02.16.11 by The Crimson White

SPORTS Swimming team to compete for SEC Championship

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

NEWS Bid on one of the SGA date auction candidates tonight

Serving the University of Alabama since 1894

Vol. 117, Issue 85

Witt talks Tension not new to UA race with local leaders

Autherine Lucy is enrolled as a UA student for only three days before being expelled because the University could not protect her amidst all of the rioting and unrest.

1956

By Katherine Martin Staff Reporter klmartin@crimson.ua.edu University of Alabama President Robert Witt met with officers of the Tuscaloosa chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference on Feb. 11 to discuss the organization’s concerns about the racial slur incident that occurred on campus on Feb. 4, said Cathy Andreen, director of media relations. Both Witt and SCLC President the Rev. Roy Ferguson said the meeting was productive. “I appreciate the opportunity to personally reiterate to Rev. Ferguson and Rev. Sanders

that individuals who live, work, teach and study within the UA community are expected to contribute positively to the environment, and to refrain from behaviors that threaten the respect that every member of our community deserves,” Witt said in a press release. Ferguson said the SCLC approached Witt to see that policies and procedures were being put in to place to handle the situation. “Given the gravity of the incident, we wanted to offer our support to the University in its efforts to move forward on this issue,” Ferguson said. “These students are here to get

See WITT, page 2

Pulitzer Prize winner visits the Capstone By William Evans Senior Staff Reporter wjevans@crimson.ua.edu Thomas Friedman, New York Times columnist and Pulitzer Prize-winning author, will visit the University Feb. 22. Friedman, three-time recipient of the Pulitzer Prize and author of five bestselling books, including “From Beirut to Jerusalem,” “The World is Flat,” and his most recent, “Hot, Flat, and Crowded,” will speak to students in a question-and-answer format in the afternoon before delivering an evening lecture open to the public. The question-and-answer session will occur between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. in the Ferguson Theater. Tickets to the session are free but limited and are available under the “My Football

IF YOU GO ...

1963

Cleo Thomas is elected as the first and only black SGA president.

1976 1986

Alpha Kappa Alpha, a historically black sorority comes to campus. A cross is burned in front of the house.

1992

Autherine Lucy returns to the University and completes her master’s degree in elementary education.

2000

Fabien Zinga runs for SGA president and is threatened with racial slurs.

2003

George Wallace stands in the schoolhouse door, denying entrance to James Hood and Vivan Malone.

Carla Ferguson becomes the first black woman to join a traditionally white sorority.

• What: “A Conversation with Thoma Friedman”

• Where: Ferguson Theater

Kendra Key campaigns for SGA president amidst much controversy.

2009

• When: Feb. 22, 3:30 p.m.

• Cost: Free Ticket” tab on the ACTion Card website of mybama.ua.edu. Students who receive an electronic ticket will need to bring their ACT cards to gain admittance to the event. Students can submit questions they would like to be

See FRIEDMAN, page 3

A racial slur is used against Justin Zimmerman, and derogatory chalkings on the Quad follow.

2011

Photos courtesy of Byant Museum, Corolla and CW ﬁle By Amanda Sams Senior Staff Reporter alsams1@crimson.ua.edu Racial divides have been an issue at the University since

the beginning of integration efforts and Autherine Lucy’s enrollment as the first black student. Her time as a student in 1956 was short-lived, however, as the campus soon

swarmed with protestors and safety in the midst of cross rioters, shouting racial slurs burnings and Ku Klux Klan because of her skin color. marches. Crystalline Jones, a junior She was expelled due to the administration’s concern that they could not guarantee her See RACE, page 3

Former Tide player makes NFL ﬁlm Bama Idol singers By Jasmine Cannon Contributing Writer One of the hottest topics of discussion before and following this year’s National Football League season has been the potential lockout. If the battle between the Players Association and team owners is not settled by the time the collective bargaining agreement expires in March, a “lockout” will occur. Evan Mathis, current Cincinnati Bengals offensive lineman and former Alabama offensive lineman, has become part of an initiative with the hopes of making the lockout dilemma easier for the public to undestand. Mathis, who has been assisted by producer Steven Gurley and Bill le this

By SoRelle Wyckoff Contributing Writer

Bryant Museum Former Alabama offensive lineman Evan Mathis blocks against Arkansas in 2004. With the possibility of an NFL lockout, Mathis has assisted with the funding to make a documentary to inform the public about the potential lockout.

• er

Please

P.O. Box 870170 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 Newsroom: 348-6144 | Fax: 348-8036 | Advertising: 348-7845 | Classifieds: 348-7355 Letters, op-eds: letters@cw.ua.edu Press releases, announcements: news@cw.ua.edu

IF YOU GO ...

The University of Alabama will put its own spin on “American Idol” Wednesday night in the Ferguson Center Ballroom as 10 student finalists take the stage in hopes of receiving the title of the first “Bama Idol.” Bama Idol began with audition rounds and has been narrowed down to the finalists. Presented by Housing and Residential Communities, the competition was open to all students living in an on-campus residence hall. The finale event will

INSIDE today’s paper

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Plea s

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See LOCKOUT, page 3

to take the stage

Chitwood, has partnered with Kickstarter.com to assist with funding to create a documentary about the potential lockout. “My good friend, film producer Steven Gurley, showed me Kickstarter.com last year and said it would be fun to create a project on there and to think of a good topic,” Mathis said in an e-mailed statement. “Something I had been hearing a lot about during last football season was the possibility of a lockout. I thought that since it had never happened before in the NFL, then it would be something historic enough to document. Steven brought Dr. Bill Chitwood on board, and we had our primary team built.” Chitwood continued via

Briefs ........................2

Sports .......................8

Opinions ...................4

Puzzles......................9

Lifestyles....................6

Classifieds .................9

• What: Bama Idol • Where: Ferguson Center Ballroom

• When: Tonight at 7 p.m.

