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132nd YEAR ISSUE 24
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 21, 2017
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884
Two plead not guilty to murder charges EMMALYNE KWASNY EDITOR IN CHIEF
Two Lowndes County men pleaded not guilty to murder charges relating to the shooting death of Mississippi State University student in 2016 in the Cotton District. Jaylen Barker, 20, and Syboris Pippins, 18, were charged with capital murder and Barker was charged with possession of a stolen firearm Wednesday interim Oktibbeha County Circuit
Clerk Angie McGinnis confirmed. Both were denied bond and are being held in the Oktibbeha County Jail. Barker’s and Pippins’ plea date is set for Jan. 22 and their trial date is set for Jan. 29 in Oktibbeha County Circuit Court. Attorney Anthony Farese will represent Barker and attorney Brent Brumley will represent Pippins. Circuit Court Judge Jim Kitchens will judge the cases.
Barker and Pippins were indicted on capital murder charges for the shooting of 21-year-old Joseph Tillman, senior MSU student majoring in marketing, on Nov. 6, 2016, in the Cotton District. Five men from Lowndes County were initially arrested in relation to his death: Jaylen Barker, Syboris Pippins, Jamario Pippins, Tyler Harris and Brandon Sherrod. Syboris Pippins was arrested on Nov. 8, two days after the other four.
A press release stated the U.S. Marshall Task Force apprehended Pippins with a felony warrant. At a press conference on Nov. 7, 2016, Starkville Chief of Police Frank Nichols said Tillman interacted with the suspects before he was shot. “From evidence we know Mr. Tillman chased one of the suspects toward Stagger In,” Nichols said. “After several yards, Mr. Tillman returned back to the location where the four
suspects were still standing. We know based on evidence, that Mr. Tillman interacted for at least four additional minutes before the shot was fired. Based on evidence, at least one shot was fired and the suspect ran toward Stagger In.” District Attorney Scott Colom said evidence indicated a robbery occurred before the death of Tillman. More information will be provided as it is made available.
Field of Dreams brings baseball to people with a disability RACHEL BOWMAN STAFF WRITER
Field of Dreams | Courtesy Photo
The ceremonial groundbreaking of the new Field of Dreams in Propst Park in Columbus. The field will accommodate those with a disability.
Society is slowly becoming more open to their disabled citizens. Society is implanting more accommodations for people with a disability, and with these accommodations comes a new normal. The Miracle League is an organization which removes the barriers preventing children and adults with a disability from playing baseball. People can bring these fields to their own communities.
With a rubberized turf field, which accommodates wheelchairs and crutches, and subsequently prevents injuries, a person with a disability is given the opportunity they never had before: a chance to play baseball. Debbie Taylor is the driving force behind this movement. Taylor was inspired by her son who loves baseball, and as a parent wanted her son to feel like a part of something. She and her family dreamed of a place where people with a
disability felt important, able and included. Thus, when it came time to name the park, they chose Field of Dreams, because the park is their dream becoming reality. “I hope that it gives the people with special needs a place to feel accepted and at home,” Taylor said. “I hope it helps the community to accept our people and make them apart of everyday life.” Field of Dreams will be located in Propst Park in Columbus, among the other baseball fields. DREAMS, 6
NAACP: Starkville resident A club named poet of the year focused on change COURTNEY O’BRIEN STAFF WRITER
TORI BOATNER STAFF WRITER
An organization striving to promote diverse issues, MSU’s chapter of The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, is seeking students who want to make an impact on campus and within the community. President of MSU’s NAACP chapter, DaQuan Phillips, a senior marketing major, said the NAACP provides him an outlet to be an advocate for others. Joining an organization which values people who are outspoken and passionate about political and social beliefs, has allowed Phillips to better understand and appreciate opinions differing from his. “I value our members the most; we are like a family,” Phillips said. In addition to advocating for growing problems, NAACP also participates in community service projects and conferences which provide networking and leadership. NAACP, 3
TUESDAY
The Mississippi Poetry Society, a nonprofit organization affiliated with the National Federation of State Poetry Societies, announced recently-retired Starkville Christian School English and Spanish teacher John Michael Shelton as the Mississippi Poetry Society’s Poet of the Year. The Mississippi Poetry Society is a statewide organization founded at Belhaven College in the 1930s.
The group divides Mississippi into three regions; north, central and south. Each year, a poet from each region is nominated to be Mississippi’s Poet of the Year. The nominated poets then submit 25 to 30 poems to be judged. After the winner is chosen, the Mississippi Poetry Society helps pay for the publication of a book of original pieces by the winner. Jeanne Kelly, a judge for this year’s contest, said she hopes John Michael
Shelton’s win will make others interested in the art of poetry. “Even people who don’t like poetry will read the work of someone they know, thereby developing an appreciation for the art,” Kelly said. Shelton began writing poetry 34 years ago, and has written just over 5,000 poems. “When my son was 8 months old, I became a single parent and wrote my first poem on a stormy night about him,” Shelton said. POET, 2
No Lost Generation aids those in need
RACHEL BOWMAN STAFF WRITER
Jennifer McFadden, The Reflector
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
Rachel Bowman | The Reflector
Starkville native John Michael Shelton was named the poet of the year by the NFSPS.
Two seemingly unrelated things are humanitarian issues and the world of social media, but in the past few years, social media has become an outlet of help and hope for those in need. The world of social media is vast and continually growing. The first social media website was started in 1997, and unbeknown to the people using it then, it has now grown to become an outlet of everyday communication. From personal things like keeping up with friends and family, and sharing your life with them, social media has become a way for the entire world to communicate. From thousands of miles away, a small group of students
FORECAST: Tuesday will be seasonal and dry with a high
Readerʼs Guide:
at a university in Starkville are reaching out to those affected by crises in Syria, Iraq and countries hosting refugees. These students involved with No Lost Generation at MSU are using the platform of social media to virtually help those who they cannot physically touch. Laura Herring, Mississippi State University senior management major, interned for a women’s clinic in Italy for immigrants and their children in the summer of 2016. Through this, she experienced first-hand the difficulty an immigrant faces in uprooting and relocating their lives. Most of these immigrants did not have a choice – they were on asylum-seeking status. These women and children did not have the support system they needed,
and Herring, along with other workers, helped to provide this. “It was eye-opening to see the statistics actually embodied by humans, and to see the struggles they face and their children face,” Herring said. In addition to working with immigrants at the center, Herring taught English as a second language. She soon realized this was her passion, and helping immigrants was what she wanted to do with her life. After her return to MSU the fall semester following her internship, she looked into the hundreds of student organizations, and soon realized there were none related to immigrants and refugees. GENERATION, 2
Policy: Any person may
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THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2017
DREAMS Taylor believes the field will not only make people with a disability feel more comfortable and confident, but being a part of the other diamonds, they will feel connected to their peers. Martha Phillips has watched her son David play baseball with the special league in Columbus for over 20 years. Before this league, David would watch his older brother play sports from the bleachers, never being able to be a part of it himself. When he joined the league in Columbus, his life was changed. “He actually heard people for the first time cheering for him. It was wonderful,” Phillips said. “There is really no way to put into words how much it helped him.” Phillips said most of these children with a
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disability, especially those with siblings, only get to watch their siblings play sports while they sit there. It is life-changing for them to be able to be a part of it for themselves, and be like everyone else. She hopes this new field will change the community and how they view those with a disability. Instead of a community where people with a disability are ignored and people are unsure how to accommodate to them, Places like Field of Dreams help to educate the public on how to deal and create change benefitting those with different disabilities. Meredith Weeks found out about Field of Dreams through Debbie Taylor, who is a client at the salon she works at. Weeks has a son named Ethan who is seven and
POET “Seven years later, I had written a few hundred.” Shelton said although he enjoyed writing the poetry, he would have never made his poems public without the encouragement of his mother. “On a visit to my mother’s house one Sunday, she saw me writing and said, ‘if you’re not going to do anything with those things, stop doing them,’” Shelton said. “So, I gathered some together and took them to the MSU English department.” Shelton was awarded the Mississippi State University’s Eugene Butler Scholarship for Creative Writing, based on the poems he submitted to the English department. Once he was awarded the Butler Scholarship, Shelton enrolled at MSU full time.
