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put a Meme in your Meme so you can laugh while you laugh
Thursday, February 16 16, 6, 2 2012 012 01 0 12
BASEBALL/SOFTBALL PREVIEW
Serving S i the h U University i i off Al Alabama b ssince i 1894
Vol. 118, Issue 89
Power of pink By Marc Torrence Sports Reporter @marctorrence The Alabama gymnastics team is usually only concerned with two colors: crimson and white. This week, though, they’re all about pink. No. 6 Alabama will host the No. 5 Arkansas Razorbacks for the Tide’s annual Power of Pink meet on Friday night in Coleman Coliseum. The Power of Pink meets are designed to raise awareness for breast cancer. “It’s not just a great SEC matchup between No. 5 and No. 6,” Alabama head coach Sarah Patterson said. “It’s for a greater cause. For our athletes to be involved in something like that, it sets a standard for what they want to do later on in their lives.” As part of Power of Pink week on campus, Denny Chimes, the Ferguson Center Plaza’s fountain, the Student Rec Center and the exterior of Coleman Coliseum will be glowing pink all week. The gymnasts and coaches will also be taking part in various pink activities of their own, including sporting pink leotards for the meet. MesserWoland/Wikimedia Commons; CW | John Michael Simpson and Katie Bennett
See PINK, page 5
University, Cuba sustain partnership Ten-year relationship with island country holds strong as professors finish visit By Rich Robinson Staff Reporter rarobinson2@crimson.ua.edu
A delegation of Alabama faculty traveled to Cuba last week to meet with academic collaborators in the island nation. The trip was part of the celebration of the 10th year anniversary of the Alabama-Cuban Initiative, a program that serves as the cultural exchange vehicle between the University and Cuba. The group spoke to faculty at three Cuban institutions of higher learning, which included the University of Havana, the Institute of Art and the University of San Geronimo. The faculty members also presented new proposals for projects on the island while reflecting on the past.
The start of something unique
Robert Olin, the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, began organizing the trip last spring and has served as the driving force behind the project for nearly 10 years.
See CUBA, page 3
Bus service offers students access to downtown By Briana Harris Contributing Writer Starting tonight at 6 p.m., students won’t need a car to get from campus to downtown Tuscaloosa. Downtown Express is a new bus service that will transport students to and from campus and various downtown locations. Peyton Falkenburg, SGA director of programming and advancements, said the goal of Downtown Express is to give oncampus residents the ability to travel downtown in the safest and most efficient way possible. The program will especially benefit UA’s international students, as well as freshmen and any other on-campus student who doesn’t have a car, said
SGA
Matt Calderone, SGA deputy executive vice president. Another concern on college campuses deals with students and alcohol, Falkenburg said. “If you go downtown to eat and have a couple of drinks, there is no reason for you to drive under the influence,” he said. “We have to find ways to reduce the amount of risks that students get themselves in to.” Originally, there was going to be one route on campus, but the SGA soon realized an additional need. “We decided to do one route that covered the north side of campus, but then we thought about the students on the south side of campus, living in places such as Burke, Tutwiler and the sorority houses, and we decided
on two routes in order to cover them also,” said Falkenburg. Ralph Clayton, assistant director of Transportation Services, said he and his colleagues try to make the transit system as efficient as possible. “We strive to be efficient, but, of course, there are variables that we can’t control such as traffic and things like that, but we value the students’ opinions, and we welcome ways to make our transit system better,” he said. This service, which is being equally funded by the SGA, UA’s department of Financial Affairs and Transportation Services, will run for a month serving as the initiative’s pilot program.
See BUS, page 2
Hackers target Alabama Newly-created Bama Memes websites in protest of bill page takes Facebook by storm By Kris Mitchell Contributing Writer The redacted names and confidential information of 500 Alabama residents were posted online last weekend by a group of hacker activists known as Anonymous. Anonymous leaked the stolen information, including social security numbers, addresses and phone numbers. “This confidential information should not have been on the World Wide Web,” said Eugene Syriani, an assistant professor of computer science. “Hackers will usually impersonate someone’s computer, but they don’t have to physically use that person’s computer.” In a statement, Anonymous said it did not plan to use the information, and it also claimed to have the redacted records of 46,000 other Alabama residents. Anonymous said it posted the information to protest “recent racist legislation in an attempt to punish immigrants as criminals.” “I think it’s a newer form of protest,” said Richard C. Fording, professor of political science. Fording explained that Alabama has seen er • Plea s
er • Plea
ap
— Anonymous, in a press release
many protests of its illegal immigration bill. “Many religious groups have also protested the illegal immigration bill,” he said. Monica Anderson is an assistant professor of computer science by day and a mage in World of Warcraft by night. “My husband and I tried to make our a son a healer,” Anderson said. “But it didn’t work out.” Her husband also plays as a virtual warrior. His WoW account was hacked, and hackers looted years’ worth of digital goods. “My understanding of hacking, there’s two ways,” Anderson said. “There’s brute force, and there’s social engineering.”
See HACKERS, page 2
p
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This release is only meant to show the citizens of the state of Alabama the amount of incompetence that is taking place within the state government in Alabama.
INSIDE today’s paper
By Jordan Cissell Staff Reporter jrcissell@crimson.ua.edu As of Wednesday night, the Bama Memes Facebook page had more than 2,000 “likes.” However, by the time this sentence hits your retina, this tally will surely be an underestimation of the true number of students following the page. Since its creation Friday night by sophomores Billy Swift, Trae Story, Hunter Story and Chris Wilhelm, Bama Memes has attracted new Facebook fans and contributors at an explosive pace, and the trajectory shows no signs of faltering anytime soon. Internet memes are stock photos paired with humorous or satirical text, usually intended to provide social commentary. Max Dolensky, a Bama Memes contributor and freshman majoring in management information systems and music composition, feels imagery is key to memes’ widespread appeal. “Memes can be used to make points or jokes that just aren’t as funny in plain text,” he said. Contributors to the Bama Memes page create graphics specifically geared toward the often humorous and sometimes aggravating aspects of student life in the University of Alabama community.
Briefs ........................2
Sports .......................8
Opinions ...................4
Puzzles......................9
Lifestyles....................7
Classifieds .................9
WEATHER today
Bama Memes Example of a Bama Meme created by UA students.
Co-creator Swift, majoring in computer science, feels Bama Memes’ direct connection to its audience’s shared experiences has been imperative to the page’s seemingly overnight success.
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ON THE CALENDAR TODAY
FRIDAY
What: Technical & Engineering Career Fair
Where: Sellers Auditorium, Bryant Conference Center
What: Coffee Hour
What: Dance Alabama!
Where: 121 B.B. Comer Hall
Where: Morgan Auditorium
When: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
When: 2 p.m.
What: Habitat for Humanity
What: Miss UA pageant
When: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
VIDEO:
Brush with Kindness
What: What is your Iden-
CRIMSON CAFE
Where: Ferguson Plaza, Fer-
tity? Going Beyond Black and White.
The Crimson White talks to the Crimson Cafe owners about their second reopening in the past year.
guson Student Center
Where: 232 Ferguson Student When: 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.
What: Regional Science What: Crimson in Green: An
Where: Ferguson Center
What: Radiohead Tribute Con-
Where: 205 Gorgas Library
When: All Day
cert with Jazz Chamber Music
When: 1 to 6 p.m.
When: 7:30 p.m.
