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Reflector The

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THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

COMING OUT: A SERIESHowever, some conser-

BY ZACK ORSBORN Life Editor

With the death of openly gay mayoral candidate from Clarksdale, Miss., Marco McMillian, Mississippians lost a leading figure in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer equality movement in a time of discrimination and limited LGBTQ visibility. As Mississippi lawmakers refuse to budge on their stance on same-sex marriage and conservative views on homosexuality remain culturally relevant, many members of the LGBTQ community in the South choose to live “in the closet.”

Miss. Governor calls for state education reform Incoming teacher candidate ACT, GPA requirements subject to change BY HILLARY LAPLATNEY Staff Writer

Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant recently expressed his dissatisfaction with the low standards set by the state’s public universities for teacher candidates, according to CommercialAppeal.com. Bryant attended a state College Board meeting last month, where he recommended incoming education students be required to score a minimum 21 on their ACT and have a 3.0 grade point average. Freshmen education majors in Mississippi public universities averaged a 20.8 on their ACT score in 2011. Currently, Mississippi State University’s college of education enrollment requires that students earn at least a 21 on their ACT and have a GPA of a 2.5 (or a 2.75 for elementary education) according to the college’s website. So far, there is no definite plan for a change in the requirements to take place. Dana Franz, Professor of secondary education at MSU, said she cannot determine the effect the requirement change will have on the department and on education students. “I’ve only ever had a few students with an ACT score of less than 21,” Franz said, speaking of mathematics education students. “But currently what we have in place for students who don’t make a 21 is Praxis 1, and you have to make a certain score on that.” If the legislation were to be passed, Mississippi education students who scored below a 21 on their ACT would be required to make a 21 on the Praxis test. She said students who are in the education program when the changes take place will be grandfathered in. “Right now, we’re telling our students not to panic,” Franz said. Franz said she believes the goal of the proposal is a positive one. “We have to keep in mind that this was proposed because they want to make education in Mississippi better,” Franz said. “We should all be about making education better. That should be our goal.” Melanie Nelson, senior math education major, said she believes the idea will help provide Mississippi with more qualified teachers, therefore increasing the quality of education in the state. “Mississippi has one of the lowest requirements for minimum Praxis scores to get a teaching license,” Nelson said. “The government thinks that these low expectations are a reason why our education system is performing so poorly on many standardized test scores.” Nelson also said she believes the proposal will help with others’ perceptions of the college of education. “Overall, this will help increase the quality of teachers, and hopefully show that this is not an ‘easy’ major, which many people perceive it to be,” Nelson said.

READER’S GUIDE

BAD DAWGS..............................2 OPINION ...............................3 CONTACT INFO.......................3 BULLETIN BOARD...................4

vative figureheads like former governor of Mississippi, Ronnie Musgrove, have expressed their support of same-sex marriage. According to TheTrevorProject.org, Mississippi exists among one of the eight states that stigmatizes and isolates LGBTQ youth. Deborah Jackson, assistant professor of clinical mental health and an LGBTQ counselor, said belonging to the LGBTQ community in the South is challenging because of the traditional values and the way pastors preach against homosexuality. “I don’t think people who identify as LGBT are as willing to come out and be open about their sex-

Mississippi’s LGBT community increases visibility

part one

uality here in the South She said the adminisbecause for many, there tration at Mississippi State is a perUn i ve r s i t y I don’t think people is intolerant ceived fear that there of any disrewho identify as is a safety spectful beLGBT are as willing havior toward issue,” she to come out and be students and said. “I’ve had students recognizes open about their tell me they the special sexuality here in fear for their needs that physical the South because come with safety.” stufor many, there is a LGBTQ Although dents, includperceived fear that ing increased some believe bulharassment there is a safety lying only that can afissue.” occurs in fect someone - Deborah Jackson, mentally and high school, Jackson said assistant professor physically. bullying also “You have of clinical mental low self esoccurs in college, but teem, depreshealth most incision, anxiety, dents fail to be reported. suicidal ideation. When

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people treat you as a second class citizen or treat you like you aren’t worth anything, it does affect the way you think of yourself,” Jackson said. “With bullying there is psychological trauma and perhaps physical trauma.” As an openly gay faculty member at MSU with a same-sex marriage feature published in “Jet Magazine,” Ravi Perry, assistant professor of political science and scholar activist, grew up with highly academic parents involved in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. Moving from place to place, Perry said he noticed his sexuality resonated differently according to different locations such as Ohio, Michigan and Rhode Island.

SEE VISIBILITY, 2

Fourth annual Relay for Life begins Friday BY JAMES TOBERMANN Staff Writer

THE 7 STAGES OF RELAY FOR LIFE 1 Relayers are welcomed in the opening ceremony. 2 Relay starts with the Survivor Lap, when survivors walk to celebrate their victory over cancer. 3 The Caregiver Lap recognizes those who have given care to cancer patients. 4 All of the Relay teams are invited to walk together during the Opening Lap. togeth 5 Luminaria bags and candles are lit during the Luminaria Ceremony to honor loved ones who have passed or are fighting the disease. 6 Individual Walking is observed throughout the the night with family games, activies and entertainment. 7 The Fight Back Ceremony helps close the event. Relayers takes a final lap and pledge to take action and spread awareness of cancer research, treatments and prevention. ZACK ORSBORN | THE REFLECTOR

Activities for Mississippi State University’s fourth annual Relay for Life fundraiser for cancer research begins Friday and will continue until Saturday morning. JuLeigh Baker, staff adviser for Relay for Life, said the relay begins at 1 p.m. and ends at 1 a.m. on Saturday, with a survivor celebration lap at 6 p.m. and a luminary ceremony at 9 p.m. Baker said MSU celebrities including athletic director Scott Stricklin, football coach Dan Mullen and former Lieutenant Governor Amy Tuck will serve a barbecue lunch in the Junction at 11 a.m. for a recommended donation of $7 per plate. Heather Richardson, chair of the Relay for Life planning committee, said the committee is affiliated with Colleges Against Cancer, a nationwide organization devoted to eliminating cancer. Baker said the fundraising goal for this year’s Relay for Life is $37,000, and the committee is well on it’s way to reaching this goal. Richardson said many campus organiza-

tions, including Maroon VIP, Alumni Delegates and the Longest Student Health Center are sponsoring teams in the relay. Baker said many teams will sell food during the event, and several teams will offer activities such as photo booths, dunking booths, face painting and games. Baker also said the planning committee is sponsoring a Hunger Games-themed event in which teams can donate money to provide competitors in the games with weapons such as water guns. Richardson said the committee has planned numerous entertainment events during the relay, including a concert by country singer Skylar Lane, a womanless beauty pageant and performances by local musicians. Richardson added the committee will host a silent auction featuring items such as paintings, handmade crafts and MSU sports memorabilia. Baker said the atmosphere of the relay is comparable to that of a football tailgate. “It’s like a tailgate to celebrate cancer survivors and to raise money for cancer research,” she said.

