April 29, 2013 Online Edition

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Marshall receiver Aaron Dobson drafted by New England Patriots

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Monday, April 29, 2013 | VOL. 116 NO. 128 | MARSHALL UNIVERSITY’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER | marshallparthenon.com

TYLER KES | THE PARTHENON

Members of the Young Thundering Herd look on, Saturday, as mechanical difficulties prevent the Memorial Fountain from being turned on to close out the ceremony. The fountain was turned on later in the day.

By MALCOLM IRVING

Marshall commmunity remembers

THE PARTHENON The Memorial Fountain means a lot to Marshall University students, faculty and especially the football program.

It represents a history that will always be remembered by past, current and future students.

Saturday, the university had a spring fountain celebration, which commerated Marshall University’s commitment to continuing its football program following the tragedy of 1970. The ceremony honored all of the student athletes who made the choice to wear the Marshall football uniforms following 1970 tragedy and their contributions to the future.

Bill Forbes, a New Martinsville, W. Va., resident and former automobile salesman executive, was the keynote speaker at the Memorial Fountain ceremony. Forbes is a man of many attributes — motivational speaker, automotive sales consultant, singer, minister and evangelist. He was a 6 foot tall, 200-pound linebacker at MU for coaches Jack Lengyel and Frank Ellwood, a three-time letterman (1974-1976) and a part-time starter who finished with around 300 career tackles. His speech reminded the audience what the

fountain stands for. He received a standing ovation from the people who attended the ceremony.

“We along with many others put a brick in the wall of the foundation that would be Marshall University’s football rebirth,” Forbes said. “Sports bring people together probably like any other activity, and athletes from all schools make friends that last a life time, but there is something special here. Once you become part of the Marshall University program here — the tradition, the passion — you’re not the same. You have a respect for all those who came before you, who have contributed to where we are today and guys we’re proud of where we are today.”

Forbes was not the only one to give a speech at the ceremony. Marshall Director of Athletics, Mike Hamrick, was the Master of Ceremonies. The Rev. Steve Harvey, Marshall team chaplain, was the invocation speaker and Marshall President Stephen Kopp opened the ceremony with his welcome the audience speech and Bob Sawrey, former Marshall faculty athletic representative gave the ceremony remarks.

See FOUNTAIN | Page 5

Vision Campaign breaks ground on new indoor practice facility Autism rally

By AMANDA REESMAN

BRAXTON CRISP | THE PARTHENON

TOP: Members of the Vision Campaign break ground Friday on the new indoor practice facility.

BOTTOM: Vision Campaign Co-Chair and former Marshall quarterback Chad Pennington speaks at the ceremony.

THE PARTHENON Marshall University’s Vision Campaign hosted the official ground breaking ceremony Friday next to the Joan C. Edwards Stadium on the site that will soon be home to the new indoor practice facility, hall of fame, academic support center and the Sports Medicine Translational Research Center.

During the ceremony, Mike Hamrick announced through a letter that Jim Justice, chairman and owner of The Greenbrier had contributed $5 million to the Vision Campaign. The $5 million donation had been previously listed as an anonymous contribution.

Justice, a Marshall alumnus, and former Thundering Herd golfer, was unable to attend the ceremony, but wrote in a letter that the new facilities will not only be an asset to all of the athletes, but a source of great pride to all Marshall alumni.

The Vision campaign aims to raise $20 million to build new facilities for Marshall University athletics. Mike Hamrick heads the campaign and it is co-chaired by Chad Pennington and Marshall University hoops legend Mike D'Antoni.

“We all came to the conclusion that we needed bigger, better facilities because we had gotten left behind and we all admitted that,” Hamrick said.

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“But I’m here to tell you today that that’s about to change.”

The completion date for the Indoor Facility is set for Aug. 29, 2014. The athletic department's hope is that the new hall of fame will open then, along with the academic center and sports medicine translational research center to follow.

The new facilities aim to help Marshall athletes succeed both in their sport and academics.

“I respect everything they are trying to do, and the way that we respect what they are trying to do is through this facility, because what this facility does for our university, for our student athletes is it completes the process.” Pennington said. “When we bring a student athlete in, we not only worried about what they are going to accomplish and what they’re going to perform for us, as Marshall University fans, on the field, or on the court, we are concerned about their total well being as a student athlete and a person.”

The ceremony took place between the east stands of the Joan C. Edwards stadium and the training facility weight room and was attended by hundreds of Marshall studentathletes, contributors and supporters and athletic department staff and coaches.

Amanda Reesman can be contacted at reesman@marshall.edu.

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takes over Ritter Park

By CAITLIN KINDER-MUNDAY

THE PARTHENON On Saturday, more than 1,000 Huntington community members walked and biked their way around Ritter Park for the 12th annual Rally for Autism, which featured a 25-mile bike tour and the fourth annual Seaton and Moira Taylor 5k walk and run.

The Autism Services Center, the West Virginia Autism Training Center at Marshall University and the Autism Society River Cities hosted the event and benefited from the funds that were raised by teams and individuals who participated in the walk, run or bike tour.

Elanie Harvey, president of the Autism Society River Cities and chair for the Rally for Autism, said the agencies were all pleased with the turn out.

“We had 983 two years ago,” Harvey said. “Last year, because of the weather, we had 925, and we’ve exceeded 1,000 today.”

Each agency had a booth where people could buy items or learn facts about autism. Harvey said one of the goals, aside from raising money, was to educate people in the Huntington area about autism.

“Autism is not really understood,” Harvey said. “Oftentimes, people with autism have outbursts or melt downs. One of the goals of this event is to remind people, when they are out in the community and see a child have a meltdown, to think that

See RALLY | Page 5

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MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013 |

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Guard changes with Student Government inaugurations

By KIMBERLY SMITH

THE PARTHENON The Marshall University Student Government Association turned over a new leaf Sunday at the presidential inauguration of the EJ Hassan and Ashley Lyons administration.

The outgoing Ray Harrell Jr. and Aja Smith administration, Marshall President Stephen Kopp, Steve Hensley and other

advisers to the SGA were in attendance and spoke on behalf of both old and new members of the executive branch. Kopp gave opening remarks regarding his involvement with the SGA in the past, as well as what he looks forward to in the future.

