March 22, 2010 by The Arbiter at Boise State University

WHAT’S INSIDE

NEWS 1–2

SPORTS 4–5

OPINION 3

CULTURE 7–8 I SSU E

The Independent Student Voice of Boise State Since 1933

Volume 22

First Issue

F R E E MARCH 22, 2010

Broncos compete for open positions

Q and A with art rockers Xiu Xiu!

PAGE

House of Representatives votes on bill

PAGE

ARBITERONLINE.COM

Go to arbiteronline.com for information about the landmark healthcare legislation voted on by the House of Representatives Sunday.

ODAHL: KIM KING/THE ARBITER

Professor Charles M. Odahl was sentenced to one year probation in Ada County Court March 8.

I’ve lost my dignity and honor KIM KING Journalist

The BRC

Boise State students eat in the Boise River Café. The facility is open seven days a week.

MITCH ESPLIN/THE ARBITER

Feast or famine?

SARAH MURPHY Journalist

Every day, hundreds of students flock to the Boise River Café (BRC) to eat. For students living on campus, a meal plan is required. They can choose plans with varying amounts of

meals and flex dollars (include options). For students who live off campus but still want discounted prices to the BRC, a commuter plan is available. Without any type of meal plan, prices are $5.93, $8.01 and $10.24 for breakfast, lunch and dinner respectively according to the BRC

Web site. Although this may seem high for open buffets, these prices are comparable to other places such as Golden Corral and Chuck-a-Rama. “Prices are negotiated with Boise State clients and a market analysis is done,” said Carol Scott, University Dining Services

general manager. Scott said the hours of the BRC are “based on feed back surveys from students.” The hours of BRC are fairly reasonable for most students throughout the week, although since freshman Hannah Dyar likes to sleep

See BRC I page 2

“If I had it to do over again, I never would have approached them,” said Professor Charles M. Odahl, who pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of battery March 8. The incident began Feb. 10 when he saw two people smoking cigarettes in a parked car. According to Odahl, they were parked illegally and violating Boise State’s smoke free campus policy. “I could care less about smoking,” he said. “But I believe in following rules. My only mistake was telling them to put out their damn cigarettes.” He said they responded by yelling obscenities and the argument escalated even more after he wrote down their license plate number. “They threatened to beat the sh** out of me,” he said. “The lady came at me with the lit part of her cigarette facing me. I instinctively tried to swat the cigarette out of her hand so it wouldn’t burn me. I missed.” Odahl said another student approached them and intervened. He then called the police to report the incident and ask for protection. “I was worried they might

try to carry out some of their threats of violence,” he said. “Unbeknownst to me, the young man and woman -apparently fearing that they had gone too far in their reactions -- rushed over to the police station.” He said Boise Police officer Paul Grabe took the report and 16 days later, Odahl was cited with battery. The party initiating the report has chosen to remain unnamed and could not be reached for comment. A public daily police log is available for inspection at the University Security Department that contains each reported incident and details. Local authorities say personal information is being withheld in this case to protect the confidentiality of the victim. Ada County records state the unnamed party who has accused Odahl of striking her when he attempted to knock the cigarette out of her hand. According to Odahl, he never touched her and there were witnesses present. He said he offered to take a lie detector test to prove his innocence. After speaking with the prosecuting attorney March 8, he entered a plea of guilt

See ODHAL I page 2

Changes in tuition, budget rock Boise State REBECCA DE LEON Journalist

Is the recession over? Recent changes to the Boise State budget suggest that times are still economically difficult. According to Finance and Administration Vice President, Stacy Pearson, University President Bob Kustra sent a request to the State Board of Education (SBOE) Monday asking for a 7.9 percent decrease in tuition for part-time and an 8.9 percent increase for full-time students. This means full-time students will pay around $2,650 per semester while part-time students will pay $232 per credit. Twelve or more credits per semester will still be considered full time. Why increase tuition for already struggling college students? Administrators made difficult financial decisions after state government funding for universities was cut by $32.1 million for the 2011 fiscal year, which begins July 1.

“I would argue this is a backward way of thinking,” said Kirk Bell [Copy editor's note: Is it okay to quote Arbiter staff in our news articles? -CM], a senior majoring in mass communications/journalism. “Part-time students should have to carry the weight of that load and fulltime students shown some grace by cushioning the cost a little by [part time students] committing more time and money in the first place. Doesn't seem like a firm business model to me.” Boise State alumna Shalee Franklin agrees. “What seems backwards to me is that if students are not able to attend school because it is too expensive, then how are they able to earn a sufficient salary and pay the taxes that are to be paid with a sufficient salary?" she said. "I think it would make sense to have the tuition lowered so that more people could go to school and earn more money. Then the state could have

a bigger budget for things, like tuition." If the budget proposal is approved by the SBOE on April 5, many BSU programs will lose a portion of their funding from student fees. Health services will lose $2, the student union -- $1, student life -- $3, and alumni activities -- 50 cents. Executive director of Campus Recreation and University Health Services, Jennifer Nigrini, says the loss is inconvenient because of the recent move to the new building. “All in all we are looking at over $400,000 in new university health services expenses that will need to be covered by student fees and revenue from our services. It is not an opportune time to reduce our student fee money,” she said. Nigrini worries that some of the services offered to students will be reduced or eliminated as a result of the new changes. Some funding committees on campus are voluntarily

accepting less in fees. ASBSU is giving up $5 per student. “Members on the committee voluntarily took a cut because they can survive on a smaller amount of funding and carry-over from last fiscal year,” said Michael Laliberte, vice president for student affairs. Business manager of Student Life Financial Services, Sharon Huber, said carryover estimates from last year are difficult to determine at this point, but should be sufficient to cover ASBSU and other student organizations receiving funding from the account. According to Pearson, radio station, KBSU, also voluntarily gave up their $2 per student funding. "The director of KBSU Radio had recommended that their $2 fee be permanently eliminated and transferred to the Pulse to help with the Arbiter\ Pulse budget," she said. "The president thought this was a good suggestion."

KBSU will now rely on funding from private and federal grants, donated services, administrative support and other contributors, according to their Web site. Other programs will be affected if Kustra's recommendations are approved by the SBOE. The Student Lecture Series (SLS) will be temporarily eliminated from the university's repertoire of student-run programs. Established just two years ago, this program brought guest speakers to form a “series that is inclusive and representative of the entire Boise State student body,” according to University Communications representative, Frank Zang. Matthew Eggleston, a senior majoring in health science, admits he has never attended a lecture, but that the program shouldn't be cut entirely. “I’ve seen it advertised in bulletins and fliers around campus,” he said. “I think it would be important for stu-

dents to go to in the future.” Lynn Humphrey, special assistant to the vice president of student affairs, said the decision was nothing against the SLS specifically because many programs had small cuts and it was simply a matter of balancing funds. “We looked at each individual student program, and the fund balance for SLS was considerably high,” she said. “But a number of student activity fees were reduced as well.” The Distinguished Lecture Series, which runs on donations from corporate and private sponsors, will still bring guest speakers to Boise. Although there are many budget cuts proposed for the next fiscal year, Pearson remains confident in the decisions. “We do hope that the students support this increase since it is focused primarily on supporting the instructional budget given the large decrease in state appropriations."

