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Pride and Prejudice REVIEW

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FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 20, 2019

135th YEAR ISSUE 7

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

Surface/Function exhibit opens to the public DREW GARDNER STAFF WRITER

Mississippi State University is now hosting Surface/Function, a public exhibit at the Visual Arts Center, courtesy of MSU alumnae. The exhibit, free of charge, opened on Sept. 13 and will be open Monday- Friday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., and on Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The Visual Arts Center is divided into two areas for each portion of the exhibit, Surface on the left and Function on the right. Surface is organized by MSU alumnae and couple, Sarah Hanna Qarqish and Morgan Berry Welch of the HannaBerry Workshop. Qarqish and Welch created their design workshop, HannaBerry, in 2014. Qarqish and Welch concentrated in graphic

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Justin Truss | The Reﬂector

The Visual Arts Centerʼs Surface/Function exhibit features artwork from several MSU alumnae.

design and drawing, and sculpture, respectively. Qarqish’s focus in the exhibit relies on her mixed media pieces, all a part of

her “Fallen” series where she explores feelings of picking yourself up after failure or depression. EXHIBIT, 2

MSU Libraries to celebrate Banned Books Week Association in 1982 to draw attention to the

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CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Mississippi State University Libraries will celebrate Banned Books Week, which will begin Monday and last through Friday. Various events will be provided throughout the week, as well as banned books for students and faculty to check out. DeeDee Baldwin, a MSU history research librarian, said the purpose of Banned Books Week is to highlight the issue of censorship in schools and libraries. “Banned Books Week is an initiative started by the American Library

Neighborhood crests ‘enhance community identity’

“Our library is

participating by having a variety of activities and promotions to celebrate the freedom to read,”

DeeDee Baldwin History Research Librarian MSU Libraries

problem of censorship in libraries,” Baldwin said.

“Books are most often removed from classrooms and libraries due to issues like sexuality and language. Just this month, a story was going around social media about a school library that was banning ‘Harry Potter’ because it could conjure evil spirits. Some of the top challenged books of 2018 were ‘The Hate U Give,’ ‘13 Reasons Why’ and the ‘Captain Underpants’ series.” Baldwin said she is excited for the upcoming festivities and has the entire week planned out. “Our library is participating by having a variety of activities and promotions to celebrate the freedom to read,” she said. BOOKS, 2

The Starkville Central Neighborhood Foundation, a group of citizens dedicated to celebrating and preserving Starkville’s historic districts, is painting neighborhood crests on street intersections to enhance community identity. According to Joe Fratesi, a member of the SCNF, the road mural painting project is a way for citizens to better the communities they live in. “It was just the whole idea of those of us that lived in the central neighborhoods around town. We just love the neighborhoods that we live in, and so we’re trying to ﬁnd ways that we can give back,” Fratesi said. Founded in 2004, the SCNF focuses on three core values: advocacy, appearance and activities. An initiative arising from the appearance facet of the group’s purpose, the street icon painting project has both historical and aesthetic value. The icon, or neighborhood crest, that provides the design for the street art is also displayed on street signs in the district due to a previous project by the SCNF. “Each of the districts has its own icon. It’s that idea of place based art, they took something that’s here in the neighborhood and created this cool little icon that we put on the signs and we said, ‘Hey, let’s use that icon that’s on the signs and put them here at the intersection,” Fratesi said. The group is currently working on their project in the Greensboro Street Historic District, which serves several purposes, Fratesi said.

Mary Georgia Hamilton | The Reﬂector

Starkville Central Neighborhood Foundation member Hagan Walker paints the Greensboro neighborhood crest on an intersection in the Greensboro Street Historic District on Sept. 8.

“It creates a sense of identity for the neighborhood but also, there are so many students that go over here to school at Armstrong and they’re always walking through here and our hope is that by having stuff like this out here people might slow down,” Fratesi said. Jeremy Murdock, another SCNF member and participant in the painting project, said the project will also help draw more support for the SCNF. “We played around with being a lot more formal with the organization but we were like ‘Look, we just need to do some things, we’re just going to take some action,

do some stuff. People will see that we’re serious, then jump on board,’” Murdock said. “We just want to prove (to) ourselves that we weren’t just talking, and we’re actually going to take some actions.” Fratesi said the painting project is just the beginning of all the group hopes to accomplish. “This is just the ﬁrst of a lot of things we hope to do. This is just where we’ve got to start though ... we wanted to start with something we knew we could do and we could tackle it and it’s something that we could see,” Fratesi said.

