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131st YEAR ISSUE 40
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884
‘Professional behind the microphone’: Jim Ellis to retire 2014 season and when fans look back on that season they will hear Ellis’ voice on the play-by-play. He saw MSU rise and fall that season but one game stuck out. “My best experience of that year was beating LSU in Baton Rouge and the way that we just dominated that game,” Ellis said. “That is when I thought, ‘Hey, this team has got a chance to be really special,’ and I think when I look back, that ball game was certainly one of the most enjoyable to call.” Ellis began his career in baseball and has seen a lot of success over the years. He has been to eight College World Series. While many will point to MSU’s 2013 baseball run where they were the runner’s up in the College World Series, Ellis points to a time almost 40 years ago. “I looked back all the way to 1979 with that ball club in the first year I broadcast for Mississippi State and we went all the way to the College World Series, that was as special time too,” Ellis said. “I have gotten to see the College World Series grow over the years from a little 8,000 or so seat stadium at Rosenblatt and saw it go through all the changes, and when it got to the point that it was in a new stadium- that was a lot of fun.”
by Taylor Rayburn Staff Writer
Mississippi State University football and men’s basketball lost their voice last Thursday as it was announced that this past year’s football and current men’s basketball season are the last for Jim Ellis. While he will no longer fill the play-by-play role for basketball and football, he has been a part of the basketball broadcast team since 1983 and part of the football broadcast team since 1991. In a press release from MSU on Thursday, John Cohen, MSU’s athletic director, commented on Elllis’ professionalism. “Jim has been a true professional behind the microphone and represented Mississippi State with class and dignity,” Cohen said. “We are thankful to his service, and we are glad he will continue to be the voice to many Diamond Dawg baseball memories in the future.” Ellis, a West Point, Mississippi, native and a graduate of the 1969 class at MSU, has called games for almost 40 years and is ready for things to slow down. With football season starting in August
Media Relations | Courtesy Photo
Jim Ellis has been part of the MSU basketball broadcast team since 1983. Ellis is retiring from calling basketball and football this year, but will continue to call baseball.
and baseball season ending as late as June, it can be a handful to call all three sports. Ellis said he wants to spend more time with his family. “I want to have more time to spend with family,” Ellis said. “I am able to travel some and I work with mission trips with church
and things of that nature and just different things I would like to be able to do and have more time to do.” Ellis will not be completely out of MSU radio as he will continue his role in calling MSU baseball games. Ellis has called baseball for almost 40 years and will continue to do so.
“I love all three of the sports, I have enjoyed doing all three of the sports, but baseball is where I started,” Ellis said. “I started with baseball so I thought it would be appropriate to end with baseball.” Ellis has called some great moments over the years at MSU. Although
he said he does not have a favorite call, he said there have been plenty of special moments. He called the men’s basketball team’s 1996 NCAA Final Four run lead by former men’s head coach Richard Williams. The greatest season in modern MSU football history is the
ELLIS, 2
From the ‘tin gym’ to Sanderson Joe Brown creates a dynasty by John Lee Staff Writer
The Joe Frank Sanderson Center at Mississippi State University is a place where athletes of all types flock to work out, train, or to just have fun. There are many things to do there, from basketball to swimming, to ping pong and even rock climbing. The Sanderson Center’s vision is, “That through participation in our recreation programs and services, the university community will understand and appreciate the lifelong benefits of an active, healthy lifestyle.” The Sanderson Center was named an “Outstanding Recreation Facility” by the National Intramural/ Recreational Sports Association in 2000. It was also named the Best Fitness Center in Mississippi in the July/August 2007 edition of Mississippi Magazine. Construction for the Sanderson began in July of 1996 and it was opened on June 1, 1998. Walling, who served as the director of recreational sports from 1993 to 2016, said MSU’s former President
Dr. Donald Zacharias lead the effort in the early 1990s to seek a donor and secure the funding for a comprehensive student recreation center. She said Mr. Joe Frank Sanderson gave the university a gift that would be the basis for the building in 1993. Walling said the building is named after Mr. Sanderson because of the funding he gave to the university. Walling said the need for the Sanderson was very apparent. “The answer to that is simple, all the university had for student recreation prior to the Sanderson construction was two basketball courts in McCarthy Gym and the ‘tin gym.,” Walling said. Walling said it was called the ‘tin gym’ because it was made of tin. It was shaped like an airplane hanger and was situated next to McCarthy. It was built in 1929 to serve as an arena for the varsity basketball team. The tin gym had two basketball courts, one badminton court, 10 pin weight machines, and six pieces of cardiovascular exercise equipment (two stationary bikes, two treadmills and two stair steppers). The ‘tin gym’ was all the university had for the 18,000 students at that time.
