thebattalion ● friday,
march 12, 2010
● serving
texas a&m since 1893
● first paper free – additional copies $1 ● © 2010 student media
Texas dry spell ceases
this day in
S U history
■ Two-year drought devastates farmers, El Niño brings moisture
March 12, 1901 Andrew Carnegie, one of the world’s foremost industrialists, offered the city of New York $5.2 million for the construction of 65 branch libraries. The Scottish immigrant’s fortune eventually would establish many more libraries and charitable foundations.
Brandi Tevebaugh The Battalion After two years of dry weather, the drought in Texas is over, according to measurements done by the Office of the Texas State Climatologist. John Nielson-Gammon, Texas State Climatologist and professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M, said the measurements of precipitation have reached normal levels. “We’re looking at the precipitation for various periods of time as well as soil moisture, stream flow, and reservoir levels,” Nielson-Gammon said. “We started receiving less than normal precipitation in the fall of 2007 and by that winter, we had reached drought status.” The two-year drought was not as long or as severe as other droughts like those in the 1950s, but did impact crop production and cattle. “There was one county in south Texas where they had their entire cotton crop fail,
inside scene | 3
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See Drought on page 2
Nicholas Badger — THE BATTALION
Brodie Green survived being hit in the face by three different fast balls and is back and ready to play.
Mighty, ‘Mighty Tiger’ The indie pop musical group might only have so-so vocals, but they make up for it with strong composition that creates something original.
sports | 5
Aggies beat Huskers No. 23 Texas A&M defeated Nebraska to move into the Big 12 semifinals and will face No. 1 Kansas.
voices | 6
Living loyally Despite in-state rivalries, Aggies are loyal Texans, the most prideful of all the state. When one of our brother teams are playing an out-of-state team, we should root for them.
Saving face After three head-on collisions with fastballs, Greene steps up to the plate Brad Cox The Battalion Football often steals the show as being the violent and deadly sport of America, but baseball, for its leisure and slow pace, can be a painful experience. Imagine standing in the batter’s box, staring down a top hurler in the league. With a determined grit and a clever eye, you lean in, looking for a fastball you can send over the wall. But if that fastball comes in too high, too close — blackout. The stadium is quiet as coaches and trainers stand around you as the blood coming from your face mixes with the
See Greene on page 5
Pain is glory The most common baseball injuries include:
◗ Pitcher’s elbow ◗ Leg sprains and breaks
◗ Shoulder pull ◗ Concussion ◗ Cracked teeth http:// familyeducation.com
■ Austin rally encourages unity, political activism, fight to change policies Brandi Tevebaugh The Battalion Katherine Kelly, a junior pre-law major in Florida, is organizing Justice Rally 2010, a forum fighting injustice, on the south steps of the Texas Capitol. “I feel like Texas has so much going on as far as corruption and injustice,” Kelly said. The event at 5 p.m. March 18 is free and will feature speakers, live music and a march. The speakers will include Regina Kelly, who is the inspiration for the movie “American Violet,” lawmakers, exonerated inmates and attorneys. “We’re going to allow students to come up and speak if they want to say anything,” Kelly said. See Justice on page 2
College Station taxis face regulations State rates Austin: $2.50 for the first 1/8 mile plus $0.25 for each additional 1/8 mile. Dallas: $2.25 for initial meter drop, and $0.20 for each additional 1/9 mile. Houston: $2.50 for the first 2/11 mile, and $0.17 for each additional 1/11 mile.
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red clay below. This story is too real for senior outfielder Brodie Greene, who has taken pitches to his face not once, not twice, but three times. “It’s just something about it, I can’t get out of the way,” Greene said. “It’s kind of a magnet I guess.” Magnet is one of a few words to describe the anomaly of the ball finding a way to Greene’s face. He has been hit by a pitch 21 times, meaning his face has been hit 15 percent of those times. Hit by pitch single-season record holder, Luke Anders, was hit 21 times in 2008, but was never hit in the face.
Fighting against injustice
Samantha Johnson The Battalion The College Station City Council Transportation Committee discussed possible changes to the requirements for College Station taxi companies. “I don’t want to tell someone how to run their business, but I think we should have predictability, accountability and safety in our taxis,” said Dennis Maloney, city council member and chairman of the Transportation Committee that met March 4. He said one of the concerns is when people get rides from different companies and do not know how much they will be charged.
