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M THERE GOES MY HERO

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VOLUME 77 | SPECIAL SPRING ISSUE | THEMINARETONLINE.COM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alex Vera

ASSISTANT EDITOR/ CREATIVE DIRECTOR

FACULTY ADVISER Dr. Daniel Reimold

Mike Trobiano

SENIOR ASSOCIATE EDITORS Cara Fetzer Mandy Erfourth Philippa Hatendi Daniel Feingold

ADVERTISING & MARKETING Senior Editor | Zoe LeCain Assistant | David Wistocki Social Media Director | Loren Piretra

STAFF WRITERS Joe Beaudoin Sophie Erber Channing Hailey Carolyn Hatch John Hilsenroth Shivani Kanji Mike Marciano Conner McDonough Trinity Morgan Jeffrey Palmer Michael Paonessa Miles Parks Lauren Rossi Todd Sandborn Tim Shanahan Yasaman Sherbaf Amanda Sieradzki Maya Todd April Weiner

ASSOCIATE EDITORS Joshua Napier Micheal Angelo Rumore John Jacobs Kyle Bennett

PHOTOGRAPHY

Senior Editor | Abigail Sanford

ONLINE & MULTIMEDIA Online Editor | Yara Abbas Webcaster | Rebecca Ruffer

CONTRIBUTORS COLUMNISTS

PHOTOGRAPHERS

COPY EDITING

GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Dominique C. Barchus Camilla Chebet Narisa Imprasert Nicole Robinson Amanda Sieradzki Richard Solomon Hannah Webster

Senior Editor | Laura Theobald Lead Assistant | Moriah Parrish Assistant | Robin Hudson Assistant | David Saucedo Assistant | Stephanie Selander

Samantha Battersby Dina Coloma Mackenzie Crowley Justin Davis Katie Magruder Chelsea Michelson Maxine Rice

Tara Huff

CONTACT ADVERTISE

ONLINE

theminaretonline.com/advertise minaret.ads@gmail.com

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ADDRESS

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OFFICE

Phone - 813.257.3636 Fax - 813.253.6207 Editor - 813.257.3462 Assistant Editor - 813. 258.7250

COVER

CONTENTS

6 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

A look at a new beginning for The Minaret. Here’s a guide to our first Spring Quarterly.

Photo by Peter Tangen

FEBRUARY

NOW SHOWING AT MOSI!

EXPERIENCE IT T S L ARGE ON FLORIDA’S SCREEN! ONLY AT MOSI

Thanatos, Canada’s premier superhero, helps the homeless of Vancouver and works to keep the streets safe. See page 16 for an exclusive glimpse of the modern superhero culture.

9 WHAT’S HOT!

Want to dress in the latest fashions this spring? MIKE TROBIANO and CAROLYN HATCH reveal their picks for what’s trendy this season.

12 LIFE AS A... CHEF

As a cafeteria chef at the University of Tampa, Tony Brown mixes “bomb food” with good humor. CHANNING HAILEY brings you behind the counter.

16 THERE GOES MY HERO

Reality imitates art? Comic books come to life? RICHARD SOLOMON travels to the West Coast to meet Thanatos and Seattle’s lead crimefighting superhero, Phoenix Jones.

24 GOOD EATS

Ever wonder which restaurant has the best lasagna in Tampa?

MORIAH PARISH takes a bite out of three local eateries and rates them for your benefit.

28 SMOKE ON THE WATER

As many students are aware, Plant Park is known for more than its great views of downtown Tampa. CARA FETZER rolls up the blunt truth of what is happening down by the river.

32 KEEPING YOUR V-CARD

College is often stereotyped as a place where everyone hooks up without hesitation. MANDY ERFOURTH reports that student sex rates are actually less than expected.

34 PARTY IN THE PARK

Last year, the rains came. This year, it’s “Airplanes.” MIKE TROBIANO provides details on the UT concert of the year.

38 IS PUBLIC SCHOOL THE NEW

BATTLEFRONT FOR EDUCATION EQUALITY?

For decades, many have fought for desegregation in schools to create equal learning experiences for all races. NICOLE ROBINSON shares her views on diversity in the classroom.

42 ARE YOU A JERSEY CHASER?

Most athletes have fans. What happens when the attraction goes beyond the field? HANNAH WEBSTER investigates UT “Jersey Chasers”.

44 CRACK IN THE BAT

Some UT baseball players are taking shots at the new bat model, complaining it’s taking the power out of their swings. KYLE BENNETT breaks down the BBCOR.

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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

the

START of

SOMETHING

BIG ON AND OFF THE FIELD Notice a difference in the way University of Tampa baseball players are batting? Check out our sports section for player and coach responses to the new bat. Our Sex and Love writer Hannah Webster also searches for truth in the existence of “jersey chasers.”

FEEDBACK The Minaret values input from its readers. Tell us what you think of the new quarterly. The Editorial Board can be reached at editor@ theminaretonline.com or you may submit a Letter to the Editor form online.

BEHIND THE SCENES The Minaret and I would like to thank the following key contributors who played an integral part in the production of this issue.

Thank you Mike Trobiano, for your valiant efforts and your drive to start this quarterly. You are an amazing editor and creative director.

Thank you Zoë LeCain, for marketing and selling a product which had not ever been produced at UT. Thank you Sun Publications of Florida, for your amazing service and cordiality. Thank you Minaret staff, for putting your time and effort into this magazine.

Lastly, I thank you, the reader, for your continued support.

ALEX VERA

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

THE MINARET | PAGE 6

PHOTO BY JESSICA DELASNUECES

It is my great pleasure to introduce to you to The Minaret Spring Quarterly. This first issue is intended to cover a vast array of featureoriented stories pertaining to News, Arts and Entertainment, Sports and Commentary.

The editorial staff and I want The Minaret to not only be a news source, but also an alternative media outlet; a niche that has not yet been filled at the university.

CLEAN DESIGN Following high-fashion style and clean design, this issue is more about creativity and the art behind a story. We want to give the stories in the magazine the space they deserve by focusing more on the overall package.

CITIZEN HEROES In this issue, The Minaret’s Richard Solomon gets an exclusive interview with citizen superheroes around the nation and uncovers the truth about their missions. Solomon also writes about his experience during a ride-along in Seattle, WA. LOWER-CLASS EDUCATION In a capitalist society driven by money, Nicole Robinson shares her perspective on the relationship between tuition costs and race.

FASHION What would spring be without fashion? Mike Trobiano and Caroyln Hatch feature key accessories that will pull any outfit together.

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SPRING FLINGS Book Review

A CONFEDERACY of DUNCES

In 1980, due to the concerted efforts of his mother, author John Kennedy Toole posthumously published his contemporary masterpiece of satire, A Confederacy of Dunces.

The novel follows the protagonist, Ignatius J. Reilly, as he bumbles through the lower depths of New Orleans, encountering timeless characters such as his beatnik ex-girlfriend, a strip club owner, an utterly inept cop, and a down-and-out janitor.

Ignatius, in true form, sees himself as resistance against the new world.

He stands in the French Quarter, obese and slothful, clad in a hunting cap, scarf, and baggy flannel shirt scanning the crowd to point out those who have bad taste. Subtle humor like this merely pulls the reader in further.

Ultimately the novel

functions on multiple levels. What JKT has achieved is a modern retelling of Don Quixote, with Ignatius in the role of the titular hero. He is eccentric to the point of self-delusion, seeing conspiracies all around him. He also takes pleasure in his hatred for modernity, even though he prescribes to its wonders almost wantonly.

Toole, also puts wrong information in the text about certain geographical areas within the city as a dash of selfdeprecating humor.

Unfortunately, the author was unable to see any success from the novel as he committed suicide eleven years prior to its release. However, the hard work ended up in a posthumouslyawarded Pulitzer Prize.

Read this now.

- CONNOR McDONOUGH

Movie Review

Three entertainment options this spring break.

WINTER’S BONE

Winter’s Bone follows a high school girl who must juggle the responsibilities of hunting down her drug dealing father in the drab Ozark Mountains and look after her two siblings. Relative newcomer Jennifer Lawrence is nothing less than spectacular in the lead role, brilliantly portraying a young woman who has wisdom and strength well beyond her years.

No shades of the typical Hollywood image are found here, as director Debra Granik keeps true to the bleak landscape and dingy lifestyle of the Ozark inhabitants. You wouldn’t want to be friends with the people Lawrence encounters, and you’ll feel the need to take a good shower upon being around them. I took two after watching the film.

The plot, unrelenting and rich with integrity, seems slow at times, but the aim of the film isn’t to dazzle viewers.

Winter’s Bone sets out to show the plight of a simple yet extraordinary woman and the social danger she faces in order to accomplish her mission of finding her father.

I wasn’t necessarily blown away with entertainment or amazement by Winter’s Bone, but I certainly can appreciate great film making and fully understand why the old folks at the academy would love this movie. The academy, in fact, has nominated this film for Best Picture, with Lawrence and John Hawkes, getting nods for Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor, respectively. At the very most, Winter’s Bone is a long shot to take home any Oscars, but a trophy isn’t the award here. The fact that this little known gem of a film was recognized and nominated is the true victory, and Granik and company should already feel proud. - DANIEL FEINGOLD

Album CUT COPY’s Review ‘ZONOSCOPE’

Cut Copy. It’s a computer function for word processors and also the name of a kicky band hailing from Melbourne, Australia.

Their sound ranges from acronyms such as electropop and even post-punk. Recognized for their well-received sophomore album, In Ghost Colors, indie communities everywhere held high expectations for their latest album Zonoscope.

The record begins with “Need You Now”, a sixminute testament to the record’s massive sound.

