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FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2015
129 th YEAR | ISSUE 25
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884
BOA repeals equality
resolution, causes unrest in Starkville by Taylor Bowden Staff Writer
#Wearestarkville: On Jan. 6, Starkvilleʼs Board of Aldermen hosted a private meeting in which it repealed the equality resolution previously approved on Jan. 21
Emma Katherine Hutto| The Reflector
2014. Individuals met Thursday night in Mitchell Memorial Library on Mississippi State Universityʼs campus to participate in a photo event in support of negating the Boardʼs decision by creating signs that read ʻI am a person.ʼ Saturday, an LGBT press conference will be held on the Oktibbeha County Courthouse steps at 11 a.m.
On, Jan. 6, the Starkville Board of Aldermen, in a 5-2 vote, repealed the city’s equality resolution and reworded the plus-one insurance policy. Thursday, Mayor Parker Wiseman vetoed the board’s decision. The equality resolution, that initially passed unanimously on Jan. 21, 2014, stated the city and its policies would not discriminate against any citizen or employee regardless of race, religion or sexual orientation. Soon after Starkville adopted the policy, a total of eight cities in Mississippi also adopted similar resolutions. “I think as government officials we have a responsibility to ensure that everyone is equal in the eyes of the law,” Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman said. “That includes LGBT people.” The plus-one insurance policy originally allowed for a city employee to extend his or her coverage to one other adult, provided the
employee’s ‘plus-one’ buys into the coverage. In accordance to the equality resolution, the plus-one policy did not restrict the employees to only add their legally recognized spouse. Rather, they were free to extend their coverage potentially to their parents, boyfriend or girlfriend or same-sex partner. The rewording on Jan. 6 restricted the extension to only spouses. The repeal happened in an executive session, a closed meeting, without prior public warning. The motion even came as a shock to some within City Hall, including Aldermen Carver, Maynard and Wiseman himself. “Nothing has gone on for months, and then without any prior knowledge the Board took the matter up in a closed door session on Tuesday night,” Wiseman said. “I didn’t know anything in advance as to why it was taken up and still haven’t received an explanation.” Alderman Ben Carver, who supported the repeal, said he thought the equality resolution was a finished subject and did not expect it to be brought back up. EQUALITY, 3
Austin Grove| The Reflector
Renovation of YMCA and Roberts building temporarily relocates parking services by Myra Rice Staff Writer
Originally located beside Burger King on the Northwest end of Mississippi State University’s campus in the Roberts building, Parking services has temporarily been relocated to the YMCA
building across from the Colvard Student Union. Parking services has found a new home on the second floor of the YMCA building. The move reportedly will make room to transfer MSU’s post office to the Roberts building. Director of Parking, Transit and Sustainability Jeremiah Dumas, said he has been working in parking services since the
Dak confirms return for 2015 season
spring of 2014. Dumas said renovations are occurring at once in both the Roberts building as well as the YMCA. “We had to move out of the Roberts building so that the building could be modified for the Post Office,” Dumas said. According to Dumas, the post office will soon be moving out of the YMCA building due to renovation. RELOCATE, 2
Bouhlal to provide MSU with Moroccan insight by D.J. Wormley Staff Writer
The International Institute of Mississippi State University will welcome Moroccan ambassador Rachad Bouhlal on Jan. 20 to speak about the Arab Spring in Morocco and Morocco’s strategy in fighting radicalism. Jon Rezek, interim associate vice president of international programs at MSU,
said Ambassador Bouhlal will visit because MSU is creating an engineering program with a university in Morocco, a sentiment the ambassador will discuss upon his visit. “There are several reasons behind the ambassador’s visit. First, MSU is initiating a dual academic program in engineering with a very dynamic university on Morocco’s capital of Rabat,” Rezek said. “We invited the ambassador here to get a sense of some of the capacity — both in terms of facilities and human capital we
have on campus in the area of mechanical engineering, particularly as it relates to the automotive industry. There are great opportunities for the two universities to collaborate in this and other areas to the benefit of citizens of both Mississippi and Morocco.” Rezek also said the ambassador will provide a public lecture on campus concerning a highly relevant and timely topic. “The Arab Spring and Morocco’s effort is to combat radicalism in its region,” he said. AMBASSADOR, 2
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Emma Katherine Hutto| The Reflector
#Dak15back: During the 2014 Mississippi State University football season, Dak Prescott led the Bulldogs to a record-breaking season of 10-2 in the regular season and helped them become ranked No.1 the fastest out of all college teams in football history. During a press conference Wednesday, Prescott announced his return for the 2015-2016 MSU football season, stating, ʻI think we have a better team coming back next year than we did this year.ʼ
‘Black Voices’ to sing in U.S. choir competition by Katrina Smith Staff Writer
The Black Voices Gospel choir of Mississippi State University will compete in the National Inaugural U.S. Gospel Competition.
The competition will take place March 7 at the Louisville Palace Theater in Kentucky, and the choir will compete against schools in New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Charla Young, a talk show host and alum
GOSPEL, 3
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of MSU, contacted Black Voices before the Christmas Break to participate in the event. Justin Johnson, Black Voices president, said competing in the event is a great way to reach goals the group set earlier this year.
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THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2015
Taylor Bowden | The Reflector
RELOCATE According to Dumas, the post office will soon be moving out of the YMCA building due to renovation. “The Post Office will now move into the area of the Roberts building once occupied by the MSU Laundry,” he said. Students can expect the move to be temporary, as parking services will move back into the old location once renovations are completed. Sheliar Childs, senior human sciences major, said the change may take some getting used to. “I started at MSU in 2008,
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and I’ve always known parking services to be right beside Burger King,” Childs said. “I just hope the new location works out because a lot of students need to access parking services at some point and time.” In light of the new location, Dumas said parking services plans to deliver the same services, only from a different location. “We understand how limited the parking is in the area of the YMCA, so we will be working with our customers to make the process as smooth as possible,” Dumas said.
“ The Post Office will now move into the Taylor Bowden | The Reflector
MSU police add new vehicles: Mississippi State Universityʼs police department has added two new SUVs to its vehicle collection.
The SUVʼs physical design includes a new stripe pattern, designed by MSU Police Chief Vance Rice. The department is currently in the process of adding the new stripe pattern to all of its current sedans.