New SA President gets involved, combats indifference BY HANNAH ROGERS Editor in Chief

New Student Association President Michael Hogan plans to build the the name and reputation of the Mississippi State University’s SA by tackling student body apathy differently than his predecessors. “Everyone has been focusing on the student body as a whole, which I think is a huge, great picture to focus on, but it’s very difficult to focus on,” he said. Rather, by working from the inside out, Hogan said he hopes to make the students working in different aspects of the SA — cabinet, senate and committee members, for example — excited to be part of the organization, which in turn can spread to those not involved in the SA on a day-to-day basis. “That’s going to be my main target — to make sure that these students who are giving 110 percent ... get to have this incredible experience they’re going to share with everyone,” he said. Rhett Hobart, 2011-2012 SA president, said he believes in the last four to five years, the SA has made steps to become more transparent and proactive in accomplishing goals that better the lives of students, especially with the boom of social media. Although apathy still exists toward student

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government, which is across the board nationally, Hobart said social media has helped students at MSU feel more connected — that they can have more of an input in decisions. “The goal of SA in everything is to carry the concerns and be the voice for the student body at all levels of the university administration, the city, the state and national levels,” he said. “That direct interaction with students through social media and other interactions has allowed the student body to provide more direct insight on what they want to see.” Eddie Keith, associate dean of students, said the SA has evolved, but the mission of the SA’s constitution is still to encompass all students. “The nice thing about it is that everybody, every student is a member of the SA by definition,” he said. “The challenge is for the SA to be as inclusive as possible.” Hobart said students providing their input and feedback to the SA allows student leaders to tailor their initiatives more to the desires of the student KAITLIN MULLINS | THE REFLECTOR body. Michael Hogan took over as Student Association president in March. SEE PRESIDENT, 2

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FRIDAY

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MONDAY

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NEWS

FRIDAY , APRIL 12 , 2013

BAD DAWGS

Monday, April 8 • 10:14 a.m. A student passed out in the IED Building. The subject was transferred to OCH. • 1:01 p.m. A resident of the city/county was arrested on Hardy Road for speeding and having a suspended driver’s license. • 5:15 p.m. A student was arrested in Starkville on a warrant for aggravated domestic violence. • 6:20 p.m. An employee reported her vehicle was damaged at an unknown time and location. • 9:48 p.m. A student reported she was in an altercation off campus.

Tuesday, April 9 • 1:10 a.m. A non-resident/visitor was arrested on Stone Boulevard for speeding, having a suspended driver’s license and disregard for a traffic device. • 2:58 a.m. A student was transported to OCH from South Hall for medical assistance. • 12:00 p.m. A student reported her vehicle damaged while parked in Sessums Hall. • 2:30 p.m. A student reported a suspicious incident behind Rice Hall. • 6:16 p.m. A non-resident/visitor reported his vehicle was damaged while parked near Dudy Noble field.

Citations:

• 9 citations were issued for speeding. • 2 citations were issued for disregard of traffic. • 1 citation was issued for disregard of a traffic device.

PRESIDENT

THE REFLECTOR

continued from 1

“I can’t tell you how many times I was stopped on campus with students just telling me general concerns, which I really appreciate,” he said. “People don’t understand that you really do appreciate that when you’re SA president … getting stopped and getting advice, getting feedback. Because that’s how you grow and get better.” In keeping with connecting with students, Hogan said he plans to enact the open door policy that was on his presidential platform. “Something that we’re really excited about is in the fall each cabinet member and each executive member, along with each senator, will have office hours and will hold them every single week,” he said. These hours will be posted on the SA website, and students will have the opportunity to see what SA representatives do or ask questions. Along with office hours, Hogan plans to review and revamp the SA website to make it more informative and user-friendly. “I will be spending some time with our public relations cabinet members to discuss their view of the website … just to see how we can improve,” he said. “We’re going to spend some significant time on, during the summer, trying to revamp that and just get an overall better look for the website, so that’s definitely something within my sights.” Hogan has also created the position of executive assistant, which will be held by Haley Grantham, to replace the press secretary role. He described the position as a “catch-all,” and she will be acting as a liaison between all internal staff of the SA. She will still work with public relations, especially with the cabinet members who

hold public relations postitions. After choosing cabinet, Hogan said he hopes to delegate tasks to the students he chose and plans to work on every aspect of his platform. “I’m lucky enough enough to say that this year for cabinet we’re very diverse in we have a lot of different outlooks, opinions across the board that are going to be very beneﬁcial for us. These are going to be the things that everything from nonGreek to minority to freshmen to senior, we’ve got the whole board covered in that I’ve got some great student leaders who will be working day-to-day with the Student Association,” he said. In order to create an awareness for senate and elections next year, Hogan said he plans to start at orientation with freshmen and hopes senators will speak about their experiences during the organization fair. Even as Hogan plans to create change, he said he will follow many of the procedures of his predecessors in the day-to-day aspect of the job. Morgan McDowell, senior and senator for the College of Business, who has served in some capacity through the SA for the majority of his college career, said he commends this school year’s executive council and senate and believes excellence will continue in the future administrations. “I look forward to the future … Seeing these guys and girls in these leadership positions and seeing it just as good as when we left it,” he said. “And that’s really what it’s all about, that’s what the student leaders in the Student Association want … for it to be just as good if not better as when you left it.”