“I enjoyed working with Ray Harrell and his staff,” Kopp said. “I look forward to working

with EJ Hassan and all the accomplishments I know he will achieve.”

Kopp mentioned the efforts of previous Chief of Staff, Adam Fridley, to avoid budget cuts to public universities.

“I would like to emphasize the aggressive action the SGA has taken against these cuts, and I know I can expect that to continue with the new staff,” Kopp said.

Along with Harrell, Aja Smith, the outgoing vice president, gave farewell remarks, about their time in office, as well as their interaction with Hassan and Lyons.

“Ashley has become one of my best friends,” Smith said. “I know she’ll go above and beyond as vice president.”

In her vice presidential address, Lyons returned the favor

JESSICA RAMEY | THE PARTHENON

Members of the Cabell County Victim Advisory Board set up with food, drink and music, Friday, inside Pullman Square in recognition of Victims’ Rights Week.

and complimented Smith for her help and guidance during the election process.

“Aja was always there for me when things got tough,” Lyons said. “She gave me many bible verses and passages to help make my decision to run for vice president very clear.”

Steve Hensley, dean of Student Affairs, also had advice to give to the new administration.

BY JESSICA RAMEY

THE PARTHENON Members of the community came together Friday for the annual recognition of Victims’ Rights Week at Pullman Square.

The Victim Advisory Board hosted the event, which included music, free food and different activities for children.

“As the Victim Advisory Board, we get out and make more awareness of the agencies in Huntington for victims of crime,” said Steven Cline, president of the Victim Advisory Board. “We want to create a presence in the city so we put on events like this with different programs present.”

One group present was the victims assistance division of the prosecuting attorney’s office.

Steve Kern, a victim advocate for the office, explained more of what the division does for victims of crime, which he said can range from shoplifting to murder.

“We have the victims of violent crimes compensation fund, which is used to help them pay for hospital bills,” Kern said.

“We also go to court with them and act as a mouthpiece for victims in court. We see what they want as an outcome in court.”

Kern said the event is important because it makes them more approachable because talking about such a serious matter can be intimidating. He said they want people to know that if something should ever happen to them, they can say ‘there is somebody who can help me and walk me through this.’

Amanda White, a victim advocate, was there to represent the Contact Rape Crisis Center.

White said events like these are going on all over the country for Victims’ Rights Week.

“We want the kids to come out and have fun, and we receive donations from the public, so we want to give something back, so we have the free food and a chance for people to see what is available,” White said. “We want to spread awareness to not only Marshall University students, but to the rest of the community.”

White said she thinks it is important for people to know most of the services available to victims of crime are free except for counseling, and even with that, there are ways for them to get it.

Chevella Layne-Dixon, a therapist with Goodwill Services, said they offer the counseling victims of crime may need.

The Huntington Police Department Forensics Unit was also present at the event to offer free fingerprinting work for children so their fingerprints will be on file should parents ever need them.

“Our unit responds to crime scenes and does a lot of fingerprinting work,” said Steve Compton, a sergeant in the forensics investigative unit.

The event also included the Marshall University forensic science department, Branches Domestic Violence Shelter and the Cabell County family court.

Jessica Ramey can be contacted at ramey95@marshall.edu.

Long-standing feud believed behind Mississippi ricin case

By MATTHEW TEAGUE

LOS ANGELES TIMES (MCT) Federal agents of all sorts invaded northeast Mississippi several days ago, on a mission: Find the man who sent a poisonlaced letter to the president. But the United States government quickly found itself entangled, once again, in a misunderstood land dominated by squabbling tribes and petty vengeanceS. Agents first arrested an Elvis Presley impersonator, released him, and then on Saturday arrested his nemesis, a karate instructor. Gradually investigators concluded that what they had descended upon was probably less about the president _ or the U.S. senator and retired state judge who also received letters, than a serious case of indigenous bickering.

That shocks no one here.

“Tupelo is a kaleidoscope,” said sociologist Mark Franks, who grew up in nearby Booneville.

There are true geniuses walking the streets of Tupelo, he said, and incredibly wealthy, generous people. But also, “every wall-eyed uncle and ‘yard cousin’, just referencing the local pejorative, makes it into Tupelo, Miss. It creates a peculiar culture.”

Tupelo is best known as the hometown of Presley, after whom it has named streets, waterways and dry cleaners.

Unlike many other Southern towns its size, it has several excellent museums, street art and a public arena large enough to attract the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus this month. That’s when someone shot Carol, a circus elephant, in what seems to be the first elephantine drive-by ever. Carol is recovering, but Tupelo Police Capt. Rusty Haynes said his investigation has stalled “because, to be honest, there are a lot of possible perpetrators.”

So people in the area were not surprised when the FBI, Secret Service and other agencies showed up looking for whomever sent letters laced with ricin to President Obama, Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and retired Mississippi Judge Sadie Holland.

The agents quickly nabbed a man in nearby Corinth named Paul Kevin Curtis. He worked as an Elvis impersonator, spun wild conspiracies about the local hospital selling body parts and apparently signed the poisoned letters with his own initials.

But the FBI found no evidence of ricin in Curtis’ home and no incriminating research on his computer. They decided he hadn’t sent the letters after all and released him Tuesday.

Within hours agents had raided the home of his archenemy: J. Everett Dutschke, karate instructor.

page designed and edited by BISHOP NASH | nash24@marshall.edu

Curtis claimed Dutschke wanted to frame him. It wouldn’t be the first skirmish between Tupelo’s most famous son and a karate man. In 1973, several men climbed on stage during a concert by Presley. The singer felt threatened and fought the men, alongside his bodyguards.

He felt sure the men had been sent by estranged wife Priscilla’s new boyfriend, his own nemesis: Mike Stone, karate instructor.

Curtis, 45, and Dutschke, 41, have intertwined for years, feuding over small-town grievances as labyrinthine and intricate as any global conspiracy. They met in 2005, and were friendly for a time. When he wasn’t teaching karate, Dutschke worked for Curtis’ brother Jack at an insurance office. Both men knew Wicker, and both had connections to the 80-year-old Holland.