“There have been concerns from people that there is no predictability in taxi rates,” Maloney said. “We don’t want to have a price control or set rate, but what we would like to see is a system where people can know what kind of price they will have before they get into the cab.” Bryant McCombs, a senior history major, said it would be better if people knew in advance what to pay. “Having fares printed on the outside, or having one set rate would definitely help us decide which cab we would take,” he said. Jason Adams, the owner of Maroon Cab, See Taxi on page 2
As is many other U.S. cities, College Station taxi cabs will soon be required to post rates and obey seat belt rules to ensure accountability.
3/11/10 9:06 PM
1
Y L L U F PED P I U Q E
The ďŹ rst string theory conference at A&M since 1990 will be at 9 a.m. on March 19 at the Mitchell Institute for Fundamental Physics and Astronomy. For more information, visit http:// mitchell.physics.tamu.edu/ Conference/string1010/
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Study abroad ďŹ nancial aid seminar
3
An informational covering scholarships and ďŹ nancial aid for students who want to study abroad will be at 4 p.m. March 22 in Rudder 404.
A basic Photoshop skills seminar will be held from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. March 23 and 24 in General Services Complex 2203. To register, visit http:// eodinfo.tamu.edu/ training/techTraining/ Default.aspx
Today partly cloudy High: 68 Low: 44
The Battalion welcomes readers’ comments about published information that may require correction. We will pursue your concern to determine whether a correction needs to be published. Please e-mail at editor@thebatt.com.
For daily updates go to thebatt.com â—?
Photoshop essentials
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corrections
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Justice
Taxi
Continued from page 1
Continued from page 1
The purpose of the rally is to speak against injustice in whatever form it may present itself, including racism and wrongful imprisonment. The event is sponsored by Save An Innocent Life, The Justice Foundation, the Texas Moratorium Network, the Abolition Network and Students Against the Death Penalty. Kelly works with Save an Innocent Life. Kelly is expecting a few hundred people to attend If you go the event. Several people are attend◗ 5 p.m. ing from outside of Texas. ◗ March 18 “I’m bringing ◗ South steps of two carloads of the Texas capitol people from Florida,� Kelly said. “Some people are actually flying in from Tennessee. People are flying in from all over really. There’s actually a guy coming from Africa. I am expecting a good crowd, a very good size crowd.� Kelly had the idea for the rally after talking to an inmate on death row. She said the rally will help students realize they can make a difference. “The main thing is that we want people to know that they can make a difference, and that if we all put our heads together and work in unity, we can pass any obstacle,� Kelly said. “There’s lots of corruption, but we can overcome every bit of it.�
said people should be aware of how much they will pay. “I’m in favor of posting rates. People are entitled to know how much they are going to pay for a ride,� Adams said. “We posted our rates before it was suggested, and even now, it’s not required, but we still post them.� Another concern is some taxis may put more people in the cab than there are seatbelts when giving rides from Northgate. “I would like to see that if the cabbie violates the seatbelt law, they get their license suspended,� Maloney said. “Students who are smart enough not to drive drunk should not be endangered because there are more people than are seatbelts.� Adams said the safety of passengers is priority. He said he imposes strict consequences on drivers who overcrowd. “I had a driver that overcrowded once, and now I refuse to let him use my company’s vehicles,� Adams said. “The best incentives for them not to do it is to take that livelihood away if they are putting other people’s lives in danger.� Adams said while he is mostly for the suggestions that were presented at the meeting, they will do no good without proper enforcement. “It’s not the rules they make or the requirements they put on us, it’s the enforcement,� he said. “Laws don’t mean a thing if nobody enforces them.�
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Conservation and climate
Drought Continued from page 1
and there are also major impacts for ranchers in south central and south Texas,� Nielson-Gammon said. “It will probably take several years for the cattle numbers to come back up to normal. The longer the drought goes the more likely it is for a farmer or a rancher to reach the breaking point and have to give up. It was only a two-year drought, but was devastating for a lot of people.� Some areas of the state were more affected. The southern portions of Texas, the San Antonio area and parts of the Rio Grande Valley had the most severe drought. “The last areas of drought were in south Texas,