CRESTS, 2

Architecture exhibit explores history of African American churches

EMMA KING

STAFF WRITER

On display until Sept. 24, the Mississippi State University School of Architecture’s exhibit entitled “Mississippi African American Churches, 19th Century to 1920” is located on the second floor of Giles Hall in the McNeely Gallery. The photo gallery has been on display since Wednesday, Sept. 4, and admission is free to the public. In this exhibition, Christopher Hunter, assistant professor in the School of Architecture, presents the multitude of influences people and events had on the design and construction of early African American churches built between 1800 and 1920, including historical, religious, socio-cultural and architectural influences.

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Gracie Bell | The Reﬂector

The Department of Architectureʼs “Mississippi African American Churches, 19th Century to 1920” exhibit features photos from assistant architecture professor Christopher Hunter.

The exhibit features an extensive photo gallery of Mississippi’s African American churches, the majority of which were

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taken by Hunter himself. Hunter has over 30 years of professional experience in architecture, including a bachelors of architecture

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from the University of Cincinnati, as well as a masters and PhD in architecture from Texas A&M University.

FORECAST: Temperatures will cool off a bit going into the weekend and are still slightly above average for this time of year. The Golden Triangle should remain dry for Friday’s Bulldog Bash, but areas to our west along I-55 may see a few isolated showers. High pressure will rebuild into the region early next week, allowing temperatures to begin creeping back into the 90s.

Courtesy of Kris Boone, Campus Connect Meteorologist

Hunter said he is currently enjoying his position as an assistant professor of architecture due to his love of working

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with young adults and enjoyment for teaching and learning. Jassen Callender, interim director of the School of Architecture, believes Hunter is giving these buildings the attention they deserve. “In ‘Mississippi African American Churches, 19th Century to 1920,’ Dr. Christopher Hunter brings much needed attention to some of the earliest buildings designed, built and owned by African Americans,” Callender said. “The School of Architecture and Mississippi State University are fortunate that he has chosen to focus his efforts on the churches of Mississippi.” According to Hunter, he was inspired to study African American churches from the 19th century because it is a subject often denied scholarly attention.

CHURCHES, 2

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THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2019

BOOKS

“There will be a weeklong opportunity to have a ‘date’ with a banned book. Books will be covered in paper so that students can’t see what they’re checking out, apart from the genre. It’s a great way to discover a new book, and it was probably our most popular event from last year. There will also be free bookmarks available in the library and at Old Main, and on Monday at 4:00 p.m. in the library’s Grisham Room, the Lab Rats will be performing a variety of sketches and improv based around the theme of censorship.” Other events include the “Banned Book Readout,” which will be on Tuesday at 4 p.m. in the Grisham Room. Faculty and community members, including writer Laurie Parker, Starkville mayor Lynn Spruill and Gabe Smith from Starkville Community Theater, will participate and read short selections from their favorite banned books.

On Thursday at 6:00 p.m., there will be a trivia contest in the Digital Media Center with four categories: “Harry Potter,” “Game of Thrones,” “Hunger Games” and general banned books trivia. “The First Amendment in the Bill of Rights provides the right to read and access information. As librarians, we support the Freedom of Information and expression of ideas,” said Corinne Kennedy, another librarian at MSU. “Every year there are books challenged, and some titles that continue to be repeatedly contested and demanded for the removal from library shelves and class curriculum. This week serves as a purpose to teach the community about censorship and the importance of having the ability to access and read information without the interference of the government or other entities.” Kennedy encourages

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everyone to come check out the events going on this week. “We have some great events this year, please come and take part,” Kennedy said. “We have some great prizes for Trivia Night including gift cards to restaurants around Starkville and merchandise. For the grand prize, four people with the highest score will win ‘Cards Against Humanity,’ including a Fantasy pack.” Melody Dale, another librarian assisting with Banned Books Week, has been assisting with this event for two years. “To me, the purpose of Banned Books Week is to highlight books that have been banned or censored, and also to discuss the importance of the freedom to read,” Dale said. “It was founded over 35 years ago, and continues to be important today. Freedom to read is and always will be important.”

