February 12, 2015
What to do at VSU Movie Night - Do you want to share your Shonda Rhimes addiction with your fellow peers? Head over to the Student Union Theatre and watch “How to get Away with Murder” with Phi Alpha Delta tonight at 7 p.m. Step Show Interest Meeting - If you’re interested in stepping in the Hall vs. Hall Step Show, come out to the interest meeting tonight from 6 to 8 p.m. in Union Meeting Room 1A.
Volume 88 Issue 4
VSU celebrates Black History
Month-long series of events starts off with speakers and art show Zenobia Harris
STAFF WRITER znharris@valdosta.edu This February, the VSU African American Studies program along with the Black History Committee and a number of student organizations have teamed up for an array of events focusing the celebration of Black History Month. The month-long celebration, titled “Refreshing the Black Essence: Celebrating Our Past, Critiquing Our Future and Moving Forward,” started off with the Black History Kickoff Program on Feb. 5, where Dr. Shirley Hardin, the director of the African American Studies department, was the keynote speaker. The presentation also featured a few selections from
Stella Henderson/ THE SPECTATOR
Mia Rawls, senior, sets up artwork for the Black History Month event “What Is Black?”on Feb. 5. Students submitted their works to show what “Black” represents to them.
Weather Today Sunny
Friday Sunny
Stella Henderson / THE SPECTATOR
Student Amaka Nwoko submitted “Jazz Hands” for the Black History Month event “What Is Black?”.
the VSU Mass Choir, and a special tribute to NPHC by the Valdosta City All-Stars, a youth dance and step team. This program was followed by the “What Is Black?” Art Show, which featured pieces of photography and paintings by VSU students. Mia Rawls, the event coordinator and creative director of the “What Is Black?” Art Show, feels that this month-long celebration isn’t just important for the black community, but for the entire
student body as well. “It’s important to the black community to celebrate our heritage,” Rawls said. “It’s important to remember where we came from. At the end of the day, we are all in this together, and we need to celebrate the things that make us different. So everybody should want to celebrate each other’s culture and what makes us unique.” Students will have quite a bit to look forward to this month, including movie
nights every Friday, panel discussions, community service and a scholarship gala. The gala for the Drewnell Thomas-Robert Pierce Scholarship Fund will take place at the end of the month. The scholarship was set up to help first generation college students with at least a 3.0 GPA continue their education here at VSU. The event will feature celebrity judge Glenda Hatchett.
Roadwork causes campus detour
Saturday Sunny
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John Stephen
PRINT EDITOR jsstephen@valdosta.edu Detour for students: check. This week, students who normally use Georgia Avenue or College Street for their commute were rerouted due to maintenance taking place on those two roads. The City of Valdosta is resurfacing portions of Georgia Avenue and College Street, and this work should be complete by the end of the week, according to Sementha Mathews, Valdosta’s public information officer. “The city apologizes for
any inconvenience that these road improvements may cause, but the necessary work will result in a more safe and pleasant traveling experience on our city streets,” Mathews said. Aaron Wood, junior undecided major, lives in the Wesley House on College Street. While the noise isn’t an issue for him because no work takes place at night, Wood said it’s a big hassle getting into the Wesley lot because of all the blocked-off areas near the roadwork. Currently, he has to turn into the Music Annex beside the Wesley House to get home.
“Hopefully the new road will be worth it,” Wood said. Christiana Epperson, junior physics major, lives on Williams Street but uses College Street to walk home. Although she’s had to alter her path slightly as a result of the roadwork, Epperson doesn’t have a problem with the resurfacing. “It’s no big deal,” Epperson said. These road repairs are part of a plan to resurface 2.56 miles of city streets, according to a City of Valdosta press release. Funds for this project, which began Jan. 20, are coming from the GDOT’s Local Maintenance and Improve-
John Stephen/ THE SPECTATOR
ment Grant and SPLOST VII. While roads being repaired will be closed during the day, they will be reopened at the end of each workday. To see the 12 streets being
resurfaced this year, visit the Engineering page on the City of Valdosta website and choose Project News and Updates.
Is a college degree still a cash cow?
College students have to be more than just a GPA.
