid for our generation, so I want to do something to change that.” The young singer also wants to redefine the media’s notion of what is considered “sexy.” Torres showed up to the AZ1 red carpet in a cream and black suit with her hair in a high bun.
Kai Miller/ The Minaret
The AZ1 awards show featured performances from local artist Jariah Higgins and more.
“Even though I look like this, a lot of people will be like ‘oh well she doesn’t look sexy enough,’” Torres said. “Well to me this look is more sophisticated… more classy. You don’t have to show anything but you can still look good doing it.” Torres had words of wisdom to offer aspiring UT artists who want to make it big but don’t know how to get started. “The first step is getting off that stage fright,” Torres said. “You’re not going to be able to do anything and no one’s going to really care if you get on stage and you don’t have your act together.” She also recommended that new artists stay organized, maintain goals and always record quality music that’s ready for the industry. “You’re going to want to pay for that time even though it’s expensive,” Torres said. “No one’s going to listen to it if it sounds like you recorded it on your phone and then mixed and mastered it.” Torres’ last piece of advice was for new performers to become familiar with everyone else in the business. “For me I have to research all the R&B artists ahead of me because to be the best you have to be able to be as good and better,” Torres said. Although the AZ1 awards primarily featured R&B and hip-hop performances, there were a few artists that broke the mold. Samurai Shotgun, an alternative rock group, managed to wow the crowd with its unique sound. It also took home awards for Best Live Band and Best Alternative. Samurai Shotgun was founded during the summer of 2010 by lead singer Matt Henley. The group is comprised of four other members including Marquis Blocker on the turntables, Tyler Mudler on guitar, Jovan Lecaro on drums and Bryant Harp on the bass. The band has not only been noted for its progressive sound but also for its live performances. Samurai Shotgun’s stage presence exudes an energy and passion that simply can’t be ignored. It has opened for names like Cage, Whole Wheat Bread and Nappy Roots. Twenty-one-year-old Jariah Higgans brought his signature folk/blues sound to the event with a stunning acoustic
performance. Higgans played an original song for the audience and did a fantastic cover of Michael Jackson’s “Dirty Diana.” Inspired by the sounds of Mumford and Sons and Johnny Lang, Higgans brings folk and R&B together while also incorporating beatboxing into his sound. “People would do rap battles in high school. I heard them trying to beat box and I was like, ‘I can do better than that,’” Higgans said. “I started chiming in and people were like ‘You’re actually pretty good at that.’ So I started involving it into my music.” In offering advice to aspiring UT performers, Higgans suggested the best way to get started in the business is to jump in headfirst. “You just gotta do it,” Higgans said. “People come up to me and they’re like ‘Oh I don’t have time’ or ‘I wish I had time to do what you did.’ You can make time if you really want to pursue something that you really want to do.” Kai Miller can be reached at kai. miller@spartans.ut.edu Selene SanFelice can be reached at selene.sanfelice@spartans.ut.edu
Check Out the Artists Amanda J’s music can be found at reverbnation.com/supportamandaj and facebook.com/sheisamandaj. She can also be found under the twitter handle @xo_AmandaJ and the Instagram account @ AmandaJ_x. Samurai Shotgun’s music, as well as information regarding upcoming shows, can be found at samuraishotgun.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ SAMURAISHOTGUN/info. Music from Jariah Higgans can be found on YouTube at youtube.com/ JROCCmusician7. Higgans also said that he plans to open his own studio some time in the near future.
8 APRIL 10 2014 | THE MINARET
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
Breakfast at Taco Bell: A Morning to Remember By MIA GLATTER Managing Editor
I honestly couldn’t believe I was setting my alarm to wake up early on a Saturday to make it in time to get Taco Bell breakfast, but curiosity was getting the better of me and I had to give it a try. The atmosphere of the Mexican fast-food restaurant did not appear changed in any way due to the earlier time. There was the same eclectic mix of people that usually grace Taco Bell, and the restaurant was surprisingly busy. The only noticeable changes were sensory ones. New posters hung from the walls illustrating our choices and the strong smell of coffee brewing replaced the usual smell of the fryer. As we ordered, the enthusiastic woman tapped her extra-long nails at the register, and when we finished, eagerly told us to have a ‘Taco-riffic’ day. I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I became determined to make it so. My boyfriend had been anxiously anticipating the new menu and wanted to try everything he could. We ordered two A.M Crunchwraps, a Waffle Taco, Taco Bell/Facebook an A.M. Grilled Taco and a breakfast Taco Bell’s new breakfast menu is tasty but calorie-loaded with the AM Crunchwrap which has almost 700 . burrito. I was able to convince him that the Cinnabon Delights were just good. I enjoyed it until later when I a big thumbs up while chewing large a bad idea that early in the morning. realized after some research that the bites. The A.M. Grilled Taco (eggs, The A.M. Crunchwrap was probably Crunchwrap alone is 660 calories. cheese and bacon or sausage folded my favorite of the bunch. The inclusion I am not a fan of waffles or syrup in a tortilla) and the Breakfast Burrito of so many breakfast ingredients (a (blasphemy, I’m aware), so I did not (eggs, sausage or bacon and cheese hash brown, bacon, eggs, cheese and try the Waffle Taco (eggs, cheese and wrapped in a tortilla) tasted relatively hot sauce all folded up in a tortilla) bacon wrapped in a waffle with syrup similar. They didn’t include the hot in one place was actually really drizzled on top) but my boyfriend gave sauce like the Crunchwrap and I was
thankful for that. All the breakfast menu items range in price from $1 to $2.99. Coffee is $1.49 and orange juice is $1.99. Fun fact, over 6,000 Taco Bell’s had to be outfitted with coffee machines to prepare for the breakfast menu. At the end of the meal I had basically ingested my entire days worth of calories way before noon, but I didn’t really mind. The best part about fast food and specifically Taco Bell for me is always the experience. Usually, a trip to Taco Bell is preceded with a long night out on the town and we stumble our way to the fast-food restaurant with blistered feet and empty stomachs. Some of the best nights of my young life have included Taco Bell, and I think that’s why I am so fond of it and continuously come back. It is always the conclusion to a great time with friends and because of those memories, I never count the calories. I’m not sure I would ever wake up early again with the sole purpose of another Taco Bell breakfast trip, but I would highly recommend to other people planning a similar event if you haven’t tried the new breakfast menu out yet. To (crunch) wrap it up, the Taco Bell breakfast menu is pretty much what you would expect from Taco Bell. But when paired with the right people and the anticipation of a great day, it could be the best breakfast you’ll ever have. Mia Glatter can be reached at mia. glatter@theminaretonline.com
Mac Demarco Shows a More Serious Side on Salad Days By JACKIE BRAJE
Arts + Entertainment Writer
My first encounter with Mac Demarco was with his music video for “My Kind of Woman,” where he clumsily outlined his gap-toothed smile with red lipstick right up close to the camera before adorning himself in women’s clothing. His mellow, cooler-than-school attitude built him an army of fans, but his newest album Salad Days, released on April 1, dropped the clown nose and revealed a more serious side of Demarco. Right after graduating high school in 2008, Demarco self-released a short collection of songs titled Makeout Videotape that aimed to capture his boredom and indolence while living in Vancouver. After listening to the song “Heat Wave,” you can feel yourself sinking into that kind of laziness that’s usually only produced by the sun in the dog days of summer. From the very beginning of his career, he emulated and maintained a cool, down-to-earth, dream pop vibe to his music. But it wasn’t until 2012 when he released both albums Rock and Roll Nightclub and 2 his fan base really began expanding. “Ode to Viceroy,” perhaps his most popular song from 2, was a kind of anthem for the lazy, nicotine-addicted, dirty hippie stereotype and this song attracted fans to him like frat stars to a keg. After the release of Salad Days, I’d hardly consider it fair to keep the reputation of “dirty hippie” or “class clown” tagged to him, though. Aesthetically, his newest album holds tight to the classic summery drone of his older music, but lyrically,
he gets a few notches more serious. The track “Let My Baby Stay” is his confession to mistakenly pleading with forces after his well-known girlfriend Kiki is pressed to move back to Canada due to an expired Visa. The calm and tinkling tempo meshes perfectly with the lovesick lyrics: “And where would I be, feeling lonely/ Separated from my one and only.” The four minutes and eight seconds of the song seem to reverberate for half a century and end with a smooth, lonesome wailing. Tracks like “Treat Her Better” and “Blue Boy” also stand out greatly with their melancholy wiles, and in “Chamber of Reflection,” Demarco solemnly repeats at the end of the song, “Alone again, alone again, alone again.” Just as there’s nothing more painful than watching a superhero fall from grace in all those cheesy Marvel and DC movies (admit it, we’ve all been there at least once or ten times), there’s nothing quite as sad for me as listening to Demarco expose his more honest, vulnerable side. Don’t get me wrong, though––I love every second of it. However, it isn’t all fits and tears. The track “Salad Days” perfectly emulates the dizzy aimlessness of the early 20-something-year-old. He confesses to “always feeling tired” and “smiling when required,” followed by a long sigh. Part of me thinks he’s mocking himself; the other part empathizes with what he’s saying all too deeply. There’s something strange and offkilter about Demarco that makes him one of my favorite personalities in music. He’s undeniably cool and his
Photo by Captured Tracks
Salad Days maintains Mac Demarco’s youthful attitude but with a new, more serious range of subject matter.