Gracie Byrne | The Reflector

Junior English major Reagan Sumrall and senior English major Hannah Phillips sort books for Banned Book Week at Mitchell Memorial Library.

CRESTS In the past, The SCNF has hosted community events such as “Movies on the Green” and a 10k race; they hope to provide events such as these in the future in order to bring neighbors and community members together. Laura Dunn, a SCNF member and participant in the street mural project, said the effort put into the SNCF’s projects is integral for the preservation of Starkville’s historic districts. “People are trying to buy

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these properties and tear them down and build big new things, which is great in some aspects, but also if people don’t realize how important these historical districts are, then they’re going to go away,” Dunn said. “So, if we value them, if we put more time and effort and care into them they’ll stay around longer and people will appreciate them more” Families are not the only ones the SCNF serves; MSU students are an important

CHURCHES “Much attention has been given to the people and events of the Civil Rights movement, but very little scholarship to the actual buildings that housed the events and hosted the people,” Hunter said. Many African American churches can trace their origins to the early part of the 1800s, but the majority of the church buildings were constructed after the Civil War, Hunter said. Hunter selected this time period for his exhibit because of the intersection of the founding of several churches with the people who were finally free to construct these buildings for their own use without fear of retaliation. Jacob Lindley, a secondyear architecture studio student, greatly appreciated the opportunity to witness his design professor at work. “As an architecture student, being able to see the implementation of craft and care in visual presentation, as well as physical presentation, is a great reminder of the care that architects so desperately need to have when working

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on our own projects in studio,” Lindley said. “It is also exciting to see examples of architectural styles that we are studying about in our history courses as well.” Hunter enjoyed the opportunity to study these buildings not only as a scholar, but also as an African American. “As an African American scholar, this is a wonderful opportunity to research, document and mine the oral histories of the church buildings and their congregants in order to add scholarship to not only the discipline of architecture, but that of African American history,” Hunter said. Hunter believes the significance of these church houses lies in the fact they were the heart and soul of African American communities across the South, and across the entire United States. These buildings served as places of worship as well as educational, political, economical and communal centerpieces. “These buildings represent the first real

EXHIBIT “The bright colors are there to mask the sadness of feeling like you’ve fallen in life,” Qarqish said. While Qarqish focuses on her abstract artwork, Welch designs unique tables of different shapes and sizes for the exhibit. These tables range from small and colorful, to larger and more detailed works. “I’ve been making furniture since starting my sculpture degree in college (2011-2013), but have been making commissioned furniture full time for the last six years alongside my wife,” Welch said. The name Surface comes from the theme of the exhibit: surfaces. The tables and the artwork lining the walls are both flat surfaces while also being abstract works of art. Qarqish and Welch graduated from MSU in 2013 and formed HannaBerry one year later. With HannaBerry, the two create different types of furniture in Ocean Springs, Mississippi for various clients including C-Spire and the Mississippi Children’s Museum. The HannaBerry workshop has received widespread acclaim across Mississippi for its innovative approach to furniture. The Function portion

part of these historic neighborhoods and the community too, Fratesi said. “It’s not just people that are full time residents, students, anyone that appreciates being in the historic district and in the central neighborhood— there’s something special about living in the central neighborhood close to town,” Fratesi said. “I love all parts of our city, but most of us have lived a whole lot of different places and have chosen to live here.”

evidence of constructed material culture by and for African Americans,” Hunter said. “The importance and significance of the institution of the black church continues to exist today.” Hunter said the exhibit took him several months to finish, including the time spent traveling to different churches and interviewing pastors and church members about their church’s history. According to Hunter, the purpose of the photo gallery is to educate viewers in what is not simply African American history, but American history as a whole. “My hope is for visitors to learn and appreciate the achievements of a people not too far removed from the institution of slavery, and the architectural and cultural contributions they made to not only African American history, but American history as well,” Hunter said. Hunter hopes visitors will recognize these beautiful buildings for what they actually are—a reflection of African American culture that expands across time.