Kailee Kivett
STAFF WRITER klkivett@valdosta.edu A college degree is routinely seen as a golden ticket to the job market’s best offerings – but is it really? The local economy is certainly looking up. According to the Georgia Department of Labor, Valdosta’s unemployment rate fell to 6.7 percent in December 2014, down from 6.8 percent in November. This rate has been decreasing slowly over the past two years, and Georgia has made the list of top 10 states for job creation since October 2012. Still, students worry about getting jobs after graduation.
The job market has been in a tumultuous state for years now, and many college graduates are wondering what else they can do to be sure to land a good job. A recent Chronicle of Higher Education article revealed that employers are not completely confident that college graduates are ready for the work force right after graduation. According to a survey conducted by the Association of American Colleges and
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, The Georgia Chronicle of Higher Education
Jordan Barela / THE SPECTATOR
Inside This Issue
Check out our ‘Show Your Love’ candidates
- OPINIONS: Feminism (n): advocacy of equal treatment for sexes
See Page 4 for more
- SPORTS: Intramural sports in full swing
- FEATURES: Snoozefest at the Grammys; “Daily Show” calls it quits
Universities, employers believe that students are less than half as ready to start their careers as they thought they were. Some economists believe the problem is that colleges and universities have not produced skills that employers are searching for, such as analytical thinking and problem solving. These economists also believe that instead of aiming to receive a good grade, students should aim for their work to be as good as it can possibly be. Another way to help college graduates get a job is to participate in internships. Employ-
ers look for people who have applied-learning and hands-on experience. Carol Schneider, president of AACU, believes that the colleges need to help students with internship opportunities and offer feedback for future development. The Career Opportunities Center on campus helps students build and write their resumes, work on interview skills, find off-campus jobs and more. Kenny Steelman, graduate assistant for career opportunities, and Carla Jordan, assistant director for career opportunities, both say internships are essential to finding a good job after college. “Students should start thinking about internships as early as freshman year,” Jordan said.
On the Web w w w. v s u s p e c t a t o r. c o m
Check out Tatyana Phelps’ “The single’s guide to Valentine’s day” on the web!
PAGE 2 | VSUSPECTATOR.COM
Upcoming Events Black History Month Events Movie Night: “School Daze” Feb. 13 5 p.m. Bailey Science Center Room 3009 N-word Roundtable Discussion Feb. 16 7 p.m. UC Magnolia Room Know Your Rights Forum Feb. 17 7:06 p.m. Student Union Theatre Quiz Bowl Feb. 18 7-9 p.m. Bailey Science Center Room 1011 Roses For Sale Feb. 12, 13 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Looking for a gift for your Valentine? Look no further. Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia will be selling individual roses along with assorted candy outside the choir room in the Fine Arts Building. You can also enter a drawing to win dinner for two on Valentine’s Day at Austin’s Cattle Company. Roses are $4 and candy is $1. Free STD Testing Feb. 13 1-1:45 p.m. Student Health Center Must have valid VSU ID. Sexual Assault Support Group Feb. 18 7-8 p.m. FamilyWorks Clinic (903 N. Patterson Street)
Police Briefs Feb. 9 A Parking & Transportation patroller found a 19-year-old male smoking weed in his car on Sustella Parking Deck’s third level. Police arrested him and charged him with marijuana possession, no license on person, and improper tag display.
FEBRUARY 12, 2015
SGA talks fun, fundraisers Happy ‘Tator Day! The student organization spotlighted many upcoming events, including Fitness Week and a campus cleanup Kenzie Kesselring
Asst. Opinions Editor klkesserling@valdosta.edu This week’s SGA meet ing was a flurry of talk that included donuts, fitness, and how to show love to your significant other. SGA has several fun events planned to end the month of February. The “SGA Grams” will be available for purchase and pick up on Feb. 13. They will include a balloon, candy and a romantic saying all for only $2. Students will also be able to add additional balloons to their grams for 25 cents. SGA is also striving to keep the campus beautiful this month with their campus cleanup on Feb. 21. In March, SGA will help students get ready for Spring Break by promoting their Fitness Week, which is March 8-14. Events, locations and times will be announced soon. After Spring Break, SGA
will be holding its Krispy Kreme fundraiser. Informa tion for this will be revealed at a later date. Also announced during the meeting were several other fundraisers throughout the months of March and April that students can attend to support SGA.