• Cost: Free

take place in the Ferguson Center Ballroom at 7 p.m. on Wednesday. The competition is free and open to all students, faculty and staff of

See IDOL, page 7

WEATHER today Partly cloudy Thursday

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ON THE GO Page 2â&#x20AC;˘ Wednesday, February 16, 2011

EDITORIAL â&#x20AC;˘ Victor Luckerson, editor-in-chief, editor@cw.ua.edu â&#x20AC;˘ Jonathan Reed, managing editor, jonathanreedcw@gmail.com â&#x20AC;˘ Brandee Easter, print production editor â&#x20AC;˘ Daniel Roth, multimedia editor â&#x20AC;˘ Will Tucker, news editor, newsdesk@cw.ua.edu â&#x20AC;˘ Kelsey Stein, lifestyles editor â&#x20AC;˘ Jason Galloway, sports editor â&#x20AC;˘ Tray Smith, opinions editor â&#x20AC;˘ Adam Greene, chief copy editor â&#x20AC;˘ Emily Johnson, design editor â&#x20AC;˘ Brian Pohuski, graphics editor â&#x20AC;˘ Drew Hoover, photo editor â&#x20AC;˘ Brian Connell, web editor â&#x20AC;˘ Marion Steinberg, community manager, outreach@cw.edu

ADVERTISING

ON THE MENU

ON THE CALENDAR

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BURKE Beef Tips with Noodles Chicken with Mushrooms in Alfredo Sauce Overstuffed Potato Fresh Seasoned Collard Greens Baked Ziti with Roasted Vegetables (vegetarian)

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What: Student Recital fea-

Business Career Fair

turing Sharla Bender, piano Where: Moody Music Building When: 5:30 p.m.

Where: Bryant Conference Center

When: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

â&#x20AC;˘ Robert Clark, Zone 5, 348-2670 â&#x20AC;˘ Emily Richards, Zone 6, 3486876

Spring Concert

Where: Morgan Auditorium

When: 5:30 - 8 p.m.

What: Blues Guitarist/Vo-

Quilt Creations by Geeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bend Where: Ferguson 301 When: 3 - 4 p.m.

calist Tinsley Ellis in Concert

Where: Bama Theatre When: 7:30 - 10 p.m.

Where: Carmichael 221 When: Noon - 1:30 p.m.

What: Flora the Red Men-

What: Faculty Recital fea-

What: Balfour OfďŹ cial Ring

ace

turing Jubal Fulks, violin Where: Moody Music Building When: 7:30 p.m.

Where: Allen Bales Theatre When: 7:30 - 10 p.m.

What: Research Forum on Teaching in the Disciplines

Week

Where: Ferguson Center Lobby

When: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

FRESH FOOD

Submit your events to calendar@cw.ua.edu

ON CAMPUS UA professor wins Kennedy Center award

WomenĘźs Resource Center, School of Library and Information Studies to Host Geraldine Bell

Donna Meester, associate professor in the department of theatre and dance, was awarded the Kennedy Center Golden Medallion for her service to the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival. Meester judged student work for the festival while serving as vice-chair of design and design chair for the region. Meester has also served as a guest lecturer for festival events. The Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival is a national program that involves more than 18,000 students from colleges and universities nationwide. The festival includes more than 600 colleges and universities across the country. Meester received her bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in apparel technology from Purdue University and her masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in stage design from Southern Methodist University.

The Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Resource Center, the School of Library and Information Studies and Gender and Race Studies will honor African-American Heritage Month and host Geraldine Bell, a 1977 graduate of the University of Alabama. Bell is bringing her collection of quilts and will talk about the history of the quilters and the town of Geeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bend.

Johnson named head of department of management and marketing

UA Career Center hosting General Interest and Business Career fair today Students of every major are encouraged to attend and gain valuable information about future job opportunities. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The career fair is really for students who are serious about the job search,â&#x20AC;? said Susan Cowles, a consultant at the Career Center. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The employers attending will be looking to fill full-time, postgraduation positions, as well as internships.â&#x20AC;? For more information visit cw.ua.edu.

Alacare Home Health & Hospice is hiring Licensed PTs for Tuscaloosa, Muscle Shoals and Mobile.

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What: Dance Alabama!

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Bottom Round Corned Beef Braised Cabbage Pasta Loverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Trio Turkey Chili Greek Spinach Pie (vegetarian)

â&#x20AC;˘ Drew Gunn, Advertising Coordinator, 348-8044

â&#x20AC;˘ Jessica West, Zone 3, 348-8735

FRIDAY

What: General Interest &

â&#x20AC;˘ Dana Andrzejewski, Advertising Manager, 348-8995, cwadmanager@gmail.com

â&#x20AC;˘ Emily Frost, National Advertising/ Classifieds, 348-8042

THURSDAY

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Diane Johnson, associate professor of management, has been named head of the department of management and marketing in the Culverhouse College of Commerce. Johnson had been serving as the departmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interim head for six months. Johnson earned her bachelorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s degree in business administration at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and her masterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and doctorate degrees from Cornell University.

WITT

Continued from page 1

an education and, as members of the larger community, we feel a responsibility to work together to positively resolve the situation.â&#x20AC;? Ferguson said he and the Rev. Paul Sanders would like to see the penalties the University has in place carried out to their fullest extent and see the University continue to strive to make sure justice and equality is served, not just for blacks, but for all people. Any time there is an inci-

dent like this, Ferguson said, it reopens old wounds. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to make sure the healing process begins,â&#x20AC;? Ferguson said. If incidents like this occur in the future, Ferguson said, he would like to be sure that they would have access to Witt and sit down and reason together. The conclusion of the meeting, Ferguson said, was that the investigation was in progress and Witt reassured the SCLC that the University would do and was doing all they could to bring the case to justice. Ferguson said the University would also do all they could to

try to prevent future incidents from happening, realizing that one person does not represent the University and its actions as a whole. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Many people act out of their own will,â&#x20AC;? Ferguson said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But it does not include the sentiments of the whole University.â&#x20AC;? Ferguson said the officers of the SCLC would like to meet with Witt again and appreciate the open-door policy he has with the community. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure that we will be talking again as the investigation goes on and we will be meeting back with him again,â&#x20AC;? Ferguson said.

â&#x20AC;˘ Amy Ramsey, Zone 7, 348-8742 â&#x20AC;˘ Brittany Key, Zone 8, 348-8054 â&#x20AC;˘ Nikki Amthour, Zone 44, 3486153 â&#x20AC;˘ Will DeShazo, Zone 55, 3488041 â&#x20AC;˘ Kelly Sturwold, Creative Services Manager, 348-8042 The Crimson White is the community newspaper of The University of Alabama. The Crimson White is an editorially free newspaper produced by students. The University of Alabama cannot influence editorial decisions and editorial opinions are those of the editorial board and do not represent the official opinions of the University. Advertising offices of The Crimson White are on the first floor, Student Publications Building, 923 University Blvd. The advertising mailing address is P.O. Box 2389, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403-2389. The Crimson White (USPS 138020) is published four times weekly when classes are in session during Fall and Spring Semester except for the Monday after Spring Break and the Monday after Thanksgiving, and once a week when school is in session for the summer. Marked calendar provided. The Crimson White is provided for free up to three issues. Any other papers are $1.00. The subscription rate for The Crimson White is $125 per year. Checks should be made payable to The University of Alabama and sent to: The Crimson White Subscription Department, P.O. Box 2389, Tuscaloosa, AL 354032389. The Crimson White is entered as periodical postage at Tuscaloosa, AL 35401. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Crimson White, P.O. Box 2389, Tuscaloosa, AL 35403-2389. All material contained herein, except advertising or where indicated otherwise, is Copyright ÂŠ 2010 by The Crimson White and protected under the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Work Made for Hireâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Periodical Publicationâ&#x20AC;? categories of the U.S. copyright laws. Material herein may not be reprinted without the expressed, written permission of The Crimson White.

