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132nd YEAR ISSUE 40
FRIDAY MARCH 23, 2018
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884
SA Senate finds VP Little not guilty Manning addresses accusations from 2016 video DYLAN BUFKIN STAFF WRITER
The Mississippi State University Student Association Senate found Vice President Layton Little not guilty of both charges, misuse of lawful authority and misconduct of public affairs. On March 6, College of Engineering Senator Peyton Parker brought up impeachment charges against Little for misuse of lawful authority, which began the process leading to Tuesday night’s trial. David Cuevas, Little’s roommate, claimed he overheard Little speaking to someone about the campaign platforms of Mayah Emerson, Little’s opponent in the SA presidential race, and Jake Manning, current senator and candidate for vice president. Cuevas then contacted Manning to confirm Little should not have such access to campaign information, and eventually, Cuevas appeared before the Senate to testify. Little confessed to seeing the campaign information on OrgSync, after repeatedly asking his access to the
JOSH BECK
NEWS EDITOR
A 30-second video clip surfaced earlier this week of a Mississippi State University Student Association official arguing against women’s right to vote. SA Pro Tempore Jake Manning and vice president candidate in the upcoming election was discreetly filmed during a conversation his freshman year on Nov. 15, 2016. Without context, the video quickly spread throughout many messaging platforms to students under the notion Manning was serious in his argument. The video, filmed two years prior at La Terraza Mexican Restaurant, showed several senators at SA’s routine “taco Tuesday” night, which takes place every Tuesday night, the same night the SA Senate meets.
Erin Parker | The Reflector
Vice President Layton Little was found not guilty of two charges, misuse of lawful authority and misconduct of public affairs Tuesday night.
information be revoked, and he called to share the information with Bailey Walhood, Little’s campaign manager. Little denied sharing the information with anyone else. The Senate voted to hold a trial on March 6, but senators were divided on whether Little was guilty. Senators Adam Sabes and Alex Bedwell both expressed their sadness
at the trial’s occurrence, but also expressed their concerns with his supposed activity. College of Arts and Sciences Sen. Emily Case, a member of Manning’s committee, sees the charges as socially motivated. “Vice President ProTempore, Jake Manning, is the chairman of my committee. Ever since I was elected to be a Senator (February
2017) I have heard Manning express his distaste for the Vice President,” Case said. “Manning frequently speaks out against Vice President Little on the Senate floor and makes remarks in our committee meetings to the same effect. Senator Parker, the senator who made the motion for impeachment, is one of Manning’s friends who has also expressed his grievances with Little.” LITTLE, 2
SA candidate platforms PRESIDENTIAL
CANDIDATES
Mayah Emerson
Layton Little
Junior educational psychology major from Meridian, currently serving as the director of programming
Senior accounting major from Starkville, currently serving as vice president
-Online teacher evaluations -Academic advising training -Lower textbook prices -State of our State Open Forum Series -Student Association awards
-Bulldog locker -Academic closet -Safe and accessible campus -Student athletic experience -Leadership class taught by student body president
VICE
-Notification when another student drops a class -Bring an end to holiday/ break testing -Women’s basketball student section -Fan-friendly food prices -Designated days for
purchasing parking permits -Open parking during the summer months -Texting number for counselors -Mental health awareness on syllabi
Jake Manning
Senior political science major from Brandon, currently serving as College of Arts and Sciences senator
Senior biomedical engineering major from Ridgeland, currently serving pro tempore community and government relations chair
-SA Transparency -Publishing Student Senate agendas for public to read -Online legislation idea application
-Increase the legitimacy and influence of the Senate -Increase overall student participation
SECRETARY Carley Bowers
Juan Benavides
Emily Young
Sophomore marketing major from Greenville, currently serving as performing arts/university organizations senator
Senior kinesiology major from Madison, currently serving as College of Arts and Sciences senator
TREASURER Alex Bedwell Junior accounting major from Starkville, currently serving as College of Business and Industry Senator
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
HI: 72 LO: 53 SKY: Partly Cloudy
HI: 76 LO: 52 SKY: Cloudy
HI: 68 LO: 52 SKY: Rain
POP: 0%
POP: 20%
POP: 40%
FORECAST: A few clouds will slowly move into the sky on Friday, they will stay with us throughout most of the weekend. Expect temperatures to be closer to average, but with a decent amount of humidity as wind flow will be from the south, which will increase rain chances by Sunday. -Matt Breland, Campus Connect Meteorologist
THE
T
EVEN
JORDAN DARENSBOURG
The Maroon Volunteer Center is preparing for its seventh annual Big Event beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday. The Big Event is an event where over 1,000 students partake in a day of community service at over 30 different locations throughout the Golden Triangle. Several of the organizations partnering with the Maroon Volunteer Center include the Noxubee Wildlife Refuge, Habitat for Humanity, the Heritage Museum and the Clay County Animal Shelter. Meggan Franks, assistant director of Student Leadership and Community