The first will be at Zaxby’s on March 9, and the second at Chick-fil-a April 9. SGA will also be hosting a sweet bake sale and car wash April 11. SGA President Tyler Barker shed light on future plans for helping military veterans find internships. He also shared the news that veterans and their families are now able
to attend any VSU sport ing event for free with their military ID. SGA voted to partici pate in a collaboration with H&R Block and BAYBS, an all-female organization on campus that promotes the empowerment of women. The event will be March 5 at 7 p.m. in the Student Union and will include sessions on taxes and personal finance. SGA Vice President Nicolas Buford discussed the ThomasPierce Scholarship Dinner, announcing that Judge Glenda Hatchett will be the keynote speaker at the dinner. Tickets for this dinner will be $20 for students0 and $30 for nonstudents. There was some talk during this meeting about SAM, the campus security mascot. SGA mentioned that he is being revamped and is expected to reappear with promotional events all about safety in the coming months.
The sudoku grid consists of eighty-one squares in a nine by nine grid. To solve the sudoku, each square in the grid must contain a number between one and nine, with the following conditions: Each row of nine cells must contain each of the numbers from 1 to 9 once and only once. Each column of nine cells must contain each of the numbers from 1 to 9 once and only once. Each of the nine 3 by 3 boxes of nine cells must contain each of the numbers from 1 to 9 ANSWER ON PAGE 5
· · ·
Emmy-nominated judge to speak at scholarship dinner Tatyana Phelps
Copy Editor tnphelps@valdosta.edu VSU students will have the opportunity to meet a televi sion judge as the lives of the first two African-American VSU students are honored at the Thomas-Pierce Scholar ship Dinner. The scholarship dinner, hosted by the Office of Social Equity, the Black History Month Committee and SGA, will honor Drewnell Thomas and Robert Pierce, the first two African-American stu dents at VSU in 1963. The dinner will be held Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. in the Student Union Ballrooms. The two-time Emmy-nom inated Judge Glenda Hatchett will be the keynote speaker at the dinner. Hatchett can relate to Thomas and Pierce, as she was the first black presiding judge of a state court in Georgia. As the chief
presiding judge of the Fulton County Juvenile Court, she is the head of one of the largest juvenile court systems in the United States. “Drewnell Thomas and Robert Pierce served as pio neers of our university in rep resentation of integration, op portunity and equality,” Tyler Barker, SGA president, said. “These two former students of VSU are a constant reminder that higher education can (be) beneficial to all.” The scholarship will benefit first-generation college stu dents who have at least a 3.0 GPA and are in good aca demic standing with the uni versity. The Thomas-Pierce Scholarship was established last year during the 20132014 school year. The dinner is $20 for students with a valid VSU ID and $30 for non-students. Tickets can be purchased until Feb. 18 at www.valdostastate. org/ThomasPierce.
A bicycle was reported stolen. Feb. 7 A Centennial Hall resident told police she just moved in and smelled her roommate smoking pot. Feb. 5 A 40-year-old male was arrested on Patterson Street and charged with driving without a license and no tag light. A student reported her car was keyed; police estimated the damage at $500.
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FEBRUARY 12, 2015
VSUSPECTATOR.COM | PAGE 3
Battle for the Blazers
Our point of view...
