January 31, 2013
W W W. V S U S P E C TAT O R . C O M
“Free to Be” comes to VSU Theatre
Inside This Issue - OPINIONS: “The mass media makes monsters” - FEATURES: “Golden Key unlocks the door to students’potential”
See page 5 for the preview.
- SPORTS: “VSU tennis serves up new season”
Today at VSU REVITALIZE YOUR STUDY SKILLS Student Union, Meeting Room 2 - 6-7 p.m. Learn what to do and not to do when studying for exams. For more information or to reserve your seat, email eciheanacho@valdosta.edu or rbrinson@valdosta.edu. Sponsored by the African American Studies Program.
VOLUME 84 ISSUE 16
On the Web w w w. v s u s p e c ta t o r. c o m
Check out Chris Kessler’s preview of the VSU v. Union basketball games.
City, county honor champs HSBA
building may sit empty Joe Adgie SOCIAL
BLACKOUT GAME! BLAZERS VS. UNION The Complex - 6 and 8 p.m.
Ga. Lottery night. Prizes will include Wii gaming systems, Beats headphones and more. KARAOKE WITH NATURAL HIGH - Odum Library Auditorium - 8 p.m. Are you a singing wonder? Or do people wonder if you’re singing? Either way, join Natural High for karaoke. Snacks provided. For more information, email mfwillia@valdosta.edu.
Jamal Tull/THE SPECTATOR The VSU softball team stand with other attendees, listening to speakers during the Parade of Champions Wednesday. The parade was hosted by the City of Valdosta and Lowndes County. The softball team was one of three teams honored during the parade.
NAACP DOUGHNUT SALE The VSU NAACP will be preselling Krispy Kremedoughnuts from now until January 31. The cost is $5 per box and the boxes will be distributed on Monday, February 4. To order yours, contact any NAACP member.
Weather Today Sunny 61 H 37 L
Friday Sunny 63 H 30 L
Saturday Sunny 65 H 42 L
Question of the week How do you feel about Wednesday night’s storm?
Ace Espenshied A S S T. S P O RT S E D I T O R acespenshied@valdosta.edu
&
Shane Thomas S P O RT S W R I T E R shanethomas@valdosta.edu
Despite the presence of strong winds and immense cloud cover, the highly-anticipated Parade of Champions took place Wednesday evening. VSU, Lowndes County and the city of Valdosta came together to honor the Division II National Championship teams from the past year. VSU’s latest championships that were honored included 2011 men’s tennis, 2012 women’s soccer, and the 2012 football team. Led by a presentation of colors, as well as Mayor of Valdosta John Gayle and VSU president William J. McKinney, the championship motorcades made their way down from Mathis City Auditorium.
A. Super scary B. It was just a little water. C. What storm? Vote online at www.vsuspectator.com!
Last Week’s Poll Results What will you do with your refund check? Pay bills.
56%
I don’t get excess checks.
33%
Spring Break fund!
11%
Will Lewis S TA F F W R I T E R The investigation continues into an alleged attempted robbery and the shotgun blast that followed, according to the Valdosta police. Late Sunday evening, VSU student Don Beard claimed that he opened his door to the barrel of a gun with the robber behind it. He said that one of the roommates ended the episode with a blast from his shotgun. The wouldbe-thief then fled the scene in an SUV. An incident report released by the Valdosta Police Department said that Officer Thomas Newton
EDITOR
MANAGING EDITOR jlgleason@valdosta.edu
Truman announces development of H-bomb
S e e PA R A D E , P a g e 6
Jamal Tull/THE SPECTATOR Blaze celebrates VSU’s three national championships being recognizaed during the Parade of Champions Wedneday afternoon.
responded, at approximately 7:35 p.m., to a “report of suspicious activity where a gun was discharged.” Griffin Driskell, senior marketing major, phoned the police, while attending a fraternity meeting next door, after he heard the shots. “We heard a gunshot go off and several of our [Tau Kappa Epsilon brothers] thought that it was a car crash.” Driskell said. “So they decided to run outside and see what was going on [...] “They walked outside and smelled the gunpowder and they looked up to the top floor and the guy had a shotgun in his hands, they heard him load another in the chamber.”
According to Jon Loudermilk, junior TKE brother, the police responded to the scene enforce, drawing their weapons before approaching the property. Griffin Driskell recounted the panic he felt when he heard the shots. “I thought somebody was in our parking lot with a gun.” The residents of the apartment where the incident occurred declined to comment, when contacted Wednesday evening. Detectives were dispatched to the scene the next day to comb over the scene. “As far as I know there wasn’t any evidence found at the scene.” Lt. Leslie Manahan, bureau of investigative services. James Dosier, freshman, did not
hear the shots Sunday night. He learned about the incident Monday morning when he saw reporters interviewing residents in front of the apartment. “The only thing that really happens in our front buildings is, sometimes, you will hear a crash in the road up there because someone doesn’t see the bus stopping, but this is the first I have really heard of shots being fired.” he said. Lt. Manahan confirmed that no one was physically injured in the incident. Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact the VPD at 293-3145 or call the anonymous tip line at 2933091.
The new Health Sciences and Business Administration building could sit idle once construction is completed, due to budgetary restrictions. This was revealed during Friday morning’s Planning and Budget Council meeting, and was classified by Sue Fuciarelli, vice president for Finance and Administration, as a “crying shame.” The University System of Georgia’s capital budget request for the 2014 Fiscal Year included a request from VSU for $3.8 million dollars to use in furnishing the new HSBA building. “The proposal was sent to the governor with that included, and the governor’s recommended budget, at this point, took that back out,” Fuciarelli said. “So, we’re in the midst of talking with legislators and talking with the folks at the board office of how we can try to get that back in.” For the University System of Georgia and its institutions, the 2014 Fiscal Year starts on July 1. The possibility of that $3.8 million being cut out of the budget or being pushed back to the 2015 Fiscal Year, as Fuciarelli mentioned, was cause for dire concern. “What that would be is from January through July the building would sit idle,” Fuciarelli said. “We don’t have any furniture or equipment to put in the building.” There was a further concern with the way the funding would be handled and how it would delay matters further. “Even when July 1 occurs, they may not fund the bonds immediately, so we would have to wait until the bonds actually get funded that year,” Fuciarelli said. “Then you can order the equipment, which would be three to six more months after that, so it literally could be fifteen months sitting there idle.” The HSBA, currently under construction at North Campus, is a $32 million project slated for completion at the end of the year. The goal of the building is to consolidate several University science programs currently housed in various buildings across campus, including Nursing, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Athletic Training, Exercise Physiology, Social Work and Health Care Administration.