VISIBILITY After moving to Mississippi, he said his sexuality has been much more pronounced along with his racial identity, but he said he has received genuine encouragement. Despite the support, he said Mississippi is stuck in its ways. Seeing the Confederate ﬂag and conservative bumper stickers, something Perry said is unfamiliar to him, constantly reminds him of his location. “I know (those ideals) are not necessarily the majority. Also, education is powerful, and I think being here, I hope that I can be of some use to others to believe that it is possible to live in the rural South as an openly gay person and do so successfully,” he said. Harry Hawkins, a graduate student studying clinical mental health and president of the LGBTQ group MSU’s Spectrum, said the LGBTQ community should be more visible on campus because homosexuality exists. “I am ready to be an old gay in my 50s,” Hawkins said. “I’m ready for the day where it’s not even a thing anymore. It was like ‘Oh God, there’s a group of African-American people standing over there. Oh God.’ Now, it’s okay. You don’t sit there and start grouping anymore, and that’s what I’m ready

continued from 1 for — that period of time where we are not even grouped anymore.” As president of Spectrum, Hawkins said he hoped the organization would bring people together to create a family feeling. He said he noticed new members were a little reserved at ﬁrst, but over time, they become a part of the family. Recently, Hawkins, along with Spectrum members, attended a LGBTQ conference at the University of Alabama where a speaker mentioned LGBTQ hardships were a new chapter in the Civil-Rights Movement. Hawkins said he agreed discrimination against the LGBTQ community is a civil rights issue. “I think we need to come together and support one another and realize we could get more done because we’ve all suffered relatively the same. There are some differences, in variation. But I think that’s it. It’s being perpetrated, and it’s 2013,” Hawkins said. “Now, we have a mayoral candidate that is dead in Coahoma County that is possibly because he’s gay. I don’t understand another reason he was killed. I think it’s alarming.” For more information about Spectrum and LGBTQ visibility, meetings are held on Tuesdays in the Mitchell Memorial Library at 6 p.m.

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FRIDAY , APRIL 12, 2013

REFLECTOR-ONLINE.COM

OPINION

the voice of MSU students

THE SNITCH | HANNAH ROGERS

Student journalism has great importance, must remain professional

our years ago, I walked into The Reflector office, attempting not to let my nervousness show as I waited for my interview to begin. Terrified I wasn’t good enough to write for the newspaper, I prepared myself for a rejection because I had only written in high school and was a biochemistry major. To my surprise, I was not only told I could write three trial articles for the entertainment section but was also invited by the managing editor to visit the office to see what the editors did, in case I wanted to apply for a spring position. And so began my journey of self-discovery and fulfillment which many college freshmen go through (I’ll spare you.) But I did become entertainment editor and change my major from biochemistry to English and communication by the end of the year. I had found something I was passionate about. So, for four years, I held various jobs at the newspaper and wrote about as many topics as I could. And, on occasion, I asked a profes-

sor if I could duck out of class if the FBI or the coroner called. I learned to balance writing stories, editing and doing classwork. Sometimes that meant sacrificing sleep, sometimes that meant being a chronic anti-social. But I never regretted it. And, honestly, as hard as my life may have seemed at some points (both to myself and those who knew me), I didn’t have it as bad as many student journalists I know. At the end of April 2011, I had just taken over as editor in chief of The Reflector. At the same time, the staff of The Crimson White dealt with covering the tornado that struck and devastated Tuscaloosa. Former staff members who covered the tornado have described to me their ethical struggles in evaluating whether to release information based on unreliable sources, especially with death reports. Staffers used what resources they could to report as accurately as possible in order to distribute information.

And, through all of this, they the story. We must never stop made great sacrifices — al- learning and improving. And we though they never complained must learn to do it while mainor described it as such. To them, taining excellence in our schoolthey were just doing their jobs. work and other activities. In our line of work, journalists Why do we care about the face difficult sitprint industry uations — covWe aren’t limited as and keep writering natural Because student journalists — ing? disasters, crime, there’s huge we have enormous sensitive issues potential to and death. But inform peopower to do good.” sometimes, ple in an inwe’re writing about new laws, depth manner. Short newscasts construction or industry trends. will never be able to give 3,000 All of it is important. All of it words to explore key issues. deserves the same care. Before We can. (I’m not knocking the we put words on the page, we broadcast industry; it just fulfills have to act professionally and a different role.) Readers can ethically. We make choices that have a physical copy of informaaffect our coverage. And that tion and go back to it as needed. may begin with researching the So we need to be accurate. We issue at hand thoroughly before need to be fair. We need to care. going to interviews so the right We need to be passionate about questions are asked. what we do. We aren’t limited as Student journalists must re- student journalists — we have alize they are not different from enormous power to do good. professional journalists. We are Through persistence, hard held to the same standard — if work and love for service, journot a higher standard by some nalists continue to make a dif— as the rest of the media. Our ference throughout the world. facts must be correct. So should we. We must look for all sides of And that involves getting a

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more diverse group of people involved in writing and working for The Reflector. To any student interested in writing, taking photographs, working as ad sales representatives or delivering the paper: come apply. Your major doesn’t matter. What matters is your commitment to the job. To make something good better. To serve your fellow students and your community. But, to those of you who just enjoy reading us, I urge you to give us feedback. Thank you for reading and always feel free to write in (editor@reflector.msstate.edu) if you have any comments, concerns or letters to the editor. I encourage you one last time because I won’t be here to do so. Today, I turn in my keys to The Reflector office and step down as editor. The memories and lessons I learned will stay with me, but I will move on — as is the case with many of the students who pass through this office. And I appreciate all that everyone at this university, especially my staff and Frances McDavid (The Reflector advis-

HANNAH ROGERS Hannah Rogers is the editor in chief of The Reflector. She can be contacted at opinion@ reflector.msstate.edu. er) and Denise Kellum (business manager) has done for me. I leave thankful for not only the opportunity I had to serve but also grateful this job has changed me. Being a journalist has made me thoroughly consider others, the implications of my actions and the importance of education. As I prepare to leave, Kaitlyn Byrne will take over as editor in chief for 2013-2014. Congratulations to her and the new editorial board staff. I have every faith they can show you, the readers, how important and effective journalism can be. I look forward to reading.

