August 31, 2017

PLANTS FOR PROFIT PAGE 3-4

OPED: #FIGHTHATEAPPSTATE PAGE 5

STEP AFRIKA! PAGE 15

AUG.

31 2017

Aug. 31, 2017

THE TEAM Sydney Spann @spanooo EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Olivia Wilkes @theappalachian ADVISOR

EDITORIAL

BUSINESS

MULTIMEDIA

Victoria Haynes @victoriahayness MANAGING EDITOR

Q Russell @Q_M_Russell OPINION EDITOR

Jonathan Mauldin @MauldinJonathan GRAD ASSISTANT

Maleek Loyd @maleekstuff VISUAL MANAGING EDITOR

Halle Keighton @halle_keighton PHOTO EDITOR

Reilly Finnegan @reillyfinn CHIEF COPY EDITOR

Adrienne Fouts @adriennefouts A&E EDITOR

Bradley Workman @Brad_Workman BUSINESS MANAGER

Nora Smith @noraagracee GRAPHICS EDITOR

Jamie Patel @jptalksfooty VIDEO EDITOR

Tyler Hotz @TylerHotz15 IN-DEPTH EDITOR

Sammy Hanf @sammyhanf NEWS EDITOR

Jason Huber @_JasonHuber SPORTS EDITOR MARKETING DIRECTOR

CRIME LOG

CAMPUS AUG. 28

9:27 p.m. | Assault on Female Coltrane Hall Closed

AUG. 27 4:50 p.m. | Domestic Violence Off Campus Unknown

AUG. 27 2:23 a.m. | Underage Consumption of Alcohol Lovill Hall Closed

AUG. 27 1:14 a.m. | Underage Consumption of Alcohol White Hall Closed

AUG. 27 9:34 a.m. | Vandalism Rivers Street East/ West Tunnels Leads Exhausted

AUG. 26 9:59 p.m. | Criminal Damage to Property (Vandalism) Rivers Street East Tunnel Leads Exhausted

AUG. 26 12:55 a.m. | Underage Consumption of Alcohol Rivers Street Closed

AUG. 26 3:13 a.m. | DWI - Alcohol and/or Drugs Appalachia Cookie Company Parking Lot Closed

APRIL 4 12:50 a.m. | Vandalism Owens Field House Leads exhausted

APRIL 3 3:33 p.m. | Larceny Student Recreation Center Further investigation

Braxton Coats @brxcoats22 WEB MANAGER

Aug. 31, 2017

Biology Greenhouse Manager Jerry Meyer (center) explains to student volunteers Morgan Gaglianese-Woody (left) and Monica Atkins (right) about the specific needs of a mimosa plant, often referred to as a sensitive plant due to its tendency to wilt as a form of self-preservation when touched.

PLANT PURCHASES HIT PEAK PROFITS T Dylan Austin│Intern News Reporter

wice a year students are invited to App State’s biology greenhouse plant sale, where they can peruse and purchase their selection of plants to help support the greenhouse and the biology department.

This year the sale took place from Aug. 24-26 and had lines at the door when they opened for business on the first day.

Jerry Meyer, the greenhouse’s manager, said the sale was the department’s most successful to date, beating out their previous record of $10,000.

“I have an alternative method of coming up with funding, unlike a lot of facility managers. I can grow and

Halle Keighton

sell plants,” Meyer said.

Meyer said he and his volunteers prepare for the sale all year, taking care of the plants and making sure they stay alive for students to buy.

About half of the greenhouse volunteers are biology majors, but Meyers said he still tries to teach them as much as he can about horticulture.

Monica Atkins, a sophomore anthropology major, said her time in the greenhouse provides a valuable outlet for her.

“I found this as like my destress. My favorite part of being at the greenhouse and volunteering every week is getting my hands dirty,” Atkins said.

Kayla Silva, a senior biology major, said the plants in

the greenhouse are great for sprucing up a dorm room or making an apartment more welcoming.

Meyer said he is proud that he can provide a service to the community with the greenhouse and with his focus of growing wildflowers local to the eastern United States, a crucial part of local animals’ diets.

The greenhouse’s next sale will take place at the end of the spring semester.

A Bromeliaceae plant for sale in the Biology Greenhouse.

This type of plant is in the same family as the pineapple.

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Aug. 31, 2017

Customers shop at the plant sale in the Biology Greenhouse that had a variety of plants grown by students and community volunteers.

Bromeliaceae plants for sale in the Biology Greenhouse. This type of plant is in the same family as the pineapple.

4

Halle Keighton

Aug. 31, 2017

Students pulled #NoHateAppState signs out of the ground on Sanford Mall to protest a man claiming to be a prophet after he used hateful language to address female and LGBTQ+ students.

“

HATE ERASURE AT APP PUTS STUDENTS AT RISK

I affirm that there is no place for hate on our campus. Members of our Appalachian Community will stand together against violence, discrimination, injustice and racism of any stripe,” Sheri Everts, Appalachian’s Chancellor, said in an email in the aftermath of the Charlottesville white nationalist attacks.

Now, in the weeks following this email, students walking around campus can barely turn a head without seeing bold black letters on banners, signs and even stickers and pins of the chancellor’s hashtag of choice: #NoHateAppState.

In spite of the hashtag being blasted by Appalachian, in the past week students have also seen a recruitment banner from Identity Evropa, a group who claims on their website to be “a generation of awakened Europeans who have discovered that we are part of the great peoples, history, and civilization that flowed from the European continent.”

Although the banner offered no direct threat towards minority groups on campus, Watauga NAACP President Todd Carter voiced his concerns about the intentions of

Cody Briggs

Nora Smith is sophomore journalism major from Spartanburg, South Carolina.

You can follow them on Twitter at @noraagracee. the banner in a recent news release.

“Make no mistake, this was an act of hate,” Carter said. “The banner was intended to intimidate and incite fear among the African American, Jewish, LGBTQ, minority and immigrant student populations at the beginning of the school year.”

It does not matter that Identity Evropa is not a campus organization. The important thing is that they have made their presence and intention very clear. They are in the community and feel confident in their efforts to recruit on our campus. #NoHateAppState is not

enough. Despite these words posted across campus, hate still reigns. Students of color now walk in fear of white supremacist groups, lurking in the shadows, facing no repercussions for their actions.

Simone Walkowe, a sophomore biochemistry major, said she feels more fear while walking to class each day for simply being pansexual, female and a person of color.

“This is no longer a community I have the right to call a home,” Walkowe said. “I feel as though the university is only doing so much because they are afraid of doing more for people who are not only the minority on a day-to-day basis, but also a minority on campus.

What I mean by that is the university will only do so much, because only a few people will be truly affected.”

Walkowe also said that she was not content with the message #NoHateAppState.

“Hashtags are for people who care for five seconds.

Change is for people who care.

Period,” Walkowe said. #NoHateAppState is a short form response to a long-term, long-reaching problem. It cannot effectively serve to represent and support the experienc-

es of our diverse student population. Of course there are many people who this hate will not affect; the hatred is not toward them.

For students of color, Jewish students and other minorities, the administration’s hashtag does not effectively address hate, but erases hate already present on campus.

Erasure of the significance of hate-driven events makes similar actions more probable because there is a sense of security for those who perpetrate them.

White nationalist groups are welcome to march on our campus. The administration has sent a clear message that they will not be punished for doing so.

In their effort to prevent Boone from becoming the next Charlottesville, our administration has made it far more likely for similar events to occur by not issuing a clear disapproval of the actions of white supremacist groups.

I want to be clear, I am not promoting any violence or hate speech from the groups affected by these events. However, it is crucial that we all recognize the difference between the free speech that groups are re-

questing.

Student protest groups on campus, both organized and informal, are requesting a space to fight against “discrimination, racism and injustice” as is the hope of Chancellor Everts in her own words.

White supremacist groups, on the other hand, are requesting a space to threaten groups physically, verbally, or by any other means such that the group reasonably believes that the threat is likely to be carried out. Examples of this include intimidation and coercion.

If this phrase sounds familiar, it is because it is pulled directly from the Appalachian State University Code of Conduct.

This I am sure of: as long as hate groups maintain a place on campus, students who stand against them will speak out against them. The answer to hate is not to ignore it, as our leaders would have us believe, but to face it head-on and to tell those who preach it that they are not welcome here.