Jyrell Wynn
Staff Writer jdwynn@valdosta.edu
Alison Stephen
Feminism (n): advocacy of equal treatment for the sexes
W
ith racism in the recent limelight, another ism is being put on the back burner: Feminism. Feminism is the belief that women deserve equal rights as men. It is not about hating men and overcoming them. Women’s rights have progressed a long way from hundreds of years ago. Gone are the days when women stayed home to iron shirts and stayed in the kitchen to ensure a hot meal was ready when the husband got home. Today, women leave college not looking for a husband, but looking for a career. Feminism seems to have a negative connotation in today’s society. Feminists are often seen as man-haters, when all they want is equality for the sexes. As with any cause or belief, there are some extremists who give feminism a bad rep, but they do not represent the core value of feminism. If a man is harsh to his employees, he is seen as a successful boss, but if a woman is harsh to employees, she is often called an expletive. This is what feminists see as a double standard. Labeling yourself as a feminist is not necessary. Labels are rarely necessary. What is important is that every person pushes for women to gain and maintain the same rights that men have. According to The Institute for Women’s
Policy Research, full-time female workers made only 78 cents for every dollar earned by men in 2013, a gender wage gap of 22 percent. This gets to the root of what feminists push for. Women deserve to be paid the same amount as men when doing the same job. In the case of sports, female teams are often called by their gender, such as Lady Blazers. This is a perfect opportunity to show the equality of men and women. Every team does the same job—they play to the best of their ability. Gender should not determine the name of a sports team, just like it should not determine the rank in a work environment. Though women’s progress can be seen throughout society, there is still a long way to go. A recent survey showed that women hold only 4.6 percent of the CEO positions at S&P 500 companies. Women make up less than 20 percent of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. The Spectator feels that VSU should lead the way in the 21st century feminist movement. If a female is fit for a job, her gender should not hold her back. Everyone in the VSU community should be aware of what they are saying when they refer to feminism. Know the definition and know what feminism stands for: The equal treatment of sexes.
This editorial was written by a member of the editorial staff and expresses the general opinion of The Spectator.
Take the stairs Jordan Hill
Opinions Editor jorhill@valdosta.edu Get your butt up the stairs and off the elevator. As a full-time college student with a part-time job, it may be hard for you to get the necessary exercise to stay healthy. It is tempting to wait on the elevator in the parking deck rather than take the stairs that are right across the hall from it, but one of the easiest ways to burn a couple of calories is to make the easy switch from elevator to stairs. VSU is full of stairs. There are elevator and stairs options in nearly every building on campus. According to the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services, you can burn anywhere from 15 to 90 calories, depending on how many times you take
the stairs each day. If you take the stairs three times a day for a week, that’s nearly 250 calories you’ve burned just by choosing to take the stairs. That easily burns David Johnson and Jordan Hill/THE SPECTATOR off some of the Choosing to take the stairs instead of an extra snacks you elevator can burn 15 to 90 calories. consumed during on the wait, can take anythe stressful week you had. where from 10 to 20 secSo often students do not onds. Not only are the stairs think about the choices decreasing your calories, they they can make to easily and are decreasing the time it quickly alter their habits. takes you to get somewhere. Students line up and wait for So the next time you are the elevator every day just to standing in front of the elevago up a couple of floors. tor trying to get to your car Taking the stairs from the after a long day of classes, first to the second floor takes take a turn to the stairs and approximately eight seconds, save yourself some time while while the elevator, depending burning calories.
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A hot debate that is steadily circulating is whether women’s sports teams should be called “Lady” mascots. For example, in the case of VSU sports, Lady Blazers should be able to make up their own mind about what they want to be called. If players want to be called Lady Blazers, let them have their title. They are the ones playing the game and putting their souls into each play. Lady is a term that deals with respectful women and these players are respectful. They respect their teammates, coaches and their opponents. They show their respect on the court, giving everything they have to win and bring honor to their school. Women already have to deal with unequal opportunities and labels placed on them in society. According to the Women’s Sports Foundation, female athletes receive 63,000
Stella Henderson/THE SPECTATOR
VSU women’s teams are often called Lady Blazers, while VSU men’s teams are called Blazers.
fewer opportunities at NCAA institutions than their male counterparts. Valdosta State University can set an example for other schools and show that Blazers are strong independent thinkers who can make up their own minds, regardless of gender stereotypes. When it is game time, men
and women will still be cheering “Go Blazers!” because we are all Blazers that support each other when the time comes. Blazers are more than just men or women. They are a collection of students that push beyond expectations and show their true colors during a challenge.