With 80s-esque vocal styles, Cut Copy literally cuts and pastes layers of synthesizers over vocals, overwhelming the ears and maintaining a chaotic pulse. Each track blends into the next with sparkling beats that rock listeners to and fro. “Where I’m Going” is like a pixelated surfer sporting a big Beach Boys overtone, making it a mustlisten if you’re in the mood for some ocean sprayed synth and comforting lyrics.

If “Where I’m Going” is surfer-synth, “Blink and You’ll Miss a Revolution” is safari-synth. Hauntingly shrill, the lyrical punchline is also the song’s title and gives the impression that Cut Copy has in fact been to the future and back.

“Sun God”, the ostentatious 15-minute conclusion to Zonoscope, feels as if you’re coming off a sugar rush. A bit brainwashed and dazed, you’re queasy, but willing enough to give Zonoscope the second listen it deserves. - AMANDA SIERADZKI

WHAT’S HOT! OUR FASHION PICKS FOR STUDENTS THIS SPRING

THE WAY WE SEE IT Spring fashion isn’t about staying on trend or breaking the bank.

It’s about finding what works for you and the lifestyle you live.

Here at The Minaret, we want to provide you with ideas about how to make the most of this fashion season.

Turn the page to see our picks of what every college student should wear this spring.

WHAT’S HOT! FLIGHT DECK

COCKPIT, $139

by Ray-Ban No matter the time of year or the decade, a pair of aviators is always in style.

TAKE A HIKE

TIK TOK

DECKER NYLON GREEN CHRONOGRAPH DIAL WATCH, $95

by FOSSIL Your watch should say more than what time it is. Just because it’s a watch doesn’t mean it has to have a metal band.

for

H IM

Mike Trobiano highlights some great couture and accessories to keep you looking fresh this spring.

When you’re getting ready, it should be pretty easy to pull together a look that doesn’t involve basketball shorts and an oversized hoodie. Try on a pair of Sperry Top Siders®.

They’ll make you look trendy, yet traditional, and will focus your style faster than Adderall.

Also, when did backpacks become the only option to carry books? (You only

use them to carry books, right?)

Don’t be afraid to buy a bag that actually makes you look like you belong in college.

For those days when the sun is hot and you’re lounging at the beach, try some swim trunks that actually fit you.

When you have to hike your shorts up so your legs can tan like the rest of your body, you probably want to reevaluate your clothing choice.

Spring is about

THE MINARET | PAGE 10

See page 46 for where to purchase these items

SPERRY TOP-SIDER® AUTHENITC ORIGINAL LEATHER CHUKKA BOOTS, $125

by J. CREW Keep the sneakers at home and try something more casual.

enjoying the warmer weather, while looking sharp. Trust me, your girlfriend will thank you.

(She’s already thanked me.)

COWABUNGA

BULLDOG GOLD EDITIONS, $245

by ORLEBAR BROWN You came to a college in Florida. Let your folks back home remember that by your tan.

CARRY OUT

RUGGED TWILL BRIEFCASE BAG, $128

by J. CREW You’ve graduated from high school and so has your backpack. Carry something that will make you look like a young professional.

COZY UP

WOMEN’S V-NACK CARDIGAN, $29.50

by OLD NAVY Class can be chilly but you don’t need to sacrifice style for warmth. A cardigan over a cute dress and you’re good to go.

FASHIONABLY LATE

THREE HAND WHITE DIAL WATCH, $105

by FOSSIL This bold watch is sure to make everyone make some time for you.

WRIST ACTION

THREE CHARM FRIENDSHIP BRACELET, $2.50

by CHARLOTTE RUSSE This bracelet allows you to add a bit of sparkle to jeans and a t-shirt.

MAKE A STATEMENT

SATIN KEEPSAKE CLUTCH, $118

by J. CREW You don’t always need to lug around a purse. A chic clutch with the essentials is perfect for the night.

for

HER Whether it is a Friday night date with your man, a Saturday night out with the ladies, or a Sunday brunch with the family, this season is all about sheers and neutrals. These chic staples will be sure to mix and match with a variety of pieces

Not sure what to wear this season? Carolyn Hatch suggests some stylish pieces to add to your wardrobe.

from your closet.

For example, this stunning watch from FOSSIL has a hint of gold and glimmer that is sure to catch the eye, especially when paired with J. Crew’s charming satin clutch. Skinny jeans are not the only things calling

on all oxfords this season ladies, because these high-heel oxfords from J. Crew are ready to be paired with your favorite high waist shorts as well… and they’re on sale!

The Charlotte Russe Bracelet adds glam to the

upcoming beach days. Don’t forget to bring a cardigen just in case it turns into a late night bonfire. With Old Navy offering them in over six colors, it’s hard not to find one you love.

KICK UP THOSE HEELS

MARTINE LACE-UP BOOTIES, $250

by J. CREW Slip on these heels for a quick coffee date or a date with your guy.

LIFE... as a

by

CHANNING HAILEY

photography

ABIGAIL SANFORD

TAKES YOU INTO THE APPETIZING WORLD OF COLLEGE CUISINE

ery few things could drag a college student out of bed in time for breakfast on a Saturday morning.

After a night out, most could sleep through a fire alarm going off… maybe even an actual fire, but there is one thing that beckons students out of bed and into Vaughn’s cafeteria like no other on these bright and early mornings- an omelet made by the charismatic chef, Tony Brown.

For four years, students have witnessed Brown’s witty charm as they waited in line for omelets in the morning and a variety of food from the International station for lunch.

Freshman Kyle Denny said, “Every time I am in the line, he is either giving people hugs or high-fives. He is chatty and is always cracking jokes. Also, he makes bomb food.”

Brown says that mingling with students really is the most rewarding part of his job. He claims to “introduce people to each other, in a highly professional manner I might add.”

“Actually, I used to be very shy myself.” He laughed a little, amused by how foreign the concept of a shy Tony Brown seemed. He went on to say, “That’s why I help others interact.”

Brown always greets groggy students with a friendly “Hello!” each morning as he takes their omelette orders.

“I enjoy meeting new students each day,” Brown said, smiling. “That’s why I enjoy helping students meet each other. When you have people standing next to each other in line waiting for food, you never know- they might have the same interests and not know it. All you have to do is introduce them.”

His eagerness to induce conversation among students in line has earned Brown the reputation as somewhat of a matchmaker among those who visit his station.

“I heard once he tried to match up two people, but they were brother and sister,” said junior, Alex Massaroni between bites of the shrimp and pasta in white sauce that Brown had just prepared for him. That wasn’t exactly a happy ending, but Kyle Kempinski, a sophomore, has also witnessed Brown’s matchmaking skills at work.

“My friend Rob met his girlfriend through Tony,” Kempinski said laughing.

“As a matter of fact, there’ve been people from the same home town I’ve introduced,” Brown claimed, as he described some of his success stories from his introductions of people waiting for their egg-white, spinach, and feta cheese omelets (one of Brown’s many specialties) at his station. “They never knew that other person was here, and now I’ll see them together a lot.”

Most students that frequent Brown’s line greet him in a friendly way, asking him jokingly if he’s found them a date for Saturday night yet. “It’s not just good customer service, it’s the ability to meet a new friend every day,” Brown said of his work.

He claimed that working so closely with students has never presented difficulties. “I think they treat me with the same respect they would want to receive from anyone else.”

Many students find themselves waiting in Brown’s line for more than just the popular stir fry served every Friday for lunch. Brown adds a personal touch to meal times by showing a genuine concern for the students that he serves.

Freshman Kimberly Warren commends Brown’s keen “ability to remember faces.” She notes, “Every time I am in line, he will ask how I’m doing, how my vacation went. When I don’t say hi, the next time he sees me he’ll ask what was up. Out of all the faces he sees, the fact that he remembers specific ones is really something.”

It’s hard to deny that Brown is always in a good mood. “His enthusiasm for his work is translated in the quality of the food he serves and the smile he’s always wearing,” said first year student, Errick Rees.

When asked his secret to happiness, Brown pointed across the cafeteria to one of his coworkers. “That lady, Mary Richardson, she gets THE MINARET | PAGE 13

LIFE... as a

99% of the stuff in my station there for me.

Once I know she’s there, it’s hard to be in a bad mood. She’s got everything that I need to succeed.”

The single complaint that Brown had about his job didn’t really involve his job at all, more the frigid winter days that Tampa sometimes sees. “Waking up in the cold to get here by 6:30 in the morning… that takes commitment.”

Brown’s commitment has not gone unnoticed by his employers or the students that he serves. He recounts with pleasure the University of Tampa Unsung Hero Award that he received in April. “It’s one of my proudest moments here,” he said.

“I don’t see it as my award; I see it as something that belongs to the students of UT.” Sometimes, at the request of students, Brown will bring his award with him to work

his repertoire. “Every now and then I get to go back and learn from the executive chef, Daniel Buyle. He’s the best they’ve got.”

Brown proudly said that he does his work for more than an award, though.

Beyond getting to interact with students, he claimed that being shown appreciation for doing a job well is reward enough. He said, “The best compliment I can receive is when my manager, David Ginsberg, says ‘Good job today, Tony.’ That’s pretty much all I need.”

“It’s been a very fast and wonderful four years working here.” Brown said when asked about his experience at UT so far.

“My experience was highlighted by that evening I won the Unsung Hero Award,” an award that makes the smile on his face a little wider each time he mentions it.

“I’ve had a lot of good times here and have met a lot of great people.” Tony added

“THE BEST COMPLIMENT I CAN RECEIVE IS WHEN MY MANAGER . . . SAYS, ‘GOOD JOB TODAY, TONY.’ THAT’S PRETTY MUCH ALL I NEED.” where he proudly displays it at his station.

Brown has also been the recipient of Residence Life’s Employee of the Month and has received awards from Sodexo for his serving skills. “It’s amazing how you can still win awards just for doing your job properly,” he joked.

