The Battalion: January 18, 2011

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thebattalion

campus news

Students tickets for Gulf War ceremony

● tuesday,

Tickets are available to the public for Thursday’s program at Texas A&M University to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the beginning of military operations to liberate Kuwait from occupation by Iraq. George Bush, 41st president of the United States, will host the ceremony, which is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. in Reed Arena. Doors will open at 3:30 p.m., and attendees are urged to be in their seats by 4:45 p.m.

january 18, 2011

● serving

texas a&m since 1893

● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2011 student media

University updates website Texas A&M has a new look on the web — a new presence that University officials say provides greater opportunities to tell people what’s happening on campus and how best to find the information they are seeking. “Our new website is definitely more engaging, with cleaner graphics and better navigation, to cite just a couple of the enhancements,” notes Jason Cook, the University’s vice president for marketing and communications. Cook said prospective students and their parents, along with current students and others in the Texas A&M family, should find the site much easier to navigate and, thus, be able to more quickly get the information that is important to them.

Courtesy Photos by Sarah Burt

Taylor Gillespie’s father,T.J. Gillespie, passes Taylor’s saber to cadet Jake Stefano. Stefano is the new commanding officer of Trident Company P2.

Students mourn loss of comrade March 1, 1989 Jan. 9, 2011 Taylor Adrian Gillespie

Silver Taps

“His life was like a firework; inspiring, full of show, color, and almost blinding in its unique, brilliant display.” Lindsey Preble, senior agricultural communication and journalism major

Stephanie Massey The Battalion Aggies, friends and family gathered Saturday afternoon to commemorate the life of Taylor Gillespie, Commanding Officer of Trident Company P2. Close to 700 people in attendance were encouraged to ‘Maroon Out’ in honor of Gillespie at the Leonard High School gymnasium, the largest facility in Gillespie’s hometown to accommodate such a gathering.

Most of the Corps attended the service in honor of their fellow cadet. Gillespie, a senior communication major, died in a car accident Jan. 9 around 10 a.m. on State Highway 121 between the towns of Trenton and Desert on his way back to College Station to practice with the Ross Volunteers. Gillespie’s father was driv-

Actor Jacob L. Smith shares his experiences as Sir Galahad in the musical SPAMALOT, which will be on campus today and tomorrow.

sports | 1b What you missed While you were away, Aggie athletics have stayed in session. Find out how the teams fared over the break.

Photo illustration by April Baltensperger — THE BATTALION

helping hand

As finals commenced and students vacated the Texas A&M campus for winter break, work began on the new liberal arts and humanities building. The groundbreaking ceremonies took place Dec. 16 and incorporated several speakers including A&M President R. Bowen Loftin, Regent Jim Schwertner and College of Liberal Arts Dean José Luis Bermudez, who led the ceremony. The new facility is the first building on campus devoted strictly to liberal arts. It will house the Department of English glish and the Department of Performance Studies. “These departments will now have unity and space dedicated to enhance scholarly research and creativity, and ultimately, to better serve the students,” said Blair Williamson, communications coordinator for the College of Liberal Arts. The 107,000-square-foot building is scheduled for completion in 2012.

Aggie Moms reach homeless students Luz Moreno-Lozano The Battalion A full time college student might endure many responsibilities while in school: studying, eating, having fun and sleeping. However, some students struggle to make ends meet, making it difficult to live and be in school simultaneously. In efforts to help these students, the Coppell Aggie Moms Club started a fundraiser last fall. The group donated 30 exam packages of snacks to Students Assistance Services. “Originally we would dis-

Minority students excel at A&M

tribute exam packs to our students,” said Ann Lassen, copresident of the Coppell Aggie Moms Club. “But we wondered about those students who didn’t have the luxury of our exam packs.” This fall, Jennifer Beaty, the Coppell Aggie Mom in charge of coordinating the distribution of exam packs, asked the SAS if there was anything else the club could help with. Desiree Rieckenberg, an SAS employee, mentioned there were a few homeless students See Homeless on page 7a

Texas A&M does not fail in helping minorities acclimate to college life. Forbes magazine ranked Texas A&M as No.14 in the nation for “Best Colleges for Minorities in STEM Programs.” To ensure a fair decision, Forbes excluded schools where minority citizens are the majority student bodies from the vote. Forbes compared statistical ratios of African Americans, Hispanics and American Indians (the groups underrepresented in STEM programs) to Asians and whites (groups wellrepresented in these programs). Texas A&M and Texas Tech- ranked No.7are the only Texas universities on the list.

More bang for your buck Aggieland is not only the home of the Twelfth Man, the loudest and proudest student body in the country, but also a place to receive an affordable, quality education, according to Kiplinger’s magazine. The personal finance magazine ranked Texas A&M as No. 23 in the nation for best value public university for 2011. A&M’s ranking rose to No. 23 from a previous ranking of No. 35. Two-thirds of the ranking score comes from the level of academic quality, which carried more weight in the decision than did affordability. A&M is one of three Texas universities to be included on the list, along with the UT Austin and UT Dallas. Connie Thompson, staff writer

A NO-HOLDS-BARRED SMASH HIT!

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“A MAD PLEASURE OF A SHOW! Sublime silliness still reigns!” SPAM is a registered trademark of Hormel Foods,LLC, used with permission here

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See Gillespie on page 9a

Liberal arts finds a home

inside

scene | 3a MSC OPAS

with non-life threatening injuries. Gillespie was an Aggie to his very core, bleeding maroon. He not only served as commanding officer of Trident Company P2, but also as a Ross

over the break

Texas A&M News & Information Services

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ing the Mercury Sable that, due to icy road conditions, spun out of control into northbound traffic and was hit by an oncoming van. Gillespie was pronounced dead at the scene; his father and the other passenger, Stanley Ray Leonard of Plano, were hospitalized

◗ At 10:30 p.m. Feb. 1 an honor guard from the Ross Volunteer Co. will march across campus from the Corps of Cadets area to the plaza, where its members will fire three rifle volleys to honor the memory of Taylor Gillespie and other students who died over the break. Buglers from the Aggie Band will play a special arrangement of “Taps.” The tolling of the Albritton Tower bells will signal the end of the ceremony.

-John Heilpern, The New York Observer

Student RUSH

Osa Okundaye — THE BATTALION

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thebattalion THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE OF TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893

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THE BATTALION (ISSN #1055-4726) is published daily, Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters and Monday through Thursday during the summer session (except University holidays and exam periods) at Texas A&M University. Periodicals Postage Paid at College Station, TX 77840. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Battalion, Texas A&M University, 1111 TAMU, College Station, TX 77843-1111.

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USC meeting

Transit service

Regular transit service operates from 7 a.m. to midnight Monday through Friday. Weekend service runs off-campus routes from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Service does not run on holidays. For more information, visit http:// transport.tamu.edu/ transit/service.aspx.

3

Resumè reviews

Bring your resumès from 1 to 4 p.m. Thursday to the Zachry Engineering Center and a Career Center professional will critique it and answer questions. For more information, call the Career Center at 845-5139.