Private party in Paris Models bare all in the name of fashion Kenzie Kesselring
Asst. Opinions Editor klkesselring@valdosta.edu Fashion designer Rick Owen gave audience members at a Paris Fashion Week show a sight that they will never forget. The fashion designer, who is notorious for consistently pulling attention-grabbing stunts on the runway, sent his male models strutting down the catwalk in outfits that were wide open around the mens’ private areas. The pictures that were posted all over social media showed men walking down
the runway in different shades of brown material that were covering the majority of their body – except for the one place that needed fabric the most. The outfits looked like potato sacks that were cut and sewn by a first-grade art class. There was no style, shape or taste in this fashion design. Fashion is an art that often is used to make a statement and shock audience members. However, this time fashion went a little too far. This fashion faux pas really makes no social statement or has any artistic value. Bodies and private areas
are nothing to be ashamed of, and they should be shown off and expressed as needed; but in this case, there is no reason for the extreme exposure. It just seems as if the designer forgot the most important part of the outfit – the cover-up. The exposure from Owen was way off the beaten path. Not only were the models exposed in ways they should not have been, the clothing they were wearing was lacking style, shape and color. There seemed to be not only a lack of tact in planning this clothing line, but also a lack of material at the most important area.
People Poll: How do you feel about women’s sports teams being referred to as ladies?
Nic Schofer Freshman Undeclared
Samirah Thomas Senior Biology
Myles Bibbs Junior Business management
“I can see why they get offended (by) it, but I also understand that it differentiates lady from men.”
“I don’t think it’s a big deal. Being a woman is empowering. It’s a great thing to be.”
“It is a separation, but at the end of the day, everybody is at the same school. As long as everybody is cheering for the same team, I think it’s alright.”
Let us know your opinions! Tweet us @vsuspectator
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Opinions expressed in The Spectator other than editorials are the opinions of the writers of signed columns and not neccessarily those of The Spectator and its staff. All rights reserved. Reprints by permission of the editors. Views in this newspaper are not neccessarily those of the Valdosta State University administration, faculty and staff.
PAGE 4 | VSUSPECTATOR.COM
FEBRUARY 12, 2015
‘Snoozefest’ at the Grammys; ‘Daily Show’ host calls it quits Kayla Stroud
WEB EDITOR kistroud@valdosta.edu Grammy…zzzzzz The entire show was a snoozefest. The most exciting performance of the night came from Paul McCartney who casually strummed along to Rihanna’s “FourFiveSeconds,” looking like an animatronic robot. Was his mic even turned on? Was his guitar plugged in? It appeared as if he was only brought on stage to look pretty and collect a paycheck. Can’t hate on him for that. Not so surprising news? The show received its lowest ratings in years. The major storyline (really the only important one worth discussing) from the Grammy Awards is the controversy surrounding the album of the year. If you haven’t been living under a rock, you probably have heard about the situation involving Kanye West, Beck and Beyoncé. West waltzed on stage after the heavily favored Beyoncé lost to Beck for the album of the year award. It appeared as
if he was about to relive the iconic VMA interruption, but he surprisingly kept his cool. That is until his post-show interviews came out when West ranted about the Grammy Awards’ credibility and how the show should hand the award to Beyoncé for the sake of artistry. However, as a newly anointed ironic fan of Beck, I did not appreciate Kanye’s untimely interruption. Random post-Grammy tidbit involving this debacle? Kanye West stated in an interview that he and stage ambush victim No. 1, Taylor Swift, are in talks of a collaboration. What a time to be alive... Demi Lovato Delusions of Grandeur Ex-Disney star Demi Lovato went on a mini rant on Twitter hours leading up to the Grammy Award about how she WILL win a Grammy and how her next album will be the best one yet. Lovato didn’t attend the event.
Angelina Jolie Adding to her Collection According to E! News, Hollywood power couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are gearing up to adopt again. Jolie continues collecting kids like Yu-Gi-Oh cards. Wonder if she plans to head up eBay anytime soon. Bruce Jenner Accident After a car accident involving Bruce Jenner that left one person dead, new reports have come out that Jenner was possibly seen on his phone at the time of the accident. It is still under investigation. Jon Stewart Is Leaving “The Daily Show” After a 16-year stint with “The Daily Show,” during a live taping of his show, Jon Stewart let it slip that he was planning his departure. It was later confirmed by Comedy Central. There hasn’t been word of what is to happen with the show once he exits.
