NOV. 14, 2017 NINERTIMES.COM
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Alex Sands NEWS EDITOR Kathleen Cook SPORTS EDITOR Jeffrey Kopp A&E EDITOR Hailey Turpin LIFESTYLE EDITOR Salina Dickie COPY EDITOR Mia Shelton OPINION EDITOR Leysha Caraballo PHOTO COORDINATOR Pooja Pasupula PHOTO COORDINATOR Chris McKinnis VIDEO PRODUCER Carmen Westra COMMUNITY EDITOR Kathryn Whitesides LAYOUT EDITOR ASSISTANT EDITORS
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Daniel Watson, Elissa Miller, Sam Palian, Brianna Sumpter COVER PHOTO BY
Leysha Caraballo
NEWS
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CENTER FOR COUNSELING AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES NAMED FOR CHRISTINE PRICE
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GPSG VOTES ON ELECTION ACT
A&E •
MOVIE REVIEW: ʻMURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESSʼ IS GOLDEN AGE HOLLYWOOD MYSTERY
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TV REVIEW: ʻTHE WALKING DEADʼ – ʻSOME GUYʼ
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TV REVIEW: ʻSTAR WARS REBELSʼ – ʻKINDREDʼ & ʻCRAWLER COMMANDEERSʼ
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IMAGINE DRAGONS AT THE SPECTRUM CENTER
SPORTS
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CHARLOTTE UNABLE TO CLENCH CHAMPIONSHIP TITLE
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CHARLOTTE UNABLE TO MAKE COMEBACK AGAINST MIDDLE TENNESSEE
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FOURTH QUARTER COMEBACK LIFTS CHARLOTTE OVER DUKES
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THE MAN IN THE GRAY LONG SLEEVE SHIRT
• LATIN DANCING
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DOUBLE TAKE: NOV. 11 VS MIDDLE TENNESSEE CHARLOTTE 49ERS BASKETBALL SEASON OPENER DOUBLE HEADER
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Tuition and Fees Advisory Board votes on tuition increases for 2018-2019 Representatives of the student body review tuition and fee requests By Daniel Watson The Tuition and Fees Advisory Board convened last week to discuss and vote on proposed budget recommendations for the 2018-2019 academic year. The board is a body of student leaders, appointed by Chancellor Philip Dubois and Student Body President Tracey Allsbrook, to hear student fee increase requests from a variety of campus administrators and advocate for student financial interests. The Tuition and Advisory Board Meetings were open to the public and students were encouraged to attend. The first meeting was held on Nov. 7 at 4 p.m. on the first floor of the Harris Alumni Center. Representatives from departments requesting fee increases were given the opportunity to submit a plan of action for how they would use the money. Students were able to question a department’s reasoning. This meeting lasted for three hours, ending at 7 p.m.. On Nov. 9, Allsbrook welcomed all those in attendance to the second meeting at 6 p.m. Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Dr. Kevin Bailey assisted in the moderation of the
evening. The meeting concluded at a little before 9 p.m. During the second meeting, the assembly of students collaborated to vote on the increase or decrease of fees in four important departments: Health Services, Student Union Operations, University Recreation Center (UREC) and Education and Technology. Health Services received a $11 fee increase, $4 more than their asking price. The vote was nearly unanimous. Thirteen of the 14 committee members voted in favor of the increase, with one abstain. Student Union Operations made history Thursday night. For the first time since its opening in 2009, the now Popp Martin Student Union will receive an increase of $3, bringing the static $5 up to $8. UREC was approved for a student fee of $15. Senior Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Jim Hoppa graced the select group with a never before seen promotional teaser that grants the viewer a virtual tour of the Health and Wellness Center projected to be open to the UNC Charlotte community in fall 2019.
NEWS
Tuition Fees and Advisory board discusses proposed budgets. Photo by Chimena Ihebuzor
At the beginning of the second meeting, Allsbrook placed Education and Technology at the end of the discussion board due to a debate between two potential fee increases for nearly an hour. After great deliberation the fee of $23 was approved, eight to six. This was $12 short of the department’s request. Many members of the committee agreed that the department could not provide a through breakdown of the requested $35. At the conclusion of the meeting, it was decided that a combined student
fee of $57 will be presented to Dubois. The following departments didn’t request fee increases: Athletics, Playing Field Maintenance, Recreational Services, Student Activity Center and Venue Management, Cone Operations, and Student Fee Commission. Bailey was pleased with the proceedings of the previous week. “I am impressed with the level of questioning and thought that the students put behind this process,” he said.