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Campus Bookmart
Managing Editor
When the prideful students of Mississippi State University, The University of Southern Mississippi and The University of Mississippi walk into their local Campus Bookmart at the semester’s beginning, all they see is money wasted on a textbook that may not be cracked open for the next six months. These same people, unless they happen to be one of the lucky student employees, do not get the chance to see the heart of the few Campus Bookmart stores. They will never walk down the stairs and venture through the hidden door to Dr. Brown’s Starkville office. His large, mahogany desk is perfectly centered in the room. A similar book shelf, filled with books from his favorite authors and books of his own lining each row, is situated directly behind his desk. His diplomas are displayed on the wall, proving the hard work that was diligently put into earning all three of his degrees. However, all of these things do not
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Hours for the
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WHAT’S AT THE SANDERSON?
Courts
3 Aerobics/Dance Studios rack ogging T J e il m 1/8 2 Gymnasia Co nfe ren ce and Tra inin 500 ,000 gR oom gall on i s Stre n doo ngth rs and Aero wimm ing bic C poo ond i t i o Clim ning l bing Roo m Wal l vice Area Food Ser & Sales Equipment Issue Locker Room s
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accurately depict the best qualities of Dr. Brown. Perhaps if each student saw his joyous smile, one that told stories of 80 years past, or witnessed his passion for those exact books they dreaded buying, a passion that was nearly tangible, their narrowminded thoughts would change. Despite original thoughts, if there is one thing all Starkville community members have in common, whether college students or longterm residents, it is the love for the success stories from a little Mississippi town they call home.
Although Joe Brown, 40year Starkville resident and retired MSU engineering professor, might have slipped under the radar for current and incoming students, his work does not go unnoticed among others in the community. Spending the last four decades in Starkville, Dr. Brown and his family made somewhat of a dynasty. His daughter Carolyn Abadie, owner of the family’s book store in downtown Starkville, and his son, owner of Shep’s cleaner on Highway 12, have made a lasting impact in the business community just as their father did. BROWN, 2
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ELLIS
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Ellis was raised by an Cristal retired in 2011. Ellis other colleges, conferences MSU graduate, so he grew said he grew up listening and arenas. Learfield will up an MSU fan all the way. to Cristal, and talked about lead the search for Ellis’ Ellis said his dad took him how much he respected replacement. Vice President to games growing up and Cristal saying he was MSU of Broadcast Operations said sports were his first to a lot of fans. Tom Boman released a exposure to MSU. Sports “Being able to be in the comment in a press release went from fandom to career booth with him over all on Thursday about Ellis. and have been a big part of those years was certainly “Jim, without a doubt, his life. will continue to be Ellis said his part of the fabric of earliest memory “Jim, without a doubt, will Mississippi State with related to MSU was a his legendary voice and football game called continue to be part of the life-long affinity to the by future co-worker fabric of Mississippi State Bulldogs,” Boman said. and legendary MSU “He has been a special radio broadcaster Jack with his legendary voice part of this university, Cristal. and we thank him for “I listened to Jack and life-long affinity to the lending his talents Cristal on a football to calling so many game in 1955 or Bulldogs.” memorable moments ‘56 when we beat for these programs Kentucky on the road,” -Tom Boman, vice over the years.” Ellis said. “That is my president of broadcast At the end of the earliest memory of day, Ellis will live on Mississippi State and operations when MSU fans watch I think the next year I highlights of the 2014 went to a Mississippi football season, of the State-Ole Miss game and something I really didn’t 2013 baseball season and that was the first time I had dream would happen but many other moments over been on campus and I have when it did it was quite the years. Ellis will forever been loving the university an experience,” Ellis said. be a part of MSU sports. ever since.” “He is certainly someone “You are sort of the Ellis would go from to really model after as a imprint on a story from listening to Cristal call professional broadcaster that standpoint and it is in games to calling them because he really takes his some ways unbelievable and with Cristal. When Cristal craft seriously.” is certainly something that would call play-by-play, Learfield is MSU is a source of pride and a Ellis was the radio analyst Athletics’ multimedia feeling of accomplishment for football when he first rights holder and manages over the years,” Ellis said. started in 1991, but took broadcast operations for “It makes me feel good over the play-by-play when MSU and for over 100 to know Mississippi State folks have been so gracious and have accepted my broadcast as a part of the university scene over these years, it is something that I cherish.”