Engagement, said she is looking forward to the event. “I’m looking forward to getting 1,000 MSU students, faculty, staff and community members engaged in our local community, giving them the opportunity to give back and then assisting 30 of our community partners and nonprofits, and getting a volunteer project completed for the semester,” Franks said. “One thing that I like to see is that students that you wouldn’t necessarily see becoming friends.” One of the students taking part in the Big Event is Emily Morgan, a junior political science and criminology double major from Oxford. Morgan said she is excited for the Big Event. BIG EVENT, 2
Readerʼs Guide: Bad Dawgs Bulletin Board Opinion Contact Info
JM, TR
Maroon Volunteer Center prepares for the ‘Big Event’ STAFF WRITER
Junior political science major from Collierville, Tennessee, currently serving as research and development chair
VIDEO, 2
BIG
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES
Stephanie Flynt
Former SA Development Chairmen Taylor Thomas was at the dinner the night the video was filmed, and said the group likes to argue about many different topics. That night they were played a game of devil’s advocate, where one person had to argue for a subject, no matter their own beliefs. “Jake was challenged why women shouldn’t vote, and he took that and argued,” Thomas said. “There was not anyone at the table who thought Jake was a sexist in anyway, it was lighthearted situation.” Former SA Vice President Hunt Walne was also at the dinner and explained that had Manning been serious with his comments, SA would have been forced to reprimand him. “Had anyone said those things seriously, it would have been an issue within the Student Association,” Walne said.
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LITTLE Similarly, Graduate Sen. Abdullah Sherif cautioned judgement against Little prior to the judiciary decision and a proper trial. “I would like to remind everyone, especially those within the Student Association that this matter must be handled first by the Judicial Council and that passing judgement before a fair trial is conducted can lead to real and irreversible personal damages on the part of Vice President Little,” Sherif said. The Judicial Council ruled on March 19 that Elections Commissioner Kennedy Moehrs is to issue Little’s campaign a minor violation, and denied Manning’s request for an invalidation of the election and an issuance of a major violation. Chief Justice Joseph Kerstiens delivered the opinion of the Council. “Breaking the law, fraud and forging documents are in no way culpably similar to the almost childish precampaign act of comparing one’s platform to another,” Kerstiens said. The trial began with Appointed Sen. Josh McCoy representing Little, and Transfer Senators Ryan Jeffries and Dee Stegall, as well as Peyton Parker, representing the prosecution. The plaintiff presented three witnesses: Cuevas, Deputy Chief of Staff Gipson Clark, and Walhood. Cuevas’s testimony was the same as he had given at the prior Senate meeting. Clark testified Little did not discuss any specific campaign points with him on March 2, which is the day Little saw the private campaign information. Finally, Walhood testified Little only discussed Emerson’s platform points and only for a short while. In addition, McCoy raised the point a date party took place on March 2 as well, and alcoholic beverages were most likely consumed at Little’s
CONTINUED FROM 1
duplex. Walhood agreed with the presumption, and agreed with McCoy’s assertion that any person who was intoxicated at the time cannot be considered an accurate witness. The defendant’s only witness was Jessica Tranum, who lives in the same style apartment as Little and Cuevas. Tranum testified, though the building is rundown, you would be unable to discern conversations through walls, which would nullify Cuevas’s testimony. Jeffries gave the prosecution’s closing statement, which reiterated the prosecution’s position that Little admitted to viewing private information and was only able to do so because of his administrative access. Therefore, Jeffries claimed Little misused his lawful authority in order to gain advantage against Emerson in the presidential race. Jeffries asked to look to the Judicial Council statement. “The allegations brought by Senator Manning—that the Vice President informed his own campaign and others’—if proven to be true, would surely be a violation of this duty and would warrant appropriate action by this council,” Jeffries said. On the opposite side, McCoy’s closing statement centered on the idea that nothing can be definitively proven in this case, and without definition, it would be irresponsible to use the “nuclear option” of removal from office. Additionally, McCoy also asked to look to the council, and said the senators should follow the council’s decision to give Little only a minor violation. After the trial, the Senate had to vote on whether the charges would be applied. The prosecution added the “misconduct of public affairs” charge to the existing “misuse of lawful authority” charge, and the