Wednesday mostly sunny high: 59 low: 51 Thursday 30% chance of showers high: 58 low: 28 Friday sunny high: 50 low: 27

courtesy of NOAA

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thebattalion 01.18. 2011 For daily updates go to thebatt.com ● Facebook ● Twitter@thebattonline

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owdy and welcome back to Aggieland! The Student Government Association is excited to serve the students of Texas A&M during this semester, and welcomes your opinion and feedback. SGA exists to represent student opinion on various issues with three branches and 15 committees that find different ways of giving back to students and the University. It Hilary has been exciting to be a part of student Albrecht senior political government, and science major and this year members of speaker of the SGA are not afraid to senate voice student opinion on controversial issues. This past semester was particularly productive for student government, tackling various issues including budget reductions, mandatory meal plans, the use of the phrase “Texas Aggies” and higher education issues to be addressed in the 82nd Session of the Texas Legislature. We had a tumultuous semester, bringing up controversial topics that raised awareness of the issues being addressed and student government as a whole. This gave members of SGA the opportunity to connect more with constituents and put an impetus behind pursuing areas of interest that were relevant to students and student opinion. Moving forward, SGA will focus a lot

More information Contact information can be found on the SGA website at http://sga.tamu.edu, and Student Senate meetings are at 7 p.m. every other Wednesday in Koldus 144. this semester on student interests in higher education that deal with the current session of the Texas Legislature. To assist with costs associated with attending the University and to maintain our education, we are advocating for a tax-free weekend for textbooks, an end to mandatory tuition set-asides, an expansion of dual credit programs and a reduction of budgetary cutbacks from the state for higher education. We also plan to propose for more student representation and participation in various areas, including advocating for an increase in the number of members of the Student Services Fee Advisory Board selected by students and for the Student Regent to become a voting member of the Board of Regents. Often the status quo needs to be challenged and changes need to be made. Student government cannot succeed in representing students and making a positive impact for the student body without having the courage to listen and reflect real student opinion. As students we all have a lot to say, and as Aggies we expect each other to act with mutual respect, loyalty and integrity. If you have an opinion on any student issue, communicate it to members of student government and hold us accountable for representing student opinion. SGA advocates on behalf of student interest, and in order to effectively accomplish this task, communication is needed between SGA and the student body. Gig ‘Em, and I hope y’all have a great semester!

Arizona girl’s corneas save vision of two kids TUCSON, Ariz. — Donated corneas from the young girl killed in the Arizona mass shooting saved the eyesight of two children, her father told The Associated Press Monday. John Green said the Donor Network Green of Arizona told him and his wife about the successful transplants. He said he doesn’t know whether any of 9-year-old Christina Taylor Green’s other organs have gone to any other children, but he’s under the impression that her wounds rendered her internal organs unusable. Christina was the youngest victim of the shooting that left six dead and 13 others wounded — including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords — on Jan. 8. Green said he and his wife Roxanna didn’t hesitate to allow doctors to use Christina’s organs. “The fact that her organs were able to help people, that was an amazing thing to me,” he said. “It’s just another thing that this little girl has given the world.” The Donor Network of Arizona declined to comment on any donation, citing confidentiality. The third-grader had just been elected to the student council and had been interested in politics from a young age, which is why she went to see Giffords on Jan. 8. Associated Press

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Young King inspired by time on farm John Christoffersen Associated Press NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Martin Luther King Jr. could hardly believe his eyes when he left the segregated South as a teenage college student to work on a tobacco farm in Connecticut. The slain civil rights leader, whose birthday was observed Monday as a federal holiday, spent that summer working in a tobacco field in the Hartford suburb of Simsbury. That experience would influence his decision to become a minister and heighten his resentment of segregation. “On our way here we saw some things I had never anticipated to see,” he wrote his father in June 1944. “After we passed Washington there was no discrimination at all. The white people here are very nice. We go to any place we want to and sit any where we want to.” Until then, King was thinking of other professions such as becoming a lawyer, ConardMalley said. But after his fellow Morehouse College students at the tobacco farm elected him their religious leader, he decided to become a minister. “It’s clear that this little town, it made a huge impact on his life,” said John Conard-Malley, a Simsbury High School senior

who did a documentary with other students on King’s experiences in Connecticut. “It’s possibly the biggest thing, one of the most important things, people don’t know about Martin Luther King’s life.” In his later application to Crozer Theological Seminary, King wrote that he made the decision that summer “when I felt an inescapable urge to serve society. In short, I felt a sense of responsibility which I could not escape.” “Perhaps if he hadn’t come to Connecticut, hadn’t picked tobacco up here, hadn’t felt like a free person, hadn’t felt what life was like without segregation and been elected the religious minister, he may not have become such a leader in the civil rights movement,” Conard-Malley said. Nicole Byer, a junior at Simsbury High School who narrates the documentary, noted that King was roughly the same age as the students who produced the film. Such early experiences can have a profound influence on young people, she said. “Everything right now influences us,” Byer said. “Any small experience can change the direction of what we do right now.” In a letter to his mother three days after he wrote his father, King marveled over a trip

ASSOCIATED PRESS

In this 1948 photo, Martin Luther King Jr. third from left, listens to a speaker during an assembly at Morehouse College in Atlanta. As a teenager in 1944, King worked on a tobacco farm in Connecticut. That experience influenced his decision to become a minister. he took to Hartford. “I never thought that a person of my race could eat anywhere but we ate in one of the finest restaurants in Hartford,” King wrote. “And we went to the largest shows there.” He wrote a week earlier of going to the same church in Simsbury as white people. His new calling as a religious leader was emerging, too. “I have to speak on some text every Sunday to 107 boys. We really have good meetings,” he wrote.

William Duschaneck, an 88-year-old Simsbury resident interviewed by the students, said he played baseball with King in town. King was a strong pitcher, though the future preacher of nonviolence never drilled a batter, he said. “He was a good ballplayer. He beat us a couple times,” Duschaneck told The Associated Press, laughing. “It was interesting to hear him talk. He had a nice voice. He talked about God and so forth.”

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things you should know

5 before you go 1

Robot lecture

The 2011 season of Science Cafe, an effort to bring science back to the public, will be at 7 p.m. today at the Revolution Cafe & Bar in Bryan. Dylan Shell, professor of computer science, will speak about “Intelligent Robots.�

Job search workshop

King breakfast

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The Career Center will have a workshop on ďŹ nding full-time, co-op and internship opportunities from 4 to 5 p.m. Thursday in Rudder Tower, Room 510. Students can learn how to use networking techniques and other resources.

The MSC Carter G. Woodson Black Awareness Committee will present the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast from 10 a.m. to noon Thursday in the Clayton Williams Alumni Center to honor the civil rights leader’s legacy. Tickets are available at the MSC Box OfďŹ ce.

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Career fair

The Southwestern Black Student Leadership Conference will have the Campuswide Career and Graduate School Fair from noon to 5 p.m. Thursday in the Rudder Exhibit Hall. Representatives from major companies, graduate schools and professional schools will be present.