AMBASSADOR We hope to give students an opportunity to learn about these topics from someone with a unique local perspective,” he said. According to Rezek, Bouhlal will travel to Jackson to meet with a group of Mississippi business leaders as part of the Executive Lecture Forum sponsored by the Radvanyi Chair in International Relations and Security. “He will also meet with officials of the Mississippi Development Authority and the governor while in Jackson to get a better sense of investment and business opportunities in the state and how Morocco may fit into our economic development plans,” he said. Rezek said the department is looking forward to building professional relationships with Morocco and being able to promote the university. “We are very excited about the partnership we are initiating, including the joint academic and research opportunities this relationship entails. We are very much interested in showcasing our Mike Latham’s
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area of the Roberts building once occupied by the MSU Laundry.”
- Jeremiah Dumas, director of parking CONTINUED FROM 1
university as one that houses important officials visit is world class faculty and facil- extremely important to the ities,” he said. work in which the program Jason Keith, interim participates. dean and professor in the “MSU has a small college of engineering, and growing program in said Morocco’s economy is based mainly on agriculture and conce nt r at i n g on manufacturing, and he looks forward to working with the Universitie Internationale de Rabat (UIR) and working closely with researchers at the university in Morocco. Jason Keith |Courtesy Photo “Morocco Morrocan ambassador Rachad Bouhlal (right) stands has an agricul- with U.S. President Barack Obama. The ambassador t u r e - f o c u s e d will visit MSU next week to discuss the Arab Spring and economy and is Morroccoʼs strategy in fighting radicalism. growing their focus on manufacturing. Middle Eastern Studies, We’re excited about our col- defined broadly to include laboration in engineering North Africa,” Galaty said. and in other ways to col- “Having dignitaries from laborate with researchers at the region visit is crucial to UIR,” Keith said. the work we do in AMEC, Michael Galaty, profes- both in the classroom and in sor and department head of the field.” anthropology and Middle Ambassador Bouhlal will Eastern cultures at MSU, speak from 3-4 p.m. in the said MSU’s Middle Eastern Fowlkes Auditorium in the Studies program is thriv- Colvard Student Union at ing, and he believes having MSU.
REFLECTOR-ONLINE.COM FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2015
EQUALITY
CONTINUED FROM 1
Wiseman also said he been debated heavily in our city employees equally fully expects the Board to both public city meetings across the board. I didn’t attempt to override his veto and on social media, with see it as pro- one-side-orat the Jan. 20 meeting. In a community focus on the-other, just purely from order for the veto to be overridden, five members of the Board will have to vote in favor of the override. This will “I believe we are a city that respects, values be the case if the board members vote along and loves all people. Regardless of what the same lines as last happens with this action, those are the Tuesday ( Jan. 6). Since the issue was values I will continue to promote from the brought up in an executive session, Board Mayor’s office.” transparency has been criticized by members of the community and press. However, Carver -Parker Wiseman, said he does not think future decisions on the City of Starkville Mayor matter will necessarily be made in closed sessions. “I can see pros and cons LGBT rights. an insurance standpoint both ways. We all know it “In my mind, one, we we were providing every will come back up,” Carver were ahead of the curve. one of our employees with said. “It will be an open We were being proac- the same opportunity for session before it’s done. tive instead of reactive,” coverage.” Nothing we have done is Maynard, who voted However, Carver said fi nal.” against the repeal said. members of the Board of The equality resolution “Two, taking the religious Alderman considered muland the subsequent plus- views aside, it was pro- tiple facets of the policy. one insurance policy have viding insurance for all of “I never thought of it
GOSPEL
“This semester the executive board established a vision of taking the organization higher, and it has been a long period since Black Voices has traveled this far and competed in a national competition,” he said. “Competing in this event just further shows the drive, dedication and passion the members have put forth to excel in all we do. “ To prepare for the
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explosion Johnson said the group will focus more on the technical aspect of their singing. The competition will consist of a first place winner who can receive $15,000, a second place award of $7,500 and third place award of $5,000 for a total of $30,000 in cash and prizes. Lanecha Turner, vice president of Black Voices,
said the competition will bring the group closer together. “I feel moving forward that this competition will bring us closer and push us to do our absolute best while still giving God the glory, and it would spark an interest for more people to join the organization,” she said. The event will be judged by celebrity gospel recording artists including Karen
5 THINGS TO KNOW FOR YOUR FRIDAY 1. Woman sentenced to 219 years in prison in sex ring case. 35-year-old Wendy Holland must serve at least 50 years in prison before being considered for parole. She was sentenced Thursday in Alabama for her role in an incestuous sex ring accused of molesting children for years. 2. 132-year-old Winchester rifle found propped against desert tree. In the Great Basin National Park in Nevada, workers found an 1873 Winchester Model Rifle propped against a tree. Reportedly, wind, snow and desert sun have beaten years of furrows into the Winchester’s grayed stock and rusted its barrel brown, along with its receiver and signature figure-8 repeating lever. 3. Woman’s body found in Los Angeles hotel water tank. The decomposing body of Elisa Lam floated inside a water tank on the roof of the Cecil Hotel while guests brushed their teeth, bathed and drank water from it for as long as 19 days. A maintenance worker, checking on complaints about the hotel’s water, found the Canadian tourist inside one of four water cisterns. 4. ISIS leader reportedly orders failed fighters executed. Some 56 members of ISIS learned their so-called “caliph” doesn’t tolerate losing in battle, according to reports that said Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi had them executed after they survived a rout by Kurdish fighters. Since late summer, the U.S.–led coalition has been bombarding ISIS with air strikes as the Iraqi army and Kurdish fighters battle the radical army on the ground. 5. Charlie Hebdo founder says he’s ‘upset’ with slain editor charb. The founder of Charlie Hebdo penned a heartbreaking editorial about the satirical magazine’s late editor, questioning his decision to “drag the team” into danger by publishing provocative cartoons that ultimately led to the massacre of 12 people. Henri Roussel, former editor of Charlie Hebdo, wrote in the weekly Nouvel Observateur that Stephane Charbonnier — one of 10 magazine staff gunned down last week who was known as “Charb” — was “splendid” but “a stubborn man.”
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as an LGBT thing, but as a risky insurance policy,” Carver said. Carver also said Starkville has a degree of control over who city employees are, but is unable to effectively monitor people other than its own employees. Carver said with the plus-one policy, the city would be responsible to cover the medical bills of people unknown to it. The Board of Aldermen’s next meeting will be Tuesday at 5 p.m. As of Jan. 15, an advanced agenda has yet to be released. This Saturday, an LGBT press conference is going to be held on the Oktibbeha County Courthouse steps at 11:00 a.m. Wiseman said people are having to truly soul search in light of the recent events. “I believe we are a city that respects values and loves all people. Regardless of what happens with this action those are the values I will continue to promote from the Mayor’s office,” Wiseman said.