See FEUD | Page 5

See INAUGURATION | Page 5

Owner of collapsed Bangladeshi building arrested near Indian border

By MARK MAGNIER

Awareness group takes to Pullman Square for Victims’ Rights Week

“The most important thing is to know the difference between an opponent and an enemy,” Hensley said. “It takes a whole bunch of people to make something happen, but it only takes one person to keep it from happening.”

He said small goals are not as important as the big picture.

LOS ANGELES TIMES (MCT) The owner of a collapsed building in Bangladesh was arrested Sunday near the Indian border as the death toll rose to at least 370 in the nation's worst garment industry disaster. With more than 800 people still missing and time running out, rescue officials fear the number of known dead could rise sharply.

Sohel Rana, landlord of the pancaked Rana Plaza, was trying to flee the country when he was detained in the border town of Benapole, police said.

Rana is reportedly an official with the ruling party who went into hiding soon after he was rescued from the wreckage of his building. Local news photos showed him wearing a black and white printed shirt as he was taken into custody by two men in plain clothes.

"He has been arrested and will be tried," Bangladesh's deputy home minister, Shamsul Haque Tuku, told reporters.

Rana Plaza, housing five apparel factories supplying western brands, a shopping plaza and a bank branch, developed cracks Tuesday, according to local media reports. Police condemned the eight-story building, but some factory owners reportedly ordered workers back to their sewing machines just hours before the building collapsed.

Reports said an illegal ninth story was under construction.

Disaster Management Minister Abul Hasan Mahmood Ali said Sunday that the structure didn't meet building code requirements, was never approved by the government and was built on a wetland using substandard construction materials.

In addition to Rana, authorities have arrested three

factory owners and two government engineers.

Meanwhile, fewer people are being pulled out alive with each passing day. The five rescued Sunday compared with about two dozen on Saturday and more than 70 on Friday.

"The chances of finding people alive are dimming," said Maj. Gen. Chowdhury Hassan Sohrawardi, the army official coordinating the rescue operation. "So we have to step up our rescue operation to save any valuable life we can."

Authorities initially announced they would suspend the rescue operation and start removing the debris at the 72-hour mark, but angry relatives forced them to continue searching. As the stench of decaying bodies grows, however, it's only a matter of time before the focus shifts to a cleanup operation, analysts said.

Nine more survivors were spotted under huge pieces of concrete Sunday, spurring an operation to reach them. So far, 2,440 people have been pulled out alive, Dhaka's Daily Star newspaper reports.

The roads were relatively quiet Sunday, with protests limited to a few blocked highways. This followed days of demonstrations and clashes between police and angry garment workers who burned factories, smashed cars and wrecked shops. Opposition forces have called for a national strike Thursday to protest the disaster.

"This is not the time for agitation," Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Sunday on a day in which she visited hospitals and promised aid in a bid to stem the civil and political fallout. "It is the time to stand beside other people.

Vandalism on the streets is not acceptable."

NEWS IN BRIEF • The closing date for course evaluations will be moved forward to May 3 from the original May 10. In an email to academic deans and department chairs, Provost Gayle Ormiston explained this shift was due to “persistent and numerous requests” and students will continue to be reminded of evaluations they have not completed.

• Angie Rose, Faculty Senate Administrative Secretary Senior, suffered a stroke at her home Thursday evening according to an email from Eldon Larsen, professor of engineering. Rose was rushed via ambulance to the hospital and is suffering from a blood clot in the brain but is recovering well so far, according to the email. Larsen called Rose an “amazing” woman who Marshall owes “a debt, and a huge thanks for all she does.”

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FORMER HERD WR WILSON SIGNS FREE AGENT CONTRACT WITH NEW YORK JETS MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013 |

| MARSHALLPARTHENON.COM

Dobson drafted by Patriots

By WILL VANCE

SPORTS EDITOR Another former Marshall University wide out is trading in the kelly green and white for the red, white and blue.

On Friday, the New England Patriots selected former Marshall standout wide receiver Aaron Dobson with the 59th overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft.

In four years with the Thundering Herd, Dobson caught 165 passes for 2,398 yards and 24 touchdowns. He made a name for himself with big-play ability, such as a 97-yard touchdown catch-and-run against WVU in 2010, and acrobatic catches, best displayed in his now-famous behind the back, one handed touchdown grab against ECU in 2011.

Dobson said waiting for the call was a nervewrecking experience.

“It’s just playing a waiting game; it’s not fun at all,” said Dobson, a 6 foot 3 inch, 210 pound product of South Charleston High School. “You’re excited because you’re about to get a chance to play in the NFL, but you still have to wait. You don’t know when your name is going to be called, what round, what team, none of that.”

Dobson’s wait was shorter than many though.

He was drafted towards the end of the second

round, the exact same spot former Marshall defensive end Vinny Curry was drafted at by the Eagles in the 2012 draft.

“The general manager called me first, but then he gave the phone to Coach Belichick,” Dobson said. “He told me he was going to pick me and we just started talking football. It was exciting; I couldn’t even believe it.”

The Patriots, arguably one of the most successful NFL franchises of the past decade, have a history with Marshall wide receivers. In 1993, the team drafted Troy Brown out of Marshall, and eventually won three Super Bowl titles with Brown as a key part of the passing attack.

In 2007, the Patriots made a draft-day trade to acquire former Marshall wide receiver Randy Moss from the Oakland Raiders. Moss caught 50 touchdown passes in 53 games with New England from 2007 to 2010, which included a record-setting 23 in the Patriots undefeated regular season in 2007.

Dobson said history made him think he may get a call from the Patriots.

“That’s why I thought they were going to get me anyways because they do have a history of having Marshall wide receivers up there,”

See DOBSON | Page 5

PHOTO BY TYLER KES | THE PARTHENON

Aaron Dobson (left) chats with former Marshall and current Eagles defensive end Vinny Curry. Dobson and Curry were both selected with the 59th pick in the 2013 and 2012 NFL drafts, respectively.