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Students voice concerns on annual Campus Safety Tour
POLICE BLOTTER NOV. 7-10 INFORMATION ONLY NOV. 10 •
By Alexandria Sands
Student volunteers walked the campus Thursday evening, accompanied by police officers, as they marked safety hazards and made suggestions for ways to make campus more secure. Volunteers marked with tape lights that were out or too dim, railings that weren’t sturdy, and blue lights that were not functioning. The annual Campus Safety Tour happens one night every November. Students walk in groups to document any safety hazards they see in their assigned zone. Each group is accompanied by an Student Government Association (SGA) representative, a police officer and a facilities management representative. “Safety of our students is our priority for student government association, our administrators and police,” said Senior Kelsey Summey. “We want to make sure that all aspects of campus are accessible for all of our students and we want to enhance security across campus.” This was Summey’s third year walking the tour, and as Secretary for Student Affairs, she was responsible for organizing it this year. A lot of students organizations made it a priority to come out to the tour. Junior Mecca Hatchell is a member of two organizations that decided to participate. She was assigned to the area surrounding the Student Union. “I wasn’t surprised that there weren’t a lot of lights that were out, which was great,” she said. Hatchell said the tour made her feel more safe on campus. “I was happy that not only we as students were walking but also that we had the police officer there and the facilities manager there so they could visibly see where we have our own concerns as well,” she said. Kristine Slade went with her organization Cheer Nation. Her group covered the area around Fretwell and Burson. She noticed a lot of lights were out in dark areas of campus that students frequently walk through. “It was pretty cool knowing that by participating in the safety tour, we as student could help prevent future issues that could potentially happen,” Slade said. In past years, the campus safety tour has had around 50-80 volunteers. This year, there was over 100. Summey hopes that with the spike in participants, they can expect next year to have an even larger attendance.
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Sanford Hall, subject’s skateboard slipped out from under his foot causing the skateboard to break a glass window at the entrance door of Sanford Hall.
LARCENY NOV. 7 •
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Fretwell, subject stated that an unknown person removed items from a garment bag that was left outside of his classroom while he was in class. McEniry Hall, subject stated that he left his skateboard in a classroom and when he went back to retrieve it, it was gone. East Deck Three, unknown person(s) removed victim’s wallet from her vehicle that was left unsecured in a public area.
TRESPASS NOV. 9 •
Union Deck Construction Site, subject reported that unknown persons entered a gated construction area, climbed to the top of a construction crane, took pictures of themselves and posted the pictures on social media.
VANDALISM NOV. 10 •
North Deck, unknown person(s) used spray paint to damage victim’s vehicle.
For more information on Mecklenburg County arrests, visit arrestinquiryweb.co.mecklenburg.nc.us
UNC Charlotte honors veterans
By Daniel Watson Photo by Chris Crews
The Veteran Services Office and the Student Veterans of America sponsored a weeklong celebration to honor veterans Nov. 6 through Nov. 11. Curtis Chancey, president of Student Veterans Association, didn’t task the week long celebration alone. “It was kind of a combined effort from all of the work studies, Student Veterans Association and the Dean of Students Office. It wasn’t one sole planner,” she said. The Student Veterans Association also occupies a veteran’s lounge in the Popp Martin Student Union across from the 49er card office. “The lounge is a necessary space. It gives service members the camaraderie that we all miss once we get out,” Chancey said. “It allows them to regain that and it’s a study space. The majority of us all take the same majors so it’s a good way to stay in the loop with your professor. Here, we actually do get high traffic. Veterans are here at any given time, probably a hundred a day.” Throughout the week of Nov. 6, the campus community was encouraged to write a message of appreciation on the Veterans Honor Wall in the Popp Martin Student Union Rotunda. UNC Charlotte has a tradition of supporting the success of student veterans going back to its origins as the Charlotte Center in 1946. The 2017 veteran’s celebration included a week of events: Monday, Nov. 6 • Camo Classic and BBQ Tuesday, Nov. 7
• Military Diversity Movie Night Wednesday, Nov. 8 • The U.S. Army College Leadership Tour • A Warrior Breakfast Thursday, Nov. 9 • The U.S. Army College Leadership Tour • A Roll Call Remembrance Student in which veterans remembered North Carolina service members who lost their lives in the “Global War on Terror” The week long celebration concluded on Nov. 11 with the UNC Charlotte Military Appreciation Football Game versus Middle Tennessee State. Recruiting Operations Officer Rick Nash has been with the Army ROTC Department at UNC Charlotte for nine years. The week long celebration has proved to be a win-win for Nash, especially the U.S. Army College Leadership Tours that took place on Wednesday and Thursday. “I can talk to any student on campus about the opportunities available to them, specifically scholarships or the commissioning aspect of the army,” Nash said. Nash emphasizes leadership development during his semester classes and labs. “It’s very eye opening on how much a student matures over a four year period,” he said. “They go from being this shy freshman to the top leader in our senior class leading students with confidence. I think that’s the biggest thing that I love watching every day.”