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has down syndrome. She said not only would Ethan’s participation in baseball help his physical therapy, but it would also highly benefit his social activity. Weeks believes it will be beneficial for her son, because he will not only be around with other people with a disability, but also other children and adults who do not have a disability. The Field of Dreams gives the community a chance to socialize together, both the citizens with a disability and those without. The field will also provide people a chance to work with children and adults with a disability outside of a classroom setting. Construction on the Field of Dreams started this past summer and is expected to open in April 2018.
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“I worked full time in campus mail, went to MSU full time, along with being a single parent,” Shelton said. “After graduating, I taught high school English and Spanish for twenty years.” Shelton is now a full time writer and a member of five different poetry groups. Shelton said he pursued poetry because he finds it to be cathartic. “You can get up in the morning and sit down and write,” Shelton said. “You don’t have to finish anything, but your day just gets better.” Shelton said he hopes his poems can help those going through trials and tribulations, and hopes the notoriety he gains from the award will expose more people to the healing nature
of poetry. “It’s an opportunity to keep promises I’ve made and further people’s love of and need for poetry,” Shelton said. Right now, Shelton is in the process of selecting which poems to publish, as well as coauthoring two other books on poems— one with his daughter, and one with Tracy Miller of Starkville and teacher at Noxubee High School. Janice Canerdy, head of the North Mississippi branch of the Mississippi Poetry Society, said she believes Shelton’s success will inspire other artist to continue pursuing their dreams. “Michael (Shelton) is an inspiration to other poets to keep poetry alive,” Canerdy said.
Saturday, September 2, 2017 6:34 p.m. Student reported an unknown male exposing himself in McCool Hall.
WORST OF
BAD DAWGS The Reflector Staff’s favorite bad dawg reports:
Monday, September 16, 2017 3:00 a.m. Three students arrested at Helix Apartment Starkville for felony burglary of a vehicle. 3:21 a.m. Two students arrested on Hardy Road for felony burglary of a vehicle and false information.
Wednesday, July 26, 2017 2:00 a.m. Employee was issued a referral for drinking, and passed out at facilities management.
Tuesday, September 26, 2017 6:43 p.m. Student was bitten on the lip by a puppy at the Delta Chi fraternity house. Subject was taken to OCH by personal vehicle.
Saturday, August 20, 2017 3:42 a.m. Student hit water sprinkler, causing water damages at Sigma Chi fraternity house.
Sunday, October 29, 2017 1:09 p.m. Students were issued referrals for being in the attic of Oak Hall.
Friday, August 25, 2017 12:13 p.m. Student reported being sexually harassed by an unknown male in front of Montgomery Hall.
Total reported marijuana/ paraphernalia-related arrests and/or citations reported: 18 Total reported alcohol-related arrests made and/or citations given: 7 Total reported DUIs arrests made and/or citations given: 7 Total reported harassment and assaults: 24
Wednesday, August 30, 2017 12:20 a.m. Student reported being harassed on campus by her child’s father, who is a non-student.
GENERATION Service could do, and knowing the need for an organization of this sort on campus, Herring applied to open a chapter of No Lost Generation, and was accepted. The No Lost Generation initiative is a “commitment to action.” It provides care for those in the crises in Syria and Iraq, as well as refugeehosting countries such as Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. Some of their goals for the 2017 year include: education, child protection and addressing issues with adolescents and youth. This organization gives everyday people the chance to touch individuals they never thought they would be able to reach,
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mostly through the internet. At MSU, the No Lost Generation chapter focuses on two main things: raising awareness and raising funds. During the 2017 International Fiesta hosted on campus, they set up a mock-refugee camp to give a visual example to people on what the average refugee living conditions are like. The organization has a large presence on social media, which plays a large role in its recruiting and advertising. They are active and present on most social platforms, including Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Katelyn Provine, a sophomore microbiology major and active member of the organization, said she
found out about it through GroupMe, a group-messaging app. Herring said she believes social media is the way students are going to become more involved with things on campus. “The amount of people we have who come to meetings and say they found out about us through Facebook events and social media is amazing,” Herring said. They also use social media to relay information and facts. Facts from Save the Children and the United Nations are reposted to their No Lost Generation’s social media pages as a way to inform people on the information they hold.
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Cradle to employment: MSU serves those with a disability EMMALYNE KWASNY EDITOR IN CHIEF
Mississippi State University provides individuals with a disability the necessary full circle of services to equip them for employment with the hopes of guiding them to autonomy. MSU prepares individuals with a disability for employment and autonomy through many different avenues. Three of these avenues include the T.K. Martin Center, Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic and the ACCESS program. Julie Capella, MSU assistant dean and director of Student Support Services, said MSU serves individuals with a disability from cradle, to employment. “Mississippi State needs to be a place from basically the cradle to employment where you can go and get all kind of disability services for the citizens of Mississippi, and of course our students too,” Capella said. The T.K. Martin Center, which is located on campus, teaches about 40 students from ages 2 to 7 with a diverse range of disabilities. center removes yThe elimitations individuals with a disability face through the use of assistive technology. The center also provides MSU students with a handson experience for practicum, internships and cooperative study placements. Traci Campbell, a teacher at T.K. Martin since 2006, said the center’s teaching is customized for the need of each student. “It varies on how we are preparing them for their future on what needs they have,” Campbell said. Campbell said the teaching focuses on training the students in specific life
m
skills, including patience, eating, independence, communication and more. “We try to give them as much independence as possible at an early age because that carries into teenage years and adulthood,” Campbell said. T.K. Martin also specializes in adaptive driving, by assisting those desiring to drive in whatever means the center has available. Eric Knox, who has worked at T.K. Martin as an occupational therapist for five years, said driving is imperative for individuals with a disability looking for employment. “If you’re going to be a part of our society and you want to work and you want to invest in our society, a crucial part of that is being able to drive,” Knox said. “Without being able to drive, you can’t go to work, for the most part. Driving is also important for selfindependence.” Knox evaluates and trains individuals with a disability to drive in an individualized way, teaching them how to use adaptive driving equipment depending on the individual’s ability. The Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic, started in 2013 by Dan Gadke, provides services to preschool-age, to emerging adults with a disability. Gadke said the clinic, which is run by graduate students, is a training, research and service clinic providing individualized services for those with a disability. The clinic provides one-on-one weekly appointments for individual services, social skills groups, assessment services, summer camps and autism liaison services. The clinic sees over 100 individual
NACCP As volunteers for Habitat for Humanity and Art in the Park, members took part in building and enhancing Starkville’s housing community and playgrounds. Aware of the sacrifices veterans made, NAACP also volunteered for the G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Center for America’s Veterans, acknowledging their brave contributions to this country. “Being able to meet and connect with different people makes me value this organization,” Phillips said. Phillips understands it is important to remain informed about all issues, not just those affecting one specific group. He also feels as if many associate NAACP as only being an organization for people of color, which is not true. Phillips credits this organization for being a great opportunity to advocate for issues with a group of people who are like-minded. Phillips said he commended the founders of MSU’s NAACP chapter for stressing the importance of having a diverse group of people with varying backgrounds and races.