Coffee talk on gender

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Professors and experts in such areas of neuroscience, history, feminism and women’s study will lead a discussion on gender differences, sexism and feminism from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday at The Village Cafe in Bryan.

b! thebattalion 01.18.2011 page3a

scene

From Britain to Broadway MSC OPAS to present ‘SPAMALOT’ musical parody. Q: How would you describe your charThe Battalion acter, Sir Galahad? Whether King Arthur’s legendary reign can A: Galahad in SPAMALOT is very into be traced to divine providence or a “farcical himself and very much about how he aquatic ceremony,â€? few could have predicted looks. He’s a very vain character. He starts the chivalric ruler of British lore would have out as Dennis, one of the most intelligent danced himself onto the Broadway stage, with people, until he becomes Sir Galahad and his celebrated Knights of the Round Table suddenly he becomes the good-looking providing backup. SPAMALOT, the Tony one and likes to take advantage of that. Award-winning production “lovingly ripped Q: How would you say SPAMAoffâ€? from the well-quoted film Monty LOT incorporates elements of the Python and the Holy Grail, is charging traditional folklore? into College Station — coconuts A: The Lady of the Lake and a in tow — at 7:30 p.m. today and Student tickets couple of the characters, but for Wednesday in Rudder Theatre are available at the most part, it’s very loosely to prove that the citizens of the MSC Box based. It’s more the concept of Camelot can do a lot more than OfďŹ ce. simply joust. They sing, dance looking for the Grail and how and jest, too. Arthur became king, while the Proud of its decidedly inaccurate knights aren’t exactly true to the retelling of the classic tale, SPAMAArthurian legend. LOT includes the usual crew of slightly Q: In what ways does the musical fully deconfused, armor-clad heroes as well as killer part from the Monty Python film and come into rabbits, a flying cow, show girls and exagits own artistically? geratingly stereotyped Frenchmen. Jacob A: Most of that would have to be with the L. Smith, who plays the role of Sir Dennis actual music itself. The scenes we do for the Galahad the Dashingly Handsome, shares his most part are really true to the film. Some are experiences with the tongue-in-cheek almost verbatim from The Holy Grail. Others

Rebecca Bennett

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SPAMALOT adds song and dance to the King Arthur legend, dually parodying the popular film Monty Python and the Holy Grail and the realm of Broadway musicals. are from other Monty Python things, other skits. The music really adds to the material and makes it something. Q: As for diehard fans of the film, do you think they will be pleased with the musical version? A: Oh, definitely. Python fans love SPAMALOT. The music itself just adds to the material. It’s always nice to have Python fans; we like when they’re out there because they see things, things that other people wouldn’t notice. They always add an extra level of energy to the show for us.

Q: What is your favorite song to perform in the show, and why? A: They’re all really fun. I don’t get to do all of them though. My favorite one to perform would have to be the duet that goes with the Lady of the Lake, “The Song That Goes Like This.� I like to watch “Always Look On the Bright Side of Life.� Q: Considering the name of the show, how prominent of a role does SPAM play in the musical? Does it at least make an appearance? See SPAMALOT on page 6a

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the battalion

tuesday 1.18.2011

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Kevin James plays Nick, friend and business partner to Vince Vaughn’s character, Ronny, who has a dark secret to share about his best pal’s marriage. Courtesy photo

T

Vaughn always plays the same character in every movie: the fast-talking, over-explanatory rambler who somehow manages to keep the same face almost every time. While he tries to be charming with Connelly, it’s easily missed because of his lack of emotion. Ryder’s character shows no sympathetic attributes. From the moment we find her cheating, she comes across as a manipulative, selfish, mean woman. On top of that, her facial expressions are just ridiculous. Her eyes get obnoxiously big and she uses the wrong expressions on her lips at the wrong times. There’s a part where she asks about Ronny’s face and she looks like she’s giving a smile We’ve seen these a million times, but it’s after Botox. not the secret that draws us to the film; it’s James plays the big, nervous guy that evthe conflict that it creates and the resolueryone loves even though he also goes tion of the secret that people want to Asian massage parlors with “happy to see. If the conflict develops and endings” behind Geneva’s back. He’s resolves well, it leaves us with an not bad at the role, but there’s no amusing take on the story; if it reason to show sympathy for him doesn’t, then we’re left with a either. Queen Latifah’s character as a dilemma, or in this case The DiChrysler executive says some really lemma. inappropriate and uncomfortable Director Ron Howard had the lines, such as talking about “ladypotential to do a lot with an idea as Steven wood,” if you know what I mean. simple as this movie had, but unOlivier Surprisingly, the film’s saving fortunately there wasn’t a lot done. junior English major grace lies in Tatum. He plays a The result is a painful, boring and tough guy thug who really is a big even useless take on trying to keep a softie, but he portrays the character secret. With actors like Vince Vaughn in an amusing way. Sure, it’s not the and Kevin James that give us characters that weren’t amusing or any different from first time that someone tries to act tough, but the movies we’ve seen before, it just makes the Tatum really made it work to the point that it was funny. movie even more uninteresting. However, there were moments where Ron The story is pretty simple: Ronny Valencould have told Nick the secret and resolved tine, played by Vince Vaughn (or is it Vince everything much sooner, but he doesn’t, and Vaughn played by Vince Vaughn?) and his so the movie drags on with no development. good friend and partner Nick Brannen (Kevin There were possible moments of running James) own a company that is trying to make jokes, such as Ronny tripping on poisonous an electric car that looks and feels like a plants and suffering the side-effects, but those muscle car from the ’70s, and they actually died off quickly, leaving the audience with struck a deal with Chrysler. Ronny is dating almost nothing entertaining. a girl named Beth (Jennifer Connelly), Nick Bottom line: the real dilemma is that this is married to Geneva (Winona Ryder) and movie is painfully unfunny. The story is simple things seem great between everyone. enough, but nothing develops. The characters Then, as Ronny plans out his proposal to Beth, he sees Geneva cheating on Nick with a aren’t amusing, there’s incredibly little humor and the film drags on after possibilities of ending sensitive thug named Zip (Channing Tait sooner. It’s not a movie worth watching and tum). What results is an internal battle about whether or not he should tell Nick, as seen it just leaves the viewer feeling really uncomthroughout a series of events in which Ronny fortable. In fact, it’s movies like this that make tries to reveal the truth, leading to pretty movies like Due Date much more fun to watch. hurtful results. If you love Vaughn, stick with Wedding Crashers.

he dirty little secret is a simple yet harmless plot point that just about everyone uses. It can vary from “I’m throwing a huge house party, but I don’t want my parents to know” to “I am literally pretending to be somebody I’m not,” or even “I just saw my best friend’s wife cheating on him.”

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- Texas A&M Foundation President Dr. Eddie J. Davis ‘67

) 1/17/11 6:58 PM

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page 6a tuesday 1.18.2011

thebattalion keep myself together every night because everyone in the cast is so funny. It’s hard not to crack up on stage. There’s been a couple of times when something unexpected happened. I’m hard to crack on stage, but there’s been times I’ve had to turn away and hide it because it’s just so funny. Q: Does the cast sometimes incorporate improvisation into a performance? A: Yes, there’s so many props and technical things, and things that don’t always go as smoothly as I’d like because there’s so much going on. We just have to come up with ways to cover for it. At one point, we were performing the show and the wooden rabbit had trouble exiting the stage. So Arthur called us over and we crept off stage and then came back on after the rabbit left. The audience loved it. It seems kind of small, but at the time, it seems really big. So we just kind of have to think up things like that on our feet.

SPAMALOT Continued from page 3a

A: SPAM actually pops up here and there, and we do reference it a couple of times and make a few cracks about it. Q: I read about the flying cow used in the production, do you have a favorite prop item used in the show? A: The cow is definitely up there. Also, the cast refers to her as “Sushi,� just because that’s what we call her. She’s always an adventure because we never know exactly how she’s going to fly, but it’s always interesting. There are also fur poodles, and I get to sword fight later with a slice of French bread. It’s ridiculous, but fun for us. Q: Do you ever struggle to keep from laughing on stage? A: For the characters, it’s not a comedy, it’s a drama. But for me, I have to

Q: I know your educational background is in musical theatre performance. Was it challenging for you personally to adapt to such a comedic role? A: It’s nice that the show ties together so well. The music itself is funny. To see me dance is funny because I’m not a dancer. It keeps you in that mode of comedy. Q: What do you think college students would enjoy about the show? A: College audiences are definitely our best audiences. You get Python fans, people that just like theatre, people completely new to theatre ‌ college students just love the theatre. They make it so much more fun for us. Q: Any closing comments on the production? A: It’s just a laugh and a great show. I can honestly say that if you watch the show, you’re going to have a blast. And I think that’s one of the best things.