These awards might have something to do with the fact that Brown is always keen to adding new cooking skill sets to

THE MINARET | PAGE 14

before replacing his chef’s hat on his head in preparation for returning to work, “I look forward to many more years.”

As Brown walked back to his station, he was greeted by a high five from a student while another asked how his weekend had been. Brown’s regular good humor and his authentic concern for the people he meets in his line prove that serving the students of UT is more than just a job for Tony Brown.

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S E O G E R THE O Y R M HE and e p a c on a owed. w o r h t t to foll n e a w W . d d n i pa ys d u u e g k e a s w e Th ?

Ever d l r o w save the

by

RICHARD SOLOMON

photography/video

RICHARD SOLOMON & GEORGE McCAUGHAN

Ever seen a real superhero? Ever met someone in a mask who had been shot? When I stumbled upon an article about a man in Seattle who wore a costume and fought crime, I had to find out more. After reading more articles, sending emails and making phone calls I was granted the opportunity to meet some superheroes and go on patrol with them. This is my story about flying across the country, visiting Canada, staying up all night following guys in masks in the worst parts of Seattle and Vancouver and coming back to tell the tale. I video taped people trying to break into a car, saw a life get saved and didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even know it at the time, and managed to meet some of the most incredible people you could ever imagine.

Phoenix Jones (front) and Buster Doe (back) lead Richard Solomon through the worst parts of Seattle.

E M U T S O C N I T I O “I D USE WHAT I DO BECA CH MORE IS MU RTANT IMPO WHO THAN” I AM.

Knight Owl parked his car outside Vancouver’s Mountain View Cemetery, where fellow superhero Thanatos was set to meet us.

Knight Owl parked his car outside of Vancouver’s Mountain View Cemetery where fellow superhero Thanatos was going to meet us.

Earlier that day I had flown into Seattle.

Knight Owl met me at the airport. I had seen

pictures of him online in costume, but he met me in normal street clothes. He looked nondescript and average. He would be the first of several superheroes I would meet over the weekend.

Who are real-life superheros? They are people who wear costumes and adopt monikers in order to help others. They are people who keep their real identities secret and in some way obscure their appearance. (Knight Owl, for example, keeps part of his face hidden and Thanatos completely covers his head.)

For some, this secrecy is meant to keep their families safe, while others believe that the symbol of their alter ego is more powerful than their true-life, street-clothes persona.

Saving Lives, On My Own Time

Back in the cemetery, Knight Owl and I headed to the circle of graves where Thanatos was supposed to meet us. But before the cemetery there was the drive to Vancouver from the Seattle airport-- three hours in the car with the first superhero I had ever met.

Knight Owl does mostly humanitarian work.

He patrols occasionally with other superheroes in Portland, Oregon or in Vancouver, but mainly participates in homeless outreach.

Although he does not handle a lot of crime prevention (“In two years of patrolling, I’ve never once been in a dangerous situation”),

he knows what danger is. As a paramedic in training and a former firefighter, he has the perfect response for critics who tell superheroes to quit and leave things to law enforcement. “I’m a firefighter,” he said, “and I choose to go out on my own time and help save lives, for free. How can you criticize me for that?”

To Knight Owl, being a superhero is about saving lives, whether that means giving food to the homeless or knowing first aid in case someone on the street needs help. Beyond the activities, he has also done his homework on the superhero appearance.

He told me of the additions he would soon be making to his suit. Among them, a cowl lined with a kind of rubber polymer that would harden when hit to protect his head; and a gadget that would create brief bursts of fire to scare off would-be attackers. As he related, just because he has never been in a dangerous situation does not mean he should not be prepared for one.

Death, Dispensing Life

Amongst the graves, we searched for Thanatos’ usual meeting spot. At first, all I could make out was a dark shape emerging from the dim light of the cemetery. He got closer and I recognized him. As impressive as it was to meet Knight Owl, nothing could have prepared me for Thanatos.

VIDEO Want to see these superheroes in action? Visit theminaretonline. com to watch portions of Solomon’s footage.

Phoenix Jones said between his gear and his suit, he is 70 percent bulletproof.

Trying to gain a better understanding of their adventures, Solomon followed the Rain City Superhero Movement on a cold Seattle night.

Clad in dark clothing with a distinct death motif, Thanatos (Greek for ‘death’) exuded a mocking image of the Grim Reaper. From a tie covered in skulls and cross bones to a deaththemed utility belt, every part of Thanatos’ attire was covered in death symbols.

He had on a long black coat, the aforementioned tie, a flat brimmed hat and all of the skulls looked more like they were from a Halloween novelty store than on a grim reaper’s attire. The overall effect was imposing and aweinspiring. I didn’t feel frightened, but a criminal might have a different opinion on that.

Yet, his costuming’s dark theme contrasted with the cheerful optimism of the man under the mask.

Thanatos is arguably the most well-respected member of the superhero community. With a MySpace blog over two years old, Thanatos has been consistently doing homeless outreach since his first night out on Halloween 2008.

Thanatos and I did laps around the cemetery for close to an hour. He was open about his mission and about how he feels he is affecting the city of Vancouver.

“I don’t think I’ve made [Vancouver] any worse,” he said. “I know there are those who feel inspired enough to do something because of me.”

He said he was inspired by old comic book superheroes, specifically citing a “Superman”

issue in which Superman attends a charity event.

“The more you do, the more you have to work with,” he said. “It’s not just crime-fighting.”

He felt that the homeless people of Vancouver live with death every day to the point that he wanted death to start looking after them.

“Something has to be done, and there has to be a way to draw attention to it,” he said.

“There’s just too many people dying on the streets. It’s too easy to die on the streets. . . . I am a parody of the death. Where death walks around and dispenses grief and sorrow, I walk around and I dispense life.”

So he put together a costume and called himself Thanatos. His costume is not only aesthetics and skulls though. There is a surprising amount of functionality in what he wears. A utility belt with everything from a flashlight to marbles (“Have you ever seen The Defender?” he asked me), a multi-tool and cell phone close at hand.

But why wear a costume?

“I do it in costume because what I’m doing is much more important than who I am,” he said. “I was told by a cop that people on the street had nothing better to live for than to look forward to death. I said, ‘If that’s the case then death better start taking a hand at taking care of them.’ That’s where the costume came from. It got modified because I realized walking around with a big scythe and long robe wasn’t going to work.”

He believes this symbolism works. “People aren’t stupid, they get the idea, they know what I represent. I represent death. Death is so common now that he’s walking around on the street taking care of them. People get it. It’s a very powerful symbol. I put on the mask, take on the persona and here’s someone from Florida just to interview me.

“It’s not just me doing it either, and it does work. It draws attention to the problems, whether it’s high crime in Seattle or homelessness in Vancouver.”

Thanatos goes out whenever he can to distribute bundles of goods such as bread, peanut butter, socks, a razor blade. His goal is a noble one.

“You do what you can,” he said. “I give out my bundles. I do what I can, I’m keeping that person alive for one more day. That’s quite a victory over death. If I do my normal handout and I hand out 10 bundles, that’s 10 victories.”

Homeless outreach is not all he does.

Whether he is dressed as death or in street clothes, Thanatos also observes area street gangs and drug dealers.

He takes copious notes on who sells what-and where-- and copies down license plate numbers and makes notes on where those cars travel. He will submit this information to the police and he said he has previously succeeded in helping get drug dealers arrested.

Phoenix Jones, Buster Doe and Pitch Black (right) gather for a quick meeting in an alley to talk about where to head next.

A Man Named Armando

After the interview, Thanatos drove Knight Owl and I around some of the bad areas of Vancouver. We finally stopped outside of a homeless shelter, where the three of us handed out items. People were openly grateful, thanking us over and over. The Minaret t-shirts I had brought with me to distribute were a hit and the razors I had also packed vanished right away.

Thanatos had shoes, pants, and other goods. Everything vanishing in a matter of minutes. Some recognized him, others asked who he was. Several of the more nervous people came up to me to ask me who he was. I explained what he did. I was surprised that for many of the homeless I met that night, they just wanted someone to talk to. They were grateful for what we were handing out, but they were also grateful to have someone actually listen to them.

We got back into Thanatos’ vehicle (he drove with his mask off to avoid being pulled over, not at all concerned that I could see his face) and headed back to Knight Owl’s car.

Along the way Thanatos told me a story about a man named Armando.

Armando and his family walked to Vancouver all the way from Chile. They were being tortured by police in Chile and finally had to leave. The police cut off all of Armando’s fingers. His wife was raped and had her breasts cut off. Their torturers then mutilated her face and tried to cut off her nose, but failed because THE MINARET | PAGE 20

they cut upwards and the knife got caught on the septum. Surprisingly, Thanatos told me that Armando is one of the most cheerful men he has ever met. I thought about how the average person must treat them-- looking away from the woman with the scarred face, ignoring the man with no fingers. These were people who just wanted help. And Thanatos was doing what he could to help them, one bundle at a time.

We dropped off Knight Owl and then Thanatos took me to the Vancouver train station.

It was only 1:15 a.m. Thanatos apologized for the early night. He explained he had to be up for work at five and needed some sleep.

The rest of my night had nothing to do with superheroes but was important nonetheless.

The train station was closed and Thanatos had already driven off. I didn’t have his phone number and I knew Knight Owl was busy. Two shifty guys nearby started talking louder, looking at me and then walked towards me.

I made a quick decision and began walking.

I couldn’t stay at the station, but I knew nobody in Vancouver. I realized suddenly that I had nowhere to go and almost nobody knew where I was beyond I was spending the night in Canada.

If something happened to me nobody would notice until I missed my interview the next day.