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of the exhibit is overseen by artist and MSU alumna Charlotte Smith. Smith graduated in 2012 with a bachelor of fine arts degree with a concentration in sculpture. Smith opened her own studio, Charlotte Smith Studios, in December 2014. The studio is based out of Atlanta, Georgia because Smith said it was the closest big city, and she felt like there was more opportunity there. Smith also says the galleries and growing art community swayed her towards Atlanta. One standout from the Function side of the exhibit was the display of “spice sets” lining the wall. These objects look strange from a normal perspective, but it all ties into the function aesthetic of the exhibit. Smith designed these sculptures to be a spice set, or something to keep your salt, pepper, etc. in. The spice sets are functional whilst being something completely new and creative. “It’s really cool to see something that can exist on your table in your home also being displayed on a white wall,” Smith said. The idea for the Function exhibit came from Smith’s profession in Atlanta, where she makes functional ceramics for her clients.

Her personal work mostly consists of creating ceramic cups that she sells online. The exhibit serves as an extension of the work she’s doing in Atlanta and gives a sample of the different types of sculpture she creates. Savannah Alley, a senior art major at MSU and gallery assistant at the Visual Arts Center said it was interesting to see everyday objects be used as artwork. “I really like it because it’s [the exhibit] Function and Structure and everyday objects that we get to use but it’s cool to see it as artwork.” The idea for the Surface/ Function exhibit came from these three artists branching off and creating their own successful businesses out of college. Qarqish and Smith met in sixth grade. Welch and Smith met in the sculpture department at MSU, and the three have all made a name for themselves in their respective fields. “It’s possible. You can get out of school and you can start your own business and be successful with an art degree because I think most people assume that maybe that’s something not so viable,” Smith said. The Surface/Function exhibit is available to the public until Oct. 6.

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3LIFE -BB3&-Life ENTERTAINMENT 3 THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2019 @REFLECTORONLINE

SCT’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ is phenomenal BRANDON GRISHAM ONLINE EDITOR

“If you think this is going to be a stiff period piece, think again. It’s loony and silly,” said the Director of “Pride and Prejudice” and Mississippi State University English professor, Michele Crescenzo Crescenzo offered this insight after the opening night of “Pride and Prejudice.” Starkville Community Theatre (SCT) started off strong with this play as the first production of their 42nd season. American actress Kate Hamill wrote this comedic adaption of the famous Jane Austen novel, depicting the institution of marriage in 18th century England. The entire performance is charming, sincere and delightfully hysterical. This production shifts away from the drab stiffness of the initial story and becomes re-contextualized for modern audiences. This change, coupled with excellent dedication from the performers, results in a fantastic romance that will leave watchers in stitches. The first act opens with placid cordial dancing which is quickly interrupted with a cowbell. This serves as the perfect introduction to the tonal shift, shocking the audience. Brilliant comedic timing, expressive line delivery and hilarious sound effects heighten the laughter emanating from the crowd. Distinct character introductions quickly define their beliefs, the setting

Yashaswin Sridhar|The Reflector

Tate Fancher as Mr. Bingley, Hayden Manning as Mr. Darcy, Brittany Page as Miss Bingley and Katelyn Mathis as Elizabeth Bennet play in Starkville Community Theatre’s “Pride and Prejudice.”

and their personal stakes. Characters go to great lengths to express their dialogue, which is peppered with great jokes and wit. Ultimately, the first act serves as an incredibly entertaining experience. The intermission cuts the performance in half, but does not stop the audience from chuckling and repeating their favorite bits. Once the second act begins, things take a serious left turn. Drama was delicately woven into the narrative while everyone was laughing. By the time you notice where

things are heading, the weight of the impact hits everyone like a flipping carriage. As the production proceeds, the sin of pride and the stain of prejudice becomes obvious to the audience. The theme resonates with palpable tension, evolving into a beautiful romance. Once the final words are spoken, everything comes together into an emotional package that leaves the viewer wanting more. There are flashes of local identity that come with the set, complete with cowbells and

identity. The costume designs were charming, with fun distinct quirks like the individual necklaces for the Bennet daughters. Each wardrobe choice screams the personality of the cast member’s character, leading the audience to instantly know what they should expect. The entire cast deserves full admiration and praise for their performances. Eden Bedsaul, Emma Brooks, Tate Fancher, Madeline Golden, Katelyn Mathis and Brittany Page exceptionally portray the