Submit your events to calendar@cw.ua.edu
Victor Luckerson editor-in-chief editor@cw.ua.edu
ON THE MENU LAKESIDE LUNCH
DINNER
Grilled Jerk Chicken Turnip Greens Yellow Rice Fresh Steamed Carrots Rocky Road Brownies Fiesta Pasta (Vegetarian)
Cajun Roasted Pork Loin with Bigarade Sauce Cumin Black Beans Turnip Greens Chicken Noodle Soup Greek Gyro Sandwich Fiesta Pasta (Vegetarian)
Malcolm Cammeron community manager outreach@cw.ua.edu Ashley Chaffin lifestyles editor Marquavius Burnett sports editor SoRelle Wyckoff opinions editor letters@cw.ua.edu John Davis chief copy editor Jessie Hancock design editor Evan Szczepanski graphics editor Drew Hoover photo editor Tyler Crompton web editor Daniel Roth multimedia editor Tray Smith special projects editor
ADVERTISING Emily Richards 348-8995 Advertising Manager cwadmanager@gmail.com Will DeShazo Territory Manager 348-2598 Classified Manager 348-7355 Coleman Richards Special Projects Manager osmspecialprojects@gmail.com Lauren Aylworth 348-8042 Creative Services Manager Tori Hall 348-8742 Greg Woods 348-8054 Chloe Ledet 348-6153 Robert Clark 348-2670 Emily Diab 348-6875 Jessica West 348-8735 Mallory McKenzie osmspecialprojects2@gmail.com 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 35403-2389. 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 © 2012 by The Crimson White and protected under the “Work Made for Hire” and “Periodical Publication” categories of the U.S. copyright laws. Material herein may not be reprinted without the expressed, written permission of The Crimson White.
Olympiad
Alabama Energy Forum
EDITORIAL
Taylor Holland news editor newsdesk@cw.ua.edu
When: 7 to 9 p.m.
Where: Moody Music Building
P.O. Box 870170 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 Newsroom: 348-6144 | Fax: 348-8036 Advertising: 348-7845 Classifieds: 348-7355
Will Tucker assistant managing editor wjtucker1@gmail.com
Where: Bama Theater
When: 12:45 to 4:30 p.m.
Center
Page 2A• Thursday, February 16, 2012
Jonathan Reed managing editor jonathanreedcw@gmail.com
SATURDAY
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Burke Steak Mashed Potatoes Sauteed Mushrooms Steamed Peas Chili Cheese Fries Garbanzo Bean Cakes (Vegetarian)
ON THE RADAR
WASHINGTON – Nuclear a d va n c e s trumpeted Wednesday by Iran were not unexpected and their announcement may have been driven by domestic Iranian politics, but they still could add to tensions over that country’s nuclear program, U.S. officials and experts said. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the country had installed 3,000 new centrifuges for processing nuclear fuel, had for the first time successfully installed Iranian-produced fuel rods in a research reactor, and would embark next year on the production of yellow cake, a concentrated powder made from uranium ore and used in the enrichment process. At the same time, Iran said that it would end oil sales to six European nations if they refuse to sign long-term contracts and move to implement an embargo on Iranian oil scheduled to take effect in July. “We do not have any problem in terms of finding customers for our oil and selling it to other countries,” the state-run news agency quoted a Foreign Ministry official, Hassan Tajik, as saying after meeting separately with the ambassadors of France, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Greece. Iranian media portrayed the nuclear developments as showing that Iran has mastered the process that transforms uranium ore into low-enriched uranium, the fuel that powers nucle-
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ON CAMPUS
Iranʼs newest nuclear advances could stoke tensions From MCTcampus
Beef Pot Roast Grilled Strip Steak Mashed Potatoes Chicken Fajita Pizza Roasted Vegetables Baked Potato with Chili (Vegetarian)
ar reactors. The same process also produces highly enriched uranium for nuclear weapons. But David Albright, a former U.N. nuclear inspector who heads the Washingtonbased Institute for Science and International Security, said that “none of these (announcements) are a surprise.” Other analysts pointed out that they came just two weeks before parliamentary polls and may be part of a bid by Ahmadinejad to boost his loyalists against archconservative candidates loyal to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with whom Ahmadinejad has had a serious split. “Iranians have endured tremendous hardships as a result of their government’s nuclear intransigence, and the regime has to show to the public that there have been some benefits,” said Karim Sadjadpour of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, referring to international sanctions slapped on Iran for defying U.N. demands to halt its nuclear program. The Obama administration also saw Ahmadinejad’s announcements as aimed at diverting popular attention from the impact of U.N., U.S. and European Union sanctions, which have begun choking Iran’s access to hard cash and forced the devaluation of the Iranian rial. “What’s clear is that Iran is under more pressure from sanctions than ever before,” said White House spokesman Jay Carney.
Miss UA pageant comes to Bama Theater Saturday Twenty-one contestants will compete for the Miss University of Alabama title this Saturday at 7 p.m. Participating students will compete in categories such as swimsuit/physical fitness, talent, evening wear and onstage questions. The winner will receive a full tuition scholarship, book scholarships and additional gifts. Miss University of
Summer maintenance work planned for Paty Hall Maintenance work will be done at Paty Hall over the summer break, Tim Leopard, assistant vice president for construction, said. “We are going to be bringing things up to codes and standards like elevators, air conditioning systems,” Leopard said. “This doesn’t affect rooms or anything.” To minimize the impact on students, the work will be done over the summer, Leopard said. Eric Marable, a freshman majoring in theatre,
Spring 2 registration is open through Feb. 17. Students can pick up extra hours in this shorter semester. Spring 2 classes, many of which are offered online, begin Feb. 13 and
HACKERS
Continued from page 1 Brute force, as its name implies, is a method in which hackers crack into a security system by using special computer software that tries every possible password until it succeeds. Social engineering is commonly understood to mean the art of manipulating people into performing actions or divulging confidential information. Although Anonymous has yet to reveal how it hacked into the Alabama computer systems, hackers often exploit security flaws using these methods.
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said he feels like people often put negative connotations on Paty and say it needs to be torn down but they just need to check it out. “The rooms may smell funny, but it’s a dorm full of guys, and guys smell,” Marable said. “I feel like they give us a bad reputation. If people took the time and check us out, they wouldn’t put us on the bottom of the barrel. When you actually live there, you see that it’s a community.”
Spring 2 registration open through Friday
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Alabama acts as a preliminary round to the Miss Alabama and Miss America competitions held later this year. The event will be held at the Bama Theatre, and tickets are $12 for adults, $8 for stu dents and $5 for children and can be purchased in the lobby that evening or from one of the partici pating contestants.
Tuscaloosa: Hillcrest: Northport:
(205) 759-4711 (205) 343-6449 (205) 339-7071
end with the regular semester. To register, students can log in to mybama.ua.edu and link to course options by clicking on the Spring 2 logo.
“Most people have bad passwords,” Anderson said. There are standards on password security. Passwords should be longer than eight characters, avoid words in the dictionary and should use symbols and numbers, she said. “The same password shouldn’t be used for multiple websites,” Anderson said, but admitted that she has broken the rule for a few websites. The University of Alabama is not safe from cyber security issues, either. “I know there was a security breach at the University,” Fording said. “We had a faculty meeting about how to keep stu-
BUS
Continued from page 1 The University has been very supportive and willing to help this program, Clayton said. Falkenburg said that if the ridership numbers show sustainable usage, Linda Gilbert, vice president of financial affairs, has agreed that Financial Affairs would fund the bus service in it’s entirety for the fall and spring semesters. “My hope is that we show great ridership, so that, maybe in the fall, we can have some more stops and some more buses so that we can keep our efficiency up,” he said. Although Downtown Express will soon be up and running, during the beginning stages of the program some were skeptical about how successful it would be in light of a past failure. “This idea has been tried before, and it wasn’t successful,” Falkenburg said. A past SGA administration tried to get a similar service started a few years ago called the E-Bus [Entertainment Bus], but the routes didn’t stick to
dents’ information safe.” According to a statement by Director Spencer Collier, the Alabama Department of Homeland Security is running a forensic analysis to find the culprits. “I doubt it’s possible to catch Anonymous,” Anderson said. “I don’t condone what they’re doing, but I’m glad they’re pointing out these flaws.” PROTECT YOUR PASSWORD Make it longer than eight characters Avoid words in the dictionary Use symbols and numbers Don’t use the same password for multiple websites
on-campus locations, and students had to pay with Bama Cash in order to use its services, Falkenburg said. “We really just had to show them why Downtown Express would be a success and how this time would be different from last time,” he said. Because of the success of the Downtown Urban Renewal Project, downtown Tuscaloosa has been revitalized, Calderone said. “I believe that the changes in the downtown area will help make the difference between the success of the E-Bus and the Downtown Express,” he said. Many local businesses are on board and are willing to help make Downtown Express a success, and the SGA Judicial Board will be playing games and giving out prizes tonight, such as gift certificates and free meals at downtown businesses, to the students who utilize Downtown Express, Falkenburg said. There is also a UA App available for students to download, called Transloc, that will track the buses so that students will have an idea of how close or far away the bus is.