THE CONSTANT | MARY CHASE BREEDLOVE

Bridesmaids face faulty culture stereotypes, friendships at stake

his May marks the an- ding, but after my dismissal, I niversary of when I was spent the day at King’s Island kicked out of a friend’s in Cincinnati with my summer camp staff. I sent her a text meswedding party. No, I’m not airing dirty sage wishing the best for their laundry. And no, I’m not trying wedding day. Two years and a to slander anyone. I’m simply couple of superficial messages sharing this experience because later, we still haven’t talked. The healing powers of time there are two important lessons to be learned with this story, so have made me wiser, and I’ve gained clarity about what haplisten up. A little over a month before pened that day in May. There are two reasons for my the wedding — after I helped Reacapture the Our culture brainwashes jilting. son number memory of women into believing one: comtheir promunicaposal, pura wedding revolves tion, or a chased my around the bride only, and lack therebridesmaid’s dress, at‘bridesmaid’ really means, of. I knew tended the ‘slave to the bride’s every c o u l d n ’ t afford her bridal gown wish.” bachelorselection process, bought the gifts and ette party weekend, so I let her assisted with the showers — I know months in advance. But that weekend, I had the received an email from the bride-to-be informing me I had opportunity to visit my fiancé’s been replaced as a bridesmaid (then boyfriend) great aunt and for not fulfilling my duties and great-grandmother. My mom for being out of town during found a dirt-cheap plane ticket the weekend of her bachelor- to Atlanta (way cheaper than ette party. I suppose you could a weekend bachelorette excursay I gained membership into sion), and I spent the weekend the Association of Jilted Brides- with those wonderful women maids, but I won’t put that on who will not see us get married. Both ladies have passed away my LinkedIn profile. I was humiliated. I was hurt. since then. I probably should have talked Many tears and several weeks later, her wedding day ar- to the bride in depth about why rived. I was planning to drive I was out of town that weekdown from my summer job in end. I’m sure her side of the Georgetown, Ky., for the wed- story explains how cruel I was

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The

Reflector Editor in Chief Hannah Rogers

Managing Editor Kaitlyn Byrne

Life Editor Zack Orsborn

Multimedia Editor Eric Evans Sports Editor Kristen Spink

Campus News Editor John Galatas

Photography Editor Kaitlin Mullins

Copy Editor Candace Barnette

News Editor Emma Crawford

Opinion Editor Mary Chase Breedlove Copy Editor Rachel Burke

CONTACT INFORMATION

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Editor in Chief/Hannah Rogers

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.

325-7905 editor@reflector.msstate.edu Managing Editor/Kaitlyn Byrne 325-8991 managing@reflector.msstate.edu News Editor/Emma Crawford 325-8819 news@reflector.msstate.edu News tips/John Galatas 325-7906 news@reflector.msstate.edu Opinion Editor/Mary Chase Breedlove opinion@reflector.msstate.edu Sports Editor/Kristen Spink 325-5118 sports@reflector.msstate.edu Life Editor/Zack Orsborn 325-8883 life@reflector.msstate.edu Photography Editor/Kaitlin Mullins 325-1584 photo@reflector.msstate.edu Advertising sales/Julia Pendley 325-7907 advertise@reflector.msstate.edu

CORRECTIONS

EDITORIAL POLICY The Reflector is the official student newspaper of Mississippi State University. Content is determined solely by the student editorial staff. The contents of The Reflector have not been approved by Mississippi State University.

The Reflector staff strives to maintain the integrity of this paper through accurate and honest reporting. If we publish an error we will correct it. To report an error, call 325-7905.

for blowing her party off for my boyfriend. My intentions were never to hurt her. I did try to tell her during our phone conversation, but I doubt she was listening. During her engagement, I often asked if she needed help with anything. She’d say something along the lines of, “No, but when I do, I’ll let you know.” To this day, I can’t remember refusing to do anything for her unless I had a prior commitment. The words exchanged among some of her other bridesmaids must have said otherwise. If she had been open and honest with me during the planning process, I wouldn’t have been so blindsided by her reasons for my replacement. If I knew being a part of her wedding meant I had to make sure I “did enough” for her, I may have reconsidered my answer to her asking me to stand beside her on her wedding day. She never hinted toward replacing me. I never saw it coming. If I had communicated to her more, maybe things would be different. But, in the words of my dad, “If ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ were candy and nuts, then we’d all have a merry Christmas.” Just trying to lighten the mood, folks. With our society’s constant communication, we’ve lost the basics. Picking up the phone

and calling someone — or worse, having a face-to-face conversation, can be avoided if the subject may be awkward or difficult. We’re letting the skill of human interaction slip away. Maybe proper communication could have saved our friendship. Reason number two for our falling out has to do with our differing opinions of what a bridesmaid does. Our culture brainwashes women into believing a wedding revolves around the bride only, and “bridesmaid” really means, “slave to the bride’s every wish.” Bridesmaids are expected to postpone their lives separate from the wedding and attend every shower, dinner or wedding-related function. Not attending such things or volunteering hours of free manual labor to prepare for the wedding sends the message, “Well, she doesn’t care about me because she’s not doing enough for me.” If you need a visual perspective about the bridesmaid stereotype, check out any reality TV show with “bride” in the title. If you’re like me, you can’t help but think about the plot of “Bridesmaids.” The main character fails to fulfill the obligations of the stereotype and is replaced as maid of honor. Luckily, the bride in the film comes around and realizes the

friendship outweighs the “duties” of a bridesmaid. To me, a bridesmaid is the person who helped the bride get to where she is today. Bridesmaids are the people who influenced the bride into becoming the woman she will be going into marriage. Bridesmaids are friends who love the bride unconditionally — the loyal, life-long friends. Being a bridesmaid is an honor for the bride, not the bridesmaid. In May, I will marry my best friend, surrounded by people standing on the church steps and sitting in the pews who have loved me unconditionally. I’m honored to have such a blessing. I expect my bridesmaids to stand beside me when I commit to spending my life with another person, the least selfish thing I’ll ever do. That’s all. No hidden agendas, no mandatory shower or bachelorette party attendance. I’m not keeping score of how many of them can do or buy things for me. I just want them to stand beside me on our wedding day. The more I think, the more I realize maybe my old friend never had that same unconditional love toward me. If she did, replacing me wouldn’t have been as easy as it was. Don’t get me wrong — being a bridesmaid isn’t the ultimate status of friendship. Some of the best friends I’ll ever have are people

MARY CHASE BREEDLOVE Mary Chase Breedlove is the opinion editor at The Reflector. She can be contacted at opinion@ reflector.msstate.edu. outside our bridal party. My relationships with my friends aren’t hinged upon whether or not they’re bridesmaids. If my old friend didn’t want me to be a part of her wedding party in the first place or if she had to choose between several girls and decided not to pick me, I would have understood. If she wanted someone else in my place, she should have talked to me. Take a look at the people in your life. Are you grateful for them? Do you hold close friendships? Don’t let petty, trivial pressures from society take their place. After the horrible experience of losing a friend, take my advice. Talk to them. Have the hard conversations. Say the things that need to be said. And above all, show them unconditional love. When you do, you’ll have a wonderful, lasting and worthwhile friendship in return.