music is quintessential for any lofi indie music fan, sure, but what I love most about him is how ironically unpretentious he is. Salad Days is a perfectly empathetic anthem for youthful summertime melancholy. Jackie Braje can be reached at jackie.braje@theminaretonline.com
4.5 out of 5 stars
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
THE MINARET | APRIL 10 2014
9
Ultra Music Fest’s Future in Florida Up in the Air
By BRIANNA KWASNIK Arts + Entertainment Writer
Every year, people from all over the country gather in Miami for the three-day Ultra music festival. With festivals of this capacity, not all can go smoothly. After a group of rowdy fans knocked down a flimsy fence and trampled a security guard, the mayor of Miami is left questioning the existence of the weekend entirely. This year, the EDM festival was reported to have over 160,000 people in attendance. Although organizers did their best to make sure the area was secure and plenty of police and security were on site, Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado was not convinced that the organizers took all the actions necessary to ensure a safe event. As NME reported, the mayor is pleading for the event to be canceled next year. He believes the organizers of Ultra have acted irresponsibly regarding security and has announced plans to campaign against granting the festival permits in the future.The organizers did not adhere to requests made for them to patch up the weak spots in the fencing surrounding the event. Just hours before the incident, they were ordered to patch up spots in the exact spot where the security guard was left trampled. However, that extra fencing was never put up. A group of teens were on the opposite side of the fence without tickets. Since tickets cost upwards of $500, they saw the opportunity to get front-row seats for the weekend events by rushing the gate. The chain-link fence gave way, falling on top of a 28-year-old security guard who was in charge of the area. The incident left the guard on the ground, screaming in pain. Lieutenant Ignatius Carroll told Miami New Times that the guard suffered “a broken leg and pretty serious head trauma, with her condition worsening as they transported her.”
The Minaret
Electronic dance event Ultra Music Festival is facing opposition from the Miami mayor after incidents of violence at last week’s event.
The security guard is still hospitalized but able to breathe on her own, according to the Miami Herald. Senior sports management major Scott Dressler said, “It’s obviously awful what happened with the security guard and the ramming of the fence, however that is avoidable with more security. People trying to sneak into a festival is not a new concept. They can afford to hire a few more staff members to cover specific problem areas. What something
like Ultra does for the city of Miami is too enticing to give up.” The three-day weekend resulted in over 80 arrests, 30 of which were considered felonies. All the chaos that comes with the festival each year has the citizens of Miami and city officials rethinking the decision of holding the weekend. Freshman pre-law major Nikki Pusateri said, “Canceling Ultra next year would be like taking away Gasparilla. On that specific
weekend, everyone gets together from all over the world to share an amazing experience.” The Miami Herald is currently running a poll asking readers, “Should the Ultra Music Festival be booted out of Miami as mayor Tomas Regalado suggests?” Ultra posted on their Facebook page asking fans to answer “no” to ensure their permits do not get denied for next year’s festival, scheduled for March 27-29. Brianna Kwasnik can be reached at brianna.kwasnik@spartans.ut.edu
10 APRIL 10 2014 | THE MINARET
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
Do It Yourself: Flower Crowns
By KAELA BERNARDINO AND BRIANNA KWASNIK
Arts + Entertainment Writers
What You Need:
- Wire - $2 each (22 and 26 gauge) - Wire cutters - $4 - Scissors - $2 - Ribbon - $0.50 (you can go bold, or choose one that matches your hair color) - Flowers - $1 to $5 (you can use these same directions on real ones, but for the sake of money and longevity, we used and advise fake flowers)
Step One
This is the wire all your flowers will be attached to. There are a few ways you can determine how long you want it to be. 1. Measure the 22 gauge wire (the thicker one) around your head. Wrap around two to three times. Before you cut, you’re going to want to make sure the crown is a little bigger than your head because it shrinks every time you twist the flowers around it. 2. Starting from behind one ear, hold the wire and wrap it around the front of your head where you think the crown would sit most comfortably. With your fingers, hold the wire where you will cut it. If your wire is a little longer than what you measure after you cut it, that’s fine because part of the ends will be twisted and tied with the ribbon that will size the rest of your crown.
Kaela Bernardino/The Minaret
Step Two
Make the cut. We tried scissors, but wire cutters are ideal. You can get them at any hardware or craft store for around $3 to $4. Twist the end of the wire around the main body of the crown leaving a loop at each end to attach your connector or ribbon to. Make sure that you do not leave any sharp edges sticking out. If you’re nervous about these, use the ribbon to wrap around it and keep it hidden.
Step Three
Time to prep your flowers. You can make your crown with any size flowers. This is also when you decide whether or not you want the leaves to be included on the crown. We suggest holding your selections along your crown’s body
Actress on the Rise: Nicola Peltz
By SAMMI BRENNAN
Arts + Entertainment Writer
Don’t let her small size fool you; Nicola Peltz is as tough as they come. After deliberation, Peltz chose the life of an actress instead of pursuing a career as a professional ice hockey player. The actress currently plays a mentally unstable teenager on the A&E horror series Bates Motel. Later this year, she will star in the drama Affluenza as well as in the long-awaited Transformers: Age of Extinction.
Transformers/Facebook
Nicola Peltz stars in the new Transformers film.
In 2006, Peltz made her first onscreen debut as Mackenzie in the family comedy Deck the Halls. Two years later, Peltz starred as Becki in the 2008 comedy Harold. In-between roles, she claimed a part in the offBroadway production of Blackbird opposite Jeff Daniels and Alison Pill. She even grabbed a small part in the Miley Cyrus video “7 Things,” in which she clutches a white teddy bear and looks grimly at the camera. In 2010, her athleticism would come in handy when she scored her claim to fame role as Katara in M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender. Longing for this role ever since she saw the television series, Peltz trained for five months in the arts of Tai Chi and Kung Fu. In 2012, she starred in the drama Eye of the Hurricane. In Bates Motel, a modern-day prequel of Alfred Hitchcock’s Pyscho, Peltz plays the character of Bradley who is placed in an insane asylum after the death of her father drives her to attempt suicide. In the drama Affluenza, influenced by the classic novel The Great Gatsby, Peltz will play Kate Miller. In Transformers: Age of Extinction, she will play the daughter of automobile mechanic Cade Yeager, played by Mark Wahlberg. Their discovery will attract the Autobots, the Decepticons and the government to their front door. Transformers opens on June 17 and Affluenza opens July 11. Sammi Brennan can be reached at samantha.brennan@spartans.ut.edu
to see what looks right, how they fit together and what order you want to go in if you’re using more than one kind of flower.
Step Four
Hold your first flower closest to the crown’s body. Begin to twist the stem around the crown, and wrap the 26 gauge wire around both the stem and body, which will hold it in place. This is why we do not want the stems to be very long. Again, make sure not to leave any sharp edges. Repeat until you have the look that you desire, but make sure you take your time to look at what you’ve done. You can put as little or as many flowers as you want; do whatever you think looks good.
Step Six (Optional)
After we finished making the crowns, they still looked like they needed something extra. We decided to go for more of a Sleeping Beauty look, taking two color ribbons that complement the colors of the flowers, wrapping them around the crown’s body. However, you probably won’t run in to this problem if you have a very full crown.
