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AUGUST 31, 2012

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Reflector The

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THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

BY JAMES TOBERMAN Staff Writer

Over the summer, changes have taken place in parking at Mississippi State, and more changes are coming, according to Mike Harris, Director of Parking Services.

Harris said over the summer, the commuter east parking lot was downsized by 220 spaces. However, he also said 120 spaces were added to commuter east south of the music building, and parking services kept the ratio of spaces available to permits sold exactly the same before the changes.

Additionally, Harris said 150 spaces were added to commuter west behind the Newell Grissom Building, result-

ing in a net gain of 50 commuter spaces over the summer.

“Everything balances. That’s what you’ve got to do,” he said.

Harris elaborated Harris on the challenges of balancing parking on a major college campus.

“Three words: cheap, convenient, enough. Pick two; you’ll never get all three,” he said. “At Mississippi State, our parking is relatively cheap, and we have enough parking. It’s just not where everybody wants to park.”

According to the University of Alabama Parking Services website, a commuter permit for the 2012-2013 aca-

demic year costs $225. The University of Southern Mississippi Department of Parking Management website reports a yearly student permit costs $135.

The current annual price of a commuter permit at MSU is $115, according to the parking services website.

Casie Leavell, a senior international business major, said in the commuter east parking lot, a parking space is difficult to find, especially in the morning.

“It’s overcrowded. I actually skipped class this morning because of it,” she said.

Emily Brantley, senior elementary education

major, said she generally does not have a problem parking in the commuter east lot and she usually finds a spot.

Harris said dealing with crowded parking lots depends not only on where commuters wish to park, but also when commuters wish to park.

“If you’re coming in at peak time, you need to be early,” he said. “My advice is patience; give yourself time.

Get here an hour early for example.”

Harris said peak time for parking is on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. He also said peak time pushes some commuters to the coli-

seum lot, which serves as an overflow for all campus parking lots.

Harris said a centrally located parking garage is an integral part of the plan for helping to ease the strain of a growing student population and provide ample parking on campus.

“We have to deal with increasing enrollment, and that means that we need very strategically placed parking on campus,” he said.

Harris explained the proposed parking garage will be located behind the YMCA building and will consist of five stories, with the lower two floors comprising a parking garage and the upper three floors containing classroom space.

SEE PARKING, 3

Isaac makes landfall as Category 1, reminiscent of more powerful storm

BY CAMERON CLARKE Contributing Writer

H

urricane Isaac made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane near the mouth of the Mississippi River at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, according to The Weather Channel.

Hurricanes are not uncommon this time of year along the Gulf Coast, as well as other areas in the Americas, and Hurricane Isaac is no exception.

It has been seven years since Hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans and much of the rest of the Gulf Coast and in the midst of Isaac, Katrina’s lasting impacts are still on peoples’ minds.

Ryan Hoke, senior meteorology major said he has had his eyes on this storm watching its developments, and he offered some insights into how Isaac has impacted Mississippi and the Gulf Coast.

“Plaquemines Parish, New Orleans had numerous instances of flooding all the way to almost the first level of houses and around 60 to 75 people have been rescued, and there has been lots of storm surge and flooding across the Biloxi area,” Hoke said. “The national weather service now says it is a tropical storm rather than a hurricane, as the winds have lowered from 75 to 70 mph at 2 p.m. Wednesday, but this is still a very hazardous storm, because of its size and because of its incredibly slow speed, it is dropping an incredible amount of precipitation over the Mississippi area. The storm surge and the flooding have been more reminiscent of a larger storm because of the size, and this caught many people off guard.”

Hoke also noted the developments in hurricane response since Katrina and the ability to deal with hurricanes now.

SEE

ISAAC, 2

Ryan Hoke, senior meteorology major at MSU. ZACK ORSBORN | THE REFLECTOR

West Nile Virus reported across state, 79 cases confirmed

BY JAMIE ALLEN Contributing Writer

The heat of the summer provides an ideal breeding environment for mosquitoes and, this year, for West Nile Virus.

In 2012, there have been more reported cases of the virus than in years past.

According to the Center for Disease Control, Mississippi has had 79 confirmed cases of West Nile Virus in various parts of the state.

However, there have been no confirmed cases in Oktibbeha County as of Aug. 29.

Across the nation as a whole, 66 of the 1,590 reported cases of West Nile Virus have proven fatal, as of Aug. 29.

Jerome Goddard, an extension professor of entomology and plant pathology, said the drought Mississippi experienced

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in the early part of this year may have been a factor in the high number of West Nile Virus cases that have been reported in Mississippi and across the nation.

“The mosquito that carries the West Nile Virus likes drought and soupy, organic water,” Goddard said.

He also said West Nile Virus is a bird virus and can only be passed to humans through mosquitoes that have come in contact with a bird that has the virus.

West Nile Virus is spread by being bitten by an infected mosquito or through blood transfusions, organ transplants, breastfeeding or even through pregnancy from mother to child.

The virus cannot be spread through contact.

Goddard said everyone is at risk of being infected by the virus; however, people over the age

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of 50 usually are the ones who contract it.

Joyce Yates, MSU’s director of health education and wellness, said she, too, attributes the increase in the virus to Mississippi’s warmer than average temperatures throughout the past year.

“I believe that the mild winter, hot summer and early spring helped rouse the insects,” she said.

Yates said she advises students to be mindful of their clothing choices as well as the time they spend outside at night and in the early morning in order to better protect themselves from contracting West Nile Virus.

“To prevent contracting West Nile Virus, students should wear long sleeves and long pants, always wear insect repellant and avoid being outside from dusk until dawn,” she said.

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Melanie Foreman, kinesiology major, said she is taken aback by the large quantity of West Nile Virus cases in Mississippi.

She also said she thinks students do not have enough knowledge of the virus.

“It’s startling that there are so many cases of West Nile Virus in Mississippi,” she said. “I feel that we have been undereducated about it and that universities in the affected areas should be educating their students on the virus and prevention.”

According to the CDC, some symptoms of the virus include fever, headache, neck stiffness, nausea and vomiting.

More severe cases may cause disorientation, coma, tremors or convulsions.

The CDC also said approximately 80 percent of people will not show any symptons with West Nile Virus at all.

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Mosquitoes indicate areas affected by West Nile virus

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NEWS

FRIDAY , AUGUST 31, 2012

ISAAC “There have been quite a few improvements made by the Army Corps of Engineers especially around the New Orleans area,” he said. “(Defenses) are much better off, especially in New Orleans, than they were back then, but there are still numerous problems. They can’t have that much rain, the pumping systems still have to pump out the rain and outside the hightech levies there might still be problems.”

Isaac started as a category one hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which is based off the wind speeds of a storm and goes up to a category five, any storm clocking speeds greater than 157 mph, according to NOAA’s National Weather Service.

Hoke said storms can be bad even if they are a low classification. If a storm is large and stays for a long time, it can wreak havoc over a large area.

Because Isaac is a low-end category one hurricane, it does not mean that it does not pose a threat; rather it is a large storm with the potential to stay around, causing sustained wind damage and substantial flooding.

continued from 1 Associate professor of meteorology at Mississippi State University, Jamie Dyer, explained the limitations in modeling the paths of a hurricane and answered why the projected paths often look random or differ vastly from the actual paths.