Senate began to debate the merits of the testimony and the charges in general. Several senators argued, due to Little’s inability to change his own platform after viewing others, Little’s actions did not and could not affect the election, and therefore, the charges were moot. Recreational Organization Sen. Allison Young asserted if Little was truly trying to sabotage the election, he would have done so when he could have still changed his platform. Other senators, such as College of Engineering Sen. Reed Bigham, argued whether the intent was good, Little still admitted he saw information he should not have been able to see, and this was made possible by his position as vice president. “Regardless of what his intentions were, I am sure he did not intend to do this, but he has sort of voided our trust of him,” Bigham said. “This is the most I’ve seen Senate divided ever, so regardless, there has to be some sort of repercussion for that violation of trust. Because there is no way he can fully do his job without our full backing of him.” Finally, the charge was put to a vote. With 30 passes, 30 fails, and 2 abstentions, Little was found not guilty, because a simple majority was not reached. The second charge, misconduct of public affairs, is applicable when someone is seen to have acted in a way contrary to the benefit of the student body. “Misconduct of public affairs is, in Layton’s public life, has he done something so gravely out of conduct and out of line that constitutes impeachment,” Chief Justice Kerstiens clarified. The charge of misconduct of public affairs was put to a vote without much debate and failed with only five passing votes.
The trial ended with Chief Justice Kerstiens’s declaration of Little not guilty on both charges. Sen. Case shared her thoughts on the verdict. “Why should Little be convicted, and potentially removed from office, for something having almost entirely to do with elections and not his duties as the Vice President, especially considering that the Judicial Council’s ruling of a minor infraction was as Senator McCoy put it, ‘a slap on the wrist’?” Case said. “This matter was dealt with by the Judicial Council, as it was an elections issue, and after seeing their verdict, I was even less inclined to convict Vice President Little.” Following the verdict, Little said he was thankful for the support he was shown, but acknowledges he made a mistake. “I want the student body to know that, yes, I made a mistake; however, I did not make this mistake with the intention of using the information gleaned to demean or belittle my competitor or any other candidate,” Little said. “I have working relationships with each candidate, and I would not risk hurting those relationships with knowledge I inadvertently had access to, due to my administrative access to OrgSync not being revoked as I had requested be done multiple times.” Little continued and said throughout his career as a senator and vice president, his focus has and always will be MSU and the Starkville community. “The students, faculty and administration that I work with, both directly and indirectly, know my character and know that I continue to put students first in each decision I make, because it is my goal during my undergraduate career to give back to the university and the community that have given me so much in my years here,” Little said.
VIDEO “We would have taken some sort of action like remove the video from the GroupMe, remove him from the GroupMe or even remove him from the Senate if he was actually making legitimate comments like that; which we didn’t, because no one at the time thought Jake was legitimately commenting on the subject,” Walne said. In a press release from SA’s current director of marketing, Drew Baker said SA has thoroughly investigated the video and those involved. “We have investigated the matter internally and determined that this video is not fully representative of what actually occurred,” Baker said. “Senator Manning’s comments are taken without the context they need. The statements expressed in no way reflect the opinions of the Student Association, nor do they reflect his own opinions. We encourage anyone with further questions to reach out to Senator Manning or
CONTINUED FROM 1
the Student Association for a more detailed explanation.” In addition, vice president candidate and current SA senator Stevie Flynt said her campaign was not involved in any way with the spread of the video. “The Flynt campaign does not condone anything said in the video, however we also do not support anyone who disseminates the video, either,” Flynt said. Manning released a statement on his personal Facebook page further adding context to the situation, and apologizes for his remarks. “I was completely out of line to joke around so offensively,” Manning wrote. “Anyone who knows me well knows that the video does not reflect my true opinions or the man that I am. The video is entirely out of context and being used for an election. Now that the truth about this awful video has been brought to light, I hope that it will not influence the way I am viewed as a person.”
BIG EVENT “I think it’ll be a good way to do some community service, especially with our student organization here on campus,” Morgan said. “It’s a good day to spend time together, but also support our community.” One of the students who will not be taking part in the Big Event, but has participated in the past is Joseph Noonan, a graduate student majoring in biochemistry from Southaven. Noonan said he enjoyed his time serving the community and had some interesting experiences. “(My favorite part) was getting to interact with students that I would normally wouldn’t get to interact with,” Noonan said. “(My favorite project was) mulching the cemetery across
Get Focused.