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SANDERSON According to Walling, the only known person left on campus who was there during the early days of the Sanderson Center is Phillip Collins, who was the construction supervisor when the Sanderson was being built. Gwyen Sutphin, a freshman computer engineering major, said she loves the Sanderson. “I’d have to say that my favorite thing to do is play basketball and I’m out there once or twice a week,” Sutphin said. While at the Sanderson, Sutphin said she plays on a co-ed intramural basketball team. Sutphin said she loves how the Sanderson provides her with an opportunity to play a sport she loved playing while she was in grade school. Walling said students who go to the Sanderson regularly have higher
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GPAs than those who do not. “A four-year study of the impact of the Sanderson Center on the GPA and retention of freshmen found that those who use the Sanderson
Rachel Bowman | The Reflector
The Sanderson opened in 1998. Full-time students pay for membership through tuition.
Center periodically (one to five times a week) have significantly higher GPA’s (2.84) than non-users
BROWN To most, four decades in a Mississippi collegetown might sound like a lifetime, but at the wise age of 88, Dr. Brown had the opportunity to spend his first 40 years of life living, learning, researching and writing in other places. For him, success came early. Although his career began early, Dr. Brown’s daughter said he would never admit how successful he truly was. “He’s too humble,” Abadie said. “I bet he didn’t even tell you that he graduated from high school at 15 years old.” Which was true. Dr. Brown was proud of his early accomplishments, but this didn’t stop him from continuing his education. After his high school graduation, Brown did not stray far from his small, farming community of Gatewood, West Virginia. Instead, he completed his first degree in-state: A bachelor of science in mechanical engineering from the University of West Virginia. He continued his education and traveled to Lafayette, Indiana, where he completed both his Master’s degree and Ph.D in mechanical engineering, mechanics and mathematics at Purdue University. Upon the completion of his final degree, Dr. Brown relocated to
(2.61) and are 15 percent more likely to persist to graduation,” Walling said. The Sanderson Center
is open seven days a week. Full-time students pay for membership through tuition.
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California, where he spent the next 20 years. His time in California, Dr. Brown said, was spent mostly working in the industry doing mechanical design of aircraft, missiles and spacecraft. During this time, although maintaining focus on his work, Dr. Brown found a new love for research and the theories of physics and mechanical engineering. “I just wanted to tell everyone, ‘Leave me alone and let me work on my theory,’” Dr. Brown said. The process was simple at first. “I sent off my first brochure and said ‘here are my ideas, I would like to work on them.’” However, simplicity is not a match for the time and effort it actually takes. Dr. Brown and his wife, Jimmie Marie, moved to Starkville in 1970, but his first hard-back book was not published until 1991, over 20 years after the cross-country move. Meanwhile, during the lapse of time from moving to Starkville and publishing his own book, Dr. Brown gained a considerable amount of knowledge in others’ published books. In 1972, he launched the very first Campus Bookmart, which then grew to retail locations in both Hattiesburg and Oxford.
Now, nearly 40 years and 30 books later, the Purdue University graduate is still researching for his next book to be published, although his most recent was unveiled just two years ago. In 2015, Dr. Brown published “The Mechanical Theory of Everything,” which is still his most successful book thus far. “Now, this may go way over your head, but the idea is that the universe is made up of particles that are even smaller than atoms,” Dr. Brown said proudly. Originally, he said, a reprint was considered due to the amount of copies printed being sold out. Then, with an aging smile lighting up his face, Dr. Brown said that a second edition was nearly ready. Getting up from his grand desk, Dr. Brown decided that a trip in his candy-apple red Corvette was needed. Visiting his district managers in Hattiesburg or Oxford might be the right fix, however, he has to make one stop before he can be on his way. As he gets out of his car, his wife is already waiting on the porch for him. She is wearing a bright smile on her face– a smile that has been lighting up Dr. Brown’s world since 1952.