Jennifer McFadden, The Reflector
clients, and 35 college or graduate students with a disability. Gadke said Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic wants its clients to thrive beyond the clinic, focusing on training parents in the best ways to help their child with a disability. The clinic also does faculty training to equip instructors and professors with the proper means to assist students in their classrooms on the autism spectrum. Gadke spoke on the necessity of equipping individuals with a disability for their futures. He said typical children learn employment skills without realizing it throughout their whole lives. For those with a disability, some general skills are more difficult to learn, unless specifically trained. “Employment training, especially for individuals with disabilities, isn’t
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Phillips believes a diversified group will strengthen the organization’s reach and impact on various groups of people. Amber Dodd, a junior communication major with an emphasis in journalism and serves as secretary, was attracted to NAACP as a result of the organization’s national rank. “As a freshman, I was looking for an organization with substance, and MSU’s chapter NAACP holds itself accountable for making change,” Dodd said. An organization which promotes service, Dodd has fond memories of marching with Mississippi Nissan’s plant as workers demonstrated their desire to unionize. MSU NAACP also hosted two voter registration drives this semester and plans to continue promoting political involvement in the spring, in addition to providing resources for nonregistered voters. “We are extremely active on campus and take the initiative to make change,” Dodd said. Reaching beyond the university, NAACP has
partnered with Tougaloo College and the University of Southern Mississippi to advance in service. Willing to grow in leadership, members recently attended Mississippi’s NAACP state conference in Columbus, where they strengthened and expanded their mission statement of promoting political, educational, social and economic equality for all. NAACP member Jazmine Melton, a sophomore building construction science major, said she values the organization’s discussion and conscious effort to stay abreast on current events. “I enjoy our open discussion about recent events the most,” Melton said. Melton wants potential members to understand NAACP is a great organization for people who are interested in global news and campus issues. In this organization, Melton has learned to act on issues and opinions by taking action. “NAACP tries to make an impact in any way that we can,” Melton said.
something that needs to just start at the employment end,” Gadke said. “It needs to start all the way back, across the lifespan.” Gadke said it is important for people to provide individuals with a disability the means to equip them for their future. “The goal is autonomy,” Gadke said. “You’ve got to be able to give somebody the skills they need to be autonomous. Part of that then also translates to employment because as an adult, a part of autonomy is being able to have an income and contribute and be able to make your own decisions.” The Autism and Developmental Disabilities Clinic also provides undergraduates with volunteer opportunities, and graduate students with research and hands-on experience working with students with a disability.
The ACCESS program offers students with an intellectual disability the opportunity to attend MSU, and learn life skills preparing them for employment.The four-year course includes auditing courses of interest for the individual, classes for independent living and self-advocacy skills, and internships specialized for the area of industry the student is interested in pursuing post-MSU. Jamey Bachman, the ACCESS outreach coordinator, said the curriculum of the program works in various ways to prepare students for future employment. The curriculum includes broadening social skills, informing students about the opportunities available to them, building a resume, maintaining employment, showing up to work on time, training for interviews and more.
Bachman, who worked as the director of Volunteer Starkville for five years, works with organizations and businesses around Starkville to find ACCESS students internships in areas they show interest. After ACCESS students finish at MSU, the Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services assists them in finding a job in the Starkville community or the area they move to. Capella said four students have graduated from the program and have found employment or volunteer work. Capella said she believes MSU is the perfect place to serve people with a disability, and said the services are beneficial for those with a disability, but also for MSU. “For us, especially in the disability world at Mississippi State, we’ve always just tried to find out what people need and try to meet that need,” Capella said. “I think our student body is so open to being very acceptable of different people. This has especially been so working with people with disabilities.” Gadke said employment for individuals with a disability is not the end goal. He said MSU has developed an infrastructure to best serve those with a disability working toward autonomy. “Somewhere here at Mississippi State, we’ve figured out a way to put an infrastructure together where somebody can come in here and get services as little as birth, all the way through finding some sort of employment piece, whether that’s being a typical college students, whether that’s joining the ACCESS program, or whether that’s just someone in the community trying to get help,” Gadke said.
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BULLETIN BOARD An in-class distraction
SUDOKU
November 17 puzzle solutions ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY... ...in 1976, cinematic classic, “Rocky” premiered. The film stars Sylvester Stallone, and is centered on an underdog fighter’s debut in New York City. The hit received 10 nominations for an Academy Award, and took home three Oscars. This film is credited for kick-starting Stallone’s history.com career. CLASSIFIEDS Nana’s House will have daycare space for two newborns starting Jan. 3, 2018 (established 1991). For references and other info, please text 662-324-0498. P R I V A T E COLLECTIONS SALE: Thousands of WWII military items. No guns. Pez Candy dispensers, political button collection, Elvis Presley collectibles, Slits Beer Can Bank, and much more. Cash only. By appointment only. Call 901-626-2763. Sardis, MS. Well worth the drive!
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THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2017 @REFLECTORONLINE
OPINION
Your hate for Ole Miss is valid JESSICA LINDSEY
is a senior majoring in communication. Contact her at opinion@reflector.msstate. edu.
The Egg Bowl is one of the most popular rivalries in Southern sports with good reason. There is so much bad blood between Mississippi State University and University of Mississippi, friendships have been torn apart and family get-togethers can be unbearable. I am going to be honest: I did not grow up an MSU fan. I grew up an Alabama fan, so the biggest rivalry to me was always the Iron Bowl. However, never once in my 17 years prior to coming to MSU did I ever have as much disdain for Auburn as I now have for Ole Miss, after only three and a half years here. The Mississippi StateOle Miss rivalry has been dubbed the most hate-filled college football rivalry by Tom Fornelli of CBS Sports. However, I am not here to sell you on thinking it is the best rivalry. I have
already proven it is. This rivalry is a big deal, and we have so much animosity for the other Mississippi school just 104 miles to the north of us. All the hate toward Ole Miss can be justified from history, current events and other aspects of the school. First, the campus layout of Ole Miss is horrendous. There is no order to the buildings; they are scattered about, unlike our campus, which has a focal point of all activities. However, an orderly campus layout must be insignificant when all you really need to know is where the fraternity and sorority houses are. According to the Office of Admissions at Ole Miss, 42 percent of the student body is affiliated with Greek-life. Whereas only 21.5 percent of the student body at MSU is Greek, according to The Princeton Review. They also have an ongoing identity crisis. Their fight song says it best, “Who the hell are we?” They answer back with “Ole Miss,” but their poor mascot must be the most confused in all college sports. While the student body obviously knows they are Ole Miss, they are awfully confused about
what their mascot should be. Just seven years ago, they forfeited Colonel Reb in favor of a much less racist black bear, but in September, they decided to change it yet again to a landshark. There could have easily been a more terrifying fake animal to make as a mascot. While it comes from the name of their defense, it could not have been less original. This methodology is the same Alabama used to get their mascot, Big Al the Elephant, which is what the Tide was called after they played Ole Miss, in 1930, according to University of Alabama Athletics. On top of all this, the Ole Miss athletics have been part of an alarming amount of scandals. Richard Johnson with SB Nation points out Ole Miss has gone in front of the NCAA Committee On Infractions for 21 allegations, 15 of which are the most serious level of infractions. Not to mention the scandal which absolutely rocked the sports world: Hugh Freeze, the escorts and the Twitter Bible verses, which is decidedly classless. In any sport, fans are going to be rude. It is the nature of rivalries. However, I and many other MSU fans, alumni and
Jennifer McFadden, The Reflector
students have dealt with outstanding rudeness from Ole Miss fans. I have experienced true rivalry from multiple sports, but I have never encountered something quite like this. While there are tame instances, such as people telling you to burn merchandise or your degree, there have also been more disgusting instances, like in 2014 when a friend of mine at the Egg Bowl had vomit thrown on her, or when our women’s
basketball team went to The Square and promptly had alcohol doused all over them. All of this pales in comparison to the racism many people have dealt with through Ole Miss. From KKK rallies on campus, to nooses around James Meredith’s statue, it has created a toxic environment for students of color, and most white students unabashedly support President Donald Trump, who has gone out
of his way to make sure white supremacists do not feel attacked. Most people of color I know refuse to go to Oxford because it terrifies them. Overall, the rivalry game makes for excellent sporting events whether it is football or not. This rivalry is not exclusive to sports, however, and it never will be. This is what makes a rivalry so intense and amazing in the end. Just make sure you yell, “Hail State.”