“The reason we are really bad at modeling the storms is because we don’t have enough information about the surface heat, which is the fuel source,” Dyer said. “The prevailing winds in the tropics are weak and difficult to accurately measure.”

The storm’s projected paths are made by putting data about the storm and its surroundings into a computer model which then calculates the possible paths with varying degrees of certainty.

Dyer noted that it is possible, but not feasible to accurately predict a hurricane’s path because of the limitations on pertinent satellite data and the quantities of air and waterborne observations, leaving much of what is done to theory with insufficient data.

“Collecting accurate data is too dangerous and expensive,” Dyer said. “We use satellites, C-130 aircraft, jets

and buoys, but there is not enough data. We do use previous events and theoretical models; we know how (hurricanes) work but we don’t have the information, so we guess.”

Sophomore English major Noah Fulmer gave a personal view of both the physical and psychological damage of a hurricane. Fulmer’s family lives in Biloxi, Miss., and they were present during the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, which hit seven years ago to the date of Isaac’s landfall.

“Katrina completely changed everything about our community; it basically destroyed everything in the town,” Fulmer said.

Regarding the present threat of Isaac on his family and hometown, Fulmer said he is still confidenct in his family’s safety.

“It is not very bad,” Fulmer said. “We made it through Katrina. Katrina struck fast and real hard, there wasn’t much time to prepare. This hurricane hasn’t affected me at all, my family isn’t going anywhere. We made it through Katrina, and we know when to leave or to stay.”

Voter ID laws hit Miss.

BY GRACE COOLEY Contributing Writer

The Voters ID Law, sponsored by Mississippi State Senator Joseph Edgar Fillingane, is an amendment to the state constitution signed by Governor Phil Bryant in May that requires a government-issued ID in order to vote.

From the time Bryant approved the amendment, there has been controversy surrounding its intentions. Those who drafted and supported Amendment 27 did so to discourage voter fraud within the state. Though the law has yet to be approved by the Department of Justice, it will have various implications for the voters of Mississippi.

John Bickle, head of the Department of Philosophy, said he sees this as a highly polarized issue with two primary points of view.

“Those who support the amendment believe

THE REFLECTOR

Green Fund allows students to go green

BY HANK DAVIS Staff Writer

The Mississippi State University Green Fund is a program designed to offer students, faculty and staff the opportunity to contribute to sustainability efforts on campus.

Initiated by Students for a Sustainable Campus, members of the MSU community can now opt to donate to the MSU Green Fund through the Banner tab on their individual MyState accounts.

Brittany Walters, junior psychology major, co-organized the “Focus the Nation Forum” last semester.

“The Green Fund gives MSU the opportunity to provide students with a cleaner future by funding clean energy sources, as well other sustainable projects,” Walters said.

Cary Lindsey, senior geology major, said she is excited about the opportunity the program will provide MSU students.

“The Green Fund is a wonderful opportunity for the MSU community to show that it is prepared to invest in a green future for our school and state,” Lindsey said.

MSU students have the ability to make donations ranging anywhere between $5 and $100 to the MSU Green Fund by charging their student accounts.

Students who plan to use credit or debit cards may donate any amount higher than five dollars.

The minimum block of green power MSU can procure the 2013 fiscal year is $12,000.

The SSC is setting its goal for the semester at $40,000. SSC will sponsor events throughout the semester to encourage people to opt-in to donating to the program.

A portion of all student donations will go

that it will uphold the integrity of elections, effects of fraudulent behavior in an efficient while others see it as just a backhanded way to manner. disenfranchise various voting groups, namely Rob Mellen, political science professor, notcollege students, minoried some areas in which the What’s interesting about this amendment fails to address ties and the elderly who may not be able to afford law is that it does nothing to voter fraud where it is arguor acquire an ID,” Bickle ably most needed. address the biggest forms said.

“What’s interesting about In addition, if approved this law is that it does nothof voter fraud or election by the Department of Justo address the biggest tampering. It does nothing to ing tice, the law promises to forms of voter fraud or address absentee ballots or election tampering,” Melprovide free identification for those who are unable fraud by election workers.” len said. “It does nothing to to afford it, but the cost address absentee ballots or Rob Mellen of such a service is another fraud by election workers.”

Political science professor highly debated factor assoAt the same time, others ciated with this issue. argue that proper identifiAnother aspect of this debate involves the cation is something all people should already questionable gravity of voter fraud in the U.S., possess if they do not already. An ID is required as well as the amendment’s ability to curb the to legally drive, buy alcohol and tobacco prod-

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toward sustainability projects on campus, such as water bottle refilling stations and additional recycling bins. Money will also help provide sustainability internship opportunities and will assist the production of green energy to be used on campus.

MSU plans to designate 30 percent of the Green Fund to green power procurement, while 20 percent will be used to provide MSU students with green job opportunities. These interns will aid the Office of Sustainability. The remaining 50 percent will be used to fund various sustainable initiatives on campus.

Possible sustainability projects could include additional bike lanes throughout campus and the production of more green energy, depending on the amount of money raised. More money will mean greater assets and larger sustainability projects for MSU. Students looking to become more involved on campus can attend SSC meetings. These meetings will be held every Thursday at 6 p.m. in McCool Hall, room 212.

ucts, travel by plane and many other activities common in the daily lives of American citizens.

Political science professor Whit Waide argued the vital nature of elections to our democratic process warrants this kind of law to ensure that voters are indeed who they say they are.

“When it comes to something as sacred as voting, particularly in a state where we have no centralized database for polling, if you don’t have an ID, what prevents someone from going to the graveyard and voting as someone who is deceased?” Waide said.

Waide also said there are alternative forms of identification other than the standard driver’s license which would be acceptable for those who are unable to drive.

The Department of Justice’s review of the law is expected to be released in October, just in time for its decision to be applied to the upcoming presidential election.

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FRIDAY , AUGUST 31, 2012

BY ALIE DALEE As the presidential race kicks into full speed, the question of how to vote and where to vote may come to mind for many students, especially those who do not have a permanent address within a close range to Mississippi State University.

MSU is an institution made up of a strong out-of-state population, as well as students from all over the state. Mary Sanders, a sophomore from Birmingham, Ala., expressed her concern with the importance of voting.

“I plan on traveling back home to vote,” Sanders said. “It is important to me, and I think everyone should exercise

their right to vote.”

A Tuesday in November will find classes in full swing and with voting day occurring in the middle of the week, the question arises “How will students make it to the polls?”

Kayla McKissack, a junior from Flowood, Miss., said she would not be traveling home to submit her vote.

“I will definitely be sending in an absentee ballot,” she said. “I cannot afford to miss class to go home and vote.”

Absentee ballots are an often talked about practice, but how to register and where to pick up a ballot is not always known. In the state of Mississippi residents can go to the Secretary of State’s website sos.ms.gov/elections_voter_ info_center_absentee.aspx.

Students may reference the list of counties for the phone number of their home county, then call and request an absentee ballot be sent to you.

Pansy Robinson, a receptionist for the Starkville voters registration branch explained once a student has received their absentee ballot, they then must have the ballot and the envelope notarized.