Herd puts on show in Green and White game

By WILL VANCE

PHOTO BY TYLER KES | THE PARTHENON

PHOTOS BY COLEEN O’SHEA | THE PARTHENON

SPORTS EDITOR Saturday the Thundering Herd football team closed spring practice with the annual Green and White game and gave the 5,115 fans in attendance a sneak peek of what is to come in the fall.

“Our guys enjoy playing in front of the fans,” Head Coach Doc Holliday said. “We’re trying to do a great job with our players in making them understand what they mean to our fan base.

The fans witnessed an offense that was as advertised as well as a markedly improved defense.

“We have a lot to work on, but going into summer I feel great about where we’re at,” rising redshirt senior defensive end Alex Bazzie said. “[New defensive coordinator] Coach Heater understands the players he has and wants to work with us as much as we want to work with him. So, it’s a good chemistry.”

Bazzie, who recorded 80 tackles and nine tackles for loss last season, said coordination is the biggest improvement the defense has made over the spring.

“Being all on the same page at once, getting a play and everyone knowing their job on that specific play, that’s where we got better,” Bazzie said. “Last year, there would be times everyone wasn’t on the same page, everybody wasn’t understanding what was going on. I feel like now, when we step out onto the field, everybody’s on the same page and that’s the starting point for our defense.”

The high-powered passing attack of last season was proven to be alive and well, as top quarterbacks Rakeem Cato and Blake Frohnapfel combined to go 17 of 27 for 229 yards and three touchdowns in limited action.

“We did a great job this spring,” said Cato, who is entering his junior year. “We worked on new things we’re going to see from defenses, like them bracketing [Tommy] Shuler and things like that.”

Cato completed a 20-yard touchdown pass to Craig Wilkins and also ran in a touchdown from eight yards out.

“He runs well in a red jersey, but we’ll see how he does with a green or white one on,” Holliday said of Cato’s running.

“He’s proud of himself, he’s gotten a lot stronger. He’s working on becoming more physical, and he feels a lot better because he’s a lot stronger than he was last year — stronger than two years ago for sure.”

Cato said his running can be important to the offense.

“Knowing that we had a great passing offense last year, teams are going to start dropping eight and blitzing more,” Cato said. “Us quarterbacks figured we should use our legs more and be more two-dimensional.”

Blake Frohnapfel had a pair of touchdowns as well, with one coming from a 19-yard catch-and-run by running back Essray Taliaferro and the other coming courtesy of a 32-yard pass to his brother, tight end Eric Frohnapfel.

After having a facelift under new coach Alex Mirabel, the offensive line performed well.

“We’ve bought into what the coaches have to say,” rising senior tackle Gage Niemeyer said.

“We believe we can be good, and we know we have to come together as a team to be great.”

The running game got some extra work in during the scrimmage with 38 total carries for 116 yards and the touchdown run by Cato.

“We want to be able to run the football,” Holliday said. “We were third in the conference in rushing last season, and it’s important we improve on that.”

Rising sophomore Steward Butler carried the ball 11 times for a team-high 60 yards, and rising junior Essray Taliaferro also had 11 carries for 48 yards.

The receiving corps was led by rising junior Jack Gammon’s six catches for 31 yards, and rising redshirt senior Dameon Garrett displayed big-play ability on his four catches for 72 yards.

On the defensive side of the ball, freshman linebacker Stefan Houston paced the squad with seven tackles and a pass break-up. Rising juniors Jermaine Holmes and Cortez

See FOOTBALL | Page 5

TOP: Receiver Craig Wilkins stretches out for a catch with Corey Tindel on coverage MIDDLE: Tight end Eric Frohnapfel (83) celebrates a touchdown catch with DeAndre Reeves.

BOTTOM: Receiver DeAndre Reeves looks for running room after making a catch.

page designed and edited by WILL VANCE | vance162@marshall.edu

Green and White keeps fans entertained, hopeful

By COURTNEY SEALEY

THE PARTHENON More than 5,000 Marshall University fans attended the Green and White game Saturday to see the changes the Thundering Herd had made to improve on its 5-7 season in 2012.

With several 2013 roster players still in high school, fans only got a glimpse of the talent that will be on the team in the future.

Rachel Wyant, a senior music education major, said she was happy with what she saw at the game.

“It seems like they aren’t as confused as they have been,” Wyant said. “They know where they are supposed to be and aren’t running around with their heads cut off.”

In the past, Marshall’s defense has had issues with communication and knowing the layout of plays, but the new defensive coordinator, Chuck Heater, has been taking care of that issue in spring practice.

Wyant said she believes the team has a lot of potential for the upcoming season.

Fans in attendance got a look at the team behind the scenes as well. A short video was played and highlighted how head strength and conditioning coach, Scott Sinclair, has been prepping the team for the upcoming season.

While watching the video, players on the sidelines laughed as they watched themselves push through their painful workouts. In the video, the wide receivers dawned shirts that named their group “Fast and Furreyous,” which is a play on words of their coach Mike Furrey Herd fan Luke Wiggs, said the video made his muscles ache.

He also said he wondered if the players would let him use one of the ice tubs so he could relax after watching it.

Another fan, Eric Richmond, said he hopes for a better future for the team.

“I am really just shocked at the amazing changes they’ve made in only a month,” Richmond said. “It gives me hopes that

See FANS | Page 5

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American football industry is on its deathbed

By JOHN KASS

CHICAGO TRIBUNE With all that college beef on parade this week, the NFL draft is a wonder of sports marketing, a televised pageant for the multibillion-dollar American football industry.

But there’s something football fans should know: Football is dead in America.

Even through all the chatter and cheerleading and media hype, football as an American cultural institution lies in final spasm. It’s as dead as the Marlboro Man. And if the professional game survives at all, it will be relegated to the pile of trash sports, like mixed martial arts or whatever is done in third-rate arenas with monster trucks and mud. It won’t be as American as apple pie. Instead, football will become the province of people with face tattoos.

Lawyers are circling football now. For years they’ve had their wings locked, cruising overhead, but lately they’ve swooped in low, landing and hopping over to take chunks out of the great billiondollar beast.

But it’s not the lawyers who are the death of football. Blaming lawyers misses the point. Like their counterparts in nature, lawyers are merely the cleanup crew. What finishes football are the parents of future football players.