I was wandering the streets of the worst part of Vancouver.

I was carrying a camera, my laptop in a backpack and a duffel bag of clothes. If you’ve

ever been (un)fortunate enough to be alone in the worst part of a city in a foreign country with no one to call and nowhere to go, carrying all your possessions and being eyed up and down by what seems like every shady-looking person in the area, you’ll know exactly how I felt.

I couldn’t run with all the bags I was carrying.

I wondered if homeless people feel this same way; having everything that matters to you fit in a few bags, nowhere to go, hoping to stay safe.

But I just had to make it through a few hours, they live with this feeling every day.

I ducked into a 24-hour diner full of people and nursed a coffee and milkshake for three hours. I didn’t get mugged or hurt that night, but whether that’s because of dumb luck or actual safety I can’t say. I wondered if my trip to Seattle the next day would be less eventful. I had no idea what I was in for.

Harder Than the Last

The next day, Saturday, I was set to see Phoenix Jones. If Thanatos was the most respected member of the Real Life Superheroes community, than Phoenix Jones was certainly the most famous. Media continually begged him for interviews. He even has his own Wikipedia page.

Jones has become an Internet sensation, with articles about him going viral. He has been stabbed, shot, tasered, and had his nose broken, but he still fights crime on the streets five nights a week.

At just after midnight on Sunday, I paced anxiously outside of my hotel. A friend, George McCaughan, was with me. He had flown up from Tampa that morning to go on this adventure for himself and take pictures.

At 12:30 a.m., a car rolled up in front of us with three superheroes inside: Buster Doe, Pitch Black, and the famous Phoenix Jones.

From the moment he began talking, it was obvious Jones was a very intelligent man.

His suit was absolutely incredible. It sports a ballistic cup to deflect bullets, along with leg plates to protect his inner thighs; a bulletproof vest underneath stab-resistant armor that was lined with blood-coagulating packets; and even special gloves. I recalled Knight Owl telling me of the hardening rubber material he wanted to get for his cowl; Phoenix Jones had this material in his gloves, meaning that every punch he threw would literally be harder than the last.

He demonstrated this to me by whacking his gloves emphatically against the hotel desk. I tried it myself and felt the gloves get harder the more forcefully I hit them.

Jones also had a working utility belt. It lacked the death theme that Thanatos’ had but was efficient nonetheless. A taser, tear gas with special properties, and a cell phone were also part of the outfit.

It’ll Ruin My YouTube Clip

Phoenix Jones first sprang to life in a water park in Seattle. “I was at Wild Waves with my son,” he said.

“At the end of the day we were going back to the car and we always race back.” He said someone had broken into his car and the glass from the window cut his son’s leg. Jones was doing his best to stop the bleeding and hold his son’s leg together when he saw someone close by with a cell phone. As Jones recalled, “I asked him to call an ambulance and he said, ‘I can’t, it’ll ruin my YouTube clip.’”

Later, police told him they could not find the person who had broken into his car. Jones had found a mask wrapped around a rock in his car, the tool the burglar had apparently used to break the window. He called the police to tell them of the discovery. They never called him back.

A few weeks later, Jones was outside a club and saw a man get struck down with a club (the man would have a large scar for the rest of his life). He ran to his car to get his phone and saw the mask the burglar had wrapped around the rock to break his window sitting in the glovebox, where he’d left it after he found it. On a whim, he grabbed the mask instead of his phone and ran back. He chased the assailant down-wearing the mask-- and succeeded in holding him down on the ground until the police arrived.

When they asked him who he was, he replied, “Phoenix Jones.”

He explained to me that the Phoenix part of his adopted name comes from the mythical creature that rises from the ashes, signifying life from death, birth from destruction. Jones, he said, was because it was a very common last name and he wanted to represent the common man.

Like Knight Owl and Thanatos, Jones feels the real foe he is fighting is apathy. A man who would rather film a kid being hurt than call the police is the exact kind of person Jones hope to inspire to change.

The Superheroes of Seattle!

After the interview we went back to the lobby where Buster Doe and Pitch Black were waiting for us. Before heading out, Jones delineated the roles for the evening. “Buster Doe, you’re on backup duty,” he said. “Pitch Black, you call and then backup Bus’ if needed.” If Phoenix got into an altercation, Buster Doe was to help him out as needed while Pitch Black called the police.

Once the phone call was done Pitch Black was to help Buster Doe if the situation hadn’t been settled already.

Though there were only three out that night, there are actually 11 members of the Rain City Superhero Movement. Jones is the leader of the group. The others go on patrol with him as often as they can.

Jones also told me that there would be several people in plain clothes shadowing us all evening. They were unknown members of his superhero group who would all be carrying cell phones and guns. If someone pulled a gun on any of us, we would have someone nearby to pull a gun on them. I kept an eye out all night and, despite the warning, did not notice anybody until Phoenix Jones told me the next day who the shadow forces were. I went through the photos of the night and, sure enough, the same people were around us multiple times.

We walked up and down busy streets just as the bars closed. Reactions to the superheroes differed wildly. Some people became excited and begged for a picture with them. Others shouted obscenities. A few inebriated revelers became scared. Most of the women we came across were eager to get a photo with Phoenix Jones, usually inviting him home with them. “I

Throughout the night, Jones was unfailingly polite to everyone. He would greet people and ask how they were, if they needed help. Nothing was too small for the superheroes-- whether it be getting ready to break up a fight, stopping to talk to people about staying safe, and making sure a drunk man did not hit his girlfriend.

During our patrol, I spotted countless police around us. Some were in cars, while others were on bicycles. All of them managed to glare at Jones.

The “Jones Patrols,” as he called them, were a direct result of his activity. “The mayor of Seattle got upset that I was stopping all these crimes and the police weren’t,” he said.

“He made a rule that every single officer has to spend at least an hour of their shifts on the street. . . . You can argue that I’m not helping or that I’m not effective, but because of me there are more police officers patrolling the streets. I’d say that’s a good thing.”

They Are Not Batman

Roughly halfway through the night we came upon three men trying to break into a car-- using a screwdriver, a crowbar, and a hanger all sticking into the door and trying to force it open.

Jones asked them what was wrong. One of the men said he had locked his keys in his car. We were on a fairly busy street and Jones asked if they would like him to get a police officer. The men looked uncomfortable at this idea and declined, despite Jones insisting that a cop may have something on hand to jimmy the lock.

The men looked shiftier, so Jones decided to talk to a police officer. He and Pitch Black went off with George to find a cop while Buster

,

HED C N U P N “I’VE BEE AND STABBEDSTILL GO SHOT. I PHOENIX OUT AS FIVE JONES A WEEK.” NIGHTS lost my hotel room,” they would say. “Can you help me find it?”

Most people seemed to recognize the trio, some shouting, “It’s the superheroes of Seattle!”

I heard constant references to “Kick-Ass,” a movie that all superheroes seem to praise and hate in the same sentence. They think it portrays the process of becoming a superhero well, but the over-the-top violence and the lack of planning the character Kick Ass puts into his costume seem to turn them all off to it.

Doe and I stayed behind by the car. The three would-be car thieves glanced uneasily at my camera but didn’t say anything because I wasn’t taking pictures. (I was actually video taping the whole thing, including the license plate of the car!). While we waited, two officers rode by us on bicycles, but did not stop or say anything about the car with a crowbar sticking out of one of its doors.

Jones reported back something similar.

Police said they did not have anything to open

.

M O O R L E T O H Y M T S O “I L D YOU HELP L U O W ” ?

T I D N I F E M

Walking through the streets, women threw themselves at the superheroes.

friends would be along soon to pick them up. We asked if he wanted an ambulance but he insisted no. We told him to at least fix her neck and he rearranged her.

The girl worried us so we stayed close by, unsure of what to do. The woman looked like she may need real medical attention, but on the other hand perhaps she was indeed fine. A steady stream of people walked past her, unconcerned.

Finally, the decision was made. Pitch Black called an ambulance. While he was on the phone, two policemen rode by, again on bicycles.

I watched one glance at the woman, clearly unconscious, and then keep going.

Within a few minutes, one ambulance, then two, pulled up. Another came after that. The woman’s “friend” moved further away and by the time the third vehicle arrived he had disappeared.

We heard the paramedics say the woman had low vitals and Phoenix Jones observed a tube being put down her throat.

Emergency Medical Technicians took her away. I received a phone call from Jones a few days later. Apparently he had received an e-mail from someone saying they were friends with the woman. The friend wanted to thank him. The woman had asthma and that combined with a little too much “fun” were causing her to asphyxiate. She may have died if we had not called an ambulance. I thought of the shady guy near her, the police who rode by, and the people who walked past. None of them had looked even a little concerned.

It was late enough that we decided to call it a night. The heroes led us to a 24-hour café, Night Kitchen. Jones and Buster Doe ordered Sprites and some fries to split, while Pitch Black asked for Limeade. Apparently lemon-lime is the flavor of choice for masked crusaders.

Jones headed to the bathroom to take off some of his costume, mainly his chest piece.

The way his suit is configured leaves him with less mobility for his head.

“Remember in Batman,” he said, “when Bruce Wayne asks Morgan Freeman to make some changes to his suit and Morgan Freeman goes, ‘You want to be able to turn you head?’

You have no idea how true that is.”

Jones kept his mask on, but put on a simple t-shirt over his bulletproof vest. The five of us sat there for an hour while the heroes exchanged stories. Jones told us about some of his first patrols and showed me photos.

At about 4:30 in the morning we called it quits. Buster Doe drove George and I back to the hotel.

And that ended my weekend with superheroes. I had the opportunity to see two of the biggest names in the superhero community, and meet people who stop crimes and feed the homeless. I saw an entire community that is relatively unknown doing what they feel is right and changing lives in the process.