The Arbiter ! arbiteronline.com

NEWS

March 22, 2010

ARBITERONLINE.COM

Government cuts funding for higher education

Will Boise State suffer?

REBECCA DE LEON Journalist

The Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee (JFAC) has an annual budget hearing for perhaps the most important topic in politics: how to spend the public’s money. On Tuesday, they approved a budget that proposed cuts of more than $32 million from colleges and universities statewide. Now, it falls on Paul Headlee’s shoulders to write up a bill that will need to be voted on by the Senate and the House of Representatives in order to get final approval from the governor. Once the governor approves it, the bill then becomes a law and the universities in Idaho will make do with the amount of funding they receive. There

is still no decision about how much each university will receive. JFAC has a long budget process that spans an entire fiscal year to figure out how to disperse funding for all of Idaho’s institutions. The process that has been developed over decades of refinement is now a multiplanked format. First, the “line-item” budgeting process lists the different items according to expenditure categories. For example, personnel costs and operating expenditures are categorized differently. Second, incremental budgeting focuses establishing a “base budget” from which they can build on. They consider the rate of inflation and builds program enhancements to

existing programs. Third, the program-based process separates the different programs “with emphasis on goals and objectives by function,” according to the JFAC Web site. Fourth, the process is performance-based. The Legislative Budget Book defines performance measures so they can be applied equally among all the different programs. Different institutions receive more or less funding depending on its ability to set goals and accomplish objectives. Last, the Legislature uses a modified zero-based budget system which originally started all funding decisions from point zero at the beginning of every fiscal year. Now, it has been modified to

developing one-time expenditure policies and “developing alternative options or levels of funding for accomplishing a goal,” according to the Web site. Although in-state tuition for BSU and the University of Idaho were the same in 2009, Boise State received considerably less state funding than the University of Idaho. BSU received $136.4 million, a number that is significantly smaller than the $145.8 million the University of Idaho received. The number of students enrolled at BSU increased 2.3 percent from 1997 to 2007. The University of Idaho saw a 0.5 percent increase in enrolled students during that time. Currently, BSU has approximately 6,900 more students than the University of Idaho.

the weekend.” Dyar usually eats at the BRC “one to two times a day on a weekdays” and uses her flex dollars, almost everyday, mostly on coffee.” Students with housing

meal plans don’t have their meals and flex dollars rolled over to the next semester. The commuter plan, on the other hand, does roll over to the next semester for up to one year (double

check info). At the end of last semester, “I had about 40 flex dollars and 30 meals. This bothers me because I don’t use everything I’m paying for,” Dyar said.

BRC [News page 1] in on the weekends she said, “it would be nice (for the BRC) to be open a little after 2pm for lunch.” Dyar also said, “it would be nice if some of those (Bits & Bytes eateries) could be open on

BRC Alternatives Location Culinary Arts Deli & Bakery 1910 University Dr. Bits & Bytes Interactive Learning Center Subway Education Building Starbucks Library C-Store Student Union SUB Food Court

Flex Dollars No

Meal Replacement No

Yes

ODHAL and was sentenced to 30 days in jail, suspended upon payment of a $250 fine plus court fees. The unsupervised probation period will end March 8, 2011. According to the terms of WHJM (withheld judgment), at that time, his record will be purged. “It will be like it never happened,” he said. “I will have an absolutely pure record. It was the quietest way out. I didn’t press charges against them because I am not in the business to harm students, especially not for a smoking argument. I didn’t want to embarrass the university.” Former student, Kasey Reed, says she considers Odahl to be good natured, approachable and courteous, and understands his decision not to pursue the matter in court. “The single court hearing which Professor Odahl did attend required him to miss a Latin class and disrupted his teaching schedule and academic obligations,” she said. “I can only imagine the chaos that a long court case would have inflicted, as well as the impact on his publication deadlines. In an ideal world, we would all have the amount of time needed to defend ourselves in court and the resources to pay lawyers’ fees!” According to Odahl, he has spent 35 years teaching and considers himself to be a Christian pacifist. He is a world renowned author and teaches classical languages and ancient and medieval history. “I plan to retire in December,” he said. “I love my students, and they love me. I’ve never had an argument with students before, and right now I’m swamped with writing. I’m getting ready to publish my fourth book and I don’t have time to fight this. I don’t want to face any repercussions or more threats.”

[News page 1] Glenda Baldner, his barber and friend for more than 16 years says he is incapable of committing the offense. She said he lost movement in his right arm a few years ago when his tendon was severed and to her knowledge has not regained complete use of it, even after physical therapy. “I was totally shocked when I heard about this,” she said. “He is kind of a crusader. When he sees something that’s not right, he will say something. I can see him saying something to them about smoking, but there is absolutely no way he would ever hit anyone, especially a woman.” Odahl says he has had numerous surgeries on his arm. His scar and lack of movement in his right arm serve as daily reminders of his disability. “My arm would have locked up if I tried to hit someone,” he said. “I wouldn’t have been able to do it. It would have started to spasm.” According to Odahl, he has lived an exciting life and has even been portrayed in the past as an "Indiana Jones" type of character. “I’ve been taken hostage by Palestinian terrorists,” he said. “That was epic. But my scholarly life has been dull in comparison. I’ve never smoked, never drank, and never did drugs. I got a traffic ticket once, but that’s it.” University administrators were contacted regarding Odahl’s case and possible sanctions but declined to comment. He said he apologizes to the students that were smoking for approaching them so harshly. He never expected their reaction. “How could I take on two people?” he said. “I lost my dignity in the parking lot and lost my honor in court. I just want it to be over.”

The Arbiter ! arbiteronline.com

OPINION

March 22, 2010

ARBITERONLINE.COM

Actually, there's a lot to do on campus HALEY ROBINSON Journalist

THE BUZZKILL

You are not

Irish JOSH GAMBLE Columnist

GLENN LANDBERG/THE ARBITER

Students cheer for T-shirts during the campus Rail Jam snowboarding competition earlier this month. to campus or not knowing what events are actually going on. Being a commuter campus makes it difficult to have a more involved and extreme campus life. According to the Boise State student demographic figures of 2009, 44 percent of students are 25 or over. Additionally, after last year, only freshman students are

allowed to live in most of the dorms. This creates a very limited population of students who are interested in such events and find it convenient to attend them. There are events put on every week for students who are interested in being more involved. Many of these events are posted on the events calendar which can

be found by clicking the link on the main Boise State Web page. Maybe Boise State's campus life is less involved then surrounding colleges, but there are other outside factors that impact the student turnout. For those who are discontent with the current events, perhaps it's time to make suggestions or support the current events.

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"Personally, I think it's pretty good."

Alexa Nasland graphic design freshman

Sean Olmstead marketing sophomore

Logan Kimball business junior

"I think there's a lot of stuff going on, but I don't know if a ton of people actually go."