The NFL desperately needs American parents. Not as fans, but as suppliers of young flesh.

The NFL needs parents to send their little boys into the football feeder system. And without that supply of meat for the NFL grinder — first youth teams, then high school and college — there can be no professional football.

And yet every day, more American parents decide they’re finished with football. Why? Because parents can no longer avoid the fact that football scrambles the human brain.

In cultural terms, parents who send their 10-year-olds to play football might as well hold up signs saying they’d like to give their children cigarettes and whiskey.

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Do you feel you are in good academic standing going in to the final weeks of the semester?

Make no mistake. I loved football. I loved it desperately. Even now, four decades later, I remember endlessly damning myself for being too small to play it at a bigtime college. I ached for it, for the violence of it, for the training, the salt pills and no water on hot August fields, the helmet scabs on the forehead, but mostly the collisions.

And I still love it, but I can’t shake the guilt of supporting the physical ruin of great athletes. My wife and I wouldn’t let our sons play. We just couldn’t.

Some 4,000 former NFL players have joined lawsuits against the league for allegedly hiding the dangers to the brain. This follows a rash of depression-related suicides, with some players shooting themselves in the chest so that their brains could be studied after their deaths. One of these was the great Chicago Bears safety Dave Duerson. He left a suicide note, asking that doctors examine what was in his skull after a lifetime of bashing it. College players have also filed suit.

Eventually, lawsuits will overwhelm the high schools. And high school superintendents won’t be able to increase property taxes to pay for the additional cost of subsidizing the game.

Football may hang on for a few years, hang on desperately like a cat dying under a backyard deck, hissing as it goes. There are billions of dollars at stake, feeding owners, players, agents, advertisers, journalists, and most importantly, bookies. The NFL is about gambling.

Fans have been led to pretend that the violence is merely ancillary. But to say that violence isn’t at the heart of football is a lie. Remove the violence, and you remove what is great about the game, what is awe-inspiring and guilt-inspiring at the same time.

So if you’re wondering about the future of football during the NFL draft, try this experiment: Ask the parents of a little boy about tackle football, about concussions, and look into their eyes when they speak.

There are many individuals who claim good leadership is hard to find.

Although that claim can be rightfully argued, no one can argue the premise that Ray Harrell Jr. has been a charismatic leader for the Marshall University student body.

All student body presidents have the hope of achieving great things. There are some that succeed in that endeavor and a few that fail. No one can dispute the fact that Harrell has achieved everything he promised and strived toward. In fact, Harrell’s leadership is the best Marshall has ever seen.

During the last two years, the Student Government Association has been more transparent and visible to the student body.

To reiterate what Chief of Staff Adam Fridley said earlier this academic year, the SGA has reached out to nearly every facet of campus life — from various club sports, academic organizations and first-year students, among others.

Harrell’s administration was responsible for legislation that would make Marshall a smoke-free campus. The legislation is in the stage of public comment and will move on to the Board of Governors for a final vote this summer. The health and well-being of Marshall students should be top priority for university officials and Harrell’s efforts on this long-lasting health issue should be commended. We are on track to join more than 1,000 other smoke-free institutions.

Harrell created the veteran affairs liaison position, an individual charged with the task of keeping student veterans informed regarding the benefits they are entitled to. Considering there are many veterans on campus, this position was much needed.

Harrell was responsible for the creation of the Club Sports Council within the SGA. His administration has secured $10,000 annually for the various club sports at Marshall.

Harrell’s administration has fought hard to combat the state appropriation cuts to higher education in the state. West Virginia Governor Earl Ray Tomblin proposed an appropriation cut of 8.9

percent for higher education — this equates to more than $12 million for Marshall. Chief of Staff Adam Fridley initiated a petition that he took to the State Capitol himself. The petition was full of signatures of students that do not want cuts to higher education to take place. As students, we should be extremely satisfied at Fridley’s efforts, especially since these cuts could mean a raise in tuition costs.

Harrell’s administration has worked feverously to build a stronger relationship with Huntington Mayor Steve Williams’ office. Harrell served as vice chair of public safety for Williams’ transition team and has met with Williams on multiple occasions to raise concerns and discuss ideas and thoughts. It is vitally important for our institution to build a positive relationship within the municipality that Marshall encompasses, especially since many students decide where they attend school based on the surrounding area.

In addition to the mayor’s office, Harrell was responsible for strengthening the relationship between the SGA and the university president’s office. President Stephen Kopp and Harrell have worked collaboratively on particular tasks, and have discussed initiatives that would better the Marshall student body. It is crucial for the president to hear student concerns and take action accordingly — this relationship aids in that effort.

Harrell has established a food pantry on campus. The pantry will be finalized this summer and will be available to students that need a little assistance with groceries. The SGA and the Huntington Food Bank will maintain the pantry. Helping out our own students when they fall in times of need is great — we are one body, one Herd.

Harrell was one of only a few student body presidents that served more than one term. His legacy will be hard to echo and Hassan has a difficult task ahead of him. Harrell has made great contributions to the student body and his accomplishments should definitely not be overlooked.

Column

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Why America should invade Africa

By ROSS WHITFORD

COLUMNIST For my final column with The Parthenon, I decided I wanted to write a call to arms — something that would make people think and even maybe act one day. For the first time in my life, I am in favor of a war happening.

The United States was founded on the idea and the principle of freedom and equality for everyone. In today’s world, we keep military bases around the globe so we can be prepared for military action in a moment’s notice. While America continues to say it stands for freedom, it has become a nation that only acts on that belief if American’s interests are at stake.

Wars against communism and conflicts over oil — this is what our military does now. Our generation needs to be the one to change that. Let us make America the country our founders meant it to be — a beacon and guiding light for those who are trapped in the dark.

Instead of invading yet another desert nation in the Middle East, America should use its military might for the good of humanity. Everyday, Americans read in the paper and online about the struggles in Africa, about the rebellions and the corruption and that brutality. There are 250,000 child soldiers in the world today, a majority in Africa. They are children who have been stolen from their families and their youth and brainwashed into preforming acts of terror. Yet, we do nothing. At any given time on the continent of Africa, there are up to a dozen armed conflicts occurring. Those that fight and die are forced to live in poverty and squalor, and they die for nothing. They die because we let them.