Pinocchio: A whale of a tale Jyrell Wynn
STAFF WRITER jdwynn@valdosta.edu VSU Theatre and Dance presented a comedic version of Pinocchio for younger audiences to enjoy on Feb. 6 and 7. “Pinnochio Commedia” is Johnny Simon’s commedia dell’arte adaptation of “The Adventures of Pinocchio.” Commedia dell’arte is an Italian term meaning “comedy of the profession” that was a popular form of theatre in Europe from the 16th century to the 18th century. Companies consist of 10 members that travel around and put on productions for mass audiences. The “Adventures of Pinocchio” is a children’s novel that was written by Carlo Collodi, a famous Italian children’s book writer. In 1883, the novel was released and received critical acclaim from audiences worldwide. The novel is one of the most translated and infamous literary works of all time. “Pinocchio Commedia” uses physical comedy through slapstick to bring humor to the exploits of Pinocchio as
John Preer/ SPECTATOR
he ventures to become a real boy. This version of the story uses the Italian Renaissance commedia format which consists of using a show within a show to present the tale of Pinocchio. Their productions were usually comedies that were improvised. Members would write short scripts without dialogue and scenarios to later create lines improvised on the spot. Pinocchio tells the story of a woodcarver named Geppetto who receives a talking piece of wood from his carpenter neighbor to help build a marionette. After building the marionette, he names the
puppet Pinocchio and teaches him the practices of a normal child. After Pinocchio learns how to walk, he runs away and uses lying to get out of uncomfortable situations, but he learns pitfalls of being dishonest. Some of the cast included Haley Aguero playing Pinocchio, MacKinzi Holten as the cricket, Ethan Glass as Geppetto, and various other actors. Jacque Wheeler, head of the Theatre and Dance Department and professor of theatre, wants to bring exposure of live theatrical performances to children in the south. The values of determination, courage, honesty and other timeless morals are presented for young and older audiences to appreciate and carry with them for the rest of their lives. VSU Theatre and Dance will tour 15-20 area schools during the upcoming weeks to perform the production. The tour will begin on Feb. 11 at Cook County High School’s Performing Arts Center and end on March 20 in Crisp County.
Show some love to the ‘Show Your Love’ contestants Cutest Couple Robbie & Kirsten
Cutest Sucessful Couple
Nicholas & Tamelia
Danielle & Frank Adam & Colleen DeAndrea & Michael
Cutest Bachelor Will & Kathryn Nick Gillis Tahbius & Jessica
Geordi Booker
Cutest Bachelorette Brianna Coakley
Cedric Holloway
FEBRUARY 12, 2015
VSUSPECTATOR.COM | PAGE 5
Photo curtisy of valdosta.edu
Softball GSC Pitcher of the Week Caitlyn Calhoun
Basketball hopes to bounce back
Junior After losing 11 out of 14 the team 3-1 Season Record faces Union on the road. 1.04 ERA 22 strikeouts in 27 innings it as well as anybody in the league,” Helfer said. “That’s Shane Thomas what makes them so dangerpitched S W ous. It’s not one guy. ports
riter
shanethomas@valdosta.edu
Photo curtisy of valdosta.edu
Baseball GSC Pitcher of the Week Mitchell Cody
Junior 1-0 Season Record 1.69 ERA 10 strikeouts in 10 innings pitched
UGA coach Richt recieves two-year extension, raise New contracts puts him in fith in SEC Chip Towers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia football coach Mark Richt was given a twoyear contract extension and had his salary raised $800,000 a year by the UGA Athletic Association in a speciallycalled meeting Wednesday afternoon. Richt’s previous contract, which paid him $3.2 million per year, was due to expire after the 2017 season. The new deal, which calls for a $4 million annual salary, will end after the 2019 season. No other contract details were immediately available. “We are very pleased with the direction of our program under Mark’s leadership,” Georgia athletic director Greg McGarity said. “Mark and his staff are making significant strides in all areas of our program, and we look forward to great things in the years to come.” On Jan. 2 McGarity sent out a letter to Georgia’s top financial contributors praising Richt and his staff for the win over Louisville in the Belk Bowl and their 10-3 season amid adverse situations all season. Georgia ended up ranked No. 9 in the final polls of the season. That means the Bulldogs have finished among the nation’s top 10 in one of
Jeff Siner/Charlotte Observer/TNS
Georgia Bulldogs head coach Mark Richt celebrates his team’s victory over the Louisville Cardinals in the Belk Bowl on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2014, at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C. The Bulldogs won 37-14.