Interested in learning more about superheroes? Check out RealLifeSuperHeroes. org and RealLifeSuperHeroes.com to find out more.

M MINARET

the door. When he raised the possibility of it not being the men’s car, he said they just shrugged.

In that type of situation, Jones explained he could not do much after notifying the police. We moved on.

Real-life superheroes are not vigilantes. A vigilante is “any person who takes the law into his or her on hands, as by avenging a crime” according to dictionary.com. Another definition on the same site notes that is an act “done violently and summarily, without recourse to lawful procedures.”

Jones and the other superheroes are not vigilantes. They all learn their local laws and call the police whenever something happens.

They do not break the laws and they do not take justice into their own hands. They are not Batman. They are much realer than that.

In fact, Phoenix Jones thinks Batman is one of the worst superheroes to be influencing people.

“As Bruce Wayne, a billionaire, he spends eight hours a day doing nothing and pretending to be a careless jerk. Then he spends four hours every night fighting crime? How about instead of beating up some drug dealers you buy their house. How about instead of fighting gangs you buy the neighborhood and clean up the streets.”

I had asked Jones earlier about what he did for a day job and he revealed he was a professional MMA fighter and worked with autistic kids when he wasn’t fighting. In many ways, Bruce Wayne has nothing on Phoenix Jones.

After the car incident, things were mostly quiet. We went down a lot of dark alleys and kept an eye on those who were especially drunk or loud.

At one point, we walked by a woman passed out on a stoop in front of a doorway, neck bent at a horrible angle, breathing shallowly. A shadylooking guy with her said she was fine and

WEB EXCLUSIVE

Want more exclusive content on all the superheroes? Visit The Crescent at minaretblog.com.

The mouthwatering dish above from Osteria Natalia is sure to have you saying â&#x20AC;&#x153;Manja!â&#x20AC;?

GOOD EATS

>>> MORIAH PARRISH TASTE TESTS A TRIO OF LASAGNA ENTRÉES IN THE SOUTH TAMPA AREA

by

MORIAH PARRISH

photography

STEPHEN SCHIERMANN

No iconic Italian dish creates a feeling of such warmth or home-made goodness as the classic lasagna. The universal recipe is deceptively simple: one layer of wide-noodle pasta; one layer of ricotta cheese; another layer of pasta; one layer of meat; and repeat to desired height, finishing with a red tomato-based sauce and perhaps a final layer of cheese for good measure. As it goes with so many classics, however, there are a million and one variations of this archetypal dish. Some throw in chicken as opposed to beef, or perhaps add a little seafood blend with an alfredo sauce instead. For those on a low-carb diet, there are even no-pasta lasagnas, which lean more towards a casserole.

With so many varieties, the question stands: Who in South Tampa produces the best conventional lasagna? No frills, no seafood, no specialties. Just simple, delicious, quintessential lasagna.

Bella’s, Vino E Pasta, and Osteria Natalina go head-to-head in five categories to determine a winner. Taken into account were the following aspects: sauce, cheese, meat, noodles, and overall value.

Rated on a five-star system, here’s how the contestants stood.

THE MINARET | PAGE 25

This page, top to bottom:

BELLA’S ITALIAN CAFE

Lasagna Napoletana from Bella’s Italian Cafe

Sauce: **** Cheese: *** Meat: ( No Stars) Noodles: ** Value: *** Price for Dinner Portion: $ 15.50

Daily Lasanga from Vino E Pasta

Bella’s had an interesting version. Their Lasagna Napoletana is a completely cheese-filled lasagna, stuffed to overflowing with ricotta, mozzarella, fontina, and parmesan cheeses. If one desires the classic lasagna flavor, then one must order it with the bolognese meat sauce instead of the tomato basil sauce. So, there are no meat layers in their pasta. The bolognese sauce was very good, but was heavy on the beef and light on the tomato paste. The layers of noodles were lost in all the cheese. Taken individually, the pieces of the dish were delicious, but together, they each tried to outshine the other in a way that made the overall flavor sub-par.

Le Lasanga Di Pesce from Osteria Natalina

Opposite page: Interior of Vino E Pasta

VINO E PASTA

Sauce: **** Cheese: (No Stars) Meat: **** Noodles: ***** Value: *** ½ Price for Lunch Portion: $9.95 Where Bella’s went overboard with the cheese filling, Vino E Pasta dropped it altogether. Their take on lasagna included several layers each of noodles and beef, but no cheese. The sauce was a little on the pink side, so it had some cream sauce mixed in, which made up – mostly – for the lack of cheese. But where was the ricotta, the parmesan? The server offered to sprinkle some fresh parmesan on the top, but this did not account for it missing between the layers. The meat had a wonderful flavor and quality, being tender and full of spices, and it allowed the pasta itself to really shine through. Ultimately, though, the cheese was noticeably absent.

Disagree with Moriah’s favorite?

[ FINAL TALLY ] Bella’s Italian Cafe - Total: 12 Stars Vino E Pasta - Total: 16 ½ Stars Osteria Natalina - Total: 20 Stars

Visit The Crescent at minaretblog.com to weigh in with your thoughts.

OSTERIA NATALINA

Sauce: ***** Cheese: *** Meat: ***** Noodles: ** Value: ***** Price for Dinner Portion: $14.00 This dish promised to be the winner from first sight. It was all there, the total package: ricotta and parmesan cheeses, ground beef, and a lovely red tomato and basil sauce encompassing the stack of well-proportioned layers. And it was a promise kept.

The sauce was the least acidic of all the contenders and the fresh basil contributed a wonderful flavor.

The beef was seasoned to the point of being near sausage and was quite tasty. Melting out from every other layer was the cheese, adding a light, creamy texture to the meat. The sole drawback was the actual pasta. It had been baked just a bit past its prime and therefore had a hard time standing up to the voluminous fillings. If they had been more chewy, the lasagna would be perfect. But it certainly would not be a tragedy to give it another try soon.

“MELTING OUT FROM EVERY OTHER LAYER WAS THE CHEESE, ADDING A LIGHT, CREAMY TEXTURE TO THE MEAT. ”

THE MINARET | PAGE 27

SMOKE WATER on the

THE MINARET | PAGE 28

PLANT PARK LIGHTS UP AS STUDENTS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEIR CAMPUS “SAFETY ZONE”

by

CARA FETZER

photography ABIGAIL SANFORD

W

ith the serenity of the trees and open land, the clear view of downtown, and the benches that catch the cool breeze off the Hillsborough River, Plant Park seems like the perfect place for students escape the stress of college-- to an outsider at least.

To students, Plant Park is known as the campus safety-zone for one particular not-so-legal activity: smoking marijuana.

According to campus safety reports, from the beginning of fall 2010 fall until mid-February, there were more than 20 cases in which students and non-students have been caught on campus possessing, smoking or selling marijuana.

The places students have been caught: Austin Hall, McKay Hall, Brevard Hall, Stadium Center, Vaughn Center, and the McKay Parking Lot. Interestingly, Plant Park did not make the list, despite its popularity among pot smokers.

“We’re well aware of the situation in Plant Park,” stated Charles Mascenik, director of Campus Safety and Security. “Our officers are told every shift to make numerous checks over there.”

This past weekend marked the first time security was able to catch students with marijuana in Plant Park. A security report confirmed that two students were referred to the conduct board for possession of marijuana.

Mascenik believes that this is the first of many similar cases to come. He said the reason the majority of students have previously been caught in mainly residential areas is because of the cold weather.

“Now that the weather has changed,” he noted, “and more people are outside in the evening, that [Plant Park] is where you’re probably going to have more [pot usage].”

The park is so widely known throughout campus as the place to smoke that students reported finding out about it within their first few weeks at UT. “I am a senior and from the first few days of living in McKay [freshman year] it was more than obvious that the park was the place to go smoke. . . . Something about Plant Park just gets the inner stoner,” said Michael Becker, a philosophy major and president of UT’s chapter of The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML).

Another student, Matt, an advertising and public relations major, agreed.

“When I first moved down here, people from my floor were out exploring our new campus [and] we ended up in Plant Park,” said Matt.

“Like most nice evenings, we encountered several groups smoking. From there on out I just heard more and more stories and became well aware of Plant Park’s reputation.”

Dave, a senior government and world affairs major, said, “I started smoking in Plant Park just because that’s where I was told to go to smoke since day one of being at UT. It feels safe, I was told it was safe and I’ve been here for four years and haven’t had any problems yet.”

Even non-smokers stated that they became aware of what goes on in the park early on.

“I don’t smoke but my roommate in McKay freshman year loved to smoke in Plant Park and I’d often go with him just to hang out,” said Matt, a senior film and media arts major. “I met some pretty interesting people.”

Another non-smoker, Zach Leentjes, discussed his

knowledge of the park. “One of my roommates my first semester at UT was the biggest stoner I had ever met,” said the junior entrepreneurship major.

“He would basically smoke to function. I’m fairly certain he smoked every night in Plant Park and was never even stopped or questioned by security.”

Many students agreed that there is a comfort level that comes with smoking in Plant Park versus the dorms.

“On campus we have a certain kind of umbrella from the outside,” said Becker.

“The rules still say smoking marijuana is not allowed, so by definition there is no such thing as a safe haven. It’s more like a blind spot. . . [My friends and I] would be smoking on the docks and security would creep up on us and yell some[thing] like, ‘Don’t do it!’ or ‘It’s not worth it,’ as if we were going to jump into the river to avoid confrontation. After a few years of smoking on the dock the rumor was that security was cracking down and Plant Park was the only safe haven left.”

“One time four of us were smoking by the stairwell near the water when we saw a security guard coming up behind us so we tossed the joint in the water,” said David, (different from above) a senior government and world affairs major.