Step Seven
Channel your inner princess, and rock this awesome flower crown next time you’re at the beach, a concert or a festival. Kaela Bernardino can be reached at kaela.bernardino@spartans.ut.edu Brianna Kwasnik can be reached at brianna.kwasnik@spartans.ut.edu
THE MINARET | APRIL 10 2014
Opinion
11
Students Petition for Class ‘Trigger’ Warnings By ELIZABETH ROCKETT Opinion Writer
“Warning: explicit content” is a disclaimer that we see frequently on websites, albums and before movies and TV shows. Recently, students have begun to address their issues with being exposed to emotionally distressing content or ”triggers” in college classrooms. Students at the University of California Santa Barbara drafted a petition in hopes that warnings of emotionally distressing subject matter will be provided on class syllabi and that students will be given excused absences if they feel the subject matter could trigger emotional distress, reported the LA Times. Building these elements into syllabi and allowing students to miss classes due to potentially distressing subject matter is extreme and could be dealt with in a much more discreet way, such as personal conversations between students and professors. Students could also take advantage of this opportunity in order to get out of class. “I think education means stretching one’s boundaries, examining one’s preexisting attitudes,” said psychology professor Deletha Hardin. “If a person decides to keep all the values and attitudes he/she arrived at with at college, then so be it. … For the students who have experienced trauma, I would hope that judicious use of warnings, however they are conveyed, will serve to help them make decisions for themselves.” Leaving one’s comfort zone is one of the many ways we grow as college students and mature into
adults. It is important to know about the world around us, especially the negative aspects, even if we may not be comfortable with what we learn. Being exposed to distressing topics may hold even more value than our traditional courses. Learning about sensitive topics is uncomfortable in the moment, but the skills we learn from distressing situations and how to deal with them are very important elements when it comes to educating ourselves to survive in the real world. “I don’t think we can avoid every potential trigger in the world,” Hardin said. “What upsets one student may not upset the rest.” It is important that professors recognize this, and based on my experience, I feel that they do. I have received warnings and reminders from multiple professors regarding the content that would be discussed in the following class. For example, in my Human Sexual Behavior class we are exposed to many different forms of sexuality all around the world. Unfortunately one of the topics we covered this past semester was genital mutilation. During the class before the lecture that covered genital cutting--as well as before the lecture began that day-my professor gave us a heads up so that we wouldn’t be blindsided by such a graphic conversation. This is a quick and casual way professors can communicate with their students and avoid discomfort the day of an intense lecture. It is also important to keep in mind that UC Santa Barbara is a much larger school than UT. With almost triple the
WARNING The following content contains graphic material that may be disturbing to some viewers. Discretion is advised.
Jessica Keesee/The Minaret
UC Santa Barbara students petition for warnings of emotionally distressing subject matter in classes
amount of undergraduate students, it may be somewhat difficult for professors to communicate with students about sensitive subjects that will be covered. According to Hardin, however, it should be up to the student to do some digging into the syllabus and textbook to see if the class in which they have enrolled is right for them. Students shouldn’t enter a classroom without knowing some of the topics that are going to be covered. After all, we sign up for our courses, so if we don’t like or feel comfortable with or interested in the topics, there is no point in taking these classes at all. We have all been through distressing
times of grief and pain, but it is our duty to move forward from these incidences and make ourselves stronger. For example, while sitting through a class that focuses on sexual assault may be extremely difficult for a student who has been sexually assaulted, continuing to avoid the topic is not beneficial in the long run. The students at UC Santa Barbara should try to discover the values in learning about distressing topics instead of finding yet another excuse to make our generation ignorant and fearful of the world we live in. Elizabeth Rockett can be reached at elizabeth.rockett@spartans.ut.edu
Middle School Bans Leggings: Male Students ‘Distracted’
By VANESSA RIGHEIMER Opinion Columnist
Breaking the school’s dress code is one of the many rites of passage required in adolescence. At least that’s what I thought when I wore my Abercrombie & Fitch mini skirt to seventh grade homeroom. Following my poor attempt of showing off my bony assets, I was asked to change in to my XXL gym uniform for the remainder of the day. Spaghetti straps, halter tops and short shorts were the banned dress code items many of my female peers were found guilty of wearing. So when a news story recently came out about leggings being banned at a middle school close to my hometown, I didn’t think much of it. I couldn’t understand how a dress code put in place by Haven Middle School in Evanston, Ill. could become such a hot topic of some of the nation’s most popular news sources including The Huffington Post and USA Today. But as it turns out, some of the Evanston community did take offense to this dress code change, and on March 18, over 500 students signed a petition to lift the ban on leggings under reasons that the rule was sexist and endorsed rape culture, according to the Evanston Review. Personally, I find this protest that is fueled under claims of feminism to be absolutely ridiculous. Of course, I would never condone a male using the reason of how a girl was dressed as an excuse to rape her. But in a middle school setting where hormones are literally steaming off students with a mixture of Axe body spray and Proactiv
solution, I think it’s a reasonable action made by school administration to prevent such distractions between female and male students Haven Middle School parents Juliet and Kevin Bond sent a letter to the school’s principal which said, “This policy clearly shifts the blame for boy’s behavior or lack of academic concentration, directly onto the girls,” according to The Huffington Post. I find that the parents are being completely ignorant to the fact that this rule has mainly been made to prevent distractions, not to punish anyone. Distraction in a classroom due to a person’s apparel can be brought on by many things. T-shirts with derogatory statements are usually banned because classmates will undoubtedly focus on the content of the message. Baseball caps are banned so teachers can have full vision of a student’s face to be sure they aren’t dozing off in class. And at an age where boys and girls are going through puberty, is it such a surprise that boys would be distracted by specific parts of a girl’s body highlighted in certain types of clothing? No, and in fact, it should be expected. Because of this, it’s necessary for school administration to remove variables such as baseball caps and cleavage-baring apparel in order to maintain academic attention amongst an easily distracted student body. Haven Middle School Principal Kathy Roberson reiterated this in her response to the concerned parents’ letter, stating, “It has been communicated to students that ‘if leggings are worn, a shirt, shorts,
Casey Budd/The Minaret
School’s new dress code is accused of promoting rape culture by shifting blame of boys’ behavior onto girls.
or skirt worn over them must be fingertip length.’ At Haven, dress and appearance are important components of an overall positive and respectful learning environment,” according to The Huffington Post. Feminism is the belief that men and women should share equal rights. Dress code rules about leggings are aimed toward girls, but if boys were to take advantage of that fashion fad, they would certainly be reprimanded by school administration as well. Claiming that a dress code rule endorses rape culture is taking that feminist argument way too far and out
of context. Having non-consensual sex with an individual and blaming your actions on the way your victim is dressed is, without an argument, rape. However, looking at a girl’s butt is not rape. The policy put in place by Haven Middle School is not sexist nor does it endorse rape culture. The school administration made the right decision to create a respectful and positive learning experience by removing possible distractions that could prevent such an environment. Vanessa Righeimer can be reached at vanessa.righeimer@spartans.ut.edu
12 APRIL 10 2014 | THE MINARET
OPINION
Dermablend ‘Honest’ Ads Show a Different Side of Makeup By AVERY TWIBLE Opinion Columnist
Imagine you have severe acne and maybe you have suffered with it for years. Nothing you do and no medication you take helps it. Every time you try to have a conversation with someone, it’s obvious they are staring at your skin, not your eyes. Now imagine there is a product that you can use to completely cover up your acne, a product that allows people to see you for you, masking the distraction. Wouldn’t you use this product? Agence Tuxedo of Dermablend Professional makeup gives people who suffer mild to severe skin disorders just this opportunity. They have created new, honest advertisements featuring people with skin disorders who give you an inside look at the suffering they’ve been through and explain how makeup has the potential to change lives. The ads are refreshingly real and personal. They show a different side of makeup use, considering people with mild to severe skin conditions who are depreciated and alienated by society for looking different, according to AdWeek. These advertisements can be an eye-opener to people who are lucky enough to not understand the suffering that comes with skin disorders. I’ve personally known many people with perfect skin who have thought this way, and they often think people who wear a lot of makeup are vain. If you’re one of these people, I ask you to please watch these advertisements and get a feel of what some individuals, including myself, suffer through every day, the only relief coming from makeup. The unfortunate reality is that society judges people based off appearance. I’ve been criticized for using too much makeup, but then I have to suffer through the disgusted looks I get when people see my exposed, acne-ridden skin. It often feels like a nowin situation. Makeup companies advertise
their products by promising a “natural look,” but sometimes the “natural” they advertise is not attainable for me. My “natural” is a face full of acne, and all I’m searching for is a product that can help me cover it up. Dermablend’s new advertisements use real people with real problems to show that it’s okay to use makeup to cover up what’s natural if what’s natural is causing you pain. Spoiler alert: It’s certainly not the perfect look other companies claim it is. Dermablend’s new ads feature the “camo confessions” of Cassandra Bankson and Cheri Lindsay, who have severe acne and vitiligo (a skin pigmentation disorder) respectively, according to Shape.
[
the real her without the distraction of her skin. Lindsay’s camo confession starts similarly. As she faces the camera, she removes her makeup with a towel to reveal her multicolored skin. Where her skin was once all black, she now has blotches of white, due to her skin pigmentation disorder. She recalls times when little kids would point at her face and say, “What’s wrong with that woman?” “I chose to just find an alternative, something that I could put on my face that could help people to look through the initial shock of ‘oh, okay half her face is white but she’s a black girl’… something that people could look completely through it and see like who I was as a person,
Dermablend’s new advertisements use real people with real problems to show it’s okay to use makeup to cover up what’s natural if it’s causing you pain.