The student will then mail the notarized ballot and envelope back to the address listed for their home county, which can be found on the Secretary of State’s website.

The Reflector intends to keep students updated throughout the voting season on activities on campus, voting initiatives and student organization involvement as the race nears to November.

to find out more information on county voting registrars and absentee ballots.

ZACK ORSBORN | THE REFLECTOR

DAWGS

Saturday, August 25 • 12:45 a.m. A student was arrested on Old Mayhew Road in Starkville for minor in possession of alcohol.

• 1:08 a.m. A student was arrested at Canterbury Apartments in Starkville for minor in possession of alcohol.

• 2:29 a.m. A student was arrested on St. Andrew’s Lane in Starkville for minor in possession of alcohol.

Monday, August 27 • 4:15 a.m. A student was arrested on Stark Road for possession of drug paraphernalia.

• 11:59 a.m. A student reported his vehicle damaged while parked near the Chapel.

• 1:11 p.m. A student passed out in Allen Hall. EMS was called.

Subject refused transport to OCH. • 2:37 p.m. A student reported the front grill on her vehicle was stolen while parked in the East Zone parking lot.

• 2:39 p.m. A student reported his vehicle was hit while parked in the parking lot of the Industrial Education building.

• 3:39 p.m. A student reported his iPhone 4 stolen from Barnes and Noble.

• 7:14 p.m. A student reported his bicycle stolen from the bike rack by Perry Cafeteria.

Wednesday, August 29

PARKING “We hope to have the project out for bid in early spring, and we hope to break ground in the late spring, maybe early summer,” he said.

Harris said the project is expected to take 18 months to complete and the building is slated to open in January of 2015.

He added the building will include just under 200 parking spaces and will not be part of any zone.

“It will be a timed lot, not a permit lot,” he said.

“You’ll pay $2 for the first

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Students take advantage of absentee ballot to cast vote Contributing Writer

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continued from 1 hour, then $1 per hour after that with a $10 max per day.

It’s basically a convenience fee for parking in that central location,” he said.

Harris said parking services will strive to give commuters choices about their parking.

“We’ve never had these options in the past, so that’s what we really wanted to do – give the students options,” he said.

For more information on Parking Services at MSU, students are encouraged to visit parkingservices.msstate.edu

• 9:42 a.m. A student passed out in McComas Hall. Subject went the Student Health Center for assistance.

• 2:08 p.m. A student reported being harassed by her roommate via Twitter messages.

• 5:31 p.m. A student reported her wallet missing from an unknown location.

Citations: • 12 citations were issued for speeding.

• 1 citation was issued for an expired tag.

• 1 citation was issued for failing to yield on Coliseum Boulevard.

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OPINION

FRIDAY , AUGUST 31, 2012

iPad Mini unecessary R

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4

the voice of MSU students

CONTRIBUTING WRITER | STEPHANIE NOKES

umor has it a new Ap- iPad Mini is too big for your pocket ple product could be but too small to hold its own against amongst us in the next the books in your backpack. Also, the few months. Speculators are saying screen is too small to play the awesome the iPad Mini games people are acThere is no need for will cost around customed to and too $300 and have another Apple invention small to watch mova display close when products of a slightly ies and TV shows. to seven inches All of the different different variation are compared to Apple gadgets essenthe 9.5 inch tially accomplish the available.” display of the same thing. I can newest iPad. The supposed iPad check email on an iPhone the same Mini will have all of the capabilities way I can check it on a Macbook. It of a normal iPad but will be smaller is the same with music, inasmuch that and more portable. Does this sound it sounds the same on an iPod and an familiar? Because the iPad Mini iPhone. Only the delivery is different. sounds just like an iPhone 4S to me. This can be compared to the water There is no need for another that we drink and how we drink it.

Apple invention when products Most of us like to buy water bottles of a slightly different variation are because we are attracted to the appealavailable. There are numerous Apple ing packaging. No matter if we drink products including laptops, music tap water or Smart Water, we are still players, tablets and cell phones with getting water. The same goes for the variations of each in those categories. iPod, iPhone and iPad; they produce I must admit that I, too, have owned the same results but just in different several different Apple gadgets, but sizes and degrees of advancement. the iPad Mini is not something I However, the geniuses at Apple will be purchasing anytime in the have figured this out. They know near future. Why is there a need for that the general public cannot resist just a smaller version of a tablet? The excellent marketing. These power-

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ful CEOs also know they can sell the population essentially the same products that perform identical tasks.

The only difference is they all look a little bit different with varying sizes and resolutions. However, time and time again, we fall for their trick and buy the latest and hottest new technological advancements. No matter the price, people go to extreme measures to get their hands on the newest iWhatever because spending excessive amounts of money on new technologies, especially Apple products, has become an accepted social norm. I believe the only benefit for some people in owning an iPad Mini would be that they would become more stereotypically awesome because of another Apple product purchased.

So if the time comes and there is an opportunity to purchase the extremely speculated about iPad Mini at a midnight release for more money than it’s worth, just know the geniuses in Cupertino, Calif. will be thanking all of the people with iPad 3’s who just knew they needed an iPad Mini to make their lives so much easier.

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THE VENT | SARAH ULMER

Curiosity explores new world Religion essential to campaign

C

uriosity is the first element of the scientific attitude, a mindset of discovery that is comprised principally of curiosity, skepticism and humility, according to “David Myers’ Psychology” textbook. Curiosity is also the name of the Mars Science Laboratory rover that was just landed on Mars at 12:35 a.m., Aug. 6. According to the controlling team, the purpose of the Curiosity rover is to discover clues regarding the past or present existence of microbial life on the planet Mars. Ever since humans were made aware of the existence of other worlds in the universe, we have wondered whether we are alone or if any of those other worlds might host fellow intelligences. As early as the 15th century, astronomers and philosophers were proposing the possible existence of extraterrestrial intelligences. According to Astronomer Carl Sagan, the most notable among them is Christiaan Huygens, who in the year 1698 published his book “Cosmotheoros.” Huygens was speculating on the probable existence of life on Jupiter and Mars due to his supposed observations of liquid water on their surfaces, and although he was mistaken about there being intelligent life elsewhere in our solar system, he did make an important observation that life as we know it can exist where there is water. A mostly frozen Mars could very easily now or in the past have harbored some smattering of organisms.

the previous descent mechanisms had to be abandoned to safely make it through the rarefied atmosphere of Mars. While previous, smaller rovers simply used parachutes and bouncy inflatable balloons to land safely, the large roving biochemCAMERON CLARKE istry lab that is Curiosity utilizes the revolutionary powered descent Cameron Clarke is a sophomore harness, which brings the one ton majoring in physics. He can be rover down from five kilometers to contacted at opinion@reflector.