Do not let #NoHateAppState blind you. Hate is real. Even if we stand without support, hate is ours to fight. #FightHateAppState

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Aug. 31, 2017

THE CONSCIENCE OF A CONSERVATIVE IN THE AGE OF TRUMP

L

ike many people, I didn’t support Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, however, unlike most of them, I’m a conservative and a registered Republican.

I am not even particularly moderate either, especially when it comes to fiscal issues.

I fall well on the right end of the political spectrum, perhaps even beyond what many in my party would want.

However, to people like myself, from the very beginning it was apparent that Trump was not what we needed in a president.

His policy positions ranged from the bizarre, such as Mexico paying for a wall on the southern border, to downright cruel, such as suggesting the killing of families of terrorists.

He spread conspiracy theories such as birtherism and anti-vaccination, as well as admiration for dictators such as Russian President Vladimir Putin.

On the few issues you could find a coherent stance on, it was obvious that he was not conservative: he opposed free trade and supported universal healthcare.

The latter stance was some-

Eric Cunningham is a senior journalism major from Hickory, North Carolina. You can follow him on Twitter at @DEricCunningham. thing that John McCormack of The Weekly Standard noted that Trump defended during the first Republican presidential primary debate.

I assumed that Republican voters would select any of the other candidates who were more qualified and had a record of advancing conservatism, as opposed to Trump’s bizarre history of being, at various points, a Republican, a Democrat, an Independent and even a member of Ross Perot’s short-lived Reform Party.

Unfortunately, I was wrong, and watched as the unthinkable happened and he was elected president.

This leads us to today, to Trump’s recent rally in Phoenix, Arizona. Bryan Logan of Business Insider said that Trump targeted both senators from Arizona, specifically Senator Jeff Flake, and said he was “weak on borders [and] weak on crime.”

This criticism is no surprise due to Flake’s frequent criticism of the president, yet to conservatives like myself it is just another disappointing action in a presidency that has been worse than we assumed.

The effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act failed, while Trump stood on the sidelines doing nothing to either improve the bill or get more senators on board.

Tax reform has gone nowhere and Trump’s stated opposition to entitlement reform and support of more military funding means we likely won’t see anything close to a balanced budget.

Venezuela is approaching dictatorship, Russia is working to destroy the West and North Korea is nearing the capacity to conduct a missile strike on the mainland.

While Trump can find the time to attack people like Flake,

a stalwart conservative graded highly by most conservative groups, he can’t seem to, without equivocation, condemn white nationalist groups unless he has it on his teleprompter.

Trump is an embarrassment for someone representing the party of Lincoln and a disgrace to the legacy of Republican leaders such as Ronald Reagan and Bob Dole, who in their time condemned the types of groups we saw in Charlottesville.

During Reagan’s address at the NAACP’s 72nd Annual Convention, he called the beliefs of hate groups “senseless” and “perverted” and threatened to prosecute them if they engaged in violence or intimidation.

The Trump administration is clearly, by any measure, a disappointment to all but the most cynical on the right: the people who don’t care what the president does as long as he angers their political opponents.

So, what is the way forward for conservatives?

It is led by individuals such as Senator Flake, a decent man who unapologetically advocates conservatism without hate and vitriol. On his personal Twitter, Flake pointedly said,

“We can’t claim to be the party of Lincoln if we equivocate in condemning white supremacy.”

It is in looking back to the legacy of our party’s first president, as well as the Enlightenment values our nation was founded on: the natural rights of all individuals, regardless of color or ethnic heritage.

While our country has been less than perfect in our embrace of these ideas, they have driven the best aspects of our history and we should use them to make our great country even better.

It is in following the example of William F. Buckley, who Alvin Felzenberg of National Review noted expelled the paranoid, nativist John Birch Society from the emerging conservative movement.

It is in presenting a positive vision for the future rather than one driven by fear or hate and presenting an agenda rooted in fact-based arguments rather than hysteria, and one that recognizes and embraces our history while acknowledging the need to grow and change policy as time goes on.

In other words: conservatives need to reclaim our legacy before it is too late.

ANTIFA: FIGHTING NAZIS WITH VIOLENCE

F

ollowing the inauguration of Donald Trump on Jan. 20, violence overtook the streets of Washington, D.C. Dressed head-to-toe in black, people were lighting limos on fire, throwing bricks and vandalizing buildings.

According to NBC News, 230 people were arrested and charged with felony rioting because of the violence that took place.

Antifa, short for anti-fascism, is an organization dedicated to denying a platform to white supremacists and neo-Nazis.

The group has been around for decades, primarily in Europe in 1932, resurging after World War II, and grew in popularity in the United States from leftist policies of the 1980s.

Mark Bray, author of “Antifa: The Antifascist Handbook,” said that Antifa groups “organize educational campaigns, build community coalitions, monitor fas-

6

cists, pressure venues to cancel their events, organize self-defense trainings and physically confront the far right when necessary.”

The “physically confronting the far right” part in the handbook has led to violence in places such as Trump’s inauguration and controversial speakings at colleges.

“I do not know a lot about them but I do not support Antifa just because of their violence.

Even if what the group stands for is correct, violence is just not the right way to go about it,” Lexi Ovenden, a sophomore interdisciplinary studies major, said.

When innocent people are getting hurt because of a group that thinks violence is the answer, that group should not be looked at as a positive example.

Stooping down to the level of the people they are going against only hurts their position.

An example of this is the trend of punching Nazis, which

started on Jan. 20, when an altright leader, Richard Spencer, was punched in the face while giving an interview.

These caused memes to spring up of Spencer getting punched, and the slogan “punch a Nazi” was born.

While this seems appealing to people fighting fascism, it is a dangerous ideology that can cause innocent people to get hurt.

The potential for being hurt because of the way they present themselves is not something that should be promoted.

Fighting hate with hate, and violence with violence is not the way to go about fighting fascism; that is how people get hurt.

“I don’t think I would punch a Nazi unless they personally did something to me in that moment, then yes, I would [punch a Nazi].

I would not go out of my way to punch someone like that,” Dalton Forster, a freshman theatre major, said.

This attitude can be used to

Moss Brennan is a freshman journalism major and minoring in history. He is from Durham, N.C. You can follow him on Twitter at @mosbren. make the other side look bad.

Joshua Witt, 26, claimed to have been attacked and stabbed by an Antifa member as he was getting out of his car because his haircut allegedly made him look like a neo-Nazi.

According to The Guardian, he later admitted to accidentally cutting hismself due to fear that his insurance would not cover

his treatment.

He was later arrested in false reporting charges.

President Donald Trump has said that there was violence on many sides during Charlottesville and he even mentioned “altleft.”

I do not believe there is such a thing as the “alt-left”, as President Trump puts it, but Antifa is the closest.

With violent methods and questionable actions in the past, Antifa looks more like a villain than a organization of good.

Fighting fire with fire never works.

Antifa fights Nazis with violence and that only emboldens them and causes some people to not treat Nazis as a real American threat.

This organization needs to realize that violence is never the answer and that the American people will not empathize with them unless they change their violent ways.

The front cover of The Appalachian on Thursday, Sep. 6th, 2007, the week after the App-Michigan game.

Senior wide receiver Hans Batichon goes in for a touchdown early in the first half to keep the Mountaineers close to Michigan.

UNTHINKABLE UPSET YIELDS UNTHINKABLE IMPACT Tyler Hotz│

T

he beginning of September is a celebration for college football fans across the country. After months of anxiously waiting, players, coaches and fans count down the final days, hours and minutes before each team’s opening kickoff.

For fans in the High Country, the excitement and thrill of opening the 2017 season against SEC powerhouse Georgia is coupled with a game 10 years ago that not only changed Appalachian State football, but Appalachian State University, forever.

Opening the 2007 season in “The Big House” against the Michigan Wolverines, App State was a longshot to take

down college football’s winningest program. The Mountaineers, Michigan’s first ever FCS opponent, were not even given a betting line in Las Vegas.

Yet, waking up as an App State fan on Sept. 1, 2007, there were many positives to look forward to that season.