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current newspapers. These nods only add to the absurdity and charm of the story by making it resonate with the Starkville community. The set decoration offers a simplistic glimpse into the lives of these English characters. The props and set design may be simple, but it is all the better for it. It does not distract from the story and gives the performers more space to emote, react and bring their characters to full force. Some serious thought and wit went into how necessary each item was to the characters’

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Bennet family. This madcap bunch interact and bounce off each-other exactly like most households. Louie P. Gallo, Allyn Hackman and Hayden Manning bridge the Bennet’s chaos with heavy societal aspects. They reel the characters back into the harsh reality of the time period. Many of the cast members portray multiple characters, adding to the awe of their performances. They each bring subtle elements that force the audience to fall in love with them. Every desire and struggle connect in some way with the audience, either delightfully or disturbingly. This cast shifts gracefully between playful banter and calculated poise with a projected confidence that is sure to astound the audience. Tate Fancher is a senior psychology major at MSU and was cast in the production as Mr. Bingley and Mary Bennet. “Theatre is the most exhausting thing that I love to do,” Fancher said. Starkville Community Theatre took on a serious challenge with this rendition. Some of the subject matter could have been misconstrued if performed by less-competent actors. Without the full exertion of the cast and the production crew, the weight of this performance would have been a harsher endeavor. Thankfully, the creativity and skill on display with this project melds beautifully together into a production that both theatre and comedy lovers do not want to miss.

THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2019 @REFLECTORONLINE

OPINION

FACE-OFF: Chick-fil-A and Popeyes fight to be chicken champion Chick-fil-A beats Popeyes and its dry biscuits Rosalind Hutton

REFLECTIONS Doc Brown TAYLAR ANDERSON

“It means your future hasn’t been written yet. No one’s has. Your future is whatever you make of it. So, make it a good one.”

Trivia Time! 1. Sinhala and Tamil are the official languages of which island nation? 2. Indianapolis 500 winners traditionally celebrate by drinking what beverage? 3. The painting “La Gioconda” is better known by what name? 4. Inferior, superior, & fata morgana are different types of what optical illusion? 5. After Board Walk and Park Place, what is the next most expensive property in the game Monopoly? Mirage 5. Pennsylvania Avenue Answer: 1. Sri Lanka 2. Milk 3. “Mona Lisa” 4.

Source: trivia.fyi

is a sophomore majoring in English. Contact her at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.

Since Popeyes has released their new chicken sandwich, some distasteful souls have started to argue that Popeyes has matched Chick-fil-A, and beaten them at their own game. Not only do I whole-heartedly disagree with such comments, but I also find it laughable to even compare Popeyes, an average (but eatable) chicken establishment, to Chick-fil-A, a fine dining restaurant with superb customer service. Though I agree their new chicken sandwich is surely mouth-watering, Popeyes has much to learn if they wish to catch up with Chickfil-A. Their chicken sandwich was a nice try, but is severely lacking. First and foremost, Popeyes overall lacks variety. The fact they are just now producing chicken sandwiches—not to mention for a limited time—further proves my point. While Chick-fil-A offers breakfast and opens at 6 am for those up early or headed to work, most Popeyes do not open until 10 am, and they definitely do not serve anything near breakfast, except for, perhaps, the world’s driest biscuit. Also, if you want healthier options, Chick-fil-A offers many healthier meals such as grilled sandwiches and nuggets, fruit sides, soup and their Spicy Southwest Chicken Salad. However, Popeyes’ healthiest menu options consist of their disgusting green beans,

unappetizing coleslaw and water. Also, if a vegan or a vegetarian wanted to eat out with their meat-loving friends, they would be able to have a full and enjoyable meal at Chick-fil-A, but they would only be able to eat an unpleasant side item at Popeyes. According to Josh Fruhlinger of Thinknum Alternative Data, this lack of variety greatly impacts Popeyes’ sales and revenue. For a sense of scale, Chickfil-A’s revenue in 2018 was $10.5 billion, which is double that of Popeyes’ reported revenue of $5.4 billion. Equally important, Popeyes is no match for Chick-fil-A’s award-winning customer service and satisfaction. According to Kate Taylor of Business Insider, Chick-fil-A claimed the No. 1 spot on American Customer Satisfaction Index’s annual restaurant report for the fourth year in a row. Chick-fil-A prides itself on the welcoming and kind environment that every single one of their restaurants strives to provide, and there

Popeyes has the superior sandwich and sides

KATELYN WYATT

is a junior majoring in English. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.