In the first camo confession, Bankson, a YouTube star who is known for her makeup tutorials, appears on screen with her makeup fully done. She then bravely removes her makeup with a towel, revealing skin covered in severe acne and scars. Now bearing all in front of the camera, she explains that she got acne in the third grade and it got progressively worse as time passed, prompting kids to call her names like “freak of nature or exorcist.” She tears up as she recalls how one bully even told her “it was a good thing [her grandfather] was dying because he would never have to see her face again.” Her acne was acting as a barrier between her and the rest of the world, preventing people from getting to know her because of the shock and distraction that came when people saw her skin. She explains how acne is a part of her, and although she covers that part up, it is in doing so that allows the world a chance to see
]
and it made me a little bit more approachable.” Instead of being seen by the world as a freak or having people be too distracted by her skin to have a conversation with her, she chooses to use makeup in an attempt to be someone other than the girl with the skin pigment disorder. Just like Bankson, covering up her skin allowed the world a chance to see the real her. As someone who has suffered from extreme acne their entire life, waves of bitter spite shudderthroughmewhenIcomeacrossmakeup advertisements featuring flawless women. These perfect women probably have a meltdown when they get one blemish on their face, yet they get dolled up by a team of makeup artists and Photoshopped to remove any possible flaws. And then they have the audacity to try to sell me drugstore makeup telling me I can look perfect like them. Of course, the models are not actually to blame. I can only be mad at these companies
(whose products will undoubtedly give me no salvation) that advertise a pure beauty solution. Dermablend makeup is different. Finally, a makeup company has released advertisements with imperfect people selling a product that isn’t promising perfection, just an opportunity to feel more confident. Meigan Montoya, a senior writing major, has suffered from eczema for most of her life. During her sophomore year, the pollen in the area got so bad that it made her eczema worsen, and her face broke out into embarrassing red rashes. “I performed for years and the makeup I’d use to cover my face was sometimes caked on from the excessive redness I had,” Montoya said. “People think makeup is trashy if used in––what they don’t understand is that without it, we’re targets, and it’s hard.” All my life I’ve had to make the decision of leaving my acne exposed at the risk of people being disgusted by it or choosing to put on layer after layer of makeup and risk their judgmental glares for wearing it. Many people say not to care what others think, but I suspect these people have never experienced a conversation where someone can’t focus on the words coming out of your mouth because they’re too distracted by the marks on your skin. When I see makeup ads, I’m not looking for already flawless people wearing the product--that’s obviously not going to help me. Dermablend has done something I have never seen another makeup company do. They have made advertisements showing real issues that are commonly faced by many people, and I think the ads are going to be a wild success. Both Bankson and Lindsay’s videos have nearing two million views each on YouTube. If you want real people to buy your makeup, prove that real people use it. Avery Twible can be reached at avery. twible@spartans.ut.edu
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THE MINARET | APRIL 10 2014
OPINION
13
Fan Undergoes Plastic Surgery to Resemble JLaw By CAITLIN MALONE Opinion Writer
“Girls see enough of this body that we can’t imitate, that we’ll never be able to obtain, these unrealistic expectations. It’s better to look strong and healthy,” Jennifer Lawrence told People. Award-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence has always been a strong advocate for loving your body the way it is and not giving in to the overwhelming amount of pressure society places on womentolookperfect.Shewants other women to love how they look just the way she does. But it seems that not all of her fans have taken her message to heart. A recent article on Buzzfeed told the story of a 30-year-old Texan woman (identifying herself as “Kitty”) who underwent six plastic surgery procedures to look like 23-year-old Jennifer Lawrence. The surgeries included liposuction of her face and body, a nose job, breast augmentation and adding fat to her behind and cheeks. These procedures took a total of six hours and cost her $25,000. While I am a firm believer in getting cosmetic work done to feel better about yourself, I also think that it is possible to take things too far. And that is exactly what Kitty did. Besides, she didn’t look anything like Jennifer Lawrence before these surgeries, and she definitely doesn’t look like her now. Has the public’s obsession with celebrities’ appearances gone too far? Dr. Franklin Rose, Kitty’s surgeon, said that it’s not unusual for patients to bring in images of “any number of well-known celebrities like Angelina Jolie, Scarlett Johansson and Megan Fox,” according to Buzzfeed. Sometimes he even has to turn patients away because they seem “psychologically unsound.” I wonder how he judged Kitty’s psychological state. In 2013, 15,116,353 cosmetic procedures were performed globally. This number includes minimally invasive surgeries like Botox and laser hair removal, according to plasticsurgery.org. “The reason why I decided to get surgery is because post having my daughter, I wasn’t quite as comfortable with my body,” Kitty said. “I don’t think you have
informoverload 2/YouTube
Lawrence often advocates for young girls to learn to love their bodies, but her words seem to fall on deaf ears. Super fan Kitty spent $25,000 to look like the actress.
to be crazy to want to look better or feel better about yourself. That’s not crazy.” I agree that wanting to feel better about your body is definitely not crazy. Thousands of women feel this way. In fact, 91 percent of women are unhappy with their bodies, according to dosomething.org. What’s crazy is spending thousands of dollars on plastic surgery to look like a celebrity. “What this woman did is not something I would do, but we are not in any position to judge her,” said Molly Bastow, a freshman pre-nursing major. “Although she may have gone to extremes, most women alter their appearance in some way every day. … We shouldn’t judge other women for trying to feel better about themselves.” I agree with Bastow to an extent, but it was the extreme measures Kitty had taken in order to look like Jennifer Lawrence that crossed the line for me. After enduring six hours of surgery, “I feel
MINACOMICS
like I got run over by a truck,” Kitty said. But hey, at least she looks more like Jennifer Lawrence. She went through all of that pain, time and money just to feel better about her body.There has to be some other way to boost self-confidence. Research has shown that putting these skinny, flawless celebrities out there as models for the ideal body image tends to make the majority of women feel negative about their bodies in some way, according to Shape magazine. Our culture perpetuates the criticism of women’s appearances and this begins at a very young age. “It’s really no surprise that we walk around judging ourselves and other women since we are surrounded by these messages,” said Jennifer Lombardi, executive director of Sacramento-based Eating Recovery Center, according to Shape. But there are other ways to boost your self-confidence other than undergoing major surgery. In a poll conducted by Shape, women
shared the little things they do to help them feel more confident about the way they look. They mentioned things like wearing a bit more makeup than usual, wearing sexy underwear, going for a run, staying away from the computer for a bit or having sex. These are simple things we can do to make ourselves feel beautiful instead of letting our outer beauty be determined by those around us. There is so much judgment placed on women’s appearances, but we need to be strong enough to own the way we look despite such negativity. If you feel overweight or don’t like that bump on your nose, there is nothing wrong with getting some plastic surgery in order to boost your self-confidence, but with all these other options, these dangerous surgeries should be a last resort. And undergoing six surgeries and dropping $25k to look like a celebrity is completely unreasonable. Caitlin Malone can be reached at caitlin. malone@spartans.ut.edu
Former NASA Scientist Creates Real Invisibility Cloak
14 APRIL 10 2014 | THE MINARET
OPINION
Should Consumers Boycott a Company for CEO’s Beliefs? By TERRY PRESTON Opinion Columnist
Our generation has a passion for boycotts. Not unlike the Boston Tea Party, modern consumers are known to refuse the consumption of products if they don’t agree with a company’s morals. However, rather than dumping these products into the harbor, we spread our views in waves through social media. OkCupid, the online dating site, has asked its users to boycott the web browser Mozilla Firefox for its CEO’s anti-gay beliefs. Brendan Eich, Mozilla’s former CEO, previously made a donation to the state of California’s Proposition 8 (the bill proposing a ban on same-sex marriage) in 2008, according to ReCode.net. When light was shed on this, OkCupid took action. Users logging on to the site using Firefox were taken to a page that presented statements against Eich and asked they log on to OkCupid using a different browser. “I won’t ever use [Firefox],” said Holly Richardson, a senior writing major. “Why support an organization that’s so anti-gay?” Eich has since stepped down due to the backlash Firefox received. However, there is much more to a company than one employee’s political stances. Companies have fallen out of favor with the public and rebuilt their reputation in the past, and it will happen again. Chik-fil-A was recently under fire after the company made donations to various antigay organizations. Before long, individuals were urging for boycotts nationwide, and the cause even made its way to our campus with demonstrations by GLTBSA. I’m gay and I am not ashamed to say that I still eat at Chik-fil-A. Every bite of a chicken sandwich in no way makes me feel
Online dating service OkCupid asked its users to boycott web browser Mozilla Firefox for having a CEO with homophobic beliefs.