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The African American Student Leadership Institute is a program for sophomores to develop leadership and academic skills. Applications are due at noon on March 29 in Koldus 227. For more information, visit http://dms.tamu.edu/ News/2010AASLI.html
Saturday sunny high: 71 low: 43 Sunday mostly sunny high: 73 low: 48 Monday 20% chance of showers high: 72 low: 48
pagetwo thebattalion 03.12.2010
Last week’s answer: Centennial Eagle, in front of the Sanders Corps Center Michael Andres, junior management major Jack Nohavitza, petroleum engineering major Marquis Alexander, freshman international studies major Stefan Nutbrown, freshman aerospace engineering major Zach Shipp, freshman biology major
2008 graduate and Department of Atmospheric Sciences research associate Brent McRoberts. “A lot of the other models use actual measurements like rain gauges, but you don’t get a measurement when you don’t have a rain gauge,� McRoberts said. “The advantage of ours is that the radar can actually measure everywhere to see where the drought is.� The product works by comparing current precipitation levels to past levels. “If you’re familiar with radar, it usually shows precipitation that’s occurring at a single time or you can watch it move over time, but this radar actually has the ability to measure how much rain falls in a given location,� McRoberts said. “It uses some statistics and compares the rainfall over the past few months and the past year.�
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thebattalion THE INDEPENDENT STUDENT VOICE OF TEXAS A&M SINCE 1893
Amanda Casanova, Editor in Chief 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. News: The Battalion news department is managed by students at Texas A&M University in Student Media, a unit of the Division of Student Affairs. News ofďŹ ces are in The Grove, Bldg. 8901. Newsroom phone: 979-845-3313; Fax: 979-845-2647; E-mail: metro@thebatt.com; website: http://www.thebatt.com. Advertising: Publication of advertising does not imply sponsorship or endorsement by The Battalion. For campus, local, and national display advertising, call 979-845-2696. For classiďŹ ed advertising, call 979-8450569. Advertising ofďŹ ces are in The Grove, Bldg. 8901, and ofďŹ ce hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Fax: 979-845-2678. Subscriptions: A part of the Student Services Fee entitles each Texas A&M student to pick up a single copy of The Battalion. First copy free, additional copies $1. Mail subscriptions are $125 per school year. To charge by Visa, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express, call 979845-2613.
Think you know every nook and cranny at Texas A&M? The first persons to get the answer correct will have their names published. Send your response with your name, class and major at photo@thebatt.com
The Office of the Texas State Climatologist in the Department of Atmospheric Sciences at A&M conducts research on climate monitoring and predication and serves as a source for climate information in the state. “When I first started here we had a lot of calls about the drought, and if it was the most severe drought in Texas,â€? said Marissa Pazos, senior meteorology and atmospheric sciences major and undergraduate research assistant for the state climatologist. “Since the drought has ended, we’re getting a lot more calls about moisture, precipitation in the area because we’ve seen probably one of the wettest winters in 25 years in Texas this year. We are getting more phone calls about that and about El NiĂąo and global warming.â€?
TREEHOUSE APARTMENTS
Week 9
The week of March 21 - March 25
Acct 229 Agec 105 Chem 102 Econ 202 Allen Econ 202 Mostashari Math 131 Math 142
INTERVIEWING FOR
Student leadership
Where on campus
and with the rain amounts that they’ve had over the past several months, since about September, finally brought the moisture levels and the soil moisture level back up to normal,â€? NielsonGammon said. The normal precipitation levels were a result of rain brought by the climate pattern El NiĂąo. Because of this phenomenon, the precipitation levels were expected to stay above normal through April. “We’ve had the opposite conditions for the previous two years which is why it was dry. El NiĂąo brings wet weather, and it’s looking now like it should still be wet weather through the spring,â€? Nielson-Gammon said. A&M scientists were using radar to assist measuring droughts as part of a product developed by
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Conservation International senior research scientist Timothy Killeen will present “From the Amazon to the Mekong: Reconciling Conservation and Development in an Era of Climate Change� at 4 p.m. March 23 in Computing Services Center 303. For more information, visit http:// biodiversity.tamu.edu
Jonny Green — THE BATTALION
k better...