The University of Alabama

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The Crimson White

RACE

Continued from page 1

majoring in broadcast news, said while the University has come a long way from the outright and widespread prejudice against Autherine Lucy, some of the same verbal abuse they experienced still exists. “I’m from Birmingham, a huge epicenter of the civil rights movement, and my aunt… was a civil rights activist at the time,” Jones said. “She would let college students from UA and UAB stay at her house in Birmingham, because in many cases, they were not allowed to stay on campus. In some cases, they were allowed to stay, but they experienced so many problems, such as food being thrown at them, being physically beaten up and verbal harassment that they chose to commute that distance every day.” Around the time of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination in 1968, the rampant displays of racism in Alabama and the South as a whole were on a global stage with a shocked audience. The Crimson White published an opinion story titled “Vox PopuliIs there really a difference?” where the author took inventory of the international shock and outrage through excerpts from three foreign newspapers. In Communist East Germany the Berliner Zeitung published a picture of a black girl being held on the ground by three policemen with the comment, “Police boots trample on human dignity. A picture of shame for

FRIEDMAN Continued from page 1

answered by Friedman via the e-mail C ap st o n e C o nve r s a t i o n s @ gmail.com. Friedman’s evening talk will begin at 7 p.m. in Sellers Auditorium of the Bryant Conference Center and will focus on the topic “Hot, Flat, and Crowded.” Tickets are free but limited and are available through the website www.crimsonartstickets.com. Those who do not have a Crimson Arts Tickets account must register with the website before requesting tickets. Up to two tickets can be requested by each person.

NEWS

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

In 1956 students wore black face in response to the attempted integration of Autherine Lucy.

any country.” El Diario de Mexico suggested that Soviet Premier Krushchev “grant honorable mention to Alabama racists for helping encourage Communism throughout the world.” Finally, The Morning Post of Nigeria published this statement: “For how long must the Black Race be subjected to such indignities by men who claim to be civilized? Why complain about Russia’s role in Hungary? Why pledge to free the people of Cuba from Castro — even though the lot of every Cuban citizen under Castro is much more enviable than that of the Negro in many parts of America?” Tom Land, records analyst for University Archives, said after all of the political unrest of the 60s, the 70s were more of transition period into racial acceptance. After Cleo Thomas was elected as the first — and to date, the only — black Student Government Association president in 1976, Land said the University has taken additional steps, such as creating black student organizations and electing a black Homecoming Queen, to further integrate the University. “By the 80s we had settled into a routine of normalcy with everything more settled,” Land said. “By the 90s everyone seemed to be trying to embrace history and move on.” In the later decades, he said, there were still incidents of racism, but they were much more isolated and done by individuals rather than campus movements. However, in 2000, Fabien

Zinga, a student from the Republic of Congo who ran for SGA president, was targeted by anonymous profane threats in advance of the election, CNN reported. Zinga vividly remembered hearing a male voice on the telephone saying, “We are going to hang you from the tree.” Land said steps have been taken to rectify the situations. “The administration, including Dr. Witt, all acted quickly when these incidents would occur,” Land said. “They were called out for being wrong and [it was] solved. The backlash was people began complaining about having to be politically correct and claiming First Amendment rights.” Land said he believes the administration does a lot behind the scenes to make the University a place where acceptance and diversity are a common theme. However, Jones said she almost decided against attending UA because of an incident invovling blackface, which occurred during her senior year of high school. Members of a white fraternity painted their faces and upper bodies with black paint before going to a party, and it received national news coverage. “I was considering a number of schools, and that definitely came up,” Jones said. “A lot of people will not come to the University with these racial incidents taking place. My thoughts were that people who still think it’s okay to make fun of people who look like me are not going to treat me like an equal classmate.”

Despite the advances the University has made in past years, greek life still reflects a segregation of black and white. Pat Hermann, a former English professor at the University, made integrating the greek system his crusade for more than a dozen years, The Tuscaloosa News reported in 1997. He told reporters he was tired of apologies for “apartheid,” a term for the system of legal racial segregation enforced by the National Party government of South Africa. Hermann, who is white, had few allies among students, professors and administrators who are black. Most of them said black students aren’t being excluded from the white greek system but are simply avoiding it, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. Regardless, Hermann said he passionately believed greek integration was essential. Others, though, like Joyce B. Stallworth, former president of the UA chapter of the historically black sorority Alpha Kappa Alpha, disagreed. She recalled a cross burning in front of the house in 1986, shortly after the sorority moved in. She told The Chronicle that the greek system couldn’t be forced to integrate because people have not changed their attitudes. The first black woman to join a traditionally white sorority at the University was Carla Ferguson in 2003. In 2009, Gentry McCreary, director of greek affairs, said minorities are applying to the sororities and fraternities but in small numbers. For example, out of 1600 women who

went through fall recruitment in 2009, only two were black. Another issue involving race at the University was the unsuccessful campaign of Kendra Key for the SGA presidency in 2009. Key’s campaign, while inspirational, was destined to fail because the University is just not ready for a black, female, independent SGA president, Jones said. “Key is highly qualified, but she fell into three categories that the University is just not ready to accept in that position,” Jones said. “I doubt all of the barriers will fall in my lifetime, and while we have come a long way from the [stand in the] schoolhouse door, the KKK and nooses, we still have a little way to go.

The only way to move into the future is by being honest with ourselves and making a positive change.” “Like many of my peers I experience a rush of several different emotions when the ‘n’ word is used, because although it is only five letters long, lives have been lost in the result of it leaving one’s lips,” said Andrea Dobynes, a junior majoring in public relations. “I went from being furious, to ashamed that I attend a school still so stuck in the past, to afraid. This has to end. I thoroughly understand everyone’s right to freedom of speech and freedom of expression, but these latest incidents of hate are just downright disrespectful.”