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page 7a tuesday 1.18.2011

thebattalion

Rec offers ways to get rid of holiday pounds Joanna Raines The Battalion The intoxicating smell of “straight-out-of-the-oven,” homemade cookies is cause enough for even the most diligent fitness gurus to break a diet for the holiday season. From cookies, to pie, to holiday lattes, the most wonderful time of the year is not so wonderful for our bodies. But before resorting to an expensive and not-so-tasty fad diet, it is important to keep in mind the tools that are available to A&M students. The Student Recreation Center has everything members need to trim down those extra trimmings and create a healthy lifestyle for 2011. Cardio machinery is available on every floor of the Student Recreation Center. Ellipticals, stair climbers, treadmills and other cardio machinery are all helpful in losing weight. Having a consistent cardio routine burns fat and calories, which leads to weight loss results. When stepping on the cardio machinery, it is important to remember quality is better than quantity. “A lot of time people will spend an hour on a piece of cardio, doing a very low intensity,” said Jerod Wilson, director of strength and conditioning. “In reality they could get a lot more benefit from working at a higher level of intensity for a shorter amount of time.” In addition to a consistent cardio routine, weight training is also important when forming a fitness routine. The weight

room appeals to both men who wish to enhance muscle mass, and women who are looking for a lean, slender look. While most people associate cardio with eliminating calories, muscle mass burns an estimated three times more calories than fat. Essentially, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. In addition, weight lifting increases metabolism after a workout. For those who are new to weight lifting, the recreation center has employees who monitor the weight room, and are there to provide instruction and support. One problem many people face is finding the motivation to workout. If spending 30 minutes on an elliptical is not appealing, the Student Recreation Center offers a wide variety of exercise classes to spice up a mundane workout routine. “They offer a great way to de-stress from studying,” said Rachel Mallison, a freshman political science major. Classes range from cardio dance to resistance training to cycling. The recreation center will be offering one week of free classes, from Jan. 18 to Jan. 23. This allows students to try different classes and decide which will help them achieve their goals. The recreation center has a number of nationally certified personal trainers available to all members of the Student Recreation Center. “They develop a program based on what the client needs.

Homeless Continued from page 1

who sleep in the stacks in the library and were a few homeless students who sleep in the stacks in the library and were in need of assistance. Rieckenberg suggested the club could send the students grocery gift cards to get a hot meal, dining bucks to eat on campus, and sleeping bags and blankets

FOLD AND RIP.

to keep warm at night. With that in mind, the Coppell Aggie Moms Club collected $740 in donations for the cause and presented it to the Student Assistance Services on campus. The club fundraises throughout the year and any extra money is turned over to Student Affairs. “Desiree is speaking at our meeting in February,” Lassen said. “It will probably lead to us to getting more involved.”

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They have expertise in weight loss, muscle mass gain and just getting lean and toned,” Wilson said. Trainers are also advantageous for those who wish to train for athletic events, or are recovering from injury. Utilizing personal trainers is also helpful for those who are trying to slim down, as well as increase athletic ability to walk-on to a Texas A&M sporting team. Outdoor Adventures is good for those who do not like a gym atmosphere. “Outdoor Adventures helps you get out in the fresh air, provides opportunities to develop lifelong healthy outdoor recreational pursuits, facilitates development of an appreciation and a connection to our natural environment, and provides a setting where you have the opportunity to meet and get to know other students with similar interests,” said Patsy Kott, director of Outdoor Adventures. Outdoor Adventures offers equipment rental and sales for personal use, as well as offering group trips. This upcoming spring break, Outdoor Adventures is offering two trips; one to California to surf, and the other to Colorado to ski. The Texas A&M Student Recreation Center is the perfect place for students to make 2011 the year they reach their fitness goals. Whether that means joining a fitness class or hiring a personal trainer, the student recreation center can get anyone back in their skinny jeans in no time.

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news

page 9a

thebattalion

tuesday 1.18.2011

PICKY EATERS REJOICE. ®

Courtesy Photo by Sarah Burt

Texas A&M Cadets have yell practice at the gravesite.

Gillespie Continued from page 1

Volunteer, the Honor Guard for the Governor of the State of Texas. Gillespie was the public relations officer for Ags of OAK (Open Acts of Kindness). “Taylor was a true Aggie. He loved his school. He loved the spirit,” said Lauren Thompson, a senior agricultural communications and journalism major. “I believe as Aggies we are called to be a different type of person. We are called to be people of diligence, honor, integrity, class and responsibility. Taylor was all of these things and more.” At Gillespie’s funeral, Commandant, Brigadier General Joe E. Ramirez Jr. awarded Gillespie’s parents with the Corps Meritorious Service Medal in honor of Gillespie’s performance as a cadet and commanding officer. Master Gunnery Sgt. Fred Hauffe read a letter prepared by Commandant Ramirez while he presented the award. “Through his complete devotion to duty and professionalism, Taylor made extraordinary contributions to his unit and to the welfare of the cadets under his command. As a true leader of character Taylor was respected and admired by his peers, subordinates and superiors alike,” Commandant Ramirez said. “He is known for his hard work, positive attitude, strong faith and genuine concern for his fellow Aggies. Taylor made a positive and lasting impact on the lives of the countless cadets who are now better prepared to uphold the highest traditions of the Corps and Texas A&M University.” Gillespie’s father passed Gillespie’s saber to senior cadet Jake Stefano. Stefano will be the new commanding officer of Trident Company P2. “The fact that I had Taylor Gillespie as my commanding officer for P2 I never had to worry about anything for that company, no matter what they did … I knew that Taylor was there, that he was in charge, and everything was going to be taken care of,” said Master Gunnery Sgt. Fred Hauffe, cadet training officer. “That was just the type of person he was. He was an outstanding leader.” Despite the sudden tragic circumstances, friends grieving for Gillespie and his family can focus on a more positive aspect of his passing. “When a person’s life seems to be cut too short, some people will say that that person’s life was like a flare. I tend to agree, but in Taylor’s case I’d say his life was like a firework; inspiring, full of show, color, and almost blinding in its unique, brilliant display (and of course immensely entertaining),” said Lindsey Preble, a senior agricultural communication and journalism major, in her blog. “It would be severely wrong to not allow ourselves to mourn this great loss, but it would be more of a mistake to lose ourselves in our grief when we know Jesus has conquered death, and that this is not the end.” Preble worked with Taylor