r
Strings 2010 Conference
Math 151 Math 152 Math 251 Mktg 321 Phys 201 Phys 208 Common Phys 208 Youngblood Phys 218 Pols 206 Fulton Pols 207 Dixon
Part 1 of 4 Wed Mar 24 10pm-1am Part 1 of 2 Tue Mar 23 10pm-1am Part 1 of 3 Mon Mar 22 3pm-5pm Part 1 of 4 Tue Mar 23 7pm-10pm Part 1 of 4 Thu Mar 25 4pm-7pm Part 1 of 3 Mon Mar 22 5pm-8pm Part 1 of 4 Wed Mar 10 7pm-9pm Part 1 of 3 Sun Mar 21 5pm-8pm Part 1 of 3 Sun Mar 21 11pm-2am Test Review 1 Wed Mar 24 1am-3am Test Review Mon Mar 22 6pm-10pm Part 1 of 3 Wed Mar 10 9pm-12am Test Review 1 Wed Mar 10 11pm-1am Ch 27 & Rvw Tue Mar 23 1am-3am Part 4 of 4 Wed Mar 10 8pm-11pm Test Review Mon Mar 22 6pm-9pm Test Review Wed Mar 10 6pm-10pm
Part 2 of 4 Thu Mar 25 10pm-1am Part 2 of 2 Wed Mar 24 4pm-7pm Part 2 of 3 Tue Mar 23 4pm-7pm Part 2 of 4 Wed Mar 24 7pm-10pm Part 2 of 4 Sun Mar 28 2pm-5pm Part 2 of 3 Tue Mar 23 5pm-7pm Part 2 of 4 Sun Mar 21 10pm-1am Part 2 of 3 Mon Mar 22 7pm-10pm Part 2 of 3 Mon Mar 22 10pm-1am Test Review 2 Thu Mar 25 6pm-9pm
Part 2 of 3 Sun Mar 21 7pm-10pm Test Review 2 Sun Mar 21 3pm-5pm Test Review Thu Mar 25 10pm-1am Test Review 1 Thu Mar 11 5pm-8pm
Part 3 of 4 Sun Mar 28 10pm-1am
Part 3 of 3 Wed Mar 24 4pm-7pm Part 3 of 4 Thu Mar 25 7pm-10pm Part 3 of 4 Mon Mar 29 10pm-1am Part 3 of 3 Wed Mar 24 4pm-7pm Part 3 of 4 Mon Mar 22 8pm-11pm Part 3 of 3 Tue Mar 23 7pm-10pm Part 3 of 3 Tue Mar 23 10pm-1am Other reviews the following week
Pt 4&Tst Rvw Mon Mar 29 6pm-10pm
Part 4 of 4 Sun Mar 28 6pm-10pm Part 4 of 4 Tue Mar 30 6pm-10pm
Test Review Tue Mar 23 7pm-10pm Test Review Wed Mar 24 7pm-10pm Test Review Wed Mar 24 10pm-1am
Part 3 of 3 Mon Mar 22 11pm-1am Test Review 3 Mon Mar 22 1am-3am
Test Review Tue Mar 23 10pm-1am
Test Review 2 Sun Mar 21 5pm-8pm
Test Review 3 Mon Mar 22 5pm-7pm
Bookmark: www. 4.0andGo.com
Tickets go on sale Sunday at 3:00 p.m. 4.0 & Go is located on the corner of SW Pkwy and Tx Ave, behind KFC next to Lacks and Bourbon Sreet Bar.
. Check our web page at http://www.4.0andGo.com or call 696-8886(TUTOR)
3/11/10 8:56 PM
things you should know
5 before you go 1
Chevron speaker
Shariq Yosufzai, class of ‘74 and Chevron executive, will speak to current full-time MBA students at Mays Business School as part of the Dean’s Distinguished MBA Executive Speaker Series from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. today in Wehner Building.
2
Aggie leaders
The J. Malon Southerland Aggie Leader Scholarship program rewards student involvement and leadership. They are accepting applications through April 2. For more information visit http://scholarships. tamu.edu.
High school art exhibit
4
The Forsyth Center Galleries will feature the first high school poster competition with works of art by Bryan and College Station high school students from until March 27 at the Forsyth Galleries in downtown Bryan.
Pieces from Cushing Libraries Science Fiction and Fantasy Research Collection will be exhibited from 3 to 5 p.m. today, including manuscripts, pulp magazines and items that capture science fiction’s influence on literature, media and popular culture.
3
Science fiction and fantasy
5
Transfer deadline
All domestic transfer applications and documents must be received by March 15 to be considered for summer or fall 2010. For more information about the required documents visit http://admissions. tamu.edu/transfer.