Because the barcode to each ticket will be scanned at the entrance door to Sellers Auditorium, ticket holders must either print out their tickets or bring a digital copy of their tickets (via an iPhone or other digital device) with them. Tickets will be for sale until Feb. 17 unless availability depletes beforehand. In “The World is Flat,” Friedman argues for the need of innovation and creativity among America’s workforce who must adjust to the trend of globalization and modernization in overseas markets. His ideas give focus to the direction the American economy should take as the global economy becomes integrated

and ‘flattened.’ “Friedman has been a spokesperson for giving us a critical reflection on the challenges of the next decade,” said J. Michael Hardin, associate dean of research. The evening lecture will touch on themes discussed in Friedman’s most recent publication “Hot, Crowded, and Flat.” “One of the many points is that we need to find other sources of energy,” Hardin said. West Honeycutt, member of Capstone Conversations and a junior majoring in finance, said in an e-mailed statement that Friedman can offer clarity to students who will step into a job market determined by the

forces of a global economy. “[S]tudents can benefit from gaining a better insight as to how the flattening of the world’s economies can benefit

the United States, Alabama and even the University of Alabama,” he said. “In this economic downturn and tough job market, students can gain

largely from his knowledge of what employers in this new global economy are looking to hire and how to tailor their studies to fit the job market.”

LOCKOUT

going to be a fun project that to present this film as propawill help people understand a ganda but I really want to delivContinued from page 1 topic that can be very confus- er an unbiased and informative ing,” Mathis said. “I’ll use my final product. I plan on finishe-mail, “Initially, [it was] curi- connections in the NFL to gain ing it when the whole issue is osity more than anything access to important interviews resolved so the end game is else [that motivated me to get from every side of the issue. As really telling the story of what involved with the project]. Now, a player, it would be really easy happened and why.” my primary motivation is to try to increase public awareness about just what’s at stake if the two sides don’t reach an agreement.” The documentary looks to provide a unique outlook on the lockout by including the perspectives of players and others that are relative to NFL organizations. “When you have NFL players involved with NFL productions, that’s the best of both worlds,” sports agent Drew Rosenhaus said in a press release. “I’m confident that Evan is going to deliver a great product.” All of the funds raised through Kickstarter will go toward expanding the project, postproduction and distribuCity of Tuscaloosa tion of the finished product. To assist in raising funds for the project, visit the website Lockedout.tv. “If anybody wants to be a part of the project, there are different reward levels based on the amount of the donation,” Mathis said. “If we don’t reach the full funding goal through Kickstarter, all the money is Tuscaloosa voters will decide whether to allow returned and sadly, we won’t restaurants, bars, and stores to sell alcohol finish this great film.” The purpose of the film is to between noon and 9pm on Sundays. Polling share and explain the lockout places are the same as the municipal elections. to the general public. The docuThe city has sent postcards to residents mentary has plans for completion upon the finalization of indicating where to vote. the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement. “More than anything, this is

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OPINIONS

Don’t close ‘The Notebook’ on discussion By Wesley Vaughn

MCT Campus

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Wednesday, February 16, 2011

America’s global superiority?

Editor • Tray Smith

By Neil Adams

letters@cw.ua.edu

An opinions column published on Friday, titled “America still the greatest,” is comprised of both bad history and bad ideas. It is my intention to correct the most egregious historical statement and address the most distressing idea within that article. Let us start with the historical idea that “even if Hitler had not attacked any of our allies,” the United States still would have gone to war with Germany to “banish [Hitler’s] ridiculous views.” First, the United States was not bound by treaty to come to the defense of Poland, France or Great Britain against Nazi Germany at the outbreak of war in September 1939, and therefore did not have any true allies. The United States, or any free country for that matter, did not “impose democratic values” on Mussolini when he invaded Ethiopia in 1935 or on Hitler when he invaded Czechoslovakia in 1938. In fact, the United States, Britain and France were very much interested in avoiding war at all possible costs. For Europeans, the memory

Page 4

{ YOUR VIEW } WEB COMMENTS “Nobody likes the d-bag (America) that brags about how awesome he is all the time. I mean, would you like that guy if you werenʼt him?” — David DeMedicis, in response to “Friedman needs a history lesson”

“The Crimson White is to serve as a watchdog for the university (that may even be in the actual mission statement). This issue came up last semester when Dave Folk wrote his column about the Million Dollar Band; as tasteless as it was, the CW (especially the Opinions page) was well within its right to criticize a part of the university.” —Alex McLeod, in response to “UA, be for us, by us, not buy us”

EDITORIAL BOARD Victor Luckerson Editor Jonathan Reed Managing Editor Tray Smith Opinions Editor Adam Greene Chief Copy Editor

WE WELCOME YOUR OPINIONS Letters to the editor must be less than 300 words and guest columns less than 800. Send submissions to letters@ cw.ua.edu. Submissions must include the author’s name, year, major and daytime phone number. Phone numbers are for verification and will not be published. Students should also include their year in school and major. For more information, call 348-6144. The CW reserves the right to edit all submissions.

of The Great War and the loss of almost an entire generation just over 20 years before sat heavily in their minds. For Americans, there was much dissent with the prospect of sending sons, fathers and husbands to die for European concerns. For the sake of argument, however, let us call the anti-German alliance of Poland, France and Britain “allies” of the United States. If Nazi Germany had not invaded Poland, there would have been no war with France or Britain. With no invasion of French territory, would the United States have become so upset with the annexation of the Sudetenland of Czechoslovakia to invade Germany with a never-before-attempted airborne invasion? Perhaps they could have just nuked Germany from orbit after developing fission bombs for no particular strategic reason. It is the only way to be sure. Germany declared war on the United States after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor. The United States did not arbitrarily declare war on Germany because we suddenly found out about “Hitler’s ridiculous views.”

By “Hitler’s ridiculous views,” I assume the author is referring to the massacre and genocide of over seven million innocent European citizens who just happened to be Jews, homosexuals, Slavs or just plain dissidents. The death camps that hid the truth of Nazi Germany’s “final solution” were not discovered until Soviet and Allied troops started liberating the camps in 1944, almost five years into the war. The second idea I refuse to swallow is that the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are justified by a sense of global American superiority. Well over 5,000 Americans, and innumerable local civilians, have died in Iraq and Afghanistan because of a totally inept assessment of foreign threats to America. To say we went to war in Iraq and Afghanistan to impose our form of democracy on them is incorrect. To say we went to war in an attempt to secure our own land against attack is another argument entirely, and one that is rightly up for debate. Neil W. Adams is a junior majoring in public relations and history.