PRICE OF TEA IN CHINA | ANNA WOLFE

We can learn from opinions of others

am writing in response to ering how far we have come in an article published in last altering our views for the better. Friday’s paper titled, “Shar- This can be seen in the change ing personal opinions on social in attitudes towards racial mimedia creates tension,” which norities, women and most restated, “No matter your opin- cently, gays and lesbians. We ion, you are the only one who continue progressing through cares.” Keep in mind readers, the change in our opinions. this article was My own published in views have By hearing the the opinion as I opinions of others, I changed section. have grown gain perspective and older and beAs an opinion writer and come more knowledge, which debate enthusieducated. only allows for me ast, I question Without hearthe validity of ing the ideas of to formulate more this writer’s colaccurate views than the people who umn. I believe have surroundmy previous.” voicing opinion ed me as I’ve is essential and aged, I cannot ultimately beneficial to societ- say I would have formulated the ies and democracy as a whole. same opinions that do so much Of course, not everyone shares to define my character today. the same views. If we did, our And this does not mean I communities would probably have regurgitated the words of not function correctly, not to others as my own as the writer mention we’d all be absolutely seems to suggest some do when boring. she says, “Sadly, some are more The writer said as humans easily swayed than others.” By we disregard other opinions, hearing the opinions of others, I and once we have settled on a gain perspective and knowledge, view, it is almost impossible to which only allows me to formuchange. At this point, I almost late more accurate views than laugh, because I know how en- my previous. tirely inaccurate that is. The writer seems to be under Americans as a whole are the impression that the purpose proof against this claim, consid- of formulating opinions is to

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prove them right as the only inherent truths. She writes, “If I can’t validate why my opinion is finer, what is the point of entertaining such ideas?” The point of entertaining such ideas is this: by sharing, even challenging your views with others and listening to others’ in return, you become more open-minded to alternative perspectives. If repeated often, you become accepting of all individuals and their differences. Competing with ideas is not a “fight” for superiority; it is a promotion for diversity, understanding and open-mindedness. It is only when one side completely shuts down the other, which the writer does address, when this kind of debating fails. The solution to this, however, is not to keep quiet. The writer suggests, “By all means, if you are genuinely interested, you should ask your friends their thoughts on a subject.” We should not limit ourselves to the opinions of our friends, who are the people most likely to share our views, offering no competition. And how should we know what to ask anyhow? There are issues I never knew could be looked at in a different way until someone demonstrat-

ANNA WOLFE Anna Wolfe is a junior majoring in communication. She can be contacted at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu. ed so by voicing his or her opinion. The greatest knowledge we can gain does not come from asking but from listening to individuals who inadvertently answer questions we could have never known to ask. By relying only on our own curiosity, we fall to the ignorance of those who the writer addressed at the end of her article. “All humans (do not) have the ability to deal with differing opinions.” Well, all that I have to say is those people are oblivious and will never fully grasp diversity or what it means to be accepting. The apathy of those people willing to stagnate society is destructive and, frankly, I will not cater to them by keeping my opinions unvoiced.

FRIDAY , APRIL 12 , 2013

THE REFLECTOR

AN IN-CLASS DISTRACTION ...

4-12-13

BULLETIN BOARD CLASSIFIEDS POLICY 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. HELP WANTED Bartending. Up to $300 / day. No experience necessary. Training available. Call 800.965.6520 ext. 213. FOR SALE 1/2-carat past, present and future engagement ring. Paid $500, will take $300, ﬁrm. Call 617.0111 and ask for Angela. 2010 River Birch mobile home, 16x60, two bedroom, two bathroom, vinyl siding, shingle roof, 8x10 porch with roof and door, fenced yard, oak plank linoleum throughout, excellent condition, two miles from MSU. $25,900 or best offer. Call 769.0770. FOR RENT Studio, two and four bedroom apartments available. Close to campus. Call Barbara at 418.8603. Close to campus, one bedroom, one bathroom apartment. Appliances included: microwave, dishwasher, stove, refrigerator, washer and dryer. No pets. Call 648.9519, 323.5186 or 341.5186 MISCELLANEOUS

Call Oda! ABC Professional Tutoring. High school and college: Math, business, statistics, physics, chemistry, statistics, ACT, SAT, GRE, GMAT and more. Available seven days a week. Call 722.0020. 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 to club_info@reflector.msstate. edu with the 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. THE WESLEY FOUNDATION Insight Bible study and worship. Tuesdays at 8 p.m. Wesley Foundation Worship Center, East Lee Boulevard, next to Campus Book Mart. MSU CATHOLIC STUDENT ASSOCIATION The MSU Catholic Student Association invites you to join us for Sunday mass at 5:30 p.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 607 University Drive. All are welcome to $2 Tuesday night dinner at 6 in the Parish Hall. Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/ msstatecsa.

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 5 to 6:30. Like Yoga Moves Club-MSU on Facebook. SOCIOLOGICAL STUDENT ASSOCIATION The Sociological Student Association is based in the Department of Sociology. Undergraduates of all degrees are welcome. Meetings are held the last Thursday of every month in Bowen Hall Room 250 at 5 p.m. MANIFESTING GLORY Manifesting Glory is currently looking for musicians on a temporary or permanent basis. All who are interested, please call 518.1456. PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION CLUB Are you interested in talking about the deeper questions of life? If so, come and join us on Thursdays at 5 p.m. in Union Room 227. Email msu. philosophyandreligion.club@gmail.com. MSU STUDENT CHAPTER OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MICROBIOLOGY Contact msuasm@yahoo.com or like us on Facebook MSU ASM for membership information.

