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125th YEAR | ISSUE 24 @REFLECTORONLINE /REFLECTORONLINE
NOVEMBER 19, 2013
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REFLECTOR-ONLINE.COM
Proposed board meeting cellphone ban proves problematic BY LACRETIA WIMBLEY Staff Writer
The Transfer Student Association at Mississippi State University calls out all beards as it hosts its “beard competition,” that began Nov. 1 and continues until Nov. 26. “Movember” is an annual event during the month of November that includes the growing of beards and moustaches to raise awareness of prostate cancer and other health factors. According to the American cancer society, prostate cancer is one
of the most common types of cancer found among American men. MSU’s competition contains three categories of beards: most creative beard, best groomed beard and longest beard. Brandy Davis, senior communication major and one coordinator of the event, said the competition serves as a source of fun for MSU. “We will have a ‘grow your beard’ booth set up on the Drill Field on Nov. 26,” Davis said. “You can come by and have a photo of your beard taken and
BY PRANAAV JADHAV
late Monday afternoon to ban only cell phones and included Mississippi State University Tuesday night the Starkville student journalists in the exBoard of Aldermen will con- emption, and it removed the sider banning cell phones at restriction on social media use. Prior to the modification to future meetings. The proposal cites distraction and disruption the proposed ban, Ward 4 Alderman Jason as the reasons Walker said for this ban. I believe the he will not be The origiable to give nal proposal resolution good answers included in to be on why the Friday’s board unnecessary r e s o l u t i o n meeting mawas proposed terials stated and that if passed and which the ban could could limit citizens’ alderman include cell ability to exercise proposed it, phones, elecbut he said tronic tab- their right to free in his brief lets and lap- speech.” time serving tops, though -Jason Walker, the Board of members of Aldermen, he the press and Ward 4 Alderman has not been mainstream distracted by media would be allowed to use these devices the use of cell phones during during the meetings. It went the meetings. “I believe the resolution on to state the exemption did not apply to Internet bloggers to be unnecessary and that if or anyone engaged in purely passed could limit citizens’ social media such as live tweet- ability to exercise their right to free speech,” Walker said, refering. The proposal was modified ring to the original proposal.
made, or you can tweet a picture of your beard to @msu_transfer. It costs $5 to enter the competition and $1 to vote.” Kyle Walker, senior special education major, said the booth will also be set up Dec. 2-3 to allow people the chance to vote. “This is such a cool thing because it provides everyone with the chance to win, that is voters and players,” Walker said. “Voters will be given raffles that will make them eligible to win a dinner for two from McAlister’s, a free trim from Rooney’s, T-shirts from Stinky Feet and gift cards.”
Staff Writer
SEE BEARDS, 2
SEE BAN, 2
LEON CARRUBBA | THE REFLECTOR
‘Remember the Titans’ coach speaks Tuesday BY NIA WILSON Contributing Writer
Through a collaborative effort between the Student Association Outdoor and Film Committee and the SA Speakers Committee, Mississippi State University will host a meet and greet with the icon-
ic Coach Herman Boone, the man whose story was represented in “Remember the Titans.” “Remember the Titans,” based on a true story, depicts the events that took place in Alexandria, Va., in 1971 when African-American football coach Herman Boone, played by Denzel Washington, was
hired to direct an integrated team that fought against each other rather than with each other at T.C. Williams High School. In addition to racial animosity embedded within the Titans’ team, there is also tension between Boone and his white assistant coach, Bill Yoast. SEE BOONE, 2
BEN BAILEY | COURTESY PHOTO
At last year’s Bulldog for Batson fundraiser, MSU drumline performed a trashcan and drum performance. Parts of the audience participated by clapping along.
Bulldog for Batson event raises funds for children’s hospital BY KIMBERLY MURRIEL Staff Writer
On Nov. 20, Mississippi State University’s Alpha Phi Omega Fraternity will hold its third annual Bulldog for Batson event at the Colvard Student Union Dawg House at 6 p.m. Bulldog for Batson, a benefit
concert, raises money for the Batson’s Children Hospital, the sole children’s hospital in the state of Mississippi located in Jackson. Aaron Eftink, service president of Alpha Phi Omega and coordinator of the event, said Bulldog for Batson was created to bring awareness and recogni-
tion to Batson Children’s Hospital. “Bulldog for Batson is a benefit concert to help out a hospital that doesn’t get as much help as bigger hospitals,” Eftink said. “We try to help them out and get them some support because they don’t get as near as much support as bigger names like St. Jude.” SEE BATSON, 3
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On Monday, Mississippi State University’s primary concert coordinator, Music Maker Productions, announced 2 Chainz will perform at the Back To School Barn Party in January. The Colvard Student Union erupted with excitement after the reveal by MMP. Glotron will open for the Georgia rapper, who is known for popular songs such as “No Lie,” “Birthday Song” and “I’m Different.” Students can hear “she got a big booty so I call her big booty” played by the artist on Jan. 16 at the Horsepark.
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BOONE
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Slowly and tirelessly, the men work together to transform a group of angry and confused players into a respectable team. In the process, they unite the divided community around them. Tonight, Boone will speak from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the Foster Ballroom on the second floor of the Colvard Student Union. Immediately following the speech, the audience can meet and speak with Boone. The final event of the evening at 7 p.m. will be the showing of “Remember the Titans.” Tucker Nash, director of the Student Association Speakers Committee, said Boone is a very relevant role model who many students can admire. “Coach Boone’s discussion can be a way to bring NASH TUCKER | COURTESY PHOTO film to reality. Many people Coach Herman Boone will speak tonight in the Foster have seen the movie, but his discussion can inspire Ballroom of the Colvard Student Union. Boone was students to see the movie played by Denzel Washington in “Remember the Titans.” through a different perspective,” Nash said. “Boone is a school that loves sports, committee, said the speakers can relate history to the movie and this movie highlights the committee is a young program and keep people fully engaged unifying power that sports has. that is slowly growing. How“One of my favorite scenes ever, by putting on an event while doing it.” Students have the oppor- is when they are in the locker that combines a speaker and tunity to learn about history room joking around and sing- movie, people are more likely outside the classroom through ing and dancing. It takes me to respond positively. speakers like Boone who have back to my high school days “Movies bring people toknowledge to offer to students. when I was on my football gether. People understand Camden Baker, co-director team. In ‘Remember the Ti- that ‘Remember the Titans’ of the SA Outdoor and Film tans,’ Whites and Blacks were was based on a true story, but Committee, said Boone’s lec- unified through football,” to see the person who went ture is beneficial on multiple Baker said. “They were finally through all of the things dea team. MSU can really under- picted in the movie brings it levels. Baker also said Boone can stand how important it is for a to another level,” Talbot said. give students such gratefulness team to be a team.” “I am also very interested to Mary Gates Talbot, co-di- see how close the movie is to for their history and their present. On the other hand, MSU rector of SA Outdoor and Film his reality.”