as though I am wronging gay people. Rather, I feel joy, because it’s delicious and I love it. I don’t hold their stances on gay rights against them because everyone is entitled to their own opinions. Of course I disagree, but I still want my chicken sandwich. The Chik-fil-A situation sheds light on what happens when you choose to boycott an organization. When its political stances were given public attention, many were willing to go to war over the source of each other’s chicken nuggets. Those who are against the company’s views were still spreading one name: Chikfil-A. The same amount of attention was given to the company by those in support of their political stance. As a result, the general public all had one business name on their minds. Any press is good press, and the organization reaped the benefits of media attention. Chikfil-A was no longer just a fast food chain but a statement and representation of individual
beliefs. As a result, Firefox will follow the same suit. By urging users to stray away from Firefox, OkCupid will instead be placing a much stronger media focus on Firefox. When any press is, indeed, good press, the internet browser will undoubtedly reap the benefits of having a place in the public’s mind. Firefox is the next organization that everyone will love to hate. The situations between Chik-fil-A and Firefox differ, however, because of who made their political statements. Chik-fil-A acted as an organization. Firefox was spoken for on behalf of the CEO. As a result, the public became outraged with the entire organization, holding Firefox accountable for one staff member’s point of view. “If we’re boycotting a company because their ‘whoever’ is anti-gay, then that’s just as bad as someone boycotting a company because their CEO is gay,” said Kara Delemeester, a
sophomore secondary education major. “It’s the exact same concept.” Delemeester is correct. There is a difference between an individual and a corporation. In this situation, OkCupid is essentially pointing fingers without any probable cause. Rather, it is much more on par with high school drama between opposing cliques. If there is anything we have learned, it is that modern, mediadriven boycotts do not work in bringing down a business. If you disagree with the beliefs of an organization, it is your right to deny that company your business. However, that is as far as one should take their efforts. Stay strong in your own opinions, but practice alternative methods to share your views. Do not rally against your less-favored company. Rather, show additional support to the alternative—a hint of positivity can go a long way. Terry Preston can be reached at terrence. preston@spartans.ut.edu
Met’s Player Criticized for Taking Paternity Leave
By JAKE KONISZEWSKI Opinion Columnist
I may not be a parent, but I’m confident that it is one of the hardest jobs around. It combines the roles of teacher, chauffeur, doctor, security guard and chef all in to one position. It can be even more difficult when taking care of a newborn. That’s why I was disgusted by the comments made by CBS NFL analyst and radio host Boomer Esiason, his co-host Craig Carton and radio host (of a separate show) Mike Francesa. On Wednesday, April 2, during their radio show Boomer & Carton, Esiason and Carton discussed how New York Mets second baseman Daniel Murphy took off the first two games of the season to be with his wife, who had just given birth. “I wouldn’t do that,” said Esiason, a former football player, regarding Murphy’s time off. “Quite frankly, I would have said C-section before the season starts. I need Opening Day. I’m sorry. This is what makes our money. This is how we’re going to live our life.” I’m not a woman, so I will (thankfully) never have to experience the pain of childbirth. That being said, I imagine it must take a lot of energy out of the mother. It may be easy for Esiason to suggest a C-section since he’s not the one getting cut open, but a woman has the right to decide how to give birth to her child. I mean, it is coming out of her. “A purely elective (C-Section) … someone who says ‘I don’t want to labor,’ I mean, that’s not that common, and that’s really still very much discouraged,” said Dr. Lynn Friedman, an OB/GYN at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, according to CNN. I think I’d rather listen to a doctor about birthing advice than a sports radio host. Also, Murphy plays sports professionally for a living. I doubt money is an issue.
tavolina/YouTube
Radio host Mike Francesa made outrageous comments about Met’s player Daniel Murphy taking time off the season to be home with his newborn child.
“You get your ass back to your team and you play baseball. That’s my take on it. There’s nothing you can do anyway. You’re not breastfeeding the kid,” Carton said, according to Newsday. Saying that there is nothing a father can do is completely false. While a nurse can help while the mother and child are in the hospital, what about after they come home? Raising a child is a joint effort. It does not fall under the responsibility of the mother just because she gave birth to the child. I am not saying one parent cannot raise a child on his or her own, but he or she should not have to if the other parent is still in the picture. Taking care of a child is no easy task. Carton also underestimates the emotional power of just being there for the mother. I know that I have gone through moments in my life,
both positive and negative, where I have felt stronger thanks to being surrounded by friends and family. CNN pointed out that there are over 160 games in a season. Two games are not a significant dent. I don’t see how Carton can think baseball is more important than raising a child. “I don’t know why you need three days off. You see the birth and you get back,” Francesa said during his radio show, according to Newsday. He did add that he understood taking one game off to see the birth. However, he added, “Harrison (one of his children) was born at nine in the morning, and I worked that day.” When he found out his company allowed fathers ten days of paternity leave, he called it “a scam-and-a-half.” I am sorry he feels that his coworkers are trying to cheat the company by
being decent fathers. This mentality of men going to work and women staying home with the child is such an outdated thought. Babies are not conquest trophies or living proof you got laid. They are living, breathing people who need help to survive, and it is a hell of a lot of work for one person to do. Esiason did make an apology on his show and even tried to deliver an apology personally to Murphy, according to CNN. But I did not see any apologies from Carton or Francesa. Even if they did apologize, the damage has been done. If you have a child, please do all the work you can to aid your partner in raising the child. Not only will it save your partner a lot of stress, but it’s the right thing to do as a parent. Jake Koniszewski can be reached at john. koniszewski@spartans.ut.edu
OPINION
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16 APRIL 10 2014| THE MINARET
Sports
Cheripko Plays Pivotal Role in Inaugural Season By PAIGE SHALLCROSS Sports Writer
As the inaugural season of the women’s lacrosse team continues, standout players have started to come forward and be recognized for their talent. One individual who has developed into a very important player for the Spartans is freshman midfielder Morgan Cheripko. As a freshman, Cheripko came to Tampa with a very strong and successful high school lacrosse background. Cheripko didn’t only play lacrosse in high school either; she has been playing for years, and after deciding to attend the University of Tampa and join the lacrosse team, her talent has been able to grow even more. “I started playing lacrosse in third grade,” Cheripko said. “I had to lie and say I was twins with my sister because only fourth graders were allowed to play at the time. Later on I played on the varsity squad for four years in high school.” While in high school, Cheripko received the Jaguar Award, was named MVP for the 2011, 2012 and 2013 seasons, was named the best attack player in 2012 and ended her career with 246 goals, 198 assists, 528 draw controls and an 85 percent shooting percentage. With this talent, choosing to play at Tampa had a lot to do with the school and the opportunities offered here for athletics. “I decided to play for Tampa when Coach G [Gallagher] contacted me while I was playing for my club team,” Cheripko said. “Once I came for a visit,
I fell in love with the school and the athletic facilities. So I knew I wanted to come here to play.” Another deciding factor for Cheripko was the idea that she was going to be apart of the first women’s lacrosse team here at Tampa. “I love being a part of the inaugural women’s lacrosse team,” Cheripko said. “It’s very exciting to know we are making history. I think our season is going great. We, so far, have six wins and that’s great for a first year program. We are definitely improving each game.” Because this is the first season for the Spartans, there is a lot to build on in the upcoming seasons and seasons in the future. But with the path they are currently on, a lot can definitely be accomplished. “I am looking forward to seeing our team progress into something really great over the next few years,” Cheripko said. “Also something really exciting is we are officially going to be apart of a conference starting next spring.” One of the main ways the team will really be able to grow and develop in their future seasons is due to the support they get from each other. Just like any sport, teamwork is key to reach and accomplish goals. Teamwork also supplies the backbone for every player to improve and that is one of the reasons why Cheripko enjoys being apart of the Spartan team. “I would definitely have to say a lot of it (why I love playing at Tampa) has to do with my teammates,” Cheripko said. “They are the ones that motivate
Photo courtesy of Tom Kolbe
Freshman Morgan Cheripko has stepped up in a big way on a young Spartan lacrosse team.
me each game and get me pumped, as well as my coaches and athletic trainers. Without them I wouldn’t be the player I am right now.” With a successful inaugural season, a strong desire to grow as a player and a great support system, Cheripko has had the best backbone to develop into the player she currently is becoming but she really cares a lot about her teammates
which shows how close the new team is with each other. “I would have to say my favorite thing about playing lacrosse is being a part of family that is always there for you,” Cheripko said. “I couldn’t ask for a better group of girls to be my teammates.” Paige Shallcross can be reached at paige.shallcross@spartans.ut.edu
Women’s Golf Team Prepares for SSC Championship By GRANT PAWLAK Sports Writer
The Women’s golf team started this year strong at the Florida Gulf Coast Invitational, coming in seventh with a lineup featuring two freshmen and three newcomers. The Spartans shot rounds of 328 and 325 rounding off at a total score of 653. Sophomore Fatin Amin was the top golfer during the game and was able to shoot rounds of 80 and 82 to a respectable total of 162, coming in 32nd place. However, freshman Grace Ziamandanis was able to shoot the best overall round for UT with a score of 79 on Monday, coming in 35th overall with a score of 164. “The season is going very well so far,” Manarik said. “We are a brand new team at the university, so we do not have much experience, but this year could not have been better for us as a team builder.” The team was then graced with a long break from their regular tournaments, finally going up against some of the nation’s top NCAA Division II teams at the Guy Harvey Invitational in early October. The Spartans were able to place 16th, registering scores of 337 and 353 adding to a total score of 690. UT’s top player for the game was senior Jenee Vanderstyne, who shot rounds of 85 and 87, finishing in 73rd place with a total of 172. The top round for Tampa came from Amin, who shot 82 on Monday and had a total of 174. The Spartan lineup also featured freshman Grace Schian, Manarik and the aforementioned Ziamandis. “I think that this season was an
Photo courtesy of Tampa Spartans
Brittany Bradshaw and the rest of the women’s golf team are extremely focused as the season culminates.