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5 | FRIDAY , APRIL 12, 2013

THE REFLECTOR

Life & Entertainment

Gaining Momentum: BY DANIEL HART AND CATIE MARIE MARTIN Staff Writers

As a mode of transportation, automobiles have a slightly less modern competitor gaining prominence. Mississippi State University students, Starkville business owners and world-renowned artists, musicians and writers note the benefits of bicycling as a mode of travel and recreation, as well as the connected culture biking creates. MSU graduates Jan and David Morgan opened Starkville’s Boardtown Bikes at 200 South Montgomery St. in 2008. Jan Morgan said she and her husband, both biking enthusiasts, founded the shop after discovering the need for a retailer providing high quality bicycles, biking equipment and repair services in the Golden Triangle region. Since the store’s opening, Jan Morgan suffered an accident in which a car traveling at 70 mph hit her while she was cycling with a friend. After five weeks in a coma and extensive rehab in Atlanta, Jan Morgan made a full recovery and said she will set out on her first return to long-distance group bike rides soon. Jan Morgan, an advocate for biker safety and motorist-biker cooperation. She said the size of Starkville both allows for ease of biking and requires collaboration between automobiles and bicycles riding the same asphalt. “Starkville is a town you could bike everywhere in,” she said. “Motorists are becoming more aware; it’s very much a share-the-road situation.” Jan Morgan said biking also lessens a person’s environmental im-

pact as well as provides exercise for all ages and body types. “Biking reduces your carbon footprint. It provides exercise that doesn’t pound on your body and isn’t hard on your joints,” she said. Preston Williamson, sophomore civil engineering major, is a recreational mountain biker; Williamson said the well-maintained trails at the Thad Cochran Research, Technology & Economic Development Park and trails at Noxubee Wildlife Refuge provide high quality options for Starkville bikers. Williamson said mountain biking is not for the faint of heart. “I’ve experienced cuts, raspberries, busted elbows and knees, but my pride is what has been hurt the most. There’s definitely a learning curve involved,” Williamson said. Killing two birds with one stone, Williamson purchased a Trek 6 series bike, which gave him a practical way to get to and from campus every day as well as a formative, demanding new hobby. “Mountain biking will make a better man out of you,” Williamson said with an enthusiastic nod. Kit Warren, senior wildlife and fishery major, said he started biking in Starkville for practical reasons first and foremost. Since moving off campus two years ago, Warren said biking has become a ritual, allowing him to leave home later and get to class faster. Warren said biking to campus saves him gas money as well as time when he is trying to make it to class in a hurry. “I have a lot of classes across campus, so it’s hard to get there on foot,” Warren said.

Bicycling increases, provides Starkville with transportation, connected lifestyle

J. DAVID LEWIS | COURTESY PHOTO

Biking saves time and money, providing speed and ease to MSU students traveling across campus between classes. Warren said he thinks Starkville is relatively biker-friendly but that many things can be done to help the city reach its full cycling potential. He said most of the bike lanes on campus do not connect and bikers have to alternate between riding on the road or on the sidewalk in order to reach their destinations. “A lot of times people don’t know how to respond to bikers. They either ride right up next to you or they swing out into the other lane. Drivers kind of freak out when they see

a biker,” Warren said. “On campus, I’m more worried about running over pedestrians, but in Starkville and on University Drive, I don’t feel very safe because drivers sometimes don’t see you.” Biking is gaining recognition for the lifestyle it provides as well as its pragmatic concerns. David Byrne, artist, writer, musician and co-founder of musical group Talking Heads, published a memoir of his bicycling experiences, “Bicycle Diaries” in 2009. Byrne’s website

summarizes the book, stating that he used bicycling as his primary mode of transportation beginning in the 1980s in New York City. He utilized a folding bike while in cities around the world away from NYC. His website said he became engrossed in viewing the world from behind handlebars “the more cities he saw from his bicycle, the more he became hooked on this mode of transport and the sense of liberation, exhilaration and connection it provided.”

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SPORTS

FRIDAY , APRIL 12 , 2013

THE REFLECTOR

IS OLE MISS VS. MSU ON THANKSGIVING GOOD FOR THE BULLDOGS? THIS YEAR’S EGG BOWL WILL BE TELEVISED ON ESPN ON NOV. 28 AT 6:30 P.M.

INTENTIONAL GROUNDING | JOHN GALATAS

THIRD AND 57 | ALDEN THORNHILL

Thanksgiving football boosts Holiday game brings back ratings, drops fan attendance classic memories for Dog fans hen I think Thanksgiving, many traditions come to mind that bring back memories of a complete holiday. To name a few, time with family and friends, culinary preparations and the all-offive-minutes of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade I can handle. But, of course, Thanksgiving would not be Thanksgiving in the Galatas household without football. This year, Mississippi State will play Ole Miss in the Battle of the Golden Egg on Thanksgiving night for the first time since 2003. Although many fans accept the schedule change, I do not think the holiday game will provide much benefit to the Bulldogs. When I asked a few of my peers about their opinions of the schedule change, the majority of responses were mostly the same. “It’s great because we get to stuff our faces and enjoy a great game in Davis Wade.” But unless you live in

the Golden Triangle, you can’t do both. The majority of students traveling for the holidays will have a tough choice to make of either attending the game, or staying home and watching the game on TV while finishing the lunch leftovers. One thing the Dogs can expect from the Thanksgiving game is national television exposure, but are ratings more important than getting fans to the game? With it being a prime game on a day that does not see many sports, there will be a lot of attention to this rivalry game, even if it is just background noise during postlunch naps. Even though the Egg Bowl will generate a viewership nationwide, I can’t help but think the matchup will not get the attention it deserves. Over the past three years, the Thanksgiving Day game posted an average 3.6 million viewers. Those matchups included Texas vs. Texas A&M and Texas vs. TCU. Yes, State and Ole Miss have become more competitive in recent years, but I don’t think the game can draw in the number of viewers as a powerhouse Texas can. Although the game will give both squads some national attention, the Dogs won’t be just battling the Rebels when Nov. 28 match rolls around. When you think about football on Thanksgiving, the first thing

JOHN GALATAS John Galatas is the campus news editor of The Reflector. He can be contacted at news@ reflector.msstate.edu. that usually comes to mind is the tradition of National Football League teams dominating the holiday television lineup. Having been born in Dallas, watching the Cowboys on Thanksgiving became a staple every year. Last year on Thanksgiving, the Cowboys and Redskins drew in 28.7 million viewers while 27.3 million tuned in to the Lions and Texans game. Yes, MSU and Ole Miss played on a Saturday the last three years, but the game averaged only 481,000 viewers since 2010. Playing on Thursday will give the ratings a boost but will still be overshadowed by the NFL audience. Some fans will embrace the change since many memorable Egg Bowl games took place on Thanksgiving, but I don’t think the viewership will reach far outside the state. Enjoy your traditional holiday with family and friends, and let’s leave football on Thanksgiving to the Cowboys and Lions.