Housing development stalled Jennifer Gleason
Today in History Jan 31, 1950:
Flanked by the Valdosta State Band, cheerleading squad, and the Red Hots Dance Team, the teams gathered at Drexel Park near VSU’s main campus for a ceremony in their honor. After an opening prayer and a greeting from VSU President William J. McKinney, Head Tennis Coach John Hansen addressed the sea of red and black. Hansen, a 12-time Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year, fired up the passionate crowd by inciting a spirited chant of “Gooooo BLAZERS!” In the past 12 years no school in Division II has made more appearances in the men’s tennis national championship than VSU with five (winning two). “It’s unbelievable, there are a lot of schools, especially in division II, and a lot of communities that would not do something like this,” head tennis coach John Hansen said. “You can’t get any higher than the National Champ-
VPD investigating shotgun incident walewis@valdosta.edu
Source: history.com
MEDIA
jmadgie@valdosta.edu
City council postponed their decision, yet again, for a demolition project that would make room for new student housing. The Valdosta City Council met Thursday to listen to citizens and accept or deny proposals. Bill Nijem, Langdale Vallotton, LLP attorney and McAlister Development Co., Inc., representative, spoke with the City Council about the negotiations made with the Historical Preservation Commission in recent months. McAlister Development pro-
posed to the City Council last October a project for a “multiuse complex” that will fill a 3.78-acre block on the corner of North Oak Street and West Brookwood Drive, according to the Valdosta Daily Times. The complex would house places to eat, shop and approximately 216 residential units all within walking-distance to campus. The project has been in development since the approval, but with one hiccup in the plan: The houses that stand on the plot of land that McAlister wants to utilize. The Valdosta HPC requested
that the structures standing on that block should be salvaged if possible, and McAlister Development obliged the request. Unfortunately the company does not own the historic properties, thus contracting people to buy and relocate the houses is difficult. “[A]ll we need at this point is [a certain date] these demolition permits [requested] will issue if our efforts to relocate these properties don’t work,” Nijem said. McAlister Development planned to have the complex project done in time for the fall 2014 semester and the new class of freshmen entering VSU, ac-
cording to Nijem. City Council Member Deidra White did, however, wish that McAlister Development would consider trying to sell the properties one more time before they reached a final decision, and in doing so asked for the appeal McAlister Development filled out in December to be postponed. Nijem was asked to come back to the Feb. 7 City Council meeting with one condition: “The [HPC] hear the case and make its final decision on this matter at their Feb. 4 meeting.” The motion was passed by the council.
The City Council meeting also introduced a city Employee of the Month. Valdosta Police Officer Derrick Keene was noted for his service to the city and police department. Three motions were passed at the meeting: $247,885 for new oxygen packs for the Valdosta Fire Department ($189,308 of which would be covered by FEMA), $25,000 for a municipal election which was requested to be set Nov. 5 and the third was for bids for water chemicals in Valdosta.
NEWS
PAGE 2 | VSUSPECTATOR.COM
JANUARY 31, 2013
VSUPD works to relieve campus of bicycle thefts
Upcoming Events KAPsi annual Who Can Act Like A Nupe Stroll Off The winners get both a cash prize and free entry into the Greekdom Step/Stroll Competition All groups interested should email their names to fierynupes@yahoo.com to participate. Wednesdays, 7:30 p.m. Blazer Victory Bible Study Student Union, Meeting Room 2 (third floor) For more information, contact Damian Grey (dogrey@valdosta.edu) Feb. 2 VSU HEROS Fundraiser Buffalo Wild Wings Mention H.E.R.O. to your waiter/waitress in order for VSU HEROS to receive proceeds towards their cause to spread awareness of pediatric HIV/AIDS. Proceeds help HEROS raise money for upcoming events, such as their Relay For Life event. Contact Erika McCoy (eymccoy@valdosta.edu) for more information. Feb. 3 Wild Adventures is looking for a team to help their 2013 job fair, employing 200 additional team members. The job fair will be held Feb. 5 and 6. Applicants must pre-register for teh job fair by Feb. 3 online. For more information, visit Wild Adventures' website. Feb. 5, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Spring Organization Fair Pedestrian Mall It's like The Happening, but strictly VSU organizations! Feb. 6, 7 p.m. The American Spiritual Ensemble in Concert Whitehead Auditorium Free admission to the concert, presented by the VSU African American Studies Program. For additional information, contact Dr. Shirley H. Hardin at 249-4843. Feb. 8 Oratorical Competition The Mu Omicron Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc. welcomes students to participate in their oratorical competition. The topic: "From overcoming Plessy v. Ferguson to passing Brown v. Board of Education; has America truly reached equality for all." The competition will be during Alpha Week. Deadline to sign up is Feb. 8. First place is a cash scholarship of $100. For more information, visit www.muomicron1906.com.
HAPPY ‘ TAT O R DAY !
Cody Hicks / THE SPECTATOR
Housing & Residence Life creates a poster for the department to veer students away from marijuana use.
Marijuana remains a concern on campus
Ritsuki Miyazaki S TA F F W R I T E R rmiyazaki@valdosta.edu
According to VSUPD media log, four cases of marijuana use have been reported on campus in the past six months. “New Years, sometimes, we see a little bit of rise of students smoking marijuana,� Scott Doner, director of VSUPD, said. Doner suggests students
should contact a resident assistant or call VSUPD if marijuana is smelled on campus. “It’s very popular among the students especially in our generation so maybe they should crack down on that,� Kia Davis, a freshman political science major, said. “I think it’s getting even more popular because it’s in the music, it’s on TVs, making movies about it, it’s growing.�
- KIA DAVIS
ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT HANDBOOK, “The possession, use, manufacture, sale or delivery of illegal or dangerous drugs on or off campus is prohibited. [...] Possession of drug paraphernalia is also prohibited on campus. This includes any item typically used to facilitate the use of a controlled substance.�
Police Briefs Jan. 25 A musical instrument was stolen from Fine Arts building. Jan. 24 A laptop was stolen from a car while parked in the UC lot. Jan. 23 A cell phone was stolen from Hopper Dining. Jan. 22 A purse was stolen from the Bailey Science Center. A female student reported to UPD that a male student made threats to hurt her and spit on her. A student reported that threats were made against her while a VSU van was coming back from a debate. Jan. 21 A bicycle was stolen from Langdale Hall. Jan. 17 A bicycle was stolen from between Langdale and Georgia halls. A student reportedly threatened an RA in Georgia Hall. A student was threatened to be attacked in Patterson Hall. A backpack was stolen from Barrow Hall. Jan. 16 Student reported a stolen wallet from the game room in the Student Union.