20 meters safely with rocket thrustmsstate.edu. ers. Then, it lowers the rover to the The mission of Curiosity is to ground on cables, to then rocket observe the strata, layers of dirt away empty to a safe distance to laid down over the centuries and avoid throwing up too much dust exposed in Gale Crater, and to de- and sand into the air. termine if, when and where liquid According to the NASA webwater and the site, the Curiosity life associated robotic laboratory Ever since humans with it existed has just begun its were made aware of mission of discovon the planet the existence of other ery on the barren Mars. Curiosity is the most worlds in the universe, planet Mars. Afrecent and the ter its marvelous we have wondered largest of the success at landattempts of ing (something whether we are Earth-bound, that has only alone.” curious and insucceeded nearly telligent beings one-third of the times attempted, to answer the age- old question of according to Entry, Descent and life outside our world. This rover Landing director Adam Steltzner) has been sent to Mars as part of the the aptly-named Curiosity will newly designed MSL class of auto- soon begin its odyssey of discovery mobile sized, one ton, roving lab- in earnest and gather key informaoratories landed by the remarkable tion and clues about the past and Entry, Descent and Landing sys- present existence of life on Mars. tem. The MSL rover is the heir of Perhaps one day soon Huygens’ the Viking, Spirit and Opportuni- and many others’ questions about ty rovers, though Curiosity is pow- our place in the universe will finally ered by a core of radiating plutoni- be pushed to the next frontier as we um rather than solar panels due to continue to probe the mysteries of its immensity and complexity, and the cosmos.

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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 Jay Johnson

Copy Editor Candace Barnette

News Editor Emma Crawford

Opinion Editor Mary Chase Breedlove Copy Editor Rachel Burke

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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/Jay Johnson 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.

W

ith the election nearing, we are getting to know more about our political candidates.

Speeches are given about controversial issues such as war, the new healthcare bill and abortion every day. Each candidate has a set of opinions that shape his party’s beliefs, which will impact the direction of the country. As a nation founded on what many agree to be Christian values, the recent elections have focused less on the faith values of those representing our country. Most would argue that due to the division of church and state it is not politically correct to inquire about a candidate’s beliefs when running for office.

However, I would have to disagree and say asking those types of questions are completely beneficial to our interests as a whole. That being said, I’d like to take a moment to explore the faith values of our Republican and Democratic presidential nominees.

There has been constant speculation about Barack Obama’s true roots. The rumors have run from where he was originally born to reports he is a practicing Muslim. Since I haven’t actually seen his birth certificate, I can only answer the latter question based on reports I have read.

The website presidential-candidates.org contains information on former president’s religions as well as Obama and Romney. Obama grew up in a diverse environment with a mix

of Christian-Muslim-Animist religions. In an article written

by James Ball for The Washington Post, Obama claims a faith in Jesus Christ, which would by definition classify him as a Christian.

Obama has gone on record to say he does not believe it is his responsibility to prove his faith and personal belief to anyone.

He says church and state should continue to stay separate.

Obama believes this mindset has served our country well in the past for those of faith and for those that do not have faith.

Obama has also remarked his faith is the driving factor behind the new healthcare bill. He believes this bill will most benefit those who are in great financial need and possibly cannot do for themselves.

Mitt Romney, the Republican Party candidate, has his own set of beliefs as well. Romney is a devout Mormon. The Mormon faith also believes Jesus is the Son of God, and salvation comes through him; however Mormons also look to The Book of Mormon along with the Holy Bible for their biblical foundation. Romney is much more lenient on the idea of separation of church and state. He thinks God should be acknowledged within our culture.

Because of religious differences within our nation, Romney believes the judiciary system may need to be involved in order to maintain religious tolerance. Both of these politi-

SARAH ULMER Sarah Ulmer is a senior majoring in communication. She can be contacted at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu. cians and many before them have expressed their faith is in Jesus, yet they feel no need to involve their religious views in their political careers. I may be reading too much into those comments, but I don’t see how that’s possible.

Whether you have faith in Jesus or Allah, that requires a complete surrender of any prior ideas and total trust in whom you believe is God. If you have put full trust in someone or something, then won’t the rest of your life reflect that trustee’s characteristics? We talk a lot about the separation of church and state but isn’t that contradictory to the concept of faith? We cannot separate something that defines us and makes us whole.

Our leadership will come from where we put our faith. If we claim to believe one thing and support another, is our faith true? The religion of our leaders is the fundamental basis to the running of our government. We can continue to push to separate church and state but no matter how many laws are passed, you cannot separate a true man of faith from the one his faith is in.

THE CONSTANT | MARY CHASE BREEDLOVE

U.S. wastes nearly half its food, still hungry

O

n Aug. 24, The Los An- 20 pounds of food per month. geles Times published The reasons behind our food conan article about the sumption and waste vary. I think our amount of food that goes to waste food distribution is a major problem in America. According to a report with our wasting of food. It’s easy from the Natto order a meal at ural Resources a restaurant and Our state is hungry Defense Counand has a reputation not finish all of it cil, Americans because of proporfor being overweight. tion sizes. And even throw out nearly every other bite What a sad paradox.” if you do take the of their food, leftovers home, how wasting up to 40 percent of the nat- often to you forget about them and ural food supply each year, equaling throw them away? As The Los Anup to about $165 billion in uneaten geles Times article pointed out, we’re provisions. used to seeing a pyramid of produce Can we all just step back and in grocery stores. Think about how think about that statement for a much of that is thrown out from gomoment? We throw out almost ing bad. Perhaps something as simevery other bite of our food. We’re ple as changing our display of food in already stereotyped for consuming grocery stores could cut back on our large amounts of food as Americans, wasting of natural resources. but to add wasting nearly half of it I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t guilty is humiliating. of wasting food. My intentions are The article in The Los Angeles good, but the selfish, spoiled AmerTimes was sobering to say the least. ican in me sometimes doesn’t always Also according to the NRDC, food want to eat her leftovers or the Spawaste is the largest single portion of ghettios in the back of her pantry solid waste in American landfills. An and ends up throwing them away. average family of four wastes about I think what hurts most about

“

these facts and statistics is there are people in our country, in our state and in our city who go to bed hungry. We are surrounded by families who don’t know where their next meal will come from. It’s bad enough to know there are people all over the world who literally die because they don’t have food to eat, but to know there are people around us who are hungry is absolutely heart wrenching.

According to feedingamerica.org, in 2010, 48.8 million Americans live in food-insecure households.

Mississippi has the highest percent of household food insecurity at 19.4 percent, exceeding the national food insecurity rate at 14.6 percent. Our state is hungry, while at the same time has a reputation for being overweight. What a sad paradox.

Over the summer, I spent a lot of time thinking about what breaks my heart. A dear friend of mine shared a quote from Frederick Buechner with me.“The place where God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s hunger meet.”

This article isn’t about believing

MARY CHASE BREEDLOVE Mary Chase Breedlove is the opinion editor for The Reflector.

She can be contacted at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu. in God or if he calls you to something; I want each of you to think about the “the place where your deep gladness and the world’s hunger meet.” For me, I’ve realized my heart breaks for the broken hearted. Seeing a homeless person beg for dinner in my own hometown kills me. May my deep gladness be meeting the world’s hunger.

I want to encourage you to get out of your comfort zone and be aware of what you waste. Make an effort to be thankful for what you have and concious of how you use it.

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THE REFLECTOR

LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT Fans to cheer at Cowbell Yell

By Magan Ford Staff Writer

The Mississippi State University Athletic Department, the Student Association and Mississippi State fans are excited to participate in the second annual Cowbell Yell in Davis Wade Stadium to kick off the 2012 home football season.