The Great Chicken War of 2019 was a battle probably none of us saw coming, but here we are. Like every debate in this country, it all started on Twitter. For summary, Popeyes recently released a chicken sandwich which bares some similarities to Chick-fil-A’s signature sandwich. Chickfil-A sent out the first tweet about the make-up of their “original” sandwich, and Popeyes threw shade back at them. Thus, the memes and debates began online about which chicken restaurant has the best sandwich on the planet. I have come to tell you not only does Popeyes have the better sandwich, but it is the best chicken restaurant overall. One question that popped up is whether or not Popeyes has copied its opponent. However, it is not unheard of for a chicken joint to also make chicken sandwiches. Maybe the buns and pickles are similar to Chick-fil-A,

but this superior sandwich is crispier. According to Maura Judkis with the Washington Post, “For one, it’s the crunchiest, crispiest fastfood chicken sandwich out there. The bun is more buttery, and didn’t look like a deflated tire after a few minutes in its little foil-lined sleeping bag (another move Chick-fil-A must not be too happy about).” With all of the Twitter exposure, Popeyes received free advertising from both their fans, and fans of Chick-fil-A. Popeyes’ sandwich blew up in a way their opponent’s has not. Of course, there are two ways you can look at the fact Popeyes ran out of sandwiches nation-wide: a) poor planning on their part, or b) the sandwich was so spectacular that they were bought up everywhere and caused a national uproar. I think the second. According to Amanda Jackson with CNN, “The demand for the Popeyes sandwich was so high that hour long lines were reported at some locations and even someone tried to sell the sandwich on eBay for $7,000.” I have not heard of anyone doing this for a Chick-fil-A sandwich, though. Of course, this lack of sandwich materials has

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not caused Popeyes to cower away into the shadows. Instead, Popeyes advertised, “BYOB – Bring Your Own Bun” on the website and on the chicken boxes. I think this is hilarious and clever. In a weird way, I can respect a restaurant that is so confident in their fried chicken that they advertise any old bun can work with it. When compared to this idea, it makes you wonder why Chick-fil-A’s buttered buns are so special. It is not original to put a piece of chicken between two pieces of bread. Furthermore, the Popeyes restaurant is better for families. Since there are boxes of chicken and meal deals going on all the time, it is easier and more efficient to order dinner for a whole family. Instead of ordering

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multiple, pricey meals, which can get complicated, you can just get a box of chicken, some biscuits and a couple of sides in one go. Also, they do not have a germy play area where kids can get sick, but that is another story. Anyways, one reason I go to Popeyes is for the crispy comfort food. By looking at the menu, it may seem like they have less options than Chick-fil-A. However, when I go to Popeyes, I am not looking for weak, fancy grilled chicken nuggets. I am looking for the yummy gravy and buttery biscuits that are not dry and flimsy. I am looking for the real fried chicken taste. Plus, one of my family’s traditions is going to my grandmother’s house after church on Sunday with a bucket of chicken. We cannot do that with Chick-fil-A.

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Life Editor/Mary Madeline LaMastus

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bacon and remove tomatoes, the unaltered Spicy Deluxe still beats Popeyes’ chicken sandwich. It comes with cheese, the portion size is far bigger than Popeyes’, and the flavor reminds you of what The Last Supper before Resurrection Sunday must have been like. Popeyes’ chicken sandwich, on the other hand, has potential to be great, especially if you could add more options to it like cheese or a specific sauce. Unfortunately, it just does not have the properties for a top-tier chicken sandwich. As an avid Chick-fil-A eater, I must say Popeyes’ chicken sandwich and the recently trending debate over which restaurant is better is certainly cute, but there is simply no denying Popeyes could never successfully compete with Chick-fil-A in their current state. Although, I must admit— I do look forward to eating Popeyes’ next attempt to catch up to Chick-fil-A. Chick-fil-A simply cannot be matched as they are, as stated by our own Hunter Cloud, the Lord’s food.