the postseason polls in eight of his 14 seasons as their head coach. Due to the continued influx of money into the SEC and the subsequent redistribution in the form of coaches’ salaries, Richt had fallen from being one of the top-five paid coaches in the league in pay to 12th. Now he is tied with South Carolina’s Steve Spurrier for fifth in the SEC, according to 2014 salary
figures. That’s one spot behind Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze, who was raised to $4.3 million after this past season. Alabama’s Nick Saban, Texas A&M’s Kevin Sumlin and LSU’s Les Miles occupy the top three spots. Mark Fox has been Georgia’s basketball coach for six years. “I appreciate the confidence that Greg McGarity has in the
direction of our football program and how we represent the University of Georgia,” Richt said. “Our staff has an outstanding work ethic, and we are committed to the development of our studentathletes on and off the field.” Richt is just the latest Georgia football coach to have his deal sweetened in 2015. The payroll for the Bulldogs’ nine assistant coaches has increased by well over $1 million dollars since the end of the 2014 season. Defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt received a $450,000 raise to $1.3 million after he entertained at least three competitive offers after the season. After offensive coordinator Mike Bobo left to become head coach at Colorado State, Richt hired Brian Schottenheimer of the NFL’s St. Louis Rams to replace him. Schottenheimer’s $950,000 salary represents a $375,000 increase over Bobo’s. In turn, Richt hired Rob Sale from McNeese State as offensive line coach and will pay him $100,000 more than Georgia was paying his predecessor Will Friend. Also, Richt made defensive line coach Tracy Rocker an associate head coach and elevated running backs coach Bryan McClendon to assistant head coach. Those promotions also came with raises.
Golf swings to improvement Stuart Price
Sports Writer stprice@valdosta.edu The Blazers began their 2015 campaign this Monday and Tuesday at the Matlock Collegiate Classic, which was played at Lakeland, Flordia’s Lone Palm Golf Club. VSU was represented well and finished the two-day tournament in 9th place out of 15 teams. Shooting the lowest for VSU, with a 3-round score of 217, was returning senior John Fordham. Fordham
finished the tournament tied for 18th out of 75 golfers while teammates Chris Rogers and Jake Harpe broke the top 30 with scores of 219 and 220. Coach Jared Purvis says that the only reason this team is any weaker than teams in the past is because of lack of experience. “We’ve got quite a few freshmen on this team,” Purvis said. “ We don’t have as much experience but this is probably the hardest-working team we’ve had since I’ve been here at VSU.”
With only six returning players and four new guys, VSU is in a rebuilding year, but that doesn’t mean that they’re not going to compete. Purvis aims his focus at fixing the team’s mental mistakes. “They’ve got a lot of talent,” Purvis said. “We’ve had some great scores. But you have to put three great rounds together consecutively to win, and that’s what we’re struggling with. “In the fall, the Blazers traveled to South Carolina, California, Florida and
Columbus, but failed to break the top 10. The Blazers are looking to change that in 2015. The team placed better at the tournament this week than they did all last semester and will return to Kiawah Island in South Carolina on Monday and Tuesday next week for the Newberry Invitational. The next tournament that the Blazers will host is March 8-10 when the First Federal Southeastern Collegiate Open will be played at Kinderlou Golf Club in Valdosta.