Donations can be made to: “The Taylor Gillespie Memorial Fund” c/o First National Bank of Trenton P.O. Box 4 Trenton, Texas 75490 in Ags of OAK as membership officer. Friends of Gillespie emphasized he was a man of great faith and lived out his Christian life throughout any situation. “The Lord and his faith in the Lord was evident through how Taylor lived. Although he was not particularly outspoken about his faith, you could see the Lord in all things that Taylor did,” Thompson said. “The legacy of how he impacted so many people for the Lord was shown by the hundreds of people that came to his funeral, and five people accepted Jesus Christ into their hearts at his funeral. And so the Lord continues to work through him although he is gone.” Gillespie’s future plans included an internship with local station KBTX. Close friend and high school mate, Jeremy Burgess said Gillespie was interested in the television industry, but ultimately wanted to pursue a career in major motion pictures. “His biggest dream was to start his own movie studio and write and produce Christian influenced films,” said Burgess, a former A&M student and pallbearer at Gillespie’s funeral. “When he said Christian films he didn’t mean exclusively about the Bible, or those cheesy after-school-special movies, but making great stories without having the unnecessary foul language or graphic sexual content that modern movie makers deem necessary to draw crowds or get critical praise.” Gillespie had a passion for movie making and spent countless hours in high school filming and producing amateur movies. Some of Gillespie’s ‘classic’ works, that can be viewed on Youtube, include, “A Day in the Life of Greg Oden” and “Legends of Leonard.” “I don’t think I could use words to adequately express the friend that Taylor was. He influenced every aspect of my life, and like iron sharpens iron we grew into young Christian men,” Burgess said. “And Taylor’s biggest prayer was that through him people would see Christ. Through his death he has been able to show more people the truth of Christ than at any point in his life. I wish I could see him celebrating in heaven with each salvation that wouldn’t have been possible without God using Taylor’s life.” Gillespie might no longer be a student at A&M, but he will forever be an Aggie, cherished in the minds of his friends and family, and remembered through the ceremonies of Silver Taps on Feb. 1 and Muster. “Softly call the Muster, let comrade answer ‘Here,’” Thompson said in her blog. “You will have many comrades answering for you in April. I love you my friend.”

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1/17/11 8:16 PM

The MSC Carter G. Woodson Black Awareness Committee presents

The 4th Annual Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. BREAKFAST

Special Guest: Angela Davis THURSDAY, JANUARY 20, 2011 AT 10AM CLAYTON W. WILLIAMS, JR. ALUMNI CENTER Tickets available at the MSC Box Office $10 with TAMU ID $15 General Admission Order online at boxoffice.tamu.edu or call 979.845.1234 Sponsored in part by the MSC Woodson Black Awareness Committee, Office of the President, Vice President and Associate Provost for Diversity, Division of Research and Graduate Studies, Department of Athletics, Texas A&M University Libraries, The Bush School Of Government And Public Service, Department of Multicultural Services, Department of Performance Studies, Glasscock Center for Humanities Research, Department of Residence Life, Department of Student Activities, Department of History, Offices of the Dean of Student Life, and the Memorial Student Center

2011 CAMPUS WITH A DREAM & BLACK HISTORY MONTH CALENDAR 2011 CAMPUS WITH A DREAM Martin Luther King Soul Food Dinner Brazos Valley Area Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc January 15, 2011 at 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM Neal Elementary School Annual MLK Celebration and Musical Tribute Lincoln Recreation Center January 15, 2011 at 5:45 PM Lincoln Recreation Center Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service Monday, January 17, 2011 “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: ‘What are you doing for others?’” - MLK, Jr. 15th Annual MLK Freedom March Brazos Valley Area Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc January 17, 2011 at 10:00 AM Start: Sadie Thomas Park, End: Kemp Elementary 4th Annual MLK Breakfast MSC WBAC and many more January 20, 2011 at 10:00 AM Clayton Williams Alumni Center

“Anything But Black” Department of Multicultural Services January 20, 2011 at 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM Cain Hall 111B

2011 BLACK HISTORY MONTH Charles Criner Exhibition Texas A&M University Libraries All of February Cushing Memorial Library & Archives Black History Month Kick Off: Advance Your Swagger: A Conversation with Fonzworth Bentley Black Student Alliance Council along with various co-sponsors February 1, 2011 at 7:00 PM Rudder Theatre Reflections on “The Color Purple” Department of Multicultural Services, MSC OPAS February 2, 2011 Rudder 410 at 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM AAPO First Friday Lecture Series African American Professional Organization, Division of Research and Graduate Studies February 4, 2011 at 11:45 AM Rudder 401

WBAC: Soulful Sundays MSC WBAC February 6, 2011 at 5:00 PM If interested in participating, contact Aaron Rankin at ajr09@neo.tamu.edu

Social Justice Exhibit Leadership and Service Center February 10, 2011 at 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM TBD

Social Justice Week Leadership and Service Center February 7-11, 2011 http://studentactivities.tamu.edu/ leadandserve

Africana Studies Film Series: Still Black: A Portrait of Black Transmen (Discussion with director) Africana Studies Programs February 10, 2011 at 6:00 PM Rudder 410

Volunteer Opportunities Fair Leadership and Service Center February 8, 2011 at 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM Rudder Exhibit Hall

WBAC Black History Game Show MSC WBAC February 11, 2011 at 7:00pm Studio 12 in the Commons

THE COLOR PURPLE MSC OPAS February 8 and 9, 2011 at 7:30 PM MSC Auditorium http://opas.tamu.edu/colorpurple.htm

Strategies for Achieving Equity and Excellence in Educational Outcomes, presented by Dr. Estela Mara Bensimon Office of the Vice President and Associate Provost for Diversity February 17, 2011 at 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM Rudder 301

Dr. Jessie Daniels’ Lecture: Cyber Racism Leadership and Service Center February 9, 2011 at 7:30 PM – 8:30 PM Koldus 110

Unspoken Firsts: Contributions of African Americans at Texas A&M MSC Woodson Black Awareness Committee February 17, 2011 at 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM Koldus 110 (subject to change)

Department of Philosophy and Africana Studies Programs present Dr. Bill Lawson Department of Philosophy and Africana Studies Programs February 18, 2011 at 3:30 PM TBD African History Week Celebration Lincoln Recreation Center February 21-25, 2011 Annual Soul Food Luncheon Lincoln Recreation Center February 24, 2011 at 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM Lincoln Recreation Center Cheletia M. Johnson, Cjohnson@cstx.gov Cross-Cultural Communication: A “Race” Toward Interdependency Department of Multicultural Services February 25, 2011 at 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM Cain Hall 111B WBAC presents Oratorical: The Life of Malcolm X in His Words and Poems MSC WBAC February 28, 2011 at 6:00 PM TBD

Event details subject to change. Please visit http://blackhistory.tamu.edu for updates

Pg. 10a-1.18.11.indd 1

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sports thebattalion 1.18.2011 page1b

Tyler Hosea — THE BATTALION

An eventful holiday break Plenty happening for maroon and white Beau Holder The Battalion Football

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Tyler Hosea — THE BATTALION

Top: Senior Danielle Adams fights for the ball in A&M’s win over Missouri. Bottom: Juniors Garrick Williams and Trent Hunter tackle a Tiger during LSU’s 41-24 victory over A&M in the Cotton Bowl Classic.