CONTINUED FROM 1
from Little Dooey and stuff, and just getting dirty.” As for advice to this year’s Big Event participants, Noonan said it is a great experience for students, regardless of who they go with. “They offer teams if you want to do it with friends, but otherwise, going individual is still a great experience,” Noonan said. “Plus, who doesn’t like a free t-shirt?” Morgan said her favorite part of the event is how students are clueless about what project they will do until the 11th hour. “My favorite part about the Big Event is that you don’t really know exactly what you’re doing until the day of,” Morgan said. “So you don’t have any experience, and you go and you serve willingly.”
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BULLETIN BOARD
An In-Class Distraction
3
BAD DAWGS Thursday, March 15, 2018 12:40 p.m. Property damage in Magnolia-East parking lot. 9:46 p.m. Providing false information to police officer, resulting in arrest. Tuesday, March 20, 2018 3:18 p.m. Disorderly conduct and failure to comply on Blackjack Road near the Wise Center’s entrance. Closed by arrest. 7:39 p.m. Auto burglary occurred in the band hall’s gravel parking lot.
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY...
... in 1962, Pakistan’s governor, Ayub Khan, gave First Lady Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy a horse named Sardar. Former President John F. Kennedy and Khan developed a close diplomatic relationship between their countries. When Khan first visited the White House, he and the First Lady bonded over a common interest: horses. In her memoirs, she often referred to Sardar as her “favorite treasure,” nicknaming the horse “Black Jack.” Jackie Kennedy grew up avidly riding horses. JFK was severely allergic to animal hair of any kind, but encouraged his wife and later his daughter, Caroline, to ride horses despite his allergies. In fact, JFK indulged his children’s love all animals and the White House menagerie included a number of dogs, cats, birds and a rabbit named Zsa Zsa.
istory.com
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CLASSIFIEDS 4 BEDROOMS AVAILABLE FOR RENT IN A LARGE HOUSE. sunroom, dining room and a laundry room. 2 Full baths, large living area with fireplace. hardwood and ceramic tile flooring, garage, fenced in yard, Pet friendly environment for a fee. Only seven minutes from campus. Affordable room prices range from $325.00 per month to $400.00 per month. If interested call
662-312-5630. For MSU students only. CLUB INFO #youbelong at INSIGHT Bible Study & Worship Tuesday Nights @ 8 p.m. at Wesley Foundation’s Worship Center. Visit www.statewesley.org for more information. The deadline for Tuesday’s paper is 3 p.m. Thursday. The deadline for Friday’s paper is 3 p.m. Tuesday. MSU student organizations may place free announcements
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OPINION
New nominee for CIA Director deserves the added scrutiny
STEVEN WEIRICH
is a senior majoring in economics. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.
Last week the world was treated to more of the neverending merry-go-round the Trump Administration has become. After a series of events which likely made the writers of “House of Cards” think they played it too safe, it appeared Secretary of State Rex Tillerson was dismissed via Twitter. The next nominee announced to lead the State Department would be Mike Pompeo, the current director of the CIA. The Trump Administration indicated they wished for deputy CIA director Gina Haspel to replace Pompeo. Haspel’s nomination, though, appeared to reopen a can of worms for the intelligence community. Specifically, the CIA’s “enhanced interrogation program,” which they employed during the early years of the war on terror
in the 2000’s. Haspel was reported to have several connections to the programs, although some of those reports have undergone recent clarifications. According to Raymond Bonner at ProPublica, there was a news report from ProPublica in February of 2017 which stated Haspel was in charge of a black site for the CIA in Thailand. There, she reportedly oversaw the torture of Abu Zubaydah, a man who at the time was thought to be a leader in al-Qaeda. ProPublica later retracted this statement and said it appeared Haspel took over the site after the torture of Zubaydah had occurred. However, their other reporting on some of the activities of Haspel has held up. Those other details include her time in charge of the station beginning in November of 2002, after Zubaydah had left the facility, when another suspected terrorist arrived. Abd al-Rahim al-Nashiri was waterboarded three times at this facility under Haspel, according to Adam Goldman at The New York Times. There are also reports on Haspel’s involvement with the destruction of videotapes of waterboarding from the black sites. When Haspel worked as chief of staff to the head of the CIA’s clandestine
service, Jose Rodriquez, in 2005, she was a strong proponent of getting rid of the waterboarding tapes. So, when it came time to send out the orders to carry out the destruction of the tapes, Rodriquez handed the task off to Haspel. Goldman also noted in his article how these claims came back to haunt Haspel when it looked as if she was going to be promoted to chief of the clandestine service. She was unable to get the promotion because of her connection to the infamous black site and the tapes. Despite what was dug up about Haspel’s career over the past few years, there are many people formerly of the national security establishment who have defended her professionalism and skill. To be clear, I have no reason to believe Haspel is not extremely good at her job. Obviously, she would not have advanced so far in her field if she was not such a consummate professional. With this being said, I think it is both fair and necessary for the members of the Senate to carefully scrutinize her record when she comes before them to be confirmed as the new CIA director. As Ali Soufan pointed out in a piece for The Atlantic, there is a great need to
Jennifer McFadden, The Reflector