“He made us empty our pockets and no one had anything on them so he just told us he’d let us go with a warning but if he caught us there again he would write us up.”

Andy, a senior English major, had a similar story about his run-ins with security “After my friends and I had just smoked, security came up behind us and asked us what we were doing,” he said.

“We had just tossed the roach in the river, and we told security we were just watching the water. Then they just started shooting the sh*t with us.”

“I have never had any issues with Plant Park and security. I’ve had security creep on me, but never any problems,” said advertising and public relations major Matt.

“A friend of mine recently told me that he’s been caught four times in Plant Park, and every time they told him to leave. One time he said a UT security officer took his ID and wrote down his name, but nothing ever came of that.”

“My friends and I were never afraid of security for some reason, even if they drove through the park while we were smoking,” said film and media arts major Matt.

“I’ve never been caught and I don’t know any friends who have been caught.”

For its part, the university has displayed its awareness of students congregating in the park to smoke. In 2010, the Creative Shop at Red Frog Marketing created a safety campaign for UT called Lucky’s Safety Campaign. The campaign is aimed at reminding students about issues like alcohol abuse, STIs and the dangers of online stalking.

One of its posters, “Lucky Says: A Little Pot Can Be A Lot More Than You Bargained For,” tackles marijuana use. On the website, getyourfrogon.com, it states, “University of Tampa’s Plant Park is notorious for students to smoke pot at. UT wanted to remind students [about] the severity of the issue, and how you could be arrested or kicked out of school for doing so.”

Article 10 in the Student Handbook states that a student who is found responsible for engaging in the selling, distributing or manufacturing of drugs-- or the possessing of items used to create drugs-- faces the following sanction for a first violation: Residential students will be removed from campus housing and no longer allowed to enter dorm buildings. Students who

“WE KNOW WHAT THEY’RE DOING, BUT WE’RE NOT GOING TO SEND SOMEBODY TO JUDICIAL FOR A DRUG RELATED INCIDENT WITHOUT SOMETHING TO PROVE IT.” - ASSISTANT KEVINDIRECTOR HOWELL OF SECURITY THE MINARET | PAGE 30

live off campus will be given restricted access to all dorm buildings.

For a second violation, the minimum sanction is suspension from the university.

“A lot of the students that are sent to judicial should be thankful, in respect to this. It’s still a violation of state law. They could be going to jail every single time we find them, no matter how much [marijuana] they have on them,” stated Kevin Howell, assistant director of security.

“We do have the discretion on these misdemeanor crimes to handle them internally.

So it’s not a safe-zone. And if law enforcement were to come here, they don’t have the digression of sending them to judicial. They would be going to jail.”

According to the campus security reports, there has only been one case in which security reported physically seeing students smoking marijuana.

In most other cases, the reports state that students have been found with drug paraphernalia or in possession of marijuana due to room searches that have been conducted because off of an odor emitting from a room or at the request of a Resident Assistant. In every single case relating to marijuana, the students involved were referred to the judicial board.

If security has other ways of catching students for marijuana-related incidents besides personally witnessing students smoking, why

is it so hard for security to catch them in Plant Park?

“There is no free-zone there,” Mascenik said. “It’s just that [students have] been lucky, and they know that they can just throw it away and get away with it.”

He confirmed that security will always ask the students to empty their pockets, but if there’s nothing on them, than there’s not much security can do. “We’ll put it in our report so if it occurs again . . . then we will take action,” said Mascenik.

“We know what they’re doing, but we’re not going to send somebody to judicial for a drugrelated incident without something to prove it with,” said Howell.

Despite what some students think, security isn’t out to get them. “We work very hard with the students here to prevent a lot of negative instances for their record, not for us,” said Howell. “[I] would really really hope that they start using common sense.”

According to Eric Cardenas, the director of public information, “Campus Safety will continue to patrol Plant Park to make it a safe, drug-free zone, while also ensuring the rest of campus is equally secure. Students are reminded that they can increase campus safety by reporting crimes or suspicious behavior through the Silent Witness Form at www.ut.edu/safety.”

“THERE IS NO FREE-ZONE... IT’S JUST THAT [STUDENTS HAVE] BEEN LUCKY, AND THEY KNOW THAT THEY CAN JUST THROW IT AWAY AND GET AWAY WITH IT” - ASSISTANT KEVINDIRECTOR HOWELL OF SECURITY

V CARD INNOCENCE IS IN THIS SEMESTER. SURPRISIN GLY, A QUARTER OF AL COLLEGE STUDENTS AR L E WAITING TO HAVE SE X.

by

MANDY ERFOURTH

photography ABIGAIL SANFORD

I

recently decided to watch Skins on MTV. I wanted to see what all the hype was about. I kept hearing about how it shows teens having sex and doing drugs. I believe this show is part of the reason why many people think this is going on among all young adults.

The show depicts one virgin in the group of friends who is trying to lose his virginity. At the end of the first episode, he is called an embarrassment for still being a virgin.

What students do not realize: One out of every four college students is a virgin, according to Kathleen Bogle, researcher and author of Hooking Up. A Smarter Sex Survey on SmarterSex.org similarly discovered that roughly “32 percent of male survey participants have not had intercourse, compared to 18 percent of female survey participants.”

In Bogle’s view, students are talking about sex more than they are having it.

Renee Renna, a senior communications major at the University of Tampa, said, “With everything that is portrayed on TV and in media, its hard not to think that [students are having more sex]. I think they aren’t having sex as often as it has been portrayed. The media has a way of over-exaggerating things and blowing things way out of proportion.”

Renna, a virgin, said she chooses to abstain from sex because she is waiting for the right person.

She is not the only student who has decided to remain a virgin on campus. Gabi Gonzalez, a sophomore biology major, is also a virgin. She chooses to wait for a few reasons, including her faith and because she has seen friends regret their decisions to have sex and that the relationships have not lasted. “I want the person I have sex with to be committed to me for the rest of my life,” Gonzalez said.

In a June 2010 Her Campus article, “The Black Sheep: Virgins in College,” Victoria Uwumarogie wrote, “According to the CDC, those who choose to maintain their virginity past age 18 . . . do so because of religious or moral qualms, fear of pregnancy, and simply because they just haven’t found the right person.”

Other UT students like Russell Forsythe, a sophomore elementary education major, also believe students are not having as much sex as they say. “The guys talk about it to sound cool, but really they sound dumb,” Forsythe said.

“The average person doesn’t have sex every day, but they hear about it at least once a day,” said Greg Byer, a sophomore psychology major.

All but one student interviewed believed that students talk about sex more than they partake.

THE MINARET | PAGE 33

Is Public School the New Battlefront for Education Equality? by

NICOLE ROBINSON

photography ABIGAIL SANFORD

T

he scene is set in Raleigh, N.C. Police dart into a crowd of passionate protesters.

Others are inside, arm-inarm, singing the well-known song of empowerment, “We Shall Overcome” while being dragged out in handcuffs.

Think this is about Black History? Think again.

This was the scene at a Wake County School Board meeting in Raleigh earlier this year. In one incident, 19 people were arrested and taken to police cars. A school board member was almost taken away by police when trying to calm the crowd. The shocking resemblance of this scene in comparison to those happenings of the past has put the Wake County School Board on the national stage.

It also has many up in arms, especially those who see this battle as a repeat of their own childhood.

The Situation

A school district in North Carolina decided to change a highly successful 10-year system that promoted socioeconomic diversity through implementing caps on how many free-lunch students could attend certain schools and busing them outside of their own neighborhoods.

Now students will be limited to certain zones that are close to home. The system was said to have been successful in 85 out of 116 elementary and middle schools, according to one report.

Others on the school board who voted for the change thought the system was unsuccessful and that perhaps the diversity was getting in the way of academic achievement.

“People take it as an article of faith that if you put kids in different backgrounds together they are already going to have a better grades,” said Chris Malone, Wake County School Board member.

“It is a growth experience, but if diversity gets in the way of achievement then we have our priorities wrong.”

In another district, a mother was arrested on federal charges for providing false information in an effort to get her children zoned in a more favorable district. On Feb. 17, Al Sharpton and others gathered in that Ohio school district to defend a woman who was doing what she thought she needed to do to get her children a quality education.

Should children be put into mixed schools that are limited to racial or socioeconomic groups in public schools? And, more importantly, what price are the students paying at the hands of school zoning rather than busing?

Desegregation

When the desegregation of schools was mandated in the 1954 Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education, many knew this was just the beginning. It was no longer in the hands of the Supreme Court to enforce desegregation in public schools.

Instead, the responsibility sat squarely in the laps of “school authorities” and “District Courts

in which school desegregation cases originated” because these would be the courts that would evaluate the cases and rule according to the law, according to the U.S. Department of Education. According to the department, “School districts have an affirmative obligation to achieve desegregation beyond merely refraining from enforcing segregation.”

A Snake That’s Shed Its Skin

Brown v. Board of Education strove to eliminate racial discrimination in public schools, and to a large extent, it accomplished what it set out to do. It would be foolish to think that society is comprised of a utopia education system in which every student, regardless of race, religion or socioeconomic standing, is equal.

Many schools in low-income areas suffer from a lack of resources and quality educators.

Too many good schools are just out of reach for those who require free lunch or government assistance.

In a way, segregation is like a snake that has shed its skin. Gone are the obvious “Keep Blacks out of our White Schools” picketers. In their place, are subtle, but similar neighborhood zoning policies where the lines of division conveniently slither around low-income neighborhoods. These divisions are created by those who would rather not see low-income children in the same schools as more privileged children.

And so the snake is not gone, but renewed in its new mission to poison something that had been repaired. Both sides of the North Carolina debate agree on the fact that there are disparities. Where the rift begins is how to rectify the situation.