The Mountaineers had won back-to-back FCS National Championships and returned many starters, including future NFL Draft selections: quarterback Armanti Edwards, wide receiver Dexter Jackson and safety Corey Lynch.

Months leading up to the game, Fox Sports sent a broadcasting crew to Boone to film and recount the long hours of preparation for App’s showdown in Ann Ar-

@TylerHotz15│In-Depth Editor bor. What started as a lighthearted, 30-minute documentary, quickly transformed into an hour-long piece recounting a 34-32 Mountaineer victory and one of college football’s greatest upsets of all-time.

“We didn’t really look into it as an FCS team beating a ranked FBS team,” App State kicker Julian Rauch said. “We were able to get a little confidence in that game and make it competitive and that’s just what we wanted to do.”

When Corey Lynch blocked Michigan kicker Jason Gingell’s potential game-winning field goal, the relatively small amount of media attention on the Mountaineer football program exploded into becoming the story of the 2007 college football season. Almost imme-

diately after the game, phone calls and press inquires flooded App State’s athletic communications department.

Following the game, former Assistant Athletics Director for football communications Mike Flynn walked down the tunnel to App’s locker room. Looking down at his phone, an icon indicated that his voicemail box had already been completely filled.

Finally leaving the stadium, more pandemonium ensued on the tarmac right as the team’s charter flight was preparing to fly back to North Carolina.

Because Flynn was answering phone calls non-stop, his phone died before the plane even took off, prompting the pilot to allow Flynn to charge his phone in the cockpit as the

plane was in the air.

“My phone died so I’m grabbing other people’s phones doing whatever we can,” Flynn said. “The pilot asked me if my phone was dead and I told him ‘yeah it is.’ He asked me if I had the cord for it, and I said ‘yes,’ so he said ‘give it to me, I’ll charge it in the cockpit so it’ll be charged for you when you get back.’ I remember saying to somebody, ‘I don’t think he would’ve done that if we had lost that game.’”

As Flynn was bombarded with loads of interview requests, the scene in Boone turned to total fanfare. Some students began jumping into Duck Pond in front of Trivette Dining Hall, while others tore down the goalposts in Kidd

App vs. Michigan game timeline 10:55 12:31 Running back Mike Hart rushes for a four-yard touchdown Michigan 7, App 0

Wide Receiver Greg Matthews scores on a 10-yard touchdown reception from Chad Henne

Michigan 7, App 7

Michigan 14, App 7

FIRST QUARTER 8

3:16

Wide Receiver Dexter Jackson scores on a 68-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Armanti Edwards

9:47 Wide Receiver 13:35 Dexter Jackson Quarterback scores on a Armanti Edwards 20-yard hits wide receiver touchdown Hans Batichon for reception from a nine-yard quarterback touchdown Armanti Edwards Michigan 14, App 14

App 21, Michigan 14

2:15

Quarterback Armanti Edwards runs it into the endzone from six yards out App 28, Michigan 14

SECOND QUARTER

0:16 Kicker Jason Gingell connects on a 22-yard field goal App 28, Michigan 17

12:57

Kicker Jason Gingell makes a 42-yard field goal App 28, Michigan 20

8:17

Kicker Julian Rauch converts a 31-yard field goal App 31, Michigan 20

THIRD QU Courtesy of App State Athletics

Defensive back Corey Lynch blocks Jason Gingell’s field goal attempt in the fourth quarter, sealing the App State victory.

Brewer Stadium and then carried them to front lawn of the chancellor’s estate.

Arriving back in North Carolina, the team still had to take a short bus ride from the airport to campus. Because of all the people lining the streets, the usual short bus ride became much longer, causing Flynn’s assistant back on campus to be placed in a difficult situation.

Honoring those lost in the infamous Virginia Tech shootings, ESPN’s College Gameday was at Virginia Tech on the opening weekend. Seeing the Mountaineers knock off Michigan, the College Gameday bus then made a beeline for Boone following their coverage in Blacksburg, Virginia.

Wanting to film Boone for a live 11 p.m. Sportscenter spot, ESPN producers began to grow restless when the team bus faced delays. When Flynn finally arrived back to his office, his assistant told him that ESPN decided to move their live Sportscenter coverage to Boston, tuning into Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz’s postgame interview after his no-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles.

Losing out on the oppor-

tunity for a live Sportscenter spot, App State’s media limelight was far from over. Just the next morning, select members of the App State team participated in live Sportscenter interviews.

Later in the day, ESPNews carried a live press conference.

As for the College Gameday truck, it stayed until the middle of the next week, interviewing different players and coaches each of its days on the App State campus.

Racking up the interviews from media outlets across the country, Appalachian was gaining exposure like it had never seen before. Even though the interview requests continued to pour in, head football coach Jerry Moore made it a priority for his players and staff to soak up all the possible publicity.

“Coach Moore pulled me aside on Sunday and I told him that we had to draw the line somewhere on all of this stuff because we don’t have enough hours in the day to do all this,” Flynn said. “Coach Moore said, ‘Mike, you’re gonna do every single interview that we are asked to do, every single one. This is a once-in-alifetime type thing and we’ll make time to do every single

interview.’”

Sticking true to his words, Flynn granted every interview request that came his way. Because of the overload, he had to bring out his assistants with cell phones after each practice to conduct interviews over the phone.

In the middle of the media circus, the football team and App State Athletics had to prepare for a home game the next weekend against Lenoir-Rhyne.

The media exposure for that game exceeded all expectations, but there was one problem for App State Athletics, they had just torn down the old football press box to make room for the one that currently resides at Kidd Brewer Stadium.

Flying in from major news markets across America, journalists made their way to Boone to cover the game in the tiny, makeshift press box.

“We had a temporary press box and in the first game of the temporary press box we had Sports Illustrated, USA Today, The New York Times, The Washington Post and the Chicago Tribune all there and we had to tell them that we didn’t have a press box,” Flynn said.

“It was a crazy time. I didn’t

0:06

Running back Mike Hart runs 54 yards for a touchdown.

4:36

Safety Corey Lynch blocks kicker Jason Gingell’s 37-yard field goal attempt to seal App State’s win over No. 5 Michigan.

Michigan 32, App 31

App 34, Michigan 32

0:24

Running back Mike Hart rushes for a four-yard touchdown App 31, Michigan 26

UARTER Courtesy of App State Athletics

FOURTH QUARTER

get a lot of sleep that week.”

Defeating Lenoir-Rhyne 48-7, the Mountaineers kept rolling through their 2007 campaign, falling twice in conference play yet still able to clinch their third-straight Southern Conference Championship. Later that season, the Apps beat Delaware 49-21 to become the first FCS team to win three-straight national titles.

App State’s football success acquired national notoriety, so much so that people waited in hotel lobbies on road trips just to get pictures taken with players.

Adding to the distractions, the university police occasionally had to get involved.

On multiple occasions, people from outside of Boone came to campus, bought App State gear in town and then tried to go outside of the football fieldhouse to collect autographs from players to then sell on the internet.

“Here we are, it’s 2007 and we are a I-AA [FCS] team,” former Associate Athletics Director Jay Sutton said. “It changed the way we had to do some things within the fieldhouse. There were a lot of distractions, it was a different world.”

Making an immediate impact on campus, App State’s name recognition in college football benefitted more than just the football program. According to a study from USA Today, ticket sales across all sports jumped over 26 percent from 2007 to 2008.

Also in that same report, total revenue for App State Athletics has grown from $7.63 million in 2005 to $31.7 million in 2016.

Certainly, the jump to the FBS in 2014 is a major con-

tributor to the athletic program’s increase in revenue, but the accomplishments of the Mountaineer football team from 2005-2007 helped put Appalachian in position to make the jump to college football’s highest level.

Alongside the growth of App State Athletics, the university grew too. Between 2007 and 2008, applications to Appalachian increased 15 percent and on average has increased three percent annually from 2006 to 2015.

“The old saying is that a rising tide raises all ships, and that’s absolutely the case,” Flynn said. “Just look how much applications to the school went up and how the admissions standards went up.”

Between the fall semesters of 2007 and 2016, total enrollment rose over 15 percent from 15,871 students in 2007 to 18,295 in 2016.