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Clark-Sheard, Ricky Dillard, Byron Cage and Martha Munizzi. Two of the judges, Cage and ClarkSheard, will perform during the explosion. After its return from the choir competition the group will work on its spring concert. Anyone interested in being a part of the choir may attend auditions in the Fowlkes Auditorium Jan. 22 at 5p.m.
Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015 2:54 p.m. An employee reported a broken mirror in the men’s bathroom in Mitchell Memorial Library. Friday, Jan. 9, 2015 2:00 a.m. A student was arrested in Starkville for disregarding traffic device and driving under the influence. Saturday, Jan. 10, 2015 1:10 a.m. A visitor was arrested on Hardy Road for speeding 35/20 and suspended driver’s license. Justice court citations were issued. 3:03 p.m. A student reported receiving suspicious text messages from an unknown person. 5:38 p.m. A student was arrested on University Drive for possession of marijuana in motor vehicle. 11:09 p.m. A student was issued a justice citation and a student referral for minor in possession of alcohol on Stone Blvd. 11:53 p.m. A student was arrested in Starkville for improper equipment and driving under the influence. Sunday, Jan. 11, 2015 1:53 a.m. A student was arrested in Starkville for careless driving and driving under the influence. 2:15 a.m. A student was arrested in Starkville for improper equipment, suspended driver’s license, driving under the influence and no proof of insurance. 10:30 a.m. A student reported someone damaged her vehicle while parked on MSU campus. 12:54 p.m. An officer assisted SPD with an active warrant on a visitor at the Kappa Sigma fraternity house. 4:41 p.m. A student’s vehicle was burglarized while parked at Zacharias Village parking lot. 9:06 p.m. A student was issued a student referral for alcohol violation in Magnolia Hall. Monday, Jan. 12, 2015 8:21 a.m. An employee reported damages to his MSU vehicle. 3:47 p.m. A student was arrested at OCJ on a warrant for embezzlement. 8:42 p.m. A student was arrested at the Sanderson Center for domestic violence.
THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2015
Starkville Board of Aldermen wrongfully Hollywood portrays fresh, repeals LGBT equality resolution Where the Wild Thoughts Are
powerful patriotism in film It is no secret the United States of America is in the midst of perhaps one of the most tumultuous periods politically, racially or otherwise that our generation has faced. Some form of the phrase “congressional gridlock” is used regularly when talking about our leaders on the Hill and their effectiveness, or lack thereof. Civil rights issues seem to be treated as political subjects on which a side must be taken rather than serious problems which transcend racial barriers and cause us to mourn with those who mourn in the wake of personal loss. In addition to the American distrust of the government, a September 2014 Gallup Poll showed only 40 percent of Americans trust the mainstream media. National morale and fortitude have been replaced in recent times by distrust and skepticism. This trust deficit shows us Americans are weary. The hegemonic entities of American society and government, in the eyes of the average American citizen, are neglecting their jobs. Morale is low, and it appears to have been falling for quite some time now. As we begin to occupy societal leadership roles, our generation must figure out how to reverse these trends. Perhaps Hollywood has beaten us to the punch. There has been no shortage of patriotic movies over the last several months. Even now, movies like “Unbroken,” “American Sniper” and “Selma” inspire patriotism in various forms. It would be naïve to believe these movies alone will fi ll the gaps left by decades of perceived irresponsibility, but they do provide a brilliant starting point. “Unbroken,” the story of Louis Zamperini, shows Americans have a history of beating the odds and overcoming adversity. His story inspires the memory within us that this fact will not change anytime soon. “American Sniper,” based on the autobiography of former Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, contributes to the same patriotic American ideal. “Selma,” the story of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s epic march from Selma to Montgomery, is especially relevant at this point of time in American society. In the
Managing Editor Catie Marie Martin
Tucker Fleming is a senior majoring in sociology. He can be contacted at opinion@ reflector.msstate.edu.
wake of events in Ferguson and New York City, the imminence of this fi lm in particular is even more important. According to a 2013 Gallup Poll, 68 percent of African-Americans are likely to think there is bias in the U.S. criminal justice system, while only 25 percent of whites are likely to feel the same way. This collection of data is just one tree in a forest of numbers just like it. This data at the very least shows perceived inequality in certain arenas of society. Perhaps just as “Unbroken” and “American Sniper” may boost morale and patriotism, “Selma” may encourage open and respectful dialogue about just how far we still have to go as a society. Lindsey Peterson, doctor of sociology at Mississippi State University, notes what is referred to in sociology as “the positive functions of tragedy.” Peterson recounts this theory, saying most of what holds individuals together on a day-to-day basis is hidden in the background, and only after a large scale event happens do we realize how similar we really are. We can certainly consider the polarization and unrest in our society as it tries to figure out how to deal with big events that shake the foundation of what we believe. As we move forward, it seems Hollywood may have laid some groundwork for us as a society and a generation to begin to rebuild the foundations of trust, compassion and unity. However, these fi lms alone will not rebuild the hegemonic ideals of American society. It is up to us as Americans to take the conversations, issues and ideals brought up by these fi lms, ideals of patriotism, pride and cohesion and put them into appropriate practice on both the micro and macro levels while avoiding xenophobia.
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Last January, Starkville, Mississippi became the fi rst city and municipality in the state to pass an equality resolution which supports diversity and members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) community. The resolution paints an informative picture of what specifically the new sentiment entailed — that is, while it was active. “Discrimination against a person on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity and expression, age, marital status, sexual orientation, familial status, veteran’s status, disability or source of income to be anathema to the public policy of the City,” the resolution read. While the passing of the equality resolution put Starkville in a positive
spotlight from the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), Starkville’s Board of Aldermen seems to be walking backwards as its repealed the beneficial resolution during a private session held last Tuesday. The repealing of the resolution proves the Board is unreliable in the sense of making decisions and standing behind them. According to a WCBI news report, City of Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman said the Board made the decision “without notice or explanation.” Wiseman said in the report that so far the Board has offered no explanation for its actions. For a city board to make such a decision and not allow the public an explanation is poor leadership.
Not only is the Board’s handling and secrecy questionable, but also its true intentions and desires for the people in the city of Starkville. To repeal the equality resolution is to basically stand on principles that are opposite of what the resolution stood for —equality. According to the Mississippi Ethics Commission website ( http://www.ethics.state. ms.us), Mississippi’s Open Meetings Act states all public bodies, state and local, are to hold open meetings on public matters. With this considered, if this act is a specific public issue the Board of Aldermen should have discussed during public meetings in Starkville, the decision the Board made in repealing the
Lacretia Wimbley is the News editor for the Reflector. She can be contacted at news@reflector. msstate.edu.
equality resolution will not be respected and the Board has surely violated an act. To disagree with the equality resolution, which originally passed, is one thing. To secretly repeal it and basically decide what is best for the public on your own terms, is wrong and unethical behavior, period.