Alex Robinson, sophomore biomedical engineering major and co-ed cheerleader, said Cowbell Yell is a great tradition because it gets everyone excited about the first home game.

“I attended Cowbell Yell last year and I loved it,” Robinson said. “My favorite part

was when everyone was ringing their cowbells in sync to ‘All I Do Is Win.’” Ria Lundy, sophomore communcation major, said Cowbell Yell was a fun way to learn the traditions of MSU football as a freshman.

“Coming from Texas as a freshman, I did not know much about MSU football,” Lundy said. “The Cowbell Yell helped me see what it was like to be a State fan and really got me pumped for our football season.”

Shelby Balius, SA president, said Cowbell Yell is a great opportunity to honor MSU’s traditions.

“Cowbell Yell is our opportunity to cel-

ebrate one of our most honored and iconic traditions, as well as to teach freshmen (and other fans) how to ring responsibly,” Balius said. “We hope for it to be a yearly tradition.”

Balius said the MSU Alumni Association is a new co-sponsor this year, and all fans are welcome.

This year’s event will feature sports analyst Matt Wyatt, Coach Dan Mullen, athletic director Scott Stricklin and a special surprise guest emcee. The event will also feature the Famous Maroon Band.

The Cowbell Yell starts at 10 p.m. and gates open at 9 p.m. Five hundred T-shirts will be distributed into the crowd.

Cotton District introduces new stop sign, art

By Casey sMith Staff Writer

The intersection of University Drive and Maxwell Street is now home to two new stop signs.

The stop signs went up Aug. 3 in order to cut down on pedestrian accidents. According to Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman, the Starkville Board of Alderman approved the stop signs last spring.

“It actually came about as a result of concerns expressed by merchants in the area that the nature of that street corner had

changed substantially with new commercial activity in recent years,” he said.

Wiseman said the board felt placing the stop signs at the intersection had become a safety mandate.

Starkville Police Chief David Lindley said a number of different traffic calming devices have been used in the past to try to slow traffic, including flashing lights, rumble strips, lowering the speed limit and the addition of street art this summer.

The street art is situated in the middle of the intersection.

Lindley said its purpose is to attract the interest of the driver so they will slow down and observe it. Although street art is usually located at intersections without stop signs or red lights, Lindley said he believes the odd combination of the art and stop signs will increase pedestrian safety.

His principal concern is reducing the risk involving pedestrians and vehicles in an area that often sees at least one pedestri-

an-to-vehicle accident per year.

“We are not going to use it as a traffic enforcement device as much as it would be in other intersections,” he said. “Primarily, this will be used as a traffic stopper as far as safety is concerned.”

Bin 612’s general manager Andy Thornton said the intersection was a little hectic at first until everyone got used to the stop signs. He also said he sees the benefit of having the new additions at the intersection.

“In the long run it is just going to keep everyone safer, especially at nighttime,” he said.

Tyler Achee, senior finance major, is living in the Cotton District for his third straight year and said he never felt fear walking around the intersection at night.

“They are an inconvenience but serve the purpose of creating a reason for people to slow down, especially at night when the businesses are busy,” he said.

Elisabeth D’Amore, senior meteorology major, also lives in the Cotton District and said she

can see the positive and negative sides of the stop signs.

“They seem to be a good idea to make drivers pay attention to people in the Cotton District on the weekend, but it is an awkward stop sign,” she said. “It seems totally unnecessary during the week days and during the day time.”

Lindley said actions are being taken to inform people about the stop signs. As of now, no tickets have been written and no complaints have been made about the stop signs. He warned everyone to still be cautious when walking across that intersection.

“Be aware of the fact that just because a stop sign and a crosswalk are there does not necessarily mean that all people will observe it and realize it is there or come to a stop,” he said. “There has never been one there before and you have a lot of longtime residents who are still not used to the fact that the stop sign is there.”

Lindley said everyone should be especially alert this weekend because of returning alumni and visitors who are not accustomed to the stop signs.

GET PUMPED

UP

BY STEPHANIE SHARP

Weekends start to revolve around one event in less than 24 hours: gameday. As a member of the SEC, gamedays are different than others around the country. The significance of gameday is based on the fact SEC schools have won the last six Bowl Championship Series football national championships.

The football game and the tailgating experience are equally important during SEC gamedays. However, if you are not the type of fan who has eagerly awaited football season, here are a few tips to get pumped up and prepared for SEC football season.

MOVIES: Need to brush up on football terms? A good coach motivational speech? A great place to turn is the movies.

Whether you choose a classic like “Rudy” or a comedy like “Little Giants,” movies can prepare emotions for the essential feelings of game day. Go to Youtube and search for the “Remember the Titans” clip of Coach Boone’s speech to the team.

Inspiration for football season can be easily found watching an enjoyable movie or even a variety of clips Friday night before gameday.

TELEVISION: The easy answer to this one is to turn on ESPN. Coverage based on SEC football during kick-off weekend is extreme. However, watching something else is understandable because some fans would rather opt out of ESPN programming as their go-to preparation option for game day.

Thankfully, Netflix provides: watch the critically acclaimed drama television series, “Friday Night Lights.” The show is about a community in small town Texas that revolves around the football team as well as the games every Friday night. Sound familiar? Fans of the series hope Dan Mullen gives MSU players a pregame speech each game with the same intensity of Coach Taylor’s “Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can’t lose.”

MUSIC: The beginning of football season at MSU also means the return of cowbells. Prepare your hand for ringing.

Those who are new to MSU games, prepare your ears for hearing. Learn the fight song and practice with your cowbell. Even if you forget or do not know the words after, “Fight for that victory today,” pick back up at, “We’ll yell, yell, yell, yell!” Although the year is no longer 1998, get pumped up by the song “Who Let the Dogs Out” by Baha Men. Be sure to practice the Dog Pound Rock.

FOOD: Tailgating can be a full day experience. Whereas some may need zero preparation, others may need to warm up their stomachs for the ongoing buffet. For beginners, practice by eating small appetizers throughout the day. Be aware of your gameday attire during your eating escapades. Tip: do not over commit on the buffalo wings on the day of a White Out game.

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SOCIAL GRACES | CHRISTINE BOWMAN

Wrap yourself in maroon fashion for gameday G

ameday is just around the corner, so it’s time to take a look at some maroon fashions for fall. Bri Stewart, president of Mississippi State University’s Fashion Board and junior business major, had some great suggestions for where to look for those essential fall looks.

“I’m from Nashville, so I do a lot of my shopping there, but when I’m here, I go to Deep South Pout, LA Green and Libby Story,” she said.

For the guys, George Sherman and Reed’s offer some gameday basics that make great additions to any Bulldog’s wardrobe.

Unfortunately, students at MSU know to expect some inclement weather this upcoming football season.

But don’t be discouraged; Stewart shared some suggestions for cute, but practical, rain gear.

“Hunter rain boots and The North Face rain jackets,” she said.

Lauren Anne Cooper, LA Green owner, confirmed cowboy boots as a major fashion statement this year.

“Our most popular shoe during football season are our cowboy boots,” she said.

These shoes are perfect for trudging around the muddy Junction. Heels, on the other hand, are a definite no.