Since 2007, the football program has won six conference championships, five SoCon and one Sun Belt, their first two bowl games at the FBS level and has had 10 players drafted in the NFL Draft.

Looking back to what the 2007 Mountaineer football team accomplished, they all helped set up App State football and Appalachian State University for a bright future.

“I am in awe watching these guys go out every Saturday,” former App State linebacker and current App State broadcaster and Director of Student-Athlete Development Pierre Banks said. “I won seven championships total and beat one FBS team. These guys go out and beat FBS teams every week. Our time was our time, but they have taken it and ran with it.”

9

APP-MICHIGAN RELIVED 10 YEARS LATER Sophomore quarterback Armanti Edwards attempts to rush the ball against Michigan defenders.

Jason Huber│

T

here was nothing to lose, and nothing to gain for the Appalachian State Mountaineer football team on Sept. 1, 2007. Nobody anticipated a small, relatively unknown school in the mountains coming off of two straight Division I FCS national championships to enter “The Big House” and knock off a No. 5 ranked FBS “power five” team with championship expectations.

Nevertheless, a game projected to be a lopsided victory for the ranked Michigan Wolverines football team turned into the biggest and most memorable college football upset in history.

On that day, App State, a small college located in Boone, North Carolina that had been known for their football team in the college football subdivision, became a nationally-known university with a 34-32 “upset in ‘The Big House’” in Ann Arbor, Michigan during the first week of the college football season.

Ten years later, the impact of that game is still felt

by Michigan fans, App State fans and sport fans around the world.

Led by head coach Jerry Moore, the Mountaineers entered the 2007-2008 season hoping for a third straight FCS national championship with key players: senior run-

10

ning back Kevin Richardson, receivers Dexter Jackson and Hans Batichon, linebacker Pierre Banks, defensive back Corey Lynch, kicker Julian Rauch and sophomore quarterback Armanti Edwards.

Just a few months prior, the Mountaineers were still searching for two more non-conference opponents to play in the 2007 season, including the opening game. Associate athletic director Jay Sutton and football sports information director Mike Flynn were struggling because it seemed nobody wanted to play App State. “[Jay] Sutton, who did scheduling at the time, called everybody in America,” Flynn said. “We went into February or March of that year and we were still two games short of a full schedule.”

That is when Flynn saw a news story that Michigan and Vanderbilt had dropped their season-opening game. Sutton reached out to Michigan’s athletics director, and conversations took place over the next two weeks.

“I remember going down the hall to give coach Moore updates on the schedule, and when I shared with him that I had some dialogue with Michigan, he stopped what he was doing and looked at me eye-toeye and said ‘You make them tell you no,’” Sutton said. “It was basically, you figure out

@_JasonHuber│Sports Editor

anything you can do to schedule this game. I took that mantra back with me and I stayed on it.”

App State and Michigan was scheduled. When an FCS team plays an FBS team, they are often referred to as money games. The FBS team picks up an easy win and the small school walks away with money. For that game, Appalachian State would receive $400,000 to play Michigan in “The Big House.”

Winning two straight FCS championships, the game had a little more excitement built around it because of the intriguing story line.

“There was a ton of hype coming off of two national championships, opening with a game like Michigan,” Flynn recalled. “Going into that season, probably besides maybe some of the really good Marshall teams, I would say it was one of the most nationally recognized, FCS/I-AA programs that there ever was.”

At that point, nobody had expected the Mountaineers to even stand a chance against Michigan, who arguably had their best team ever with future No. 1 NFL draft pick, offensive lineman Jake Long, future Super Bowl champion receiver Mario Manningham and Heisman Trophy candidates in quarterback Chad Henne and running back Mike Hart.

“It was going to be kind of

cute,” Flynn said. “A David versus Goliath type story; Goliath wins.”

This Mountaineer team had played big “power five” teams before. The year prior, the 14-1 Mountaineers lost to a three-win N.C. State University team. In 2005, the first national championship season, the Mountaineers played tough against No. 6 ranked LSU, but lost 24-0.

“In my opinion, I thought in 2006, that was our best team,” Banks, who now works at Appalachian State as the Director of Student-Athlete Development and broadcaster, said.

“I didn’t think a team that was our best who lost to a threewin N.C. State team would go to Michigan and knock those boys off. I just didn’t see it happening.”

In the words of Moore, it was an opportunity game. If the Mountaineers won, which was highly unlikely, they would complete arguably the biggest upset ever. If the Mountaineers lost, they would continue on in the season with any confidence they gained against Michigan as they pursued another championship.

Arriving to Michigan Stadium the day prior, Moore told the team to look up in the stands, take it all in, imagine all the 110,000 fans that would occupy the stadium on Saturday and then not to look back up until the game is over.

Being a “power five” team, it was no secret that the Wolverines would be much bigger than the Mountaineers. But the Mountaineers had speed, something that Michigan did not have.

“We knew if we could spread them out and utilize our speed and make plays, who knows what could happen,” Jackson, who played in the NFL and National Arena league after college, said.

An official attendance of 109,218 packed the stadium for the noon game. Michigan began the game on offense and Hart scored on their first drive to give the Wolverines an early 7-0 lead.

“We went to a five-receiver set. Our spread base was called empty. The whole week we worked on rough routes and pick routes,” Jackson said.

“We noticed Michigan didn’t switch guys who were covering me and our receivers and only stuck with man defense.”

Knowing they wouldn’t be able to beat Michigan by running the ball, App took advantage of their speed. Three plays in on their first drive, Edwards completed a short pass to Jackson and evolved into a 68-yard touchdown to tie the game up 7-7.

“I knew this was a big game not only for my team and teammates, but also for me to play after my collegiate career,” Jackson said. “I saw the

Courtesy App State Atheletics

The 2007 App State team celebrates on the field after they defeated the No. 5 ranked Michigan football team 34-32. slant open up and caught it. I saw their safety Jamar Adams come down and over pursue and I cut and tried to utilize my speed and not get caught from behind. I ran track my junior year and remembered when you get tired, you pick your knees up so I picked my knees up. If I didn’t do that I would have been caught by Adams.”

If Jackson’s touchdown didn’t strike any fear into Michigan, the next Wolverine drive ended with Banks getting a sack on Henne that momentarily silenced “The Big House.”

“Henne comes to the line and every time he would look around and call the play at the line. We knew that and he made the proper adjustments.

I knew if I just stayed still and disguised my blitz they wouldn’t know I was coming,” Banks recollected. “I timed it up perfect. Luckily for me I came off his blind side. But that was a huge dude.”

Appalachian was in “The Big House” to stay.

Down 14-7, the Mountaineers once again scored to tie it up at 14-14 with a receiving touchdown from Batichon and forced Michigan to a three-and-out to start the second quarter.

“We made them go threeand-out and anytime you can do that as a defense, you get a lot of confidence and it lets you understand that you can play with these guys,” Banks said.

Continuing to utilize their speed, Edwards connected with Jackson for another touchdown to bring the score to 21-14. Forcing Michigan to

a turnover on downs, Edwards ran it into the endzone himself to give the Mountaineers a 2814 lead.

Just two minutes remaining before halftime, the Mountaineer defense forced the Wolverines to only a field goal in the second quarter for a 28-17 halftime lead.

“Right then and there, I knew we were better than them,” Banks said.

“At halftime, coach Moore told us ‘I know we are up, but let’s go out there with a thinking mentality that it’s 0-0. We are going to get the best you have ever seen from a Big 10 opponent in Michigan with 30 minutes left,’” Jackson said.

“We knew it wasn’t over.”

Appalachian expected a comeback from the Wolverines. As one of the top teams in the country, they were not going to go down without a fight.

Even with Hart going down with an injury and missing almost the whole second quarter and half of the third quarter, the Wolverines had plenty of depth.

Edwards, who had been playing the game with a hurt shoulder, threw an interception to start the second half and Michigan got the ball back. Not putting their heads down, the Mountaineer defense forced the Wolverines to a field goal.

Getting the ball back, the App’s Rauch hit a 31-yard field goal to extend the lead 31-20.

“I don’t think Michigan realized or gave us credit for the speed that we put together,” Rauch said. “We spread it out and put the ball in speedsters’ hands and let them know what

Courtesy of App State Athletics

they’re able to do. You play football and take advantage of opportunities. It doesn’t matter who you are playing against.”