The price of cobalt is too high Trivia Time! 1. What is the longest winning streak held by MSU in the Egg Bowl? 2. When was the Golden Egg trophy introduced? 3. When was the MSU-Ole Miss rivalry first dubbed the “Egg Bowl?”
MIA RODRIGUEZ
is a sophomore majoring in English. Contact her at opinion@reflector.msstate. edu.
Answer: 1.13 years, 2. 1927, 3.1977
Black Friday is quickly approaching, and what does this mean for American spendthrifts? Deals on electronics, of course. However, before buying the new computer or smartphone, consider how the device’s battery came to function effectively. The cobalt used in the device’s battery may have been extracted by one of the supposed 40,000 Congolese child laborers used to obtain the element for companies, such as the Chinese cobalt company Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, which supplies to larger corporations. Alex Crawford of Sky News spoke with one of the child laborers in the Congo named Dorsen, who is only 8 years old. He described his inability to eat for two days, and how he could not even afford to buy shoes with his daily 12-hour shifts. Crawford also explained children are paid around eight pence a day, which converts to around 11 U.S. cents, and discovered children as young as 4 years old extracting cobalt. Amnesty International made the accusations of the use of child labor last year, but many companies are failing to release the names of their cobalt suppliers, or even try and amend their wrongdoings. According to Amnesty International, Apple was the first to address the accusations, but companies such as Microsoft, Lenovo and Tesla have been slow
Being pro-gun and pro-law enforcement is contradictory
Jennifer McFadden, The Reflector
to respond. With increasing electronic innovation and demand for these products, so rises the demand for cobalt required for the batteries. According to Henry Sanderson and Chloe Cornish of Financial Times, prices of cobalt have skyrocketed since the development of more eco-friendly cars. “Demand for cobalt is rising rapidly as the world’s largest carmakers launch mass-market electric vehicles that use the metal in their batteries. Cobalt prices have more than doubled over the past year and focus on the supply chain has also grown,” Sanderson and Cornish said. As a result, the impoverished Democratic Republic of Congo has been targeted to acquire desperate individuals who will mine cobalt and risk their lives for next to nothing. It seems as the worth of materials skyrockets, the worth of human life takes a nosedive. According to Todd C. Frankel of The Washington Post, the work has lifethreatening consequences, some of which are unseen and manifest later. “Deaths and injuries are common. And the mining activity exposes local communities to levels of toxic metals that appear to be
linked to ailments that include breathing problems and birth defects, health officials say,” Frankel said. In addition, as many as 100,000 laborers dig hundreds of feet underground with simple hand tools and few safety measures taken, according to Frankel. I realize it is an ineffective plan to call people to boycott smartphones and computers, as such electronics have become somewhat of a necessity in both the academic realm and the workplace. However, I think government officials should hold a higher standard and implement substantial repercussions for companies who do not care for their workers and take advantage of youths who would work for anything so they might be able to procure food. I believe instead of allowing corporations to ignore allegations and continue to profit from child labor, there should be a system of checks and balances forcing companies to be held accountable and have the threat of legal action. If guardians of children face imprisonment for insufficient care or abusive treatment of children, who says CEOs utilizing child labor should not, too?
CONTACT INFORMATION Editor in Chief/Emmalyne Kwasny
ZACHERY ABUNEMEH
is a sophomore majoring in political science. Contact him at opinion@ reflector.msstate.edu.
I do not need to give you statistics about gun violence in America. Chances are, you have been bombarded with differing opinions and arguments on a weekly basis for years. No one disagrees gun violence is out of control; the problem arises when discussing how to solve the problem. Typically, most conservatives advocate for more armed civilians by saying the old line, “The only thing stopping a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun.” However, one result from more “good guys with guns” conservatives never seems to mention is the increase in dead police officers. As reported by Maggie Fox with NBC News, “Officers are three times more likely to be murdered on the job in high gun ownership states [than in] low gun ownership states.” With more guns in the hands of unchecked
individuals, more police officers are threatened when confronting these people. Not surprisingly, “good guys with guns” can quickly become “bad guys with guns” when put in challenging positions. With more than 300 million guns in America, according to Scott Horsley with NPR, even the most mundane traffic stop has the risk of turning deadly. For officers, there are no “good guys with guns,” there are only potential threats. Even with the best training, police are still human, and when paranoia mixes with human fallacy, the results can be extremely destructive. From 2014-2015, police officers killed 86 people who were mistaken to be carrying a firearm, according to The Washington Post. Some of the most famous police brutality examples in recent years have occurred as a result of such a mistake. For example, Tamir Rice was killed in 2014 while holding a pellet gun. Rice’s death sparked national outrage and caused tremendous damage between police and the community. Today, police brutality is a heated political discussion. Whenever such a debate occurs, conservatives are always there to defend the police force, but the people
who advocate for more unregulated guns are the same who say “Blue Lives Matter.” The same people who do nothing to stop unchecked gun violence in America are the same people who want to protect cops.
“For officers, there are no ‘good guys with guns,’ there are only potential threats.”
The people who consider themselves pro-law enforcement and pro-gun do not see the contradictory nature of their beliefs. No police officer benefits from more guns in the hands of untrained individuals. No one in law enforcement wants more gun violence, and in absolutely no way do more guns help police. More guns only lead to more dead cops. David Swedler of the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health said it best to Maggie Fox of NBC News, “If we’re interested in protecting police officers, we need to look at what’s killing them, and what’s killing them is guns.”
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EDITORIAL POLICY
The Reflector is the official student newspaper of Mississippi State University.
6
THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2017 @REFLECTORONLINE
OPINION
America is becoming its own satire DYLAN BUFKIN
is a freshman majoring in English. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.
The Onion is a fake news website which has been around since the 90s whose articles are not meant to be taken seriously. They are king of fake news because this is their whole schtick. For example, their headline story on Nov. 18 was, “Parents Gently Explain To Son Why Family Dog Had To Be Blown Up With Dynamite.” This content is meant to be over-the-top and, when it concerns politics or social matters, heavily satirical. However, it seems recently real news is competing with The Onion for how ridiculous it can be.