THE REFLECTOR
BAN
continued from 1
“Furthermore, I believe this tivities of our current Board of proposal very likely would not Aldermen,” Corey said, while be legal per referring to the previous atoriginal proposal. I belive it is torney generLynn Spruill, als’ opinions an attempt owner of Spruill in similar Properties and to stifle i n s t a n c e s ,” former city adfeedback Walker said. ministrator, said R i c h a r d about the board there has been Corey, for- meetings and adno history of dismer Ward 4 versely affects the ruption during Alderman, the board meetsaid the ability of citizens ings. Spruill said original ban to remain informed the mayor has proposal was about the activities never had to call designed to of our current board anyone out on limit social disruptive use of media use, of aldermen.” electronics. such as live -Richard Corey, Zack Plair, edtweeting. itor at Starkville former aldremen “I believe it Daily News who is an attempt covered this story to stifle feedback about the for his newspaper, said with board meetings and adversely this board particularly, some affects the ability of citizens to members are willing to talk, remain informed about the ac- regardless of the issue, while
BEARDS Walker said the competition is a way to get students involved and also proves beneficial for health awareness month of November. “About five or 10 percent of the money we raise will be donated for prostate cancer research,” he said. “We really will not know the full outcome of the competition until the end of November, after everyone has grown out their beards. Even if a female wants to grow out her beard, she‘s welcome to attempt.”
others have preferred to limit their comments on some issues to what they say at the boardroom table. “If you read the resolution, you’ll see where it would allow ‘mainstream media’ to use electronic devices if that use is directly related to performing our jobs,” Plair said. “Even if the resolution passed, it would be an easy argument that using social media platforms like Twitter related directly to our reporting meetings, especially as the Board of Aldermen is in no position to formally define for us what is or isn’t a journalist’s job.” If this resolution is passed, the ban on cell phones will be effective Dec. 3. Editor’s Note: Kaitlyn Byrne, editor-in-chief, contributed information to this article.
continued from 1 Taylor King, director of Transfer Student Affairs, said the competition idea was created by the Transfer Leadership Board fundraising team and is in relation to the new “movember” trend. “We are giving away some prizes that are great True Maroon valuables to winners of the competition,” King said. “They include a signed baseball and two signed cowbells by Dr. Keenum and Scott Stricklin. We are hoping to get entries from both students and staff.
I’m excited to see funds raised, further transfer student enrichment and of course, to see what crazy beard picture entries we will have by the end of the month.” Entry fees can be taken to the SA office in the Colvard Student Union or paid Nov. 26 on the Drill Field. Voting will be held Dec. 2 - 3 on the Drill Field. Follow @msu_transfer on Twitter and Instagram to see contestant photos and winners. For more information, contact bnd62@msstate.edu.
Students present EcoCar to local first responders BY DUNCAN DENT Staff Writer
Mississippi State University’s EcoCar 2 team gave a presentation to local firemen on EcoCar 2’s progress as well as a safety presentation to first responders on wrecks involving hybrid cars Friday. The EcoCar program has only been around for about 10 years, and it has already earned more awards than any team in the competition’s roughly 25year history. The team breaks down into three separate parts, and a representative from each spoke on his or her portion of the presentation. Claire Faccini, senior communication major, is the head of communication for the group. She said she runs the social media for EcoCar 2 and planning presentations and events to promote the EcoCar 2 name. “This event was targeted at firemen and first responders
with an emphasis on safety, but we do other demonstration aimed at different publics,” Faccini said. EcoCar 2 is in the third year of the three-year competition, so Faccini and her team are dedicated to vamping up the awareness. The team took first place in year one and fifth place in year two, but she said that winning year three is the big one. Chris Hoop, junior accounting major and the team’s business manager, said he monitors the budget, makes sure members of the team stay on track and get along, oversees funding and makes sure the sponsors are happy. “It’s a lot of work. I had to turn in a 30-page business plan this semester, and I have to have a 50-page impact report ready for May. It is some great management experience, though,” Hoop said. The teams are not only
scored on the performance of the car, but the performance of the business and communication aspects as well and can score vital points for performing well in these respects. The engineering aspect is a large aspect of the competition. The car is scored through several tests on fuel efficiency and handling. Stephen Hayden, sophomore mechanical engineering major, got his start on the team as a freshman sanding and painting. He now comes back as a veteran and said he is the unofficial new member guy. “I make them feel welcome,” Hayden said. The team insists EcoCar 2 at MSU has some of the nicest facilities in the country. The team can build and maintain everything except the most specialized parts in house and were the only team to increase the trunk space in the 2013 Chevy Malibu provided for the
YANCE FALKNER | THE REFLECTOR
Members of the MSU EcoCar 2 team presented their work to Starkville firemen Friday. The presentation focused on safety and gave the team’s progress report. competition. The facilities have become known in the competition circuit as “Garage Mahal.” “We are the winningest team in competition history. We are basically the University of Al-
abama of EcoCar,” Hoop said. The team has worked to bring excellence to MSU and has formed a familial-like bond. Hayde said a lot of time and
hard work goes into the EcoCar. “I have never pulled an all nighter studying, but I have pulled all nighters on EcoCar,” Hayden said.
Sanderson Center celebrates Strength and Fitness week through competitions BY DUNCAN DENT Staff Writer
The Department of Recreational Sports at Mississippi State University holds the fourth Annual Strength and Fitness Week Monday through Thursday, giving students a shot at prizes, bragging rights and ultimately the chance to be crowned Mr. or Mrs. Fit MSU.
The events will be held at the Joe Frank Sanderson Center. Members and non-members of the Sanderson are encouraged to register at the Sanderson, though there will be a small fee for non members. The event welcomes those who want to compete and spectators. The week kicked off Monday with the dead lift competition and is followed by squats
on Tuesday and bench press on Thursday, both at 6 p.m. The other event is the obstacle course, which starts at 3:45 p.m. on Thursday. Participants will be divided into a women’s class and a men’s class and given a few chances to attempt a one-rep max. They will be scored on a weight differential. Prizes and awards given for each individual event are open for everyone,
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but the students with the highest al Sports has hosted a bench press combined score will be crowned competition for almost 13 years MSU Strongman but added the and Strongwoman. other events It is really Cameron Webb, and tied in senior kinesiology with the Turfun to major, was crowned key Trot more come last year’s Strongman, recently to compete and he said he hopes broaden the to defend his title this and see how appeal. Jason year. Townsend, asyour max stacks “It is really fun to sociate direcup against other come compete and tor of Recresee how your max people.” ational Sports, stacks up against -Cameron Webb, is in charge of other people.” Webb senior kinesiology many of the said. logistics for Students who major the day and compete well in the said he likes weight lifting portion and also the direction the event is growing. participate in the Turkey Trot 5K He said the local sponsors like Big Saturday will have a shot at being Deal Supplements, and adding a crowned Mr. and Mrs. Fit MSU. class for women has expanded the The Department of Recreation- event.
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“We want this week to be educational and fun for everyone. That’s why we open it to members of not only the student body, but the faculty and community as well. The ball’s really rolling,” Townsend said. While many participants do not train specifically for the event, Webb said they like the added competition it gives a normal workout. “Man, it’s just cool to see some of your classmates and other Sanderson regulars compete in a little friendly competition. I am glad to see this event grow,” Webb said. Even students who are not competing can feel the energy around this time. McKinnon Ray, junior biochemistry major, uses the Sanderson to stay in shape. He said the change in pace helps him stay focused on his own workout and pushes him a little further every time. “I don’t compete but the energy in the gym around this time really gets you jazzed. I’m excited there is an event that gets the community involved in fitness,” Ray said.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013 | 3
NEWS
REFLECTOR-ONLINE.COM
Friday, Nov. 15 • 12:35 a.m. A student was issued a referral for uncooperative behavior outside the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house on Fraternity Row. • 1:38 a.m. A student was issued a Justice Court citation and student referral for alcohol violation at the Phi Delta Theta fraternity house. • 11:21 p.m. A visitor was arrested behind the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house for minor in possession of alcohol and false information. A Justice Court citation was issued.