Rosalind Hutton

CONTACT INFORMATION Editor in Chief/Mia Rodriguez

has even been stories of employees going the extra mile for their customers. According to Anthony Pura with 10 News, a Chick-fil-A employee jumped out of the drive-thru window and saved a man’s life in the parking lot. While I have personally never felt unwelcome at Popeyes, the increasing demand of their chicken sandwich has overwhelmed their workers, which is likely linked to the increase in violence, as reported by Alexia Fernández Campbell with Vox, within multiple Popeyes restaurants over the last few weeks. In light of the increased fights over chicken sandwiches, Popeyes has also been under scrutiny for underpaying their workers while overworking them due to the high demand. Last but not least, Chickfil-A’s chicken sandwich is, and always has been, the best, and Popeyes’ chicken sandwich is good but still ranks below Chick-fil-A’s. My go-to meal at Chick-fil-A is the Spicy Deluxe Chicken Sandwich with bacon. Though I like to add

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5-Sports SPORTS

THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2019 @REFLECTORONLINE

Former teammates remember life and legacy of Bulldog, former Starkville Mayor Billy Stacy HANNAH BLANKENSHIP NEWS EDITOR

Mississippi State University All-American football player and former Starkville Mayor Billy Stacy, known as a paragon of character and athletic talent, passed away last week at the age of 83. Charlie Weatherly, a former executive director of the MSU Alumni Association who played MSU football alongside Stacy from 1954-1958, said Stacy was more than just a remarkable athlete. “He was gifted with being one of the most talented athletes all around. So, that carried him a long way, but he also was so strong in character. That became real evident real soon after any of us got to know him,” Weatherly said. “He was quiet, very humble. He wasn’t the kind of guy that talked about the awards he got.” Stacy’s reluctance to talk about his awards was by no means due to a lack of awards to discuss. According to a press release from the MSU Athletic department, during his college career, Stacy earned three letters for football and two for track, was a two-time, firstteam All-Southeastern Conference quarterback from 1956-57, was first in the nation for punt returns that same fall, received second-team All-American honors for his 1957 season and his 11.2 yards per punt return average holds fifth place in MSU career records. After competing in the 1959 North-South Shrine game and the 1959 Senior Bowl, Stacy was a first round NFL draft pick for the Chicago Cardinals

Courtesy Photo | MSU Athletics

Billy Stacy was an All-American football player at MSU and played in the NFL. He also served as the mayor of Starkville. Stacy died this past week.

(later renamed the Arizona Cardinals), where he played for five years as a defensive back. With a recorded 20 career interceptions, Stacy earned Pro Bowl honors in 1961 with four interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns. The fall of 1961, Stacy

garnered touchdowns on an interception return, a fumble recovery and a reception all in the same season, a feat that had not been accomplished in over 20 years and would not happen again until over 50 years later. Stacy’s ability to excel on all areas of the football

field, both offensively and defensively, is a testament to his all-around stellar athleticism. “From ‘56 on and especially in ‘57 he led us in at least four areas. He led us in passing, rushing, he actually ran about as much as he passed, he led us in kickoff returns and punt

returns, which was pretty remarkable to be leading in four separate departments. He was one heck of an athlete,” Weatherly said. Even in high school, Stacy’s high-class athleticism was evident, said Jimmy Dodd, a former MSU football player who played alongside Stacy and competed against him in track at the high school level. “I could tell right then he was quite an athlete. He just left me standing still,” Dodd said. According to Weatherly, Stacy married his high school sweetheart, Pat Fitzgerald, a majorette at MSU, and they raised their three children in Starkville. Weatherly also raised his children in Starkville, and one of his fondest anecdotal memories of Stacy is coaching their sons’ little league football team together, along with several other former Bulldog football players. “Billy and I together were coaches of the Little League Golden Eagles and for the first three games, we didn’t scratch, I don’t think we scored,” Weatherly said. Aside from a struggling little league team, Stacy went on to excel just as much off the field as he did on it. “We raised our families together here,” Weatherly said. “Billy became so well known as a community leader and later became our mayor. He was so involved in his church and all kinds of public relations things and good things promoted the community, but mainly just a real strong Christian leader was what he was. And a great family man and just a tremendous guy.” In life and in football, Stacy never shied away from