amazing building year,” Schian said. “I think that our team has built an amazing foundation going into next year because we’re only losing one player. We have three players with experience going into conference and I think they’re going to help lead us freshmen to the best finish in conference we’ve ever had since the start of the women’s golf program three years ago.” The Spartans were able to place 15th at the Saint Leo invitational with scores of 342 and 332 totaling to a nice score of 674. Schian and Ziamandanis shot 160 and 167 respectively, with Schian finishing 39th overall. Schian’s second-round marked the Spartans’ lowest round with a score of 79. Brittany Bradshaw,
Vanderstyne and Amin were also competing in the lineup for the Spartans. “We have had a blast all year with the trips and tournaments around Florida, and it has made us closer as a team and given us a better team dynamic,” Manarik said. “We got to know each other very well and spend so much time with one another, and I would not trade that team bonding for anything.” The fall season for the women’s golf team was wrapped up with a ninth-place finish at the Flagler Invitational. UT was able to shoot a 653 in the two-round event, with Ziamandanis as the top performer with scores of 79 and 80, totaling to 159 finishing 22nd overall. Schian registered as the top round performer for Tampa with a score of
78 on Monday and was able to finish with a score of 162, coming in 32nd overall. The Spartans opened their spring season at the Florida Southern Invitational finishing 12th overall shooting 344 and 330 to total in at 674 points. Ziamandanis led the Spartans with a total score of 164 and shot 82 in both rounds, placing 44th overall. Bradshaw, Schian, Vanderstyne and Manarik also represented UT at the Invitational. The Spartans then went on to place 16th overall at the FSC Invitational. The Spartans finished the three-round event with a total score of 998 with round of 339, 334 and 325. Amin shot a 78 in both the second and third rounds and lead the Spartans with a total score of 244, finishing 63rd overall. The Spartans then went on to place 11th at the Rollins Invite with a total score of 996 for the three round event. Ziamandanis led the way with a total score of 245, coming in at 42nd place. The Spartans’ last tournament was the Cincinnati Invitational, in which the Spartans finished in 14th place with a final score of 993. Amin was the top golfer with a total score of 246. With only three matches left, the spring season is coming to a close. The Spartans are headed towards the SSC Championships and later hope to make it to the NCAA Super Regional and the NCAA Championships. With the season heating up to a dramatic close, the Spartans have a lot to look forward to and a lot to prepare for. Grant Pawlak can be reached at grant. pawlak@spartans.ut.edu
SPORTS
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Friday Night Heat: Trey Oest Steps Up in Big Games By TESS SHEETS Sports Writer
For many collegiate baseball teams, Friday night games serve as the most challenging and the most crucial matches of the season. Luckily for the Spartans, sophomore pitcher Trey Oest has brought an essential measure of skill and personality to become the team’s top starting pitcher. “Trey is our number one pitcher, our Friday night guy,” senior third baseman Tyler Ding said. “That’s the big guy who you ride, who usually carries the team. He has a good team attitude and he’s always positive.” As a transfer student from the University of Virginia (UVA), it’s apparent that Oest’s experience as a starter in a Division I program has earned him a position of leadership amongst players and coaches. “He’s got a bulldog attitude, he takes charge on the mound, he throws any pitch for a strike, and he’s just off to a really good start for us,” Coach Joe Urso said. “The team looks to him for that leadership, coming from a big time program like Virginia, and I think they have that respect for him as he was a starter for one of the top DI teams in the country.”
Although his significant background has given him the credentials to play in a top program such as UT’s, Oest has gained the trust of his teammates primarily through his display of skills. “He definitely leads much more by example,” freshman pitcher Logan LaPace said. “When he goes out there on Friday nights and he’s on his A-game and he’s shoving against St. Leo or some other big team, everyone feeds off that and everyone is able to get in the game a lot easier when he’s on the mound.” Oest proved that he has the skill level to take his team to the national championship once again in a game against Rollins College on March 14. “My complete game at Rollins was my best game this season,” Oest said. “I threw a nine-inning shutout game. My team gave me the runs that we needed and they played great defense behind me, which is all you can ask for as a pitcher.” To stay calm on the mound during every match and to keep his team working efficiently behind him, Oest tries to maintain a good attitude despite any undesirable circumstances. By doing this, he hopes the flow of the team will continue to run smoothly
BIO BLAST Trey Oest Starting Pitcher #25 Hometown: Brandon, Fla. Height/Weight: 6’3, 205 pounds 2013 Stats Record: 7-0 IP: 51.0 Strikeouts: 44 Walks: 6 ERA: 2.47 Opp. Avg: .215
Photo courtesy of Tampa Spartans
Oest has been a workhorse for the team all season long, delivering big performances in pivotal games.
into the postseason. “I stay positive most of the time and that brings good vibes around the team,” Oest said. “I’m never really negative because you don’t want to bring that around a team ever. Hopefully I will just continue to go out there and just pitch the way I’ve been pitching and continue to win games, and I just ask the guys to keep doing what they’re doing.” For Urso, Oest is the embodiment of the optimal starting pitcher. Not only does he have the confidence necessary to carry a team, but he also provides the crucial talent to win games. “In any starter, you’re looking for a pitcher to give you enough innings to give your team a chance to win and
he does that,” Urso said. “He keeps us in the ball game every week and that’s all you can ask from your starter. You look at numbers and they’re scoring three or less runs every time out, so any time that is happening, you have a good chance to win a ball game.” In the end, the team’s primary objective is to win another national title. With the leadership of Oest, it is promising that this will be accomplished. “Our goal is to win it all again and him being the number one, we rely on him to get the first win,” Ding said. “I don’t think he has a loss this year, he’s all wins. Trey will definitely allow us to get to the national championships again.” Tess Sheets can be reached at therese. sheets@spartans.ut.edu
Students Use Various Workout Routines to Stay Fit
By GRIFFIN GUINTA Asst. Sports Editor
Summer is approaching quickly, which for many students means utilizing their newly found free time to get in shape. The beautiful thing about working out is that everyone has different personal goals and aspirations. Whether you’re a novice to exercise or a seasoned veteran at the gym, these tips might just inspire you to change up your routine.
Photo courtesy of Drew Pesale
“Human Flagging” is a common staple in Pesale’s workout routine. The exercise builds upper body strength and requires intense focus and perseverance.
Photo courtesy of Brandon Zimmerman
BRANDON ZIMMERMAN
Senior Performing Arts Major “The Balanced Workout” Minaret: Can you give us an overview of your diet? Brandon Zimmerman: I eat a pretty healthy diet mostly fruits, veggies and a ton of white meat chicken. I try to eat as often as I can, but not snack on foods that are high in sugar and artificial ingredients. I try to stick to eating something every two hours as to keep my body going. M: Can you give us your signature workout? BZ: A body weight exercise focusing on three different styles of push ups, three different core and three different legs all done in sets of three. M: What advice would you give to someone who is just starting to work out? BZ: Don’t be afraid of the gym. Everyone there is working towards the same goal and often times are completely willing to help out. Also, don’t be afraid to lift within your comfort zone. You aren’t going to curl 50 pounds your first time and no one is going to judge you for picking up a 10-pound weight.
Photo courtesy of Andrew Pesale
ANDREW PESALE
Sophomore Excercise Science Major “The Calisthenics Workout” M: Can you give us your signature workout? Drew Pesale: One of my signature workouts is freestyle calisthenics. Calisthenics is a branch of exercise that requires no special equipment and focuses on building with bodyweight exercises. I take at least one day per week to mess around with all the cool movements I can do and see what I need to improve. M: What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before you started working out? DP: One thing I wish someone told me when I first started working out is to listen to what the body tells you. We all follow all of these fad diets and never see the result we want because we listen to an expert over our body. To get more information about this I recommend reading Paul Chek’s “How to Eat, Move and Be Healthy.” M: What advice do you have for people new to working out? DP: The one tip I would give a new comer is make time for mobility and flexibility training. They’re the best for injury prevention and movement quality—which we all need to work on with our sedentary lifestyles.