“However, it seems recently real news is competing with The Onion for how ridiculous it can be.” In an article by Lee Moran for Huffington Post, on Nov. 14 President Donald Trump tweeted his condolences to Sutherland Springs, Texas, regarding the recent mass shooting at a Southern Baptist church. However, the Sutherland Springs shooting happened on Nov. 5, and Trump tweeted the almost exact
same condolences to them on the day of the shooting. However, there was a different mass shooting on Nov. 14 at an elementary school in California, so it appears Trump simply copied his condolences from earlier without changing the location of the shooting. The tweet has since been taken down, but the embarrassment still lingers. We either have too many mass shootings to keep up with, or our president is just going through the motions. In fact, it could be both. Similarly, Alex Ward of Vox points out the Pentagon actually called for Trump’s resignation on Twitter, sort of. On Nov. 16, the Pentagon’s Twitter account mistakenly retweeted a call for Trump’s resignation from an account by the name of “PROUD RESISTER.” While the Pentagon has undone the retweet, it cannot undo my amazement that it happened. For those who do not know, the Paris Climate Accords is an agreement made by every country except Syria and Nicaragua in 2015 to try and fight climate change effects. However, this year, Trump pulled the United States out of the agreement, but Nicaragua and Syria are now members of the agreement. This means the U.S., an initial author of the agreement, is the only country in the world not agreeing to limit itself to help fight negative climate change, which would be hilarious if it was not depressing. Moreover, Republican
Jennifer McFadden, The Reflector
Senate nominee Roy Moore’s run for office has been pushed to a standstill by sexual assault allegations from numerous women, most of which occurred when they were minors. Instead of dropping out of the race, Moore is trudging onward, and the defense of his behavior given by his fellow Alabama Republicans is unreal. In an article for The New York Times, Jonah Engel Bromwich said Alabama state auditor, Jim Zieglar, claims Mary, a teenager when she became mother of Jesus, and Joseph, an
adult and Mary’s husband, is a similar situation to Moore’s. Because of this, Zieglar believes Roy did nothing wrong. On top of the fact the story he is
“Do not become accustomed to it. The most dangerous thing one can do in today’s political climate is assume this is normal.” citing is a virgin birth, we do not live in ancient Israel and sexually harassing
America needs to properly label terrorists ALYSSIA SAMPSON CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Recently, President Donald Trump called the issue of gun violence in Texas, which left at least 26 people dead, a “mental issue.” While the Texas shooter, Devin Kelley, did have mental issues, many were quick to label him as anything but what he truly was: a terrorist. This has been the same issue with the mass shooting in Las Vegas, which is the deadliest mass shooting in the United States. The shooter, Stephen Paddock, killed 58 people and injured many more. According to Y Net News, he was “a retired grandfather with no criminal history.” His brother, Eric Paddock, claims Stephen was a “peaceful man” and a “wealthy guy.” Both men, Kelley and Paddock, were white males. Both men took innocent lives they had no right to take. Both men should be rightfully labeled a terrorist, but they are not. What is wrong with America not wanting to label their citizens as terrorists? Do these offenders need to be people of color in order to label them a terrorist? Looking up “terrorist” or “terrorism” in the dictionary is not a definition easily defined or judged. It is, however, a definition easy to label a person. The exact definition of terrorism from MerriamWebster is, “the systematic use
26%
2001-2016 Total of 85 attacks and 225 deaths in the U.S.
Attacks by radical Islamic violent extremists
74% of terror especially as a means of coercion.” Many have been quick to come to the conclusion student Ahmed Mohamed, who built a bomb and brought it to school, is a terrorist. However, the recent mass shooters were labeled everything except terrorists. Various news outlets make sure to note both men were “white males,” as if the word “white” itself could cover the fact they killed a multitude of people. Being a terrorist is not something subjected to one being a person of color. There are no strict guidelines preventing a person from
getting called a terrorist. Committing heinous crimes or arguing about gun control should not be blamed on mental illness to get away from the fact these men are homegrown domestic terrorists who should not be named anything else. They do not deserve another label simply because of where they are from, or their race. This is not a fair mentality – not to the victims or anyone else accused of crimes due to racial profiling. Devin Kelley and Stephen Paddock are domestic terrorists, and I am not afraid or ashamed to say it.
REFLECTIONS Herb Brooks
Attacks by far-right violent extremists Source: U.S. Extremist Crime Database
Jennifer McFadden, The Reflector
minors is a heinous crime. I am not the Alabama state auditor, though, so maybe I am not qualified to say. How do you combat
living in an Onion article? Do not become accustomed to it. The most dangerous
thing one can do in today’s political climate is assume this is normal. Tweets are all fun and games, and I will be the first to laugh at the Pentagon calling for Trump’s resignation. However, the U.S.’s rejection of the Paris Climate Accords and being its sole detractor is not normal. A Senate candidate whose supporters defend him from pedophilia claims with the Bible is not normal. Let us make sure this presidential term does not change what is normal.
THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2017 @REFLECTORONLINE
LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT
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Music fills the air at Scooter’s Records in Starkville EMMA DRAY BRASWELL STAFF WRITER
The city of Starkville now has its very own vinyl record store. This is exciting news for music lovers, because the people of Starkville finally have a store all to themselves, solely to appease their music needs. The store, Scooter’s Records, opened their doors on Wednesday at 519 University Drive. For the time being, the prices start out at $5, although owner Scott Thomas said he anticipates a $1 bin in the record store’s future. Scooter’s Records is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesdays through Saturday, and from 1 to 8 p.m. on Sundays. As customers enter the bright yellow building, they are greeted by classic rock music playing throughout the store. Records are everywhere, covering walls and filling bins, and wherever they are not, there are posters displaying albums and bands. Thomas said while the store mostly sells records, he is selling “anything that’s kind of in the ballpark of a record store.” Scooter’s has everything from t-shirts, to posters and turn-tables. While the merchandise is diverse, the records themselves include many different genres across the board. Thomas said because everyone’s tastes in music range so greatly, he tries to keep a good variety in
Emma Dray Braswell |The Reflector
Scott Thomas brought his dream of owning a record store to life by opening Scooter’s Records at 519 University Drive on Wednesday. Scooter’s Records caters to lovers of every music genre.
stock. “David Bowie is big,” Thomas said. “If I get a copy of Fleetwood Mac’s album, Rumors, it’s not going to stay. Everybody loves Queen, too. Radiohead, I’ve sold a bunch of copies of all of their stuff. Country? Dolly Parton. It’s pretty diverse. I’ve sold stuff I wouldn’t have imagined I would sell. To keep up with the public interest, he has a suggestion sheet, so people can write down what they want to see in the record store in the future. “I’m not quite as in-
tune with the cuttingedge stuff, so I’m learning as I go,” Thomas said.