How much longer will the world’s foremost superpower allow this to continue?

Either America is for freedom and equality for everyone, or we, as American’s, need to sit down and shut up. This generation needs to be one for change, because a new

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foreign doctrine is needed. America needs a new direction and needs to step up and become a nation that use its military for humanitarian aid, even when nothing else is at stake. It is time for us to stop hiding behind the UN peacekeepers who are not allowed to take part in the conflict. It is time for us to act like Americans.

So think on this. Open your minds and consider the possibilities. With the might of the American military and the power of the American Government in Africa, we can help nations rebuild and move past the fighting and the slaughter that many Africans have known and suffered through all of their lives. Edmund Burke once wrote that the only thing necessary for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing. Put it another way, those that have the ability to act have the responsibility to act. Well, we have the ability, and I believe that it is time we stop ignoring the responsibility.

Ross Whitford can be contacted at whitford@marshall.edu.

MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013

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MARSHALLPARTHENON.COM

Herd baseball struggles, still alive after weekend sweep

By CAITIE SMITH

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR Marshall University kept the conference tournament push alive this weekend despite getting swept in a Saturday doubleheader.

During the series, the Thundering Herd played two extra inning games, took one apiece and lost the finale of the series 7-3.

Friday’s game was a nail biter, as the Herd trailed Tulane 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth before freshman Aaron Bossi plated a two out single up the middle and allowed two base runners to score and tie the game up 3-3.

The stalemate would hold until the bottom of the 11th,

Inauguration

Continued from Page 2 “When you’re traveling down the road, your compass may point north sometimes and then it may swing to the east, but ultimately, no matter how many times it changes, you know where you’re going to end up,” Hensley said. “Just keep that long term journey in mind.”

Harrell gave his farewell remarks and complimented his staff and mentioned

Feud

Continued from Page 2 It’s unclear at what moment the hostilities began, but a few years ago Curtis, who worked at the local hospital, developed a theory that doctors were harvesting organs to sell on the black market. He wrote a book about it called “Missing Pieces.” Dutschke published a local newsletter at the time, and after some negotiations apparently rejected Curtis’ writings.

There was the question, too, of who had the bigger intellect. Dutschke was a member of Mensa, the club for people with high IQs. A few years ago, Curtis posted a fake Mensa certificate on his Facebook page, which sent Dutschke into a rage. “I threatened to sue him for fraud for posting a

Rally

Continued from Page 1 that a child may have autism instead of whether or not a mom can control a kid.”

Harvey said another goal of the event was to inform people of the agencies presence in the area. If people know of individuals who have autism or they suspect they do, Harvey said it is important to contact the agencies and get help for those who need it.

Many Tri-State area businesses, including People’s

when senior centerfielder Isaac Ballou belted a single through a gap on the left side and allowed Bossi to cross home for the Herd.

Ballou went 0-4 prior to the walk off single.

The center fielder said the timing, the hit and the win were not by coincidence, but rather by his faith.

“I try to read a devotional everyday,” Ballou said. “It just so happened that this passage focused on Hannah being barren and wanting kids. She had been praying her whole life, and it wasn’t until God’s timing that he allowed it to happen.”

Ballou got the message out of his reading.

“God is always listening to what you want, but he works according to his time, so having faith is necessary to receive his blessings,” Ballou said. “I kid you not, when I was down 0-4 and two strikeouts, I was in centerfield asking God for a chance to do damage at the plate. I almost got it in the ninth, but they intentionally walked me. Their players were in the dugout sort of going at me, saying ‘let him hit’, and I really wanted to.”

The rest, Ballou said, was all timing.

“When I came up to bat again with bases loaded, I was looking for a pitch I could handle to put into play. The pitcher threw me two fastballs in the

exact same location, and I made him pay.”

Senior Wayland Moore got the start for the Herd, Saturday, but it was sophomore Matt Margaritonda who put in most of the work on the mound.

Margaritonda threw 4.2 innings, the longest outing of his career, and allowed just three hits while striking out four. He entered the game in a bit of a situation — Moore had loaded the bases up.

“I’m used to only coming in for one or two innings, so it felt good be in the game longer than usual,” Margaritonda said. “My goal coming into the game was just get ahead of the batters, not be perfect.”

everything they accomplished.

“Being able to interact with students has really shaped my college career,” Harrell said. “I know that when E.J. and Ashley come to the end of their term, they will also be changed people for the better.”

He said he could not think of a better person to take his place.

“A lot of people go for this position for the wrong reasons, but anyone can tell that EJ truly cares about this campus,” Harrell said.

The event concluded with Hassan giving his presidential address. He thanked his family, staff and the student body for helping him obtain his goal.

“I would especially like to thank Ray,” Hassan said. “He was the first person to tell me that I could do it when I didn’t think it was possible.”

Hassan also talked about his love for his university and the importance of teamwork to achieve all the goals they have in mind.

“We are a university that’s large enough to be relevant, but small enough to be a family,” Hassan said.

Adam Fridley gave a heartfelt toast to both administrations.

“We have comfort in knowing the ability of the incoming staff to continue the legacy,” Fridley said. “I’m not going to wish you good luck, because you don’t need it.”

Kimberly Smith can be contacted at smith48@marshall.edu.

Mensa certificate that is a lie,” Dutschke told Tupelo’s newspaper, the Daily Journal. “That certificate is a lie.”

“Aw, yeah. I don’t know why Kevin did that,” Curtis’ father, Jack, said recently in Cleveland, Miss. “These boys were just after each other.”

Both men have made multiple trips to jail. Curtis was arrested for, among other things, assaulting a Tupelo lawyer _ for which he received a six-month sentence from Holland. In January, Tupelo authorities charged Dutschke with molesting children. He pleaded not guilty, but he shut down his karate school, called Tupelo Taekwondo Plus, while awaiting trial.

After the FBI released Curtis, the two enemies’ paths diverged. Curtis headed for New York. “Can you believe

that?” Jack Curtis said. “Now he’s got publishers all trying to jump the gun on each other to publish his book first. Isn’t that something?”