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ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY: In 1976, Alexander Graham Bell received a patent for his invention of the telephone.
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OPINION
THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY MARCH 7, 2017
Congress must investigate wiretapping scandal by Heath Fisackerly Staff Writer
The United States of America could soon unravel the largest conspiracy in history. Yes, that means that this could indeed “trump” the Watergate scandal that forced former President Richard Nixon to resign in 1974. On Saturday morning, President Trump made startling, disturbing claims that former President Obama wiretapped Trump Tower in October 2016. The claim was that there was a server located in Trump tower that could have connections to a number of Russian banks and investors. This means that just six weeks before the general election, the FBI, Justice Department, CIA, and Department of Treasury pursued a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court order to tap into the server located in Trump Tower. If this is not a political scandal, then there is no such thing as one. Looking at the facts as we have them right now, the president’s claims are not false. It is a matter of how deep this can go. Who knew that this was taking place? And for how long?
Legally, a president cannot order a wiretapping, but various departments within the executive branch have the authority to seek a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) form and request permission from the courts to do exactly that. If there was a wiretap, that would mean that the Department of Justice convinced a federal judge they had significant evidence of a crime being
Air Force plane for what they claimed was a meeting regarding their grandchildren. Let’s not forget that this meeting occurred while Lynch was the lead prosecutor in the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s private server and while she was the lead prosecutor is this apparent investigation into the server at Trump tower. How can an attorney general of the United States be involved in both
“How can the President of the United States not know what is occurring within his own administration?” committed. A Breitbart story from November confirmed that a FISA court judge had approved a warrant in October in connection to the server and Russian Banks. On June 27, 2016, there was a breaking news story headlining everywhere. Then, Attorney General Loretta Lynch and former President Bill Clinton made headlines for meeting at a Phoenix airport. Clinton reportedly entered Lynch’s government
of those investigations and meet with the husband of the democratic nominee on board a private plane? This is a scandal. I believe that President Trump made these claims after being informed of the investigation by his national security council. Trump is known to make outlandish claims, but I do not believe he would have done so about this matter unless he was presented with hard evidence or confirmation.
However, I believe it is imperative that Congress investigate these claims because if the Obama administration engaged in any tactics that violated the rights of then-candidate Trump, that would be an abuse of executive power. I am not saying that Obama ordered these wiretaps, but I would argue that he knew more about it than he is willing to reveal. How can the President of the United States not know what is occurring within his own administration? Could it be that other personnel within the Obama administration were out to get Donald Trump? This is why I believe this story could be the political scandal of our lifetime. I believe that this could possibly unravel a plan by the Democratic National Convention to overthrow the Trump presidency and that perhaps democratic leaders in the House and Senate are taking place in these apparent cover ups of information that the American people deserve to know. How long was Trump Tower under investigation? Do we know for a fact that phone lines were not tapped? That is the major question. Who knew about this and for how long? Perhaps we will be able to find out.
Sex education needs to change Chris Lowe is a sophomore majoring in business information systems. He can be contacted at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.
Mississippi is admittedly behind the times on a wealth of things, but sex education is one of most egregiously neglected areas. Of course, we have all heard the teen pregnancy statistic that Mississippi had the fourth highest birthrate in the United States in 2015, according to the Mississippi State Department of Health. After conducting extremely minimal research, I have already come to the conclusion that our state’s approach to sex education is a significant contributing factor to that ranking. It is time for Mississippi to re-evaluate its approach to sex ed, regardless of whether we take statistics into account. Mississippi does mandate sex education for high school students, but they allow for only two methods of teaching it: abstinenceonly and abstinence-plus. The problem immediately becomes clear: abstinenceonly should, under no circumstances, be advocated
for by an education system. For many kids, sex education at school is the only way they are taught about sex, and refusing to delve into the actual facts of sexual health is irresponsible and embarrassingly backwards. Schools that utilize this method of teaching are turning a subject that should be all about reality and practicality into one of morality and guilt. For example, Steve Siebold of the Huffington Post states, “the sex education curriculum in Oxford, Mississippi, allegedly has
Even with abstinence-plus, abortion is a forbidden topic to discuss. The majority of teenagers have sex, and turning a blind eye to them in order to push an agenda will only keep Mississippi at the top of teen pregnancy and STI charts. There is nothing wrong with urging students to stay abstinent, but that should be coupled with comprehensive lessons on condoms, STIs and abortion. We owe it to the younger generation to give them all the facts, because that is the only way to set them up for
“We owe it to the younger generation to give them all the facts. That is the only way to set them up for safe sexual practices.” students unwrap a piece of chocolate, pass it around class and take note how dirty it becomes.” This seems to invoke personal or religious ideals in a system that is ideally separate from both of those things. Even if a school were to choose abstinence-plus as their method of choice, it does not necessarily mean the right kind of education is being applied. While this does bring contraceptives into the equation, it only does so in a minimal way.