“If records hadn’t gone away, I would have been doing this for 20 years.” -Scott Thomas, owner of Scooter’s Records “People come in and make recommendations, and I’ll start listening to it. I’ve
The Paint Up Crew shows school spirit in the stands RENALDO HOPKINS STAFF WRITER
Anyone who has attended a Mississippi State University football game in the past few years has than likely catch a glimpse of some guys in the student section showing exceptional school spirit with maroon and white torsos and outlandish hats, rooting for the home team as hard as they can. This group of students have not been around for a long time, but they have been around long enough to stir up a lot of attention for themselves with recognition from other students, alumni, and even the team. Although their strong personalities are easily
noticeable, the brotherhood shared by the group might not be immediately obvious. The group, also known as the “Paint Up Crew,” has been a part Mississippi State football games since the 2014 season. Formed by two alumni during that season, the group began as an idea to make the football games more enjoyable for those involved, as well as to their appreciation to the team. James Chilsom, a fifthyear senior, said the group originally came together largely by chance. “I had brought it up to somebody, and my buddy Drew, his brother had painted before, and he said, ‘Oh I been wanting to do that…’ Then everybody else were like, ‘Yeah I’m
ordered some stuff I’ve never heard before.” Thomas is willing to
in,’” Chilsom said. Walker Sayle, a junior electrical engineering major, said the original group basically consisted of a group of guys that lived in the basement of McKey Hall with other students joining over time. Since the group formed in 2014, Paint Up Crew was along for the ride when Mississippi State became the No. 1 team in the nation. In that season, a then No. 2 ranked Bulldogs defeated No. 3 ranked Auburn to become the No. 1 team in the nation. Sayle said after the win Mississippi State football head coach Dan Mullen threw his visor at the group in the stands, and Sayle caught it. PAINT, 8
suggest new albums to people based on their musical taste.
Thomas said he holds a strong belief of vinyl being essential to the music industry. “I never liked CDs at all,” Thomas said. “Then the internet came and killed CDs, and I think that the whole resurgence of records was a whole reaction to that, which is great.” Thomas said due to the involvement records force people to have with the music, they are more inclined to appreciate the music. “Records are something that you can pick up and
look at, you have to deal with it,” Thomas said. “You have to pay attention to it, you’ve got to flip the record when it gets to the end.” Thomas said he decided to open a record store after he retired about three years ago. Thomas said he had always wanted to own a record store, and now since records are coming back into style, he decided this was the perfect time. “If records hadn’t gone away,” Thomas said. “I would have been doing this for 20 years.” While owning a record store is Thomas’ dream job, he said he ultimately decided to open Scooter’s Records because the town needed it. “Starkville is the only college town around that doesn’t have a record store,” Thomas said. “Oxford, Tuscaloosa, Southern, everybody’s got one.” Now, Starkville has a record store too. Rachael Weems said because it is nearing Christmas, she had the idea to buy some records for her family as gifts. “I sadly don’t own a record player here in Starkville, but my family has one back home, and we love to play old records and listen to them,” Weems said. Valentina Piedrahita said after visiting the store, she is excited to purchase a record player. “I was very impressed by this record store, and I am looking for a turn table to buy sometime soon,” Piedrahita said.
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THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2017 @REFLECTORONLINE
PAINT
CONTINUED FROM 7
Chew on This: Thanksgiving COURTNEY O’BRIEN STAFF WRITER
Noah Siano |The Reflector
The Paint Up Crew are instantly recognizable at any football game the group attends.
“That was thing to me Sayle said. The Paint popularity has season.
the coolest personally,”
the Bulldogs are playing. When you see the Paint Up Crew at an MSU football game, there should not be a doubt if they are having fun, because it is obvious to anyone watching. “The comradery is always nice,” Sayle said. Although the members of the Paint Up Crew enjoy the group’s comradery, getting prepared for the games is not always easy. Chilsom said the most difficult games for the group are 11 a.m. games. The Paint Up Crew, no matter how difficult it may be to get ready for a game, what challenge the weather may be, nor if the Bulldogs might be going through a bad game, they always enjoy coming together to show their love for the ones that go out on Davis Wade Stadium. The atmosphere of the games never is a question for the Paint Up Crew because they are the ones to set the atmosphere when they are in the stands. Attendees of Thursday’s game and viewers at home can expect to see these young men show their pride through whatever it is that may be painted on their chests.
Up Crew’s risen each
“The comradery is always nice.” -Walker Sayle, MSU senior and member of the Paint Up Crew Sayle said since they have been painting up, the group has frequently heard from alumni and other students who admire the passion the group shows. Chilsom said his parents will tell him about how they and their friends back home in Hickory Wood, Tennessee, will try to look for him on television when
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I love late fall, it is one of my favorite times of the year. There are hot chocolate parties, sweater weather days for my dog and I, pumpkin pie and holidays. I do not usually eat much turkey during the year. I am not opposed, but frozen, boneless, skinless chicken is cheaper. This year, I will go to my very first Friendsgiving. A lot of you may not be the holiday hostesses I endeavor to be, but I have got a little something for everyone for this Thanksgiving article. Whether you are hosting this holiday or going to a get-together, you can find the perfect Thanksgiving recipe here.
In addition, the mashed potatoes are versatile for a potato stuffing or regular mashed potatoes. The pumpkin torte is delicious. I love pumpkin anything, but this torte kills any time I make it. If you really want to impress, you can marble the cream cheese and pumpkin with a spoon to give it a swirled pattern. If for some reason, you are unable to find an unflavored gelatin mix, Walmart probably has a pumpkin flavored, which will have a different effect; but this will still get you to the finish line in the end. You will probably have leftovers of all the above, depending on how many guests you have. I have planned for 10 guests who
like big portions, or 15 folks who eat like birds. Thanksgiving is a holiday which makes people stress about being perfect, but we are young and if there was ever a time to not be perfect and just learn, it is now. Thanksgiving and other such holidays built for family should not be about perfection, anyway. Focus on your family and just serve them some food. Do not worry about plating it perfectly or making sure every detail is just right. These recipes can all be made in advance. Just throw the stuffing and casserole into the oven to keep warm while your guests arrive, and then throw it on plates. This day is about family and being grateful.
Pumpkin Torte 1-2/3 cups graham cracker crumbs 1/3 cup sugar 1/2 cup butter, melted CREAM CHEESE FILLING: 2 packages cream cheese, softened 3/4 cup sugar 2 large eggs PUMPKIN FILLING: 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin 1/2 cup cold water 1 can (30 ounces) pumpkin pie filling 1 can (5-1/2 ounces) evaporated milk 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 carton (12 ounces) whipped topping. Combine the crumbs, sugar and butter. Press the combined ingredients onto the bottom of an un-greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs; beat on low speed, just until combined. Pour over crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, or until center is almost set. In a small bowl, sprinkle gelatin over cold water. Let stand for 1 minute. In a large saucepan, combine pie filling and evaporated milk. Bring to a boil. Add gelatin; stir until dissolved. Whisk a small amount of the hot mixture into the eggs. Return all to the pan, whisking constantly. Cook and stir over low heat, until mixture is thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Cool for 10 minutes. Spread over cream cheese layer. Turkey Casserole Spread whipped topping over top. 2 cups cooked turkey, diced Cover and refrigerate overnight. 1 cup diced celery
Mashed Potatoes
2 teaspoons chopped onion
1 pound potatoes Peel and slice potatoes.
Boil for 20 minutes. 1 tablespoon cream cheese Mash with ricer. 3 tablespoons butter Add seasoning, butter, cream cheese 2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning Add milk as needed.