"I think it's small. It needs to grow a little. There's a lot more potential for it. I think it's really waiting for a group of students to really push it farther."

"I've found myself in my dorm room too many times, just bored, sitting there with nothing to do."

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Go to arbiteronline.com to see video coverage on this question and more.

STUDENT VOICES

A common gripe about Boise State is its lack of student activities. Many students claim there are few things to do on campus and this is frequently pinned on the student organizations, which are often supported by student fees. In reality, the money that students pay is bringing in events, but the students aren't attending. For example, the Student Programs Board (to which full-time undergrads contribute $6 in student fees) brings a different movie to the Special Events Center (SPEC) every Thursday. There is no door charge for students and it only costs $1 for non-students to attend. On top of that, SPB brings in other events, such as the comedian Sabrina Jalees who is performing on March 24 at the SPEC. The Campus Rail Jam Tour was yet another of many activities brought to students by the SPB. This organization is designed to entertain students, and has

been regularly providing events such as these at little to no costs. In addition to movies, comedians and concerts, there are also educational programs. This month, the Women's Center and the Student Involvement and Leadership Center are putting on a Women's Leadership Conference. The conference is designed to help women learn leadership skills and offers them an opportunity to meet successful women and ask questions. If students don't like the events that are happening on campus, then they should take action to get involved instead of complaining to people without the ability to help. It is the students' money and they have a say in how to spend it. Many organizations are working as hard as they can to get students involved and would love to hear their feedback. The problems that many students commonly run into are lack of time, unwillingness to commute back

Letter's

Times are tough for JFAC Editor:

I was surprised to pick up a copy of the Arbiter on Monday morning to find not one, not two, but three articles on JFAC’s (Idaho state legislature's Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee) cuts to higher education. Two were opinions vehemently against the cuts, one with strong words criticizing JFAC, and the third was a news article covering student protests to the cut. What was missing from Monday’s issue was the other point of view. Now as a student, I am never happy about having to pay higher student fees. However, I would like to point out the other side of this issue. The fact is that Boise State University, and the other Idaho universities for that matter, remain some of the most affordable in the western United States. Also, the state of Idaho has a constitutional requirement for a balanced budget. Simply put, the state cannot spend more money than it receives in revenue. Due to the struggling economy, revenues are down. The fact is there just isn’t as much money to go around as there once was. Unlike the federal government, Idaho can’t just rack up a huge debt to keep everyone happy. Education makes up 64 percent of general fund appropriations. Higher education is the third biggest slice of the pie. The simple fact is something has to be cut, and with higher education being the third biggest recipient of appropriated funds, needs to take its share of the cuts. Furthermore, it seems our generation has a huge entitlement attitude. A college education is not free, and we as students should not simply demand somebody else foot the bill for us. Times are tough for everybody, and we as college students aren’t immune. So before rushing to judgment, consider the difficulties JFAC shouldered with setting the budget, and thank our elected officials for their time and commitment.

to the

Editor Odahl is a great professor Editor:

In response to the article written in the March 15 issue of the Arbiter titled, "Boise State professor pleads guilty to battery against a student," I feel that it would be ridiculous if Dr. Odahl was charged with anything more than a slap on the wrist. I have been at BSU for almost four years and Dr. Odahl is one of the greatest professors I have ever had. His class played a very large part in why I’m a history major today. He made history fun and exciting and he was extremely helpful and friendly outside of the classroom. As for the reason behind him getting into this confrontation with a student, I applaud him. He was only doing what a large majority of the students on this campus would love to do. Numerous times myself I have passed smokers on campus and reminded them that this is a smoke-free campus and every time one of them tells me to “take a hike,” except in much harsher words. I would love to do what Dr. Odahl did and walk up and slap that cigarette right out of their hand. Andrew Mitzel is a Boise State junior in history.

Dustin Kamerman is a Boise State junior in political science.

E DITORIAL S TAFF

B USINESS

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Shannon Morgan

NEWS Editor

Ben Mack

Editor

Kirk Bell

MANAGING EDITOR Bob Beers

Producer

Mitch Esplin

Producer

Trent Lootens

MEDIA MANAGER Glenn Landberg PHOTO EDITOR Nik Bjurstrom ONLINE EDITOR Stephen Heleker MULTIMEDIA EDITOR Joey McCoullough EDITORIAL ADVISORS Steve Lyon Dan Morris

SPORTS

Journalists Patrick Trujillo David Gasch Chris Bodovinitz Sarah Murphy

Journalists Daniel Priddy Brenden Sherry Kayla Bartling Drew Vatchel

OPINION

CULTURE

Editor

Nate Green

Journalists Evan Bashir Josh Gamble Ashley Harshbarger Haley Robinson Allen Spurgeon Jessica Swider

Yes, I know Saint Patrick’s Day was on Wednesday, but I figure that most of you are just now recovering from your hang-overs, so this is a good time to complain. I stepped out my door Wednesday morning to a sea of green. (It should be noted that, unless you’re living on a yellow submarine, this is not okay.) This was followed by a barrage of bad fake Irish brogue and cries of “top o' the marnin’” and “Where’s your green?” For the record, I enjoy celt-punk and shamrock cookies as much the next guy, but I’m not Irish and neither are most of you. I call Saint Patrick’s Day, “National Pretend You’re Irish Day.” Most people use it as an excuse to buy better beer than they normally would. When asked about Saint Patrick, many people tell a lovely fairy tale of the great Saint who drove the snakes from Ireland. In fact, I once spoke to someone who melded the story of Saint Patrick with the story of the Pied Piper. At least Saint Patrick was a real person. Slightly more informed people will say that he was a monster who killed off all the pagan leaders in Ireland. This isn’t quite true either. Saint Patrick was one of the first Catholic missionaries to start integrating pagan beliefs into Catholicism instead of relying on coercion and genocide to “spread the good word.” He converted the pagans by doing things like superimposing the symbol of the sun god over the Christian cross, thereby creating what we call the Celtic cross. His methods were revolutionary for the time. In Ireland, Saint Patrick’s Day is a quiet, reverent religious holiday. The way we celebrate now was invented in the nineteenth century by east-coast Irish immigrants who wanted to show that there were enough of them to become a political force to be reckoned with. I’m all for celebrating the backs our country was built on and one’s personal ancestry, but during the month of March, people often claim “I’m a quarter Irish” or some other fraction. I’m sorry, but no. Most of you are no more Irish than I am a viking. You can have Irish ancestry, but unless you have living relatives that are immigrants or live in a tightly-knit community of Irish people, like the kind that exist in parts of Boston and New York, then you’re not Irish. You’re American. Being American doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the festivities. Celtic mythology is fascinating, Irish accents are fun to impersonate and I hear Guinness is pretty tasty. Just remember what you’re celebrating next time you’re finding your greenest outfit and warming up your supposedly Irish slang.