The Crimson White
NEWS
Thursday, February 16, 2012
3A
Bentley focuses on jobs, education in address By Andy McWhorter Contributing Writer Wayne Urban, associate director of the Education Policy Center at the University of Alabama, said the plan Gov. Robert Bentley presented in last week’s State of the State speech for education policy might not be what the state needs. The plan includes protection of certain programs, more local control, increased parent choice and the creation of charter schools, whose absence many cited as the cause of Alabama’s finish in last place for the federal Race to the Top program. “The chance of the legislation passing is quite good,” Urban said. “The chances of its improving the educational outlook of Alabama are significantly lower than the chances of its passing. “Some in Alabama believe that having charter schools increases the chances of future federal funding. I am not sure if the governor believes this. Rather, I think he sees it as one
“The chance of the legislation passing is quite good. The chances of its improving the educational outlook of Alabama are significantly lower than the chances of its passing.” — Wayne Urban
Gov. Robert Bentley justification for charter schools, which he wants. Not having charter schools is not the only, or even the most important, reason that Alabama didn’t get Race to the Top funding.” Urban also said he feels skeptical about Bentley’s proposed School Flexibility Act of 2012, which would give more decision making ability to local school boards. “I don’t think the problems in Alabama – poor funding, poor achievement, poor graduation
rates, insufficient respect and remuneration for teachers – have much to do with local control,” Urban said. “They are, largely, statewide problems, dependent, I would think, more on statewide policy improvements than on local involvement.” The 2012 legislative session of the Alabama State Legislature officially convened at noon on Feb. 7, the day of Bentley’s address. It remains to be seen whether or not the legislature will follow Bentley’s lead and pass his education reform proposals. Bentley also heavily addressed job creation and the Alabama economy. “I’m pleased to report that since we took office, 41,000 more Alabamians are work-
New book: Ayn Rand hates American ideals By Jasmine Cannon Senior Staff Reporter jmcannon@crimson.ua.edu George Kelley has written a book bringing more attention to last year’s tornado destruction across the country. His latest work was released last year and is titled “Ayn Rand Hates Tuscaloosa… (And You Too Joplin!)” Kelley made a visit to the Capstone Monday to talk about his book at the UA College Democrats general assembly. “I thought [Kelley] illustrated some interesting points,” said Robert Chirstl, a sophomore majoring in political science and history. “The correlations he drew between Ayn Rand’s philosophy and the GOP resonated with me. The Republican Party has become a vehicle for big business to manipulate policy to favor its own agenda. Kelley successfully identified what I see to be the Republican strategy - a fusion of conservative social values with conservative economic ideas in an attempt to divide the middle and lower class.” Kelley’s book has riled up some Republicans. The book refers to the ideas of Ayn Rand, who’s known by some as America’s most controversial individualist. Born in Russia, Rand was a well-known novelist and philosopher whose ideals were centered on objectivism. Rand died in 1982. All of her books are still in print, and her sales have totaled more than 25 million. As stated on aynrand.org, “her vision of man and her philosophy for living on earth have changed the lives of thousands of readers and launched a philosophic movement with a growing impact on American culture.” Kelley wrote Rand’s way of approaching American living and her values were essentially one-sided or selfish. “These values are of Ayn Rand, and she lives thirty years after her death in the policies of the once-great Republican Party,” he stated. “Ayn Rand preaches no need to love your neighbor and demanded the individual live only for himself.”
It’s time to realize who Ayn Rand was, what she believed and how those thoughts corrupt our country to the detriment of those who vote into power her disciples. Ayn Rand hates America. — George Kelley
According to Kelley, residents of Tuscaloosa and Joplin were in need of help from the government after tornadoes tore through the cities, but they did not realize that some of their elected officials are forfeiting providing assistance for “neighbors to help neighbors.” Kelley’s book has gotten positive reviews on Amazon.com, and students feel it presents interesting findings and highlights important issues. “I found the title of the book intriguing and decided to give it a try,” one Amazon purchaser said. “I was pleasantly surprised at the level of detailed research the author has done and, at the same time, how he injected a level of humor and wit that kept me glued to this book for hours.” “When economic times become difficult and our government forces onto the population austerity cuts, what gets cut?” Christl said. “Important programs such as disaster relief for places like Tuscaloosa. Just look at the comments made by Republican House majority leader Eric Cantor after Joplin. Cantor said that the U.S. could not afford to help Joplin with federal money unless we looked to make cuts from other programs. This is what I got from Kelley. Rand’s philosophy has changed the GOP for the worse, and as a result, all the rest of us hurt.” “It’s time to realize who Ayn Rand was, what she believed and how those thoughts corrupt our country to the detriment of those who vote into power her disciples. Ayn Rand hates America,” Kelley wrote. “America would be better off hating her back.” Kelley’s book can be purchased on amazon.com.
ing,” Bentley said. “We have recruited over 13,000 new, future jobs to Alabama. International companies from India, Germany and Japan and right here in the United States are investing more than 3.2 billion dollars in our state and in our people.” Professor Richard C. Fording, chair of the political science department at the University of Alabama, said Bentley’s focus on jobs in his address makes sense because of the success his administration has found in that field. “There does seem to be agreement that the numbers that he’s talking about are accurate,” Fording said. “There does seem to be agreement that he’s been successful in that field.” Bentley and Fording agree
CUBA
that the reasons for this success lie in Alabama’s focus on attracting business, despite stiff competition from other states. “We’ve done this, despite facing tough competition from other states, and with limited ability to offer incentives to businesses,” Bentley said. “There’s a lot of competition from other states, but we do offer, I think, here in Alabama, an attractive environment because of the lower costs associated with locating here, along with the tax incentives,” Fording said. Notably absent from Bentley’s discussion of job creation was any mention of the controversial HB 56, also known as the Alabama Immigration Law, which supporters have claimed helped lower Alabama’s unemployment rate. Fording said that while Bentley could have claimed some credit from the law, its political backlash kept him away from it. “I think he avoided it because it’s not at the top of his agenda,”
Continued from page 1
that they could only be sent to the remitter’s immediate family.” Olin explains that by the time the group was comfortable enough to do a student exchange, the regulations were so tight that there were only four universities still doing it. Alabama was one of them. “To its great credit, the University of Alabama did not stop their program,” Murphy said. “If anything, we strengthened the program. And the academics down there in Cuba remember that.” Since 2009, the University has had a study abroad program active in Cuba, which is available for students, regardless of major. “The Cuban government, they feel the number one institution that they feel the strongest and most reliable ties in the whole United States is the University of Alabama.” Olin said. “It’s funny, if you’re walking along the street and someone asks you where you’re from, and you say the United States, they say ‘Oh, you must be from Alabama.’”