Saturday, Nov. 16 • 12:23 a.m. A student was arrested on Fraternity Row for public drunkenness, public profanity and resisting arrest. • 12:28 a.m. A student was arrested on fraternity row for public drunkenness. A student referral was issued. • 3:02 a.m. A visitor reported being assaulted with a possible beer bottle between the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house and the Sigma Chi fraternity house by an unknown person. The subject was transported to OCH by a personal vehicle. • 4:18 p.m. An employee reported a student who had been banned was in the Sanderson Center. • 10:55 p.m. A student was issued a Justice Court citation and student referral for possession of paraphernalia in the parking lot of the Kappa Sigma fraternity house.
Sunday, Nov. 17 office of public affairs | courtesy photo
SHOOTING THE BULL | Mississippi State University President Mark Keenum and Student Association President Michael Hogan shake hands during Saturday’s Bullring dedication. The Bullring is a D-shaped concrete sitting area. The orignial site was destroyed during the Colvard Student Union renovation that finished in 2008. The Bullring is once again located in its original location between the Union and the YMCA building.
• 12:43 a.m. Students reported their vehicles were burglarized Saturday at the Delta Gamma sorority house. • 3:07 a.m. A visitor reported her vehicle was burglarized while parked near the Delta Gamma sorority house. • 4:11 p.m. A student reported his cell phone was stolen on Nov. 7 from a friend’s car while parked in front of the Kappa Sigma fraternity house. • 7:32 p.m. A student was issued a student referral for calling a fake overdose report to 911.
BATSON
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ben bailey | courtesy photo
Luke Vincent performs a solo act at Bulldogs for Batson. The event raises money for the hospital. Eftink said the event will feature live music from local bands such as Sispy Fires, as well as the MSU Drum Line and MSU Jazz Band. Performances from MSU LabRats, Blitz Show Choir, Taylor Doherty, Brandon Wells, Tai Chi, Ethan Foshee and Brandon McAninch will also be featured. Ben Bailey, senior international business and philosophy and religion major and former vice president of Alpha Phi Omega, said there will also be a raffle. Gift certificates, gift cards, signed sports balls from the MSU athletic department and a signed cowbell from MSU President Mark Keenum will be just a few of the items raffled off at the event. Bailey and Eftink said the Bulldog for Batson event will
be a place for students to have fun and relax, especially around the time the semester comes to an end and students prepare for final exams. “It’s just a very relaxing, fun atmosphere where you can meet a lot of people,” Bailey said. “It’s a great way for us (students) relax a little bit before exams, so that’s something to always look forward to because the semester’s so tough. We always schedule it the week before Thanksgiving break or right before final exams. The semester is winding down, and you have to find some way to unwind.” Bailey said Bulldog for Batson began in fall 2011 when the mother of a former member of Alpha Phi Omega worked at Batson’s Children Hospital and the members of
the fraternity came up with idea of a fundraising event to bring some of the attention and awareness St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital receives to Batson’s. “We wanted to do something big that semester and start the year off strong,” Bailey said. “We thought to do a fundraiser event because St. Jude is a great thing, and we always support it the best we can, but it kind of eclipses our own state’s children’s hospital. So we decided it was a good idea to build up awareness and raise money.” Bailey said the first event was much simpler but successful, and it has since become a tradition. “It was mostly just coffee-house style music, but it was really successful. And so we just thought to do it again and last year was very successful, and we just decided to make this a regular thing year, so we do it every year now,” Bailey said. “It’s in an effort to sort of remind people of the great resources that Mississippi has, especially a topnotch research children’s hospital like Batson’s,” Bailey said. Sarah Burrell, a cosmetologist at Déjà vu Salon, said she began sponsoring the Bulldog for Batson when it started. She said Bulldog for Batson is special to her because she has had a personal experience with Batson’s when her then-three-yearold son came down with an illness last year when she was pregnant with her second child. “They were great with him,” Burrell said. “ I have never been to a hospital that was strictly for children before.They’re really very kid-oriented. A three-yearold doesn’t want to have their finger pricked or sit still in a chair and the doctor said ‘don’t worry about it. I have a child at home. It’s no big deal.’ They were very patient with him.” Burrell said the staff was supportive of her and her husband during their time at
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children were not there. You can cry, get upset or whatever you want to do while the children are off doing something else. I felt better because we had been able to talk to somebody.” Eftink said Bulldog for Batson is a way to give back
to children. “To me, it’s a way to give back to kids that I may not know, but I can still help them and do something for them,” Eftink said. “We don’t make a lot of money from it (the event), but even that little bit helps.”
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OPINION
4 | TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013
OPINION EDITOR: ALIE DALEE | opinion@reflector.msstate.edu AMONG THE WILDFLOWERS
THE REFLECTOR
EXPRESS YOUR VOICE AT REFLECTOR-ONLINE.COM
Proposed aldermen cell phone ban calls freedom of speech into question
O
ur founding fathers aimed to create a country grounded on the ideals of a government run by the people, for the people. Merriam-Webster defines democracy as “an organization or situation in which everyone is treated equally and has equal rights.” This week, the Starkville Board of Aldermen is to present a proposal that aims to revoke the voice of its constituents. The ban would prohibit the use of cell phones from use in its open meetings. The only group exempt from the proposed ban would be official news media, a small minority in the greater Starkville population. As an attendee of a Starkville Board of Aldermen meeting, a vast majority of the population in attendance were non-media citizens. Board of
Aldermen meetings are a public of Aldermen meeting. Why, you forum between aldermen and their may ask? As a tool of accuracy. wards. As a journalist I am exempt from The proposed ban has been re- this ban, however I believe every ported on by major U.S. newspa- citizen is entitled to the same freepers from The Clarion-Ledger to dom of speech I am and have the The Miami Herald to The Kansas same right to relay accurate details, City Star. The national media at- quotes and decisions detailed in the tention meeting. A greater power would I have to the proposed be a government that question ban has values the voices of its a governreceived ment that citizens.” highdoes not lights a value acdeeper-rooted issue than a mere curacy and goes so far as to silence cell phone ban. It gets at the heart the voice of its public — be it soof the issue, an attempt by a gov- cial or print media. If the governernment to silence a citizen’s free ment is confident in the decisions speech and the negative effect such it makes, then why does it silence a ban has on a democracy. the public’s constitutional right to As a student journalist, I have relay those decisions? taken my cell phone to a Board The first amendment of the U.S.