Editor

Jennifer Spencer

Producer

Zach Ganschow

Journalists Tony Rogers Nikki Houston Margaret Reimer Matt Dalley

D ESIGN

GENERAL MANAGER Brad Arendt

PRODUCTION MANAGER Jeremy Oliver

BUSINESS/AD MANAGER Dwight Murphy

PROD. COORDINATORS Lindsey Ward Eli Meuler

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SPORTS

Go to arbiteronline.com to listen to Arbiter Sports Talk and Sports Talk with D-Vac. There will also be coverage of BSU softball's opening weekend, Lauren and the Court and spring football coverage.

March 22, 2010

Weekend Round-up

March 18-21 Courtesy Broncos Sports

Smith struggles in championship match, finishes second in nation Boise State junior Kirk Smith saw his dream season come to an abrupt end, Saturday night (March 20), as the undefeated 184-pound No. 1 seed at the 2010 NCAA National Wrestling Championships fell in the title round to No. 6 Max Askren of Missouri, 10-3. Smith entered the match with a perfect 28-0 record on the season after winning his first four matches at the national tournament. Poised to join the most elite group in Boise State wrestling history, Smith came out aggressive. His title shot appeared to be over almost as quick as it began, however, as a seven point first period by Askren put Smith in a huge hole early. Smith took his first shot of the match just seconds after the opening whistle. Askren countered, scoring a two point take down just 00:30 into the match. Askren managed to accumulate over a minute of riding time, scoring a two point near fall and a three point near fall to end the period. Trailing 8-1 midway through the third Smith finally scored a take down with just 1:10 remaining in regulation. He scrambled hard but the length of Askren never allowed Smith to get into his body again. Askren scored an escape and one point for riding advantage to extend his final lead to 10-3. Smith’s runner-up finish does earn him All-American honors for the second time in his career. He also wrestled to All-American honors in 2008 with an eighth-place finish. And while he failed to join the short list of Boise State individual national champions, he did manage to record the best finish by a 184-pound wrestler in school history. Cash Edwards previously had the best 184-pound national finish for Boise State as he placed sixth in 2001. Smith also joins teammate Adam Hall as one of just 19 Bronco wrestlers to ever earn All American status. In total, Boise State has achieved All-American wrestling honors 25 times. Smith is one of just five Bronco wrestlers to ever win multiple All-American honors, however. He joins Edwards (2000 and 2001), Larry Quisel (157 pounds – 1999 and 2000), Ben VomBaur (125 pounds – 2002 and 2003) and Kirk White (165 pounds – 1999 and 2000, 157 pounds – 2001). Boise State fell just short of earning its’ highest team finish at the national tournament as the Broncos concluded the weekend No. 11 (43.5 points) in the final team standings. The highest finish Boise State has ever enjoyed at the NCAA Championships was 10th in 1999. This does mark the best NCAA finish for Head Coach Greg Randall, who had previously led the Broncos to 12thplace finishes on two different occasions (2003 and 2009).

ARBITERONLINE.COM

Competition heating up among cornerbacks TRENT LOOTENS Producer

Replacing Kyle Wilson won’t be easy to accomplish, but someone has to do it if Boise State hopes to keep its defense clicking on all cylinders coming into next season. As of now, there’s more than four cornerbacks on the BSU roster fully capable of being effective in game-type situations. The problem is that there’s only one opening, which means some good players won’t be seeing much field time. Senior cornerback, Jarell Gavins stepped up during some crucial games for the Broncos last season. Gavins, who played a large role in BSU’s 17-10 Fiesta Bowl victory, looks to be in the driver's seat at this point because of the experience he gained last season. Staying competitive and using spring practices to better his technique is the only goal on Gavins’ mind right now. “It made me wiser and helped me get more accustomed to the game,” Gavins said about playing in the Fiesta Bowl. “From the young guys to the veterans, we’re all just competing. There’s no grudges between us. Whoever wins the starter spot is whoever deserves it.” Another notable cornerback who could work his way

into the mix this coming fall season, is junior Jamar Taylor. Taylor missed all of last season due to a torn meniscus and has used his down time wisely during rehab and focusing on becoming a better player. Taylor had a productive year in 2008 when he got to see playing time as a true freshman. He had a lot of things going for him before the injury during fall camp last year, but Tayor feels he’s back to a hundred percent and should be able to compete for the starting job. “It’s a friendly competition, but when it’s time to strap it up, there’s nothing friendly about it,” Taylor said. “We’ll talk about our mistakes and try to help each other out to get better on the field, but it’s never personal.” Antwon Murray, a junior cornerback from Lakeland, Fla., has made big strides of late and could also move his way into the starting discussion before the end of spring camp. Murray admits it’s a fierce competition out there everyday and he understands what working hard will do for him if he continues to battle. “Right now, I’m just learning defense and becoming a smarter cornerback in every way possible and how to perfect my craft,” Murray said. “I’m just going out there everyday, focusing on myself and staying alive. I’m trying to

MITCH ESPLIN/THE ARBITER

Junior cornerback Jamar Taylor will be in the mix for the lone open position in Boise State’s secondary. keep my head above water.” Secondary coach, Marcel Yates loves seeing the heated competition among his group of players. He hopes the fire will continue through spring into summer on toward fall. This passion insures the best player will get the job, but at the same time he’ll never feel completely safe, he’ll have to work just as hard everyday to keep the starting spot. “Coach Yates tries to help out all the DB’s so we can get better,” Taylor said. “He’s smart and helps us with our

technique, our eyes, our formations and knowing who you’re going against. He teaches everyone really good fundamentals, all around. It’s important to know the basics before you get into major details.” The competition for the opening vacated by Wilson will only get more heated from here on, which will make it all the more interesting when the Broncos strap up for their first scrimmage on Wednesday, March 24 at 2:30 p.m. on the blue turf.

Hall Finishes Third, Earns All-American Honors Boise State junior Adam Hall accomplished nearly all of his preseason goals, Saturday morning, as he wrestled his way back through the 157-pound consolation bracket to earn a third-place finish and All-American honors. Hall, who entered the tournament as a No. 2 seed, rebounded from a 5-2 quarterfinal upset to No. 7 Chase Pami of Cal Poly to earn All-American honors for the first time in his career. “[Coming back] was huge because once my ultimate goal of winning a national championship was over for this year the next best thing was this,” Hall said Saturday night. “My coaches told me to finish what I started. Coach [Chris] Owens told me last night, ‘hey, people will respect a guy that comes back to take third after losing like that’. I knew I had to do it.” Hall entered Saturday’s competition needing to win back-to-back matches to claim the third-place title. He opened the day against No. 5 seed Steve Fittery of American University who had been bumped from the 157-pound semifinals the night before. Hall needed all three rounds to finish off Fittery, as a two point near fall gave Hall the win by 6-4 decision. With only one wrestler left in his way, Hall went to work. He would meet tournament long shot Justin Lister of Binghamton, who despite entering the tournament unseeded would make his way to the semifinals before losing. Hall proved to be just too much for Lister, however, as he scored two take downs and a two point reversal en route to the 8-0 major decision win. “My coaches joke with me after I won that All-American qualifying match that it was a pretty big monkey off my back,” Hall said. “I told them it was more like a silver back gorilla because two years of losing in that round was rough.” With his outstanding weekend, Hall joins an elite group in Boise State wrestling history as one of just 19 different Broncos to ever earn All-American wrestling status. As a program, Boise State has earned All-American honors 25 times in all. “What I have learned is that nothing else matters. If you have a great tournament here, who cares if you are unranked, unseeded and have a losing record. If you come here and have a great tournament, that’s what it is all about.”