Rauch missed a 46-yard field goal on the next drive, but despite not scoring, the Mountaineer defense continued to stop the Michigan offense.

“I remember the lineman coming off with confidence saying these guys are not that great and we can push them around,” Rauch said. “When guys come off the field with confidence despite not doing anything, it makes you think that you can do the same at your position and we just had to roll round and get confidence. We knew our talent, we just had to do it here.”

Michigan inched their way back and recaptured the lead 32-31 in the fourth quarter creating an all-too-familiar story end.

“I still didn’t think we would win,” Banks said. “We play these teams like this and I have seen enough games to know the home team, the FBS team will play and come back to win.”

Interceptions and missed field goals brought the clock down to 26 seconds remaining in the game. The Mountaineers were in field goal range and Rauch was up to attempt a 26-yarder.

“After missing the 46-yarder in the third quarter, it was almost a blessing because I just wanted to redeem myself,” Rauch said.

Pressure was there for Rauch, but he blocked it out because there simply was no time for any nerves to soak in.

Kicked through the up-

rights, the field goal was good, giving the Mountaineers a two-point lead with 26 seconds remaining on the clock.

Rauch stayed calm and collected. There was no celebration for him.

“There are some guys who heckled me because I didn’t have a big celebration,” Rauch said. “Part of it was because I have to go out there and do my job but the other was because there was still time left. You don’t know until it’s over.”

The Mountaineers had already played an amazing game. They made many mistakes, but covered up for them.

With 26 seconds remaining, if they lost, they could head back to Boone knowing they pushed a top five-ranked team to the edge.

“There were doubts in our mind, but I was saying we can’t put the game in a kicker’s hands since we played so well,” Jackson said.

Fifteen seconds remained after an incomplete Michigan pass and then Henne unleashed a deep pass down the right sideline that was caught

by Manningham on the Mountaineers 20-yard line.

Michigan fans went crazy.

The Wolverines, despite allowing the Mountaineers to play them tough, we’re going to win the game on a field goal with six seconds remaining to play.

“When Manningham caught that ball we were thinking, ‘Oh well, we played a good game,’” Jackson said.

“I just trotted down the field,” Banks recalled. “I knew it was too good to be true.”

At that moment, one of the biggest plays in college foot-

ball would happen. The day prior during a special teams meeting for the Mountaineers, defensive coordinator John Wiley pointed out to the team that when Michigan lined up for a field goal, their inside wing would go directly to the outside man and direct the pass towards the ball.

“I looked at coach Wiley and said ‘we can get that’,” Banks said.

Before the game, Lynch told Banks they should switch places during field goal protection. Lynch was known for blocking kicks and had more speed to stretch out, get up and block the kick attempt.

Wolverine kicker Jason Gingell kicked the 37-yard attempt and Lynch blocked the kick.

Lynch picked it up and ran with it. Although he did not score, the Mountaineers did it.

Appalachian State became the first FCS team ever to defeat a ranked FBS team by a score of 34-32.

A crowd of almost 110,000 fans shifted noise levels to the a little over 10,000 App State fans that had made the trip to Ann Arbor.

“When we ran off the field it was packed with the 100,000 that was there and when we left into the locker room it was so quiet, we could hear just our teammates talking,” Jackson said. “I had over 30 voicemails and texts saying Boone is on fire. We knew the town was going crazy and for us as players, it didn’t hit us until we got back to Boone, saw ESPN and saw highlights of the game and people talking about how it might be the best upset in college history.”

11

GAME DAY GAME 1│SATURDAY, SEPT. 2│6:15 P.M.│SANFORD STADIUM│ATHENS, GEORGIA

APPALACHIAN

STATE 0-0, SUN BELT 2016-17 STATS

POINTS PER GAME

29.2

24.5

#15 GEORGIA

vs

BULLDOGS 0-0, SEC PLAYER TO WATCH

#25

JALIN

MOORE

OPPONENTS PPG

17.8

AVERAGED 107.8 RUSH YARDS PER GAME IN 2016-17

24

TIME OF POSSESSION/GAME

237

33:36 33:43 THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS

34%

42%

10 TOUCHDOWNS IN 2016-17

2016-17 RUSH ATTEMPTS

DEFEATING THE BULLDOGS App State is coming off a second consecutive bowl win and are looking to give yet another SEC team trouble in the first game of the season after going to overtime with ranked Tennessee last season to start the season. This will be the second time in school history the Mountaineers face off against the Bulldogs, least being in 2013, a game App lost 45-6. The two teams have a very similar win percentage in their schools history, App State sits at .638 percent all time and Georgia at .649 percent. Similar to the start of last season, The Apps will face another SEC opponent, last year being Tennesee who they took to overtime and eventually lost 20-13.

STOPPING GEORGIA’S TWO-HEADED MONSTER:

MOUNTAINEERS PASSING ATTACK:

WINNING THE TURNOVER BATTLE:

Last year, Georgia deployed two running backs in their backfield throughout the season, Nick Chubb and Sony Michel.

The pair combined for 1970 rushing yards and 14 total touchdowns last year. If both players are healthy, they could be a deadly duo. This means that App’s defensive line will have to cause problems for Georgia offensive line, a line who had trouble last year in protection. App combined for 76 tackles-for-loss last season, they will have to repeat more of the same if they want to slow down the run game of Georgia.

Quarterback Taylor Lamb is now entering his senior season as a Mountaineer.

He will be taking on 2017 with a receiving core that now has some older experienced players as well as some freshman players that have been playing well in practice preseason. Lamb has all the things you want with big receivers on the outside as well as quick ones moving into the slot position. Consistency will rule as king if Lamb and the receivers can stay on the same page and coexist with the powerful rushing attack, the App State offense will be hard to stop.

App States well touted secondary really made their mark last season. The “Legion of Boone” tallied 20 interceptions last season while Clifton Duck was tied for 11th in the NCAA in interceptions with five. Georgia turned the ball over 18 times last year while App had a total of 13. What will determine this game is the points off of those turnovers. If the Mountaineers can cause Georgia to give up the ball, App scored 80 points off turnovers last year to that will give them a great advantage.

BY TAYLOR STORY SPORTS REPORTER

PIGSKIN PICK ‘EM JASON HUBER Sports Editor The Appalachian 0-0

APP STATE VS. #15 GEORGIA #22 WEST VIRGINIA VS. #21 VIRGINIA TECH

#3 FLORIDA STATE VS. #1 ALABAMA

TEXAS A&M VS. UCLA CALIFORNIA VS. UNC

SYDNEY SPANN Editor-in-Chief The Appalachian 0-0

SHERI EVERTS Chancellor App State 0-0

ANDERSON CLAYTON President SGA 0-0

JOSH KORNMAYER Sports Director WASU 0-0

BRAXTON CRITCHER The A Game Host AppTV 0-0

HOW THE WIN AT “THE BIG HOUSE” CHANGED COLLEGE FOOTBALL

O

n Sept. 1, 2007, nearly 10 years to the day that I sit down to write this piece, the Appalachian State Mountaineers walked fearlessly into ‘The Big House” in Ann Arbor, Michigan to face the Wolverines, ranked No. 5 in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

While the Mountaineers were ranked No. 1 in the Football Championship Subdivision after winning their second-straight FCS National title, they were virtually unheard of in the world of big time college football and completely underestimated.

Quotes from “Remembering an Upset for the Ages,” an ESPN article from 2014, show that even Wolverine players were not taking the game seriously.

“I had never heard of them.

Even watching their film, it was really grainy and bad quality,” former Michigan receiver Greg Matthews said. “I personally wasn’t worried or concerned about the game.”

“I had some friends who played in the same league as them, so I knew they had a lot of athletes,” former Wolverines running back Carlos Brown said. “But it never crossed my mind that they had a shot at beating us.”

Most people know the story that comes after.

With the score 34-32 in favor of App State, and six seconds on the clock, Michigan placekicker Jason Gingell came in to kick what would have been the game-winning field goal for the Wolverines.

The ball was snapped, the kick was up and at the very last second, Mountaineer defensive back Corey Lynch stuck up his right hand and blocked the ball back, to shock the entire world of sports for years to come.