From the Corner
Education in America misfocused, lacks accountability The United States educational system has seen failing success rates across the board over the last decade, and it seems something substantial will need to be done in order to see any major headway. I still remember growing up in my small hometown of Manchester, Tenn., and being forced to go to private school 20 minutes away due to the lack of competency on the part of the local public high school. At fi rst, I wasn’t a big supporter of my parents decision to send me to this new environment. I felt as if going to a tiny school — such as the one I attended where my graduating class had only 48 students — would not help me pick up the social interaction skills students learn from being around many people at a bigger public school. In hindsight, I thank my parents everyday for sending me because I developed a great array of study habits and learning techniques I can truly say I wouldn’t ever have gotten from Coffee County Public High School. Ultimately I feel as if there exist 3 major reasons as to why the U.S. currently sits in the middle of the pack in the international rankings for educational standards, lagging behind such countries as South Korea, Poland and Estonia in overall student literacy. I believe a key principle in this entire equation
rests not in the hands of the educators, but rather the parents of today’s students. As much as we would like to believe sending a child to school is all that is required for him or her to get the proper amount of learning required to fulfi ll a child’s education, studies have shown us otherwise. In the U.S., kids from homes where there are more than two full bookcases score two and a half grade levels higher than kids from homes with very few books. On top of that, it has been found that less than 50 percent of parents in this country visit their child’s school at least once a month to check up on how they are performing. This speaks to the overall problem that some parents honestly could not care less about the development of educational habits for their offspring. One of the most controversial acts that has been passed in recent memory, No Child Left Behind, has many clamoring it does more damage to the average student than good. This stems from the fact that the act requires a school provides “for annual state-wide testing for all students,” but it also reduces the ability of schools to respond to student needs by suggesting “one high, challenging standard” for all children, while encouraging educators to teach to
the test. A better approach would have been to develop benchmarks to allow schools to examine whether every kid knows more at the end of the year than they did at the start. The debate over this act will persist, but one factor surrounds it that cannot be ignored: the act forces the already scarce educational funds to be spent on testing and paperwork. It needs to be going toward decreasing the average class size or helping to provide better early childhood learning opportunities across the board. We as a nation are quick to complain about the perceived lack of quality of our teachers, but in reality, that is hardly the problem when you consider the fact that a recent Gates Foundation study released earlier this month based on 3,000 classrooms across the nation found only less than eight percent of teachers in their survey ranked below “basic” competence. The cold hard truth is that most teachers work extremely hard at their profession and are sometimes forced to put in 11-hour work days. Teachers across the country are pushed to the limit between having to work with having more kids in the classroom than ever before and being told what they have to teach. The true culprits in this scenario are
Zach Wagner is a senior majoring in kinesiology. He can be contacted at opinion@reflector. msstate.edu.
the administrators, who do not think about what would be best for the students, but rather about the bottom line in terms of what will make the schools more money in the long run. If that means getting better test scores at the expense of these children walking away with a true understanding of concepts that will better them later in life, so be it. It is about time that we go back to the basics and reevaluate what we are trying to accomplish with our educational system. If we are trying to produce a new generation of students that can pass a test but have no idea how to actually go about applying what they learned to their everyday lives, then we can expect matters to continue on their current negative trajectory. The teachers need help, the system in place needs help and most importantly, the American youth needs help.
Frank, Frankly
Paris terror attacks bring undue mistreatment of Muslims “Je Suis Charlie,” translated from French meaning, “I am Charlie,” is a message resonating and spreading across the world as millions have come together to stand against terror, even forming the largest demonstration in French history. On Jan. 7, the world was dealt another blow during the battle against terrorism. The terror attack was targeted at a Paris satirical newspaper, Charlie Hebdo, which is known for its controversial cartoons and images depicting the prophet Mohammed, as well as other religious leaders. Twelve people, including journalists, cartoonists and policemen lost their lives in this coordinated terror attack. Three suspects, Said Kouachi, Cherif Kouachi and Hamyd Mourad carried out this attack in an effort to silence the message of the newspaper. According to USA Today, the fi rst two suspects, the Kouachi brothers, were French nationals born in Paris and of Algerian descent. Cherif Kouachi had previously been sentenced to prison in 2008 on charges of terrorism and was known to law enforcement in France. The third suspect, Mourad, is an 18-yearold who later surrendered at a police station. This particular series of terror attacks fi nally ended after a manhunt lasting three
days across Paris for the suspects linked to Charlie Hebdo and a later hostage situation by another terrorist reportedly linked to the two brothers. The hostage situation led to even more violence and death. We live in a global age where attacks and threats can happen almost anytime, anywhere, by anyone who has an agenda radical enough to push. It still remains a mystery how the brothers in the Paris attack slipped under the radar of French law enforcement, and it is somewhat frightening to have citizens of many countries try and join the fight with terrorist groups such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda. There have been several high-profi le acts of terror in recent months which occurred in the Western countries such as Ottawa, Canada in October, in Sydney, Australia last month and last week’s attacks in Paris. Attacks in several other countries also occur more than we realize, but don’t seem to receive the same media coverage in America. During a two-day span just days ago, two different acts of suicide bombing took place involving females as young as 10 years old; over 20 people were murdered and many more injured. According to CNN, the terrorist group Boko Haram allegedly murdered
as many as 2,000 people across Nigerian villages in recent days as well. This is alarming because I believe this to be a silent epidemic occurring quite frequently, and many across the world don’t even realize how terrorist groups have impacted communities in their wake. Poor political leadership and communities prone to confl ict allow terrorists to continually gain power and infl ict more harm. I think it’s shameful to ignore many of the confl icts and attacks occurring in less developed countries and for there to be no marches or acts of solidarity publicly expressed for these actions from the rest of the world. On Jan. 6, there was an apparent explosion outside of a National Association for the Advancement of Colored People office in Colorado which has not received a great amount of notoriety. I wrote this article to highlight some of these events and ask for a call to action toward a major issue continuing to shape our country as well as the world negatively. Words such as “Islam” or “Muslim” often appear to have a negative connotation to them when associated with terrorism, but we forget how acts of terrorism can be committed by almost anyone. Across many countries around the world there are rising anti-Islam and
Frank Bradford is a graduate student studying political science. He can be contacted at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.
anti-immigration sentiments appearing. For example in the United Kingdom, the United States and also in Germany, thousands of protesters continue to express discontent with followers of Islamic faith and the many Middle Eastern immigrants seeking a safer shelter and trying to better their lives. According to French newspaper, Libération, several Muslim places of worship were targeted by explosions and gunfi re during the aftermath of the Paris attacks. I believe it to be wrong to place blame and judgment on a religion of over a billion followers across the world based only on the actions of a few. Every faith seems to have extremists and fanatics twisting a political agenda their way. The freedoms of religion and speech are a great measure in place in the United States, but should not be hindered by the bad in the world.