Sustained Dialogue wants you! By James Woodham Last weekend, UA Sustained Dialogue held an open workshop on “Leadership Across Culture,” which was hosted by Sustained Dialogue Campus Network representatives Amy Lazarus and Rhonda Fitzgerald, who serve as executive director and program director, respectively. As an organization, Sustained Dialogue would like to sincerely thank both Ms. Lazarus and Ms. Fitzgerald, along with all of the students and faculty in attendance who worked to make this workshop such a success. In addition, we would like to also thank our co-sponsors for the event: the Crossroads Community Center, the

National Pan-Hellenic Council, New College, the Student Government Association, the International Students Association, Housing and Residential Communities and the Ferguson Center. The mission of the Sustained Dialogue Campus Network and our University of Alabama Sustained Dialogue initiative is to develop everyday leaders who engage differences as strengths in order to improve their campuses, workplaces, and communities. As we begin our dialogue groups for the Spring 2011 semester, Sustained Dialogue has opened our enrollment for the remainder of February, and would like to encourage any student interested in engaging in meaningful dialogue to attend any dialogue meet-

More vegetarian options needed By Amerial Jensen In response to your article “Vegetarianism Offers Health, ‘Less Than Impressive’ On-Campus Options” (Feb. 9, 2011), I would like to compliment Allie Hulcher for speaking out about the lack of vegetarian options at the University. As Hulcher mentions, vegetarian options are more popular than ever, particularly among college students, for reasons ranging from health and environmental concerns to the clear cruelty to animals involved in raising and killing animals for food. A recent study by Aramark, a leading food-service provider, concluded that one in four college students is actively seeking out vegan options when he sits down to eat. In fact, there is already a fantastic vegetarian student group on campus, the UA Vegetarians, Vegans and Allied Community, which demonstrates the demand for meatless meals. For UA to disregard the concerns of that large a segment of its student body would be a regrettable error on its part. Most students are horrified

to discover that chickens have their beaks cut off when they’re only days old and that cows and pigs are often skinned and dismembered while still conscious. If these kinds of abuses were inflicted upon cats or dogs, it would result in felony crueltyto-animals charges. Yet these practices are standard in an industry that refuses to make even the most basic improvements in the way animals are treated. Thankfully, with so many delicious and cruelty-free dishes, such as vegetarian barbecue riblets and vegan pizza available at most grocery stores, and with chain restaurants like Denny’s and Ruby Tuesday’s adding delicious vegetarian and vegan dishes to their menus, it’s never been easier to boycott this kind of cruelty. Hopefully, UA Dining Services will follow suit as well. For more information, visit peta2.com to request a free vegetarian/vegan starter kit as well as stickers and a DVD. Amelia Jensen serves as college campaigns assistant for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.

ing that fits their schedule. There are three different groups that meet every week in the second floor Honors Student Lounge in Nott Hall; Monday: 6 p.m.-7 p.m., Tuesday: 7 p.m.-8 p.m.,or Wednesday: 4:30 p.m.5:30 p.m. Dialogue groups are led by student facilitators and talk about many different topics of interest to students on our campus. More than anything else, Sustained Dialogue offers a unique experience to meet other people on campus that you may have otherwise never come in contact with. We hope to see you soon! James Woodham is a junior majoring in political science and interdisciplinary studies and president of UA Sustained Dialogue.

Neuro-linguistic programming is a multi-disciplinary approach to helping individuals realize their potential excellence through mental exercises. NLP’s main presupposition is, “There is no such thing as failure, only feedback.” I read a book on NLP last year and became interested in the theories of the relationship between cognition and behavior. The exercises were surprisingly not as phony as the typical New York Times bestselling self-help books, but they followed a similar theme. Change your mindset, change your behavior and become successful. It felt too easy, much too easy. The only feedback I received on Valentine’s Day were the visuals of “The Notebook,” the sounds of Maroon 5 and the taste of pink heartshaped cookies that I baked, alone. Yes, I may have gotten a little misty during the rainy kissing scene. Considering I spent last Valentine’s Day doing the same thing, the book probably failed to own up to its $11 price tag and lofty promises – relationship-wise, at least. It certainly helped build up my optimism enough to cushion the blow of reality, though. That optimism carries over to this campus. I often hate that I love UA enough to believe in the possibility of significant progress in bridging the divide between students with other students and students with the administration. I hate it because when I read and hear students saying that this is not the time for division, arguing or change, I boil with anger. The fear of those agitated reactions insults the civility of our student body. Does anyone trust that we, as UA students, can conduct honest discourse? There is a difference between those who shout and those who discuss, and if we cannot trust our students to differentiate the two, then we have failed as a university to enroll capable students. We always publicly call for civic engagement, but when a crucial opportunity arises - one that is more important than buying alcohol on Sunday - we sweep it under the rug. Our rug will not be able to hide everything forever; pretty soon, we will not care that it may be carefully vacuumed on top. Last Wednesday, four student leaders wrote a column titled “Tentions must not devide.” In it, they defended the past progress of campus and ironically stated, “We cannot be content with superficial unity.” On Monday, Tray Smith argued that our campus divisions are shared nationwide and stated, “As we work to build a campus that is more equal and just, we should remember that our campus today is more equal and just than it has ever been.” All five attempted to temper the campus mood by turning to the past for reassurance. We should build off what we do and have done, but the future is what is important. The campus division is not independent versus greek; it is those who care about the University’s future versus those who defend its past. We still have a chance to use the impetus of this month’s events to drive the campus discussion. No one can and should end it. As Ryan Gosling tearfully exclaims in the movie’s iconic scene, “It wasn’t over. It still isn’t over.” Prove those who worry about the implications of discussion wrong. Refuse to be a hatemonger and stereotyper. The voices of rationality might not speak the loudest, but they will be the most effective. The only true failure is if we do not use this time to elicit feedback from students. I will keep pumping out my NLP-induced optimism, even though I may spend holidays alone watching romance movies.

Wesley Vaughn is a junior majoring in public relations and political science. His column runs on Wednesdays.