It was the first time ever that an FCS team defeated a ranked FBS opponent.

In the 10 years that have passed since that fateful day, countless articles have been written commemorating the historic game.

YouTube videos of the final play and highlights have amassed over one million views.

A 2014 quote from Lynch

14

Brooks Maynard is a senior Journalism major from Raleigh, NC. You can follow him on Twitter @BrooksMaynard. really seems to sum it up.

“I still hear about that game an absurd amount,” Lynch said in an interview with ESPN. “Pretty much daily. If I keep hearing about it everyday, seven years later, it must have been a pretty big upset.”

I would argue that the game greatly changed the world of college football and certainly altered how the game would look today if the victory had not occurred, not just for the Mountaineers or the Wolverines, but for teams at both the FBS and FCS levels.

In terms of the game’s direct effect on Michigan, the Wolverine program was one of the nation’s premier destinations for recruits, posting a .774 win percentage in 124 games in the 10 years before the play, including a national championship in 1997.

In the years since their loss, the Wolverines have won less than 60 percent of their games and changed head coaches three times.

To put this in perspective, it took Michigan 38 years to change coaches three times before the retirement of Lloyd Carr, who held the position in 2007.

Since defeating Michigan, the Mountaineers have posted a win percentage of .715, claimed six conference titles (five Southern Conference, one Sun Belt), won the 2007 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship and were victorious in the school’s first two bowl appearances in history in 2015 and 2016.

With the program’s transition to the FBS level, they have produced a record of 20-4 in three seasons, with only Clemson, Alabama and Ohio State winning more games in that time.

In 2015, App State became the first program in history to earn a bowl appearance in its first season of bowl eligibility.

For college football as a whole, it has brought a much larger amount of attention to the FCS level than ever before.

It has opened the door for more big programs to schedule the little ones, allowing for more upset games to follow, such as when James Madison defeated No. 13 Virginia Tech 21-16 in 2010 and when FCS powerhouse North Dakota State defeated No. 20 Iowa in 2016.

The “Upset in the Big House” has spawned articles to be written, such as ncaa.com’s “6 potential FCS over FBS upsets to watch out for in 2017,” a concept unheard of in 2007.

It was one of the first events of note to be broadcasted exclusively on The Big Ten Net-

work and helped the network get off the ground successfully.

Reported on Aug. 27 of this year by the Orlando Sentinel, The Big Ten Network is the second largest national network in college sports, valued at $1.142 billion.

An increased number of high school recruits are giving considerations to FCS level schools.

With the increase in coverage of those teams since the game in Ann Arbor, more players are aware of talented FCS programs where they might shine, in comparison to FBS teams where they may be forgotten in a pool of talent.

The landscape of college football would look much different without App State.

The hype that these former “throwaway” games now receive and the respect that

smaller programs have earned would not be possible without the Mountaineers.

It is certain that today’s Mountaineers would not be possible without the win in “The Big House,” with the fame gained through the historic victory playing a huge part in the setup of a potentially great program at the FBS level.

“The evidence is how it endures 10 years later,” former football Sports Information Director Mike Flynn said. “I can only think of a couple of college football games off the top of my head that have that same kind memory power to it.

The Boston College win on the Flutie Hail Mary against Miami. There aren’t many more.

It changed Appalachian football forever, and it may have changed Appalachian State forever for the better.”

Senior defensive back Corey Lynch pressures Michigan quarterback Chad Henne during the App-Michigan game on September 1, 2007.

Courtesy of App State Atheletics

Aug. 31, 2017

Step Afrika! ensemble brings App State student on stage to participate in their dance.

STEP AFRIKA! INTRODUCES STUDENTS TO THE ART OF STEPPING Patrick McCabe│

T

he Step Afrika! dance company performed to a lively Schaefer Center audience on Monday night. Many viewers experienced the dance style known as stepping, a form of percussive dance which is the act of making sounds by stepping and clapping.

Step Afrika! was founded in 1994 by C. Brian Williams. It was the first major professional dance company dedicated to stepping, and has helped further legitimize and expand the art. Based out of Washington, D.C., Step Afrika!’s stated mission according to their website is to “promote an appreciation for stepping and its use as an educational, motivational and healthy tool for young people.”

In addition, it integrates the traditional music, dancing and garb of the Zulu people, and touches on the history of gumboot dancing, in which the harsh conditions of mineworkers are overshadowed by

Hayley Canal

comic relief, as the miners mock their boss. Both of these styles originated independently in present-day South Africa.

To start the show, the crowd was led in a back-andforth chant of “OK,” and “alright.” Throughout the night, the dancers guided the audience in raucous clapping and whooping. The performance prized audience engagement. During the show, at least a dozen children and young adults took to the stage to learn new moves and perform for the audience.

This free event was organized by Appalachian Popular Programming Society’s Cultural Awareness and Student Engagement Council, or CASE, the Office of Campus Activities and Appalachian State Summer Activities.

CASE Chairperson Ana Dell explained that CASE focuses on “programs of inclusion.”

When searching for cultural events to bring to campus, she said that the council seeks

@patm_cc│Intern A&E Reporter

to “focus it around something that will represent the more marginalized communities at App.” Dell said that by pooling funding between these three campus organizations, they were able to offer the event for free. She also said that when Step Afrika! performed two years ago, the student fee was $10 to get in and there was still a big turnout.

Appalachian State University is less racially diverse than other public higher education institutions in the state, despite administrative outreach efforts. Dell encouraged all students to attend cultural events on campus, including those that don’t necessarily represent them.

“I hope people will be able to be open to these different conversations,” Dell said.

Junior health care management major Pragathi Ranganathan came to the event because of her appreciation for dance and her unfamiliarity with stepping.

“I thought it was incredible. I thought the energy was so amazing and they’re a really, really talented group of individuals. I was entertained the entire time,” Ranganathan said.

As a nonprofit organization, Step Afrika! focuses on engaging young people and promoting positive values. It has worked with over 23,000 school children since its inception. Additionally, in 2015, Step Afrika! spent 75 percent of its income on program expenses, meaning that fundraising and administrative costs were kept to reasonable levels.

Performer Ta’Quez Whitted has been with Step Afrika! since late 2015. An Elizabeth City State University graduate, he is originally from Durham, North Carolina. Whitted has traveled to perform at venues across the United States as well as several foreign countries.

“Traveling has definitely been a great experience,”

Whitted said. “I’ve been exposed to a lot, [and] got to see and meet lots of different people.”

In one act, female dancers faced off against male dancers. The crowd seemed, audibly, to pull for the women’s routine but eventually was told that neither team wins, but that the best performance happens when both teams work together. In their blue and red tops, the dancers combined forces, creating a better routine, executed without feeling overly sentimental.

Step Afrika! concluded its show by naming the performers, stepping mightily and involving the audience one last time, making music through clapping. The audience stood and cheered in large numbers and all of the dancers soon graciously moved to the lobby to talk with students, parents and children.

Check out theappalachianonline.com for videos of the event.

15

Aug. 31, 2017

JAPANESE CUISINE COMES TO BOONE

A Gaijin ramen bowl at Gaijin Noodle Bar in Boone. The new business had their grand opening on Monday.

Mariah Reneau│

A

long Blowing Rock Road, one can see many of Boone’s restaurants. From Daniel Boone Inn to TApp Room, there are several different options for food.

Now, however, there is a new player in the game, this one a little bit more unfamiliar than others.

Monday marked the grand opening of the new Gaijin Noodle Bar, a restaurant with a menu filled with various Japanese cuisines, including ramen, bao buns and various original cocktails.

Students and locals alike flocked to the restaurant as Gaijin finally opened its doors to the general public at 5 p.m.

This final step in opening the store was a breath of excitement for the owners, restaurant owner Shelly Parsons said. The process of getting the restaurant up and running was a process starting from the beginning of July.

Parsons, an Appalachian State employee who runs both of the school coffee shops,

16

noticed a vacant restaurant where Tank’s Tacos used to be. Her husband, an executive chef with a long career in fine dining, had always wanted to open his own place and the two felt like it was an ample opportunity, Parsons said.

Although Parson’s husband, Stan, had mostly experience in southern fine dining, the two decided they wanted to have a noodle bar for their restaurant.