½ teaspoon salt 1 can cream of chicken soup ¾ cup mayonnaise 1-1/2 cup crushed potato chips
2 tablespoons cilantro paste
3 hardboiled eggs, diced
Milk, as needed
Mix all ingredients, adding eggs last. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
Jennifer McFadden, The Reflector
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I have laid out a super easy Thanksgiving menu sure to impress, and one that will not break the bank. I am throwing the traditional turkey dish out the window in favor of something easier and done with the rotisserie chicken or turkey from Walmart. If you are using precooked chicken or turkey from a store, it should already be seasoned. If you are cooking it yourself, you will have to season it. Unless you actually know what you are doing, I would recommend buying a precooked turkey, or buy a bag of frozen cuts of your choice. You will need to defrost it, season it to your taste, cook the bird and dice it.
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THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2017 @SPORTSREFLECTOR
SPORTS
Remember it is just a football game, and Mississippi is better off unified than divided
TAYLOR RAYBURN
is a junior majoring in communication and economics. Contact him at sports@ reflector.msstate.edu.
Jessica Lindsey | The Reflector
Roshunda Johnson, a senior from Little Rock, Arkansas, led the team with 29 points in Mississippi Stateʼs 91-56 win over Southern Miss.
Lady Bulldogs rout in-state foe USM JOSH BECK
going then we can get another person going then three, four and all five of us are on it,” Schaefer said. On Sunday afternoon, Another key element to the No. 7 Mississippi the Bulldogs high-scoring State University Women’s offense is attributed to the Basketball team (3-0) put on superior play by the point an impressive performance guards. Morgan William in their win over state rival dishes out passes with clinical University of Southern precision, already totaling 24 Mississippi (3-1) by a score assists with zero turnovers. of 91 to 56. William also became the Excellent play from guard first Bulldog to reach 500 Roshunda Johnson was the career assists during the game highlight of the afternoon. against SMU. In addition, Johnson ended the game junior point guard Jazzmun 11-20 with 29 points, four Holmes received high praise rebounds and three assists. from coach Schaefer after her Johnson said she was just seven assists on Sunday. trying to do her job to help “We have two point her team. guards with no drop off with “I just think in my mind either one,” coach Schaefer that everyday has to be a said. “Lots of times if Mo great shooting day to help my [Morgan William] has gone team,” Johnson said. an extended period, Jazz will The Bulldogs stifled the step in and her USM offense “The four-guard lineup is evolving, but I jets are even with their highfaster, but pressure fullthink it’s here to stay. Now it’s my job to both of them court press see the floor so defense. The figure out some more things we can do with well especially defense caused in transition 26 turnovers it to make us even better. It’s not something and are able which led to to find these 31 points. I was thinking about a month or two ago, two [Schaefer, In addition, but this is who we are, and I think it’s a Johnson] MSU had where they like 23 offensive tough match-up for people.” to be.” boards, which Despite the USM Head -Vic Schaefer, women’s basketball head 35-point win, Coach Joye coach Schaefer Lee McNelis coach said the team said was a big Blair Schaefer explained this still needs to improve on their difference in the game. “Those are called free team is not trying to replicate defense from the field. “I am disappointed in possessions to me, and last year, but in fact improve that’s when you just give upon the success of last year’s our field-goal percentage defense,” coach Schaefer the ball to the other team, team. “We just realized what said. “Forty-six percent and like Christmas,” McNelis said. “I’m just going to give we lost last year in our four 35 percent from three and I’ll you this gift and it being an seniors that were great for us walk in there and be madder offensive rebound you’re and we figured out how to than a wet hen over that.” The Bulldogs will head right there at the rim so you not only fill the roles that they brought to us, but add on to on the road this week to can just shoot it again.” McNelis also added what we brought personally play in the 2017 Cancun Challenge. MSU will play the Bulldogs four-guard last year,” Schaefer said. The team chemistry was Arizona State University formation caused a matchup nightmare. The dominating evident on both sides of the (3-0), Columbia University performance of Teaira court. The senior guard said (2-2) and University of McCowan (17,10) in the the chemistry on the court is Wisconsin Green Bay (3-0). The challenge will start on middle accompanied by contagious. “If we can get one person Thanksgiving day. red-hot perimeter shooters NEWS EDITOR
rendered USM’s initial zone defense useless as the Bulldogs scored 31 in the opening quarter. MSU head coach Vic Schaefer said the four-guard offense is something he is still adjusting to, but is pleased with his team’s execution three games into the season. “The four-guard line-up is evolving, but I think it’s here to stay,” coach Schaefer said. “Now it’s my job to figure out some more things we can do with it to make us even better. It’s not something I was thinking about a month or two ago, but this is who we are, and I think it’s a tough match-up for people. This new formation will also help this team create their own identity and separate them from the shadow of last season’s success. Senior guard
Mississippi State University, specifically MSU football and the Egg Bowl, has always had a significant importance to me. My father instilled in me a love for MSU from an early age. He went to school here and loved this school until the day he died when I was six. However, he was not the normal MSU fan who hated Ole Miss with every fiber of his being. He went to law school at Ole Miss and worked in Oxford, where I grew up. This is not to say he did not enjoy the rivalry, the last thing played at his funeral was MSU’s fight song: a final jab at his friend who supported the red and blue school up north. Despite this, he left the rivalry to the game and did not let it affect his personal life. Nov. 30 will mark 14 years without him, and with tensions higher than they have ever been between the two schools, I wanted to use his approach to the rivalry as a teaching moment about this game. Do not let this game and this rivalry create another divide between people. As a loud, proud and obnoxious MSU fan who did not know when to shut up, I grew up in the midst of this rivalry in Oxford. I heard every insult an
MSU fan could hear. I have as much of a reason to hate the school and the people who support it as anyone, but I do not. Even though they are our rival and they have a different culture than we do, we are all still Mississippians. I see people on both sides take this rivalry way too far, both over the internet and in person. People say completely unnecessary and hateful things because the two schools have historically feuded. I know people on both sides who do everything within their power to not associate themselves with anyone from the other side.
“As a whole, when the two schools work together, things generally go a lot better than when the fan bases are divided and hate each other.” The recent NCAA investigation and fingerpointing have done nothing to help the situation. The reality is, people will read this and think one of two things. The guy writing this is a bleeding-heart millennial who needs to quit ruining “the fun in things,” or just think it is the other side who does all these things to make the rivalry so hate-filled. Because you have become so instilled in the hatred of the other school, you canno t fathom the possibility of all this hate and fingerpointing being a bad thing for everyone. The amazing thing is the way things have turned around so quickly. Remember 2014? When both schools
were on top of the college football world together. This was probably the happiest the state has been in a very long time, not because one school was doing well, but because they were doing well together. When the two are unified, everyone is a lot better off than when everyone is at each other’s throats. An example of this is the Special Olympics Mississippi 2016 Unified Egg Bowl, which raised over $20,000 last year. The Egg Bowl run, where the two schools ROTC programs meet halfway between the two schools in Calhoun City to show unity. They collect food people in need. As a whole, when the two schools work together, things generally go a lot better than when the fan bases are divided and hate each other. The division which football has caused is not good for anyone. There are so many bigger issues to worry about in this state: the quality of the education, obesity, poverty, the ineffectiveness of the state government, racism and so many other issues. Instead, we worry about the outcome of a game played between college students. It is just a game; remember this as you walk into Davis Wade on Thanksgiving Day. Yes, you want your team to win and the other team to lose every game. Yes, you should enjoy the game and forget about the problems of the world. But once the game is over, leave the negative emotions in the stadium. Do not carry them over to your personal life, like so many do. Everything is fun in moderation, including rivalries; but unfortunately, this one has gone to an extreme, and no one wins when this happens.