Public presence welcome at SGA Rules preventing the public from witnessing votes abolished Joe Adgie SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR jmadgie@valdosta.edu
An SGA regulation was changed on Monday and a Health Center representative discussed co-pay fees. That happened during the SGA meeting that night at the UC’s Magnolia Room, the first meeting where the public was allowed to sit in during the debate and voting sessions of the meetings. “It’s actually part of the Georgia Sunshine Laws that all parts of the meetings have to be open to the public,� said Ryan Baerwalde, SGA President. “We are an open meeting, so all parts of our meetings have to be open to the public.� Until this meeting, the SGA had removed the public from the debate and voting sessions of the meeting. This was not a regulation that was officially in the SGA constitution or the bylaws or part of Robert’s Rules of Order, the meeting regulations that the SGA runs their meetings on, and Baerwalde explained this af-
Olivia McLean
“ I think it’s getting
even more popular because it’s in the music, it’s on TVs, making movies about it, it’s growing.�
ter some senators voiced dissension. “Trust me, I scanned through all of them,� Baerwalde said. “Essentially, it was just a practice that wasn’t on paper, and nobody said anything bad about it.� Baerwalde also went on to explain that the Rules Committee will draft up a resolution solidifying the public’s presence in the debate and voting sessions. There was also a discussion about the fees at the Health Center. Lynette Lewis, administrator and assistant director at the Health Center, was in attendance answering questions about these fees. “What we’ve done with your student health fee – which is $87 per semester – we’ve added the $40 for the new facility, so you’re allowed to come to the Student Health Center without paying anything for approximately 8.7 times,� Lewis said. There are charges for other services, such as x-rays, but this is largely due to the fact that some of these services must be performed by outside medical professionals.
preparations to get it back to us.� All of the owner's personal information as well as the bike's information, such as its serial number and value, are stored in the Georgia Crime Information Center database. This database allows all law enforcement agencies to register and find stolen property. “I don't think bike theft is as big an issue as it was before,� said Ayanna Whittle, a junior psychology major, who had her bike stolen on campus in 2011. “From what I know, most people whose bikes are stolen don't get them returned.� Maestas said, “Most of the time [victims] just don't lock [bicycles]. Or, you know, when you leave a bicycle stationary and locked up for eight months at a time—that's another issue.� Lt. Cobb also adds that students who use rope-like locks to secure their bikes are at risk. “It looks like it would deter, but they come along with a chain cutter and they just cut it, so really what they need is the U-bolt,� Lt. Cobb said. U-bolt locks have been the most efficient at protecting bikes from thieves because they cannot be cut with a regular pair of bolt cutters. Bike thefts are committed by both students and local residents of Valdosta, but most of it is done by off-campus traffic. “Maybe a solution would be to put the bike racks in more visible spots because they're kind of off to the side,� Whittle said. “If the opportunity is there, it really doesn't matter which [brand] it is,� Maestas said. “We've seen some $1,500-plus bicycles stolen and we've seen some that I wouldn't have taken five bucks for.�
Bicycle owners are urged to use more secure locks to alleviate thefts. S TA F F W R I T E R ovmclean@valdosta.edu
Of the many different modes of transportation, bicycles are quite common on the VSU campus, with that, so are bicycle thefts. The trend of bike thefts might not take many people by surprise. According to VSUPD investigator Sgt. Matt Maestas, less than 70 bicycle thefts were reported in 2012. “[Bike theft] does occur out here, but it's really not large numbers,� Maestas said. “I think anytime one of them gets stolen, it's an issue, so whenever it occurs, it's not something we want.� With bike racks placed all around campus, it is hard to decide which one is the safest to leave a bike tied up to overnight. “They all get looked at by whoever is taking them,� VSUPD investigator Lt. Cindy Cobb said. When it comes to combatting the problem, VSUPD is very active. “We have a BAT (Bicycle Anti-Theft) program,� Maestas said. “It doesn't prevent your bicycle from being stolen, but what it does is it logs the owner's information. If it's ever recovered, then we automatically get a hit as to who has it, where it's at, and then they'll make
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name and phone number of the person submitting the ad. Ads must be resubmitted each week, as necessary. The Spectator address is: 1500 N. Patterson St.,Valdosta, GA 31698 spec@valdosta.edu. The Spectator reserves the right to reject any classified ad. All ads are subject to standard editing procedures.The Spectator is not responsible for ads submitted under false pretenses or for mistakes due to a submitted error. The categories for classifieds include: For Sale, Wanted, Roommates and Help Wanted.
For Sale Microsoft Office 2010 for sale: Illustrated Introductory First Course by Beskeen and others. It is a First Edition book used for ACED 2400. It is used but like new. Contact Aquilius at 912245-6002.
For Rent
House for Rent 4/2 319 E. Park Ave. Close to Main Campus, Good Neighborhood. Call:229-292-4400.
For Rent
Services Pregnancy Wasn’t Part of the Plan
Services MEA Federal Credit Union cashes Pell Grant, Financial Aid and Scholarship Checks for all VSU Students with ID. 308 East Ann Street‌229-333-5751... Join MEA online at meafcu.org Like us on Facebook
OPINIONS
JANUARY 31, 2013
Our point of view...
VSUSPECTATOR.COM | PAGE 3
The mass media makes monsters
W
e’ve seen some real sad scenes in the last year-- most notably from Newtown and Aurora. We can’t imagine what the families of those lost are going through, nor will we try to. What we have seen coming from these atrocities, however, is sensationalism bordering on nauseating. Thanks to the wonder of the 24/7 news cycle, the names “James Holmes” and “Adam Lanza” have become household names. The horrendous visage of Holmes and the deranged look on Lanza’s face became staples of the news, as the news outlets of America covered every last nook and cranny of just what happened on those horrendous days when those two individuals fired on innocent human beings. As a news organization, we here at the Spectator acknowledge the fact that the media has
the right to cover these stories how they feel is best for their organization. However, we believe that this gross excess of coverage causes more problems than it solves. In fact, some feel that the excessive news coverage may serve to encourage copycat crimes. The film critic Roger Ebert probably summed it up best right after the shooting at Columbine in 1999. “Events like this, if they are influenced by anything, are influenced by news programs,” he wrote in a 2003 review of the movie “Elephant.” “When an unbalanced kid walks into a school and starts shooting, it becomes a major media event. Cable news drops ordinary programming and goes around the clock with it. The story is assigned a logo and a theme song; these two kids (Harris and Klebold – the villains of Columbine) were pack-
aged as the Trench Coat Mafia. The message is clear to other disturbed kids around the country: If I shoot up my school, I can be famous.” None of us here at the Spectator feel that this is a good way to cover an atrocity like what we’ve seen in the news. In fact, at least one of us on the editorial staff has become discouraged from working for the news media due to what we’ve seen lately, and we can’t help but wonder just how this sensationalized media BS is affecting some deranged psychopath somewhere here in America. A few years ago, a forensic psychiatrist went on television and detailed just what is the best way to cover these atrocities – if you want to avoid tragedies like this in the future. “If you don’t want to propagate more mass murders, don’t start the story with sirens blar-
MCT
ing,” Dr. Park Dietz said. “Don’t have photographs of the killer. Don’t make this 24/7 coverage. Do everything you can not to make the body count the lead story, and not to make the killer
some kind of anti-hero. Do localize this story to the affected community and as make it boring as possible in every other market, because every time we have intense saturation coverage
of a mass murder, we expect to see one or two more within a week.” We here at the Spectator agree with that whole-heartedly.