Photo courtesy of Branden Boston
BRANDEN BOSTON Sophomore Biology Major “The Bulk Up Workout”
M: Can you give us an overview of your diet? Branden Boston: At the moment I’m doing a high-protein diet with a moderate amount of carbohydrates and fats. I eat a lot of chicken from the caf as well as eggs (scrambled and hard-boiled). Most of my carbs are coming from Quaker Whole Grain Old-Fashioned Oatmeal and sweet potatoes. I eat about four meals every day. M: Can you give us your signature workout? BB: I enjoy doing weighted dips and weighted wide-grip pull ups! M: How often do you hit the gym? BB: I work out at the gym about six days a week. Almost every day! M: What advice do you have for people new to working out? BB: Tips for new-comers? Eat plenty and eat right! If you’re getting less than three balanced meals a day then you’re cheating yourself. Griffin Guinta can be reached at griffin. guinta@theminaretonline.com
18 APRIL 10 2014 | THE MINARET
SPORTS
Pro Sports
Keith Allison/Flickr Miami Heat All-Star Lebron James (LEFT) has captured the highly coveted MVP award the past two seasons, but faces hefty competition from Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant (RIGHT).
An MVP Race for the Ages: LeBron James or Kevin Durant? By NATHAN KROHN Sports Writer
Over the past two seasons, the NBA has been about as repetitive as a Die Hard sequel. LeBron James wins the MVP award, LeBron James wins an NBA title and LeBron James wins the Finals MVP. NBA fans have been left with nothing but two choices: either bask in the greatness that is James or continue to hate him for abandoning his team and city on national television. But this year could be different. The threats seem to be increasing when it comes to Miami’s throne. The Indiana Pacers are wiser, more mature and understand they are on an Eastern Conference Finals Game Seven collision course with the Heat. Over in the Western Conference, Kevin Durant has taken his game to nearly unheard of levels in an attempt to snatch the MVP award away from its overbearing owner. This year might not go according to script. Last season, Durant finished as the runner up in the MVP voting. This year, he has increased his assists per game by over a full point while maintaining an impressive .512 field goal percentage and a .412 three point
percentage. However, Durant has captured the basketball world’s attention with his scoring. Averaging just over 28 points per game last season, Durant has upped that average to 32.2 thus far and is currently on a scoring rampage of historical proportions. Durant has scored over 25 points in 39 consecutive games and is rapidly approaching the record of 40 set by Michael Jordan in the 1985-86 campaign. On top of that, he’s put together a streak of 12 consecutive games of 30 points or more in January and has had 10 games of 40 or more points thus far this season. On March 4, James decided to remind everyone why he was the two-time defending MVP winner when he dropped a career high 61 points against the Bobcats. The next night Durant answered with 42 points. Nevertheless, the MVP is not awarded to the player who can score the most points in a game or season but to the best overall performing player and the most valuable player to their team. James is the twotime champion because of his astounding statistical efficiency, which he has continued this season. James is averaging 26.6 PPG, 6.5 assists per game and 7.2 rebounds per game
while shooting over 56 percent from the field. Most seasons, those numbers are a shoe in for the MVP award but with the scoring onslaught Durant has provided this season, the MVP race will go down to the wire. It should be noted that Durant has been without Russell Westbrook for a large portion of the season, which has required him to take over more of the scoring responsibilities. James has had the luxury of Dwayne Wade for most of the season and when Wade has sat out with knee injuries, we’ve seen James willing to take over the scoring load like in the aforementioned Bobcats game. Understandably, it’s irrational to penalize Durant for stepping up and scoring in Westbrook’s absence but the point is that if James had spent much of the season without Wade, he could very well be on a similar type of scoring streak. With all that being said, a honorable mention should be paid to Bulls center Joakim Noah, who has quietly put together a fantastic season worthy of MVP consideration. In a league devoid of James or Durant, Noah might very well be the MVP award winner. Noah averages 12.5 PPG, 11.1 RPG and
5.3 APG and has been the glue that has held the Chicago Bulls not only together, but also in the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference in yet another Derrick Rose-less season. Noah’s ability to fill the stat line in congruence with Venue Information terrific defensive play should put him in third place in the voting. As for Durant vs. James, the script will remain constant. It’s really anybody’s award and in this case the tie goes to the former winner. Durant’s time will come and when it does, we will see Durant write a script similar to James’s that will include multiple MVP awards, championships and finals MVP’s. But that time is not now. As for the 2014 NBA champion, that will be decided between the Pacers and the Heat. Whichever team edges out the other for home court advantage will go on to win Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Finals and go on to beat any combination of either the Spurs, Thunder, Clippers or Trail Blazers in the finals. Nathan Krohn can be reached at nathan.krohn@spartans.ut.edu
SPORTS
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NFL Teams Upgrade and Downgrade During Offseason By JOSIAH KACHELMEYER Sports Writer
As baseball season has now begun, football is the last thing on a lot of sports fans’ minds. However, there has been a lot of action in the past month as NFL teams were looking to cash in on this year’s crop of free agents. As always, there are some big names that will be calling a new place home starting this upcoming fall. Some teams were aggressive with their spending while others took a more laid-back approach. One can never tell what will work until the games are played. Here is a look at the 2014 NFL free agency winners and losers. Winners Jacksonville Jaguars The lowly Jags have impressed many analysts around the league with the players they have signed this spring. It has them thinking this team is headed in the right direction. To improve their defensive line, Jacksonville added three quality starters in defensive end Red Bryant, defensive tackle Ziggy Hood and defensive end Chris Clemons. Underrated linebacker Dekoda Watson and former Vikings backup running back Toby Gerhart were also signed. While not glamorous, the players that the Jags signed will make them a better team in 2014. Tampa Bay Buccaneers The hometown Bucs turned some heads on the first day of free agency by releasing last year’s prized acquisition Darrelle Revis. The team felt the play of Revis last year did not warrant the $96 million contract they gave him prior to last season. After not being
able to trade him and his 2014 salary of $16 million, they decided it was best to cut their losses, take the cap hit and release him altogether. As far as additions to the Buccaneers, new Head Coach Lovie Smith and new General Manager Jason Licht added players who, while not superstars, are solid players that will make the team better. Defensive end Michael Johnson, defensive tackle Clinton McDonald and cornerback Alterraun Verner will improve the defensive side of the ball, while center Evan Dietrich-Smith, offensive tackle Anthony Collins and quarterback Josh McCown will bring valuable veteran experience to the offense.
Losers Dallas Cowboys For a perennial under-performing team such as the Cowboys, the last thing fans want to see is an underwhelming off-season. Unfortunately for Dallas, that’s exactly what it has been thus far. Major salary cap issues forced the Cowboys to release seven-time Pro Bowl defensive end DeMarcus Ware before they could even sign anyone, creating big shoes to fill. The team added defensive tackle Henry Melton, who has flashed talent but tore his ACL last season. Aside from him, only middling defensive talent was added in fellow defensive end Jeremy Mincey and defensive tackle Terrell McClain.
Oakland Raiders/Facebook
Tailback Maurice Jones-Drew is a much needed upgrade for a mediocre Raiders offense.
New Orleans Saints The Saints landed one of the biggest fish in this year’s free agent pool in former Buffalo Bill Jairus Byrd, however, for a team already in salary cap trouble, a six-year, $54 million deal for a safety has many people thinking New Orleans did not spend wisely. In addition to Byrd, the Saints only brought in one new player in former Bucs fullback and fringe starter Erik Lorig. Wait and See Oakland Raiders The Raiders have signed more bigname, free agents this offseason than any team in recent memory. Oakland’s owner Mark Davis has made it clear that there are no more excuses for the losing ways of the silver and black, and General Manager Reggie McKenzie has answered in a big way.The Raiders got the free agency period off to a quick start by adding established veterans such as defensive end Justin Tuck, outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley and offensive tackle Austin Howard all within the first couple of days. The signings of Tuck and Woodley should help out a defensive front seven that struggled mightily last year, while Austin Howard should help shore up a shaky offensive line. Former Bucs offensive tackle Donald Penn was also signed less than a week later. After building up the trenches, the Raiders signed three-time Pro Bowl running back Maurice Jones-Drew and explosive wide receiver James Jones in addition to trading for Houston quarterback Matt Schaub. Josiah Kachelmeyer can be reached at josiah.kachelmeyer@spartans.ut.edu
Marquee Free Agents Bring Hope for Buccaneer Fans in 2014
By JORDAN LLANES Sports Editor
On Jan. 2, the Bucs decided to go back to their glory days of the early 2000s, hiring Lovie Smith, the former head coach of the Chicago Bears in addition to being the linebackers coach under former Bucs coach Tony Dungy. A few days later, Smith and the Glazers, who own the team, tabbed Arizona director of pro personnel Jason Licht to be the team’s new GM. Once Licht and Smith were brought on board, they went to work on molding a new roster which would make Dungy proud. In the opening hours of free agency on March 11, Smith and Licht struck quickly, signing former Bengals defensive end Michael Johnson (five years, $43.75 million), ex-Seahawks defensive tackle Clinton McDonald (four years, $12 million), former Giants tight end Brandon Myers (two years, $4.25 million) and Pro Bowl corner Alterraun Verner, formerly of the Titans, for an absolute steal of a contract (four years, $25.75 million). Not bad for a cornerback who was ranked as the fifth overall corner in all of football last season by Pro Football Focus. This led to the release of Revis. Even though he was rated as PFF’s second best corner last season, Revis was due a $16 million salary next season. Smith and Licht decided to take the money owed to him and spread it around to other areas of need. The next day, the coach-GM combo struck again, inking two players to lead the new offense that is to be installed under coordinator Jeff Tedford: ex-Bears quarterback Josh McCown (two years,
$10 million) and former Bengals offensive tackle Anthony Collins (five years, $30 million). Smith and Tedford are banking on McCown and Collins to be the players they were last season and not the career backups they were before. Collins was arguably one of the NFL’s best protectors last season after replacing injured left tackle Andrew Whitworth in Cincinnati before forcing Whitworth to move to guard upon his return. But McCown is arguably the biggest signing the team made. In order for the Bucs to return to playoff contention, he needs to be the guy to run Tedford’s offense in addition
to tutoring Mike Glennon, the 2013 third round pick who showed promise during the lost 2013 season while starting 13 games. Even though the flurry of signings has slowed over the past few days, the team has still been active. Licht picked up center Evan Dietrich-Smith from the Packers for four years and $14.25 million, then subsequently traded last year’s center, Jeremy Zuttah, to the Baltimore Ravens for a 2015 draft pick. He then followed that deal with a flurry of depth signings. Cornerback Mike Jenkins (Oakland), linebacker Dane Fletcher (New England), wide receiver Louis Murphy (New York Giants), guard Oniel Cousins
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The Bucs bolstered their offense with the addition of Josh McCown and Anthony Collins.