“I arrived to UA in the fall of 2000 as dean of Arts and Sciences,” Olin said. “Getting to know the 23 departments, it struck me how many members of the faculty had interactions with Cuba.” Stan Murphy, a Tuscaloosa attorney and the former senior counsel for the University of Alabama System, was also instrumental in getting the program off the ground. “The Cubans recognize the University of Alabama as one of the most premier Cuban relationship schools that they have, including Harvard, North Carolina and American University. We are in a very select group.” Murphy said. “It’s something that distinguishes us from most of the other schools in the United States.” Murphy was tasked with getting the program its first license to travel to Cuba, which required months of working with the Treasury Department. He also organized the first exploratory trip to the nation in 2002, a visit that Olin attended. Since that time, under the umbrella of the College of Arts and Sciences, the program has sent over 150 faculty members who have interacted with some form of scholarship in Cuba. “We’ve sent dancers, theatre people, archeologists, plant biologists, book artists, all kinds of people,” Olin said. The program was originally designed as a faculty-based operation, but Olin explained that the University of Havana kept asking where the Alabama students were.
Learning from the Cubans
Government pushback
The program works with many different organizations, but the University of Havana coordinates the majority of its operations. Alabama also works with the ministry of culture and the Cuban health system. Seth Panitch, the associate professor of Acting and the head of the MFA and undergraduate Acting programs at the Capstone, recently took a troupe of student actors to Cuba. His group worked through the initiative and collaborated with the Cuban Ministry of Culture. He has been leading Alabama theatre students to Cuba since 2007. “The experience of seeing another culture work on the same techniques as you is invaluable,” Panitch said. “To be able to see it wholly through their eyes opens up a wide range of possibilities for their own development.” Panitch also said to see the dedication that the Cuban actors
Disaster struck the fledging group in June of 2004. According to a State Department memo from the period, President George W. Bush “restricted family and educational travel, eliminated the category of fully-hosted travel and restricted remittances so
Fording said. “He could have claimed some credit for it, but the fact that he avoided bragging about it shows that it’s a political hot potato for him, and he doesn’t want to go there if he doesn’t have to.” Bentley went on to promise that he wouldn’t raise taxes on Alabama families, while also promising that he would protect funding in a few key areas, including the Department of Public Safety and the Department of Human Resources. Bentley also promised that he would not cut any funding from the Department of Corrections. “I will oppose any effort to raise taxes on Alabama families, and I will veto any tax increase,” Bentley said. “We will not cut one penny from the Department of Corrections. Not one single prisoner will be set free due to a lack of funds.” Fording believes that Bentley’s promises might go unheeded by the legislature. “Just because he doesn’t propose raising taxes doesn’t mean the legislature won’t,” Fording said.
have when they are under far more difficulty than American actors reminds Alabama students how fortunate they are and raises their own level of devotion to personal development.
Bringing change through scholarship
“The thing that the Cuban government really likes about the University of Alabama is that through thick and thin, and with a lot of red tape, regulations and headaches, we’ve continued to develop our friendship and academic exchange,” Olin said. “If you develop relationships academically, it’s a step in the right direction.” Olin has lived this credo. During his time as a mathematician student, he traveled to a few Eastern block nations during the Cold War and developed a worldview about the democratizing nature of academic exchange. Murphy said he also has a similar view about the power of communication and academic dialogue. He is an adjunct professor at the University of Alabama School of Law where he teaches higher education law. One of the principal parts of his curriculum is about academic freedom. “The U.S. legal policy towards Cuba has greatly restricted faculty members, scholars and researchers from the things that they should be able to do,” Murphy said. “Whether they are botanists or teachers of theatre or books or engineers or mathematicians, I am a great believer in the free and open exchange of views, and travel is critical to that. My personal view is that if you want to affect what goes on in another country, the best way to do that is to expose that country’s people as often as possible to your own values.” Olin recognizes that some critics around the nation don’t believe this program should exist. But he has a simple response to those people as he looks back 10 years. “As a dean, my job is to help people succeed, and this project is doing that.”
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OPINIONS
Occupy movement ineffective at achieving goals
Thursday, February 16, 2012 Editor • SoRelle Wyckoff letters@cw.ua.edu
In the past year, our global population has witnessed, through TV screens or firsthand, political revolutions that have completely changed the face of nations around the world. There was the Arab Spring, which saw Egypt, Libya, Syria and Tunisia, among others, rise up against tyrannical governments that had oppressed their liberties for so long. In European countries, including Spain, Portugal and Greece, citizens protested against the instability that has brought their nation’s governments and economies into a fight for survival. While many of these revolutions have created the change they called for, in our own country, the movement for change has been stagnant at best. And it seems that the calls for economic and political transformation will not be answered. The “Occupy Wall Street” protests, which started this past fall, have been ineffective in not only establishing and accomplishing their goals, but also in spreading their goals to everyday citizens throughout our country. While the Arab Spring had the support of a large majority of the involved
nation’s population, OWS has struggled to find the national support needed to be successful. Many across our nation agree that change in leadership is needed in Washington and that changes need to be made in order for our nation to continue to be a world leader. The Occupy movement is still seen by onlookers as anything from radical to just a group of lazy, unemployed citizens. So, why has this movement, compared especially to the Arab Spring, failed to create the resistance needed for change to occur? On Dec. 17, 2010, the Tunisian Revolution began with the act of one man. Mohamed Bouazizi, a Tunisian street vendor, whom after years of mistreatment by government officials, lit himself on fire in front of a government
office. This act of self-immolation by Bouazizi prompted a revolution that led to the then Tunisian president to step down less than a month later after 23 years in office. This was not only the beginning of change for the government and people of Tunisia but also the start of what is now known as the Arab Spring. Though Bouazizi may not have known it at the time, his act would become the catalyst for revolutions across the Middle East and North Africa, leading to the toppling of three dictators and large transformations to occur in the region’s politics. While I’m not encouraging members of the Occupy Wall Street movement to begin lighting themselves on fire in front of the New York Stock Exchange, some type of action is needed by them to show that they are serious and passionate about change being made. While they set up their tent communities in cities across America and make claims against big business and its effect on politics, their claims fall on deaf ears without actions to give validity to their movement. Looking back to our nation’s first revolution, against the
British government’s control over the American colonies, revolutionaries made it clear through their actions that they were not going to give up until independence was achieved. A prime example the OWS could take some notes from is one that all of us have learned about since elementary school. The Boston Tea Party, led by colonial revolutionaries in response to taxation by the British government, was the action needed to spark change and show that they were not going to back down from their demands. OWS’s demands are similar to those of our forefathers; they want independence from what they see as unfair, unjust actions against the citizens of our nation. But instead of leading a charge against the corporations that they speak against, they use their Apple Macbooks and iPhones to express their ideas over Facebook while drinking Starbucks coffee. If they want to create the change in which they seek, why not follow the actions of those Americans before us and hit their opponents where it hurts – in their wallets. The efforts by the OWS are going to continue to be ineffective without any real
MCTcampus
action. It is easy for our nation’s leaders, both in politics and in the business world, to continue to disregard the cries of the movement when they aren’t being truly affected by the current actions being taken. The Occupy movement as a whole needs to take a step back and consider what goals they hold the most dear, then think about how they can achieve real change through garnering more support and making those they fight against realize they’re serious about the change that they seek.
Brad Tipper is a sophomore majoring in political science and economics. His column runs biweekly on Thursdays.