This editorial was written by Joe Adgie (jmadgie@valdosta.edu) and it expresses the general opinion of the editorial staff.
People Poll:
Avoiding the real conversation Quasha Ross S TA F F
WRITER
qlross@valdosta.edu
Our social skills need reviving. Just the other day I met up with an old friend and we began talking about the new things in our lives-- soon I began to notice that our conversation transitioned into long pauses and awkward silence. This was the same friend that I sent over 600 text messages to and retweeted pretty frequently on Twitter. Now that I was speaking with her face-toface, I couldn’t figure out what to say. I definitely felt like my social skills were dying and needed to be resuscitated. After meeting up with this old friend and running out of conversation, I began thinking about why my social skills had taken a nose dive. Today, we live in a world that shelters us from being social. Facebook, Twitter and texting, make it easy for us to forget that every now and then we have to do some “in person” communicating. Some individuals spend countless hours scrolling through Facebook pictures and statuses of people they rarely talk to, or worse, haven’t talked to in years. Because of this, it’s hard to tell if people are genuine and honest about their emotions when they
tweet, text, Facebook or email. Using myself as an example, I’ve sent many text messages with smiley faces when I wasn’t really smiling and I’ve also used the acronym, LOL (laugh out loud) and I wasn’t laughing at all. Let’s face it-- there are ruthless consequences to only communicating through technology. Many of you have seen the new MTV series Catfish. Nev explores the lives of many people who have supposedly found love online, but once these lovebirds meet face-to-face, one of the two finds that the other person isn’t exactly who they said they were. One episode documented a man named Tyler who was extremely in love with his online girlfriend Amanda, but once he went to meet his online love, he discovered that Amanda was actually a guy named Aaron. Aaron was just another face behind a computer screen. Other people use technology to avoid confrontation, such as breaking up with a significant other through text messages. If someone says or does something you don’t agree with online, you can block them, flag them, ignore them or unfriend them. In face-to-face interactions it is not that simple. You can’t just push a block button and rid yourself of a person you don’t like--you actually have to figure out the situa-
tion without online policies. You have to use your social skills to guide you through every interaction you encounter, whether it is positive or negative. As we live our lives through technology, it becomes easy to get preoccupied with the many friends we’ve made online, not realizing that many of those friends we’ve never met and never will meet. We don’t understand that some of our parents, who have not quite caught on to texting, would rather hear our voices about how our day went rather than read it in a text message. Many of our relationships through technology have been set on superficial grounds and are solely based on our likes and loves. We join social groups based on our favorite music,
Does the media influence your life, why or why not? Hyelim Park junoior mass media major “Yes, because we always have exposure to the media such as music or television shows. I think the media influence’s our lives.”
MCT
video games, TV shows and sports. We fail to see that those around us, in the flesh, have the same interests that we do, but our social skills have been relinquished to that of technology. Our social skills need to be revived. Our family and friends need to get to know who we are in person. Let’s stop maximizing our technology, and start maximizing our “in person” time with others.
Jasmine Bennett junior mass media major “I think the media effects my life a lot. You get a lot of information from news outlets on everyday things in like like the weather.”
Family planning saves time Ivey Ingalls-Rubin S TA F F
WRITER
iningallsrubin@valdosta.edu
Pregnancy wasn’t part of the plan. College is a time when you’re young, thriving and absolutely thrilled to exist. This is ideally the circumstance at least. The absolute last thing on your mind should be a child. Most of your focus should be on making good grades and investing in your education. Problems arise however-- especially on a campus like ours which is so diverse. We’ve all seen the signs around campus, on park benches and billboards: “pregnancy wasn’t part of the plan,” and for most of the students attending this school, pregnancy wasn’t, isn’t and shouldn’t be part of the plan. We must accept, however, that life is full of surprises, and more importantly consequences. Now you may be thinking at this point “that won’t be me or anyone I know” and I truly don’t understand that thought pattern-- it’s not reasonable. There are ways to avoid a hick-up in your academic plan. You have to think ahead and prepare-- just like anything else. It’s necessary to study and
be aware of all the options and answers and. Think of sex like an upcoming test—you don’t want to be the person that comes to class without a pencil or paper on the day of the final. There are many ways you can avoid pregnancy through contraceptives, and the word “avoid” should stand out in that sentence. The methods vary and you should choose the best one for you. Condoms for example, should be the first choice that pops in someone’s head when thinking of what they want, and don’t want. Sex yes-- baby no. In my opinion, they’re not the greatest things, but they’re defi-
month, I say this is the most effective way to prevent pregnancy. Sometimes, however, it’s too late to think about all your options, when “Mother Nature’s” call hasn’t arrived yet. Hindsight
nitely a better option than the famous “pull out” method. Condoms can be bought at any store, and anyway let me just say that price really shouldn’t be an issue when dealing with a life changing decision. The next method of pregnancy prevention, birth control, is almost just as crucial. Use this people. Kids should not be raising kids. There are so many ways you can take “the pill.” Not taking any method really is just asking for trouble. Whether you take a pill every day or a shot once a
is 20/20 from what I hear. Now, let’s say you are pregnant, young, in college and worried. It’s totally understandable that keeping that festering, breeding, ever growing lump of cells inside you is not the noble decision--it’s not even the logical conclusion. We’re still kids ourselves and you’re thinking about raising one? Wrong. There are programs around Valdosta that offer services that really should be used more often. I’m not talking about comprehensive family planning education, I’m talking about get-
This is the 21st century and we aren’t in the dark ages anymore where women are demanded to start spewing out children.
Issue of the Week
ting rid of your problem--and going on with your life. Focus on the things that are absolutely necessary to your future. College is a time to be selfish, to know what you want and go and get it. Anything else presented to you is nothing other than a disgusting distraction that should be thrown out as soon as your mind realizes what’s going on. Yes, sometimes things happen-its part of life, and we all must deal with it. Maybe you forgot to take your pill, or didn’t have a condom, but whatever the reason you do have other options that don’t lead to a second job, quitting school and starting some malfunctioning family like the rest of the world. The point here is mistakes happen. This is the 21st century and we aren’t in the dark ages anymore where women are demanded to start spewing out children as soon as they can to have their existence validated. So, don’t use the modern medicines technique as a form of birth control-- just plan ahead and avoid the discomfort that follows pregnancy decisions. Use some form of contraceptive and don’t be a statistic. You have the rest of your lives for motherhood.