Broncos rally to beat Harvard The No. 71 ranked Boise State men’s tennis team earned its’ second win at the 2010 Blue Gray Classic in Montgomery, Ala., Saturday evening (March 20), but nothing would come easy for the Broncos as it took all six singles matches against Harvard to finally secure the 4-3 win. After losing the doubles point to the Crimson, Boise State was behind the eight ball looking to win four of six singles matches in the dual. The Broncos responded with wins at No. 2, No. 3 and No. 5. Vicente Joli earned the first Boise State win by beating Aba Omodele-Lucian, 6-4, 6-2 at No. 2. He was followed by Harry Skinner who took down Andy Nguyen, 6-4, 7-6, at No. 3. Alex Bothe evened the Broncos in the dual with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Joshua Tchan at No. 5. With the three wins Boise State managed to even the dual score at 3-3, with just one singles match left to go. Fortunately for the Broncos, that match was No. 1 where No. 41 ranked James Meredith was playing. Meredith needed three sets to put Alexei Chijoff away, but finally prevailed with a 6-2, 6-7, 6-1 win. Boise State improves to 8-6 overall this season (1-1 Western Athletic Conference), with a 2-1 record at the Blue Gray Classic. The Broncos advanced to play in the consolation bracket on Sunday. Boise State will meet Penn State in the final day of competition. An update of results will be posted at arbiteronline.com.

COURTESY/STANLEY BREWSTER

KIRK SMITH

Boise State junior wrestler and No. 1 seed Kirk Smith grapples with Missouri’s Max Askren for the 184-point title Saturday night in Omaha, Neb. Smith fell to Askren 10-3 to void an unblemished record. Smith finished the season with a 28-1 record for the 2010 season. He and fellow junior Bronco Adam Hall finished with All-American honors. Hall wrestles at the 157-pound class and finished third at the 2010 NCAA National Wrestling Championships.

Broncos post personal bests, win 2010 WAC regular season title KIRK BELL

Sports Editor Boise State seniors were sent off in proper fashion Friday evening at Taco Bell Arena for the gymnastics season finale and senior night against the San Jose State Spartans. The No. 23 Broncos recognized three seniors – Yvette Leizorek, Taylor Jacob and Raquel Turnbow – for their contributions to the team during their time spent as members of the BSU gymnastics squad. BSU sent the seniors off with a season best team score of 196.550 – also marking the schools seventh best score in team history – and took home the regular season 2010 Western Athletic Conference title.

No. 36 SJSU posted a team score of 193.475. BSU co-head coach Neil Resnick remarked he would have been surprised if they didn’t post their highest score to conclude their 2010 regular season stretch. “Watching the whole week of practice, as steady as the kids were. Our final day of bar training I thought to myself ‘we can’t miss.’ They’re just too solid and it’s just too put together. I kind of expected this.” BSU’s night kicked off on the vault with a team score of 49.100 to SJSU’s 48.725, led by junior Hannah Redmon’s 9.925, good enough first place finish in the event. Redmon’s vault marks the fifth 9.900 score or better this season.

She carried the No. 13 individual vault ranking entering the meet. BSU claimed a share of third place on vault with freshman Brittany Potvin-Green and junior Sarah Smith, who posted a 9.825. They shared the third place posting with SJSU’s Katie Merritt. The Spartans’ Lily Swann placed second with a score of 9.875. Three Broncos met or exceeded personal bests on their second rotation on the uneven parallel bars to post a team score of 49.325 to tie their third best score in program history. It is their best score on bars since 2001. The Broncos’ Redmon and redshirt sophomore Amy Glass both posted 9.900 on bars; matching Glass’ per-

sonal best and marking a new personal record for Redmon. “I’ve been working for it all season,” Redmon said. “The coaches are in the gym joking with me, ‘if you did that one in a meet it would have been a 9.90.’ It’s just exciting to get the score and do a good routine.” “It was an event that we thought we could get better at,” Resnick said. “(Hannah) wanted to add a new skill and it’s a very unique skill that only she can do. Very few people in the country can do a skill like. She’s putting it together and it’s getting to be every time now.” Leizorek posted a new career best on bars with a

See GYMNASTICS I p 5

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C SPORTS ULTURE

5 B

March 22, 2010

ARBITERONLINE.COM

Softball grounded against Gophers, rebound during day two the Broncos to earn the victory. Head coach Erin Thorpe was frustrated by her team’s lackluster performance. “I don’t think we did very well, our girls need to find that competitive drive and come out and compete,” Thorpe said. “If we had come out and competed we would have won that game hands down.” The game was a low scoring pitchers duel. Both starters pitched complete games, but in the end Minnesota pitcher Lacey Middlesbrook proved too strong for the stunted Bronco offense. She allowed only one hit in seven innings, nearly throwing a shut out and keeping the Broncos JOSH RASMUSSEN/ARBITER FILE PHOTO scoreless for six innings-BSU pitcher Allie Crump throws during the 2009 season. striking out six and giving up The Broncos lost 3-2 to Minnesota Friday and Saturday only two walks. to Portland State, 9-1. BSU rebounded against Weber The Minnesota defense, on State in its second game Saturday with an 11-0 shutout. the other hand, did not show up. They gave up three errors which made life difficult for Springhill Suites Invitational the aggressive Gopher hurler, DANIEL PRIDDY Journalist at Mountain Cove Field. but in the end Middlesbrook In spite of a good show- was able to weather the The Bronco softball team ing by pitcher Allie Crump, storm and make up for her showed a lot of heart but solid defensive play from teammates mistakes with key came up short on Friday shortstop Jessi Hanna, and a strikeouts and good defen(March 19), losing to the belated last inning rally that sive play whenever the BronMinnesota Golden Gophers put the team within one, the cos threatened. 3-2 on the first day of the Gophers were able to hold off The Broncos stranded run-