Constitution states, “Congress shall make no law ... prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.” Furthermore, the state of Mississippi passed the Sunshine laws, which mandate an open meeting policy between government bodies and its constituents. As a resident in Starkville, I want to trust my alderman to make decisions for the betterment of myself and my neighbors. But I also want transparency that can only be gained by a two-way communication model of meeting attendants’ ability to relay meeting information to the public as a whole. Without social media, how will the aldermen un-
derstand the needs of their public. Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman relayed his concerns over the ban to The Dispatch. “I don’t mind having rules to maintain order in a meeting, but I am concerned the effect of this proposal would do more to suppress speech than maintain order,” Wiseman said in a text message. At the 2008 Democratic National Convention, former U.S. President Bill Clinton said, “People the world over have always been more impressed by the power of our example than by the example of our power” (npr.org). Does the Board of Aldermen have the power to silence its city’s freedom of speech? It may be too soon to tell. But the more telling question is do we live in a city where the government wants to
ALIE DALEE Alie Dalee is the opinion editor of The Reflector. She can be contacted at opinion@ reflector.msstate.edu.
silence its population’s freedom of speech? A greater power would be a government that values the voices of its citizens, the power those voices exude and what accomplishments can be made when it lets those voices be heard — be it social-media or print-media.
QUESTION TIME
WHO SPEAKS FOR EARTH ?
Extroplanet discoveries demand a universal worldview Can frozen peas solve our economic problems?
I
n recent years, observational astronomers have made leaps and bounds discovering planets orbiting other stars, called exoplanets, some of which could host life as we know it. The first exoplanet detections surfaced in 1994 and 1995, according to JPL’s planetquest website. These preliminary discoveries ushered in a flood of planet hunts and successful detections. Now the exoplanet catalogue at exoplanets.org lists 755 confirmed planets and 3,455 unconfirmed potential candidates. These numbers may seem disproportionate, but most of the discoveries come from a space telescope mission called Kepler — currently on its last leg — which observes only a small region of our galaxy looking for planets. The results pulled from the Kepler mission show that among the many large planets similar to Jupiter out in the galaxy, there exists a good proportion of planets similar in size to Earth, with similar compositions and possibly the atmospheric and climatic conditions conducive to life similar to Earth. The discoveries announced at this month’s Kepler Science Conference come from the small region that Kepler observed. This precision sampling of a small region of space allows astronomers to extrapolate the ratio of stars that should have planets and what sizes and configurations they should come in. According to nbcnews.com, Berkeley astronomer Geoff Marcy reports that of the 40 billion sunlike stars in the Milky Way galaxy, some 22 percent of them should
have planets like Earth within their habitable zones. The habitable zone of a star is the region where water liquefies, rather than boils off or freezes into ice, so life as we know it can survive. In our solar system, with conditions below freezing, Mars sits on the outer edge of the habitable zone, and with a heavy atmosphere and overactive greenhouse effect, Venus sits on the inner edge of the habitable zone. Fortunately, Earth falls right where water-based life can survive year round in a largely liquid water environment, and planet hunters want to find exoplanets with the same conditions. According to nbcnews.com, Marcy estimates there are upward of 8.8 billion Earth-like planets in our galaxy alone, which in the context of the entire universe full of hundreds of billions of other galaxies just like ours means that trillions of Earth-like planets could exist. The exoplanet searches ultimately seek to discover if we are alone. The reasoning goes like this: with so many planets out there, surely several of them will develop Earthlike conditions, and if life formed here, then could it form somewhere else with similar conditions. With a trillion attempts, would life not thrive in such a large universe? There are probably hundreds of other life-hosting planets in our galaxy alone. The chances are too high for anything else. This realization should humble us and draw our attention away from our pettiness and strife. With a universe so vast and a civilization so young, we should take a step back from fight-
A
CAMERON CLARKE Cameron Clarke is a junior majoring in physics and mathematics. He can be contacted at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.
ing each other and unite our efforts to advance humanity together. Carl Sagan strove to put an end to mankind’s fragility and illibriality as he feared the inevitable destruction promised by war-mongering and short-sightedness. We now reach the point that Sagan mentions in his book “Pale Blue Dot” where we look past our own noses and see the universe for what it is. “Once we overcome our fear of being tiny, we find ourselves on the threshold of a vast and awesome universe that utterly dwarfs — in time, in space and in potential — the tidy (man-centered stage) of our ancestors,” Sagan said. We would do well to look up from time to time and remember we are not alone in the universe. Amidst international strife and petty conflicts, plenty of people stand up for one group or the other, but in the grand scheme of the universe, who speaks for Earth?
s often as we hear words like corporation, entrepreneur and unemployed, it is easy to lose perspective of what these words actually mean. Take a moment to think about the word corporation. It might call to mind imagery of big buildings, helicopters and overpaid executives, which is understandable considering the way corporation is used as nearly a pejorative term by politicians and media pundits. But consider this: if a corporation has to pay a tax bill of $10 million, who pays it? Can we tax the floor of an office building? No. Corporations are comprised of people — executives, employees, stockholders and even customers — and the costs of taxes on a corporation are dispersed among these people. Ultimately, people — human beings — pay all taxes. The point here is not to argue about corporate taxes, but to illustrate that everything boils down to people. In 1923, a Brooklyn taxidermist named Clarence Birdseye started a company with an electric fan, buckets of brine and cakes of ice. His company went bankrupt in 1924 due to lack of interest from consumers. But Birdseye did not give up. He thought his idea was worth something, and he decided to continue to pursuing it. Five years later, in 1929, the Goldman-Sachs Trading Corporation and the Postum Company purchased Birdseye’s trademarks
and patents for $22 million, or over $290 million in today’s currency. What was this brilliant idea? Frozen peas. Birdseye invented, and perfected, the quick-freezing of frozen meat and vegetables, and today the Birdseye brand remains one of the leading names in frozen food. To quote the inventor himself, “Only through curiosity can we discover opportunities, and only by gambling can we take advantage of them.” This man was an entrepreneur, turned unemployed, turned corporate giant. The risks he took made him wealthy, but the wealth he created for the average person far outweighs his personal take. The average person can now afford to have fresh vegetables and meat without having to grow or hunt it. That is only the case because Clarence Birdseye took risks, failed and persisted despite his failure. Henry Ford did not revolutionize the automobile industry to comply with a government mandate. Thomas Edison did not gain a single of his 1,000-plus patents because of an economic stimulus package. Birdseye did not use a single tax dollar in the invention of a system that would enable the poor to afford fresh food. Governmental institutions cannot create anything. They can redistribute, but that is wholly unproductive. Unleashing the government cuts the pie into smaller pieces. To unleash en-
JOJO DODD JoJo Dodd is a sophomore majoring in economics. He can be contacted at opinion@reflector. msstate.edu.
trepreneurs makes the pie bigger. They take risks, they create wealth and everyone is better off. If we want further prosperity and wealth for all people, government should set free the economic potential of the individual risk taker and get out of the way. Consider the risks imposed by government on small business. The government allows entrepreneurs to keep 50 percent of their profits (due to taxes), but 100 percent of their losses. Minimizing risks for entrepreneurs not by individual subsidies but by less restrictive and extractive forces of government functions as boon for all Americans. Frozen peas, like all of the great achievements of civilization, came not from government or business, but from people. People who were curious enough to discover opportunities and brave enough to take advantage of them. The question now is who’s next?