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Texas Terror Gunman opens fire on baptist church
OPINION By Mia Shelton Photo courtesy of Pexels Walking into church on a Sunday morning, ready to come together with family and friends. Ready to sing songs, clap, dance even shout if it comes. Then, shots fired, people screaming, babies crying panic ensues. This was the scene last Sunday when 26-year-old Devin Kelley, former Air Force airman, opened fire on worshipers in First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs, Texas. With 26 people dead and others wounded, now is better time than any to start praying. Kelley had a history of abuse and misconduct. According to Kelley’s ex-wife, Tessa Brennaman, he had hatred inside him and also threatened to kill her whole family. “He just had a lot of demons or hatred inside him. He had a gun in his holster right here and took that gun out and he put it to my temple and he told me, ‘Do you want to die? Do you want to die?’” this was the statement Brennaman told Inside Edition about Kelley. Brennaman also told Inside Edition about the time 2013 when he choked her, pulled her hair and kicked her. He also abused his young son, hitting in the head and body and fractured his skull. All things Kelley pleaded guilty to. Kelley was sentenced to 12 months in confinement for the incident and was discharged from the Air Force. These kinds of incidents happen far too often. For example, the Las Vegas shooting on Oct. 1, where Stephen Paddock opened fire at a concert on the Las Vegas strip, killed 58 people. Another incident, the Charleston church shooting in 2015, where Dylann Roof opened fire at Emanuel African Methodist Church, killing nine. The list is endless. People today feel that they have to right to take
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people’s lives because they don’t like their religion, their sexual orientation, their gender or just because they feel like it. A big reason for these constant string of shootings is the fact anyone with the right amount of money and right color skin can buy a gun. No one does thorough background checks on buyers, or checks to see if they have a history of mental illness. That is how all of these demented sociopaths and psychos get guns, or the case of Devin
can’t do simple things like, go to church or have fun a concert without being killed, injured or traumatized. From now on I guess we need to put disclaimers everywhere saying, “hey, go to church, sing, dance, shout, converse with friends, but make sure to wear your bulletproof vest and don’t forget to duck because you might get shot!” In response to the tragedy President Trump had this to say, “Our thoughts
Kelley, the Air Force just forgets to enter their criminal history into the federal database, making it possible for him to walk into any run of the mill gun shop and buy a gun, or in his case, a Ruger AR-556 rifle and two hand guns. We need a change! People are so quick to jump down your throat and get angry when we say we want more gun control, this is why! People
and prayers are with the victims and families of today’s murderous attack in Sutherland Springs, Texas. This horrible act of evil occurred as the victims and their families were in their place of sacred worship. We cannot put into words the pain and grief we all feel, and we cannot begin to imagine the suffering of those who lost the ones they loved. Our hearts are broken.
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But in dark times such as these, Americans do what we do best: we pull together. We join hands. We lock arms, and through the tears and the sadness, we stand strong. My Administration is providing its full support to the state and local authorities investigating this horrible crime. I have spoken with Governor Abbott and we offer our thanks to the first responders who ultimately stopped the suspect and rendered immediate and lifesaving aid to the victims of this shooting. I will continue to follow developments closely. All of America is praying to God to help the wounded and the families. We will never leave their side.” Out of that entire well thought out and heartfelt speech, there was nothing in about what President Trump or his Administration where going to do about gun control and how to make sure things like this don’t happen. We need a better vetting process. We need to make sure that people are being thoroughly checked out to make sure we aren’t selling guns to people with mental health issues or criminal backgrounds. We also need do our jobs and make sure to put a person’s criminal history in the federal database, so we don’t accidently sell the wrong person a gun. Of course, there are always other ways for people to get guns undetected. However, we are making sure to hire the right people who are selling our guns and thoroughly vet the people buying them, these incidents can be lessened. Let’s make America safe again.