Football culture: The basis for success KIRK BELL

Sports Editor If one thing stands out about Boise State football, it is the culture that surrounds the program. Team culture is a little discussed but extremely important and sensitive aspect of performance. The way players and coaches act, react, practice and perform often can be measured by not only the outcome of the games but by the perspective of the stakeholders in the program. The Broncos buy into what has been become a proven model of leadership and family set up by head coach Chris Petersen and his staff. “I think what’s obviously done here, it can’t get much better than 14-0,” defensive assistant coach Bob Gregory said. “I think there is a model of success here. I think Coach Petersen’s and staff has done a nice job of creating that success.” With other regional programs such as Oregon struggling to find positive aspects to draw on in the wake of quarterback Jeremiah Masoli’s conviction of burglary, running back LaMichael James battery charges and athletic director and Mike Belotti abruptly announcing his departure from Oregon for a position with ESPN, the need for consistency within a program and a constant,

cultivating culture that fosters camaraderie within the ranks becomes ever more important. Senior quarterback Mike Coughlin believes the culture of the Broncos to be as strong, especially the senior class, as it ever has been since joining the team in 2006. “Since I’ve got here I think our class has been a lot more unified than I’ve seen,” Coughlin said of the team. “We try to do a lot of stuff together. I definitely think it shows on the field. We’re a bunch of brothers and more of a family than I think there’s been in the past. But I think it definitely helps us.” Players and coaches have a difficult time putting there finger on a particular person who best represents the Broncos’ culture. Answers ranged from seniors Kevin Sapien, Jeron Johnson and Derrell Acrey – according to Coughlin – to the “CEO” of the Broncos in Petersen – according to Gregory. Regardless of who the poster child for the program might be, one thing becomes clear. The diversity of answers shows there are multiple candidates for mentorship and familial interaction with multiple players. For many of the young players transitioning from a high school program to the collegiate realm can be a

stressful endeavor. For players who have had time to analyze the process through their freshman seasons, it is an easier transition than many would think. “The older guys are really good at getting us in right away and really just accepting everyone…That was big for us as freshman,” sophomore quarterback Joe Southwick said. “They like us and they want us to be good. They want us to get better.” With new players starting to grasp what it means to be a Bronco and the culture they’ve to become a part of, a the fluid schema takes shape with a slightly changed team and multiple personalities to wade through. “I think you start in the offseason…We need to see who’s going to buy into that culture,” assistant head coach/wide receivers coach Brent Pease said. “Then they can show that they’re trustworthy and that kind of takes on to the field.” With the pieces in place for a spring analysis of the football program, the Broncos will trek forward to continue establishing themselves as a model culture in the college football universe. BSU’s holds it’s first spring scrimmage Wednesday, March 24 at Bronco Stadium. Go online for the full article on football culture.

ners in scoring position, and thus allowed the Gophers to steal a victory, giving Middlesbrook her eleventh win of the season. Allie Crump was the one bright spot in an otherwise dark game for the Broncos. The Bronco pitcher at times struggled with accuracy and gave up some important hits, but all in all she kept her team in the game. By all logic, any pitcher who can throw a complete game and allow only three runs in the course of that game should be able to walk away with a win, but the offense let her down and rewarded her strong effort with her tenth loss of the season. “Allie did a great job--two of the three runs were unearned. She had one slip of an inning but she had some battles to fight today and in the end she did a great job,” said Thorpe. Early on, Crump had a tough go of it, hitting a batter and allowing a run to be scored on a wild pitch but she found her center as the game progressed, utilizing effective off-speed pitches that kept the Gopher offense off balance. Crump also did a fine job of managing the

game. The Gophers threatened to score in the majority of the innings, but Crump showed resiliency by racking up five strikeouts, getting hitters to pop up and ground out while they were in scoring position, and kept the game close in hopes that eventually the Bronco offense would wake up. “We came out flat today, myself included,” Crump said. “If we had given up a couple less hits and a couple less errors it could have been a completely different game.” In the seventh inning the Bronco offense began to find themselves, surging forward with two runs. Finally showing the ability to capitalize on Gopher errors, the Broncos began to mount a comeback. Kellie Caplan got on first with a walk and only one out, and then aggressively advanced to third on a Gopher error. With players on first and third, the Broncos were in position for the first time to tie things up. Megan Harvey delivered in a pressure situation and drove in an RBI. Harvey rocketed a hard grounder to the left side of the field, forcing the Gopher defense to make a difficult play as

Caplan barreled down from third to score. Trying to compensate for the hard hit, the Gopher defender attempted an off-balance throw and another Gopher error ensued. Jessica Kraft took advantage of the wild throw by scoring all the way from first. Suddenly it seemed the Broncos were in business. The next batter, Laeha Hill, got a good pitch and hit a hard line drive into the middle of the field. For a fleeting second a base hit seemed to be imminent and a tie ball game appeared to be in the works, but Middlesbrook reached out and snagged the ball, ending the rally as quickly as it had started. The Broncos fell to Portland State Saturday (March 20) in the first game of a double header, 9-1. The Broncos bounced back with an 11-0 shutout against Weber State later on in the day. BSU’s Aubray Zell carried the Broncos to victory with her first career shutout. BSU played Weber State and Portland State on Sunday. The Arbiter will have coverage of the game in the online edition.

GYMNASTICS [Sports page 4] 9.850 to share a spot in third place with Jacob and Merrit. BSU’s lowest event score came in their third rotation on the balance beam. BSU swept the top three spots in the event. Broncos’ sophomore Lindsay Kazandjian finished first with a score of 9.825. BSU junior Kelsey Lang and Jacob both posted 9.800 for a share of second place. Glass posted a 9.775 for a fourth-place finish respectively. BSU finished the meet with their fourth rotation on the floor exercise where the Broncos claimed the top three finishers and two more personal best marks. BSU freshman Hailey Gaspar tied for second with a score of 9.850 to mark a career best performance in the event. Leizorek performed on par with her career best to share the second place spot with Gaspar and SJSU’s Gabrielle Targosz. “It was really nice tonight to compete on the floor,” Leizorek said. “I really felt I nailed my floor routine tonight. Everything just really flowed today.” Redmon posted a 9.90 on the floor – the fifth ENA MECAN/THE ARBITER time this season with a 9.90 or better – to take first place. Redmon stated it wasn’t a matter of BSU junior Hannah Redmon performs having confidence in the event but more how her routine in the floor exercise Friday well is she going to perform her routine. night at Taco Bell Arena. “I know I’m going to land all these passes. I do this routine every day in the gym,” Redmon said. “With the adrenaline I’m not worried. I’m just going to go out there and have fun because it’s a fun event.” The Broncos continue to the 2010 WAC Championship meet March 27 in Fullerton, Calif. “I don’t want us to underestimate any of the other WAC teams because there’s a lot of really good teams out there,” Redmon said. “We don’t need to let anything go to our heads. We just need to stay focused on ourselves (and) just go out there and do our business.”