Not only will they make your tailgate hopping experience extremely painful, but the Junction is no place for those Jimmy Choo wedges. Save those for the dance floor!

Jeans are great for fall and when tucked into your favorite boots, you can proceed to enjoy your game day in comfort.

Paired with a fashionable top or sweater, this look is classic for game day.

Bailey McCreary, the fashion expert behind Deep South Pout, adds to this idea by sharing the benefits of putting separates together.

“The store has some great maroon skinny jeans that can be paired with boots and a cute top that can look just as good as a dress,” she said.

Cooper from LA Green said students should also keep an eye out for ankle boots this season.

When it comes to staples, there are some items every lady Bulldog absolutely has to have in her closest. For some, this may be a maroon sweater or your favorite peacoat.

CHRISTINE BOWMAN Chrstine Bowman is a sophomore majoring in communication. She can be contacted at life@reflector. msstate.edu.

Stewart said her favorite staple is a scarf.

“My favorite essentials are scarves, probably in maroon, gray or black,” she said.

These truly can go with any outfit, and can be reused (in a tasteful way) one year after another.

One accessory idea would be LA Green’s “Lillie and Laura” bracelets. The bracelets are perfect for fall because their fun colors can perk up your Junction outfit, and they will soon be coming out in maroon and white. Speaking of accessories, McCreary from Deep South Pout disclosed a handy tip for all the ladies out there when it comes to purses.

“Everyone should have a good tote, big enough to fit your cowbell in,” she said.

T-shirts are a thing of the past! Unless you are a little kid getting your face painted, a T-shirt or football jersey is just too casual. There are only seven home games, so finding something to wear should be seen as an opportunity to search for some unique maroon addition to your closest.

I know boys do not see fashion as an important part of the game day experience, but your date will appreciate the effort if you spend a little time buttoning that one button on your polo instead of pulling on that maroon T-shirt you wore the day before on Maroon Friday. The pictures you take will be seen on Facebook for years to come and you need to look presentable.

There are some exceptions to these gameday guidelines if you are a cheerleader, a football player, Bully, in a spirit squad or in the band.

Obviously, if you are part of one of these organizations, you will wear your maroon with pride as you are cheered on by all of the tastefully dressed fans in your student section.

So strut your style with confidence tomorrow with your cowbell in tow. Get your cameras ready!

<

For a cute, casual look, pair a blue top from with some bold maroon pants.

Accessorize with a cream-colored purse.

Find these pants at Libby Story.

Pairing a maroon dress with cowboy boots has become a prominent style in the Junction during game day. Find this dress at LA Green.

> MODEL: ANNA CLAIRE REED

MODEL: ANNA CLAIRE REED

STEPHANIE GODFREY | THE REFLECTOR

STEPHANIE GODFREY | THE REFLECTOR

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Brewster makes quick impact on young and veteran receivers

BY RAY BUTLER Staff Writer

Early last week, the wide receivers on the Mississippi State football team found themselves in somewhat of an isolating situation. Angelo Mirando, who was just days away from officially entering his second season as a position’s coach at MSU, unexpectedly resigned as State’s wide receivers coach, citing personal issues in a statement released

by MSU on Aug. 19. With the beginning of the 2012 season on the horizon, Mirando’s surprising resignation left the Bulldog offense minus a position’s coach and in quite a predicament.

A day after State announced Mirando’s departure, head coach Dan Mullen said he would coach the wide receivers

TONIGHT

COWBELL

YELL

until a more permanent plan was put into place.

“We have an immediate plan, a short-term plan and a long-term plan,” Mullen said.

“The short-term plan and the long-term plan could be a combo plan.”

MSU did not take long to execute the plan, however, as the school announced on Aug. 23 that Tim Brewster, a popular name as both a coach and recruiter, had been hired to fill the void left by Mirando.

Brewster, who flew to Starkville and took part in MSU’s practice the day he was hired, has former playing coaching experience from all corners of the United States.

In college, Brewster played for the University of Illinois, where he was selected as a two-time All-Big Ten Conference at the tight end position.

Get ready for the the start of football season by coming to Davis Wade Stadium tonight at 10 p.m. for Cowbell Yell. Gates will open at 9 p.m. The event is open fans not to all Bulldog fans, just students. Former MSU quarterback Matt Wyatt will be the emcee. Scott Stricklin, Dan Mullen and a special guest will speak.

Upon graduating, Brewster ventured to the NFL but was cut by the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles before the 1984 and 1985 seasons.

Once his playing days were over, Brewster wasted no time emerging in the coaching world. Since 1986, Brewster has made collegiate coaching stops at Purdue, North Carolina, Texas and Minnesota while also coaching in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers and Denver Broncos. Brewster has three-and-a-half seasons of head coaching experience with Minnesota. Under the direction of Brewster, the Golden Gophers posted a 15-30 record that included back-to-back appearances in the Insight Bowl.

With only nine days to prepare before MSU’s first game of the new season, Brewster said he can immediately contribute knowledge and passion to State’s coaching staff and ingame strategy.

“I’d like to think that I can contribute as a veteran, experienced football coach,” Brewster said. “I’ve been in a lot of different battles. I’ve been in battles in college, I’ve been in battles in the National Football League, and Saturday night is just another one.”

While adjusting to a new environment at MSU, Brewster said he has enjoyed the process of meeting each of State’s wide receivers as well as learning the X’s and O’s of the offense.

“It’s been a great week for

me,” Brewster said. “I’ve really had a great time getting to know these players. This is an outstanding group of young men. It’s as hardworking of a group as I’ve ever been around.”

Upon his arrival at State, Brewster inherits a receiving corps that has the potential to be one of MSU’s best in recent memory. With a mixture of veteran experience and young, blossoming underclassmen, multiple Bulldogs could be destined to have breakout seasons in 2012. Long known as a “player’s coach,” MSU wide receiver Brandon Heavens said Brewster’s high-energy attitude and on-field intensity have been well received by MSU players thus far.

“Coach (Brewster) talks so fast,” Heavens said jokingly.

“He’s so energetic, and that’s what we like about him.”

Arceto Clark, another senior wide receiver, said Brewster’s experience and leadership qualities have helped him a lot.

“We’ve got a pretty good chemistry,” Clark said of Brewster. “He’s very excited, being that he’s been around the game for awhile. He’s leading us in the right way.”

Joe Morrow, a redshirt freshman wide receiver, said he has been impressed with how quickly Brewster has learned MSU’s players and offensive system.

“He’s a great coach,” Morrow said. “He’s already been with us for four days, and I

FILE PHOTO | THE REFLECTOR

Senior Arceto Clark and the rest of the Mississippi State wide receivers have had nine days to adjust to their new coach Tim Brewster before their first game tomorrow against Jackson State. can already see that he’s a great coach. He’s still learning the system, so he’s coaching

us and we’re coaching him. By Saturday, he’ll have it down pat.”

ZACK ORSBORN | THE REFLECTOR

Soccer looks to stay undefeated in non-conference

BY FORREST BUCK

Contributing Writer

Hurricane Isaac has made

its mark on the Mississippi State soccer team without even being in Starkville. This weekend’s Southern Miss

Tournament was supposed to be played at Southern Miss, but the Tournament has been canceled. However, State will still play scheduled opponents Georgia State and Lousiana Monroe but in Starkville.