remember it like it was exclaimed on the ESPN just yesterday. It was a broadcast that night. I still cold Thanksgiving night remember the play that in Starkville in 1999. Mis- sealed the win for the Bullsissippi State was looking dogs: Willie Bean tipped to win its second straight and then kicked a pass from Battle for the Golden Egg the Ole Miss quarterback against visiting Mississip- into the air to the outpi in front of a primetime stretched arms of Eugene Clinton, who returned the ESPN audience. ball deep Seven-yearThis game will into Rebold me was el territory wearing a give our university, to set up Wayne Madkin Starkville and the Westerfield’s jersey, and I am state of Mississippi so g a m e - w i n almost certain my hand froze much more exposure, ning boot to seal the to my cowbell with the move from improbable that night. the Saturday night MSU comeThe ensuing back. game was one ESPNU regional If you’re of almost Holgame. The positives like me, you lywood-esque far outweigh the have famiproportions. ly members The Bullnegatives.” who, unfordogs entered the fourth quarter down tunately, made that awful 20-6. I remember my fam- decision to be Rebel fans, ily wanting to leave the and Thanksgiving meals game early because of the have always turned into a outcome at that point, but MSU/UM discussion or arwith child-like faith I told gument. I was absolutely thrilled them, “We can come back,” and come back the Bulldogs when I heard the 2013 did. In case you aren’t famil- Egg Bowl was moved to iar, MSU rallied to win the Thanksgiving night. There game 23-20 behind Mad- are so many positives to be kin’s leadership and Scott taken from this decision, including the opportunity Westerfield’s foot. The fourth quarter had to be the only two schools many miraculous moments, playing on Thanksgiving none more than when C.J. night for ESPN’s primetime Simones dove into the end game. This game will give our zone after being “WIDE OPEN,” as Mike Tirico university, Starkville and

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ALDEN THORNHILL Alden Thornhill is a sophomore majoring in communication. He can be contacted at reflectorsports@gmail.com. the state of Mississippi so much more exposure, with the move from the Saturday night ESPNU regional game. The positives far outweigh the negatives. Even if you did not grow up a Bulldog or a Rebel, you almost certainly remember the game being played on Thanksgiving night with Tirico, Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit in the booth. With both teams now competitive, this change has harkened back to the 90s when both teams were in their prime and both were household names. The game now has the potential to make both MSU and Ole Miss nationally recognized in college football discussions. With a win this year, the Bulldogs could further propel into the national limelight. It’s like what Fred Smoot once said: “The only thing better than turkey on Thanksgiving is beating Mississippi.”

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SPORTS

REFLECTOR-ONLINE.COM

FRIDAY , APRIL 12, 2013

Softball seeks to continue dominance against Rebs BY PATRICK BESSELIEVRE Staff Writer

After two disappointing losses Friday and Saturday against No. 3 Florida, the Mississippi State Bulldogs bounced back Sunday to get their first win over a topthree team in over 11 years. This win also snapped a 17-game losing streak against the Gators. This win would not have been possible without the gutsy performance by pitcher Alison Owen. Owen (13-6, 1.68 ERA) went five innings with four strikeouts while only giving up one hit. Junior catcher Sam Lenahan said she has enjoyed catching for Owen and believes her mental toughness sets her apart on the mound. “It has been a real pleasure to be able to catch for her,” Lenahan said. “One thing she does a really good job at is not letting things affect her. Even if she gives up a hit or walks somebody, she will come back to the next batter and strike them out or pop them up. It has been really great

to have her out on the field this year, and I look forward to what else she can do.” Throughout the year, the Bulldogs have been battling back after close losses. This proves this team is strong mentally and does not live in the past. Head coach Vann Stuedeman said she is especially proud of how her Bulldogs have been able to keep their heads up after disappointing losses. “I think we have definitely grown and matured mentally in that part of the process, and it takes that to get through a season like this,” Stuedeman said. “In this league, you have to be mentally tough and look through the windshield and not the rearview mirror. You have to realize that at any point anybody in our league can win a game.” The Bulldogs will certainly be looking ahead this weekend as they face archrival Ole Miss. The Rebels (21-23, 2-13 SEC) broke an eight-game losing streak Sunday against the Auburn Tigers and also won their mid-week matchup against Arkansas PineBluff. The Rebels will also be

ERIC EVANS | THE REFLECTOR

Junior catcher Sam Lenahan is second on the team with nine home runs and leads the team with 32 RBIs on the year. looking for redemption since the Bulldogs swept them last season in Oxford. Junior Logan Foulks, however, said she believes the team is definitely up for the challenge.

“I think every rivalry, especially when you are trying to represent your state, definitely ups the level of intensity a lot,” Foulks said. “It gives us something to work for besides just a win, espe-

cially when we want to win for our fans. All of that will have a factor in it, but you have to just come out here and believe in the process and look at the scoreboard at the end of the game and see what happens.” On Friday, 80 Dawg bones will be hidden in the Junction, and whoever finds a bone and brings it to the softball game will receive a prize. Students can bring a maximum of two bones per person. Prizes include $50 Visa gift cards, a Dan Mullen autographed football helmet, an autographed baseball and softball, gift cards to local Starkville restaurants and more. Also, 250 t-shirts will be given out. Former MSU defensive back Johnthan Banks will throw out the first pitch Friday night. At Saturday’s 1 p.m. game, 100 Hail State sunglasses will be given away and a celebrity home run derby will take place after the game. Contestants include Banks, Athletic Director Scott Stricklin, Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman, women’s basketball coach Vic Schaefer, a football

representative, Greek Life representatives and others. Sunday’s 1 p.m. game is the “Strike out cancer” game for breast cancer awareness. For the game, 100 pink nerf softballs will be given out, and breast cancer survivors will be honored. Stuedeman said she believes this past weekend’s performance will be a great teaching tool in the preparation for what is sure to be a hard-fought series with the Rebels. “It is a lot of good momentum and the girls feel good, but at the same time we do not want to stray from what has gotten us to this point as well as working hard and continuing to improve,” Stuedeman said. “You are not going to stay the same. You are either going to get worse or get better. We are putting a big emphasis on that this week.” State leads the overall series with the Rebels and has dominated as of late. The Bulldogs have also won five straight against the Rebels. The Friday night matchup will begin at 7 and will be broadcast on ESPNU.