b! thebattalion 03.12.2010 page3
scene
Mighty Tiger gains momentum
I
ndie-pop musical group Mighty Tiger released their full-length debut album “Western Theater” March 9. They will open the Texas segment of their tour with a show at The Stafford-Main Street in downtown Bryan on March 18, and will continue on to Austin for SXSW. Formed in Seattle, Mighty Tiger has only been around for about a year and a half. Its members are Andy Vaughan, Zack Leeker, Mike Lockwood, Boyd Reno and Luke Heath. The inClay Harley strumentation is a fairly standard indie-style setup — most songs bient banjo riff with a sort of ancient, oriental sound. include guitars, bass, keyboards, drums and vocals. In “Western Courtesy photo Theater,” Mighty Tiger blends a wide range of identifiable influ- The banjo drives the whole song, accentuated by an Mighty Tiger’s album “Western Theater” features banjo, keyboards, occasional acoustic guitar note and frequent ences together to create their own particular sound. synths and ambient guitars reminiscent of Death Cab for Cutie. bird-chirps. Every sound on the track The album opens with “Voyeur Heaven,” a bounechoes, creating in our brains the image cy 16th note-driven piece. The song and thus the This indie-pop copying, ultimately creating something new and original. of some mystical, contemplative garalbum begins with a blatant, striking synthesizer band creates an With this album, Mighty Tiger plays its part in the gradual den. A very interesting and original track indeed. riff, which is slowly covered by various other admirable sound progression of music, borrowing, refining and adding to ideas as I have to say I’m not crazy about Mighty guitars and percussion patterns. Many of the artists do. Should they receive the old spark of inspirawith carefully Tiger’s vocals. They’re not bad or off key, other songs utilize keyboards and synthesizers, tion one day, I would expect great things from this and I do admire the use of harmony, but the crafted melodies but in none are they as prevalent and obvious band. For now, I’d say they are a genre leader. melodies chosen don’t have a very strong apas the intro riff. This is a clever choice — at but has room to They may have the potential to one day bepeal to me. I suspect I could grow to appreciate first listen you expect a computerized, synthegrow. Mighty Tiger come a music leader. them, but a truly great melody takes no time to sized, techno album, but within a minute or so, will play at 8 adjust to; you like it immediately. This album lacks the song develops and begins to expose Mighty p.m. March 18 at that divine spark of inspiration, often communicated Tiger’s indie-pop sound. the Stafford on through melody, that makes a piece of music timeless. This sound has ingrained in it a wide array of influences; the Main Street in It turns out divine sparks are not easy to come by, so we most prevalent being early Death Cab For Cutie. We hear picked Bryan with Grand won’t write off Mighty Tiger. Their album features very strong electric guitar patterns over a subtle ambience, a soft, bright vocal composition skills. The songs are subtly and tastefully complex Hallway. timbre and thoughtful lyrics. Also present are strains of Flaming and clearly the result of careful crafting. “Western Theater” exLips, Elliot Smith, Arcade Fire, and even, perhaps debatably so, Clay Harley is a senior hibits the group’s ability to learn from what they have heard and hints of Pink Floyd in the layered harmonies. information systems management major. to incorporate successful techniques into their writing without Another notable track is “Chibi Girl,” which features an am-
THE TEXAS A&M STUDENT MEDIA BOARD INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR
THE TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY STUDENT MEDIA BOARD INVITES APPLICATIONS FOR
Editor
thebattalion SERVING TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SINCE 1893
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Qualifications for editor-in-chief of The Battalion are: REQUIRED • Be a Texas A&M student in good standing with the University and enrolled in at least six credit hours (4 if a graduate student) during the term of office (unless fewer credits are required to graduate); • Have at least a 2.25 cumulative grade point ratio (3.25 if a graduate student) and at least a 2.25 grade point ratio (3.25 if a graduate student) in the semester immediately prior to the appointment, the semester of appointment and semester during the term of office. In order for this provision to be met, at least six hours (4 if a graduate student) must have been taken for that semester. PREFERRED • Have completed JOUR 301 or COMM 307 (Mass Communication, Law, and Society) or equivalent; • Have at least one year experience in a responsible editorial position on The Battalion or comparable daily college newspaper, – OR – Have at least one year editorial experience on a commercial newspaper, – OR – Have completed at least 12 hours in journalism, including JOUR 203 and 303 (Media Writing I and II) and JOUR 304 (Editing for the Mass Media), or equivalent.
Application forms should be picked up and returned to Bob Wegener, Student Media Board secretary, in room 013 of Bldg. #8901 in The Grove. Deadline for submitting application: 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 31, 2010. An equal opportunity, affirmative action employer committed to diversity
Pg. 3-03.12.10.indd 1
Editor
Aggieland 2011 Qualifications for editor-in-chief of the Aggieland yearbook are: REQUIRED • Be a Texas A&M student in good standing with the University and enrolled in at least six credit hours (4 if a graduate student) during the term of office (unless fewer credits are required to graduate); • Have at least a 2.25 cumulative grade point ratio (3.25 if a graduate student) and at least a 2.25 grade point ratio (3.25 if a graduate student) in the semester immediately prior to the appointment, the semester of appointment and semester during the term of office. In order for this provision to be met, at least six hours (4 if a graduate student) must have been taken for that semester; PREFERRED • Have completed JOUR 301 or COMM 307 (Mass Communication, Law, and Society) and ARTS 203 (Graphic Design I), or equivalent; • Have demonstrated ability in writing through university coursework or equivalent experience; • Have at least one year experience in a responsible position on the Aggieland or comparable college yearbook.