enforce more accountability for people who involved in a program which was both ineffective and an affront to the values we as Americans claim to hold dear. If there is anyone who would know about the improprieties of the CIA’s “enhanced interrogation,” it is Soufan. He worked as an FBI agent handling counterterrorism cases during those years. He also conducted many interviews and more legally sanctioned interrogations of terrorism suspects, which ultimately
led to more actionable intelligence than the shameful waterboarding episodes. Ultimately, this all comes down to how we want our intelligence services to be held accountable. I understand there are those who would readily defend Haspel and any actions she took. Again, putting her reputation aside, it is essential for the senators to make sure she answers questions about her involvement with the program, and to see if she has learned anything from that ignoble episode of America’s
history. For instance, does she still think it was wise for us to torture those prisoners, or does she feel any shame for her involvement with the program? We may never get to fully come to terms with what was done in the name of protecting the country, but holding those accountable is a wise step. I can only hope the members of the Senate will agree with this position and are willing and able to carefully scrutinize Haspel. It will be better for the country writ large if they do.
It is time to give female sports Golf ’s greatest villain deserves a fans their long due respect shot at redemption in Augusta JESSICA LINDSEY
is a senior majoring in communication. Contact her at opinion@reflector.msstate. edu.
Women are not allowed to be casual sports fans, and when we know our sports, we are still talked to like we are children. This is not something I have decided without facts - I have lived it. My junior year of high school was JJ Watt’s second year in the NFL, and after watching the Houston Texans’ season opener, I decided he was my favorite player and I became a Texans fan. Fast forward to the end of the season, I remember going to a sports store to find a JJ Watt jersey. On the wall, there were jerseys for virtually every player you could think of, except the one I was there for. I asked the man at the counter if he had a JJ Watt jersey, and he scoffed and asked who that was. I rattled off stats and facts such as that Watt was just given the title of Defensive Player of the Year. He asked why I knew all of those facts, then promptly told me I should do something better with my time. Before I could do anything, my brother, redfaced and grumbling, pulled me out of the store. (I bet that man feels dumb now.) When I go into sports stores, people always ask what size the man I am shopping for wears. When I wear sports attire, men come up to me and say things along the lines of, “You’re only wearing that because you think a player on the team is hot.” Which one, no I am not,
and two, who cares if I do? It is not like men are not heard saying they only go to sports like volleyball and softball to stare at the women who play those sports. Women are required as sports fans to be die-hard, in it for the guys/a jersey chaser or only fans because their boyfriend coerced them into watching a game. Women are not allowed to be casual fans, and even when we can list off stats and hold legitimate conversation about the games, it is automatically dismissed. Amber Lee with Bleacher Report notes one of the things women hate as sports fans is we are constantly having our motives questioned and being condescended to. As a female sports’ fan, I wholeheartedly agree. The constant motive men believe women like and watch sports is because we only like sports to look at men, and we do not care about skill or stats. Maybe women like sports because a fun, fast-paced competition is thrilling and exciting; though it does not necessarily hurt if an athlete is easy on the eyes. Even when we know a sport or team better than the back of our hands, we still somehow manage to get the sport “mansplained” to us. It has happened to me on multiple occasions, especially when it comes to hockey, my favorite sport. I have had a man who has admitted he knows nothing about hockey try to explain off-sides to me, though I have managed a hockey team and have avidly watched the game for a while now. I have experience and knowledge, yet a man who has neither feels the need to “educate” me on something I am very well versed in. We are required to know the head coach’s cousin’s pet goldfish’s name, and if we do
not, we are not “real fans” whatever that concept is. Yet, I can see a man walk down the street with a New York Yankees cap on and see him not get questioned about it. Yet here is the secret: he is only wearing it for fashion. I have asked men before about the team they are representing, and sometimes they have no clue about the team. When you see women wearing sports merchandise (and no, not the pink stuff teams think women like, which we are really sick of because we actually want our team’s colors), chances are, she is repping her team because she is passionate and could probably tell you a lot about it. While this is great and makes my heart grow three sizes, it should not have to be like this. Women should be allowed to be casual fans without having to name the whole roster, practice squad, equipment staff and everyone else involved. Women should be allowed to like sports because they think an athlete, or athletes, are attractive without criticism. God knows guy are allowed to. According to Liz Hampton with Reuters, 45 percent of the NFL fan base is female. The female presence in the NFL has grown substantially in the last 10 years, and will only continue to grow more. The fact women are dismissed as sports fans and marketed to as only wanting pink, tight clothes will ultimately hurt teams and leagues who rely on female support. Women should be able to like sports enthusiastically or casually without facing backlash, mansplainers or questions. We make up a huge part of fan bases, and it is time we get the respect we deserve as fans.