Photo Editor: Cody Hicks Multimedia Editor: Von Kennedy Web Designer: Rebecka McAleer Copy Editor: Shambree Wartel Cartoonist: Garrison Muelhausen Social Media Editor: Joe Adgie Faculty Advisers: Dr. Pat Miller, Dr. Ted Geltner, Keith Warburg Reporters/Photographers:
“No, I don’t feel like the media influences my life because my friends and family influence it more and a lot of stuff you see on TV and in the news isn’t real.”
Mike Burson senior theater major “I would say not really because I don’t really have time to watch too much TV and when I do, I try to tune out commercials and I don’t really read magazines so I would say, no.”
Hannah Hansberry sophomore communications major “I don’t think the media influences my life too much. I have a facebook and I watch the news a lot, but I’m pretty unique so it doesn’t influence me much.”
Contacting Us
Spectator Staff Editor-in-Chief: Amber Smith Managing Editor: Jennifer Gleason Business Manager: Brandon Mainer Advertising Manager: Aimee Napier Circulation Manager: Sarah Turner Opinions Editor: Stephen Cavallaro Features Editor: Amanda Usher Sports Editor: Eric Jackson
Loren Bass graduate student higher education leadership major
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FEATURES
PAGE 4 | VSUSPECTATOR.COM
Chris Brown, Frank Ocean brawl
Student to get classical Allison Ericson S TA F F W R I T E R
abericson@valdosta.edu
VSU is home to Daniel Leon Raybon, music education major. Raybon has been given the chance to showcase his talents in a solo recital at 3 p.m. on Sunday at Mathis Auditorium. After seven months of preparation and practice, Raybon has hopes of inspiring the audience with his unique musical talent. "The selection of music includes, ‘Six Studies in English Folk Song’ by Ralph Vaughn Williams, ‘Euphonium Concerto’ by Joseph Horovitz and ‘Bride of the Waves’ by Herbert L. Clarke,” Raybon said. These pieces are of classical context, many of which will be played on a tuba euphonium. “The name euphonium means beautiful sound,” he said. “It looks similar to a tuba, but smaller in size, hence the nickname the ‘tenor tuba.” The recital is open to all students, faculty and staff and conveniently located between VSU’s main and north campus on N. Ashley Street, and is free to attend. “When going to a musical performance, a person should come empty ready to receive,” he said.” Hopefully, I will impart something wonderful.” Raybon has predicted the recital to be around 20 to 30 minutes long. If attending, be sure to arrive on time to experience the full performance. Raybon has requested his audience dress casual. “I prefer a person to come just as you are,” Raybon said.
JANUARY 31, 2013
Candice Weaver/THE SPECTATOR On Sunday, Golden Key International Honour Society took the time to acknowledge their new Honorary Members Dr. Dacia Charlesworth, Karla Hull, Dr. Ellis Beaumont Heath, Dr. Timothy Fort and Justin Yanushefski.
Golden Key unlocks the door to students’ potential La’Brit Bulluck S P E C T AT O R CORRESPONDENT In 1977, a legacy started. The Golden Key International Society is committed to a high standard of academics, service and leadership by upholding the values of integrity, collaboration, innovation, respect, diversity, excellence and engagement. Golden Key strives to unlock the potential of each of its members by upholding standards of excellence on-campus and beyond. This organization has chapters at over 390 colleges and universities in the U.S, Australia, Canada, India, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Africa and the Bahamas. Golden Key offers its members exclusive opportunities and connections through one million dollars in scholarships and awards, partnerships with major
around us,” Naranjo said. Honorary Members are people who have had a positive impact and continue to impact the people around them. Golden Key inducts new members once every semester and is recognized at the New Member Recognition Event. I chose Golden Key This year the chapter because of the numer- recognized approximately 150 new members. ous benefits that beThe top 15% of VSU’s ing a part of the orga- sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate stunization has to offer. dents are admitted into - JESSICA NARANJO Golden Key. “I chose Golden Key because of the numerous said. benefits that being a part of the Golden Key organizes activiorganization has to offer,” ties that benefit and contribute to Naranjo said. the welfare of the community. “Golden Key does a number of “Through academics, service, community service events, offers and leadership we can learn how scholarships and allows me to to serve others in a way that not associate with a diverse group of only builds the quality of our people.” lives but the quality of the lives corporations, career advancement and graduate programs. “Academic, Service, and Leadership are pillars to our future in that they provide us with a means of becoming successful,” Jessica Naranjo, historian,
“
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Hello World—Anthony here forming at the Super Bowl. wrapping up all the stories that "I'm going to be in the musihad us buzzing this past week. cal Fela," she recently told a reKicking things off this week, porter in an interview. Chris Brown proved to everyone While I’m happy that why he is the picture perfect Michelle is getting steady work poster child of mental stability outside of DC, we all know Beyby getting into a physical alteroncé wasn’t going to let anyone cation with R&B singer Frank except for herself be the star of Ocean. the Super Bowl halftime show. According to sources, probaSomething tells me Kelly will bly the local crack head on Sunbe okay without a DC reunion, set Blvd., Brown and Ocean being as she was always the one were leaving an L.A. recording that didn’t fit in with the other studio when Ocean’s posse two. Michelle might want to blocked look Brown’s into posse from drawleaving. ing unWords emwere exploychanged, fits ment were thrown soon, and Ocean because received two I doubt Anthony Pope cuts on his if anyhand. After one is the fight, checkOcean took to his twitter to let ing for her solo music. the masses know about Brown Continuing with her attempt at and his antics. making sure her fans know she’s “Got jumped by Chris and a not a little girl anymore, Miley couple guys,” he tweeted. “lol. I Cyrus is on the March cover of only wish Everest was there. cut Cosmopolitan sporting a white my finger now I can't play with blazer with nothing on undertwo hands at the Grammys.” neath. No charges have been filed Okay… against Brown or Ocean, but I’m Since her new haircut, Miley secretly hoping that they settle has taken a more aggressive aptheir little dispute by having a proach when it comes to her imdance off like from “Stomp the age. While there are no signs of Yard.” trouble now, we’ll have to keep Didn’t Brown die in that a close watch on the former Dismovie? Never mind… ney darling. From one struggle to another, We all remember what hapMichelle Williams, from the pened to Britney after she cut all popular girl group Destiny’s her hair off. Child, released a statement As always tune into Pop Adsquashing the rumors of Desdict next week to catch up with tiny’s Child reuniting and perall your favorite celebs.
Pop
Addict
Do you know an awesome student or faculty/staff member that we could profile in the Spectator? Email names and descriptions to features editor Amanda Usher at amusher@valdosta.edu.