Mubarak is the devil we knew By Chip Harrison An old adage says, “The devil you know is better than the devil you don’t.” With the current situation in Egypt, the devil that we have known is Hosni Mubarak. Most people feel a need for the United States, as the world’s leading democracy, to support worldwide democracies wherever those democracies may arise. The track record of Middle Eastern democracies is, however, not necessarily a good one. Moderate, relatively secular rulers like the Shahs of Iran have given way to regimes like those imposed by the Ayatollah. In Lebanon, we have seen Hezbollah turn a rapidly industrializing, quasi-Western nation into a hotbed of terrorist activity that threatens the peace structure of the Middle East. These deep-rooted problems are just as applicable to modern Egypt. While the immense military and economic support that the United States gives to Egypt cannot go unquestioned, its effects, at least

for the past several decades, have led to stability. Since their peace treaty of 1977, Egyptian-Israeli relations have been among the best in the Middle East. The Sinai peninsula has been at peace for the first time in centuries, and our strongest ally in the Middle East, Israel, is finally able to focus — or at least move in the direction of focusing — on their domestic problems with the Palestinians. A popularly ruled Egypt threatens that status quo. Should an absolute democracy take the place of an American-backed leader, it is highly probable that the Egyptians would elect an individual backed by Islamist groups like the Muslim Brotherhood into the role of the presidency. If this happens, the diplomatic peace, which America has fought for years to preserve, could quite possibly evaporate. IsraeliEgyptian relations will certainly deteriorate and the Sinai will likely be thrown back into turmoil. The Egyptian situation is

not a lose-lose one for the United States. The role of our government should be that of a close ally to the powers that be in Egypt. The United States must help to usher in an era of moderate, stable democracy. It can do this by encouraging a coalition system like the one in place in the United Kingdom. With such a coalition government in place it is unlikely that a radical group like the Muslim Brotherhood could control the government of Egypt. It would give these groups enough representation in government, however, to keep to the Islamic fundamentalists appeased and at bay. Contrary to popular opinion, Egypt is the United States’ laboratory for democracy in the Middle East. As the United States shifts its ambitions out of Iraq and Afghanistan, it must not shift them out of the Middle East entirely but instead focus them diplomatically on Egypt. Chip Harrison is a sophomore majoring in history.

The Crimson White

NEWS

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

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LIFESTYLES

TCBY sponsors YouTube contest

What does TCBY mean to you? If you have an answer to that question, then you may be swimming in a year’s supply of frozen yogurt. TCBY is holding a “30th Anniversary What Does TCBY Mean To You Video Contest.” TCBY’s year’s supply of yogurt equates to $30 worth of frozen yogurt per month, or $360 for the year. According to the TCBY website, TCBY.com, contestants have to create a 30-second video “communicating what TCBY means to you” and submit an entry form online with the link to your video upload on YouTube. The entry form can be found on the TCBY website under a link on the homepage. All entries are due by Feb. 28, the judging will take place March 1-5 and the winner will be announced March 15. Kelly Wallace, a communications representative for TCBY Frozen Yogurt and a recent UA graduate, encouraged participants to be creative in their entries.

Page 6 • Wednesday, February 16, 2011 Editor • Kelsey Stein kmstein@crimson.ua.edu

LIFESTYLES this week

By Karissa Bursch Senior Staff Reporter kabursch@crimson.ua.edu

kind for TCBY, Wallace said. “It’s been really neat with the social media outreaching to TCBY customers,” Wallace said. Meg Watson, a recent graduate who majored in public relations, said, “On my first date with my now-fiancé, we went to see a movie with some mutual friends. After the movie, he suggested that we get TCBY, and that is when I knew he was my kind of man. We still go to TCBY at least once a week, seriously.” Watson said she thought the contest sounded interesting. “Sounds like a fun contest, and if I had time to make a video, I totally would,” she said. “I’m pretty sure I’ve loved TCBY since the day I was born,” said Robyn Serum, a first year doctoral student in international relations. “I have fond memories of getting late night frozen yogurt with friends after football games in high school. I also remember the days my mom would bring me a TCBY M&M Shiver because she knew it would cheer me up when I was feeling down. Also, I am currently drinking a TCBY vanilla latte, and it is delicious.”

Sparrow and the Ghost proud to be old school in Tuscaloosa By Trey Irby I knocked on the door of Reed Watson’s apartment and was immediately greeted by a fierce cat. The cat, named Otis, was a stray – only a few weeks

old – picked up by Watson outside a Barnes and Noble roughly six months ago and nursed back to health, but on the claim that he came from a stray’s wild background. I cannot think of a stronger

metaphor for Sparrow and the Ghost than that cat. But what does the cat represent? Perhaps the idea that everything is a kick more interesting with a wild element of domesticity is akin to the ethos of the band featuring Watson on drums, Stuart Bond on vocals and guitar and Rachael Roberts on vocals. Sparrow and the Ghost come as a brew of folk, country, blues and rock, with even a tinge of rebellion, the type of Southern rebellion a shocking amount of musicians around here hold. “I kind of grew up around a lot of people who liked modern country music, so I ended up hating that,” Roberts said. “I ended up more drawn to [bad] rock music, not like Nickelback or anything, but there’s a lot of [bad] rock music other than Nickelback.” The members, all in their mid-20s, have lived through a period of mainstream music that has continued to split from its roots or even from being remotely interesting, a period that not too long ago held music both exceedingly original and popular at once. And this isn’t a rejection of music because it isn’t “trendy.” There’s a clear vein of musical greatness that is somewhat reliant on the past, one they’re extremely aware of, and one from the South, not always

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the most popular of influences in the so-called “alternative movement.” “It just so happens to me that the best music comes out of the South,” Bond said. In addition to adding to the duet format of the group, Bond is also the chief songwriter for the group. “Religion influences my songwriting a lot,” he said. “And most of that ties in to old folk, country and blues. I think I’m always striving to get as close to Johnny Cash and Son House as possible. If I can get anywhere close to them, I’ll be happy.” While Cash is a touchstone, the blues, and especially the region of the earth it originated from, is an influence common people don’t seem to jump on as easily. That’s kind of a shame since names like Lightnin’ Hopkins and Son House deserve stronger recognition in the general public. The blues feels kind of abandoned in the sense that people know it’s there, like the stray, but it doesn’t hold a currency to their lives, despite the pure excitement it could bring. The same could be said for the music scene in Tuscaloosa, which feels fractured to small and separate crowds, despite its quality. “You could draw a big circle around Tuscaloosa,”

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“The more creative the better,” Wallace said. “It can be as simple or as creative as you like.” Wallace gave several examples of entries that have been submitted so far, which can be viewed on TCBY’s YouTube channel. “Some people have done poetry, some have done a basic video, some have given TCBY memories when they were little and some have done creative things someone normally wouldn’t think of,” Wallace said. “It’s really open.” The contest is nationwide so anybody 18 and up can participate. Wallace said TCBY has already seen a lot of interest. “If somebody from Alabama would win it would be great exposure for the University,” Wallace said. Wallace said it would be a great prize for a college student, especially an Alabama student. “I think it would definitely be a great prize to share with your friends,” Wallace said. “Especially at the University of Alabama, with the new location it’s become such a hangout; it’s really easy access for students.” This is the first contest of its