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When it comes to sports, the stories of underdogs completing upsets, tales of redemption and the constant hero versus villain narratives are what drive the viewership of sports, because at the end of the day they are entertainment. However, the sport of golf is not the same as the rest of the sports world, because typically the stars in the game gain their fame from being heroes, heroes who make brilliant shots from anywhere and win crowds by their politeness and respectful manner. That is until Eldrick “Tiger” Woods burst onto the scene in 1996 when the rookie won the Professional Golf Association Rookie of the Year. At first, the young energetic golfer was a positive addition to a nearly 500-year-old game. He was some of the new blood who would help grow the game; in fact, I adored Woods as a kid. It is no doubt Woods helped grow the sport among the youth, as with him in the tour, there was an increase in the number of men’s golf at the Division I level in the NCAA according to Ryan Herrington with Golf Digest. For example, in 1995-96 there were 281 programs, and in 2014-15 there were 297. For women’s golf
“However, Woods’ fall from the pinnacle of the sport and his turning into a villain began with the death of his father in 2006.” However, Woods’ fall from the pinnacle of the sport and his turning into a villain began with the death of his father in 2006. Top it off with a certain incident in 2009 when he admitted to infidelity after crashing his vehicle in the wee hours in the morning on Black Friday, according to ESPN. In Feb. 2010, he apologized for the affair, according to CNN. Woods took another tumble from grace after several years of injuries to his knee and when he was found unconscious in his vehicle under the influence of drugs and alcohol. He went on to do a program
to drop his DUI charge. According to Erik Ortiz with NBC News, Woods was attempting to treat his back pain from an injury he had suffered in 2015. However, it is now two weeks away from the first major of 2018 with The Masters Tournament at Augusta National being played April 5-8. This is even more important this year because a certain someone is trying to make a comeback as a person and as a golfer. Woods placed in the top 15 in three straight tournaments, and he has a chance to close the gap on Nicklaus’ record for majors to three. This is his shot at redemption, all the years of agony, the case of infidelity and sorrow could come to an end for him with a win in Augusta. If people believe in second chances, then this is for sure Woods’ second chance, a chance for him to get back on track, a chance to bounce back from injury and to take the sport to a different level. Woods is a villain no doubt, and it would be hard for him to change this role. However, it does set up a chance for a hero-versusvillain story, and possibly a redemption story when he takes on the likes of Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson and Justin Rose in two weeks. This is why, when the coveted green jacket is played for in two weeks, I hope to see Woods competing in his Sunday red for his 15th major. Just think of the story you can tell your kids: “I saw Tiger Woods turn his life in the right direction and make a comeback to legendary status on the greatest stage.”
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Life Editor/Will Wells
Managing Editor/Kristina Domitrovich News Editor/Josh Beck
HUNTER CLOUD
is a freshman majoring in communication. Contact him at opinion@reflector. msstate.edu.
Division I programs, there were only 159 in 1995-96, but in 2014-15 this number increased to 259. It should be noted 2006 was the peak of this growth, and what was Woods doing in 2006? According to T.J. Auclair for PGA, Tiger Woods won the PGA Championship in his 12th major win with a dominant five-stroke win. This victory propelled him to six majors shy of Jack Nicklaus, he currently sits at 14 total majors and four shy of Nicklaus.