RED HERRINGS “There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart.” Jane Austen, “Emma”
Reflections from Abroad
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T
here is a commonality shared by those who have been out of the country. Usually, those who have had the privilege to devour baguettes in France, bike the Cinque Terre in Italy and pour back a brew in Munich tend to return to the states with a newfound attitude. When asked about their time abroad, their eyes tend to turn upward as they began a long, meandering story about “the time I was in Europe.” Typically, this is accompanied by a large spoonful of shock and awe when they find out their peers have not had the privilege to gaze upon the Alps or visit the Tower of London. It’s easy to lose one’s patience with friends who have caught a major case of wanderlust and can only seem to dreamily reminisce of days spent lounging in Florence, sipping wine and basking in the novelty of living abroad. But the thing is, there’s a reason many people come back from studying abroad with this mania. Simply put, studying abroad is one of those rare life experiences that truly meets every expectation associated with it. Incredibly, it really is life-changing. This past summer was the first time I studied abroad for a substantial length of time. I
CLAIRE MOSLEY Claire Mosley is a junior majoring in accounting. She can be contacted at opinion @ reflector.msstate.edu.
you spend on it, even if this means blowing all of your savCLAIRE MOSLEY | THE REFLECTOR ings on a month. The memoClaire Mosley visits the Eiffel Tower during her time abroad. ries that you make from going abroad are truly those that last decided to live in an apartment issue for people seems to be a lifetime and ones that are well in Florence, Italy, for a month of a financial nature, which is worth staying put in Starkville and take an intermediate draw- nothing to scoff at. Studying for a year if it means getting to ing class. It would be rather abroad for any length of time see the Eiffel Tower with one’s boring for me to list off all of is going to involve a significant own eyes. I promise no matter the life-altering cultural expe- financial burden, which can how much money a trip costs riences that happened (though be somewhat mitigated with and no matter how much you one of them did happen to in- scholarships from some of the might have to sacrifice in weekvolve meeting Conan O’Brien, programs, as well as some of- end trips or spring break plans, though that happened in Paris, fered by Mississippi State Uni- it is completely worth it to go so I’ll let you imagine the rest) versity. But even with these, and soak in another country’s so let’s keep the focus on the some people still find it hard to culture for a few weeks or so. important thing, which is get- justify spending several thou- The memories and experiences ting any of you on the fence to sand dollars for what, in their that you accumulate in those take the plunge and go abroad, mind, only amounts to a few precious days are enough to last for several lifetimes, and I enbe it for a few weeks, a month weeks of pleasure. or even a semester. It’s hard for me to convey how courage you to try to go someI understand the objections a study abroad experience is time during your college career, to going abroad. The biggest truly worth every single penny no matter how much it costs.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013 | 5
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11-19-13
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The deadline for Tuesday’s paper is 3 p.m. Thursday; the deadline for Friday’s paper is 3 p.m. Tuesday. Classifieds are $5 per issue. Student and staff ads are $3 per issue, pre-paid. Lost and found: found items can be listed for free; lost items are listed for standard ad cost. FOR RENT
A two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment in the Cotton District is available for rent for Mississippi State students or members of the Bulldog family. The apartment has a fireplace and a washer and dryer. Call 662.694.0995 if interested. CLUB INFO
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Insight Bible study and worship Tuesdays at 8 p.m. at 286 East Lee Blvd. next to Campus Book Mart. Follow on Twitter @MSStateWesley or on Facebook. MANIFESTING GLORY PRAISE TEAM
Free music clinic Nov. 21 and 22 in the chapel of memories. The Manifesting Glory Praise Team is offering voice lessons, vocal techniques and teaching songs. All are encouraged to attend. STUDENTS FOR A SUSTAINABLE CAMPUS
Care about the environment? Love activism? Come join SSC on Thursdays at 6 p.m. in McCool 111 to make a difference. Follow on Twitter @MSU_SSC. YOGA MOVES CLUB
School or work stressing you out? Get moving into Yoga Moves! Try our moves to get into shape and our relaxation techniques to handle the stress. Yoga Moves meets at the Sanderson Center in Studio C, Thursday evenings from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Like Yoga Moves Club-MSU on Facebook. GREATER STARKVILLE
The GSDP is accepting applications for the 2013 Starkville Community Christmas Parade taking place Dec. 2, at 6 p.m. in downtown Starkville. The theme will be “Christmas in Whoville.” All entries must be decorated to incorporate the theme. Each entrant must attend a mandatory meeting on Tues., Nov. 19 at 5:30 p.m. at the GSDP Office to learn important details about parade participation. Should you need additional information, contact Jennifer Prather at 662.323.3322 or jprather@ starkville.org. BIOCHEMISTRY CLUB
The Biochemistry Club will be having its final meeting of the semester Thurs., Nov. 21, in Dorman Auditorium room 152. It will be a potluck dinner, so bring your favorite food and an appetite. All students are welcome. RECREATIONAL SPORTS
The Department of Recreational Sports is hosting its fourth annual Strength and Fitness Week Nov. 18-21. Special events and classes will be held. Visit recsports. msstate.edu for more information.
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THE REFLECTOR
6 | TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013
LIFE EDITOR: DANIEL HART | life@reflector.msstate.edu
LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT
BFA 2013: EXPOSURES, EXPERIMENTS AND EMOTIONS
BFA fine art students caught in limbo BY NUR-UL-HUDA MUJAHID Staff Writer
French artist Paul Cezanne once said, “A work of art which did not begin in emotion is not art.” Three Mississippi State University fine art majors with an emphasis in drawing have created artwork steeped with emotion that shines through physical interaction with their artwork. This fall, the mixed-media works by Andrea Byers, Larry Davis and Jeff Nickell each tell a different story to their viewers. According to its bachelor of fine art thesis exhibition news release, MSU’s art program is the largest undergraduate studio program in the state of Mississippi and offers exhibitions of its seniors’ work each semester. The ‘LIMBO’ Fine Art Thesis Exhibition showcases students’ thesis work in the Colvard Student Union Art
Gallery until Dec. 7. building a visual archive and As the senior thesis coor- developing applications for dinator, Brent Funderburk, graduate study, competitive professor in the Department exhibitions, grants and gallery of Art, represensaid he tation,” I was really plays a he said. influenced by hand in “ T h e the evoDante’s ‘Inferno.’ students lution become The enclosed of the leaders in and repetitive students this conature of my f r o m operative l e a r n e r s pieces exemplifies not only process.” to leadFunmy own personal hell, but ers. derbunk “I man- they were meant to evoke said the age the certain thoughts in viewers. I students’ structure want my viewer to think and work disof the seplays an nior the- imagine. If I get them to do immense sis class that, then I’ve accomplised ability to — teach- my purpose.” convey a ing pro- -Larry Davis, message fessional through practices BFA fine art student art. and port“These folio building, guiding thesis three students are showing committees, studio spaces skill in the range of commuand supervising the team pro- nication hierarchy of fine cesses in exhibition planning, art,” he said.
CAAD | COURTESY PHOTO
Andrea Byers works on one of her double portrait pieces that hangs in the “LIMBO” BFA thesis exhibition in the Colvard Student Union Art Gallery. Byers’s portraits riff on inner struggles and ask viewers to better understand themselves through reflection.