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{ YOUR VIEW } (WEB COMMENTS) In response to: Birth control debate about health, not premarital sex
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Campus-wide smoking ban not realistic for UA By Stephen Allen Some SGA officials are looking to put a ban on smoking on campus. They cite a variety of reasons, from health concerns to the nuisance of smoking to the fact that it is damaging to the paint of many of the buildings on campus. Smoking is a harmful activity, so why not ban it? I say that the unintended consequences and the difficulty that implementing this rule would pose are good reasons not to ban smoking on campus. First, I am a non-smoker. I have no skin in this debate. I am still a bit concerned that the SGA may make a bad move. I could go on and on about how it bugs me that the SGA, or anyone else, would tell me what I can and cannot do with my own body. However, I think the pragmatic case against
or the University going to effectively police every inch of the UA campus to make sure no one is taking a smoke break? It is not as if thousands of students addicted to nicotine are going to suddenly quit smoking or refrain for several hours a day (or the whole day, if they live on campus) simply because the SGA banned smoking. If you police the streets, people will smoke behind buildings or in their rooms where they cannot be caught. And if they smoke in their rooms, this leaves a lingering and unpleasant smell in the residence halls that the University and future students will have to contend with. Just as bad, in my opinion, CW | Sarah Papadelias would be the fact that the ban would be enforced to some small a ban is more compelling. The first and most obvious extent. Thousands of students problem with a ban on smoking would continue to smoke on camis enforcement. How is the SGA pus, but probably only a handful
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TWEET AT US
By Charlotte Brown In my business ethics class last week, we explored Rawls’ principle and the concept of veiled ignorance. My professor handed each of us a note card and told us to keep it face down. He then instructed us to take out a sheet of paper on which we would answer a series of yes or no questions. We were making decisions as to whether or not we wanted certain things to be allowed or provided in a society we were creating. It asked whether or not we would have things such as civil rights, unemployment benefits, gay rights, a welfare system, capital punishment, a flat tax system, the right to an abortion, etc.
After everyone completed the answers, we turned over the note cards to find out who we were in that society. For some class members, the answers they wrote down dramatically impacted the well being of their life in that society. How different would those answers have been had they known the person on the other side of the card? What if nobody knew who he or she would be in a society when they were setting the standards? It made me think: What if the University of Alabama could be that future society? What if we, as students, were responsible for writing a code of ethics for UA? What would our University look like if students had to decide what the rules
Stephen Allen is a freshman majoring in electrical engineering.
and principles of our campus would be before they knew who they would be on campus? What rules would you create? What practices would you put in place? What if you had no clue which organizations you would join? What if you didn’t know whether or not you were male or female, black or white, out-of-state or international, A&S or C&BA, greek house legacy or first generation student, Christian or Muslim? What if you didn’t know if you would hold a leadership position in Spectrum, NPHC or SGA? What ideals would you want our campus to embody? What would be the governing principles that we all decide to abide by? Think about the rules you
would want in place if you didn’t know your fate. Think about what you want our campus to be, what our campus should be in order to give a fair chance to everyone. As the SGA election season comes into full swing, I think the above questions are more important than ever. As students, we have the opportunity to evaluate candidates based on the values we think our campus should aspire to uphold. Blonde or brunette, pearls or TOMS, cargo shorts or Costas – our campus should provide equal opportunities for all students. This is not to say that pearls can’t be worn with TOMS or that cargo shorts and Costas can’t go hand in hand.
We should learn to appreciate and respect the needs of those outside of our social circles. When choosing an SGA candidate, we should consider who has these ideals in mind; someone who will embody a culture of understanding and acceptance. Just like Rawls’ principle, I want our campus leaders to consider what is best for the student body as a whole and not give priority to their personal interests and interests of groups with which they are associated. What kind of society do you want to live in?
Charlotte Brown is a senior majoring in marketing and management.
THIS WEEK IN SOCIAL MEDIA TWEETS OF THE WEEK Crimson Cafe is reopening on the Strip. What’s your favorite restaurant on University Blvd?
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@UADennyChimes: I say to fix our current basketball problem @ KingJames retires from the NBA, enrolls at #alabama & walks on for the next 4 years #dynasty
— Nicole Hubbard, senior majoring in public relations
@kamikazii: “definitely anything BUT crimson café. Mediocre food and rude service. #elrincon takes my vote. At least they smile there :)” — Kamilah Marks, senior majoring in social work
TRENDING IN TUSCALOOSA #UABasketball
@Pmusic45: If players keep getting suspended at this rate, we aren’t going to have any left #uabasketball
@danyelkneecoal: “Nothing or anybody is coming close to that Phils sauce at Buffalo Phills!!! SORRY!!!”
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always find yourself when you are stuck inhaling large amounts of smoke. For me, it is always at the bus stops where when one person is smoking (as they frequently are), all the others at the stop must sit there and inhale all the carcinogens the person is breathing out on them. Instead of a campus-wide ban on smoking, it should be banned at bus stops. This way, it is enforceable, as officers could focus on a relatively small number of focal points. It will likely also be obeyed and will force smoking to occur in more wideopen areas where the concentration of smoke will not cause passing bystanders to choke on their own breath. I think this should work well enough for everybody.
Students must determine values of our community
EDITORIAL BOARD Victor Luckerson Editor Jonathan Reed Managing Editor Will Tucker Assistant Managing Editor SoRelle Wyckoff Opinions Editor John Davis Chief Copy Editor Drew Hoover Photo Editor Sarah Massey Magazine Art Director
would ever be caught and punished. Those who are caught and punished would not be flagrant offenders but simply those who were just unlucky and smoking in the wrong place at the wrong time. Rules such as this, ones that cannot be fully enforced, have been struck down by the Supreme Court when they have taken the form of federal law. A smoking ban on a single public university is a far cry from tyranny, but the idea that a rule that cannot be evenly applied to all people should not be applied to anyone is applicable to even a simple smoking ban. There is a compromise that would be much more easily enforced and go a long way to helping fight the health hazard and nuisance problem that secondhand smoke creates. Think and try to remember where you
Trees blooming around the quad remind us that spring is on its way! Share your photos and news at mycrimsonwhite.tumblr.com/submit.
@AjWalley: How to score points by the #alabamabasketball team #ThinnestSportsBooks
Tide hopes to go out with a bang By Rodmehr Rahimizadeh Contributing Writer The Alabama women’s basketball team will host the seventh-ranked Kentucky Wildcats tonight in one of its two final home games of the 2011 season. In the teams’ first meeting, the Crimson Tide fought back from a 25-point halftime deficit to lose 82-68 in Lexington. Junior guard Meghan Perkins said the team is ready for the rematch. “This is a second chance for us to do everything right that we did wrong last time,” Perkins said. “The coaches have been watching film, and we’ve been working on things we need to work on.” The Tide’s 1-11 conference record makes the game even more important in turning around a less-thanaverage season. Head coach Wendell Hudson said a win over a top-10 team would be huge for both morale and momentum going into next season. “These last four games are extremely important in transitioning into next season and the outcome of this season,” Hudson said. Neither team has a significant size advantage over one another, and the game may come down to guard play. The Tide is led by guards Perkins and Jasmine Robinson. Perkins and Robinson have averaged 9.4 and 11.1 points per game this season, respectively. Hudson said the key to winning for the Tide will be keeping its
“This is a second chance for us to do everything right that we did wrong last time. The coaches have been watching film, and we’ve been working on things we need to work on.” — Meghan Perkins
SPORTS
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
star guards out of foul trouble. “With the limited amount of players that we have, we can’t afford to get into foul trouble,” Hudson said. With the loss of Ericka Russell due to injuries and the overall lack of depth on the roster, it will be largely up to the starting five to play smart basketball. “We’re capable of beating them, we just need to stay out of foul trouble,” Perkins said on the key to victory. On top of focusing on this game, the Tide is thinking about the future and ending the season on a positive note. A win against Kentucky would be seen as another step closer to the Tide gaining momentum for the rest of the CW | Pete Pajor season and into next year. As long as the starters can stay out of foul trou- Alabamaʼs Jasmine Robinson cuts between two LSU defenders for a layup. ble, the Crimson Tide can finish the season on a strong note. For Hudson, the season hinged “We always look forward to the pink on Alabama’s shooting ability. meet because it’s so awesome to take “We just had a missed layup here the focus off ourselves and put it on the Continued from page 1 and a missed shot there,” Hudson people who really deserve it,” Priess said. “And we’re not too far away from “It’s fun for everyone. You can use said. “I feel very blessed to be an ambaswinning and finishing a couple more it as an opportunity to create aware- sador to inspire women.” games.” The meet will be no walk in the park, ness,” Patterson said. “The ladies are painting their cars pink on the windows however. Arkansas brings the No. 5 team in the to encourage students to come to the meet. They’ll wear pink. I’ll be in pink country to Coleman Coliseum to challenge the unbeaten Tide. all week.” The Razorbacks have three losses on Alabama has come to embrace the pink. The Tide is 16-0 when wear- the season, but all came to top teams ing pink, including three wins against and in meets in which Arkansas posted Florida, Arkansas and Auburn. The scores of 196.700, 196.175 and 195.875 gymnasts say that, while it is just (Alabama scored a 196.000 last week another meet, there is an extra element against Kentucky last weekend, in a to competing for more than just their win). Patterson gave the team two days team. “For me, it’s an honor, as a female ath- off of practice this week – the first time lete, to be able to give back to this issue she’s done that all season – to give her and to promote it through a gymnastics athletes extra time to rest up before a meet that we love to do already,” junior big meet. But all of the festivities surAshley Sledge said. “It really just takes rounding the meet just give the team the pressure off of us. It’s more of a joy extra fuel when it returns to practice. “I think they feed off of each other,” that you get to compete for so many people who have survived such an illness. Patterson said. “The fun part of it and the awareness and people being excited They give me a motivation.” Senior Ashley Priess, echoed Sledge’s about it, that makes practice that much CW | Pete Pajor more fun.” sentiments. Alabama guard Jessica Merritt drives past LSU defender Theresa Plaisance.