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Following weeks of buildup, LSU outmanned then-No. 17 A&M 41-24 in the Aggies’ first Cotton Bowl appearance since 2005. Junior running back Cyrus Gray ran for 100 yards for the seventh straight contest but an untimely knee injury forced senior inside linebacker Michael Hodges out of the game and became the catalyst for the Tigers’ ability to run over the Aggie defense for the remaining three quarters. Still, A&M finished ranked No. 19 — the program’s first Top 25 finish since 1999 and a sign of the changing times in College Station. Most notably, junior wide receiver Jeff Fuller announced his return to A&M after considering leaving for the NFL’s green pastures and defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter rejected an overture from another coaching opportunity. The triumvirate’s decision to remain together, along with the return of 18 of 22 Aggie starters, became the single biggest factor in A&M’s consensus national selection as an early top-15 or top-10 team for 2011. Women’s swimming Once again in the top-10, Head Coach Steve Bultman’s Aggies continued finetuning prior to the NCAA and Big 12 Championships. No. 8 A&M breezed by North Texas at

home on Jan. 7, then participated in a double dual meet in Dallas with No. 21 SMU and No. 2 Georgia. The Aggies defeated the Mustangs 203-82 behind sophomore distance swimmer Maureen McLaine and freshman Lily Ibañez, carrying her momentum over from an impressive showing against North Texas. The second-ranked Bulldogs dominated the second half of its meet with A&M, taking first in all but one of the final nine swims. Sarah Henry, another promising freshman and A&M’s top recruit from the past year, finished first in the 200yard individual medley against SMU. After winning the 100-yard freestyle against the Mean Green and the 50-free in the SMU-UGA double-dual, senior Maria Sommer was named Big 12 Swimmer of the Week for the first time. The Aggies will open the Rec Center Natatorium to LSU Jan. 22 for a dual meet.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Men’s swimming Though not in action during the break, the No. 20 Aggies prepared for the upcoming stretch run which includes a home tilt with No. 22 LSU Jan. 22, the arch-rivalry match against No. 1 and defending national champion Texas in Austin Feb. 4 and the Big 12 Championships just before March. Head Coach Jay Holmes’ team last saw action on Dec. 4 against rival SMU, with whom they swam a furious meet decided in the last event the previous season. In the See Holidays on page 3b

Tyler Hosea — THE BATTALION

Top: Head Coach Mark Turgeon and the men’s basketball team are up to No. 10 in the country. Bottom: Junior sprinter Michael Preble runs in the A&M Conference Challenge Saturday.

1/17/11 7:06 PM

sports

page 2b tuesday 1.18.2011

thebattalion

Aggie men, women triumph Top: Texas A&M sprinter Tran Howell (6) looks to gain the lead against runners from the Southland, Sunbelt and SWAC conferences.

Track teams dominate at A&M Conference Challenge The Battalion Texas A&M was victorious in 11 events as the Big 12 scored both titles in the Texas A&M Conference Challenge at the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium in front of 2,202 fans Saturday. The Big 12 won the men’s competition with 271 points, handily defeating the Southland (152), the Sunbelt (110) and the SWAC (53) conferences. The Big 12 women tallied 362.5 points to outduel the 104 garnered by the Southland troupe, as well as the Sunbelt (69.5) and the SWAC (44). The Big 12 was represented by Texas A&M, Baylor and Oklahoma, while the Southland consisted of Northwestern Louisiana, Stephen F. Austin and Texas-Arlington. From the Sunbelt were Louisiana-Lafayette, Louisiana-Monroe and North Texas. The SWAC included Prairie View A&M, Southern-Baton Rouge and Texas Southern. Perhaps the most impressive victory came from the Aggies’ 4 x 400 relay squad, whose foursome of Bryan Miller (47.65), Demetrius Pinder (45.56), Tabarie Henry (47.05) and Tran Howell (46.25) produced a time of 3:06.49. Their time just edged the NCAA automatic standard of 3:06.50. It’s the fifth-fastest mark on the school’s alltime list. “This weekend was about taking that first step, trying to get the best out of each individual,” Head Coach Pat Henry said. “We have some good quarter-milers right now, and they were ready to run today. It was good to see them get an automatic mark with that win.” Baylor (3:10.26) and Oklahoma (3:10.56) finished behind the Aggies,

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COMPUTERS Superior Teks. $59.95 for software repair. $80.00 for hardware repair. Call 979-703-7963 or visit www.superiorteks.net

FOR RENT $1200 Available now, short-term leases ok. 3&4 bedrooms. W/D, pets ok, near TAMU. Call agent Ardi 979-422-5660. $295 1-room in shared, furnished apartment. All bills paid. Short-term leases ok. Call agent Ardi 979-422-5660. $375 Available now and prelease. 1/1, 2/1. Free Wi-Fi, on Northgate, on shuttle. Short-term leases ok. Call agent Ardi 979-422-5660. $400/mo. 1/1 in 2/2 apartment. 1030sqft, free January rent, move in ready, bus 22, pet ok, no deposits. 832-334-1426. 2-3/bedroom apartments. Some with w/d, some near campus. $175-$600/mo. 979-219-3217.

Upcoming Schedule ◗ 3:30 p.m. Saturday vs. LSU at Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium. Coach Pat Henry and the Aggies face off against Henry’s former school where he won back-to-back men’s and women’s national championships ◗ Jan. 28-29 Big 12 vs. SEC (Texas A&M Challenge) at Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium. The Aggies and the Big 12 compete against the SEC who had four schools finish in the top-10 of the final 2009 indoor track and field rankings while a second A&M unit won its section and placed fourth overall in 3:11:29 with members Joey Roberts, Ashton Young, Oscar Ramirez and Michael Preble. Prezel Hardy, Jr. was one of three freshmen who claimed wins for the Aggies as he set a career high of 6.68 to claim the 60 meters and move to No. 3 on the A&M all-time list. Hardy edged Texas-Arlington Cordero Gray, who clocked 6.69, for first place while Aggie teammate Howell finished third in 6.72 and Baylor’s Whitney Prevost placed fourth in 6.73. “I felt if I got after it, from start to finish, then I should have a good outcome,” Hardy said. “Being pretty pleased would be an understatement compared to how I’m feeling right now. It’s a personal best for me and everyone can see it’s a big improvement for me. I look forward to improving even more.” Then Tyler Lee won a jump-off in the high jump, an event that nearly lasted three hours.

WHEN

TO CALL 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday Insertion deadline: 1 p.m. prior business day

FOR RENT 2bd/1ba apartment, 800sq.ft. New appliances, carpeting and tile. W/D. Bus route. $550/mo. +$300 deposit. Available on, or before January. 210-391-4106. 2bd/1ba in Northgate, $525/mo. No dogs, cats ok. 6mo. lease. 979-696-7266. 3/2 Houses, Townhouses &Apartments, 1250sqft. Very spacious, ethernet, large kitchen, walk-in pantry &closets, extra storage, W/D, great amenities, on bus route, now pre-leasing, excellent specials. 979-694-0320, office@luxormanagement.com 3bd/2ba Nice house. Rock Prairie and Wellborn area. W/D, garage, backyard. $950/mo. Short-term lease through May/June. Contact Mike 512-887-0318. 4/3, 3/3 &3/2 Houses, Townhouses, Duplexes &Fourplexes, 1250-1700sqft. Very spacious, ethernet, large kitchen, extra storage, W/D, great amenities, on bus route, now pre-leasing, excellent specials. 694-0320. office@luxormanagement.com Bogart’s beautifully furnished bedroom w/bath. Run of the house, W/D, ground, &pool. Two great furnished apartments. 936-825-1969. www.bogarts.org

www.AggieNetwork.com

Photos by Tyler Hosea — THE BATTALION

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$10 for 20 words running 5 days, if your merchandise is priced $1,000 or less (price must appear in ad). This rate applies only to non-commercial advertisers offering personal possessions for sale. Guaranteed results or you get an additional 5 days at no charge. If item doesn’t sell, advertiser must call before 1 p.m. on the day the ad is scheduled to end to qualify for the 5 additional insertions at no charge. No refunds will be made if your ad is cancelled early.

FOR RENT

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Fully furnished, luxurious 4/4 Waterwood townhome for lease August 2011. 1596 sf. W/D, 2-miles to TAMU, on bus-route. 1001 Krenek Tap. $2000/mo. Contact Stephen 512-694-3311.

Large 3bd/3ba Fox Run Condos. W/D, gated. $1600/mo. Utilities paid. Available now. 979-575-7343.