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said Watson, “From about 400 miles across, there is some of the best R&B, and some of the best country — well, the only country. You’ve got some of the best jazz and some of the best blues and rock ‘n’ roll. And all of that stuff has some sort of influence in what we do.” Watson has made the claim many times that there is a high quality of talent just in Tuscaloosa alone, and it is hard to not feel motivated to support the local scene simply by listening to him. Hell, it would be hard not to feel motivated to wake up in the morning listening to him. Pro-wrestler Roddy Piper could have been B.B. King when he coined the phrase, “Old school is cool.” Because damn, if the throwback sounds, duet hints to Patsy Cline (and her chief songwriter Willie Nelson), and the love of a sound that legitimately holds passion over calculation is old school, Sparrow and the Ghost is rather proud to be old school. Tuscaloosa should feel that way, too. The Tuscaloosa Music Diary is an ongoing series of discussions about interesting and great local artists, which I hope exposes you to someone whose stuff you’ve never heard.

The Works

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The Crimson White

LIFESTYLES

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Bama offers free tickets for Tinsley Ellis By Stephanie Brumfield Assistant Lifestyles Editor snbrumfield@crimson.ua.edu Singer-songwriter and hardrocking blues guitarist Tinsley Ellis will return to the Bama Theatre Thursday night, only this time the show is free. Having toured consistently since the 80s, Ellis has played in all 50 states and in several other countries, impressing audiences with his energy, soul and original songs. David Allgood, manager of the Bama Theatre, said Ellis “electrifies the room when he plays.” “Tinsley is unique because he’s a white guy in a genre dominated by AfricanAmericans, and he’s accepted,” he said. “There are a lot of white guys who play the blues, but there aren’t a lot who are accepted.” Allgood said Ellis is, in that way, like blues musicians Sonny Landreth and Fleetwood Mac founder Peter Green, largely due to his talent. “He’s got the chops. He’s authentic. He respects and reveres the blues, and it shows in his playing,” Allgood said. Ellis, who first performed in

“I love the thrill playing in front of an audience. There’s a high you get from performing that isn’t like anything else.” — Tinsley Ellis

Tuscaloosa at The Chukker in the 70s, said he is looking forward to seeing his Alabama friends and to performing at the Bama Theatre again. “It’s always nice to play at a nice theater like the Bama that has a lot of history,” he said. He plans to perform several songs off his newest CD “Speak No Evil” as well as songs off his live album from 2005, and said he can’t wait to get on stage and begin performing. “I love the thrill playing in front of an audience,” he said. “There’s a high you get from performing that isn’t like anything else. [Having a free show] is a smart idea because it really packs the house, and that’s what we want.” Allgood said he is also excited about having a free show at the Bama. “I’ve always wanted to do a free show at the Bama with a good artist,” Allgood said. “We were able to find seven

sponsors who gave $300 each, which pretty much covered Tinsley’s fee. The Arts Council covered the rest.” The price is a good bargain, too, because in many parts of the country tickets to see Ellis can cost $30 each, Allgood said. More than anything, though, Allgood is excited to see his long-time friend. “He’s a good friend,” he said. “Unfortunately, I only get to see him when he plays here. He’s a very funny and warm person, unlike many musicians I’ve worked with. He has nothing to prove, and he has a very small ego, which is a joy.” Allgood and Ellis played together for about a year and a half during the late 70s in Allgood’s band, the Haygood Band. Ellis, who was attending Emory University at the time, responded to an ad Allgood placed in a local weekly. The Haygood Band needed a guitar player, and Ellis fit the bill.

“I like to joke and say that I’ve moved on, and he’s been doing the same thing for 30 years,” Allgood said. “David is a good friend. He gave me a nice start in the business,” Ellis said. Tickets for the concert will be free until 5 p.m. Thursday or until sponsors run out. Then, tickets will be on sale for $10 at the Bama Theatre box office. All tickets are general admission, the first to arrive will get the best seats. Doors will open at 6:45 p.m., and while audience members are waiting for the concert to begin, Allgood said they can purchase reasonably priced beer, wine and mixed drinks from the Bama Theatre’s bar. At 7:30 p.m., local blues band the Pounders will play a short set, and after a brief intermission, Ellis will begin performing around 8:30. Tickets can be picked up from Little Willie’s, Fitts Agency, Inc., Summersell Center for the Study of the South out of the history department, the main branch of the Bank of Tuscaloosa, Manna Grocery and Deli, the UA Honors College Assembly and WSV Architects.

Submitted Photo Tinsley Ellis, a renouned lus guitarist, will play a free show at the Bama Theatre Thursday.

LIFESTYLES in brief Reserved seating remains for amphitheatre opening concert General admission student tickets for the Avett Brothers and Band of Horses April 1 concert at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheatre have sold out, but about 800 reserved seating tickets remain available.

The tickets, which cost $10, can be purchased in Room 356 of the Ferguson Center, Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Students, faculty and staff

are eligible to purchase student tickets and must show a valid ACT card. For questions regarding ticketing, call 348-7487.

CW | Lea Hanna Bertram Bama Idol competition in Ridgecrest South atrium on Jan. 25. From left to right, Alex Ludvik, Susanna Payton and Ambrey Auten judged the event.

IDOL

Continued from page 1

the University. The event is produced by HRC staff members Sara Webb and Jennifer Glenn. “We put a lot of effort into the finale night, so that it will be just as exciting for the audience as it is for those involved in the event,” Webb said in a press release. Each of the 10 competitors will sing one song of their choice and will then receive feedback from the judges. However, the audience will choose the final winner, and through text messaging, a first, second and third place will be determined. The variety of performances will range from country ballads

to acoustic rock. As the competition draws nearer, many competitors remain calm about the coming event. “I’ve just been practicing in the shower,” said Jacqueline Probst, a freshman studying premed. “My roommates are probably sick of hearing me.” Amber Hersh, a freshman majoring in business management and business marketing, said her previous experience with performing helped with nerves. “I haven’t had to worry too much about the song, thankfully,” Hersh said. “Instead, I’ve been trying to think of ways to make my performance more exciting as far as stage presence.” Despite the title and the prize

of an iPad, many of the competitors are looking forward to the chance to perform in general. “I have been wanting to sing my song for a while now but have never really had a good opportunity to until now,” Hersh said. The finalists are Jonathan Bell, Robert Dixon, Amber Hersh, Jamaris Jackson, Ashley Marron, Jacqueline Probst, Zoie Rigsby, Jenna Simandl, Whitley Wilson and Jaclyn Wint. The competition will be judged by Sophia Everett, Lakeside community director; Ellen Price, administrative assistant for Housing and Residential Communities; Robert Hayes, assistant dean of the College of Arts and Sciences; and Rodney Glover, a resident adviser and RHA treasurer.