safe sexual practices. Not knowing how to have sex safely can ruin someone’s life, and that is not worth pacifying a few holier-thanthou legislators that have enacted these abstinencebased policies. I personally feel insulted my tax dollars are allocated towards sexual education practices from 100 years ago. Andy Kopsa from The Atlantic outlines the problem in detail: “Mississippi received $739,000 through the Affordable Care Act ACA
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to implement abstinenceonly-unt il-marriage programs in public schools. The grant guidelines stipulate Mississippi must match the federal funds with state funds at a rate of $3 state dollars to every federal $1. This translates into Mississippians spending around $554,000 in 2012 to teach abstinence-only programs that have not been proven effective.” With that in mind, it is clear Mississippi is wasting almost everyone’s time, directly or not. SexeducationinMississippi is only one side effect of an overarching problem with our legislature. It represents the state’s reliance on opinion over fact and its refusal to abandon its core “values” in lieu of hard evidence. Lacking knowledge about safe sex, especially for teenagers, ruins unwilling parents’ lives, brings children into an environment that sets them up for failure, and helps spread disease among our populace. Our government cannot claim to not know these things, because the information is readily available and impossible to refute. For some reason, Mississippi continues to rely on abstinence— a concept that has failed over and over again. If Mississippi ever intends to stop being an educational laughingstock, our government should start by revamping its sexual education guidelines.
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The
Checkmate: Is chess a sport? by Mustafa Sen Staff Writer
Today, I will tackle with two well-known questions, one for the sake of answering the other: What came first, the chicken or the chicken egg? And is chess a sport? First, I will focus on the chicken or the egg dilemma. There has been a long discussion about what came first, the chicken or the chicken egg. I have got some good news for you. Mystery is solved. Scientists chose the egg. Many features of the modern avian egg-namely an oblong, asymmetrical shape and a hardened shellwere in place prior to birds diverged from dinosaurs about 150 million years ago. Darla Zelenitsky, of the University of Calgary, says, “A lot of the traits that we see in bird eggs evolved before birds in theropod dinosaurs.” Hence eggs were around a long time before chickens. Something like “150 million years before them.” Although eggs did not always look like they do now, they were still eggs. Obviously, eggs came first. Now we have solved this dilemma, we can turn our attention to the “is chess a sport?” question. For the sake of our discussion, let’s first define what a sport is. According to Wikipedia, sport is defined as “all forms of, usually, competitive physical activity which, through casual or organized participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical ability and skills while providing entertainment to participants, and in some cases, spectators. Hundreds of sports exist, from those requiring only two participants, to those with hundreds of simultaneous participants, either in teams or competing as individuals.” Additionally, Google definition explains, “Sport is an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.” Now that we have a basic sense of what constitutes a sport and can delve into the philosophy of chess. Grandmaster
Susan Polgar states, “There are no take-backs just as in life. You must think before you move.” There are many people who think chess is an extreme sport, but I am not there yet. My answer is that chess can be described as a sport. However, it is not agreed to be a sport since it is a board game. I would argue board games are the same as sports, and I am not alone in thinking this about chess, in particular. The International Olympic Committee and over 100 countries recognize chess as a sport. But why? London chess conference claims that chess is a sport because of 10 reasons: It is competitive, well-established, global game, involves physical and mental fitness, has a behaviour code, has Olympic Recognition, European Recognition, national accolades and a player ranking system. There is also an irrefutable amount of entertainment in watching the games of professional chess players. Organizationally, it also makes sense to categorize chess as a sport. For instance, the International Olympic Committee includes FIDE, the World Chess Federation (Federation Internationale des Echecs, known as FIDE from its French acronym) on its list of recognized sporting federations. A well-known chess master asserts, “it would probably make sense for an organization that funds sports for children to fund chess too, since playing chess has many of the benefits of any individual sport on a child’s development, with the obvious exception of physical exercise.” When focusing on the skill set essential for chess, the physical elements are noteworthy. Not so much the actual moving of the chess pieces and using the chess clock, but there are certain skills in terms of physical endurance: the capability to stay concentrated and sharp for a long period of time, possibly seven to eight hours, the skill to make 50 or more good decisions during that long time period, and maintaining determination to win the game.