VSU men’s basketball team (9-14, 4-13 Gulf South Conference) hits the road for its final regular season trip against Union College (16-7, 10-7 Gulf South Conference) tonight in Jackson, Tennessee. The Blazers are in the midst of a dismal stretch, having lost 11 of their last 14 games and five straight following an 80-69 loss to Delta State over the weekend. With five games remaining, the Blazers currently sit ninth in the GSC and run the risk of missing the conference tournament. Despite his team’s struggles, Blazers head coach Mike Helfer insists his group has not waved the white flag just yet. “Right now, we’re still alive, and we’ve got to know that and play games one at a time,” Helfer said. “It’s unfamiliar territory for us, but we’re here. We’ve got to take it one step at a time, and that starts with Union.” In their Jan. 5 meeting, both teams combined to shoot 21-60 in the first half. Union made six of its nine three-pointers in the second half and defeated the Blazers 84-78. The Blazers shot 4-17 from beyond the arc. Helfer believes a better overall start should serve his group well on the road. “(Union) can start lightning fast because they shoot it so well,” Helfer said. “We’ve just got to make sure we get off to a good, solid start. If we do that, we’ll be fine. It will be hard on their court.” The three-pointer figures to be key once again as Union leads the GSC in made threes per game at 9.2 while the Blazers are last in the GSC in both three-point percentage (31.6 percent) and defending the three-point shot (38.7 percent). “Union made 18 (threes) in a game against Mississippi College; they’ve got four guys that can flat out stroke
“In game one, Pedro Faller and Ray Bullock came off the bench and made threes in the second half. It’s going to be a specific defensive effort to try to guard the three-point line.”
“Right now, we’re still alive, and we’ve got to know that, and play games one at a time. It’s unfamiliar territory for us, but we’re here. We’ve got to take it one step at a time and that starts with Union.” -Mike Helfer VSU men’s head basketball coach
The Blazers close out the Tennessee swing against Christian Brothers on Saturday. The Bucs defeated the Blazers 77-74 in doubleovertime on a three-pointer from freshman Jeff Larkin on Jan. 3. Though the Bucs are just 4-6 on their home floor, Helfer expects another tough matchup in Canale Arena. “(CBU) is very difficult to beat in there, and I expect them to play well,” Helfer said. “I’m not sure how we’ll match up because usually all of their guys play really well at home. We’ll have to make sure we match that and get focused going into that game.”
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FEBRUARY 12, 2015
Intramural sports in full swing Lady Blazers hold 11-11 record Lia Armistead
Asst. Sports Editor jparmistead@valdosta.edu VSU’s intramural bowling, basketball, and flag football started this past week for students, faculty, and staff wanting to get involved in recreational sports. Basketball offers many different leagues, including fraternity, sorority, men’s, women’s, corec, and resident halls, all of which have a vari-
ety of teams participating. The intramural basketball team kicked off last Monday at the rec center, with each league having a few games. Bowling also began last Monday, with fraternity, sorority, and corec teams participating. The flag football team started last Thursday, with only three different leagues participating: men’s, women’s and corec. Other intramural sports in-
clude softball, extreme dodge ball, sand volleyball, pool, and soccer, which all begin later in the semester. Intramurals sports are a way for students and faculty to come together and participate in a little friendly competition. The recreational center also offers part-time jobs for students, faculty, or staff to become referees for these sports.
Stella Henderson /THESPECTATOR
Stella Henderson /THESPECTATOR
after defeating Mississippi College Niamani Carlyle-Hollis Staff Writer ntcarlyle@valdosta.edu
Lady Blazers basketball securs their second Gulf South Conference win with the victory over Mississippi College 67-58. About halfway through the first half, April Thomas was able to tie the game up 19-19 by hitting a pair of free throws after a hard foul sent her to the line. The Lady Choctaws went on a roll, going on a 9-0 run to give MC a 28-19 lead with a little more than seven minutes to play in the half. The Lady Blazers did not back down and were able to
spark a 16-3 run of their own, led by Thomas after she connected from behind the arc, giving VSU the lead 35-32 The Lady Blazers shot 11-24 from the field and 4-11 from behind the arc, while the Lady Choctaws shot 12-22 from the field and 2-6 from the three-point range. During the second half, the Lady Blazers were able to secure their lead for the rest of the game. Defense was key for the Lady Blazers, as they pressured MC into turning the ball over 27 times. The Lady Blazers scored a total of 30 points off of turnovers made by MC. The Lady Blazers led by as
much as 10 with just under four minutes to go in the game. In the second, the Lady Blazers shot 9-23 from the field. The Lady Choctaws shot 10-21 from the three ball range. The Lady Blazers were led by Thomas and Maggie Davis. Thomas finished the night with 22 points. Davis remained an offensive force by chipping in 17 points of her own. With this win the Lady Blazers improve their record to 11-11, 7-9 in the GSC. The Lady Choctaws dropped to 8-12 on the season and 4-12 in GSC.