Byers’s portrait work plays on one’s inner struggles, and she said she would like for her viewers to gain a better understanding about themselves. “There’s a duality in everyone that causes one to be pulled in two different directions, and eventually a choice has to be made, and you have to face the struggles that come along with it. You have to accept one decision or the other, and that’s just a part of life,” Byers said. “I would like my viewers to experience not only what I’m going through personally, dealing with acceptance, but also to come to terms with their own struggles and the possibility of never feeling satisfied.” Funderburk said Byers’s work psychologically speaks to the viewer and provokes careful consideration and reflection. “Byers’s acrylic/oil double portrait work is quiet, nuanced, will call the onlooker forth to consider a quiet psychological relationship between contemplative viewer and image,” he said. With titles including “Sandbox,” “Gumball Head” and “Circus,” Nickell’s artwork takes viewers back to their childhood. Funderburk said Nickell’s work is playful regardless of the surrealist structure of the paintings. “Nickell presents a more accessible, bright palette with whimsical retro-iconic characters in a sort of Rube Goldberg dreamscape that somehow remains cheery, despite impossible architecture amid anarchy,” he said. “It’s a show of contrasts — of mood, methods and motives.” Nickell said everyone longs for some sort of connection to being a kid again, and he hopes he can accomplish this through his artwork. “My work is a play on childhood reminiscence — simple illustrations and doodles from a fine arts stance,” he said. “I’d like to appeal to my
CAAD | COURTESY PHOTO
Jeff Nickell works on his pieces that feature surrealist, colorful imagery. Nickell said his work intends to take a fine arts perspective on sketches and doodles reminiscent of innocence and childhood. viewers’ sense of innocence by highlighting upon the playful sense of childhood.” Davis’s work reimagines environments like Dante’s nine circles of hell. He said he would not only like his audience to reflect upon his digital drawings, but he also wants viewers to recognize concept art as a fine art. “I was really influenced by Dante’s ‘Inferno.’ The enclosed and repetitive nature of my pieces exemplifies not only my own personal hell, but they were meant to evoke certain thoughts in viewers,” he said. “I want my viewer to think and imagine. If I get them to do that, then I’ve accomplished my purpose.” Funderburk said Davis’s
artworks’ compositions are slightly ominous and involve destruction but are still imperturbable in their own right. “Davis’s digital drawings are more cool — distant yet brooding, apocalyptic, industrial spaces that are vast and empty,” he said. According to the exhibition’s news release, this is the final presentation of senior students before graduation and represents a year’s worth of research and thesis studies, four years of foundational coursework, survey, art history, academic and emphasis classes. A reception for the gallery will be held Thursday from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Photography thesis students celebrate first show as concentration BY CATIE MARIE MARTIN
Union Art Gallery. McKenzie said the niches The enthralling works on within Mississippi have aldisplay are testaments to the ways fascinated her. The Cullis Wade Depot work of photography stu- “Tailgating is an amazing s u b Gallery’s photography exhi- d e n t s bition is the first of its kind N i k k i Dreams are like this culture and a at Mississippi State Universi- M c K alternate reality we huge ty since photography became e n z i e , expercience as we part of its own concentration in the C a r r i e ShanMissisMSU Department of Art. are asleep. No one sippi, This week, the MSU de- n o n , knows exactly why o n e partment of art celebrates the S a r a h work of seniors graduating Tramel we dream, so they are this kind t h a t with the Bachelor of Fine Art a n d of mysterious thing. I wanted to n e e d s with an emphasis in photog- C a r e y give the photographs an ethereal to be docuraphy with a display of their Woods, and mysterious quality.” all of mentwork. e d , ” Thursday from 5:30 - 7:30 w h o m -Sarah Tramel, s h e p.m. a reception will be held w i l l BFA photography student said. to encourage a communal g r a d u McKviewing of the photos. Ja- ate this mie Nixon, interim head of year with a bachelor of fine enzie said she finds inspithe Department of Art, will art with an emphasis in pho- ration in her surroundings, especially those of Southern make opening remarks re- tography. McKenzie’s work focuses cultures. garding the entire DepartMcKenzie also said she is ment of Art’s fall shows at 6 on a subject near to MSU p.m. in the Colvard Student students’ hearts — tailgating. particularly inspired by the transformative qualities of light. “A boring or mundane object can become absolutely stunning if photographed with the proper lighting,” she said. “Natural light is so fleeting, and I think that is what makes it all the more mesmerizing.” Woods said she also found inspiration in Mississippi tradition. She spent the spring 2013 semester photographing buildings in her hometown of Winona, Miss., when she stumbled upon an old white church. NIKKI MCKENZIE | COURTESY PHOTO “It was very overgrown and Nikki McKenzie’s thesis photographs, as seen above, dochad two separate doors on the ument the subculture of tailgating at MSU. McKenzie said front, which intrigued me,” niches within Mississippi culture fascinate her and she she said. “I discovered later that the right door was for finds much of her inspiration in Southern culture. Staff Writer
CARRIE SHANNON | COURTESY PHOTO
Carrie Shannon takes photographs, like the one above, of abandoned houses throughout Starkville and said she draws inspiration from untold stories of homes left behind. Her work hangs in the BFA photography thesis show in the Cullis Wade Depot Gallery. men and the left for women. Once I discovered that church, I began searching for other rural white churches to photograph.” Woods said her passion for old-fashioned churches grew as she realized churches stood for more than just religion. “It’s not so much the religious aspect that I’m drawn to as much as the building itself and the contents,” she said. “This is where people of the communities gathered in times of worship, joy and sorrow.” Woods said she found significance in the history of the churches, as well. “Not
textbook history, but everyday history such as a preacher passing away during a sermon or a broken down cotton wagon train disturbing a sermon, or someone deeding four acres of land to the church for $1.” Lousiville, Miss., native Shannon said she gleans inspiration from the antiquated and abandoned. The Department of Art news website said through photographs of abandoned houses in and around Starkville, Shannon seeks to give viewers a glimpse of the emptiness of homes and precious items families have left behind.
Tramel of Jackson, Miss., explores a more abstract subject. Her work investigates dreams and the dreamscape and is surreal, ambiguous and deals with the blurriness of the subconscious. Tramel said the elusive nature of dreams fascinates her because she never remembers her own dreams. “Dreams are like this alternate reality we experience as we are asleep. No one knows exactly why we dream, so they are this kind of mysterious thing,” she said. “I wanted to take an abstract approach to give the photographs an ethereal and mysterious quality.”
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013 | 7
SPORTS
REFLECTOR-ONLINE.COM
Lady Bulldogs earn third win behind Grant’s career performance BY FORREST BUCK
The Bulldogs overwhelmed the Privateers with their shooting and depth. Following a pair of wins to Seven players scored in doubegin the season, the Missis- ble figures in Sunday’s game, sippi State University wom- and in the three games MSU has played this en’s basketball season, at least team took on I took the five players New Orleans challenge have scored in University of double figures the Southland to heart. each game. For C o n f e r e n c e So far this season, the Lady BullSunday. The team the second half has dogs, it is not just one player improved to been my best half teams have to 3-0 on the year for some reason.” worry about and did so in -Kendra Grant, this season bedominating cause multiple fashion, win- MSU junior guard players are caning 111-38. The 73-point margin of vic- pable of contributing on the tory was the largest since the offensive end. Although it was a total 1986 team beat Judson College 117-35. It is also the sec- team effort, junior Kendra ond-largest margin in school Grant came out and set the history. The 111 points was tone early in the game. Grant the third-highest point total tied a career-high with 23 in school history and most points and came out firing on all cylinders as she found since 1993. Staff Writer
the net for most of the game. She was 10-for-10 from the field to begin the game and ultimately finished 10-for12. Grant did most of her damage from the perimeter. So far this season, Grant has played well in the second half of games but got off to a slow start in the first half of the first two games. Grant said head coach Vic Schaefer challenged her to come out and play well in the first half before the game. “I took the challenge to heart. So far this season, the second half has been my best half for some reason,” Grant said. “When he told me that at the beginning of the game I just wanted to come out and show him that I could put two halves together and get off to a strong start.” Junior guard Savannah Carter added 10 points and said Grant’s performance sparked the entire team.