THE HOMECOMING KING TAKES A&E US TO SCHOOL
by Elissa Miller Photo by Leysha Caraballo Flag graphic by Jacobolus
On April 29 of this year, the first Muslim comedian to host the White House Correspondent’s Dinner took the stage. He was following in the footsteps of a number of America’s most popular comedians, including Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel and the man who made him famous, Jon Stewart. Of course, this wasn’t the only thing special about the White House Correspondent’s Dinner in 2017. In fact, the biggest elephant in the room had to do with another man entirely: The President of the United States, whose whole administration had decided to skip the dinner. Who had been tasked with the job of entertaining this large room of people in such a tense political climate? Entering: Hasan Minhaj. Minhaj is most well known for his work as a Senior Correspondent on “The Daily Show,” where he was the last correspondent to be chosen by Stewart before his departure. He has also received critical acclaim for his one-man show “Homecoming King.” It premiered Off-Broadway in 2015 before it was filmed for a Netflix special. Generally, his comedy tends to center around topics such as politics, immigration and his experience as an American-born Indian Muslim. He has a special skill for making serious statements about these issues while still being appealing and exceptionally funny. His one-man show is an excellent example of this, for throughout “Homecoming King” he seems to find light and comedy even in the darkest moments of his life. UNC Charlotte students were able to see Minhaj on Nov 8, in the Popp Martin Student Union. He was featured as a part of the Forty-Niner Forum Speakers Series, presented by the Center for Leadership Development. The Series typically brings in two speakers a year; past speakers include Luke Kuechly of the Carolina Panthers, comedian W. Kamau Bell and Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson. Since the event didn’t have a ticketing system, whether or not someone was able
to get in and where they sat was determined by who lined up first. Thus, even though the event was not supposed to start until 7 p.m., there was already a line by the time I arrived at 5:30 p.m. The event itself actually began around 7:20 p.m., though this was explained to the audience as a result of issues getting Minhaj to campus. I appreciate those running the event informed the audience of this, instead of allowing us to sit and wonder where he was. Looking back on it though, I sincerely wish we’d been able to have that extra 20 minutes. This was because Minhaj is one of the most compelling entertainers I’ve ever seen. From the time he walked on stage to the time he left, he exuded a confident and relaxed stage persona. The audience (including myself) was absolutely captivated. Once the event had started, Minhaj immediately launched into about 20 minutes of stand-up material. All of the jokes were new, as I didn’t recognize any of it
from interviews or “Homecoming King.” Not only was the material new, it seemed to come from Minhaj’s head while he was performing. Of course, while all of it was likely prepared in advance, it only highlighted Minhaj’s ability to seem completely authentic and unrehearsed. His best jokes included a comparison of white Disney princesses to those of color, a story about Samsung Galaxy Note 7’s that served as a metaphor for racial stereotyping and his cut Ben Carson jokes from the White House Correspondent’s Dinner. Following his standup, Minhaj took questions from the audience. Questions ranged from deeply personal (“Have you ever been bigoted toward another person?”) to completely off-the-wall (“Why are buildings called buildings when they are already built?”). Minhaj answered all of them with his signature blend of heart and humor. Some of his answers even turned into comedy bits themselves. For example, his answer to the aforementioned building question resulted in a two to three minute long roast of the student asking the question. The most frustrating part of this portion of the event was that a number of students asked questions that could be answered by watching
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answers. Overall, the event ended all too soon. In total, it lasted only forty minutes and was over by 8 p.m. After the event, the Forty-Niner Forum Speaker Series hosted a meet and greet event with Minhaj in Bistro 49. The line for this formed before the prior event had even ended, as students ran out of the event to get in line while those hosting the event called out raffle numbers. I managed to grab a spot relatively in the middle of the line. As a veteran of meet and greet events at sci-fi conventions, I couldn’t imagine the line was long enough that I wouldn’t get through to meet Minhaj. However, I was quickly proven wrong. I waited in line for an hour and only moved a couple feet. By 8:45 p.m., those associated with the Speaker Series were already informing those near me that we would likely be unable to get in. This didn’t really seem to have the desired effect on those waiting. Eventually, it became quite apparent many people in line were going to be unable to meet Minhaj and the doors to Bistro 49 were closed. People around me were upset, hurt and a bit desperate. Though the Speaker Series gave out highlighters