‘Two Friends’ offer high Event to mix math, jams quality food on its menu William Lewis S TA F F W R I T E R
walewis@valdosta.edu
Amber Smith/THE SPECTATOR Located on 3338-B Country Club Rd., Two Friends Cafe & Market prides themselves in providing fresh and high quality food items for their customers. Check the web Spectator to see what editors Amber Smith and Jennifer Gleason thought about after their visit Wednesday.
CORE to teach camping Sarah Turner S TA F F
WRITER
seturner@valdosta.edu
CORE Outdoors will be taking up to 15 students from campus to the great outdoors this weekend for their Stress Relief Campout Getaway. The trip still has available spots, and interested students should contact CORE Outdoors to sign up. The campout will begin with a bus ride to Reed Bingham Park on Saturday and end with the return to campus on Sunday. The campout is focused on beginner campers. “It’s for all the students that have never had an opportunity to go camping and we give them that experience,” Brent Gibson, CORE employee, said. CORE hosts at least one beginner camping experience each year. The experiences teach students the basics of camping. Along with other skills, students will learn how to start a fire and pitch a tent.
“We were planning on just doing a camping trip to Reed Bingham and when we talked to them they were telling us they just opened this new island for camping,” Sean Wilkinson, manager of the Rental Center and trips, said. “This is the first month it
“ They really do make college and lifelong friends on these trips.” -SEAN WILKINSON
has opened, so we will be one of the first groups out on this island. It’s pretty exciting.” Students will have the opportunity to canoe out to the island, set up and spend the night there. On the island, students will get to hike, play putt-putt and make s’mores. “It’s going to be awesome, this is the first time we are doing this particular trip,” Wilkinson said.
CORE trips offer students opportunities to gain physical and social qualities. “They get a since of community and they always meet new friends,” Wilkinson said. “ It’s really cool-- a lot of times we get people who have never met each other before and they come back two weeks later to go on a trip and so on.” William Taylor, CORE director, along with Gibson, who is also in charge of the ropes course, will be supervising the campers. For students, the cost is $25 and for faculty the cost is $30. Wilkinson feels that students will take more than they expect from the trip. “They really do make college and lifelong friends on these trips,” Wilkinson said. Things Students Will Learn Start a campfire Pitch a tent Canoe Hike Play putt-putt Make s’mores
They may not be MC5, but the Math department is looking to “kick out the jams” in their own way this week. Dr. Shaun Ault, math professor, is headlining this week’s Science Seminar, with his presentation titled, “Cycles in Music and the Mathematics of Rhythm” and dubbed “The Musings of a Mathematician.” The seminar will take place at 4 p.m. on Thursday in the Powell Hall Auditorium and will showcase a variety of genres. “Within the past three or four years, I have really developed an appreciation for house and dubstep,” Dr. Ault said regarding the presentation. The presentation is being pushed forward as a joint effort between Dr. Ault’s personal passion for music, and the math department’s desire to get student more involved and interested in the subject. “As our department's faculty
shares their expertise at the Science Seminar, we hope to see students of all majors and interests see the importance, beauty, and enjoyment of mathematics,” Dr. Greg Harrell, professor and head of the math department, said. Dr. Ault took the challenge to
“ Within the past three or four years, I have really developed an appreciation for house and ” dubstep. - SHAUN AULT
heart. “Can we get kids interested in mathematics?” he said. “How can we do that? Well, music is an obvious gateway.” Dr. Ault has a history in music that goes back to him achieving a Bachelors of music from the Oberlin Conservatory in Ohio. Later, when he graduated with a Bachelors in mathematics, and later a PhD, he found that his passion and his field might not
be so far apart. “I find that math has a lot of structure, you can define it as the science of patterns and as I look at more and more music over time, I see those structures recurring.” Dr. Ault said. “I just found that fascinating, that there is that structure in music. So, you can actually bring mathematics to bear, and analyze that in a meaningful way.” Members of the student body aren't the only viewers who are expected to benefit. The seminar will give the math department the opportunity to showcase its research to other departments. “Through the Science Seminar, faculty members from outside of mathematics can enjoy Dr. Ault's presentation and perhaps see potential areas of research in which they can partner with Dr. Ault,” Dr. Harrell said. Dr. Ault also suggested to the possibility that some of the faculty in the audience may have a few new introductions to their musical repertoire. “I think they are going to hear things they have never heard before,” he said.
FEATURES
JANUARY 31, 2013
VSUSPECTATOR.COM | PAGE 5
Carriers no longer able to unlock cell phones How is everyone doing? Hope you didn’t have a heart attack after hearing that J.J. Abrams is directing Star Wars Episode VII. If you did, I hope this tech update will ease the pain. You can no longer unlock your phone from your cellular carrier. That’s right, on Saturday it was made illegal. Before mobile companies could just write you a nasty email, but now they can take legal action against you. To give you an example of how many people unlock their phones, T-Mobile has 2 million iPhone’s on their service. T-Mobile does not sell the iPhone. To get an unlocked phone you have to buy it unlocked. You can buy a new iPhone 5 locked from AT&T for $199 or unlocked for $729. The independent film titled “jOBS�, a Hollywood biopic
about Apple founder Steve Jobs, was shown privately over the weekend. The film takes place between the 1970s and the 1990s. A scene was posted on
Spec Tech with Steven Setser
YouTube, and Steve Wazniak, co-founder of Apple, was not happy. “Not close--we never had such interaction and roles...I'm not even sure what it's getting at‌ We were both kids,â€? he said in a statement. “Our relationship was so different than what was por-
trayed. I'm embarrassed but if the movie is fun and entertaining, all the better. Anyone who reads my book iWoz can get a clearer picture.� On Feb. 5, Apple will begin selling a new model of the current generation iPad with 128GB of storage. The Wi-Fi model will cost $799 with a 4G version costing $929. I’m not sure whether or not Apple will be the only one to sell this model in stores. Well, that is it for this issue; next week I will have new information about the highly anticipated BlackBerry 10 operating system and phones. Please visit the Spec Tech blog at http://vsuspectech.blogspot.com/ to view my number 5 favorite video game console of all time. Question of the Week: Will you go see the “jOBS� movie when it is publicly released on April 19th?