REFLECTIONS Friedrich Nietzsche
Those who cannot understand how to put their thoughts on ice should not enter into the heat of debate.
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THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY MARCH 7, 2017
Argentinian photojournalist presents at MSU’s Visual Arts Center gallery director, said Suki’s latest body of work Staff Writer is titled “Africa in the Americas” and he has been documenting American “Photography is an art people with African of observation. It has heritage and learning about little to do with the things the variety of cultures you see and everything to across the Americas. She do with the way you see said his work shows the them.” individuality of the people After viewing Sebastián in these communities Suki Beláustegui’s and offers a unique photography collection, opportunity for students this quote by Elliot Erwitt to learn about them. made much more sense to “Photography is a means me. Choice pieces of his to access and understand photography are currently the world,” Neuenfeldt on display at the Mississippi said, “and Suki’s pieces lend State University Visual students the opportunity Arts Center. to access cultures that have Beláustegui, who been overlooked or lost in goes by Suki, is a self- translation.” taught photographer One of the photographs from Argentina who has in the gallery is of a man dedicated on a boat his life to “Photography is a means to with a learning large access and understand the bag about of indigenous colorful world.” cultures flowers. across the While this world. He -Lori Neuenfeldt, MSU’s VAC photo is MSU Newsroom | Contributing photo has traveled gallery director striking through in and of Suki Beláusteguiʼs photos are on display in the Mississippi State University Visual countries itself, it Arts Center and focus on people with African heritage living in the Americas. and lived in 25 indigenous is also a testament to the communities. His intimacy Suki has and the time with the people. forward to Suki visiting photographs don’t trust he gains from the Karina Zelaya, a and said she is very hopeful just show people these people he photographs. professor at MSU, has that students will take this environments, they tell a Suki does not even bring been helping plan Suki’s opportunity to hear his story. out his camera on his first visit since this fall. She story and see his art. Lori Neuenfeldt, the day in an area– he spends said she has been looking “I grew up in El by Georgeann Kenney
Salvador during the civil war,” Zelaya said, “it was a difficult upbringing, and often it was hard to find the positivity in things. Suki’s photographs, without a word, transcend past the 2017 Award Winners violence and suffering amongst these cultures, Programmer’s Choiceand show the beauty.” Aluminum The photos in the gallery can expose students to People Choicesomething otherwise #HELP foreign and the pieces the department of art chose Best Featureto showcase are rich with Slipaway cultural diversity and beauty. Suki’s photography is Best Cinamatogrphyavailable now until March Seagulls 24 in the Visual Arts Center Gallery at 808 University Best ShortDrive and they are open Calls from the Unknown Monday-Saturday from 1-4 p.m. Best Sutdent FilmHe will be at the gallery On Time for a reception from 5-6 p.m. on March 7. There Best Homegrownwill be refreshments and opportunities for students The Atoning to speak with Suki. This reception is free and Best Directoreveryone is welcome. 7 Beds Suki will be in the Union from 6-8 p.m. on March Elena Zastawnik Award for 8, speaking about his Best Written Filmwork. This is also free and Shy Guys open to the public. The reception on March 7 will Ron Tibbett Award for be more intimate, but both Excellence in Filmevents will allow students to interact with Suki and Lucky Chicken ask questions. Jenn McFadden, The Reflector
Club Spotlight Financial Management
Most students are at least somewhat familiar with basic aspects of finance. Even if a student is not entirely sure how they work, any given Mississippi State student probably has at least one bank account and might, like many students, have some amount of student loan debt. According to a recent Forbes article, the average student in the class of 2016 had $37,172 in student loan debt, so even students with a limited knowledge of finance can be affected by finance in a big way. Students who want to learn about the basics of finance or students who are already familiar with the basics but would like to learn more should attend a meeting of the Financial Management Association. The FMA is a student group that studies and discusses finances. According to Sheldon Brewer, FMA’s coordinating officer, the club focuses primarily on long-term investments and financial markets. “The Financial Management Association is basically about trying to find out about the financial markets,” Brewer said. “We try to learn about what kind of markets to invest in and answer questions like, ‘Are mutual funds better or is putting it into the stock market better?’ or ‘Should I use a broker when investing?’ and other questions like that.” While most of the of the members of FMA are majoring in business or related fields, Brewer said anyone who is interested is welcome to attend. “It is mostly business majors but it is open to anyone who has any interest in finance regardless of major,” Brewer said. “All you have to do is come to a meeting and we will try to help with any questions you might have.” The group meets on Wednesdays. Students interested in learning more should visit FMA’s OrgSync or Facebook page to learn if the group will be meeting on a given week. -Will Wells, Staff Writer