REFLECTOR-ONLINE.COM FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2015
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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 3 bedroom house for rent. Close to campus. Call 662-822-3424. CLUB INFO
The deadline for Tuesday’s paper is 3 p.m. Thursday; deadline for Friday’s paper is 3 p.m. Tuesday. MSU student organizations may place free announcements in Club Info. Information may be submitted by email club_info@reflector. to with the msstate.edu subject heading “CLUB INFO,” or a form may be
completed at The Reflector office in the Student Media Center. A contact name, phone number and requested run dates must be included for club info to appear in The Reflector. All submissions are subject to exemption according to space availability. ANTHROPOLOGY CLUB
There will be an Anthropology Club meeting on January 20 at 5:00 p.m. There will be pizza. MSU HILLEL
Jews wanted! If you’re Jewish, let us know! Like us on Facebook at Hillel @ Mississippi State University. Join us for meetings. For more questions, contact Joseph Metz at 601-813-7720. 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 5:30-7 p.m. Like Yoga Moves Club MSU on Facebook. SOCIOLOGICAL STUDENT ASSOCIATION
The Sociological Student Association will meet the last Thursday of every month at 5 p.m. in Bowen Hall room 250. All majors are welcome. For more information, contact Dr. Lane at lane@soc.msstate. edu. STUDENTS FOR A SUSTAINABLE CAMPUS
Care about the environment? Love activism? Come join SSC on Thursdays at 6:00 p.m. in McCool 111 to make a difference. Follow on Twitter @MSU_SSC.
Nov. 18 solutions:
In Case You Missed It ... The 2015 Academy Awards nominees have been an-
nounced, officially kicking off the awards season. “Birdman” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel” dominate the list, both securing nine nominations each. “The Imitation Game,” “Boyhood” and “American Sniper” also seem to be favorites of the Academy, with eight and six nods each, respectively. Merrill Streep received her record-breaking nineteenth nomination, and Bradley Cooper received his third consecutive nomination.
1. Best Picture “American Sniper” “Birdman” “Boyhood” “The Grand Budapest Hotel” “The Imitation Game” “Selma” “The Theory of Everything” “Whiplash”
3. Actress in a Leading Role Marion Cotilliard, “Two Days, One Night” Felicity Jones, “The Theory of Everything” Rosamund Pike, “Gone Girl” Reese Witherspoon, “Wild”
2. Actor in a Leading Role Steve Carell, “Foxcatcher” Bradley Cooper, “American Sniper” Benedict Cumberbatch, “The Imitation Game” Michael Keaton, “Birdman” Eddie Redmayne, “The Theory of Everything”
4. Directing Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, “Birdman” Richard Linklater, “Boyhood” Bennett Miller, “Foxcatcher” Wes Anderson, “The Grand Budapest Hotel” Morten Tyldum, “The Imitation Game”
GRADUATE STUDY ABROAD
R
congratulates
Dr. Tommy Stevenson MSU Chief Diversity Officer on his selection for the
$30,OOO for one year ROTARY Global Scholarship
Grant recipients are expected to concentrate studies in one of Rotary International’s six areas of focus: Peace and Conflict Prevention/Resolution Disease Prevention and Treatment Water and Sanitation Maternal and Child Health Basic Education and Literacy Economic and Community Development For the academic year 2015-2016, you must apply by March 1, 2015. To learn more, contact Ed Clynch eclynch@pspa.mssatate.edu Sponsored at Mississippi State by The Starkville Rotary Club & Rotary District 6820
2015 Diversity Visionary Award presented by Insight Into Diversity Magazine
THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2015
Unity Breakfast celebrates legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. by Bailey McDaniel Staff Writer
Monday, Mississippi State University will hold the 21st annual Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Breakfast in his remembrance. The event is a community wide celebration in honor of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and showcases the talent of local youth. This year, keynote speaker William B. Bynum Jr., president of Mississippi Valley State University, will address all in attendance, along with MSU President Mark Keenum. The Office of the President sponsored event was coordinated through the Office of Institutional Diversity and Inclusion. Tommy Stevenson, chief diversity officer, said he believes this
event is a growing addition to Starkville and the Mississippi State community. “Each year, the MLK Unity Breakfast has grown, and more than 600 people will participate in this event. We are honored to host the event where people from all walks of life pause to celebrate the legacy of Dr. King,” Stevenson said. “This is just one example of the progress we have made in achieving his dream.” After Bynum’s address, winners of the Martin Luther King Jr. essay contest will be announced. The contest is open to high school students, from freshmen to seniors. Those who participated received a prompt on how they think King’s legacy of social justice and nonviolent change continues to resonate in American society and culture today. Bynum and Keenum will
present contest winners with awards. All three winners will be awarded a plaque, and fi rst place will receive $1,000, second place
sociology department doctoral student, said King has given her the strength to be the voice for those individuals who are afraid
“I believe that in order to continue Dr. King’s legacy, we should all learn to love and respect one another.” - Jeannice Louine, sociology department doctoral student $500 and third place $250. The fi rst place winner’s essay will be read aloud during the breakfast. King has impacted many lives through his nonviolent stand against racial injustice and communication to everyone that in order to impact a community and begin to make a difference, someone must stand up and start the conversation. Jeannice Louine,
to speak in regard to racial injustices in the United States. “Dr. King believed that in order for change to take place, we as a people must unite as one to eliminate discrimination and prejudicial attitudes at both the micro and macro level. What individuals must come to realize is that racial injustice and inequality is not only a black problem,
it’s an issue that effects everyone,” Louine said. “I believe that in order to continue Dr. King’s legacy, we should all learn to love and respect one another. We should learn to love ourselves for who we are, no matter what race, gender or sexuality we are. His works have helped me to appreciate and love my blackness even though we are living in a society that has often negatively portrayed members of the black community in varying mediums.” Keenum said this year commemorates MSU’s admission of its fi rst African-American student. “In 2015, Mississippi State University will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the peaceful enrollment of our fi rst African-American student, Dr. Richard Holmes, who later became a valued member of the
MSU medical staff and a National Alumnus of the Year,” Keenum said. Keenum said King’s ideals have resonated within the MSU community as well as within himself. “Dr. King didn’t just have a dream, he had a vision. I continue to take great pride in the fact that Mississippi State is the most diverse original land grant institution in the nation and the most diverse university in the Southeastern Conference. As I’ve said many times, Mississippi State values the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King and seeks to build on the legacy not one day a year, but every day,” he said. The event will begin at 7 a.m. Monday with a community breakfast in the Foster Ballroom followed by keynote speaker Bynum and the essay contest awards and reading.