and phone chargers to compensate for the missed opportunity, this did not seem to pacify the line in any significant way. Though some people did begin to disperse, a majority of the line began to surge towards Bistro 49. It was uncontrolled and chaotic. Eager students rushed down the tight hallway and gathered almost mob-like around the doors. Despite warnings and insistence that they would not get to meet Minhaj by those associated with the Forty-Niner Forum and the Popp Martin Student Union, the crowd did not fully disperse until asked to by campus police. Overall, Minhaj’s exceptional performance as a speaker overshadowed the chaos that came afterward. His standup material was original, timely and made every person in the packed ballroom laugh. He seemed completely comfortable on stage, which caused the audience to feel more relaxed in return. While
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I appreciated the audience had the opportunity to ask questions, Minhaj was so engaging I also just wanted to listen to him perform stand up the entire time. Granted, it would have been called a comedy show if that had been the plan for the evening and luckily, Minhaj is naturally funny even when put on the spot. I can’t imagine it working as well as it did with a number of other comedians. As for the meet and greet afterward, the problems it had were mostly due to the Forty-Niner Forum Speakers Series’ apparent underestimation of Minhaj’s stardom. While the event itself had been moved to the student union from its typical location in McKnight Hall (likely to accommodate the expected larger crowds), Bistro 49 is simply not a good location for a meet and greet. The narrow hallway to its entrance tightens crowds and obscures sightlines, making it hard to gauge how far away one truly is in a line. Not only that, the line’s size seemed to far exceed expectations. Since Minhaj could only sign autographs and take pictures for a set amount of time, the line should have been managed more efficiently to get more people through it. A number of students that were able to meet Minhaj informed me that while there was a set amount of time allowed per student, it seemed hard to enforce. In my opinion, a pre-sold ticketing system would have benefitted both the main event and the meet and greet. It would have cut down on the premature line forming before the event, as well as prevented the chaos that ensued after students found out they would be unable to meet Minhaj. If only a realistic number of tickets are allotted for the meet and greet, students won’t get their hopes dashed in an attempt to get into an event that can only truly tolerate a specific number of people. Minhaj can be followed on Twitter and Instagram at @HasanMinhaj. His special “Homecoming King” is currently streaming on Netflix.
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ACROSS 1 Position at work 4 Busy as __ 8 India neighbor 13 “You __ here”: mall map words 14 Banquet, e.g. 15 Top-quality 16 With 36-Across, Polo Grounds great 17 Saber-rattling 19 Ravel classic 21 Car dealer’s no. 22 Bro’s sib 23 Carry on wildly 25 Regatta propellers 27 Shed a few pounds 32 California’s San __ Obispo 34 Disco __: “The Simpsons” character 35 More up-to-date 36 See 16-Across 37 Shed purpose 40 Dismantled Brit. music
conglomerate 41 Truckee River’s lake 43 Crude __ 44 Small cut 45 Romantic triangle figure 49 Continuous change 50 “__ le roi!”: French Revolution cry 51 Relaxing retreat 54 Drop from a list 56 Rose garden pests 60 End up just fine 63 After-tax 64 What a password provides 65 Not working 66 Rocks in a bar 67 Giggly sound 68 Little dog breeds 69 Highway breakdown need ... or, initially, feature of 17-, 27-, 45- and 60-Across DOWN 1 Vertical door part
2 Two-toned cookie 3 Inventor associated with telephones 4 California Zephyr operator 5 “Tell it like it is” 6 Sensory organ 7 Sch. before junior high 8 Wetsuit material 9 North Pole assistant 10 Seats for the flock 11 Palm tree berry 12 Acronym parts: Abbr. 15 McDonald’s freebie 18 Starting on 20 Important periods 24 Dorothy’s dog 26 “Sprechen __ Deutsch?” 27 Ten percent donation 28 Public commotion 29 Edmund who played Kris Kringle 30 Prefix with sphere 31 __ odometer 32 Ronnie in the Pro Football Hall of Fame 33 Beehive State 37 Let free 38 Old Sony brand 39 “Think __, act locally” 42 Cartoon fight sound 44 Merit badge holder 46 Garden fertilizer 47 Red sign over a door 48 Syrup trees 51 ASAP, to an MD 52 Brownish purple 53 Foot part 55 Silly goose 57 Not yet eliminated 58 Art __ 59 Hearty bowlful 61 Word seen between married and maiden names 62 Old name for Tokyo
LIVING THE DREAM
OPINION SPORTS
Story by Kathleen Cook Photos from NT File