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SPORTS
THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY MARCH 7, 2017
Spring football practice in full swing by Taylor Rayburn Staff Writer
It is football season once again as Mississippi State started their spring season with practice last Thursday. After finishing the year with a bowl win over the University of Miami in Ohio, MSU will look to build off a 6-7 record. Entering last spring, the main topic of discussion was the four way quarterback battle between Nick Fitzgerald, Elijah Staley, Damian Williams and Nick Tiano. Fitzgerald, a junior from Richmond Hill, Georgia, won the battle and all three of the other quarterbacks have left the university since then. Besides Fitzgerald, the only other scholarship quarterback on the roster is true freshman Keytaon Thompson. Thompson, a New Orleans, Louisiana, native is an early enrollee and was a 4-star quarterback coming out of high school. Fitzgerald said Thompson is picking things up quicker than he did. “I think he kind of ran this kind of thing in high school,” Fitzgerald said. “It kind of clicked for him way faster than it did for me, which is awesome for him. He is just doing a phenomenal job to be
Noah Siano | The Reflector
Mississippi State University looks to break in their four new coaches and 4-star quarterback Keytaon Thompson in this yearʼs annual spring game at 3 p.m. on April 8.
honest.” MSU also will be breaking in some new coaches this spring as they have hired a new defensive coordinator, a new safeties coach, a new quarterbacks coach and a new tight ends coach. Ron English is the new safeties coach, while D.J. Looney takes over as tight end coach and Brett Elliott takes over as quarterback coach.
Elliott has previous coaching experience at MSU. From 2012-13 he served as an offensive graduate assistant and then in the 2014 season he was the offensive quality control specialist. Head football coach Dan Mullen said he likes to have someone at quarterback’s coach who knows what he wants. “Brett was here for a few years, I like guys to coach
quarterbacks a certain way,” Mullen said. “There’s only certain guys that I wouldn’t have to spend a ton of time with them, he knows what my expectations are, and he knows how I coach the quarterbacks. I think that makes the transition very easy.” Todd Grantham takes over as defensive coordinator for MSU after coaching at Louisville and Georgia
previously. With new coaches comes some new styles, especially when the team has a new head of the defense. Grantham’s predecessor, Peter Sirmon, was in his first year of defensive coordinator experience last season at MSU. For Grantham that is not the case as he has been the defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns, the University of
Georgia and the University of Louisville. Linebacker Gerri Green says Grantham’s experience will help MSU going forward. “He knows what he is talking about, he is experienced,” Green says. “Everything he says you can see it, from watching fi lm to on the field. You see it translate, so everything he says I believe it because I see it work.” Green, a junior from Greenville, Mississippi, is now one of the leaders on MSU’s defense. With A.J. Jefferson and Richie Brown graduating, it falls on him to be one of the older guys and a leader. When asked on what he can do lead, he answered that he just needs to use what he learned from guys like Brown and Jefferson. “Just the things I learned from guys like A.J. and Richie, they always came in and did things the right way,” Green said. “If practice was down, they would pick practice up, if things were going wrong they found ways to make it go right.” MSU will continue their spring practices this week before taking a break over spring break. Then they will start up once again and lead into the annual spring game that will kick off at 3 p.m. on April 8.
Photo Credit: Olivia Zeringue
The Mississippi State Men’s basketball team enters the SEC Tournament as the No. 12 seed. They will face off against No. 13 LSU. The Bulldogs have defeated LSU twice this season with scores of 95-78 and 88-76. They meet again on Wednesday at 6 p.m. Whoever wins will go on to face Alabama on Thursday.
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