Kickoff to MLK Jr. Day festivities Music festivals announce
lineups, receive mixed reviews by Jessi Cole Staff Writer
Emma Katherine Hutto| The Reflector
MSU began the celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.ʼs legacy Wednesday evening. The Center for Student Activities sponsored a reception for the MLK Jr. Art Gallery, which is on display on the second floor of the Colvard Student Union.
Coachella, Hangout Fest and Bonnaroo are three of America’s most influential music festivals, and the anticipation surrounding the reveal of the lineups builds over the course of the entire year. Each year, the festivals feature a wide variety of artists and genres to provide an invigorating music experience. The shows include pop, hip-hop, indie-rock, folk, bluegrass, rock, alternative and many other genres of music. Over the past few days, each of these lineups have been released, creating varying reactions among the festivals’ attendees. Coachella’s lineup was the fi rst released, the dates of which are April 10-12 and April 17-19. The headliners are the legendary ACDC, Jack White, who will perform in Starkville this month, and the popular rapper Drake. Other artists performing at Coachella include Alabama Shakes, the Weeknd, alt-J, Hozier, Florence + the Machine, Ryan Adams, Kaskade, David Guetta, Brand New and Vance Joy. One-hundred thousand people annually attend the California music festival, and many celebrities often frequent the concerts. Ali Gray, sophomore marketing major, said she wishes she could attend the festival, but it is just not feasible considering its location.
“The lineup is incredible, and it would be so cool to say I’ve seen ACDC. California is just too far away, though,” she said. Hangout Fest might be a geographically plausible option for MSU students. It is located on the beaches of Gulf Shores, Alabama. The festival’s lineup this year features headliners indie rock band Foo Fighters, country music’s Zac Brown Band and hit ‘90s artist Beck. More artists scheduled to perform are Skrillex, My Morning Jacket, Foster the People, Paramore, Lupe Fiasco, Vance Joy, Jenny Lewis, Umphreys McGee, Spoon, Trampled by Turtles, Drive-by Truckers, MisterWives, The Mowgli’s and many more. Hangout Fest began 6 years ago in 2009, making it the newest member of the festival family. Dates for the festival are May 15-17. Carson Bailey, a sophomore marketing major, said she has attended several different music festivals but was less-than-enthused upon hearing Hangout Fest’s lineup for this year. “I’m pretty disappointed. The only artist I’m really excited about is Paramore. I’m not sure if I’m going to go this year,” she said. Bonnaroo is an iconic festival located on a farm in Manchester, Tennessee, and the 2015 dates are June 11-14. Bonnaroo is the festival most similar to the famous Woodstock
music festival as people camp out in tents for days. The headliners for Bonnaroo will be the classic Billy Joel, folk band Mumford & Sons and EDM artist deadmau5. Artists such as Kendrick Lamar, Florence + the Machine, Robert Plant, My Morning Jacket, Bassnectar, Alabama Shakes, Childish Gambino, Flume, Hozier, Earth Wind and Fire, Gary Clark Jr., Shakey Graves, Ben Folds, Twenty One Pilots, Tove Lo and Moon Taxi will perform this year as well. The lineup release generated a roar of excitementontheInternet, and one huge artist’s name has even yet to be released. Everyone has ideas of who the mystery artist could be, but the public will know for sure soon. Bonnaroo began in 2002, and it has since attracted an enormous amount of followers and loyal attendees. Upwards of 90,000 people attend, and “Rolling Stone” named it the Best Festival in 2008. L.H. Marshall, sophomore business administration major, has attended Bonnaroo for the past three years. She said this year, she is ecstatic about the lineup. “This lineup might be the best one out of all of the ones I’ve been to. I’m absolutely going; I can’t wait,” she said. The music community is abuzz with excitement over lineups ad the festival season draws near.
Sports
7 THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2015
Many college football critics regarded the SEC West as the best division in college football in 2014. With six of the seven teams ranked in the top 10 throughout the course of the season, some regarded the division as the best of all time. However, that reputation took a huge hit during bowl season when the division fi nished 2-5 with the top five teams in the division losing their bowl games. During the 2014 regular season, the SEC West was an impressive 28-0 against non-conference opponents. This included wins over strong teams such as Kansas State, Boise State, West Virginia and Wisconsin. These wins also came against weaker teams. Presbyterian College, Sam Houston State, Lamar University and Nicholls State are just a few of the less prominent programs that were squashed by the SEC West in 2014. The SEC West also did well against foes from the SEC East. The West was 11-4 against the East this year, and all four of the East’s victories were by their best teams, Missouri and Georgia. The western division made a great impression on the college football selection committee in 2014. In all seven rankings released by the committee, Mississippi State or Alabama was ranked No. 1. In the fi rst rankings released on Oct. 28, three SEC teams were in the top four, and in four of the seven rankings at least two SEC West teams were in the top four. At the end of the regular season, a one-loss Alabama team was ranked ahead of undefeated Florida State and other one-loss teams such as, Oregon, Ohio State, TCU
and Baylor. This proved the committee believed Alabama played the toughest schedule, which was predominately against SEC West teams. Texas A&M started the bowl season for the SEC West with a shootout win over West Virginia 45-37 on Dec. 29. Later that evening, Arkansas thumped the Texas Longhorns 31-7. After defeating two Big 12 opponents, the bowl season looked promising for the dominant SEC West. The LSU Tigers fi nished
quarterback Bo Wallace. The TCU offense capitalized on the great field position and dominated the Ole Miss defense. In the biggest blowout of the bowl season the Horned Frogs defeated the Rebels 42-3. The Mississippi State University Bulldogs looked to win their 11th game of the season for the fi rst time in school history against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Five seconds before halftime, MSU quarterback Dak Prescott completed an incredible 42-yard
fifth in the division, but many chalked that up to the tough competition and assumed the Tigers would dominate the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. Down 21-14 seconds before halftime, LSU Head Coach Les Miles elected to fake a field goal on fourth down two yards outside of the end zone. LSU holder Brad Kragthorpe was just inches short of the touchdown. This proved the be the most deciding play in the game as Notre Dame won on a last-second field goal by a score of 31-28. The Ole Miss Rebels took the field on Dec. 31 against a Texas Christian team that had a chip on its shoulder after being excluded from the fi rst ever college football playoffs. The selection committee ranked both teams as high as third in the regular season. However, this game was never even close. TCU held the Rebels to only nine rushing yards and forced four turnovers from Rebel senior
hail mary touchdown pass to wide receiver Fred Ross. This made the score 21-20 in Georgia Tech’s favor going into halftime. However, the Mississippi State defense had no answer for the Georgia Tech offense in the second half. The Yellow Jackets ran for an Orange Bowl record 452 rushing yards. Prescott threw for a career high and Orange Bowl record 452 passing yards. The MSU offense actually outgained the Georgia Tech offense in total yards 605-577, but MSU turned the ball over on downs twice in the second half and failed on two onside kick attempts. The Yellow Jackets defeated the Bulldogs 49-34. Georgia Tech Head Coach Paul Johnson commented about the SEC to ESPN reporter Maria Taylor after the game. “For a week or so we won’t have to hear about the SEC,” Johnson said.