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SPORTS

SWIMMING AND DIVING

Tide to compete in Gainesville

Page 8 • Wednesday, February 16, 2011 Editor • Jason Galloway crimsonwhitesports@ gmail.com

SPORTS

this weekend FRIDAY • Softball vs Louisville: 4 p.m. • Baseball vs Alcon State: 6:05 p.m. • Gymnastics vs Kntucky: 7:30 p.m.

By Marilyn Vaughn Contributing Writer

A typical televised Southeastern Conference Championship game for a football team may run about four hours, maybe five. The typical span of time it takes to complete a Southeastern Conference Championships meet for a swimming and diving team? Four days. Today, the men and women’s swimming teams will begin competition in Gainesville, Fla., for the SEC Championship. The diving portion began Feb. 11 and wrapped up Sunday. This is a different format for the meet, as the swimmers usually compete alongside their diving teammates. Instead, both teams will enter the meet with the diving portion complete and scores counted. After the three days of diving competition, the men are in fifth place with 43 points. Senior Adam Booher and sophomore Stephen O’Connell both scored for the Tide, finishing ninth and 13th, respectively, off the platform. Booher also finished fourth off the 1- and 3-meter boards. The women will enter the meet in eighth place after two

of the three divers who competed scored in multiple events. Senior Olivia Covey placed 16th off the platform and 15th off the 3-meter board, while freshman Paige McCleary finished 14th on the platform, sixth off the 3-meter board and eighth off the 1-meter board. The women have scored 31.5 points so far. “It’s exciting that our divers are doing really well,” said freshman BJ Hornikel. “They’re definitely setting it up so when we come in later we can finish what they started.” Both the men and women are looking to improve on their fifth place finishes at last year’s SEC Championships. The teams will be challenged to compete in a loud environment without their diving units on hand for support. “It sucks the divers won’t be around, but a lot of parents will be there,” junior Joe Ziegler said. “They’ll be doing their best to get some cheers going to rival the teams who are pretty loud with their cheers.” The Crimson Tide, which faced two competitors at its last meet, will now compete against 12 teams. Each swimming event will start with around 50 swimmers. The top 16 finishers will advance to finals. Of the top 16

Junior Suzanne Schwee competes in an event against Florida State earlier this season. While the men’s and women’s divers competed at the SEC Championships this past weekend, the swimmers start competition today in Gainesville, Fla. CW | Jonathan Norris yourself in a position to score points. You’re kind of locked in with your time. Regardless if you qualify 16th and end up with the fastest time overall, the best place you get is ninth.” For some Tide swimmers, this will be their first SEC Championships meet. Hornikel acknowledged he was a bit apprehensive and said, “I’m a little nervous; it’ll be a big meet, but it should be exciting

swimmers, the top eight finishers will compete in a championship finals race while the bottom eight will compete in a consolation race. Both teams know the key to placing high at the meet will rest on how many swimmers each team can place in the championship finals races. “You got to do it in the morning,” said head coach Eric McIlquham. “You got to put

to see everybody compete in the whole SEC. That will be fun.” It has been more than two weeks since the men and women have competed, and they are eager to get their feet wet again. “In no way am I rusty,” Ziegler said. “I’m going to be ready to go from the first race all the way through the meet. It’s a marathon, so I just have to be consistent.”

MEN’S TENNIS

cw.ua.edu Tide notches two wins in Dallas By Britton Lynn Senior Sports Reporter bmlynn@crimson.ua.edu The No. 31-ranked men’s tennis team brought home two wins this weekend. The team now has a 5-1 record after posting a 6-1 victory over SMU (2-2) and defeating TCU (2-2) 4-3. “We had two very good wins this weekend,” head coach Billy Pate said. “It was precisely what we needed. They were two teams — TCU and SMU — pretty equal in ability, so we were probably slightly favored, but we felt like we should be successful if we did the right things and I thought we did. It ended up being a very productive weekend for us and the weather was really good.” Even though the Crimson Tide was ranked far above No. 52 TCU and unranked SMU, playing in the matches helped prepare Alabama for the rest of the season. “I think we gained the confi-

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Deadline: March 7th, 2011 by 5:00 pm

dence from these matches, especially in doubles where we’ve been struggling a bit,” sophomore Jarryd Botha said. “Also, just to get a few good matches behind us is a good build up towards the stronger matches in the SEC. We were under quite a lot of pressure just to start off well and to play our best, and I think we really rose to the occasion and took them to it and played really well. That’s why I think we won.” The Tide won all three of its doubles games and five of its six singles games against SMU. Even though Alabama played well in doubles competition this weekend, Botha said that is an area the team still needs improvement in. “We’ve got to improve doubles,” Pate said. “We haven’t really found all three combinations. We’re going to continue to look at that and work on it in practice. We’re set with our one and two teams. I’ve been very pleased with the top half of our lineup — Ricky’s been playing No. 1 and was 5-0 before this match and Jared hasn’t lost in two — they’ve been very successful. That was one of our concerns coming in.” During Alabama’s visit to the Dallas Metroplex for its two matches over the weekend, the team was also given an opportunity to visit Cowboys Stadium, where Super Bowl XLV was recently played. While they were touring the world’s largest stadium, some of the Tide’s players were even day dreaming about playing a match or two in Jerry’s World someday. “It was fun,” Botha said. “It was great to see how big it was and what all the fuss was about.

CW | John Michael Simpson Sophomore Jarryd Botha goes for a forehand shot in the match against Furman Feb. 7. This past weekend, the men’s tennis team picked up another pair of wins, and Botha picked up a singles and doubles win against both TCU and SMU.

“We were under quite a lot of pressure just to start off well and to play our best, and I think we really rose to the occasion and took them to it and played really well. That’s why I think we won.” — Jarryd Botha It’s a very known organization and it was good to see what it was all about. I would love to play in that stadium.” Alabama’s next matchup will be in the Blue Gray National Classic tournament in Montgomery on the weekend of

Feb. 25. “The Blue Gray Tournament is a real prestigious and national event,” Pate said. “There’s eight men’s teams and eight women’s teams. We expect a good match. They’re all going to be highlyranked teams.”

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