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THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2017 @SPORTSREFLECTOR
SPORTS
The students’ views: the two sides of the Egg Bowl
GRAYSON WEIR
is a senior majoring in journalism at the University of Mississippi, and serves as the sports editor on their student newspaper, The Daily Mississippian. Contact him at thedmsports@gmail.com.
In preparation for Saturday’s game, Grayson Weir, sports editor at the Daily Misissippian, the student newspaper at Ole Miss, answered some questions about the Rebels going into the game.
WHAT ARE THE MAJOR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESS OF OLE MISS’ OFFENSE AND HOW WILL THEY LOOK TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF MSU’S DEFENSE? Ta’amu has been nothing short of excellent. In his time at the helm, he has shown poise and maturity beyond what could have been expected of him. Couple this with his athleticism, and Ta’amu is undeniably a force to be reckoned with. While completing 69 percent of his passes for just under 1,500 yards, he has added 173 on the ground and accounted for 16 touchdowns in only four games. The Hawaiianphenom has certainly made the most of his shot and, arguably, has run the offense better than Patterson.
WITH THE INJURIES TO STARTING QUARTERBACK SHEA PATTERSON, HOW HAS BACKUP QUARTERBACK JORDAN TA’AMU PLAYED AS HIS REPLACEMENT?
WITH LOOMING NCAA The majority of Ole QUESTIONS, HOW HAS Miss’ offense comes THE TEAM REMAINED through the passing game. FOCUSED AND PUT The Nasty Wideouts are deep, versatile and physical FORTH EFFORT BEHIND playmakers who will INTERIM COACH MATT certainly pose a challenge for the Bulldog cornerbacks. LUKE? There will certainly be an emphasis on exposing the secondary. With this being said, running back Jordan Wilkins has been extremely efficient all year, and will continue to be someone who offensive coordinator Phil Longo attempts to establish early on. If he can force the Mississippi State defense to load the box, to any extent, the matchups on the outside will play even further in favor of the receiving core, and the Ole Miss offense should be as explosive as we have seen.
WHAT WILL YOU EXPECT OLE MISS TO DO TO STOP MSU’S RUN-PASS-OPTION OFFENSE CENTERED AROUND QUARTERBACK NICK FITZGERALD AND MSU’S STABLE OF RUNNING BACKS? If the game is to get ugly, this is where it would lie. We’ve seen Ole Miss’ defense struggles against the run, against the option and against dual-threat quarterbacks. In an effort
Metcalf, Van Jefferson and DeMarkus Lodge will be a problem for MSU. Overall, MSU’s secondary will keep them in check but will give up a big play or two.
against Alabama and LSU, I think they will be fine against the Ole Miss front.
Fitzgerald always produces for MSU, but running back Aeris In preparation for Williams is the player who Saturday’s game, our takes MSU’s offense to the sports editor Taylor next level. When Williams Rayburn answered some runs well, it presents questions sent by The Daily opposing defenses with too Mississippian, the student much to stop. They cannot newspaper at Ole Miss, to key in on Fitzgerald, and preview the game. instead worry about the handoff making all three WE’VE SEEN THAT parts of MSU’s run-passoption plays a threat. MISSISSIPPI STATE’S DEFENSE CAN HANG WITH When he struggles, the offense becomes to oneTHE BEST OFFENSES IN THE dimensional and is much NATION. HOW DOES THE easier to stop.
in the country according to the College Football Playoff Rankings and Ole Miss recently lost at home to Texas A&M, a team MSU blew out in College Station. Ole Miss lost to Alabama 66-3, MSU took the Crimson Tide down to the wire. MSU on paper is a the overall better team in all three phases of the game, but it is the Egg Bowl and anything can happen.
to stop Fitzgerald’s offense, defensive coordinator Wesley McGriff will presumably throw everything and the kitchen sink in the Bulldogs’ direction. However, it comes down to the big men in the trenches needing to create havoc and disallow the offense time to develop.
The guys in the locker room love playing for coach Luke, and have rallied behind him all year. It is no secret there was a significant toll taken on this group of guys, but at this point in the season, it is all about playing football and making this as special of a year as it can be. Knocking off a top-25 in-state rival program would certainly do just this.
WHAT IS YOUR SCORE PREDICTION AND HOW DO YOU EXPECT THE GAME TO PLAY OUT?
Any time you put these two teams on the same field, it is going to be tenacious, and Saturday is certainly going to be another dogfight. Ole Miss will head into Starkville with a bowl game mentality, score on a big play early, keep the slight advantage rolling through a gritty game and leave Starkville with a three-point victory, giving Matt Luke’s name even more prominence as the coaching search continues.
Mississippi State University 2017 Fall Commencement Ceremonies December 8th, 2017 at 9:30 a.m. Processional begins at 9:00 a.m. Doors open at 8:00 a.m.
December 8th, 2017 at 4:00 p.m. Processional begins at 3:30 p.m. Doors open at 2:30 p.m.
Humphrey Coliseum ALLOW ADDITIONAL TIME FOR SECURITY SCREENING
ALL BAGS ARE SUBJECT TO SEARCH The University Registrar announces detailed graduation information regarding regalia, invitations, photographs, and marching instructions. This information is available at www.registrar.msstate.edu, under students/graduation for you to view and/or print.
Congratulations to all of Our Graduates!
TAYLOR RAYBURN
is a junior majoring in communication with a concentration in journalism and economics at Mississippi State University, where he serves as sports editor at their student newspaper, The Reflector. Contact him at sports@reflector.msstate.edu.
MISSISSIPPI STATE IS CURRENTLY A 17-POINT FAVORITE. DO YOU OUTSIDE OF THINK THAT’S A FAIR QUARTERBACK NICK ASSESSMENT BASED ON FITZGERALD, WHO IS HOW THE TWO TEAMS A PLAYER ON MSU’S HAVE PLAYED THIS OFFENSE TO WATCH GOING INTO THURSDAY’S SEASON? I think so, MSU is GAME? ranked as the 16th team
FOR THE BULLDOGS TO KEEP THEIR WINNING WAYS, WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN AND WHAT IS YOUR SCORE PREDICTION?
HOW DOES THE MSU OFFENSIVE LINE MATCHUP WITH AN OUTSTANDING OLE MISS MSU is better at every A.J. PASS RUSH? position but wide receiver.
BULLDOGS’ SECONDARY MATCHUP AGAINST OLE MISS’ DOMINANT RECEIVING CORE?
Starkville native Brown is probably the best receiver in the conference and will most likely have some big plays for Ole Miss on Thursday, but MSU has the players to match him. While the weak point of a dominant defense, MSU is still ninth in the country in pass yards allowed. MSU has the length at corner with Jamal Peters and Tolando Cleveland having someone to match up with Brown on the outside. The talent behind Brown in D.K.
MSU might have the overall best offensive line in the conference. The unit ranks fifth in the country in sacks allowed, only giving up eight across 11 games. Usually a weakness the past couple years, the offensive line is the surprise of this team and has protected Fitzgerald well all season long. Fitzgerald being a big and mobile quarterback that can shake off or dodge defenders also helps. If MSU was able to get push
Fitzgerald and Williams will gash the Ole Miss defense all night long for gains of five and six yards and eventually break off a couple big plays after wearing the defense down. The defense will give up one or two big plays but will otherwise hold Ole Miss in check. Mullen will then pour it on Ole Miss like he always has and MSU will run away with the game in the second half by a score of 45-14.