PINK
Formerly known as the Crimson Belles and Beaus
The UA Student Recruitment Team will serve as host to prospective students and student athletes through tours, lunches, informational sessions, and gameday activities. Members of this team will provide guidance and offer insight to students and their families regarding campus life, student involvement, athletics, and the enrollment process.
MANDATORY CONVOCATION We will discuss the selction process: Wednesday, February 29 at 8:00 p.m. in 20 Alston Hall Failure to attend will result in automatic disqualification of the applicant.
APPLICATION DEADLINE FRIDAY MARCH 2 1ST ROUND INTERVIEWS: MARCH 5-7 2ND ROUND INTERVIEWS: MARCH 19-21 For more information and to download the application, please visit:
http://gobama.ua.edu/uastudentrecruitmentteam
Page 5A • Thursday, February 16, 2012 Editor • Marquavius Burnett crimsonwhitesports@ gmail.com
SPORTS this week
THURSDAY • Women’s Basketball vs. Kentucky: 6:30 p.m. in Tuscaloosa •Swimming and Diving SEC Championships: All Day in Knoxville, Tenn.
6A
Thursday, February 16, 2012
SPORTS
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Tide looks to get second win of season in match with Owls Bama to play ďŹ rst home game Friday against Rice University
The Crimson White
BASKETBALL COLUMN
Alabama basketball: Where does the Tide go from here? By Zac Al-Khateeb Assistant Sports Editor zialkhateeb@crimson.ua.edu @ZacAlKhateeb
By Chris Moran Contributing Writer
The No. 23 Crimson Tide started off the season with a 4-3 loss to No. 15 University of Texas on Jan. 28. However, they bounced back a day later with an impressive 4-1 win against the University of Arizona. Even though the Tide hasn’t played since Jan. 29, they will hope to ride that momentum into this Saturday’s matchup with Rice University. “We do have momentum going into this weekend,� head coach Jenny Mainz said. “We played with a lot of confidence and a lot of authority against Arizona. I really feel like we’ll be ready this weekend.� Although the Rice Owls are ranked No. 69 in the country, Coach Mainz said she believes they are very underrated as a women’s tennis program. “They’re good,� Mainz said. “They had a big win over LSU 5-2, they had a good win over FIU, and they’re very well coached. They’re not 69 in the country; they’re a good, solid team. It just goes back to the fact that you’ve got to prepare the same every week, and you can’t overlook anyone.� With Rice being a quality UA Athletics opponent, the Crimson Tide is focusing on every aspect of Alex Clay serves the ball ahead of the Tide’s matchup with Rice preparation for this weekend’s Coach Mainz said she has eight players that could all play match. “We’re working week to confidence in every one of her in the lineup.� With this weekend’s match week on our fine tuning,� eight players. “Alexa Guarachi has been being the first home match of Mainz said. “The way I measure our program is by how playing really well,� Mainz the season for the Tide, the much better we get each and said. “We moved her up to team is more than ready to get every week. If we’re improving number one, and she is very out and play. “We’re excited. We’ve been not just our weaknesses, but capable of playing number one. also enhancing our strengths, Mary Anne Macfarlane is a on the road for a long time, then good things are going to stout number one as well, and and we’re ready to play on our they both play with the mind- home courts,� Coach Mainz happen,� The Crimson Tide has per- set needed for that position. said. The Crimson Tide plays haps one of the best problems I’d have to say that everyone a team could have – too much is playing really well. They Rice University this Friday at all want to be here, and I have 1 p.m. depth.
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With Alabama’s loss to Florida Tuesday, it seems as if the Crimson Tide will need a miracle to make its first NCAA Tournament appearance under head coach Anthony Grant. Looking back to the start of the season, Alabama seemed destined for a return to prominence. No one expected Alabama to shock the world, but no one thought they’d be caught in the dire straits they’re in now. So, with that in mind, let’s look at the steps Bama took to get here.
Step one: the preseason hype The AP Poll had Alabama listed as the No. 19 team in the country. A look at their schedule showed Alabama had the audacity to schedule nonconference powerhouses Georgetown and Kansas State, as well as a Final Four team in VCU. The schedule seemed challenging, but it was nothing the Tide couldn’t handle. Indeed, Alabama exploded out of the gates, earning wins against its first seven opponents, including wins against VCU and first-place finish at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Tournament. With a No. 12 ranking in the AP Poll, everything seemed to be going according to plan.
Alabama won by an average of 18 points a game. Everything seemed to be back to normal.
Step four: another (big) bump in the road
Following its five-game win streak, Alabama hit another huge roadblock on the season, losing four straight conference games. At first, it seemed acceptable, as they fell to talented teams in Vanderbilt, Mississippi State and Kentucky. A fourth-straight loss to a mediocre South Carolina team, however, revealed that the losses weren’t so much a testament to their opponents’ talent, but to the Tide’s own shortcomings as a team.
Step ďŹ ve: a new hope
Alabama was, once again, able to overcome a skid in its schedule to win its next three games, all in the SEC. Again, the teams were nothing to write home about, but after losing four straight games, the Tide would take all the wins it could. With the regular season winding down, Alabama needed to bolster its NCAA Tournament resume any way it could.
Step two: the disillusionment
Step six: When it rains, it freakin’ pours
Then came the Georgetown Hoyas. Entering the game, no one had found the blueprint for beating Alabama. Exiting the game, the entire nation found the game plan to defeat the Tide: Take away the inside, and force the team to make shots. They weren’t able to. Alabama lost a close one in Tuscaloosa, 57-55, but was unable to recover for weeks. Following the loss to Georgetown, Alabama lost three of its next four.
Suspensions to heavy contributors Tony Mitchell, JaMychal Green, Trevor Releford and Andrew Steele led to an improbable 67-58 loss to the LSU Tigers in Baton Rouge, a team Alabama had beaten by 16 earlier in the season. Though Grant allowed Releford and Steele to play against Florida, it simply wasn’t enough. Florida crushed the Tide and sent it reeling into the remaining of its schedule. This time, Alabama had no answers.