Mobile home room to rent, on culdesac, quiet, furnished, W/D central A/C &heat, all bills paid. $400/mo. 210-288-5881.

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One room availabe in 3bd/3b apartment, close to Blinn and TAMU, $333/mo plus utilities, call Sara 979-966-7597, a_brooks@verizon.net Walk to TAMU! 2bd/2bth/office, all appliances, W/D, spacious, newly remodeled, fenced townhouse. 979-846-1887.

HELP WANTED Cheddar’s Casual Cafe and Fish Daddy’s on University Drive are now accepting applications for servers and hostesses. Come be a part of our friendly team! Apply in person. EOE. Cleaning commercial buildings at night, M-F. Call 979-823-5031 for appointment. Experienced part-time lawn maintenance workers needed. $7.50/hr. Call Kirk, 979-324-2719. Little Guys Movers now hiring FT/PT employees. Must be at least 21 w/valid D.L. Apply in person at 3209 Earl Rudder Freeway.

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HELP WANTED Full-time medical technician for growing allergy practice wanted. 4-year degree and 1-year commitment required. We are looking for an intelligent, positive, friendly person to join our team. We teach skills that are an asset for anyone interested in a career in healthcare and can help a candidate get into medical school. E-mail resume to docmgr@yahoo.com

Help wanted part-time building attendant for the Brazos Center. $10.10hourly. Work schedule will vary from 12-20 hours/week. Janitorial duties and customer service. Apply: Brazos County HR Dept. County Courthouse. Visit our website for more info at www.co.brazos.tx.us

Local business needs office assistant M-F. No weekends. Apply at 3320 S. College Avenue. 979-779-7042.

Now hiring college sales agents for goWiFi to sell WiFi to local businesses. Earn up to $115/sale and make your own hours. Seeking motivated students looking to build business skills and make money. No experience necessary. Contact info@gowifi.com or visit gowifi.com for more information.

Part-time IT network help desk technician. Commerce National Bank is seeking individual to assist in daily support of CNB/LNB employees by providing hands on and remote support of hardware and software issues. Assist in research and signature detection of email spam, Internet Trojans, and various other internet based threats as they relate to end-user awareness and prevention. Assist in software and hardware configurations and updates to end user workstations. Qualifications: Working ability to troubleshoot and work through a wide variety of computer support issues. Customer-service oriented and the ability to work with others. Written and oral communication/organization skills. Hours: 20hrs/wk- flexible schedule. Visit www.commercenb.com for application. Applications & resume may be faxed to 806-792-0976 or emailed to gmills@lubbocknational.com EOE

Part-time secretary/receptionist, counseling office, flexible hours, 6-8 hrs/week. Call 979-255-2789.

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Bottom: Members of the A&M men’s Track and Field team distance themselves from the pack. A&M was victorious in 11 events in last weekends Texas A&M Conference Challenge.

“I wasn’t going to give up,” said Lee, who totaled 18 attempts in the event. “I wasn’t going to let someone take it from me on my home track. It was exciting to have the crowd get into while we were in a jump-off, but it was tiring. It’s hard to get motivated at that point.” The No. 2 Aggie women and the No. 3 men have a dual meet with LSU Saturday. The Tigers’ men are ranked No. 2 while the women are ranked No. 3. The meet will begin at 3:30 p.m. at the Gilliam Indoor Track Stadium.

SPECIAL

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MUSIC Best deal in town- DJ services/audio rentals. RDM Audio does it all! Weddings, parties, band set ups, PA systems, Event Lighting, 979-260-1925. rdmaudio.com Party Block Mobile DJ- Peter Block, professional 22yrs experience. Specializing in Weddings, TAMU functions, lights/smoke. Mobile to anywhere. Book early!! 979-693-6294. http://www.partyblockdj.com

REAL ESTATE B/CS. Sell/Buy/Invest! Re/Max, Michael McGrann. TAMU ‘93 engineering. 979-739-2035, 979-693-1851. aggierealtor.com

ROOMMATES 1-2 roommates needed. 4bd/4ba at Waterwood on SW Parkway. W/D, private bath, on bus route. Short or long term leases available. $400/mo. includes utilities, cable/internet. Call 254-721-2716. 1-2 roommates wanted. 3bd/2ba 1800 sqft house. Big backyard, W/D, next to Sorority Row. Close to campus. Male preferred. $450/mo +utilities. 830-688-1472. 1-male roommate needed at Zone Apartments. 2bd/2ba fully furnished, W/D, bus route. $485/mo +electricity. 512-398-5787. 1-Male roommate needed for 1/2 fully furnished condo. Close to campus, on shuttle route, W/D. No smoking/pets. $450/mo. lmzachary@hotmail.com 281-543-6263. 1-Male roommate needed in 4bd/4ba condo. W/D, on bus route, bike to campus. $350/mo +utilities. Sublease through May or August. 361-816-1224. 2bd/1ba Anderson Place Apartments. W/D, cable/internet, all bills paid. $360/roommate. Male. Busroute. 979-224-4098. Female roommate needed for Zone Apartments. February Free! 4bd/2ba fully furnished, W/D. $460/mo +electricity. Bus route. Call/text Liz 979-450-8090. Female roommate wanted, $450/mo. plus utilities, Woodbrook Condos. Call 281-795-4110. Two male roommates needed. On bus route. $500/mo. Everything included. 817-739-3700.

TUTORS Online math tutor. $8.50/hr. Calculus I/II, Trig, Business Math. http://JimmieMathTutoring.blogspot.com

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sports

Beautiful Engagement Rings

page 3b tuesday 1.18.2011

thebattalion

Eclips

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Left: Freshman center Karla Gilbert wrestles with a Missouri defender in A&M’s win Saturday. Right: Sophomore Khris Middleton drives the lane in the Aggies’ victory over Missouri Saturday at Reed Arena.

Holidays Continued from page 1b

newest meeting between the squads, the Aggies took first place in 10 of the 13 events to send the Mustangs back to Dallas with a 136-98 loss. Women’s basketball Seven games, seven wins for Head Coach Gary Blair and the Aggies — by an average margin of 35 points From Dec. 19 to Jan. 15, No. 5 A&M didn’t win a single game by less than 25 points; the team’s record now stands at 15-1. The Aggies began the break with a 79-50 win against Rutgers on Dec. 19 in the Mecca of basketball, Madison Square Garden in New York; senior forward Danielle Adams scored 24 points and pulled in 12 rebounds. Adams posted 20 points nine days later to lead a 74-45 beating of Drexel and 23 on Dec. 30 while spearheading a 96-52 win versus San Diego State. She finished the break averaging 21.4 points across the seven contests. The logjam at the top of the Big 12 standings juxtaposes 3-0 squads No. 1 Baylor, No. 5 A&M, No. 14 Oklahoma and Texas Tech. The Aggies began conference play with a 28-point home win against Colorado, then hit the road for easy wins over Oklahoma State and Missouri. It was also announced that Blair had agreed to a contract extension that will keep him at A&M until 2015. Men’s basketball A&M punctuated its 7-0 re-