(Cleveland) and safety Major Wright (Chicago) all came aboard via one year deals. Licht also focused on resigning some of his own players, such as running back Bobby Rainey and linebacker Jonathan Casillas, who look to be contributors once again next season for Tampa Bay. All of these additions have allowed some players to leave, such as linebackers Dekoda Watson and Adam Hayward, who signed with Jacksonville and Washington respectively. Zuttah and wide receiver Mike Williams (to Buffalo) were traded for draft picks. But those moves shouldn’t affect the Bucs too much, as they are almost certainly looking to replace Williams with a more talented, less troubled and younger pass catcher in this year’s draft, which is loaded with them. Overall, Smith and Licht’s plan is coming into shape. They went into free agency and signed young players who are just now entering their primes, such as Johnson, Verner and Collins. The draft will be another opportunity to add at least two more probable starters, as the Bucs have the seventh and 39th overall picks. Look for Licht to replace Williams early on, as at least one of the draft’s top two receivers, Clemson’s Sammy Watkins and Texas A&M’s Mike Evans, will be on the board when the team picks at seven. The questionable new uniforms notwithstanding, Bucs fans should look forward to a new era of Buccaneer football. If all goes according to plan, Smith and Licht will have ushered in a golden period of football here in the Bay Area. Jordan Llanes can be reached at jordan. llanes@theminaretonline.com
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Huskies Crowned Champions of Eventful Tourney
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Star guard Shabazz Napier was a sparkplug for the Huskies throughout the entire tournament. By PHIL NOVOTNY Sports Writer
The College Basketball world has been taken by storm in the last few weeks due to the craziness of the NCAA tournament. Going into Saturday night, four teams were left with a spot in the National Title game up for grabs. The first matchup was between the number one seed Florida Gators and the number seven seed University of
Connecticut Huskies who have been this year’s cinderella story. The Huskies road to the Final Four has consisted of victories against St. Joseph’s, Villanova, Iowa State and Michigan State. On the other hand, the number one seed Florida Gators were flying high going into the tournament after defeating the Kentucky Wildcats 61-60 in the SEC championship game. Florida’s path into the Final Four was a lot easier given their seeding. The Gators
defeated Albany, Pittsburgh, University of California and Dayton. Nobody gave the Huskies a fighting chance on Saturday night but the Huskies shocked the College Basketball world after defeating the Gators 63-53. Point Guard Shabazz Napier wasn’t the only player running the show for UConn but junior Forward Deandre Daniels was the leading scorer with 20 points. Daniels also posted ten rebounds to complete his double-double and junior Guard James Boatright also contributed with 13 points and six rebounds. UConn was a force to be reckoned with and dominated the defensive boards that have been a major strength for the Gators all year long. In the second game, the Wisconsin Badgers went up against the Kentucky Wildcats. The Wildcats loss to the Gators seemed to motivate them during the tournament. The Wildcats had the hardest road to the Final Four especially being in the Midwest Region. Kentucky defeated #16 seed convincingly in the first round but it got a lot worse from there. The Wildcats went on to defeat Wichita State, defending national champion Louisville and then Michigan on a last second shot by freshman Guard Aaron Harrison in the final seconds. Wisconsin came out of the West region and defeated American, Oregon, Baylor and Arizona in the Elite Eight. The UConn Huskies are back on top of the College Basketball pedestal after defeating the Kentucky Wildcats in the NCAA National Championship Game
60-54. The Huskies are now a record 40 in the National Title Game and join Kansas and Duke with four National Titles. As expected, Huskies guard Shabazz Napier was the leading scorer with 22 points and also recorded six rebounds in the process. Kentucky had a valiant effort but they were playing from behind the whole game. In other words, time was not on their side. Huskies were under the leadership of head coach Kevin Ollie who was only in his second year of coaching the Huskies. This year was UConn’s first year of tournament eligibility after being under academic probation the year before due to the scandal under legendary head coach Jim Calhoun. The Wildcats and Huskies future is up in the air because the NBA draft is on the horizon and players will make their decisions to declare for the draft or not. Kentucky’s freshman class played a huge role to their success this year. For example, forward Julius Randle and the Harrison twins (Aaron and Andrew) were the major key to their success. Randle averaged about a double-double per game while the Harrison’s were known for their late game heroics. UConn will be dealing with a similar dilemma because guard Shabazz Napier will be graduating and Juniors Deandre Daniels and Ryan Boatright will also decide to declare or not. Until that moment comes, Husky fans in Storrs will rejoice their storybook season and shall no longer be overlooked by the college basketball universe. Phil Novotny can be reached at philip. novotny@spartans.ut.edu
‘One and Done’ Rule Constant Point of Debate in NBA
By MARCUS MITCHELL Sports Writer
As of now, college basketball players are required to spend at least one year playing in college and then they are free to earn millions of dollars in the National Basketball Association (NBA). These players are known as “One and Dones.” The rule was set in place to prevent high school basketball prodigies from entering the NBA the day after graduation. Adam Silver, the new NBA commissioner, is heavily looking to require college basketball players to stay in college for at least two years before entering the NBA. Some question whether this will negatively affect players that are already primed to become professional. Silver argues this extra year will allow NBA teams to better scout and examine college players as it lets players develop without having to pay them an NBA salary. This makes sense from the perspective of NBA team owners and executives who do not want to waste their lottery draft picks on busts who don’t live up to their expectations. The NBA and Silver want to do this for the sole purpose that they can make a better investment off of players. All past evidence of one and done players proved they perform at the same, if not higher, caliber than players who leave after their second year. On an ESPN Insider list of top 10 players, only Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook left for the NBA Draft after their sophomore years. One and dones on the list included current favorite for MVP, Kevin Durant
and Carmelo Anthony, who is being highly sought after this coming free agency. Not to mention the inclusion of LeBron James, Dwight Howard and Kobe Bryant, who all went straight from high school to the NBA. The extra year in college for the player yields little to no benefits and seems just to serve the NBA. This may not seem like a big deal for a college basketball player to stay an extra year at college, especially since they are practically guaranteed millions afterwards, but it is basically a wasted year of their lives. To put this in perspective, imagine going to a job interview at Subway. You’re overqualified if anything and they agree for you to work there but under the stipulation that you have to make sandwiches as an unpaid intern for the next six months and then after that you can get an actual salary. It’s not exactly a bad thing and it’s nothing worth crying about, but that’s six months that would be wasted training for a job that you could already do for no pay. There are no benefits for the player and they would be denied the right to earn a living just so multi-millionaires can avoid losing a few dollars. NBA coach Doc Rivers brought up the same sentiment in an interview with Orange County Register when he stated: “I can go fight in Iraq at 18, but I can’t play in the NBA? That’s silly to me.” Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul also commented in the same interview saying, “I knew I wasn’t ready after my freshman year, but that’s
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Anthony Davis is one of many one-and-done success stories in the NBA right now.
not everybody’s situation. I think you should have the option or opportunity to decide if you think you’re ready. If you feel like you’re ready, it shouldn’t be someone else’s decision.” The idea of raising the minimum age for college basketball players has left many scratching their heads. If a player feels like they are ready for the NBA, then they should be able to declare. The
NBA’s denial of this declaration is the same as a company denying an employee to apply for a higher position. It’s not a big deal in terms of actual revenue, but it is a light slap to the face to young talented phenoms looking to make money and earn a living for themselves and their families. Marcus Mitchell can be reached at marcus.mitchell@spartans.ut.edu