Application forms should be picked up and returned to Bob Wegener, Student Media Board secretary, in room 013 of Bldg. #8901 in The Grove. Deadline for submitting application: 5 p.m. Wednesday, March 31, 2010. An equal opportunity, affirmative action employer committed to diversity
3/11/10 7:54 PM
sports
thebatt.com A preview of the men’s and women’s track teams’ bids for national championships this weekend
thebattalion 3.12.2010 page5
Bring on Kansas No. 23 Aggies take down Nebraska 70-64, earn shot at No. 1 Jayhawks T.D. Durham
File— THE BATTALION
Freshman forward Khris Middleton had 17 points in the Aggies’ 70-64 victory over Nebraska Thursday in Kansas City.
Greene Continued from page 1
Greene’s first meeting with the ball was in a conference series against Oklahoma State during his freshman season. He was making his second consecutive start after going 3-for-4 in the previous game. In the second inning of A&M’s game Sunday, Greene was the first batter up. Cowboys right-handed pitcher Robbie Weinhardt let a fastball go up and in on Greene. “I just remembered being hit by the pitch and going down, but I didn’t know what happened after I got hit or what it did to my face,” Greene said. “When it hits, it’s just like a shock and your face goes numb.” Coaches and trainers huddled around Greene as the stadium fell silent. He was able to get up and was taken across Olsen Boulevard to the Olympic Sports Athletic Training Room to have the cut on his face stitched. Greene said he was lucky not to lose any teeth that time around. After he was stitched up, Greene returned to Olsen to watch the remainder of the Aggies’ rubber match with Oklahoma State, which they lost 12-11 after giving up two runs in the ninth inning. Greene was kept out of the lineup for five days. He made his first return during a road game at Baylor where he pinch ran in the seventh inning, scoring a run. Greene made his first plate appearance two days later, pinch hitting during the sixth inning of a game against the Bears at Olsen Field. In his one at bat of the game, he flew out to right field. “I was shaking pretty good,” Greene said. “I was happy to make contact.” It took Greene 23 days from the time he was hit in the face to his first hit. Starting in right field against McNeese State in a midweek game, Greene singled to right field in the eighth inning, getting over the hump. But Greene’s face had yet to wear out an attraction to the baseball.
These are some of the groups that will be featured in the 2010 Aggieland: • Student Engineers’ Council • MSCC ALOT • Delta Gamma • Company B-1 • TAMU Judo
Will yours be? How to get a contract:
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On March 18, 2009, in a midweek game against New Mexico, the Aggies were battling back from 7-2 deficit. With two runners on and two outs, a 3-1 pitch found its way to Greene’s face. This time, Greene was conscious for it all. “I just kind of opened up to it and the pitch was up and in and I had no chance of getting out of the way,” he said. “That one didn’t knock me out so I was able to see everything that was going on — the blood and all that.” One of his front top teeth was broken in half and his bottom teeth were pushed back and out of place. He was taken to the emergency room where it took an hour and a half surgery to repair the damage. “They gave me several shots to numb it,” he said. “Then they put the teeth back in place on the bottom and then they just glued up the whole top and bottom to just hold it in place.” Greene’s mother, who had been home in Bullard, 148 miles from College Station, left as soon as she got the call. Greene said she was pulled over twice on the drive to College Station but did not receive a ticket in either stop, a son being hit by a baseball being a sufficient excuse. “She knew I was in pain, but she knows the love for the game I have and the love for the game she has, so she was destined to make sure I was wearing something protective the next time I went out there,” he said. The doctors did not allow Greene to travel with the team to Missouri the following weekend, though he wanted to. Greene was back in the lineup nine days after getting hit, wearing a facemask attached to his batting helmet. In the second game of the series, Greene got two hits, shaking his second HBP experience from his mind. “I finally got that hit and it was just a relaxing factor to have the crowd behind me and to have my teammates behind me really supporting me,” he said. It was the facemask, which he still wears,