“It’s like fine dining cooking at a budget price,” Parsons said.

The two felt that since there was nothing like a noodle bar

@reneau2│A&E Reporter

in the town, they would “fill the void,” Parsons said.

One of the restaurant’s employees, Lea Vosberg, joined the process early enough to watch the couple dive into the noodle bar making process.

“I’ve known Shelly and Stan for a couple years and I’ve known that Stan is a really talented chef, kind of just waiting for his opportunity to do something big in Boone,” Vosberg said.

The Parsons have spared no expense on making the noodle bar experience as authentic as possible. In fact, Stan Parsons even went up to New York and

studied under a Japanese ramen chef, Vosberg said.

It is not only ramen that is on the menu, however.

Another of the more popular items is the bao bun, which the Parsons were able to gain inspiration from a friend who ran a food truck in Asheville called Bun Intended, Vosberg said.

These bao buns are made with a fluffy white bread and filled with various meats and coleslaws, Parsons said.

In fact, the restaurant even has a special on Mondays involving these bao buns.

“We’re going to do something called Bunday Monday which the buns will be on special,” Parsons said. “Normally they will come two together, but you can buy individual buns all day that day.”

Although this Japanese-inspired cuisine isn’t very familiar in this part of the world, there are some more local flavors hidden in the menu.

“We wanted to put some spins on slightly southern, but certainly not fusion,” Parsons said.

One such example is their Gaijin Ramen filled with smoked pork broth, smoked

• Store owners are Shelly Parson and her husband Stan Parson Graphic by Jessica Kolomichuk│Photo by Mariah Reneau

Aug. 31, 2017

Boone’s newest noodle bar “Gaijin” that took the place of Tanks Tacos Y Tequilla. The grand opening was Monday, August 28th. pork, black eyed peas, collard greens and noodles with grits.

The Japanese cuisine was praised by junior computer science major Ryan Shiel and his sister, Maggie Shiel.

“I think the menu is really cool and it’s served in somewhat of a Japanese style,” Ryan Shiel said.

The effort to make Japanese cuisine appeal to the Boone area is not only seen in the food, but also in the efforts to make it acceptable to eat with a fork, something not traditional to the typical ramen experience.

“We wanted to make incredible classic delicious ramen, but not have people off put by the intimidation of the chopsticks,” Parsons said.

“We just decided to say ‘Hey don’t worry about it! Use a fork if you want.’”

This acceptance of fork usage can also be seen by a giant wall decoration prompting customers to use forks if they choose. The message can even be seen in the Gaijin’s logo of a bowl, connected to a fork with chopsticks on top, Parsons said.

Although the food is one of the main highlights of Gaijin, another aspect that the restaurant hopes to push is their extensive drink menu filled with special cocktails and signa-

Caroline Moss

ture shots that are also inspired by Japanese flavors.

Some of the cocktails on the menu include drinks like the Mister Miyagi Mojito, Kafir Lime Ginger Kamikaze and the Cherry Blossom.

“I would say that the cocktail menu was very unique and very cool,” Maggie Shiel said.

According to Parsons, there will be several specials on drinks as well.

As if the novelty of Japanese cuisine wasn’t enough, the restaurant also hopes to have a ricksha with the restaurant’s logo on it that picks people up from surrounding parking lots to avoid issues with lack of parking, Parsons said.

With the variety of food and drinks, this restaurant hopes to pull in both college students and Boone locals, Vosberg said.

Overall, the restaurant hopes to become a staple in Boone life.

“We’re just super hoping for the support,” Parsons said.

“We’re excited to serve the community something they haven’t had before.”

Gaijin Noodle Bar is open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.

An Intercollegiate Broadcasting System Radio Station of the Year w > ÃÌ Your college Your station Your music 17

Aug. 31, 2017

Lee Taekyeom’s work station where he keeps his 3-D printer that he made himself. Taekyeom creates various ceramic objects with a clay extruder.

THE VISUAL ART OF CREATING WRITTEN WORDS Julianne Blaylock│

L

ee Taekyeom, assistant professor of graphic design at Appalachian State University, is writing his own history with the aid of machinery. Taekyeom has built his own 3-D printer with a clay extruder. With this machine, Taekyeom is able to create ceramic typographic sculptures.

Typography is the visual art of creating written words.

Everything started with Taekyeom’s academic research for his thesis. Taekyeom created 3-D typography using an unconventional material and technique, which was ceramic. He has made 3-D ceramic type as a series of typographic explorations to create tangible type in 3-D space. The title of Taekyeom’s thesis project was “Manual Pixeling.”

“At the time I had to do ceramic pieces by hand. I had to do everything by hand, piece by piece,” Taekyeom said.

After Taekyeom graduated from the University of Illinois, he lost access to the ceramics studio he had been using. He could not use any casting tables, mold makers or other equipment.

Other people were printing clay without using a casting table, mold or other equipment, so Taekyeom decided to combine 3-D printing, typography and ceramics. That way, he did not need equipment or access to the clay studio at his school.

Taekyeom has two differ-

18

ent types of machines. One machine was built from a doit-yourself kit, and the rest he built from scratch.

His ceramic 3-D printer was based on a delta style 3-D printer. Taekyeom bought a DIY 3-D printer kit and tested it with the open source 3-D printers to figure out what he could do with the new technology.

“After working with 3-D printers, I figured out that I could also write something with the machine,” Taekyeom said.

According to Taekyeom, 3-D printing has been out in the world for quite a long time.

Because there was no ceramic 3-D printer available to him, he had to build his own.

He created his own tools for something he could not create with his own hands.

Originally, a lack of knowledge in engineering slowed down Taekyeom’s projects.

Luckily, ever since Taekyeom was young, he liked to take machines apart and rebuild them, curious of how they were organized and assembled.

“When I was a kid, if there was an interesting toy, I liked to take it apart and see what was inside. Then, I would try to put it together,” Taekyeom said. “I really liked the tools as they are the extension of our hands that enable us to do something new. I am very curious, which has helped me learn about other things. If you keep

@jayblay96│A&E Reporter

that curiosity, you can still learn new things that will drive you to a creative area.”

Taekyeom is willing to deal with endless troubleshooting.

He said he loves to learn from every success and failure. According to Taekyeom, everything is a trial and error process.

“I tell my students all the time that there is no ‘the best’ design,” Taekyeom said.

“There is only a better design or a worse design. There is no absolutely right answer in the field of art and design. Just keep moving forward and agonizing to find a better solution for the design problem.”

Taekyeom’s 3-D typographic creations are different from the 2-D conventions graphic designers usually use. 3-D type is an artistic expression that contains characteristics that do not sit on a page. Instead, 3-D type letters have volume, texture and structure.

“When you think of a machine, the first application you might think of is writing and drawing,” Taekyeom said. “But my project came from a different path. When I was printing clay with my 3-D printer, I realized these kinds of CNC machines could write or draw something with a pen too.”

Taekyeom prefers to sketch his designs first to give a surface shape and to visualize his idea. Many of his pieces contain unique textures.

“When I think of design, I

am more interested in the system,” Taekyeom said. “I like to create a system out of module pieces.

Based on the system, you can expand on the design.”

Taekyeom is predominantly doing 3-D printing, but gradually, he has found his way to drawing and writing with his machines too. On Oct. 25, 2015, Taekyeom wrote his first word: “Hi.” “After you understand how the machine, or the stuff, is working, you can tweak the design or make another one.

You readjust the design and reiterate the design over and over again,” Taekyeom said. “I see how everything is a problem and think how I can solve that problem. The design process is a problem-solving process. I am going to try different things until I can figure it out.”

As for Taekyeom’s students, he wants them to learn how to teach themselves and learn about the design process more than other things.

Monique Rivera, a senior studio art major with a focus in photography, took Taekyeom’s class, Introduction to Graphic Design.

“He is very open-minded to materials, processes and how to approach design,” Rivera said. “He believes in the involvement of the fine arts in design, which is very inspiring for me because I want to learn how to integrate graphic design to my studio practice.”

Cassidy Zemmin, a sophomore graphic design major at Appalachian State, also took Taekyeom’s Introduction to Graphic Design class.