Only three games into the season, the team has already found a rhythm. The Bulldogs are off to a 3-0 start after their dominant performances last weekend against UT-Martin and South Alabama, where they won 5-0 in a shutout. The Bulldogs’ three victories in non-confer-

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ence play are the same number m i d f i e l d e r they won in non-conference Honeye Heyplay all of last season, when dari, already their record was 3-3-2 outside an impact of SEC competition. player for the Non-conference games are team this year often overlooked, but head scoring two coach Neil MacDonald said goals, will be McKee these games are very import- very important. ant to the team.

“Tennessee Martin is a “She’s such a relaxed player quality team, and it was a and has so much confidence tough and very physical game in her own ability,” MacDonsimilar to what we’ll see in the ald said. “She’s a quality playSEC,” he said. er and was recruited by a lot Senior captain Madison of schools, so we hoped she McKee said playing well early would come in and make an in the season gives the team immediate impact.” confidence going into conferHeydari said she was actualence play. ly a little surprised she is play“It feels good to be 3-0. ing so well so early.

There are positive vibes, the “I knew it would be hard, coaches are so I prepared happy and it all summer.

I knew it would be just builds conI ran a lot so hard, so I prepared I could be fidence going into SEC,” all summer. I ran a lot ready for socMcKee said. so I could be ready cer,” she said.

“We want to go Apparently for soccer.” into SEC play it paid off, with an undebecause deHoneye Heydari, feated record.” being freshman midfielder spite One standyoung, she is out aspect so far this season already adjusting to this level has been the strong play from just fine. some of the team’s freshmen.

Another key factor this seaMacDonald said freshman son has been the strong defen-

“

sive play. The Bulldogs recorded a shutout in their last game, but as solid as the defense has been, junior defender Morganne Grimes said they can be better and they still have work to do.

“I think we look good. we have a lot of potential, but we’re still working out some kinks,” she said. “We’re trying to get into each other’s flow and figure out how everyone plays. I think we’re getting better from the first games, and we’re going to improve even more.”

Obviously, the girls are not satisfied and want to continue to work and get better. This weekend they will have an opportunity to extend their winning streak. Grimes said she is very confident the team will do well in these games.

“We’re hoping for two wins and two shutouts,” Grimes said.

Tonight the Dogs host ULM at 7. On Sunday the team plays Georgia State at 12:30 p.m. If the Bulldogs can pull off victories in both games, they will be 5-0, which would be their best start since 2009 when they started 8-0 and went undefeated in non-conference play.

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Low preseason ranking Evans lands in Starkville motivates cross country team

BY AUSTIN CHANCE Contributing Writer

men Brothers, who ran Staff Writer two personSimply put, Mississippi al bests a State’s Cross Country pro- year ago en gram has something to prove. route to an After a dissatisfying con- i m p r e s s i v e clusion to the season last freshman de- Masterson year, where both the men’s but.

Masterson said she believes and women’s teams finished ninth at the year ending SEC she can improve on a solid championships, the Bulldogs junior campaign and raise were preseason picked to fin- her level of play in helping State become a top five SEC ish 11th in the conference.

Though that ranking may squad.

“I hope to be top five indidiscourage some, senior Renee Masterson said she has vidually and definitely secure a different outlook on the a spot to go to nationals,” Masterson said. “I expect us team’s position.

“The SEC is going to be to be a top five SEC team surprised. We have matured and expect us to be a top four as a team. I think it’s a good team in our region.”

To do so, the ladies will thing we’re ranked an embarrassing 11th,” Masterson have to rely on both young said. “When it really counts and veteran runners to help in October, they won’t know lead. Other sophomores, Katelyn Walker and Jodie what hit them.”

Those are some strong, McGuff, had above-average rookie confident and asThe SEC is going to seasons suring words from and are a senior leader. be surprised. We expected On the men’s have matured as a to conside, senior Philip team. I think it’s a tribute Johnson said this more to a could possibly good thing we’re maturing spark a fire in an ranked No. 11. When team. underrated team.

A l it really hits in “I think the eft h ough fect of rankings is October, they won’t Johnson a ‘50/50’ thing. know what hit them.” headlines It has some good the men’s and some bad efRenee Masterson, side, he fects, but I think senior was not the net effect is the only one who turned neutral,” Johnson said.

Preseason rankings, heads last year.

Junior Cameron Vernier, though, have a history of being totally off base and un- who ran a personal best of 25:36.70 at the Bulldog Inreliable.

Regardless, the Bulldogs vitational last year, should will have to run harder, faster require some attention, along and stronger if they wish to with junior John Valentine, who also had a steady second silence the critics.

For the women’s team, season.

Junior Mike Clark was the Dogs return senior leader Masterson, who won the impressive in his sophomore Sewanee Invitational last campaign and should take a season, and sophomore Car- step up this year.

BY JACK HILL

“

If maturity is any indication, the Bulldogs have the runners and experience to buck that presea- Johnson son projection.

Head coach Houston Franks agrees and said he thought it was a sign of disrespect being tabbed No. 11.

“Our expectations are to be as good as we can be, to compete for an SEC championship. I’m glad we were picked 11th. It’s really a bit of a slap in the face to some of them,” Franks said.

Only Auburn, South Carolina and LSU were picked below MSU on the women’s side, while LSU and Vanderbilt were at the end on the men’s.

The Bulldog’s first meet is this weekend in Rome, Ga., at Berry University. Franks said he expects there to be between 25 and 30 teams, and naturally, he expects to compete and win.

After that, MSU travels to Nashville, Tenn., to compete in the Commodore Classic before heading to South Bend, Ind. on Sept. 28 and Tuscaloosa on Oct. 13. The SEC championships start Oct. 26 in Nashville.

The Bulldogs will then hope to continue their season when the NCAA championships start on Nov. 9, but they first must overcome and prove many doubters wrong.

Home meet canceled

The cross country meet scheduled for Sept. 15 at MSU has been canceled.

After years of experience in the sport of volleyball, new Mississippi State assistant volleyball coach Taylor Evans finds himself continuing his career in Starkville. Evans has many years of coaching and playing experience, making him a great fit for this program. Evans is another new addition to the already new volleyball team that features a young group of tenacious freshmen. This new face has a lot of people excited and wondering how Evans will do at State.

Evans began playing volleyball at a young age. He was born in Salem, Ore., and then later moved to Alamo, Calif.

California is where he remembers his start in volleyball. Evans said his father played volleyball growing up and taught him the sport.

“I remember not playing on a team but digging and passing the ball with my dad and my brothers. I was lucky enough to then go to a high school that had volleyball for boys. That’s where I really fell in love with the sport,” Evans said.

He later went on to play high school volleyball at Monte Vista High School in Danville, Calif. before going to college at Brigham Young Univeristy. Evans played multiple positions during his time at BYU and was on the 2004 National Championship team.

After college, Evans coached at schools such as the University of Utah and American University.

In the sports world today, there are some cases where former athletes are not always good coaches. However, this is not one of those instances.

Head coach Jenny Hazelwood said Evans’s knowledge of the game greatly impacts the team.