Seven years ago, Jean Eason was far from the Queen City. After high school, the offensive lineman enlisted in the U.S. Army and was on a tour of duty in Afghanistan. He returned home with one goal on his mind: to run through the tunnel and play football at the collegiate level. During his high school career, Eason wasn’t stellar in the academic field or on the football field. Following high school, Eason joined the armed forces saying it was “the only opportunity” that he really had. “I’m not afraid to tell people that in high school, I was a late bloomer. I wouldn’t say I got good until my senior year and even that was just okay,” Eason said. Though he didn’t tout the impressive career in football, Eason harnessed a love for the game and carried that with him as he ventured overseas. After enduring boot camp, he went on his first training exercise in Bulgaria. One night, laying in his bunk while listening to his iPod, Eason had an epiphany. “I was just laying on that bed and I envisioned running out of a tunnel with thousands of fans screaming and excited and being so jacked up and so hyped. I almost cried laying in the bed. Not cried like of failure but tears of excitement. Right then I told myself if I ever get the opportunity, I’m going to take it,” Eason said. At the conclusion of his time overseas, he returned to the States and picked up a job as a debt collector. The monotony of this job, paired with his urge to learn drew him to make the decision to attend college. “One day, I was working at a dead-end job I couldn’t do. I was a debt collector, over the phone calling people all day. One day I got fed up, I gave myself a head ache from staring at the screen all day. I remember, I called my dad on my lunch break and I told him ‘I’m going to quit my job, I can’t do
this anymore, I want to go to school,’” Eason said. Once he made the jump of becoming a full-time student, Eason then revived his dream of playing collegiate football. “I had narrowed it down to two different schools. I figured since both those schools had football programs, I said you know what, I’m doing it, I’m here, I’m becoming a full-time student, go play football. Why not? What’s the worst that could happen? You go out there and they tell you you can’t play, you’re cut?” Eason said. Three or four years had passed and Eason had not played a real down of football. That didn’t effect him though and he found himself on the roster of City College of San Francisco’s team. Starting for the notable squad provided Eason with the platform to make the jump to NCAA football. By the conclusion of his two year tenure in San Francisco Eason had received offers from multiple Division I schools including Cincinnati, East Carolina, Colorado State, Georgia State and Charlotte. “For me to be able to not only play there, but to start for two years, I was able to position myself to get seen by Division I schools, Division II schools,” Eason said. “I feel like I had a school at every level showing interest in me. To get Division I offers was just a dream come true. I never, I was expecting to go Division II or III at best, which would have been totally fine with me. So getting a Division I offer was just the icing on the cake.” When he was narrowing down schools, Eason kept two pieces of criteria in mind: He wanted to live wherever he attended school post-grad and he wanted to go somewhere where he was felt needed and wanted. “Coach Lambert and Coach Richardson showed me nothing but love my entire recruiting process. Coach Lambert flew all the way from Charlotte just to see me in California. I don’t believe he went
to California to see anyone else, just me. That said a lot for me,” Eason said. When he signed with the 49ers in February of 2017, Eason was 27 years old, making him the oldest player on the roster. Though he has experienced more in life than some of his peers, that doesn’t translate into the locker room. “I am on paper the oldest person on the team, but honestly if these guys didn’t know how old I was, I don’t even think people would be able to tell the difference,” Eason said. “I try to learn from them just as much as I feel they try to learn from me. They can teach me stuff just like I can teach them stuff. They are teaching me stuff, every day I learn something new from them. They keep me caught up with the times, I’ll never not know what’s in style.” His fellow lineman, Eugene German appreciates Eason’s age and all that he has sacrificed to be in the position he’s in today. “Having him, he’s an older guy, he has a lot of experience just in life. As a leader, he’s just given us wisdom. I can’t say enough about Jean, he’s just a good guy. He really put it all on the line to go serve his country and fulfill his dream of playing college football. He’s a good man,” German said. On a clear September afternoon, Eason was able to live out the fantasy he envisioned while stationed in Germany. During Charlotte’s home opener against N.C. A&T, he ran through the tunnel, into a cloud of smoke and was greeted by over 18,000 screaming fans. “There are no words. It’s surreal, chilling. I can say, aside from the birth of my children, I have never felt more proud or happier, just genuine happiness, for anything,” Eason said. “I will never forget that day, ever. I don’t care what the outcome was, I don’t care what happened that day on the field. That was special to me, I’ll tell my grandkids about that one day. I’ll put that in my memoirs.”
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RACING FOR THE FINISH
Story by Sam Palian Photos courtesy Charlotte Athletics
Charlotte Cross Country consists of many incredible athletes whose hard work sometimes gets overlooked. Several of these athletes, as well as their coaches, have continuously proven this season especially. Why that is changing? With Conference USA honors, top finishes by both teams including a championship title, as well as an individual title at both the C-USA championship meet as well as the NCAA Southeast Regional.