for us. Our guards stepped up and got it done.” A&M, which finished the regular season last in 3-point field goal percentage, shot 50 percent from behind the arc in the first half and finished at 43 percent in the game. After Nebraska brought the game to a 5-point margin with 57 seconds remaining in the half, freshman forward Ray Turner made a huge block that led to a 3-pointer from Sloan with just 10 seconds on the game clock. Turner played just nine minutes in the game but racked up five points, three rebounds, two blocks and a steal. The Aggies exploded to start the second half, going on an immediate 7-0 run, kicked off by a long jump shot from Sloan and capped by five straight points from freshman forward Khris Middleton. Middleton tied his career high in points with 17, which included three of six shooting from 3-point range and a perfect 6-6 from the charity stripe. Nebraska answered back with 19-5 run over the next eight minutes that brought the Aggies’ lead, which was
that gave him the confidence to get back in the batter’s box after being hit a second time. Greene went on to be named First Team All-Conference in 2009 and is batting .451 so far in 2010. “It’s a confidence thing for me and the coaches aren’t going to let me play without it,” he said. “My mom sure as heck isn’t going to let me play without it so it’s going to be on there for awhile.” There was a foreboding moment earlier in the 2009 season when the Aggies were playing Houston in the final game of the Houston College Classic at Minute Maid Park. Houston catcher Chris Wallace was hit in the face by a 94 mph fastball in the fourth inning, bringing memories to Greene who was playing second base at the time. “It’s scary to see,” Greene said. “To happen to you, you feel it, but when you’re watching it a lot’s going through your head. When I saw it happen it brought memories back to me. I wouldn’t have known that several weeks later that it would happen to me again.” Four games into the 2010 season, the baseball found Greene’s face yet again, but this time the facemask blocked the path. Playing Stephen F. Austin in a midweek game, Greene was leaning in to lay down a drag bunt in the fifth inning. He missed the bunt and the ball caught his mask, preventing a third injury to his face. “I just got knocked down and got right back up,” Greene said. “If it wasn’t there, it might have been another hole, maybe some stitches and some tooth work again.” Greene said he has put the injuries behind him, settling in with the mask and his confidence at the plate. He said he doesn’t think about the possibility of being hit again when he’s in the batter’s box. “If you go up there thinking that, you’re not going to provide and you’re going to be scared something could happen,” Greene said. “You go up there not worrying about crashing and burning. Just go up there and play it like normal.”
A
Stop by our office in The Grove, Bldg. #8901 (next to the Albritton Bell Tower,) or visit our website: http://aggieland. tamu.edu call 979.845.2681
The Battalion In a game where the Texas A&M men’s basketball team failed to relinquish the lead in all 40 minutes, the Aggies defeated Nebraska in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Tournament 70-64, in Kansas City. The Aggies opened the first half with stifling defense, sending the first two Nebraska offensive possessions into the waning seconds of the shot clock and holding the Cornhuskers scoreless for the first 3:54 of the game. A&M started strong offensively as well, going on an 8-0 run capitalized by a 3-pointer from senior guard Donald Sloan. Sloan, whose guard play was more than needed due to an injury to sophomore guard Dash Harris, led all scorers with 12 points in the first half and 23 in the game. “Dash is the guy who runs our system, runs our stuff very well,” A&M Head Coach Mark Turgeon said. “He’s the glue to us offensively. Not to have him, it’s a pretty big knock
AGGIELAND 2010 Official yearbook of Texas A&M University
once at 16 points, to just two. Huskers sophomore guard Brandon Richardson nailed a 3-pointer in the run to give Nebraska a push in the run. But Richardson, after scoring 19 in the Husker’s upset of Missouri on Wednesday, was held to just four points against the Aggie defense. The Aggies struggled offensively, unable to score a field goal in a sixminute span. Middleton was called for traveling two possessions in a row before a Sloan floater broke A&M’s dry spell. But Middleton redeemed himself with a quick 3-point shot that pushed the Aggies to a five point lead with 2:51 remaining. Nebraska, who would have been the first team in Big 12 history to win two games as a No. 12 seed in the tournament, was unable to come back, and the Aggies closed out the game with free throws. A&M advances to the semi-finals and will face off against No. 1 Kansas at 6 p.m. Friday. The Jayhawks just barely tipped the Aggies on Feb. 15 in Reed Arena.
Nicholas Badger— THE BATTALION
Senior outfielder Brodie Greene has started the 2010 season off strong, batting .451 with three triples.
TAKE A PIECE OF A&M HISTORY WITH YOU · Order your 2010 Aggieland (if you haven’t) The 2010 Aggieland yearbook will be a 700-page record of the 2009-2010 Texas A&M school year. Books will be mailed out during Fall 2010.