a challenge. “I’m sure there were some challenges of being a mayor of a college town, especially in Mississippi, but I imagine he faced those head on just like he would’ve done with something on the football field. He didn’t back up from a challenge,” Weatherly said. Weatherly cited MSU’s 10-year stint of playing LSU on their home turf as an example of the success the football team had with Stacy, even when the odds were stacked against them. “For whatever reason, Mississippi State played LSU in Tiger stadium 10 years in a row … but would you believe this? We won six of those games. In Tiger stadium. And Billy Stacy accounted for about three of those wins,” Weatherly said. Dodd remembers Stacy throwing three interceptions in his first college appearance as quarterback, something that almost led him to quit football. However, with encouragement from his coaches, Stacy pressed on. It was a choice that made the stand-out football career that followed, possible. Weatherly said Stacy genuinely embodied the Bulldog spirit through his perseverance in challenging situations. “He definitely never gave up on anything. Even when we were behind in games, you could always count on him to be ready to bring us back, and if it could be done, he would normally lead us back to a winning score most of the time [but] we didn’t win them all,” Weatherly said. “He never gave up. He fought to the very end.”

Bulldogs look ahead to first THANKS SEC season under Armstrong FOR MAKING US #

HUNTER CLOUD SPORTS EDITOR

Mississippi State University’s soccer head coach James Armstrong passed the ball out of the back, kicking off the final repetition of practice on Tuesday. Armstrong’s words of encouragement to the girls rang out over the field as they finished their drill and their preparations for their game against Texas A&M. Armstrong is in his first year coaching the Bulldogs and is about to enter his first SEC season with the team. Since former head coach Tom Anagnost left for the University of Illinois Chicago and Armstrong was named head coach, the Bulldogs have used their training in the summer and non-conference schedule to prepare for SEC games. While last year was the first time MSU had ever made the NCAA tournament, the team has not reached an SEC tournament since 2004. “The girls have been working so hard since the first day of preseason,” Armstrong said. “It’s the start of a new season now. For us right now, it‘s about focusing on getting better each and every single day. If we are doing that, we will get the results we need to make the SEC tournament, make the NCAA tournament.” In three of their nonconference games, the Bulldogs lost to ranked opponents. The most recent loss came on Sunday to the Boston College Eagles in a match where MSU had opportunities to score goals, but failed to break through, giving up two goals in the final 30 minutes of the match and losing 2-0 to end the Non-Conference campaign. The energy of the players did not change as Armstrong said they shifted their focus right to Texas A&M and

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Kathryn Beatty | The Reflector

Miranda Carasco dribbles past a Boston College defender. The Bulldogs start SEC play Thursday night.

the SEC season following the loss. The team did not practice Monday, but had practice on Tuesday. “Anytime you lose a game where you felt you left something on the table, you are looking for a response,” Armstrong said. “That is the one thing guaranteed from this group is that they are all in. They wanted to get back on the field as soon as possible. So, we saw great energy in training today.” With every coaching change is a slight change to tactics and style of play. Miranda Carrasco, a sophomore defender from Cypress, Texas, said it has been amazing to see the team grow under Armstrong. With Armstrong, Carasco said she finds excitement from the new coaching staff and the style of play is very effective. “It is going to be a great year, and there are going to be great years following that,” Carrasco said. “They are definitely coming here and changing the program. We are all going to be a part of a team that makes history. I’m excited for it.” In the game against Boston College, there was

the steady beat of a drum keeping cadence with the cheers and cowbells. That noise may be annoying for some, but Carrasco said an environment like MSU is fun to play in. “It is so amazing, I love it,” Carrasco said. “It is very loud and it hypes everybody up. It gets everyone going and we hear the drums and it adds a nice touch to the sounds we hear coming from the stands.” The team is hungry for more postseason games and going places no Bulldog soccer team has ever gone. For instance, the team lost to Lipscomb last year in the first round by a score of 1-0 in extra time. Carrasco said the defeat stung but she believes this team can get to the next round of the NCAA tournament because no one will outwork them. “We are out here busting our tails off every day,” Carrasco said. “From the results that happened last year, we are super hungry to get into the SEC tournament. Also, the NCAA’s—we want to make obviously. We are hungry this year. We want to get there and we want to do better.”

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THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2019

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