Women
As a team, Charlotte claimed the C-USA Championship, tallying 64 points ahead of runner-up Southern Miss’ 87 points. It is the program’s fourth conference championship, the first since Charlotte’s three wins from 1992-94. Two-time NCAA Track All-America Caroline Sang took the individual championship title, deservedly so. “The first team meeting of the year we talked about having that expectation of winning the conference championship and performing day in and out at that mindset and that level. Going in, both teams knew they had a shot at winning. The guys gave it everything we had, on the ladies side we were aggressive and took control of the race right from the beginning,” said Coach Joseph Lynn. “Caroline did an amazing job of running controlled and smooth and honestly I think if she needed to, she had a little bit left in the tank. I think we finally did what we’ve been seeing in practice every day.” Sang is the first woman at Charlotte to win such an individual title since Amanda Goetschius in the 2008 A-10 5000m. She is the second woman to win a C-USA individual title, the first since Molly Kerin in
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1995. Her collegiate course record time of 16:27.9 is also the fastest 5k in school history by almost thirty seconds and the third fastest time in a C-USA championship ever. Brittany Stanley finished seventh, being placed on the All C-USA first team along with Sang. Katie Tomasi placed fifteenth and Bridget Abbatiello placed eighteenth, both earning spots on the All C-USA second team. Alexia Noch would place Twenty-Third, just barely missing a spot on the third team. Sang, Stanley, Tomasi and Abbatiello became the fourth foursome in program history to earn all-conference honors at the same conference championship since 1998. The Niners entered the meet unranked in Southeast region, having defeated four of the teams they competed against, who were ranked in their regions. Behind Charlotte’s winning 64 points. Southern Miss’ 87 points were Rice with 95 points, UAB with 97 points and in fifth was North Texas with 135 points. Charlotte Coach Lynn was named C-USA Women’s Cross Country Coach of the Year. “With his technique of coaching us,
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he’s more into progressing the runner as an individual. He wants us to focus on our strengths rather than our weaknesses. He’s very into the little things,” said men’s runner Mihret Coulter. At the NCAA Southeast Regional, Sang took home the individual title which grants her an NCAA national quailing spot. She is now the first Charlotte runner to win an individual title at regionals.
Men
The men who entered the championship meet ranked eighth in the Southeast region, would place second as a team. This was the highest placed finish for the men since the 2002 C-USA Championship. With Coulter finishing third, Tom Nobles finishing fourth, Zach Marchinko finishing sixth and Alex Cornwell finishing seventh they are now the first foursome to finish in the top 10 since 1998. These four as well as Todd Gunzenhauser earned All C-USA honors becoming the first five Niners to gain five conference awards at a championship, the previous high being four in 1998. Although these young men may not have won a championship title, they
certainly reached new highs for their team for themselves. Nobles earned his second straight All C-USA first team honor while Marchinko added a first team honor after receiving second team last season. Coulter and Cornwell also earned first team spots and Gunzenhauser earned third team, these being the first of such honors for all three runners. “I think in my mind, for us, conference would’ve been cool to win, but our goal has always been the bigger meets like regionals and ideally making it to nationals. So after that meet, Middle Tennessee talked about how great of a performance they had and just knowing that we were that close kinda shows that we were there and we can still perform really well at regionals. I think it just gave us a little more motivation.” Nobles said. Nobles and Marchinko each with two All-Conference awards ties them for the fourth most in program history. Gunzenhauser ran a personal best 8K time of 25:18.8 as well as Matt Bomkamp and Matt Conner with times of 25:40.4 and 26:05.4, respectively. The men’s team finished sixth at the NCAA Regional. “It makes us hungry. We came in second in our conference. Our goal is to get to nationals and put Charlotte on the map,” said Coulter. “It’s an honor. I get to train with these guys every day. I know what they put in and they know what I put in. We grind together, it’s just nice to see us getting compensated for all the hard work we’re putting in here.”