· Purchase the award-winning 2009 Aggieland (if you haven’t) The 107th edition of Texas A&M University’s official yearbook is a 624-page photojournalistic record of the 2008–2009 school year chronicling traditions, academics, the other education, sports, the Corps, greeks, groups and seniors and graduate students. Drop by the Student Media office, Bldg. #8901 in The Grove (between Albritton Bell Tower and Cain Hall). Hours: 8:30 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Monday–Friday. Cash, check, VISA, MasterCard, Discover and American Express accepted. Phone: 979.845.2613. Or go to http://aggieland.tamu.edu.
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Support your state A
s March Madness brings us the best basketball games of the year, Aggies split apart on the question of who to root for when we aren’t on the court. Some slam our rivals, but we should support our Texas brothers. Then when we beat them, victory is sweeter.
Aggies stick together, no matter what. But there is no excuse to root against the proud state of Texas. Rivalries are meant to give us something to fight for, a reason to push ourselves to the limit and beyond, not to harbor hate. When our state is represented, be it by Texas Tech or Baylor, and the Fightin’ Texas Aggies aren’t, we are obligated to support our rivals for the good of strengthening the state of Texas. “Texas loyalty should transcend in-state rivalries,” said Jason Moore, sophomore electrical engineering major. A good rivalry is based on mutual respect and growth, more akin to proving superiority over a sibling than to slaughtering a dreaded enemy. And there’s no reason this should only be true at the local level. Other states should do the same, recognizing who are their brothers and sisters and those more like distant cousins. Rivals are not our foes. Rivals are to be teased and defeated, to put IIII on Albritton Tower and other acts of playful aggression. We should see them as younger brothers who have earned a good noogie or wedgie. A bullet in the kneecap – not so much. Some may feel like holding grudges against teams, but hating is not part of the Aggie Spirit. We shouldn’t be yelling against somebody, we should be yelling for somebody. When the Aggies aren’t on the field, that somebody should be our Texas brothers, or patriotism is overcome by arrogance. After all, the stronger the rival, the more meaningful our success
The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and forum participants in this paper do not necessarily reflect those of Texas A&M University, The Battalion or its staff.
MAILCALL GUESTCOLUMNS Make your opinion known by submitting Mail Call or guest columns to The Battalion.
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Mail call must be fewer than 200 words and include the author’s name, classification, major and phone number. Staff and faculty must include title. Guest columns must be fewer than 700 words. All submissions should focus on issues not personalities, become property of The Battalion and are subject to editing for style, clarity and space concerns. Anonymous letters will be read, but not
J.D. Swiger — THE BATTALION
is over them. We mowed down we Tech on their home turf this last football season. If Tech had been want our losing to everyone else, our sucvictories to cess would mean little to nothdisplay our greating. Instead Tech tore through ness in full, rather than OU 41-13. Our win over Tech simply being a small rung on showed we did inthe ladder to the top. credibly well this I propose a simple season, and rooting hierarchy. Of we can do Rivalaries shouldn’t be course, if the Aggies even better about hate. Our Texas are playing, wear the next maroon loud and opponents should one. proud. But if the be respected and Even Aggies aren’t playsupported when the some of ing, and the state of Aggies aren’t playing. our sports Texas is being repreplayers sented, tell the Bears, agree that Raiders, etc. to Gig states should be ‘em. They may be rivals united when localbut they are family, deserving ities aren’t facing off. of Lone Star loyalty. “I tend to pull for Texas schools, regardless of rivalry Steven Laxton is a freshman status. I’m proud of Texas, and electrical engineering major. most of her schools as well,” said Jordan Rimmer, a freshman chemical engineering major Top college and Texas A&M Fencing Club rivalries athlete. Some students have personal 1. Michigan vs. Ohio State ties, cheering for Texas teams not 2. Alabama vs. Auburn far from where they grew up. “A good chunk of my fam3. USC vs. UCLA ily attended UT, so I’ll pull for 4. Texas vs. Oklahoma UT in most games when A&M wouldn’t be hurt by a UT vic5. Duke vs. North Carolina tory. On the other hand, there’s 6. UConn vs. Tennessee just not a whole heck of a lot of redeeming factors for Texas Tech 7. Florida State vs. Miami in my mind, so I tend to pull 8. Colorado vs. Nebraska against them whenever possible,” Rimmer said. 9. Florida State vs. Florida Supporting the teasips at t.u. is 10. Missouri vs. Kansas a touchy subject for many. Texas, perhaps above all the others, is Honorable mentions: Clemson vital for us to support. As a sucvs. South Carolina; Florida vs. cessful university with great state Kentucky; Texas A&M vs. Texas influence and our ultimate rival,
Steven Laxton
voices
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