Dutschke, meanwhile, watched federal agents in protective masks search his home, his karate studio and his van.

On Wednesday, Dutschke slipped from sight, traveling with his friend Kirk Kitchens to a remote house in neighboring Itawamba County.

They entered the house and turned on the television, then slipped out the back door and down a wooded path, where they met a waiting car, Kitchens later told a Memphis television station.

Itawamba County Sheriff Chris Dickinson said Dutschke had escaped surveillance.

But the next evening, Dutschke pulled into the driveway at his house and stepped from his minivan like a man returning from routine errands.

On Saturday the U.S. attorney charged him with “knowingly developing, producing” and stockpiling ricin.

If convicted he faces maximum penalties of life imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.

Hours before his arrest, Dutschke answered his door by opening it just enough to look out with one dark eye.

He held a kitten, which also looked outside. “I’m sorry, I just...,” he started. His voice was soft. “I can’t talk. I’m so, so sorry.”

Could he say, at least, what started this mess?

“Just look around you,” he said. “This place is crazy.”

Bank of Fifth Avenue, sponsored the event. Jason Shephard, a small business banker at People’s Bank, said the bank brought an inflatable money machine to get the community involved.

“People come and go into the money machine,” Shephard said. “Any dollar that you win, you walk away with that cash in your hands and People’s Bank matches that in a donation to Autism Services Center.”

Shephard said because times are hard, the money machine was a way to help bridge a gap if people were

unable to contribute as much money as they had before.

Members of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority and a variety of Marshall students were among rally volunteers and participants.

Kayla Rivera, freshman criminal justice major, said the sorority was happy to help in any way they could.

“We are here to volunteer,” Rivera said. “Whether to set up tables or help direct the runners, we really just want to help the autistic children any way we can.”

Allyssa Borak, freshman

psychology major, said the event was a way Alpha Xi Delta could give back to the community.

"Autism Speaks is our national philanthropy, so we try to help out as much as we can when it comes to events benefitting the agencies here today,” Borak said.

Many participants and volunteers said it was the biggest rally they have had, but there is always next year’s Rally for Autism, which will take place April 26, 2014.

Caitlin Kinder-Munday can be contacted at kindermunday@marshall. edu.

Fountain

Fans

The Marshall football team and some players who played for the team a year after the tragedy in 1970 attended the ceremony.

The ceremony did not go off without a hitch however.

It soon became apparent the fountain was not working when no water was seen. Members of the Young Thundering Herd patiently stood in front of the fountain before those in attendance were told to “pretend the fountain was on.”

The water was finally turned on later in the day.

Malcolm can be reached at irving2@live.marshall. edu.

next year we will not only have a better record, but also go on to win the C-USA championship.”

Fans also got the chance to see several NFL pros at the game.

Albert McClellan, Omar Brown, Mario Harvey and Vinny Curry all signed autographs for lines of

Continued from Page 1

Continued from Page 3

fans during and after the game.

Aaron Dobson, joined them as well, and fans praised him for going in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft.

Marshall alumnus, Phil Harrison, said it meant a lot to him that the players came back.

“I think it is great that they care so much to be here,” Harrison said. “It shows that Marshall

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truly is one big family, and it makes us different from other programs.”

With spring practice over, the next time fans will see the team is Aug. 31, when the players run out of the tunnel to take on Miami (Ohio).

Courtney Sealey can be contacted at sealey3@marshall. edu.

With momentum high entering Saturday’s twin bill, the Herd held the lead through eight innings by a dominating performance from staff ace Aaron Blair. Blair had ten strikeouts and two walks in 8.1 innings of work, which was his longest outing of the season.

In the top of the ninth the Green Wave battled back and forced extra innings for the second consecutive game.

Junior Josh King would come in to relieve Blair and would be dealt the loss after Tulane used small-ball tactics to get the winning run across the plate in 11 innings.

The Herd took the lead in the finale after going up 2-1

Dobson

Continued from Page 3 Dobson said. “They like me a lot, they took a chance on me and they’re definitely not going to regret it.”

Dobson said he is also thankful to be brought in to an organization like the Patriots.

“They have a great organization,” Dobson said. “I’m just going to try to help our team to continue doing what they’re doing. I just want to come in and do my part.”

Dobson fills a need for the Patriots, who have lacked a true outside receiving threat since cutting Randy Moss early in the 2010 season.

“He’s just got to take it and run with it and don’t look back,” said Dobson’s former quarterback Rakeem Cato,

Football

Continued from Page 3 Carter, who are locked in a battle for the starting middle linebacker position, tied for second on the team with six tackles, though Holmes had the distinction of having a pair of tackles-for-loss.

Rising red-shirt junior safety Chris Yamoah stood out in the secondary, and tallied five tackles, a tackle-for-loss, two pass break-ups and recovered a Kevin Rodriguez fumble.

Though spring practice is officially over, the team still has

when sophomore Eric Escobedo launched his first career homerun in the third inning.

A trio of errors in the third inning would prove to be enough to unravel the Herd, as Tulane put up three runs before going on to score two more runs in the eighth and taking the lead for good.

The team will be back in action Tuesday with a 3 p.m. game against Morehead State in Beckley, W.Va. The team will then face Eastern Kentucky, Wednesday.

Marshall will head to the city of blues and barbecue when they take on Memphis this.

Caitie Smith can be contacted at smith1650@ marshall.edu.

who himself is a New England fan. “He’s around an experienced team and a great quarterback that can lead him the right way.”

The quarterback Cato mentioned is two-time NFL MVP and three-time Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady. Dobson said the chance to catch passes from Brady is amazing.

“It’s just great to play with someone I’ve been watching since I’ve been young,” Dobson said. “Now, I’m on the same team as the best quarterback in the NFL. I can’t wait to get started with him.”

Dobson will get that opportunity to start May 20 when the Patriots begin organized team activities at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass.

Will Vance can be contacted at vance162@ marshall.edu.

work to do before the season begins.

“We need to get healthy, get bigger, get stronger in the weight room with [strength and conditioning] coach [Steve] Sinclair, and when we hit the field in the fall, bring our game faces.”