Step three: the rebound
Step seven: pending
After what seemed like merely a skid in its schedule, Alabama was able to recuperate and win its next five games, including two in the SEC. The teams weren’t overly talented, but that’s not what mattered to Tide fans. The only thing that mattered was that Alabama got back to winning. Over the five-game stretch,
This is where the season will be won or lost for Alabama. The Tide still has a chance to salvage its season if it wins the remainder of its schedule. And if they make it happen, it certainly won’t be according to plan. But then again, when has anything gone according to plan this season?
The Crimson White
7A
LIFESTYLES
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Birmingham Fashion Week features students By Ebony Jones Contributing Writer
The second annual Birmingham Fashion Week kicked off on Thursday, Feb. 8 and ended with a grand finale Saturday night, Feb. 12. The show took place in downtown Birmingham at The Pepper Place. Fe a t u r e d designers Christopher Collins, Lauren Leonard and Jeff Garner debuted pieces from their new collections. Emerging designers from The University of Alabama campus, including Mandi Faulk, Lindsay Cornelson, Shannon Warren, Kelsey Carnes and more were featured. “After many months of preparation, to see my designs come to life on the runway is another level of amazing,”
said Kelly Druce, a junior majoring in textile design who also had the opportunity to showcase her designs in the BFW fashion show Friday night. Guests beat the winter weather in their faux furs and gathered under the heated white tent where the show took place each day. Designers, stylists, retailers, models, boutiques and other Birmingham residents all came together to celebrate fashion, as well as raise money. Supported charities included Camp Smile A Mile, a camp to help children diagnosed with cancer, and Alabama Forever, a storm relief to communities in Alabama. Birmingham Fashion Week was created a year ago by former Project Runway contestant Heidi Elnora. Today,
Elnora designs classic southern weddings dresses for brides around the world. A collection of her bridal gowns were displayed on Saturday, Feb. 11 during Bridal Day. On Saturday, brides from all over gathered to see top wedding day fashions from Bella Couture, The Clothes Tree, Kathy G. & Company and even Mr. Burch formal wear for men. The first 100 brides lined up to receive a swag bag, which consisted of many wedding day items. Styles included one-shouldered necklines with an encrusted broach, low-ruched floor length dresses, diamond accents along the waist, sweetheart necklines, short teacup-style wedding dresses and draped coral and navy bridesmaids’ dresses. Up and coming trends head-
lined BFW’s nightlife. Leopard prints, magentas, neutrals and stripes paired with yellows all ruled the runway. The 2012 emerging designer winner Megan Kaple was thrilled to see her hard work take home the title. Like last year’s emerging designer winner, recent graduate William Bradley, Kaple is a UA student majoring in textile design and stated that a trip to Italy for a drawing class inspired her pieces debuted in the show. “I wanted to design a collection that vibrant, young travelers could wear,” Kaple said. “Deisogni, meaning car of the dream, is the name of my collection, which started out as an inside joke between a friend and myself. The car was old and beat up with a bumper sticker that read ‘deisogni.’ It stuck with us the remainder of
Submitted Models at Birmingham Fashion Week show off trends from around the Southeast. our travels. I want my clothes to radiate fun and adventure.” Birmingham Fashion Week wrapped up Saturday night with a grand finale where all
the winners, including Kaple, were announced. Following the show, attendees were invited to an after party in downtown Birmingham.
COLUMN | TELEVISION
Green Bar hosts metal After long wait, Bluth family music festival Friday
finally returns to the screen By Ashley Chaffin
“Arrested Development” fans celebrated the official announcement of the show’s continuation from writer Dean Lorey and star Jason Bateman in December 2011. For those of you who haven’t seen it, “Arrested Development” is a sitcom that aired on Fox from November 2003 until February 2006. During that time, it won six Emmys and a Golden Globe, but it somehow never reached the ratings Fox needed to keep it going. It was eventually cancelled, so Fox could continue airing “Family Guy.” Since the cancellation, the show has gained what can only be called a cult following. In that time, there have been numerous rumors from fans about an upcoming movie. Some of the rumors have been even been confirmed by various stars and the creator. This time, with the entire cast signed on, it seems we can all get excited for a new season. The 10-episode fourth season will air exclusively on Netflix in 2013 and will be followed up with a movie. Since I watched the show in 2008, I’ve longed to hear the words “STEVE HOLT,” yearned for the introduction of “The Final Countdown” to take me into a magic show and prayed for the day I could spend more time with my favorite “never-nude analrapist.” However, now that I’m actually going to see my dreams come true, I’m wary. Can “Arrested Development” live up to the past? A lot has changed in the past six years, but if done correctly, the new episodes could give audiences a great wrap-up for a show many felt was left hanging. I’d say the chances of “Arrested Development”
being just as great as it used to be are high. The actors are all great – since the show’s cancellation, Jason Bateman and Michael Cera have become household names, and Michael Cera’s role in everything else is just a continuation of his character, George Michael. Plus, the beauty in “Arrested Development” is the continuity of jokes throughout the show. It’s not a sitcom you can just pick up a random episode and understand; the character development and jokes all build off each other. I’m interested to see where they take the show – if they’re going to pick up from where they left off or if they are going to acknowledge the break and pick up six years after the fact. Personally, I’m hoping it’s the latter. Its subtle inclusion of real life situations (see its comments on “Family Guy” throughout the entire third season) is one of the many things I love about the show. I would expect the writers and actors to approach the new episodes very cautiously, knowing their audience is bigger and more obsessed than ever before. I am hoping I can go into the new season with an open mind and few expectations, but considering I’ve been following the possibility of the movie since 2008, I’d say my expectations are already extremely high. For anyone who has yet to see “Arrested Development” or caught a random episode on TV without having truly being introduced to the characters, the entire series is on Netflix instant streaming. Be warned, though: The saying “There are two types of people in this world – those who love ‘Arrested Development’ and those who don’t” is true. I would hate to be one of those who do not.
By Rebecca Howard Contributing Writer Exposed Musical Festival Winter Tour 2012 is coming to the Green Bar this Friday, uniting experienced and up-and-coming local metal bands. The music festival that showcases headliners such as SkinKage and Society’s Plague hopes to bring downtown Tuscaloosa a flare of metal. Matt Newton, lead vocalist of Society’s Plague, who described their sound as melodic metal, said the festival is a great opportunity for new talent to be heard with the accompaniment of headlining bands to draw in the audience. “Ultimately, it’s an audition,” Newton said regarding the local bands. “The festival gives back to the community. It can be a great benefit to the local music scene.” The Winter Tour 2012 is a 30-day tour, reaching different cities across the country, and hopes to provide the venue with a unique blend of metal music. Frank Brown, lead vocalist of SkinKage, said their sound is American metal with melodies that carry it through. “We’re just metal; we’ve got a little bit of flavor,” Brown said. Through the time spent on the tour, Brown said they have enjoyed the advising process the most between their band and the newer talent. “I think it’s really a big mentoring process,” Brown said. “You just want to support any scene that you’re in. I think that’s really all within the metal community, and it’s not just a matter of one scene. We let everyone know who represents us that we represent them, too.” The tour has helped promote the headlining bands, as well, and allowed them to give back. With SkinKage and Society’s Plague’s
Ultimately, it’s an audition. The festival gives back to the community. It can be a great benefit to the local music scene. — Matt Newton
upcoming album releases, the festival will attract new fans, as well as the devoted. “Exposed Music Festival has by far given us an opportunity,” Brown said. “They set it up and really get our name up and made all of this happen.” After releasing two albums, including “The Devastation at Hand” and “Away with the Tide,” both produced by Jamie King, Brown said SkinKage hopes to release their next album early this fall. Newton said after Society’s Plague released their EP, “The Mercy Untold,” and full studio length album, “The Human, The Canvas,” they reviewed how their fans responded and are incorporating more intricate melodies into their next album. Newton and Brown said they are excited to bring metal to Tuscaloosa. The band members in Society’s Plague are from Lexington, Ky. and said they are happy their visit is during basketball season rather than football season. “We have fun with local bands and sports,” Newton said. “How’s your basketball, how’s your football? Then we both just cry.” In addition to the publicity and fan draw from the event, Society’s Plague and SkinKage value being able help the new bands get started. “Obviously we’ve all been there before,” Brown said. “We make sure to try and help with advice and with their form.” Doors for the event open at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.