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The Future BY NANCY BLACK AND STEPHANIE CLEMENT Tribune Media Services Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birthday (3/22/10). The cosmos provide the challenge of intense work this year. To make the most of your opportunities, keep your purpose in mind with the help of a note on your mirror or a mantra on your tongue. Observe carefully before you criticize. Dream as big as you dare! To get the advantage, check the dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21-April 19) -- Today is a 7 -- A female livens up the work environment with rude jokes about people in power. Try not to fall off your chair laughing. Remember the punch line for later. Taurus (April 20-May 20) -- Today is a 7 -- The taskmaster is back! Never let it be said that you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get the work done. Let co-workers fend for themselves. Gemini (May 21-June 21) -- Today is a 6 -- Today you understand what someoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been trying to tell you for the last few days. Sometimes distance allows you to perceive the level of caring. Cancer (June 22-July 22) -Today is a 6 -- Words truly matter today. What you say now could come back to haunt you. Stick to practical concerns if possible. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) -- Today is a 6 -- You might take up a new area of study now. Someone needs to do the research, and it might as well be you.

day is a 6 -- Set the bar high where communication is concerned. Clarity is essential. Add persuasive language to clinch the deal. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) -- Today is a 7 -- Who said hard work canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be fun? If you have someone to share the task, you can enjoy the sore muscles. Add good music, and a tea party later. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) -Today is a 6 -- Ease into work. You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to hit the ground running. Take a moment to review and choose the best strategy. Caution wins over impulsiveness. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) -- Today is a 5 -- Try to get off the hot seat today. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve taken enough punishment. Use your talents to escape, or wave a magic wand and disappear. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) -- Today is a 6 -- Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Monday. Embrace your work, pay attention and save the dreamy mood for later. Persuade yourself that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in the right place. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) -- Today is an 8 -- Personal energy feeds on basic logic. What you see, in many ways, is what you get. No frills are necessary just now. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) -- Today is an 8 -- Dip into cash reserves for a creative purchase. Be sure youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve shopped for a bargain, but also demand quality. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an investment. ___

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Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) -- To-

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One lucky egg

Boise State takes on Red Bull Schlittentag

completely vacant hotel that was literally on Snowbowl Mountain. The entire three story hotel was empty, except my our team and the Red Bull crew. Sweet. The next morning, Taylor, Bob and myself woke up much later than the Red Bull crew who actually had work to do. We milled around the mountain for awhile until the

time for the Schlittentag had finally come. After executing a dry run inside of our hotel, we took our sled to the top of the course. It was here that we were able to hang out with all the other competitors and check out all the different crafts that had been assembled. There was never a moment when this event did not have a completely positive,

friendly and non-competitive vibe. It was amazing. Before we knew it, we were on deck, mere seconds away from doing what we had come all the way to Missoula to do. Our last minute preparations included zip-tying a ‘lucky egg’ to the top of our craft; I promised our team that it would make it down the run alive. After crawling into the craft, Bob, our official pusher, wasted no time giving us an Olympic quality shove. It would be an understatement to say that our sled ran smooth. We were exponentially gaining speed as we went down the course... and then came the jump… I closed my eyes, everything went silent… and then… the bad part. When our sled hit the ground, it literally combusted. Our entire cardboard frame crumbled like a gingerbread house. We couldn’t even find the lucky egg. I’m pretty sure it was vaporized. Our crash was definitely a crowd-pleaser. Despite the catastrophic finish to our race, we had a fun-filled afternoon watching all the crazy crafts going down the hill. Sunday morning, our team woke up quite haggard and hopped into the Partyrado to make our way back to Boise, reminiscing over our Schlittentag glory that almost was.

thing that someone becomes completely obsessed with I think is really interesting. A: I read that you lost your lawsuit against Rolling Stone last month. I’m familiar with the lawsuit, but can you tell me a little bit about why you felt you needed to sue these companies? Are you opposed to kids smoking? JS: They had used our band name, along with several other band names, in a cigarette advertisement without asking any of the bands whether or not they could use the band names in this advertisement. I mean, I wouldn’t allow my band to be associated with advertisement in any way, whatsoever, even if somebody asked me -- not for anything, for any product. And I certainly would not allow a cigarette company to not ask if they could have my band associated with their product. Astoundingly we lost though, on the horrifying grounds of free speech, which totally makes sense considering the Supreme Court’s recent decision to grant corporate personhood. There is a terrible, terrible, miserably horrifying parallel somewhere. A: Another question, I saw a recent photo of yours where (bandmate) Angela is spitting blood into your mouth. What’s that all about? JS: (Laughs) I don’t know if I have an answer for that. A: Well is there any symbolic meaning to it, or… JS: I don’t know if there’s

any symbolism behind it at all. I think it is, maybe just a representation of what we find interesting, or who we are as people. I hope that doesn’t sound too extraordinarily pretentious. A: Not at all. How about the show, what can we expect at the Neurolux? JS: That’s probably difficult for me to answer, but every night we try to play as hard as we can and put as much of our hearts into it as

we can. Hopefully we’ll be successful at doing it that night. I don’t think we’ve played Boise ever, so it will be good to play there. A: Yeah, it’s a great place. Final question for you, will Xiu Xiu ever release a happy record? JS: If life turns out that way for sure. The point is to not be depressive, the point is to document what’s been happening in our lives and… it’s frequently difficult.

ANDY MCCUTCHEON Special to The Arbiter A sled building team from BSU was chosen to compete in Red Bull Schlittentag ("sledding day") on Snowbowl Mountain in Missoula, Mont. on March 13. Andy Mccutcheon, a junior communication major, piloted the three person crew. Below is his adventure. Friday morning came much too soon. I put off making final sled preparations the night before to go to the Campus Rail Jam 2010 after-party. Not the best idea. Around 8:30 a.m. my co-pilot Taylor arrived at my house. We put on Muscle Hawk’s incredible five song album on surround sound, made some final adjustments to our sled and finished packing our gear. After plastering our craft with posters of Hanna Montana, The Jonas Brothers and the cutest kitten anyone has ever seen, we were ready to officially kick off our Red Bull Schlittentag weekend.

COURTESY/ANDY MCCUTCHEON

The Red Bull Schlittentag took place March 13 in Missoula, Mont, where a team from BSU competed. We arrived at the Red Bull warehouse where the logistics crew was finishing up loading all the equipment that would be accompanying us on our trip. Finally, around 11:30 a.m. we left the warehouse and were headed to Missoula. The Chevy Silverado driven by Red Bull field marketing specialist, Jesse Murphey, soon became the

Q&A

Chevy Partyrado as myself, Taylor, our third teammate, Bob, and Boise’s Student Brand Manager, Erica Gieg, got jiggy to tons of music. Many hours and even more hilarious conversations later, we arrived in Missoula. We wasted no time hitting the town and getting dinner. Afterwards, we finally got to our destination for the evening: a

The Arbiter talks to Xiu Xiu about bird watching, human trafficking and suing Rolling Stone

STEPHEN FOSTER Journalist

Adorning the cover of the new Xiu Xiu album is a black and white picture of singer/guitarist Jamie Stewart. Scrawled below his countenance are the words “Dear God, I Hate Myself.” The California based experimental art rock band graces the Neurolux March 25. This peculiar, self-inflicted negative imagery is commonplace for Xiu Xiu, a band that confidently revels in the darker side of their existence. Stewart formed the group in 2000 and has since released a slew of records to critical acclaim. Xiu Xiu is Stewart’s brainchild, with a cast of constantly revolving characters. His current touring band includes multi-instrumentalist, Angela Seo, and percussionist, Ches Smith.