“The girls have been very receptive to (Evans) teaching them. He played volleyball at a very high level, and he knows

JAY JOHNSON | THE REFLECTOR

New assistant coach Taylor Evans played college volleyball at BYU and is in charge of recruiting for the team. what it takes to be successful,” Hazelwood said. “(Evans) is a great teacher of the game. He is not only knowledgeable of the game, but he communicates well with the players.”

The players have also enjoyed Evans’s role on the team.

Junior Paris Perret said he is the “backbone” for the team and is always there to help when players ask.

“I think he has been great.

He’s really experienced and he knows what he’s talking about,” Perret said.

Coming from the Mountain West Conference with perennial powerhouses such as Hawaii and BYU, the transition to the SEC has been different for the former BYU standout. However, Evans said he is impressed with this year’s team.

“I knew that we would have high-level athletes being in the SEC, but what I’m really impressed with is the skill level here. We’re young, but we have a lot of skill,” Evans said.

At State, Evans is in charge of recruiting activities for the team. He has

taken over a job that he was not highly involved in before, but he said he has taken a liking to the new position. “(Starkville) is a college town with big time athletics across the board,” Evans said.

“All of the sports on campus are not only successful, but well followed by the student body. That makes it relatively easy to find good kids.”

This weekend the Dogs are in Los Angeles, Calif., playing in the Trojan Classic.

Tonight at 8 p.m. the team will play Boston College.

Saturdaywill be a tough test for MSU as it plays No. 23 Northern Iowa at 2 p.m. and No. 5 Southern California at 10 p.m.

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Corner of Russell and Gillespie

SPORTS 10

|

friday , august 31 , 2012

THE REFLECTOR

stat of thE day:

45-7: thE scoRE of thE gamE thE last Jackson state at Mississippi state and only othER timE jsu playEd msu. thE Bulldogs camE out with thE win. saturday, 6 p.M. fsn

Mullen, seniors relive first game at MSU

file photo | the reflector

This time four years ago, Dan Mullen was coaching in his first game as MSU head coach against Jackson State. This time around, he has a completely different team playing for him.

By Elliott REEs Staff Writer

The wait is over. Football season is finally here. Saturday night Mississippi State opens its 201213 football campaign at Davis Wade Stadium against the opponent which head coach Dan Mullen earned his first career win as head coach for the Bulldogs back in the 2009 season opener.

The Jackson State Tigers and MSU made history four years ago when the teams were the first SEC and SWAC schools to play each other on the gridiron. Mullen said this is an in-state opponent, which he has embraced as sort of a rival.

“I can’t wait, and I know that our guys are fired up and ready to

get out there and go play Jackson State,” he said. “I think it’s a really fun rivalry for people in our state.

There is a passionate fan base on both sides.”

State defeated the Tigers 45-7 the last and only time these two programs met, and the freshmen from that MSU team are now seniors. One of these players is former cornerback converted to strong safety Corey Broomfield.

Broomfield said things are a lot different now than four years ago when he played JSU in his first game as a Bulldog.

“You just worry about making sure you put your pants on right back then. You’re trying to get tickets; your parents say they’re coming; you’re excited just to be on the field, see the jumbotron

and do the Dog Pound Rock,” Broomfield said. “Now I’m more situated about my job and making sure everyone else is doing their job, and I’m more worried about winning than myself.”

The Bulldogs are coming off a season in which they finished 7-6, winning their second consecutive bowl game, whereas the Tigers are coming off a 9-2 season.

Both teams will be showcasing two new starting quarterbacks to open the season. However, MSU junior quarterback Tyler Russell has had four previous starts and has played in 18 games compared to only one career start and seven games played for JSU quarterback Dedric McDonald. Russell threw for 1,034 yards while having eight touchdowns compared to only four interceptions thrown with a 53.5 completion percentage last year, and senior wide receiver Brandon Heavens said Russell is going to have a break out year.

“If he keeps doing what he’s doing this past spring and this past summer, he’s going to be up for the Heisman,” Heavens said.

“Our job is to catch the ball for him.”

Junior running back LaDarius Perkins will be leading the ground attack for the Bulldogs this weekend and has big shoes to fill replacing first round draft pick Vick Ballard, who now plays for the Indianapolis Colts. However, Perkins is not a stranger to carrying the rock as he rushed for 422 yards on 87 carries with two touchdowns and had 13 receptions for a total of 59 yards and two touchdowns last season.

Perkins will not be alone Saturday night, and Mullen said to expect many carries from sophomore running back Nick Griffin and others as well.

“Perkins since day one has been at the top, but I don’t know that he has separated himself, but he has pulled their level of play up,” Mullen said. “I like the way the guy (Perkins) has been running the football, and I’m going to feel pretty comfortable giving any of them the ball.”

As for the defensive side of the ball, the Bulldogs will start senior defensive lineman Josh Boyd in the same position first round draft pick Fletcher Cox played last season. Boyd led the defensive line in tackles last year with 51 and also recorded 4.5 sacks.

The defense will also be led by senior linebacker Cam Lawrence, who finished second in the SEC with a total of 123 tackles.

State will have arguably the best secondary in not only the SEC, but also the nation, with senior defensive back Johnthan Banks leading the way. Banks only needs five interceptions, which he had last year, to break the all-time career mark at MSU. He will probably have plenty of opportunities against Jackson State for picks this weekend, considering the Tigers had 465 passing attempts compared to only 356 rushing attempts last season.

MSU’s quest for an SEC championship kicks off tomorrow at 6 p.m. at Davis Wade Stadium and will be televised on Fox Sports Net.

GAMEDAY

1 3

HELPFUL HINTS

Bags taken into the stadium can be 14 inches (long) by 14 inches (wide) by 8 inches (thick).

No outside food or beverages may be brought in the stadium.

2

Roads surrounding the stadium will close four hours prior to kickoff.

A one-stop shop for tailgaters called “Game Day Central" will open at the corner of Creelman Street and Stone Boulevard, where MSU Dining orders and supplies can be picked up.

zack orsborn | the reflector

INVESTIGATION UPDATE

|

Mississippi State released doc-

uments on Tuesday revealing the university had disassociated a booster.

A letter to the booster from Mike Glazier, MSU’s outside counsel for NCAA compliance and infraction matters, said the booster had “engaged in impermissible contact with the prospective student-athlete and that other violations of NCAA rules may have occurred.”

MSU’s Senior Associate Athletic Director for Compliance Bracky Brett requested an interview with the booster to be done by a representative of the NCAA, but the booster refused. The document to the booster was dated July 13, 2012.

Earlier this year, Bulldog freshman Will Redmond was the subject of an NCAA interview. Former wide receivers coach Angelo Mirando helped recruit Redmond, and Mirando resigned from the team for personal reasons Aug. 19. The two incidents have not been connected, though.

According to Brett, the investigation is very close to the end and does not appear to be an infraction. It is more narrow and focused. MSU has taken many proactive measures in this investigation and will update the media when it is complete.

Walk the Line or

Do the Time.

If you’re out partying and on the road, remember that city, county and highway law enforcement are out, too.

If you’re stopped, you’d better be stone cold sober, or have a designated driver who is.

Just Drive Sober, and you won’t have to worry when they ask you to Walk That Line.

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