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Letters to the editor should be sent to the Meyer Student Media Center or mailed to The Reflector, PO Box 5407, Mississippi State, MS. Letters may also be emailed to editor@reflector. msstate.edu. Letters must include name and telephone number for verification purposes. The editor reserves the right to edit or refuse to publish a letter.
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festiv SIC al line u p the
& l u a P reos ken . B t S Bon trails: Louisville hours last year were put toward maintaining the trails through weed-eating, clearing trails and removing dead trees. While Voller said he believes the trails are getting more use than they have in the past, there is currently no method in place to determine the number of trail visitors other than by analyzing the leaves on the trails. “That is probably one of the best mountain biking trails in the state, and it probably gets some of the least use because of a lack in publicity and awareness,” Voller said. Voller said this unique resource attracts people from Birmingham to Jackson to come cycle, but many people are still unaware the Noxubee Hills Trail System exists. “A lot of people who
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The Noxubee Hills Trail System is located in the Ackerman Unit of the Tombigbee National Forest. Included in the system is a series of biking trails, which are described as some of the best in Mississippi. This trail system has been in the works since 2000 under the supervision of District Ranger Baswell. After 18 years, the trail system now has approximately 30 miles of volunteer-built mountain biking and hiking trails The Noxubee Hills Trail System offers detailed maps and trail descriptions to visitors, so people using the trails can easily navigate around the system. This trail system includes at least two dozen bridges and many boardwalks around the lake. Trail Manager Charlotte Faquay, her husband, Hugh Ector, Betty Ector and Mike Murphey, the previous owner of The Bicycle Shop in Starkville, designed a majority of these single-track trails. Faquay said she put in tireless hours working on the trail system and wishes more people in the community and state were aware of the trail system Faquay said she fears as it becomes harder for her to help maintain and speak about the trails, that the system will be forgotten and fall apart. Landon Voller, president of Starkville Cycling Club, said 400
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The Noxubee Hills Trail System is a great outdoor source for all
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live in the area have no idea this exists,” Voller said. “College students who want to hike or bike are missing out because they don’t know what an amazing opportunity is right out their back door.” The Noxubee Hills Trail System hosts an annual mountain biking race, currently named “Charlotte’s Revenge” in honor of Charlotte Faquay’s dedication to the trail. However, Voller said this trail system could be used for much for than one race a year. For example, in Flint Hills, Kansas, there is a gravel biking race called “Dirty Kanza” which started with only 34 racers in 2006. Today, this race attracts around 2,200 bikers to participate, with tickets
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selling out quickly. Voller said the Noxubee Hills Trail System has the same potential as the trails used for “Dirty Kanza,” and hopes as awareness grows, the trails can be the home of many races, fundraising events and biking festivals. The City of Ackerman recently hosted a gravel biking race as a part of a race in three parts across the county. Voller said he and the Starkville Cycling Club encourage more usage of the mountain biking trails for both individual riders and racing. “We would love to see more people come out to use the trails for hiking or biking,” Voller said. “They are meant to be multipurpose trails, even though they are laid out better for mountain bikers.”
Rayland Baxter LV Baby also John Hart & Band Jordy Searcy McKenzie Lockhart Hood Baby & The Barnacles Carter Gardner Dream Cult learn more by listening to The Reflector podcast Jennifer McFadden, The Reflector
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THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018 @SPORTSREFLECTOR
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Seniors play final game in the Hump, head to Kansas City MELISSA WEITZEL STAFF WRITER
One final game in Humphrey Coliseum, that was the case for four 1-seed Mississippi State University (34-1, 16-0 SEC) seniors on Monday night in their 71-56 victory over 9-seed Oklahoma State University (21-11, 11-7 Big 12). Blair Schaefer, Roshunda Johnson, Morgan William and Victoria Vivians played their last game at the Hump. Regarding his seniors, head coach Vic Schaefer was emotional. “I just love those kids, they meant so much to me personally, professionally,” Vic Schaefer said. “They’ve changed me as a man, husband, father and a coach.” Vivians, a senior from Carthage, summarized her feelings it more succinctly. “I’m going to miss it,” Vivians said. All season Vic Schaefer bemoaned his team’s
propensity for starting slowly on defense. This was certainly not a slow start, but certainly a sloppy one. Four turnovers in the first quarter led the Bulldogs to trail by four to start the second quarter. They almost trailed by six had Morgan William not caught herself looking at coach Schaefer with five seconds on the clock, drove it to the basket and got two at the buzzer. The game was back and forth in the second quarter with both teams playing fast, but ugly, basketball. MSU cleaned up the turnovers with zero in the second quarter while forcing two more from Oklahoma State, however, they were only able to come away with two points from those takeaways. “(In the first half) it was hard to catch our second wind, (we) found it, and once (we) found it, (we) were able to kick it into gear,” coach Schaefer said. There was more back
Jessica Lindsey | The Reflector
Seniors Roshunda Johnson, Victoria Vivians, Morgan William and Blair Schaefer wave to the crowd after their final game in Humphrey Coliseum.