Hostovsky engages minds during UC poetry reading Taylor Stone S TA F F W R I T E R
tnstone@valdosta.edu
VSU sponsored a poetry reading featuring poems written by Paul Hostovsky on Wednesday night in in the UC Magnolia Room. Hostovsky, poet and sign language interpreter at the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf, received an introduction by Marty Williams, creative writing professor, before he took the stage to begin the reading. “Coconut� was the first poem that Hostovsky read. He previously called it his “big hit� as it has been read by Garrison Keillor on National Public Radio. Prior to the event, Hostovsky had an idea of how he wanted the poetry reading to ensue. “If I can get the students to laugh at some of my more humorous poems that will be a success, I like when that works,� Hostovsky said. If success is based off of laughter, the poetry reading was a huge success. Hostovsky’s clever use of humor and his infectious character captivated the audience. Hostovsky recited a total of 14 poems during the reading and, in keeping with the humorous tone of the night, paused midway and reached for his harmonica for a brief musical interlude that had
Cochran exhibits true Blazer skills
the audience laughing as Hostovsky added even more charm into an already fascinating evening. Jennifer Marlatt, English major, enjoyed the honesty and simplicity of Hostovsky’s poetry. “It was very simple, but touched basis on a lot of things in life, issues and memories,� Marlatt said. This was Hostovsky’s first poetry reading on a university campus. He has said that he both loves and hates his poems. “I love them because they’re like children, I’ve spent so much time nurturing them and trying to make them as good as they can be . . . I hate them because they steal my life away, time spent writing is time that I’m not spending with the people I love,� he said. Hostovsky’s love/hate relationship with his poetry became clear as he got further into his reading. Many of the poems were centered on his family and offered an incredibly raw look into his private life. It didn’t take long to learn that family, relationships and life experiences in general play a vital role in his poetry. Hostovsky’s inspiration is spontaneous-- his ideas coming from everyday life. He writes his poetry to satisfy his need for clarity-- to make sure that he is being understood.
“I hear someone say something that sticks with me and so there’s a spark, something that tickles my imagination . . . most of the poems are a process of surprising myself with where it goes, where the poem takes me,� Hostovksy said. Hostovsky offered some words of wisdom and experience to any aspiring poets at VSU. “Hell is having nothing to read but your own poems, because if all you read is your own stuff then you’re cutting yourself off from all the talent and wisdom and pleasure that is being offered out there by other people,� he said. “If you’re a writer then you’ve got to read.�
Cody Hicks/THE SPECTATOR During rehearsal for the play “Free To Be...You and Me,� the tigers of the Fine Arts department exhibit to their audience why it is important to be your own person and not let others limit you.
‘Free To Be...You and Me’ sets limits, sterotypes free Isaiah Smart S TA F F W R I T E R
itsmart@valdosta.edu
The stage is set and the lights are bright. The Fine Arts department will be performing a musical entitled “Free to Be‌You and Meâ€? at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and 10:30 p.m. on Saturday. “Free to Be‌ You and Meâ€? is a music theatre performance from an album and illustrated book released in 1972. The al-
Have you always wanted to take photos and never received your chance? Well, the Spectator wants to give you that opportunity. Email photo editor Cody Hicks at clhicks@valdosta.edu and share with her your interest. The Spectator is always accepting new writers. Email Amber Smith at amsmith@valdosta.edu and Jennifer Gleason at jlgleason@valdosta.edu.
bum includes contributions from stars like Harry Belafonte, Dionne Warwick and Michael Jackson. The musical carries a serious theme of respect for others, but is expected to still be enjoyable. The musical celebrates diversity and an individual’s uniqueness by promoting the idea that everyone is free to be the best of who they are. “It is an exploration of how people don’t need to be limited by stereotypes,� Jacqueline Wheeler, theatre professor and
Peach State Summer Theatre artistic director, said. The drama is set to last approximately an hour and will feature eight of VSU’s theatre majors. The show is free to students with a valid VSU ID. After the two day showing of the play, there will be touring performances scheduled during February and March. For more information, contact the Fine Arts department at (229) 333-5835.
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http://qr2.it/Go/1870393 Scan to see a clip of Hostovsky reading one of his poems. Also in the video is an interview with Dr. Marty Williams.
Check the web Spectator to see new columnist Dowling Payne’s profile on football player Cayden Cochran. She shows why he is what means to be a Blazer.
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SPORTS
PAGE 6 | VSUSPECTATOR.COM
JANUARY 31, 2013
Blazer baseball begins Friday night Alex Tostado S P O RT S W R I T E R ajtostado@valdosta.edu
The Valdosta State baseball team has a unique challenge ahead of them this season. The Blazers are relying on their veteran pitching staff due to them returning only one position player from last season. The team opens its season on Friday at Billy Grant Field against Palm Beach Atlantic as a part of the Comfort Inn Suites Classic. The Blazers are looking to improve from last season’s record of
27-19, including 14-9 in Gulf South Conference play. Head Coach Greg Guilliams looks to guide this team to victories while having eight new starters at any point. “Every year you are going to have new players but part of the challenge is to get your team to match the philosophy [of the offense],” Guilliams said. “Especially when you have a new team, I don’t think that you ever feel that you are ready. Part of it is just the unknown. Until you start playing games that count, you just don’t know how your team is going to react.”
One of the players that the Blazers lost is Christian Glisson, who was the 2012 GSC player of the year. “I don’t think you ever replace [Glisson] in just one year; you just don’t do it… But this year’s team is going to be different in ways than last year’s team wasn’t. This year’s team just needs to find its own identity,” Guilliams said. In order to find that identity early on in the season, Guilliams is looking to his veteran pitching staff that includes six of the seven seniors on the team. Nick Fogarty, one of the seniors, is a starting pitcher who is looking
to bounce back from a broken hand last season. “My confidence is up and my arm is feeling better than it has in a long time,” Fogarty said. “It is going to start off with our starters… We need to lead the way and the bullpen guys need to come out and do their job and the late inning guys are really going to have to be big for us,”. Jamie McMillan, a transfer from Mercer, is hoping to have an impact on the younger guys and hopes to bring leadership to the team. “I want to help these young guys stay… focus[ed] on the task at hand, win every pitch, practice
hard, a lot of effort and a lot of intensity.” The Blazers play Lynn University on Saturday and wrap up the weekend against North Georgia on Sunday. VSU does not open up conference play until March 2nd at Alabama-Huntsville. “Obviously playing at home brings a comfort level rather than going on the road,” Guilliams said. “We have a lot of Florida and South Georgia guys that like the warm weather so hopefully the weather cooperates this weekend.”