LEON CARRUBBA | THE REFLECTOR
Junior Kendra Grant takes a three-point shot in Sunday’s game against New Orleans. Grant paced the Lady Dogs to their third win behind her 23-point performance. “We fed off her shooting tonight, especially the bench,” Carter said. “They
were crunk over there, and the entire team was just fired up.”
Schaefer said getting off to a good start was the key to Grant’s contribution and called her performance incredible. “She came out and was knocking down everything she looked at,” Schaefer said. “We haven’t seen her shoot it like that consistently, but we’ve seen it a little bit in practice, and I really believe she can be that good. She got us off to a great start tonight.” Grant leads the team in scoring, averaging 16.7 points per game and is efficiently shooting 54 percent from the field and 45 percent from three-point range. Junior center Martha Alwal posted 17 points, nine rebounds and two blocks in the win. The Lady Bulldogs return to the court Thursday against Tennessee Tech at the Humphrey Coliseum at 7 p.m.
Volleyball drops home matches, McVey honored by SEC BY SHANE ANDERSON Staff Writer
Along with the thrilling football game against Alabama, the Mississippi State University volleyball team contributed to the action-packed weekend as the Dogs hosted the No. 17 Kentucky Wildcats and the Georgia Bulldogs at the Newell-Grissom Building. Over 1,000 rowdy fans, the fifth-largest crowd in school history, packed the Newell-Grissom Building on a foggy Friday night to see if the Bulldogs could pull an upset against the nationally-ranked Wildcats. Even though the JASON SIMPSON | THE REFLECTOR Bulldogs lost in three sets, Roxanne McVey makes a dig earlier this season. McVey head coach Jenny Hazelwood earned SEC honors for her performance last weekend. said she liked the way her team performed against a highly-tal- were able to cause them several McVey was honored as the ented team. problems all night long.” SEC’s co-defensive player of “I was proud of the way we Despite the loss, freshman the week and said in a news fought when things didn’t nec- standout Kimmy Gardner led release the recognition could essarily always go our way (Fri- the team with eight kills, while not be made without the help day),” Hazelwood said. “Ken- sophomore libero Roxanne of her teammates. tucky is a very athletic team McVey posted a season-best “I’m honored to receive this with talented players, and we 26 digs for a three-set match. recognition and to be able to
share it with my teammates that helped me earn it,” she said. “Recently the whole team has been putting in extra work trying to finish the season strong.” The Bulldogs looked to bounce back from the loss to Kentucky on Sunday afternoon when they hosted the Georgia Bulldogs, who were on a hot streak winning four out of their last five matches. MSU took advantage of early Georgia errors while committing none of their own to secure the first set 25-18. In the second set, however, Georgia outside hitter Tirah Le’au came out with a fire on her side. Le’au posted eight kills to help Georgia tie the sets at one a piece. The momentum set by Georgia in the second set carried over into the next two frames, as it handled MSU in two more sets 25-20 and 25-18 to secure the win. Even though the Bulldogs came away from the weekend winless, Hazelwood said she saw some positive things from
her team as the girls battled Georgia. “We know what it looks like when we execute,” Hazelwood said. “We had a specific game plan, and we took care of that in the first set.” Gardner led the Bulldogs with 14 kills on the match Sunday, while the sophomore pair of Alex Warren and Taylor Scott added 10 kills each of their own. Scott also recorded 10 digs, giving her a double-double. With the core of the team being very young, Hazelwood said they have the talent in the making, but need the consistent support. “When we got in trouble, we struggled to find a way,” Hazelwood said. “We have a group of players that we can go to in a clutch situation, and we know they are dependable, but we need a few more players to step up so that not all the pressure falls onto Kimmy (Gardner) and Taylor Scott.” The Bulldogs have lost their
last eight SEC matches this year, and according to Hazelwood, it’s all up to the players to see how the rest of the season will unfold. “What we are talking about now is, for each player, what they want out of the rest of this season,” she said. “We know that we have some matches coming up that we can win, but we have to get better every day, and we have to put the work in.” With the semester coming to an end, Hazelwood said she knows her players have grown weary from school and from traveling, but feels that the future rests with them. “It all depends on what you put in to get the extra out of it,” she said. The Bulldogs will hit the road this weekend to face challenging matchups against the No. 7 Missouri Tigers and the No. 22 Arkansas Razorbacks before returning home on Nov. 27 for senior night against Alabama.
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Bulldogs eager to reverse curse
D
esperation puts it lightly for the Bulldogs this week. Mississippi State Kyle Cupples is a sophomore University needs a win, and the majoring in kinesiology. He Dogs need it now. can be contacted at reflectorWith two weeks remaining in sports@gmail.com the season, the pressure is on to Still, this season is the year to win. MSU is now 4-6 after losing three straight games to ranked break the curse due to the fact that Arkansas has not been the opponents. The Bulldogs get a limping Ar- same team as it has been in the kansas team this week in a match past. Both of these teams are young and full that will kickoff of athletes. at 11:21 a.m. in Still, this This will be Little Rock, Ark. season is the first time The Razorthe year to MSU has faced backs have now lost seven straight break the curse due Arkansas’ new games after they to the fact Arkansas head coach, Bret Bielema, who started the season came from Wisoff with three has not been the same team as it has consin. straight wins. It will be The Arkansas been in the past.” interesting to offense has not see how MSU been able to get on track this season as the Hogs Head Coach Dan Mullen will fair are ranked No. 110 in the nation against Bielema. The Bulldogs have a little bit in points scored. On paper, the Bulldogs look more firepower under them, to have the advantage in almost and with two games remaining, every single category. However, MSU must win out to go to its there is one stat that has haunted fourth-straight bowl game under Mullen. the MSU football program. A big win on Saturday would That stat is the fact that the Bulldogs have never beaten Ar- boost the morale on campus, and kansas in the state of Arkansas. all the energy and focus would be The curse of the Natural State has on the Egg Bowl. A loss would had a chokehold on the Bulldogs just put a damper on the lives ever since Arkansas joined the of Bulldog nation and the curse would continue yet again. conference in 1992. Nevertheless, the stats speak After the Bulldogs claimed the first two meetings in the series for themselves. This season, the played in Memphis, Tenn., the Bulldogs average 27.5 points per Razorbacks own a 9-0-1 record game, while Arkansas only averin games played in Arkansas (3-0 ages 20.4 a game. Both teams are clawing for a in Fayetteville, Ark., and 6-0-1 in win late in the season. Can MSU Little Rock, Ark.). In the last five trips to Arkan- reverse the curse and finally win sas, the average score has been: in Arkansas? We will just have to find out Saturday. Arkansas 45, MSU 17.