Doretha Edgecomb, Chair of the Hillsborough County School Board

A Mother Willing to do What it Takes Since she did not feel that the schools offered in her district were quality enough, Kelly Williams-Bolar lied about her address and sent her kids outside of her neighborhood where they received their education. Williams-Bolar spent nine days in jail and faces federal criminal charges. Was she justified? Has this revealed what many are willing to do in the name of properly educating their children?

A Celebrated School District Bounds Ahead of Most Takes a Leap Back: A Community Brought Together in Opposition When the Wake County School Board ruled that the busing system would come to an end, a national firestorm erupted in Raleigh, N.C. Members of the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) including its president, Benjamin Jealous, came down to march on Raleigh. Protesters sat in the school board meeting arm in arm to show their distaste for what was said by many to be a backwards ruling in terms of diversity.

Outrage was especially present because of the contrast this ruling was compared to how far that particular school board had come in desegregation efforts.

THE MINARET | PAGE 35

Segregation in public schools was no longer legal after this ground breaking ruling.

There used to be a cap for how many students could be on free lunch (only 40 percent per school), this 5-4 ruling in favor of school zoning according to neighborhoods ran the risk of focusing students of one income bracket into one school.

Many believe this is stepping back into segregation. Many were in opposition including NAACP State President Reverend William Barber.

“When you want to dismantle that, based on political ideology, not based on educational research, there’s something real wrong about that and we have to challenge it,” said WilliamsBolar, according to naacp.org.

hoping to attain the diversity that resulted from the change.

She disagreed with not regulating the amount of low or high-income families allowed in certain districts for fear that all diversity of race or economic status would be eliminated.

“There’s the diversity of economics and also of race. If North Carolina’s tying to improve the education and having rigorous education how do you have that with an all low-income or highincome school or all white or black schools?”

Edgecomb admitted that there is always resistance to change, but change to such a celebrated and successful system may not be wise.

1964 Civil Rights Act of 1964

John Tedesco Wake County School Board Member

Where Do We Go From Here?

GETTING FAMILIAR WITH EDUCATIONAL LAW 1954 Brown v. Board of Education

1968 Green v. County School Board of New Kent County Held schools more accountable for desegregation efforts. Schools had to actively desegregate due to patterns of unsuccessful desegregation efforts.

1976 Pasadena City Board of Education v. Spangler The School Board ruled that if schools showed signs of desegregating, they had no further duty to do more. According to Controlled Choice it caused a “slide back from continuous attempts to maintain the level of desegregation that they had achieved,” and for “desegregation to return to operating segregated schools.”

2007 Supreme Court rules that putting students into schools based on race was unconstitutional.

“A lot of this is misunderstood and skewed”, John Tedesco revealed when asked about his take on all the controversy surrounding the issue.

“We have a very complex assignment model for a very large districts. We have year round schools, we have a lot of idiosyncrasies that others don’t have. We want to allow fair access to everybody.”

“We think the schools will fair better. The old system helped a culture of low expectations.

The low-income families deserve the rigorous education. We should as a system help every child succeed.

“We had a lot of high poverty schools anyway. Walnut Creek had a high degree of poverty. 80 percent were on free and reduce lunch but 52 percent were performing above proficiency and those kids should be given rigorous education not low expectations.

Tedesco is making an effort to improve the education system, but will implementing a new plan prove to be successful?

Chair of Hillsborough County Public School Board Members Doretha W. Edgecomb

“For all the things they’ve done on the past, it seems that they are destroying that has so many accolades from before, “ explained Doretha W. Edgecomb, Chair of the Hillsborough County School Board.

“We were looking at Lake County’s system as a way to provide diversity in our own schools.”

Edgecomb’s testament is not alone by any means. The Wake County system has been nationally syndicated since it’s implementation and looked up to for years by school districts

Many argue that the controversies we face now are not the same as what played out in our racially divided history. Perhaps it could be argued that this isn’t exactly the same, however, the circumstances are hauntingly similar.

Some conservatives argue that this is in contradiction of Dr. King’s philosophy of not making decisions based on color.

Just like in the times of the original desegregation of schools, everyone knew it wouldn’t come easy. Desegregation had to be enforced so that our classrooms could be racially diverse. It provided someone like me the opportunity for an equal learning experience.

It is best put in the words of Rev. William Barber, “You can not claim that history unless you govern with that philosophy.”

We must use the philosophy that everyone no matter their race or socioeconomic status should be allowed the chance to attain a quality education, be that in their own neighborhood or perhaps in another neighborhood just a bus ride away.

“1. The Congress should turn back all efforts to thwart school desegregation and schools instead provide positive support for the constitutional imperative of desegregating the Nation’s public schools.

“2. The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare through its Office for Civil Rights should further intensify its enforcements effort.”

These are two of the conclusions reached in a 1979 Status Report Desegregation of the Nation’s Public Schools by the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.

These principals need not be forgotten even today. We must intensify our efforts until every child can have the chance to have a rigorous and competitive educational experience.

“THERE’S THE DIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS AND ALSO OF RACE. IF NORTH CAROLINA’S TYING TO IMPROVE THE EDUCATION AND HAVING RIGOROUS EDUCATION HOW DO YOU HAVE THAT WITH AN ALL LOW-INCOME OR HIGH-INCOME SCHOOL OR ALL WHITE OR BLACK SCHOOLS?”

- DORETHA W. EDGECOMB CHAIR OF THE HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD THE MINARET | PAGE 36

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HANNAH WEBSTER

photography ABIGAIL SANFORD & SAMANTHA BATTERSBY

JERSEY CHASER “Do you know what a jersey chaser is?” I asked, eyes wide with curiosity.

The student, a well-known male athlete, had been unaware of my existence in his writing class until that moment. He stopped packing his bag and looked up at me with a smirk. “Like a cleat chaser?”

I nodded and smiled, inviting him to tell me more. But before I could plunge into the arsenal of questions filling my head, his voice dropped. He checked his surroundings. And he suggested we take the conversation elsewhere.

According to Urban Dictionary, a jersey chaser can be defined as a student, usually a woman, “who only goes after members of a certain athletic team. Always in attendance at each of the team’s matches or games, she can usually be seen pointing out members of the team . . . she has met and/or has had sexual relations with.”

As I discovered through my reporting, jersey chasers exist at the University of Tampa, but so does an unofficial policy that they should not be spoken about.

This unspoken policy seems to be so wellenforced that numerous interviewed athletes— who were informed that their words were on the record— later requested for their names and quotes to be removed from the piece altogether (though one requested a date almost immediately after withdrawing his information).

Many of their quotes included firsthand experiences linking their sport to jersey chasing.

Though “going after” can hardly be defined as the search for a serious relationship, it doesn’t necessarily apply to just sex. At least not for everyone.

But in many cases of collegiate sports, we are talking about something a little less committed than dating. Why else would a

conversation about it require a setting that promised zero risk of being overheard?

“Yeah, there are a couple of girls that get around with the team,” said basketball player Fred, who requested than only his first name be shared.

“Like four that I can think of that have slept with three or more.”

Not all sports are created equal though.

While the basketball team seems to have a ready supply of enthusiastic followers, other teams may not be as lucky— like the swim team.

“For the most part, girls might check us out while we are at the pool but don’t act on it to the degree of coming up to us,” said sophomore swimmer David Humphrey.

Sure, there are definitely girls out there looking to date, be wooed, and find their very own Prince Charmings of the playing field. But the rest of the time (by which I mean the most of the time) the shimmer of those jerseys in fluorescent light incites more lust than love.

Even the swim team, whose members claim to be a part of the least-sought-after team, cannot deny the huge impact of physical attraction.

“With the pool being a popular spot to hang out, I think girls recognize a lot of the swimmers around campus,” said junior swimmer Jeff Fiore. “Let’s be real. We have pretty nice bodies and girls have plenty of opportunities to check us out while we are half naked.”

Jersey chasers are not limited to college life. There are numerous websites and blogs devoted to the lifestyle of a chaser. Some highprofile matchmakers are even rumored to cater to the need of sports’ wealthiest “players”.

Kim Kardashian was recently voted Jersey Chaser of the Year by thejerseychaser.com for

being connected to four different star athletes, beating out nominees like Carrie Underwood, Eva Longoria, and Cameron Diaz.

Obviously, these ladies are no joke. But here on our home turf, things are a little different. It all starts with hordes of fresh athletes and ladies looking to get some— though probably not quite as classily as Ms. Kardashian did it (we’ll leave out the sex tape this time, Kim).

But let’s be honest, it’s not like the men these determined women have their hearts set on have anything to complain about. Not once did anyone with whom I spoke say, “I wish these girls would just stop wanting my body and leave me to my sport.”

Maybe there are some out there, but men who do not enjoy the attention that accompanies talent are few and far between.

College athletes are the celebrities of any campus, maybe even more so when the campus is as small as UT and the men outnumber the women.

Looking for a decent man is more like hunting for antelope than batting a few eyelashes. But whatever it takes to butt into the

jersey chaser, noun.

“A chick who only goes after members of a certain athletic team.

Always in attendence at each of the team’s matches or games, she can usually be seen pointing out members of the team . . . she has met and/or has had sexual relations with. When not attending games, she can be found in and/or around local gymnasiums and athletic fields.”

- Urban Dictionary

THE MINARET | PAGE 40

spotlight, right ladies?

“Yeah, there are definitely girls that try and hook-up with kids on the soccer team here just because of our ‘status,’” said junior soccer player Gregory Sasser.

“But I also think the players on the team also use the athlete persona to their advantage and basically use it as a pick-up line.”

Upon searching through websites devoted to college sports and the attractive specimens who play them, I stumbled across a pleasant surprise: FratHouseSports.com, a site built as a center for all college sports, which sports an entire page devoted to hot female athletes.