Arbiter: I want to start out with some questions about the new album. Why don’t you give me your take on it. Do you like the new record? Jamie Stewart (JS): Do I like the new record? I don’t listen to my records. I put as much effort into making them as I possibly can, then move on from there. Though, I hope other people enjoy listening to them. A: About the title of the new record, “Dear God, I Hate Myself” -- Is that meant to be taken literally? In other words, do you actually hate yourself? JS: Um, sometimes... sometimes. A: What about the song, “Chocolate Makes You Happy,” does chocolate help alleviate those feelings of selfloathing? JS: Yeah, sometimes. The horrible irony to that is, very recently my Doctor informed me that I cannot eat chocolate anymore. It is leading to, interestingly, some breath-

ing problems. I feel a little bit deflated because of that -- I can’t eat any chocolate right now, it sucks. A: Does anything else make you happy? JS: (Contemplates) Birdwatching. A: Alright, let’s move on -- I’m curious about some of the lyrics on the new album. Can you tell me about say, “Falkland Rd” or “House Sparrow?” JS: Falkland Rd is a song about human trafficking of young women from Napal into New Delhi. There’s a street in New Delhi called Falkland Rd that has a number of brothels that kidnap young women from Nepal and force them to employ there. House sparrow, part of the song is about this obsessive fear I have of serial killers, and the other half of the song I’d probably rather not discuss. A: That’s fine. I dig the cover you did of “Cumberland Gap.” I would’ve never taken you for a bluegrass fan. JS: Oh yeah totally. I don’t know if I’m such a bluegrass fan as much as I like, not necessarily music that predates bluegrass, but music from the same era. Well maybe not era, but yeah, I like oldtime music a lot. Folk music, especially Appalachian folk music. A: That’s interesting, any recommendations off the top of your head? JS: Dock Boggs I really totally love. Let’s see, there

are some others that I really love, (pause) I’m just real tired at the moment, and my brain is… A: Ok, well we can move on. I read that four of the new songs were primarily done on a Nintendo DS. How’d you come up with that idea? JS: Angela, my band mate, showed me this program for it called the DS 10 that is both four track drum-machine and a two-track sequencer, and since I’ve been a teenager I’ve played with drum-machines and sequencers a lot. They’re a big part of the way that music makes sense to me. What I like about this, particularly the one on the DS, is that it’s extremely portable, and while incredibly easy to use, the sounds are actually really fantastic and it gives you a tremendous amount of flexibility as far as being able to create your own sounds and how you create compositions on them. It’s a really, really excellent program. A: Really? Cool, Do you play a lot of videogames or… JS: A little bit, I’m not very good at them but I think they’re really interesting. I didn’t really play much as a kid at all. I play a little bit on tour, I think they’re fun. They’re culturally fascinating to me. A: How so? JS: I guess just, the aesthetics are really wonderful. Especially a lot of the Mario based games, in how fantastical they look and how peculiar the characters are. Any-

Jamie Stewart and Angela Seo of Xiu Xiu

COURTESY XIU XIU

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CULTURE

March 22, 2010

Featuring:

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BACKSTAGE PASS:

Finn Riggins and ReVoLtReVoLt

JENNIFER ORR

Marketing Director There are only a handful of bands that make it out of their hometown venues and start touring nationwide. Boise natives Finn Riggins and ReVoLtReVoLt are two of them. Both groups perform at this year's South by Southwest (SXSW) Music, Film and Interactive Festival which takes place March 12 through 21 in Austin, Texas. After finishing up at SXSW, Finn Riggins tour continues on toward Florida reaching all the way up to New York. Meanwhile, ReVoLtReVoLt

heads west to San Diego, along the coast to Seattle. This week we are reporting their travels from the road. Eric Gilbert, singer/ guitarist/keyboardist for Finn Riggins: Well into the wee hours of Saturday morning, we still have one more full day and two more shows to play here in Austin for South by Southwest (SXSW), but it's already been a crazy ride -- quite literally too. We arrived in Austin on Tuesday evening and drove straight to a boat landing on "Lake Austin," which is a river, and loaded our gear onto an old style double

COURTESY ERIC GILBERT

COURTESY CHRIS BOCK

Eric, center, from the band Finn Riggins of Boise, walks with Eric and Jesse of the band Worlds Greatest Ghosts.

Revolt Revolt from Boise leave their mark on their journey to South by Southwest music festival.

decker riverboat (big wooden wheel paddle and everything). Three other bands boarded (including our recent tourmate, Boy Eats Drum Machine and a rad Austin band called Woodgrain), a couple of DJs and 200 plus party goers. We started playing soon after the boat headed down

was actually a really fun set, even though the party hadn't really gotten started yet. We quickly loaded the van in traffic and headed to Houston for a rendezvous with a bunch of band friends and the Super Happy Fun Land SXSW Overflow Fest. I think the best way I can sum up the experience thus far is a sea of humanity, bands bands bands bands bands, sunshine, breakfast tacos, BBQ, Mardi Gras, party and friends (friends especially) and most definitely super, happy and fun. Chris Bock, singer/guitarist for ReVoLtReVoLt: Hello, from ReVoLtReVoLt! We are currently on a spring tour that spans nine states during March and April. We have cranked out 2600 miles on the Dodge Van, blew through two large bottles of Sriracha, and played eight shows thus far. Our tour began with a kickoff in Boise at the Neurolux on March 3 and a date at Grainey's Basement on March 6. Since then, we have played in Utah, Ariz., N.M., and Texas. Our travels will take us back across N.M., Ariz., and up through Calif., Ore., and

river -- sights sailing by -- and the free drinks started being served. This was a wild show and radical introduction to Austin. The following day, St. Patty's Day, after registering for the festival, getting our wristbands and goody bags, we hustled up 6th St. to Waterloo Records. We boarded this seethrough bus and embarked out into downtown for a live video interview and acoustic session. The rest of the evening was spent taking advantage of our wristband access to shows, free food and booze. We caught Visqeen and The Walkmen at historic Stubb's BBQ for NPR's Showcase and then ran around catching up with friends and exploring the nooks and crannies of the festival. Thursday morning, we packed up and sniffed out a taco truck for some breakfast tacos -- a novel delicacy for us. Then we hustled downtown for our early set at the Nail/ Distiller day party at Side Bar. Our friends World's Greatest Ghosts from Portland kicked the event off inside and then we played first on the outside stage to several friends and an abundance of sunshine. It

Wash. We are currently in Austin, taking in the SXSW Music Festival with our good friend Jennifer Orr. You will never see or hear as much live music in one place at one time. The streets are packed with people and the air is filled with song. We only have March 19 and part of March 20 to take it in before heading to play the Mine Shaft in San Antonio on Saturday night. There are so many great landscapes to take in and cool people to meet. When talking to people, they ask where we are from, and we tell them Idaho, they of course mention "POTATOES." We assure them that there is much more to our great state. We talk about the wilderness, the way folks let you into traffic, the good food, great artists in the Treasure Valley and of course we mention the live music scene that is currently exploding in Boise. We feel lucky to be a part of such a culturally diverse music scene here in Idaho. To learn more about Finn Riggins and ReVoLtReVoLt, visit finnriggins.com and revoltrevoltmusic.com.

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