“He is a brilliant professor. Taekyeom has a deep understanding of design that really shows through in his 3-D printing work. He also has high standards of design that forces his students to challenge themselves in their work,” Zemmin said.

Taekyeom wants his students to learn the core idea that you can use different tools to get to the same finish, which can be applied to different concepts.

“I am a design researcher and more interested in the exhibition, discussion and dissemination than selling the work.

But I would be able to sell my work through galleries. This is not traditional graphic design,” Taekyeom said. “This research explores unconventional methods of creating the three-dimensional type with materials and techniques unique to type design, which began with two questions: Where does typography belong in the post-digital age? How do we combine digital and physical materials to enable a new typographic experience?”

As for what is next for Taekyeom, he wants to build a bigger printer and a larger clay extruder to print human-scale 3-D typographic sculptures with clay and/or concrete.

Courtesy of Lee Taekyeom

Aug. 31, 2017

SUBMIT ANNOUNCEMENTS

App News is a service of the Division of Student Affairs. Email wilkeso@appstate.edu for submissions with subject line: APP NEWS PAGE. Submissions should not exceed 100 words and must include the event title, date/time, location and cost, and a contact email, phone and/or URL. Announcements will be edited as needed and will run as space allows. Preference is given for events that are free or have a nominal cost.

WHAT TO DO NEEDED! POLITICAL CARTOONISTS The Appalachian student newspaper is looking for students interested in getting their political cartoons and illustrations published.

Use your illustration talents to express your opinions and commentary on current events.

Email adviser@theappalachianonline.com for questions or interest.

GET YOUR CREATIVITY PUBLISHED The Peel Literature and Arts Review is looking for student submissions of design, photography, fashion, poetry, prose, music, short stories and more! To receive feedback on your submissions, submit your work before our initial (feedback) deadline, Sept. 29 at midnight.

Our final deadline is Nov. 3 at midnight. Visit thepeelreview.submittable.com. Email any questions or concerns to adviser@theappalachianonline.com

WHY WALK? Join Appalachian Cares in I.G. Greer Sept.

5 from 8-9 p.m. for a video and introduction into the history and purpose behind the Walk For Awareness, an event that started in 1989.

All Appalachian students, staff, faculty and community members are welcome to learn about why we walk.

WE COACH - WELLNESS EDUCATORS

well-versed in the sharing of knowledge and resources with students and guiding them through some common struggles of college, while still continuing to grow through the conversations they have with their peers. WE COACH is a volunteer opportunity.

Visit https://orgsync.com/125469/ forms/265963 to apply. If you have any questions, please contact Elisabeth Cavallaro, Coordinator for Student Mental Wellness, at cavallaroe@appstate.edu, or Keith Norris, graduate intern, at norrisrk@appstate.edu.

Applications are due by Sept. 3, at 11:59 pm.

STUDY ABROAD The application deadline for many Spring 2018 programs has been extended until the end of September. We are also accepting applications for many 2017-2018 faculty-led programs, as well as Summer 2018, Fall/AY 2018, and Spring 2019 programs. Get started on your application today at international.appstate.edu.

AMSTERDAM ART EXHIBIT The exhibit “Interrogation” will open to the public at 7 p.m. on Sept. 1 at HOW Space in downtown Boone. Art for the exhibit was designed by 12 Appalachian State University students who traveled to Amsterdam in May 2017 as part of a two-week study abroad experience.

Class is limited to 12 students and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. You will receive an email with further instructions after completing registration. Register at https:// dashboard.korumindfulness.org/web/index. php?r=course%2Fsignup&id=306.

introduced to service project development, program recruitment and facilitation of meaningful reflection. Apply at https://orgsync. com/117244/forms/273287 before Sept. 4. For more information, visit https://ase.appstate. edu/.

EMERGING LEADERS

SPIRIT RIDE THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER

The Emerging Leaders Program is a ten week experience designed for first and second-year students interested in personal growth and leadership development. The program introduces you to leadership through meaningful discussions, activities, adventures, and a retreat. You can express interest by filling out a form at https://orgsync.com/91811/ forms/262853 before Sept. 4. For more information, email Kim Mitchell at mtchllkl@ appstate.edu.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ASSOCIATION The International Relations Association promotes thinking on a world scale. We are a group of students that discuses international issues and goes on trips to meet with foreign ambassadors to get different views of the world. We feel that it is important to stay informed of current world events big or small.

Follow @appstate_ira on instagram to keep up with what our club and members are doing.

Our first meeting will be held Aug. 31 at 5 p.m. in Watauga River Room, PSU. Visit http:// www.ira.appstate.edu for more information.

Spirit Ride is a not-for-profit Therapeutic Horseback Riding facility. We offer private Therapeutic Riding lessons free of charge to children with special needs. Help us get ready for opening day of the Fall Session! Spirit Ride needs YOU to help us get the SRTC campus looking (and smelling!) great for the kiddos.

Have fun hanging out with the goats, chickens, cows, dogs, cats and horses while we get the farm in tip top shape. We will repair and paint fences, muck stalls, weed whack the trail, clean tack and set up the classroom. Volunteer Sept.

2 from 9 a.m. to noon at 7156 NC Hwy 194 S, Banner Elk, NC 28604.

HABITAT FOR HUMANITY Join us as we continue building the 5th home on our neighborhood, GreenWood, for the Love family. You can choose to volunteer from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., 1 p.m. to 4 p.m, or 9 a.m. to 4 p.m each Wednesday. All you need to bring is a water bottle, your lunch and a willingness to learn while helping others! We will provide the tools, materials and instructions!

Be sure to wear old clothes and old closed-toe shoes. Please call us to schedule your time today! This will take place Wednesdays at the Habitat for Humanity, Watauga County/ReStore, 1200 Archie Carroll Road, Boone, North Carolina 28607.

WE COACH (Wellness Educators Creating Opportunities And Casting Hope) is a new program offered through the Department of Wellness & Prevention Services. WE COACH will operate as a peer-to-peer guidance and resource sharing program in which Wellness Educator Coaches will chat openly with their fellow students in 30 minute private one-onone sessions. Coaches will be trained and

KORU MINDFULNESS

THURSDAY, AUG. 31

FRIDAY, SEPT. 1

SATURDAY, SEPT. 2

SUNDAY, SEPT. 3

International Relations Association Meeting

Interrogation Art Exhibit Reception

Spirit Ride Volunteer Day!

Wellness Coach Applications Due

7-9 p.m.

HOW Space

9 a.m.-noon Spirit Ride Therapeutic Riding Center 7156 NC Hwy 194 S, Banner Elk, NC 28604

11:59 p.m. https://orgsync.com/125469/ forms/265963

5-6 p.m.

Watauga River Room, PSU

Koru Mindfulness is a 4 week course where you will learn mindfulness and meditation skills. Through learning how to be more mindful, you may experience less stress, better sleep and less self-judgment. Attendance at all four sessions is required. The reason for this is because students see the most benefit from the course when they attend all four sessions.

ASE PEER LEADERS Serve as a Domestic Peer Leader for an Alternative Service Experience. These student leaders are dedicated to coordinating logistics and pre-travel meetings for their ASE program.

Through these experiences, our leaders are

Men’s Rugby Game 1-4 p.m.

State Farm Game Fields

MONDAY, SEPT. 4

TUESDAY, SEPT. 5

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 6

Emerging Leaders Applications Due

Why Walk?

Volunteer for Habitat for Humanit

https://orgsync.com/91811/ forms/262853

8-9 p.m.

I.G. Greer Auditorium

ASE Peer Leaders Applications Due

28th Annual Walk for Awareness

9 a.m.-4 p.m.

Habitat for Humanity - Watauga County/ ReStore 1200 Archie Carroll Road, Boone, NC 28607

https://orgsync.com/117244/ forms/273287

9 p.m.

Sanford Mall

THURSDAY, SEPT. 7

Health, Wellness and Safety Festival 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Sanford Mall

19

Join.

Opportunities: News Sports Opinion Arts and Entertainment Sales Marketing Web design Illustration

Cartoons Video Photography Graphic Design Copy Editing In-Depth Management

The Appalachian Staff Meetings: Thursdays and Sundays 7:00 pm The Appalachian office (Room 217) in PSU Questions? Contact outreach@theappalachianonline.com