LIFESTYLE
Don’t Forget The Turkey Tips to keeping your Thanksgiving running smooth By Brianna Sumpter Photos courtesy of Pixabay It’s the most wonderful time of the year! The fall season is always the best because of all of the festivities and holidays. Everyone loves the holidays, but everyone hates the preparation and money that has to be spent during the holiday season. If you are celebrating Thanksgiving this year, then I strongly recommend you do not allow yourself to be one of those people who do all of their preparations and grocery shopping at the last minute. The amount of cooking most americans do for this holiday requires too much preparation and effort to start at the last minute. If you are not one of those people that are having Thanksgiving at their house this year, lucky you. You get to be a guest in someone’s home and you get the privilege to skip out on all of the preparing and cooking this year (although I recommend everyone bring a dish or dessert to contribute to any Thanksgiving dinner). To all of my people who are having Thanksgiving at their house this year, hopefully you have taken the necessary steps to start preparing for the holiday, but if not, I have some useful information for you. I work at a grocery store and I have been working there for four years. One thing I have learned regarding Thanksgiving, is that a lot of customers like to wait until the week of Thanksgiving to buy their turkey. I am not sure if this is a
lack of preparation, or if they believe that the later they go to buy the turkey, the cheaper the turkey will be. If the answer is the second one, then you are actually mistaken. Buying a turkey the week of Thanksgiving does not guarantee a cheaper turkey. Also, you will find your selection will be extremely small. Sometimes, depending on what day of the week, there won’t be any turkeys left at all. Please do not wait until the week of Thanksgiving to get your turkey, you will not have much luck. I also, regarding the food preparation, would recommend if you have the time, you start comparing stores. All of the grocery stores are going to have specials right now because of the holidays. I recommend when it comes time for you to do your shopping, depending on where you shop at, you collect all of the advertisements from each store for that week. Look at all of the advertisements at the same time to figure out which store has the cheapest stuff (we are college students, we need to save our pennies). You might need to split your shopping up at different grocery stores to get the best sales. Often, what happens is the turkey has the best sale at one store, but the canned vegetables have a better sale at another store. You would have to compare the advertisements and stop at more than one store, but I guarantee
you that you will save a couple of bucks. Also, I recommend you make sure prior to Thanksgiving day you know what you are going to make. Do your research if you are trying something you have never made before. Make sure you know what you are cooking and when you are cooking it, also know which foods can sit out longer than other foods. If you can make some things a couple of days before the actual day, I would do that. The reason I say this is because certain things cannot be made before the actual day. With that being said, if you wait to cook everything the day of, you are going to be cooking forever and you are risking the possibility of damaging your oven. Figure out a plan and strategically create your feast. Now that I have given you my cooking preparation advice, you are ready for take off. Be smart and be strategic and make sure you take the necessary steps to creating a Thanksgiving holiday that is stress-free and memorable!
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NOV. 14, 2017
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Are You Really Safe?
By Brianna Sumpter We live in a world where you need to make sure that at all times, you are taking the necessary precautions to stay safe. But when are you really safe? We believe the horrible people and dangerous activities are all over the place, so we always make sure that we return to what we believe is our safe place, our home. But what do you do when the dangers in your life are taking place in your home? Recently, there was a situation at the University of Hartford regarding two roommates. According to Harry Shukman, a writer for thetab.com, Freshman Brianna Brochu has been expelled, arrested and charged with criminal mischief, breach of peace and intimidation based on bigotry. Brochu had been poisoning her roommate by rubbing used tampons on her bag, pouring moldy clam dip in her lotion and putting her toothbrush inside her rectum. It was not until the roommate had moved out (due to previous issues with Brochu) and gotten very ill and saw a doctor, that she had found out all of the horrible things her roommate had done. Situations like these are so terrifying because they are happening in your own home. Living with people in college can be so tricky, because these college students are coming from all over the world. In college, you are exposed to so many different kinds of people. People of different ethnicities, different religious backgrounds and so much more. Coming into college as a freshman and living with another college student whom you have never met before can be very scary, honestly anything can happen. You need to ALWAYS make sure you are keeping yourself out of harm’s way. When living with people, regardless if you have built a rapport with them or if you have known them for years, make sure you keep your personal space to yourself. Hanging out with friends in your room is fine, but make sure when you are not around, your belongings are safely put away where nobody can get to them. If necessary, lock your bedroom door when you are not around. If you are in a dorm and do not have a door you can lock, it would be very helpful to keep a trunk with a lock on it for all of your things. Always make sure you watch what you are eating and know where it came from. I know it sounds weird to harp on these things in college, but it is still very relevant today. It is very important to always be kind and always put out the energy you would like to receive in life. In some cases, even when you do those things, bad things can still happen to you. Regardless of your actions, sometimes there is nothing you can do to change people. Some people are going to always be hateful and dislike you, when the reality of it all is they don’t even like themselves. In a perfect world, I would like to say it would be enough to just be a good person and let everything you do be done with love, but people that do that still are not safe from the hate crimes. Nobody is safe. It is so important to remember not everyone is who they say they are. College is a tough time for most of us, and we all handle things differently. Go with your gut feeling in all situations and eliminate yourself from harmful situations if you can. If something doesn’t feel right, IT IS NOT RIGHT.
By Brianna Sumpter
“Being a SAFE counselor and president of UNC Charlotte Toastmasters has definitely strengthened my leadership skills. Having the privilege to do these things has opened the door for more opportunities than I could have imagined. I enjoy empowering others and helping them mold themselves into strong communicators, influential leaders and compassionate citizens.”
- Termira Cyril
12 NOV. 14, 2017
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