The Herd will report for summer conditioning May 20 and will play its 2013 season opener at home Aug. 31 against former Mid-American Conference rival Miami (Ohio).

Will Vance can be contacted at vance162@ marshall.edu.

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EDITORS’ PICKS | TOP 10 RESTAURANT MASCOTS 1. The King

6. The Sponge Monkeys

2. The Taco Bell Chihuahua

7. Mayor McCheese

3. Colonel Sanders

8. The Noid

4. Grimace

9. Big Boy

5. Ronald McDonald

10. Wendy

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“I’M TOO DRUNK TO

TASTE THIS CHICKEN.”

RICKY BOBBY

English professor retires after thirty years at Marshall

By COURTNEY BROWN

THE PARTHENON Shirley Lumpkin is a professor in Marshall University’s English department, and at the close of this year Lumpkin will retire from a 30-year career at Marshall.

Lumpkin said the job market was tight in the 1980s, when she was looking for a job.

“What I had always been looking for was a school whose mission was teaching,” Lumpkin said. “While scholarship and service is important to a university, I wanted one who focused their mission on teaching, and that is what Marshall had always done.”

Lumpkin received her undergraduate degree from Ohio Wesleyan University, a master degree from John Hopkins and a doctorate degree from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec.

Lumpkin said she went into English because there was never another subject or vocation she wanted to be in.

“The worlds it introduces people to, the things it helps you reflect upon,” Lumpkin said. “The way your writing is enriched, and your life is enriched and enhanced by writing.”

Lumpkin said a past student of hers was diagnosed with cancer in his early ‘50s. She said the student was thinking about writing about the highs and lows of his career because it would be fun and allow him to reflect upon his life.

“When people turn to reading and writing, they do it at moments of crisis, they do it when they are trying to live their life to the fullest under very dire circumstances,” Lumpkin said.

“Those are very important tools for somebody to be given.”

During her first years at Marshall, Lumpkin taught a variety of classes like composition, freshman composition, fantasy and a survey of British literature. Lumpkin said she anticipates what the students are going to do and say when she steps into the classroom. “[I anticipate] what kind of thinking they are going to do, what kind of things they are going to learn, what kinds of skills they are going to practice [and] the funny things they say,” Lumpkin said.

Lumpkin said it has been a pleasure to work with Marshall’s English department. She said she has always enjoyed a positive relationship with her fellow faculty members.

“I would have to say the highlight of my career has come towards the end, when I had the privilege of team teaching with professor Carey,” Lumpkin said. “We team taught the methods of teaching, writing and the methods of reading text together. We really worked as a team and thought together and changed a lot of things about the

structure of the course. I learned a great deal from her about the new media, and it was a really joyful experience. I really think there should be two of us in every class so that you get those two different perspectives and you get the energy of two people and attention of two people.”

Lumpkin’s specialty area focuses on AfricanAmerican literature. She said she was required to read William Faulkner’s “Intruder in the Dust” and Richard Wright’s “Native Son” during her undergrad at Ohio Wesleyan.

“I was astonished. I had never heard of or seen or thought about any of the issues that Richard Wright brought up,” Lumpkin said. “Faulkner was talking about race issues in the South and talking about a possible lynching, but Wright’s main character Bicker Thomas was an AfricanAmerican young man living in a Chicago ghetto without hope or economic opportunity. It was a powerful novel based on a true murder case in Chicago. The difference in attitudes towards the problems of race between Faulkner and Wright was astonishing to me. I wanted to know why I didn’t know anything about African-Americans or African-American literature or the race problem in the U.S., and here I was a person supposedly becoming educated.”

Lumpkin said she started reading and reading.

She said when she began studying African-American literature there was not a field, subject, anthologies or courses in it. She said she had to teach herself.

“When I went to graduate school at McGill, I was very fortunate because there was an international faculty that was available,” Lumpkin said. “When I went to study and write my dissertation in African-American literature, there were people there who could guide me even though there were no courses given in it.”

Lumpkin said it has been a great joy to watch African American literature become a subject and field. While at Marshall, Lumpkin was selected as a Drinko fellow, which is a part of the Drinko academy. As a Drinko fellow, Lumpkin produced a presentation and publication about Appalachian women writers.

“Re-Membering, Re-Weaving, Re-Visioning ‘Other’ Ways: Contemporary Women Writing in Appalachia” was the publication Lumpkin produced along with her fellow companions.

Lumpkin said the book was made because the group wanted to show what Appalachians could do.

“I’ve wanted to be and have been a teacher for 70 years,” Lumpkin said. “I am not sure what the next chapter will be.”

Courtney Brown can be contacted at brown625@marshall.edu.

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARSHALL ARTISTS SERIES

The Keith-Albee gets spooky

with the Addams Family THE PARTHENON Huntington community members were introduced to the macabre as America’s favorite satirical family took the Keith-Albee Performing Arts Center stage in “The Addams Family: A New Musical Comedy.”

The musical followed young Wednesday Addams as she introduced her family to the family of the boy she fell in love with. She makes her father keep her engagement to Lucas a secret from her mother, which leads to much of the musical’s plot.

Shaun Rice, who played Uncle Fester, said they have been having rehearsals since January, and have been on the road touring the musical since February.

He said his Uncle Fester is an iconic character he grew up knowing because of the movies and comics.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Shirley Lumpkin and other women writers worked on a publication of Appalachia literature. A Marshall student designed the cover of the book. The entirety of the publication was produced at Marshall, along with an accompanying CD.

Rice said the show is different than what a lot of people would expect.

“It’s a really funny show,” Rice said. “It ties back into the television show. The music itself is fantastic. It’s got a little something for everyone.

Depending on who is seeing it at the moment, the music has a new pop sound. Wednesday and her fiancé has a pop feel, and Uncle Fester a more older man style.”

Rachael Siders, a Marshall University student, said the show inspired her because she has a part in a musical this summer.

“It was really good,” Siders said. “I’m in a musical this summer so it was really inspiring.”

Kinda Fillinger, another audience member said she enjoyed the show a lot and that it lived up to expectations.

The Parthenon can be contacted at parthenon@marshall.edu.

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