and forth to begin the third quarter, but the Bulldogs were able to pull away with a 10-point lead going into the fourth. Thanks, in part, to another Morgan William two points at the buzzer. In
reality, the difference in the third came down to offensive rebounds. In the first half, neither team offensively rebounded well, MSU had six and Oklahoma State had one. In the third quarter, OSU
added only one more while MSU had six. In the fourth quarter, the Bulldogs never gave up the lead pushing it to 15 with 56 seconds left in the game. “I think we played well
for three and a half quarters,” Oklahoma State head coach Jim Little said. “They were quicker and more athletic at some positions than we were. We don’t have a matchup for (Vivians).” About the fourth quarter, Schaefer said, “we tend to get our wind and the other team loses theirs.” Junior center Teaira McCowan had a doubledouble with 21 points and 18 rebounds. Senior guard Victoria Vivians had 23 points, four assists and six rebounds. Senior guard Morgan William had 17 points, two assists and three rebounds. “Morgan dictated the whole game,” Schaefer said. “She locked down and had a much better defensive game than she’s had in a while.” The Bulldogs will now face 4-seed North Carolina State University in the Sweet 16 game at 6 p.m. tonight in Kansas City, Missouri. ESPN will broadcast it.
Baseball dominates back end of midweek games Football begins spring practice HUNTER CLOUD STAFF WRITER
Mississippi State University (12-10,0-3 SEC) came into their matchup with Texas Southern University (7-14, 4-1 SWAC) with the goal of starting a winning streak. With Cole Gordon on the mound, they were able to do just that with an 11-6 win. Gordon earned the win with two innings pitched and two strikeouts. The offense was explosive for the second night in a row as they had 14 hits on the night, and junior Hunter Stovall, an infielder from Pelham, Alabama, had three of those hits in four at-bats and an RBI. “We have been working our butts off,” Stovall said. “We took the Vanderbilt (University) series, and it kind of fueled us and we kind of said we do not like that.” Stovall said that he hopes that the stuff they figured out at the plate will carry on over into the weekends series
Kelly Price | MSU Communications
Hunter Stovall, a junior from Pelham, Alabama, got three hits in four at-bats and one RBI.
against the University of Missouri (17-5, 1-2 SEC). He has also figured out himself and found what he needs to do at the plate. “I have been doing a little soul searching, a little relaxing at the plate,” Stovall said. “Not being so anxious, or trying to do too much, and it is working out.” Stovall said all the team has to do is produce runs if
the pitchers throw as good this weekend as they did against Vanderbilt. Missouri will offer up some challenges as they have scored 188 runs and given up 74 runs in 22 games, so Stovall said patience is key for the team. “Just staying together, staying in every pitch, going one pitch at a time,” Stovall said. “If something goes wrong not getting down, just
staying up, keeping the vibe of the dugout up.” Seven pitchers in total pitched in Wednesday’s game against Texas Southern. This was in part due to the 18 innings that they had to play in last two-game midweek series, as well as the fact each had a pitch count of about 30 pitches tonight. “Everybody should be available for this weekend,” head coach Gary Henderson said. MSU will take on University of Missouri in Columbia, Missouri, in their first SEC road series of the season this weekend. Henderson said he will look at Mizzou more closely on the way there. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. tonight. “I will have plenty of time later tonight, I will look at them for the first time, I will look at the video tomorrow,” Henderson said. “I will probably watch some more of it Friday morning. By the time we play Friday night, I will have a really good idea of what they do.”
ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS
Taylor Rayburn| The Reflector
Head coach Joe Moorhead watches his players go through individual drills on Tuesday. Quarterback Nick Fitzgerald took snaps, but Joe Moorhead said he will remain limited. Safety Brandon Bryant did not participate in the first practice. Moorhead said he had “business to take care of off the field academically.” True freshman Marcus Murphy played safety, but Moorhead said he thinks Murphy could play corner. Moorhead said he will also be looked at as a returner.
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