Football The coaching staff experienced some shakeups before the Capital One Orange Bowl. Defensive Coordinator Geoff Collins left for the University of Florida for the same position. Former MSU Defensive Coordinator Manny Diaz was hired to fill Geoff Collins spot. The Mississippi State University Bulldogs fell to Georgia Tech 49-34. Despite the loss, MSU finished the season ranked No. 11 in the AP Poll, the highest finish for a Bulldog team since 1940. Dak Prescott has announced he will return for his senior season. Josh Robinson and Benardrick McKinney decided to forgo their senior seasons. Evan Sobiesk has also left the football team to attend dental school. Volleyball David McFatrich was named as the 11th MSU volleyball coach. Over his past four seasons at University of
Central Arkansas, McFatrich accumulated a 96-36 record. “David possesses all of the characteristics of a successful coach,” said Athletic Director Scott Stricklin. “He has an aggressive style with high energy and connects well with his student-athletes. He has the vision to be great. He’s also a man of good values, and we are excited to have him as a part of the Mississippi State family.” Basketball The Bulldogs are 7-9 after a 5-0 start. Injuries have plagued the team again.
Gavin Ware, Craig Sword and I.J. Ready are all starters that have missed time this season. Having a team at full strength could help the team performance. MSU has lost its first three conference games this season. There may be some optimism MSU lost by four point in the last match up against the Texas A&M Aggies. The Aggies recently went into double overtime before falling to No. 1 Kentucky. The Bulldogs return to action at home Saturday against the Vanderbilt Commodores at 3 p.m.
“For a week or so we won’t have to hear about the SEC,” - Paul Johnson, Georgia Tech head coach
FACE OFF, 8
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The 2014 college football season was one for the ages. College football’s inaugural playoff was initiated, much to the relief of fans everywhere sick to death of the mathematical confusion of the BCS system. Some of those fans (Baylor, TCU) may still feel duped by the first set of results of the newly enacted system, but any fan of a team that had a shot at playoff glory would feel that way, any true fan anyway. It was a session that saw one of the most efficient quarterbacks of all time finally bring the coveted Heisman trophy to Eugene, which should not be overshadowed by a subpar performance by the Ducks in the national championship. Most importantly, it will go down as one of the greatest seasons in MSU history. A 10-win season, the team’s first No. 11 ranking, and a late-season Heisman contender is a lot to be excited about when .500 records and middle-of-the-pack finishes in the standing were once the norm. Once again, it was a season that began with the SEC reigning supreme, as many felt an SEC team would hoist the revamped version of the championship trophy after a brief one-year hiatus. However, during a year laden with massive upsets not only in the SEC, but
across the Power 5 conferences, fans of down south football would have a bit more to be upset about. The SEC entered bowl season with 12 teams competing in bowls, including three in the New Year’s six games. When the dust cleared and all was said and done SEC teams emerged with what many fans would say was a less-than-favorable outcome: no victories in any of their New Year’s bowl games and a total record of 7-5. SEC teams also seemed to be lacking of the defense that is often pegged as the trademark of the conference. In each of their five defeats, SEC teams allowed more than 30 points per game. Such a poor performance by the conference has led many to begin to say the SEC is supremely overrated, but is this truly the case? Of all the Power 5 conferences the Pac-12 boasted the best winning percentage in the bowl season at 67 percent. The SEC follows in second at 58 percent, the Big 10 (55 percent) was third, and the ACC and Big 12 round out the standing with winning percentages of 36 percent and 29 percent respectively. In other words most of the Power 5 did not manage to stay above .500 in the bowl season. But that should not suggest any one
conference is overrated or underrated. Instead it should speak to the even spread of strength throughout the Power 5 conferences. It should suggest that perhaps everyone, while basking in the glow of the dominance the SEC has known for the past decade or so, neglected to give the other conferences their due. The Pac-12 proved it has staying power with signature wins like Oregon’s blowout over Florida State and UCLA’s triumph over football powerhouse Kansas State. The Big 10 proved it belongs amongst the ranks of the elite also, as it captured a national title in convincing fashion over a talented Oregon team. Michigan State and Wisconsin claimed hard fought victories over great teams as well. The list could goes on. We fans of the SEC at times can be greedy, but this is simply because our teams have spoiled us with victory over the years. This conference has produced some of the greatest teams and athletes college football has or maybe will ever see. So, to say it is overrated may be a supreme exaggeration. Instead, let’s take this bowl season in stride and hope next year yields better results for this proud conference; yes Bulldog fans, even for The School Up North. We are all in this together.