Men’s golf wins first home tournament in sudden-death playoff BY KRISTEN SPINK Sports Editor

Leading by two strokes entering the final three holes of the Old Waverly Intercollegiate Championship, the Mississippi State Bulldogs were close to protecting their home course in their first home tournament ever. But the University of Alabama-Birmingham came back to tie the score at the end of 18 holes, forcing a playoff. In a sudden-death playoff, each team selects five players to participate, and the top four scores are recorded. Two players from one team compete with three players from the other team first, and then the remaining five players compete.

MSU head coach Clay Homan said he turned his focus to what would come next as this was the first time the team had played in a five-man playoff. “Either way we had played pretty well. You just want a chance to win each and every tournament, and we had that,” Homan said. “I wanted to send our four and five man first to get two scores in and save the top three guys in case needed to be aggressive and make birdies.” State won the coin toss and did just that. The No. 4 and 5 Bulldogs played against three Blazers before the top three Dogs teed off with the final two Blazers. But MSU did not need birdies. UAB hit two bogeys (only one was recorded), and State

finished at par, giving the Dogs a one-stroke win. Junior golfer Chad Ramey said he was more excited than nervous to participate in his first playoff. “I felt like we had a slight advantage since it was our home course and we play it every day,” Ramey said. “I feel really good abut starting off to a good pace with it, and winning the first time we hosted it, and I feel like we set a good pace for years to come here.” State plans to make the Old Waverly Intercollegiate an annual tournament and is set to host it the same time next year. Individually, Ramey led the Dogs with a sixth place finish, followed closely by fellow junior Axel Boasson, who tied for 10th.

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Both Ramey and Boasson have received SEC Player of the Week honors this season. Homan said in addition Homan to these two awards, junior Joe Sakulpolphaisan and senior Robi Calvesbert have been close to winning the honor this year. “It’s a great accolade. It really just tells a lot about the depth of our team this year,” Homan said. “We feel like we have four guys who have proven they can be up around the lead in any given tournament, so it just shows you the depth of our program. It’s a great kind of feather in our cap to have Mississippi

State be atop the SEC in Player of the Weeks.” The No. 28 Bulldogs, whose four tournament wins this year tied the school record for event wins in a season, will now set their eyes on the SEC Championship at St. Simons Island, Ga., April 19 to 21. Homan said preparing for a golf course like this poses a difficult task with a lot of wind and tighter greens, but the experience of Ramey, Boasson and Calvesbert, who have played there twice, will be an advantage. “The key for us is trying to get the two guys that haven’t played there ready,” Homan said. “Other than that, it’s just going out and not putting too much extra pressure on our-

selves to perform because we know this is the best competition we’ll see all year.” MSU has secured a spot in Regionals May 16 to 18 and must place in the top five at Regionals to advance to Nationals May 28 to June 2.

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SPORTS 8

friday , april 12 , 2013

THE REFLECTOR

stat of the day:

baseball junior hunter renfroe is currently second in the sec in slugging percentage (.804), and home runs (10) and third in rbis (38).

on the diamond:

mSU at texaS a&m SatUrday, 12:35 p.m., SportSoUth.

New additions to MSU offense, wide receivers promising on with Jameon. Jameon’s doing it right, but Tyler is getting the feel for how he does With senior Chad Bumphis it. Each receiver is a little difgraduating, the departure of ferent.” Russell said he is looking former wide receivers’ coach Tim Brewster and the hiring forward to working more of new receivers’ coach Billy with Lewis. “He (Lewis) can make Gonzalez, it has been a spring of changes for the offensive plays,” Russell said. “All you have to do is core of Mississippi State Anytime the ball’s in get the ball in his hands, and football. his (Perkin’s) hands, he’s going to The Bullhe makes something make a play for dogs look to you. I think we improve upon happen outside are starting to last year’s the backfield. The get on the same success and page like Bump continue givquarterbacks feel (Bumphis) and ing starting comfortable with I last year.” quarterback that.” One group Tyler Russell of the MSU plenty of opLes Koenning, offense that has tions to throw. offensive coordinator had success in Though the Bulldogs are looking to re- head coach Dan Mullen’s tenplace Bumphis, who led the ure is the running backs, inteam in receiving yards and cluding veteran tailback and touchdowns last season, it 1,000-yard rusher LaDarius would seem junior Jameon Perkins. Koenning said Perkins will Lewis and sophomore Joe Morrow are becoming a threat have a big impact on the upcoming season. in the Bulldogs’ arsenal. “Anytime the ball’s in his Offensive coordinator Les Koenning said Russell and hands, he makes something Lewis were not on the same happen outside the backpage at the beginning of the field,” Koenning said. “The spring but have progressed in quarterbacks feel comfortable with that.” the off season. The Maroon and White “Last year with Chad and Tyler, there was a great con- also have strong second opnection there,” Koenning tions behind Perkins in Dersaid. “They could play ball rick Milton, Josh Robinson out there. He (Russell) knew and Nick Griffin, who comwhich way he (Bumphis) was bined for 12 Bulldog touchbreaking. It’s a progress going downs last season. By Alden Thornhill Staff Writer

“

ian preSter | the reflector

Sophomore Joe Morrow played in eight games last season and seeks to increase production in 2013.

The Bulldogs on the offensive line have also been improving on the spring campaign. Veterans Dillon Day, Blaine Clausell, Justin Malone, Charles Siddoway and Damien Robinson anchor the group. Day said this group of Bulldogs has had great chemistry and exposure on the field. “It’s chemistry since we have played together. We know how each other plays and we know how to help each other,” Day said. “We know what the other person’s weaknesses are.” MSU also returns both of its quarterbacks from last year in Russell and Dak Prescott. Russell is healthy, but Prescott has been sidelined with injuries, making Russell’s snaps non-contact. With limited contact in the Bulldogs’ scrimmage last week, Russell went 28 for 40 with 307 yards and six touchdowns. The Dogs will play their second inner-squad scrimmage at Davis Wade Stadium on Friday at 3:30 p.m.