VSU tennis serve up new season Eric Jackson S P O RT S E D I T O R epjackson@valdosta.edu
The sun is shining, flowers are blooming, birds are singing: this can only mean one thing right? It’s time to serve up another season of VSU tennis. Head Coach John Hansen, in his 39th season at the helm, believes it’s too early for him to be confident about the men and women’s squads in 2013 however at the same time he is not unconfident. “I think we’re going to be a little better than last year mainly because some of our freshman from last year have more experience,” Hansen said of both teams. “Do we have a run at the national championship? I don’t know but I think we’re going to scare some people.” The Blazers will certainly get a chance to do that facing six of the best teams in the nation early on in the season. These teams include biggest non-conference rival Barry, Lynn, Armstrong Atlantic and this season’s Gulf South Conference favorite picked to win not only the conference but the national championship as well, West Florida. UWF defeated the Blazers, 5-1, and the Lady Blazers, 52, to claim their second
straight GSC Championship victory for both tennis teams last year. The men and women squads will look to improve after both finished with an unsatisfying 10-10 record last season. The men already start the year off at disadvantage due to Santiago Vidales and Niklas Herbring out indefinitely with injuries. This hinders VSU immensely considering both players were in the top six last year; Vidales hasn’t been ruled out for the entire season. Herbring was named 2012 GSC Freshman of the Year. The remaining six players must step up in their absence and stay healthy. Another injured player could be costly for the Blazers. Lone senior Konstantin Kutschenko is expected to lead the team on and off the court. “Without any problem, he has come in and just taking over,” Hansen said. “He realizes that everyone is looking up to him. I think he has an excellent chance in being one of the top players in the country this year. He’s already shown that and I think with his help we’re really putting something together.” Kutschenko, the only re
Matt Mariott/NCAA Photos Konstantin Kutschenko in his final season as a Blazer is expected to lead VSU this season.
maining active member of the 2011 national championship team, last year beat Eudaldo Bonet (1-6, 6-3, 103) the No.3 player in the nation at the time. With 2012 ITA Senior Player of the Year Christian Hansen graduated, the pressure on Kutschenko to carry the load is at an all-time high but the challenge doesn’t seem to faze him. “I’m trying to be there for everyone,” Kutschenko, also
a graduate assistant, said. “I kind of feel like I should be the leader on the team; I’m just excited we have a couple new players again. I’m ready to start the season to see where we stand. I look forward to it; this will be my last season.” The women’s team head into the season with just six players total. On the bright side, Hansen says some of the best teams in years past have been with
only the starting six. “It also puts that much pressure on us so we have to say fit, stay healthy,” Jessica Tuggle, third-year player said. “I think we have a really good team. As long we keep our heads focused on every single match and not worrying about the post-season now.” Hansen believes if the injury bug can stay away his teams have the potential to be as talented as the 2011
championship squad that was honored in Wednesday’s parade. “We get compared to them every day,” Hansen laughingly said. “We’ll find out.” The mens begin their season Friday 3 p.m. at home against USC-Aiken and the women’s first match is Wednesday against Georgia College.
Make sure to follow @BlazerSports on Twitter for constant updates on VSU athletics (Left) VSU guard Kourtney Williams was held to a season low two-points in the 52-48 loss to Delta State last Saturday. Williams looks to bounce back against Union Thursday.
Austen Hutto/THESPECTATOR
(Right) Patrick Diop drives the lane for a lay-up during last Thurday’s win over Christian Brothers. Diop was awarded Gulf South Conference player of the week for the second straight week after recording 37 points total in the last two games.
Austen Hutto/THESPECTATOR
Braves to visit Valdosta Sat. Neil Frawley S TA F F W R I T E R ndfrawley@valdosta.edu
Attention Braves fans! The Braves Caravan will be stopping at the Academy Sports + Outdoors on Norman Dr. between the hours of 1:00 and 2:30 PM. For those unfamiliar, the Braves Caravan is an annual fan appreciation event that the Atlanta Braves put on before the start of Spring Training.
Parade Continued from Page 1 -ionship and when you accomplish that it’s really something special. It’s great that we can give back to the community.” After Hansen warmed the crowd, VSU Head Softball Coach Thomas Macera took the podium to express his thanks and congratulations to the teams being honored at the ceremony. “This is a great honor for the university,” Macera said. “It was great for our girls
The caravan includes several Atlanta Braves’ both current and former players, as well as other members associated with the team. The purpose is to give the fans the chance to meet some of their local heroes and for the players and other Braves’ members the chance to give back to the community that they represent. “We look forward to our annual Braves Country Caravan as a time to provide our fans throughout the South-
east an opportunity to interact with our manager, coaches and players and to express our gratitude for their loyalty and support. This is one special way we can show our appreciation to some of the most passionate and dedicated baseball fans in the world,” John Schuerholz, Atlanta Braves President, said in an Atlanta Braves press release. Atlanta Braves members will be attendance include: Hall of Famer Phil Niekro,
former right-fielder and World Series champion Ryan Klesko (1992-99), former catcher and now bullpen coach Eddie Perez (player from 1995-2001, and a coach since 2007), current hitting coach Greg Walker (since 2012), and current Braves commentator Joe Simpson (since 1992). The Braves Caravan began nine years ago as a single day event nine years ago, but was then expanded about five years ago into what it is
today; a five state, two week-long tour leading up to Spring Training. But the tour is about way more than just signing autographs. “It’s the most important thing that we do in the offseason,” Gus Eurton, Atlanta Braves’ Vice President of Marketing and Sales, said. “We enjoy it as much as the kids do,” Fredi Gonzalez, Braves manager said in a press release. “The fans support us all
and the coaching staff. I would love to do [the parade] again next year.” The women’s 2012 softball team was not only the first women’s team in school history to bring home a title, but they were also the first softball team from the Gulf South Conference to do so. Following Macera, VSU Head Football Coach David Dean was cheered loudly by the Blazer faithful as he approached the podium. “I was in Atlanta this week recruiting,” Dean said. “I met with several coaches and told them I had to get
back for the parade.People asked me why it was in the middle of the week and standing here now, I can tell them that this is what Titletown is all about.” At the conclusion of the ceremony, Valdosta Mayor John Gayle and Lowndes County Board of Commissioners Chairman Bill Slaughter Jr. issued the joint proclamation. Since this was the first time in school history that more than one team in a calendar year took home the championship, the parade represented a special day for
Valdosta State athletics Gayle and Slaughter hereby declared that January 30 will be deemed Blazer National Championship Day. As a VSU alumnus, Mayor Gayle relishes the fact that three teams from his Alma Mater have reached the proverbial mountaintop in their respective sports. “We’re so proud of these teams,” Gayle said with a smile. “It gives us something to brag about. We can brag about the fact that we’ve got three national championships in the last 18 months.” VSU Athletic Director
Herb Reinhard understands the importance of what winning national championships brings to the university, as well as the effect it has on the community. “Winning those championships and getting the national visibility—it helps our national perception,” Reinhard said. “Any time that the community recognizes our student-athletes for their achievements, that makes me very happy.” President William J. McKinney, who kicked off the ceremony by thanking the teams and students for
year, for eight straight months. They come out to the field, so it's the least we can do is give a couple of our days, and see the fans,” Freddie Freeman, Braves first baseman added in another press release. Braves’ pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to camp on Monday, February 11 which marks the start of spring training.
attending, had one word to describe what this day means to him and the university. “This is a lot of pride,” McKinney said. “The city of Valdosta and Lowndes County would organize this parade in our honor—in our students’ honor. That’s just priceless.” “I will be riding the emotion of this day for weeks to come.” It goes to show that TitleTown not only consists of the championship teams, but the fans and community as well.