Sports REFLECTOR-ONLINE.COM FRIDAY, JANUARY 16, 2015
Women’s basketball begins strong by Zach Wagner Staff Writer
Quietly, the Mississippi State women’s basketball team currently sits at 18-1 and is ranked in the top 15 in the country for the fi rst time in over ten years. Led by third-year Head Coach Vic Schaefer, the Bulldogs are beginning to draw the attention of not only the women’s college basketball landscape, but also the city of Starkville. When driving through the main drag of Starkville, it stands out that many local businesses have started showing their support by writing highly encouraging messages on their signage and boards. Attendance at women’s basketball games at Humphrey Coliseum has seen an increase over the last month of roughly 600 people. This puts average attendance numbers at 2,958 thus far this season, and it is worth noting that their home game against Georgia two weeks ago drew a season-high of 4,114 fans. Schaefer could not be more proud of the way his players have produced a brand of basketball that fans appreciate watching. “The 4,114 we had, (fans) are coming because they like how we play,” Schaefer said. “They have a respect for these kids, and I think that speaks volumes for what we’re doing and what they’re doing as a team. I have great pride in these young ladies and the respect they are gaining from our fan base.” For those who are just now starting to follow what’s going on with the
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Alabama and Auburn both had a chance to salvage the SEC West’s bowl season with wins in their New Year’s Day bowls. Auburn would have its chance first against the Wisconsin Badgers in the Outback Bowl. Wisconsin’s Heisman Trophy finalist running backMelvin Gordon rushed for 251 yards and three touchdowns on the day, but the Badgers were still trailed by a field goal with fewer than three minutes remaining. After converting on fourth and five from the Auburn 33 yard line, Wisconsin kicker Rafael Gaglianone made a 29-yard field goal, which sent the game to overtime. Gaglianone made another field goal in the first possession of overtime, but Auburn kicker Daniel Carlson pushed a 45-yard field goal attempt just to the right to give Wisconsin the 34-31 victory over Auburn. The Alabama Crimson Tide was the heavy favorite in the Allstate Sugar Bowl against the Ohio State Buckeyes. Third string sophomore quarterback Cardale Jones made his second career start against the No. 1 ranked Crimson Tide. Alabama looked dominant to begin the game as it led 21-6 with eight minutes remaining in the second quarter. Twenty eight unanswered points including a 41-yard interception return for a touchdown by Buckeye defensive end Steve Miller. Alabama trailed OSU in the fourth quarter 34-28. After an OSU punt that took a great Alabama bounce, the Crimson Tide took over at
Emma Katherine Hutto | The Reflector
Head Coach Vic Schaefer commands his team. Schaefer has the Bulldogs scoring the most points per game in the SEC.
women’s basketball team on the court, there are a couple of accomplishments this squad has already achieved that should garner respect from the collective masses. It fi nished its non-conference portion of the schedule unbeaten, making it the best start of a season in the history of the program. During that stretch the Bulldogs were able to hold 11 of their fi rst 15 opponents to an average of 29.7 percent shooting from the field, and the team is starting to demonstrate why Schaefer got his nickname “Secretary of Defense.”
the Ohio State 23-yard line and looked to take the lead. However, Alabama quarterback Blake Simms threw an interception on the very next play. Later in the fourth, Buckeye running back Ezekiel Elliot rushed for an 85-yard touchdown, which put the game out of reach for the Crimson Tide. Ohio State defeated Alabama 42-35 and advanced to the National Championship game against Oregon. For the first time since 2005, neither team playing in the National Championship game was from the South Eastern Conference. The SEC has won seven of the last nine national championships, and the SEC West has won five of them. However, it seems the winds of change may be coming in college football. The playoff selection committee and the national media may not perceive what was once undoubtedly the most dominant football conference in country as the same.
Adding to their impressive start to the season, the Bulldogs were able to take home the Preseason Women’s Invitational Tournament Championship by defeating Western Kentucky 88-77. It was a contest that set the tempo for the season and gave the Bulldogs confidence as well as reassurance that they were one of the best teams in the entire country. What may be more impressive is the fact that for the fi rst third of their season, the Bulldogs were without their 6’4” senior First Team All-SEC center
Martha Alwal and senior guard Kendra Grant. It speaks to the level of depth Schaefer has brought to this Bulldog roster that he could be without a couple of his senior leaders for a good portion of the season and still not miss a beat. Schaefer has been able to mold his squad to feature a good blend of young talented players, who fuse well with the already experienced girls on the team. In particular, Schaefer’s 2014 recruiting class featured five highly talented freshman that have been able to contribute in big ways in their
short time in the program. Schaefer’s most hailed recruit this past offseason, Victoria Vivians, was a high school basketball standout at Scott Central High School in Forest, Mississippi. While there, she averaged 46.2 points a game to go along with 14 rebounds over her highly coveted high school career that saw her receive many national awards. Keeping her in the state of Mississippi was Schaefer’s goal, and to say it has worked out for him may be an understatement. Vivians currently scores 15 points a game, leading the team. Both her size and feel for the game allow her to cause nightmares for opponents, as she can shoot from distance with ease or drive into the lane to fi nish. Vivians always displays a calm head after games and does not let one performance change the way she views goals. A great example of this was when the team emerged from the WNIT Tournament as champions, and Vivians said her team strived to improve. “This felt good, but we feel like we have a lot more to do. We are not satisfied. We know it’s a good start, but we can only get better,” she said. The other major contributor of this year’s freshman class is the speedy guard Morgan William. With one of the quickest fi rst steps in all of women’s college basketball, William has been able to come in and lead the team in assists while also showing an ability to get to the free throw line with her driving ability. She fits perfectly into coach Schaefer’s high-octane style of play that leads to a fast paced offensive attack.
For the Bulldogs in the upcoming months, the main objective is to perform well within their SEC schedule. The SEC is strong in terms of women’s basketball this season, with teams such as South Carolina and Tennessee sitting at the top to date. Coach Schaefer did not hide the fact his team has made great strides since last season, but it will still be a tough task to remain on its current trend with a conference as difficult as the SEC. “Obviously, our league is a nightmare. Everybody is good,” he said. “Last year was a turnaround – we beat Vanderbilt, which was a 57-point swing from the year before. We took Kentucky to overtime and should have won; we’ve beaten Georgia back-toback seasons, so we’ve made big strides. Our recruiting has brought us players with a terrific skill set, and your confidence comes from your skill set.” SEC play was a problem for Schaefer’s teams over his fi rst two seasons as they struggled to remain consistent with the increase in competition they saw. The task will be no different this year as the Bulldogs have to play Tennessee, Kentucky and South Carolina on the road over a brutal stretch that also includes going up against Texas A&M at home. Needless to say, the Bulldogs have their work cut out for them going forward, but with the foundation now put into place, expect Coach Schaefer’s team to take the challenge head on. The Bulldogs return to action Sunday when they host Alabama at 3 p.m. at Humphrey Coliseum.
CONTINUED FROM 7
Although Auburn and LSU both lost in overtime, all that people remember in the long run is who won the game, unless it is in dominating fashion like the Ole Miss game. It is worth noting the SEC East finished 5-0 in its bowl games, but the competition was far less superior. The SEC has built a reputation of being the toughest conference to play in over the last decade, and the SEC West has proven to be the tougher division in that conference. After the disappointing bowl season performances, that reputation has surely been diminished in the minds of college football critics throughout the nation. The SEC will no longer enjoy the privilege of automatically being assumed as the best conference in all of football. The National Championship no longer goes through the SEC. The College Football Playoff committee will have to take the recent events into account.
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