KYLE CUPPLES
LEON CARRUBBA | THE REFLECTOR
BULLDOG WORLD SERIES | The Mississippi State University baseball team wraps up its annual five-game Bulldog World Series Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Dudy Noble Field. Team White won three of the first four games and clinched the series with a 7-5 win Sunday. Captain Wes Rea (left) blasted a two-run home run in the win, and members of the team celebrated on the pitcher’s mound followed by a ginger ale shower in the dugout.
SPORTS
8 | TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2013
SPORTS EDITOR: JOHN GALATAS | reflectorsports@gmail.com
Today in Bulldog
History
INSIDE
THE
1977, The MSU football team orchestrated an 18-point second-half comeback win to knock off in-state rival Ole Miss 18-14.
NUMBERS 2013 STATS
THE REFLECTOR
STAT OF THE DAY:
UNDER FIFTH-YEAR HEAD COACH DAN MULLEN, THE MSU FOOTBALL TEAM HAS NOT LOST FOUR CONSECUTIVE GAMES.
MSU
4-6 1-5 27.5 26.5 433 194 239 373.9 147.1 226.8
RECORD
ARK.
Record Conference record Points per game Points allowed per game Total offense per game Rushing yards per game Passing yards per game Yards allowed per game Rushing yards allowed per game Passing yards allowed per game
3-7 0-6 20.4 31.4 358.7 209.7 149 400.3 171.2 229.1
ZACK ORSBORN | THE REFLECTOR
ZACK ORSBORN | THE REFLECTOR
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Jumbotron creates distraction
M
ississippi State Univer- exploded. The score was 10-7 sity Athletic Director with the Bulldogs trailing in the Scott Stricklin tweeted third quarter. The hopes of the that he had made a big mistake. fans were at the highest they have All season long, the jumbotron been in years. The crowd was in has been a distraction to the foot- a frenzy. The clangs of cowbells ball games. Sunday morning, filled the air. This was the closest Stricklin replied via Twitter to a MSU had felt to elite competicouple of comtion since Jackie plaints about Sherrill walked Everyone’s the video board. the sidelines. Mostly, he reAnd then, a eyes looked sponded with the shrill Janis Joup at the short response, plin came over “Agreed,” to video board, and the loud speaker the online com- all of a sudden — asking God for a plaints. certain automosilence.” Though Strickbile. Everyone’s lin did tweet, eyes looked up “IMO, big board at the video should enhance, not dominate, board, and all of a sudden — sigame experience. We’ve crossed lence. that line. It’ll get fixed.” Two more commercials would The complaints have been follow, and the crowd had been around all season, but Saturday’s taken out of the game completegame felt like a tipping point. It ly. was the first time all season the The jumbotron should never video board felt like it hurt the distract the fans from what they excitement of the crowd. are originally there to do — Saturday, MSU scored on the watch and cheer on their team. Alabama Crimson Tide. When Stricklin took over as As imagined, the sellout crowd the athletic director, he said he
BLAKE MORGAN Blake Morgan is a sophomore whose major is undecided. He can be contacted at reflectorsports@gmail.com.
wanted to provide every fan with a great game experience. He is even the chairman of an SEC committee that is a “Working Group on Fan Experience.” The committee was made to help get more fans to attend the games after the SEC saw its fourth-straight drought in average attendance for the season. The massive amounts of commercials and music at odd times throughout the game have failed in its endeavor. Stricklin has acknowledged the problem and has promised to fix it, which is all anyone can ask for. However, do not expect any changes for the Egg Bowl this year. When asked about changes for this year, Stricklin tweeted “Contracts are currently in place that require certain ads to be run at specific timeouts. Need to gain flexibility.”
EMMA KATHERINE HUTTO | THE REFLECTOR
Alabama sophomore Kenyan Drake breaks away from MSU defensive back Justin Cox. MSU seeks to break a three-game losing skid on the road against Arkansas Saturday.
Bulldogs fall to Tide, turn attention to Razorbacks BY FORREST BUCK Staff Writer
The odds makers and everyone else in America looked at Saturday’s game between Alabama and Mississippi State University and immediately wrote it off as a blowout waiting to happen. However, that would not be the case as the Bulldogs hung in there and went toe-to-toe with the nation’s top-ranked team. Alabama moved to 10-0 on the season after defeating the Bulldogs 20-7. In Alabama’s 10 games this season, Saturday’s game was the second-toughest game the Tide have played all year. Coming into the game, the Tide had beaten every team it had played this season by 21 points or more except Texas A&M, and now the Bulldogs are on that short list of teams that have made head coach Nick Saban and company sweat. Though the Dogs played with great effort and gave it their all, special teams blunders and breakdowns on defense at the end of the first half cost MSU yet again. Perhaps the most pivotal point in the entire game was the final six minutes of the first half. Over this stretch, the Bulldogs failed to score a touchdown despite getting within two yards of the end zone, missed a chip shot 23yard field goal, went threeand-out and gave the ball right back to Bama after the defense came up with a huge
interception. On the Tide’s final drive of the half, MSU gave up a 50-yard run to T.J. Yeldon that would lead to a touchdown, and the Bulldogs faced a 10-0 deficit going into the half instead of potentially tied 3-3 or even with the lead. Saturday’s game was the seventh time this season a team scored on the Bulldogs on its final possession of the first half. This allows the other teams to go into the half with all the momentum. Special teams also continues to be a pivotal issue this season for MSU. The Bulldogs missed a close-range field goal and saw continued inconsistency from the punters. Head coach Dan Mullen said the issue with the kickers right now is not a mental one but a lack of consistency. “We’ve got to be more consistent with our kicks, not just with field goals but in every phase of it,” Mullen said. “Our punters were very inconsistent tonight. We had one 53-yard punt, then a couple of 30-yard punts. We had one kickoff go out of the end zone, and then kicking in the same direction on the next one, we miss it. You can’t just do it right sometimes. You have to do it right every time.” One thing the Bulldogs can hang their hat on from this game was the way the defense played, especially against the pass. Alabama quarterback A.J. McCarron came into the game as one of the most accu-
rate and efficient quarterbacks in the country, and the Bulldogs forced him to throw two interceptions and held the Bama passing attack under 200 yards. Sophomore Taveze Calhoun came up with both interceptions. Calhoun credited the defensive coaching staff for containing Bama’s offense. “We had a good game plan coming in. The coaches did a great job,” Calhoun said. “We had a lot of disguises, and we just played with relentless effort the whole night.” Putting pressure on McCarron was another key to the Bulldogs’ success against Bama’s passing game. The defense did not have a ton of sacks, but they were able to force McCarron to move around and get him out of the pocket more than he is accustomed to. Freshman defensive lineman Chris Jones also credited the coaching staff and positioning for the defense’s success. “They’re a great team, but coach Collins (defensive coordinator) did a great study on them and put us in position to make plays,” Jones said. MSU is now 4-6 overall after the loss. Only two games remain, and to be bowl-eligible the Bulldogs must win next week at Arkansas and defeat Ole Miss on Thanksgiving in the Egg Bowl. Arkansas (3-7, 0-6) still seeks its first conference win under first-year head coach Brett Bielema.
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