Yes, female. Looks like ladies aren’t the only ones who enjoy a jersey.

Their explanation of their identity and purpose claimed that “in addition to covering college sports, we wanted to go down as the site that found ‘The Next Allison Stokke.’

And as you can see from our hot athlete, cheerleader, and fan photo galleries we’ve found like 100 girls hotter than her.”

Apparently this admiration doesn’t just go one way. Men may be just as eager to check out the most physically active girls on campus. They just aren’t as well known as the classic jersey chaser stereotype of femalechasing-male.

The main difference between the sexes competing in this wild game is owning up to it. Yeah, guys will say that it happens. Are they proud? Some admit it with a hearty “f*** yeah!” But others remain true to the sport, rather than the women that tag along.

Maybe that is part of the appeal for a chaser. Men who play sports are usually in good shape, have incredible stamina, and not to mention drive.

But playing a sport also requires incredible determination and the ability to be a part of a team. I think most women would agree those traits are not only admirable, but sexy.

This is why the appeal of an athlete has the potential to be so strong. That is, until the ego kicks in. If and when it does, his “top of the world” feeling can easily transform into cockiness, turning our beloved boys-nextdoor into the men-whoring-machines they think they need to be.

So what about these women? Some say going after athletes is like any other attraction.

One woman might like tall men with blue eyes. Another might like hers short, built and tan. A jersey chaser just prefers her love interests to have a spot on the court and a jersey in his closet.

Ultimately, a jersey chaser controls her reputation. There are two sides to every fence; she can pick which one is greener to her.

Whether a jersey chaser can be classified as a woman with preferences or just a girl who gets passed around a team, it is apparent that these ladies are not going anywhere. As long as there are athletes, there will be women wanting them.

PARTY IN THE PARK PRESENTS: by

MIKE TROBIANO When we are young, many of us aspire to mature and reach stardom but few actually take reach and surpass that goal. Calling B.o.B. a successful artist would be like congratulating the Packers on a mere “good game” after beating the Steelers.

At the age of 22, he has already had three top ten singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and was nominated for five 2011 Grammy Awards, including Record of the Year for “Nothin’ on You.” So when it came to choose who should come to play at Student Production’s Party in the Park 2011, his name was on the top of the list.

As a member of the board responsible for bringing this year’s artist to Plant Park in May, I can attest there was much deliberation over who to invite to perform. After reviewing the votes on Blackboard from October, it became pretty clear to all of us, B.o.B. is what UT wants to hear. So now that we had this decided, we quickly realized the process had only begun. To get a better sense of what is actually needed, I reached out to SP’s booking agent, Ari Nisman from Degy Entertainment, to describe the booking process.

Can you describe the typical process for booking an artist and working with student organizations around the nation?

AN: As you can imagine, each school and each show is extremely different… in the end, it’s my job to try to get the top choice of the school at the best price possible, and I strive every day to take the best care of my schools.

There is obviously a lot of back and forth trying to get a contract signed and approved by both parties. What was the most challenging part of booking B.o.B.?

The most challenge part of booking an act is often the financial aspects, as many artists look at college shows as their “money dates.” It’s a really bad stigma that forms years back, and we have unfortunately yet to break it. So, bringing acts down to earth with what they “should” be getting versus what they expect, can often be a big challenge.

Have you worked with B.o.B. before? If so, what are some of the positive aspects of working with himand have there been any instances in his past performances that have worried you or have grown out of control?

B.o.B. did some outstanding shows for me at two other large schools in the midwest, and I also have him booked a few times this spring. I expect a great show for Tampa. And as far as behavior or instances that would concern me -- none at all. In fact, both the artist and [his] team were a pleasure to work with last fall and are completely responsive. Even though he has been climbing the charts in quick fashion with song-after-song, dominating U.S. Radioplay, B.o.B. seems to be approachable and kind...

As we know, last year’s scheduled band, Slightly Stoopid, didn’t perform because of the rain. In the event that weather does cancel the concert again, what do you do in that situation? What happens with the performer?

Do we really call that rain? I thought I was being casted in the remake of either Wizard of Oz or Twister -- that was nutso! Slightly Stoopid was more than gracious during last year’s weather issues and, in fact, stayed around in their tour bus hoping the skies would clear… I think there were lots of learnings for the concert board, and this year, they will have more contingency plans in place. . . [W]e’ll be eyeballing the weather all week, and especially the day prior to make a “weather call” if necessary… I already started wearing my pajamas inside out and asking for no rain -- we should all do the same that week before the show.

How many bookings have you had with B.o.B.?

This is going to be my fourth or fifth show with B.o.B. on college campuses. . . B.O.B. [is] an artist that hasn’t really been around for awhile and has hit the scene with a ball of fire... Having the artist on campus is a pretty special show as he hasn’t played too many to date. It should be great.

FAST FACTS ABOUT B.o.B. Was born Bobby Ray Simmons on Nov. 15, 1988 Most known for his breakthrough singles: “Nothin’ on You” and “Airplanes” in 2010 Started rapping at the age of 13 after studying classic albums from DMX and Eminem While still in junior high school, B.o.B formed a group with his cousin Swag, called The Klinic.

Only 17 when he signed his first major-label record deal Grew up on the east side of Atlanta Was discovered when he snuck in to a club to perform “Cloud 9,” wowed audience member and industry veteran TJ Chapman, who agreed to co-manage B.o. B. Sources: music.aol.com, bobatl.com

CRACK IN THE BAT

UT BALLPLAYERS SAY NEW BRAND TAKES THE POP OUT OF THEIR SWINGS

by

KYLE BENNETT

photography SAMANTHA BATTERSBY

“They are terrible,” said junior outfielder Shawn Pleffner. “They are worse than wood. BBCOR is horrible.”

Following a season in which the offense of the university baseball squad was downright prodigious, scoring more than 10 runs per game, the NCAA issued new bat regulations. They went into effect prior to the 2011 baseball season.

The main reason for the change was safety concerns, but many Spartans are unhappy with the new rules.

The biggest change with the new model is a thicker wall, which drastically reduces the “trampoline effect” off an aluminum bat, making it more like connecting with a wooden bat.

“I’ve been told that on a 300-foot shot,” head coach Joe Urso explained, “[the new model] takes about 30 feet off of it.”

The change is an obvious advantage for pitchers, as it will take a much more fluent swing to connect solidly with a pitch. Coach Urso is wholeheartedly in favor of the change, though, as it levels out competition and makes the game more interesting.

“They’ve done a good job with these bats and we’ve got a real baseball game again,” he said.

“We want to get back to pitching and defense.

That’s what has always won championships, and always won World Series titles.”

Pleffner, a transfer from Tallahassee Community College, was a highly-sought-after recruit by Urso and his staff. He is 6-foot 4-inches tall, brought in to succeed as a middle-lineup power hitter.

“The bat seems to perform like it did back when I played, in the late 80s early 90s,” Urso, who played four years at UT, explained.

“With last year’s model bat, Shawn Pleffner is hitting into the third tier of the 90-foot screen around the field. We give him the new model and he’s barley getting it over the yellow cap for a home run.”

With safety as the main reason for decreasing the velocity of the ball coming off the bat, it should be noted that while this is a major change, these bats are still aluminum. The bats still perform better than a wooden bat.

“It’s not as good as the bats we had before, but it’s not a wood bat so it’s still going to go further than a wooden bat,” transfer junior Drew Jones explained.

“We’re changing our swings and adjusting to the bats.”

In years past, a pitch could get onto the hands of a hitter, or get hit off the end of the bat, yet would still have enough behind it to get to the deepest parts of the field.

With the new model, hitters are going to be less rewarded for not hitting the ball well, meaning that it will take the hitter putting a good swing on the ball and hitting it off the “sweet-spot” of the bat.

“You’re seeing guys improve their swings because they can’t get away with some of the things they could last year,” Urso said.

“You could miss hit balls last year and they’d still go 300, 350 feet. With this bat you have to have a good, short swing and hit it right for it to go.”

WHERE TO BUY A LIST OF WEBSITES AND PHOTO CREDIT FOR CLOTHING ITEMS SEEN ON PAGES 9-11.

RAY-BAN: “COCKPIT” available by ray-ban.com. (Photo by koleaba via photobucket.com). J.CREW: “SPERRY TOP-SIDER® AUTHENITC ORIGINAL LEATHER CHUKKA BOOTS”, “RUGGED TWILL BRIEFCASE BAG”, “SATIN KEEPSAKE CLUTCH”, “MARTINE LACE-UP BOOTIES” available at jcrew.com. (Photos courtesy of J. Crew). FOSSIL: “DECKER NYLON GREEN CHRONOGRAPH DIAL WATCH”, “THREE HAND WHITE DIAL WATCH” available at fossil.com. (Photos courtesy of Fossil). ORLEBAR BROWN: “BULLDOG GOLD EDITIONS” available at orlebarbrown.com. (Photo courtesy of Orlebar Brown). CHARLOTTE RUSSE: “THREE CHARM FRIENDSHIP BRACELET” available at charlotterusse.com. (Original photo by Chu via flickr.com). OLD NAVY: “WOMEN’S V-NACK CARDIGAN” available at oldnavy.com. (Photo by Mayda_Olguin via photobucket.com).

Degree Program Open House Friday, March 11, 2011 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm

SPECIAL THANKS Thank you to Brooke Scherer for your assistance in reviewing much of the layout and design for this issue. George McCaughan, for traveling to the West Coast and Canada to photograph and record real life superheroes. Stephen Schiermann, for providing mouth-watering images of some of Tampa’s best lasagna. Peter Tangen, for the rights to run your work on our cover. And Robin Miller, for working so closely to print this special publication.

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