cord over the break with a 9189 overtime win over then-No. 12 Missouri, adding the Tigers to the line of Razorbacks, Seahawks, Cowboys — twice — Colonels and Sooners that the Aggies left in their wake while students were away. On Dec. 21, A&M, then ranked No. 24 in response to wins against Washington and Arkansas during the preceding week, returned to the court with an 86-51 victory against the Wagner Seahawks. After moving up to No. 18, the Aggies came from behind to beat McNeese State at home on New Year’s Eve. The Aggies continued their ascent up the national hierarchy, to No. 16, and dispatched Nicholls State at home by a 6655 score four days later. A&M left Norman Jan. 8 with a dominant 69-51 win over Oklahoma. Rewarded with another boost in the polls, to No. 13, the team gave Oklahoma State a 71-48 pasting before welcoming the Tigers as its 13th consecutive victim; the 13-game win streak stands alone as the third longest in school history. Sophomore forward Khris Middleton, who scored a careerhigh 31 points in the Aggies’ win over Arkansas, assumed the role of overtime hero again to hold off Missouri. Middleton scored 11 of A&M’s 13 overtime points — finishing with 28 overall — and officially cast his name into the All-Big 12 lot on a national stage. Senior forward Nate Walkup averaged 11.6 points per game through the seven-game run, including back-to-back 16-point games against OSU and Missouri, and contributed 7.1 rebounds per

contest. Walkup’s emergence as the Aggies’ “glue guy� and “dirty work� player bolstered the toughness of a team that already ranked near the top in the nation in defensive efficiency and rebounding margin. A&M has out-rebounded all 17 opponents this season. The new national rankings released Monday listed 16-1 (3-0 Big 12) Texas A&M at No. 10, with the annual trip to Austin waiting Wednesday. Indoor track & field The indoor track and field schedule more or less began at the break’s start. The two-time defending national champion Texas A&M men and women began ranked No. 3 and No. 2, respectively. Baylor and Oklahoma joined A&M as the representatives from the Big 12 in the Texas A&M Conference Challenge, ending Jan. 15. Three schools each also participated from the Southland, Sun Belt and Southwestern Athletic Conference. The Aggies won 11 events while the Big 12 ran away with the meet. The A&M men’s 4 x 400 relay team, whose 3:06.49 time earned it an automatic berth in the NCAA championships, highlighted the early-season competition’s results. Senior Gerald Phiri improved his own career best in the 200-meter to 20.07, fifth in the all-time A&M record book. On the women’s side, senior Gabby Mayo won the 60 meter hurdles with an 8.27-second run. A&M now prepares to face LSU in College Station. The Tigers sit at No. 2 in the men’s rankings and No. 3 in the women’s.

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COLLEGE STATION: 400 Harvey Rd. 979-694-5199

Don’t Make a Mistake with a Big Bank. Save yourself. Become a member of Aggieland Credit Union. Because our members are more than just a number to us, we don’t charge fees for our checking accounts like the big banks. Visit us online for more details. Join today at any of our local branches!

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Everybody counts on having safe, effective medicine for anything from the common cold to heart disease. But making sure medications are safe is a complex and careful process.

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order your 2011 Aggieland yearbook today.

PPD has been conducting research studies in Austin for more than 20 years. Call today to ďŹ nd out more.

The 109th edition of Texas A&M University’s official yearbook will chronicle the 2010-2011 school year — traditions, academics, the other education, sports, the Corps, greeks, campus organizations, and seniors and graduate students. By credit card go online to http://aggieland.tamu.edu or call 979-845-2613. Or drop by the Student Media office, Bldg. #8901 in The Grove (between Albritton Bell Tower and Cain Hall). Cost is $64.90, including shipping and sales tax. Hours: 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Monday–Friday.

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sports

page 5b tuesday 1.18.2011

thebattalion

What was, what will be David Harris

2010 season gave current students memories to rehash to future generations

F

or years, current students have heard the same nostalgic references back to the late ’80s and early ’90s. “Kyle Field used to be a place opponents feared.” “We had zero doubt we would be walking out of there victorious. And they had zero doubt they’d be limping out of there defeated.” For years, current students have watched laborious, repetitive highlights reminding them that, yes, Texas A&M used to have a prominent college football program. For years, they’ve been told of this “spirit” palpable at Kyle. For years, that “spirit” has been one of defeat, disappointment and deplorable play.

That was, of course, until this year. Until the 2010 season, and one six-game winning streak, changed everything. From irrelevant to relevant they went. From Big 12 doormat to Big 12 South tri-champion they rose. For more than 10 years, they’ve talked the talk but forgotten to walk the walk. During the tail end of the R.C. Slocum era, into the Dennis Franchione era and early in this Mike Sherman era, Aggies were given empty promises at the beginning of each season. Seasons that eventually and inevitably ended in failure. Six games into the 2010 campaign, it looked like another promise would go unfulfilled. And the rest of the story is history. After an offseason where guys like Von Miller and Mike Sherman continually promised to “take the next step,” they finally held up their end of the bargain and, in the process, left those current students desperate for some semblance of football success with memories they will never forget. Memories they will now be able to usher down to the next generation of the Aggie family. “Yeah, I was there for the Oklahoma win in 2010. It was the return of the Wrecking Crew. They had

Photos by Tyler Hosea — THE BATTALION

Sophomore wide receiver Uzoma Nwachukwu stretches for the Aggies’ first touchdown in the team’s loss in the Cotton Bowl.

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three goal-line stands to secure victory. They beat the legendary Bob Stoops for the first time since 2002. There were 80,000 fans with hoarse voices, flashing the famed sign and chanting the two words that define Aggie football. ‘Wre-cking Crew,’ we yelled at the top of our lungs. ‘Wre-cking Crew.’” “I’ll never forget when Nebraska came in for its final game at Kyle. It was two top-20 teams. And it was a night game. We set the Kyle attendance record with more than 90,000 fans packed into the bleachers, into the aisles. We also set the record for student attendance. Yes, there were more than 30,000 students at the game. Mind you, there were only 39,000 undergrad students at the time. Twelfth Man towels filled the air on every defensive possession. The Wrecking Crew shut the Huskers down to the tune of six points. It was the loudest I’ve ever heard the famed stadium. When the clock ticked down to triple zeroes, we rushed the field. We were just overtaken with emotion. We sawed ‘em off with the players. Not a soul left the stadium as everybody soaked in the return of A&M football.” “I got to watch Von Miller play football. Yes, one of the best players to ever don the maroon and white. He won the Butkus Award during his senior season. He forewent the NFL Draft and guaranteed riches in order to make his mark on A&M football. He was probably the best defensive player in the country towards the end of the season. He couldn’t be blocked on the edge, and he was a playmaker. The best part was that he was truly a part of the student body. He embodied what it means to be an Aggie.” The No. 19 Aggies finished a season ranked for the first time since 1999. They became the first Big 12 team to defeat Texas, Nebraska and Oklahoma in the same season. They “took the next step.” However, was it the final step? Not even close. The 41-24 Cotton Bowl loss was

Junior running back Cyrus Gray had seven consecutive 100-yard games to close out the 2010 season. indicative of just how far this program is from being considered truly elite. LSU simply kicked A&M in the teeth two weeks ago in Arlington. The team in purple and yellow was stronger, deeper and faster than the guys in maroon and white, a fact reflected on the scoreboard. It is a game that should serve as a reminder to a team returning 18 of 22 starters in 2011 that the next step to take is the one from good to elite. They can’t get complacent. They must continue to work with a chip on their shoulders. Soon-to-be senior running back Cyrus Gray said it best following the loss: “Next season, we’ll be better.”

They will, undoubtedly, go into the 2011 season with a preseason top-12 ranking. They will, along with Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, be considered the favorites to win the Big 12. This 2010 chapter is finished and what a chapter it was. The words have been written and the images are lasting. Now, the page turns to 2011 where this program must handle growing expectations, must fulfill some lofty promises, must “be better.” David Harris is a senior economics major and sports editor.

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