Sophomore James Borland brings his voice to The Strip By Nathan Proctor Staff Reporter nsproctor@crimson.ua.edu It’s an old stereotype that any guy in college worth his salt can play the guitar. However, it is not every day that a student and his guitar become a fixture of The Strip asked to perform week after week. Birmingham native James Borland, a sophomore majoring in finance, found an outlet not long after arriving at the University of Alabama. Borland plays an eclectic repertoire of covers around Tuscaloosa and has recently been featured weekly at Rounders. After teaching himself guitar during his sophomore year of high school, Borland said that it was a talent show fundraiser that sparked his interest in performing for a crowd. “I really liked the whole vibe being on stage and playing for an audience gave off,” said Borland. “I just played a simple song on guitar and sang along, but it was really fun up there.” Borland said he was hooked and first performed publicly at UA during a fraternity rush event during the beginning of his freshman year. Then in the spring, he found the opportunity to play at the Red Shed twice with a close friend. Borland
played once with his friend and the second set solo, catching the ear of the bar’s sound technician. The sound technician, who also worked at Rounders, passed on word to owner Grant McCabe that Borland was well-suited to playing in a bar environment. Borland said he was called after an act cancelled their night at Rounders, and he jumped on the opportunity. After that, Borland has since become a weekly staple to Rounders regulars. Borland said his friends describe him as sounding reminiscent of his favorite artist John Mayer but with twinges of the likes of Jack Johnson and Dave Matthews. He said he lends his voice to some of their songs – bar standbys such as “Wagon Wheel” and “Jack and Diane” – and some requests he’ll take to heart and learn for an upcoming show. However, Borland likes to mix things up from time to time. “I like taking songs that no one would think I would play and put my own twist on it,” said Borland. “I’ll take some Michael Jackson songs or some rap songs and put my own twist on it. Well, I’ll try to sing those songs at least.” Borland’s mother, Laurie Borland, said the core of their musical family can be found in her parents, both graduates from the Birmingham-Southern College conservatory of music. Her mother was
a concert pianist, and her father was a high school band director and musician capable of playing a wide range of instruments. Laurie said she fell in love with the flute as a result and aimed to give her three children a similar musical push. “By the time that [my kids] were able to start reading, I knew it would be a big advantage for them to start,” said Laurie. “All three of my kids took piano lessons and quickly became very musical.” Laurie said Borland’s interest in piano was waning by high school, but after her oldest daughter was given a guitar that she rarely played, James fell back into music. “The guitar just sat here until James asked if he could play it one day,” said Laurie. “Next thing I knew, he came down to the kitchen and wanted to play something for me.” Laurie said she expected a musical talent in Borland but was surprised and didn’t expect his vocal prowess. She said she couldn’t be more excited for his son making his way into the world of music but was also proud that his dedication to studies still comes first. “I don’t know about my writing being that great yet, but I love it,” Borland said. “We’ll see. As long as I finish school first, who knows what’s next.”
Sophmore James Borland has made a name for himself playing and singing on the strip.
Submitted Photo
the
Scene
PUTS MEMES IN THE SCENE
LIFESTYLES Page 8A• Thursday, February 16, 2012 Editor • Ashley Chaffin lifestyles@cw.ua.edu
The Most Interesting Man in the World
Staredad
Staredad is based on a comic created by KC Green called “Dad Wasps Oh No.” The standard staredad meme features a kid telling his dad something, and the conversation ends in the dad just staring at his son from behind his chair.
These commercials ran internationally for the first time in 2009, but the first ad was uploaded to YouTube in April 2007. The ads for Dos Equis beer end with the phrase “I don’t
Uber Frosh/College Freshman
always drink beer, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis.” The captions play off of the phrase starting with “I don’t always…” and ending in “But when I do…”
Philosoraptor
Flicks
to catch this weekend
COBB HOLLYWOOD 16 • Journey 2: The Mysterious Island (PG) • Safe House (R) • Star Wars: Episode I -The Phantom Menace 3D 3D (PG) • The Vow (PG-13) • Big Miracle (PG) • Chronicle (PG-13) • The Woman in Black (PG-13) • The Grey (R) • Man on a Ledge (PG-13) • One for the Money (PG13) • Red Tails (PG-13)
The photo is a generic stock image for blogs and advertisements from 2010. The first time the image showed up on Quickmeme was July 2011 making fun of beer signs in dorms. It read, “Hangs 20 beer signs in dorm, only ever tasted Miller Light.” Now, the captions refer to typical college freshman stereotypes.
The first Philosoraptor was posted on YTMND in 2007. It depicted the “Jurassic Park” velociraptor holding a Plato book. It reappeared on 4chan in 2009. Urban Dictionary describes the most popu-
lar of philosoraptor images as “an image macro with a picture of the philosoraptor’s head, one talon poised under its chin, as it ponders the deeper questions of the universe.”
LIFESTYLES this weekend
Futurama Fry Baby Godfather
THURSDAY • An Abstract Theory and Brendon Jones: Green Bar, 10 p.m. • Improbable Fictions presents Shakespeare’s “All’s Well That Ends Well”: The Bama Theatre, 7:30 p.m.
FRIDAY • Exposed Music Festival: Green Bar, 9:30 p.m.
SATURDAY • El Cantador and Dead Legs: Green Bar, 10 p.m.
Photos from the Bama Memes Facebook page and knowyourmemes.com
The episode Fry first makes the face in is in season two and is called “The Lesser of Two Evils.” The first time the image was used, it ran with the caption “Oh! I see what you did there.” Now, the meme appears to be a question of whether something is one way or another. For example, “Not sure if song is skipping or remix.”
MEMES Continued from page 1
“We think it’s taken off quickly because students were looking for an outlet to share inside jokes and campus-related humor,” he said in an emailed statement. “The best memes on the page are the ones only UA students can understand.” Swift cited one such meme, featuring a picture of the character Boromir from “Lord of the Rings” with the text “One does not simply stay connected to UA WiFi,” as an example of the page’s Alabama-centric bent. Students seem to be having no trouble connecting to Bama Memes. “I like how anyone walking around
The first Baby Godfather appeared in February 2011, on Reddit, with just the image asking for someone to do something with it. Originally, the captions were quotes from “The Godfather” movies; now, they depict an intimidating baby talking about baby things. For example “He stole my ‘Finding Nemo’ blanket? He’ll be sleeping with the fishes tonight.”
on campus can understand what it’s about. If you’re here for a month, you run into things and understand where they’re coming from,” said Alex Austin, a senior majoring in journalism. “When I go through and look at the memes on the page, I say, ‘Yep, been there. Yep, been there’,” Gordon Maples, a senior majoring in history, first found out about the page this past weekend from observing his friends’ activities through his Facebook news feed. “Not all of them are well-executed,” he said, “but most are really funny. There are a lot of good inside jokes.” Swift said Bama Memes has already received some criticism from what he deemed “meme elitists” concerning incorrect use of pictures to convey cer-
tain jokes or meanings, but he insists the page’s primary goal is user enjoyment. “Many people have expressed anger or disapproval because the page does not use memes correctly. To all the haters, we apologize if all the memes posted are not used perfectly. But many people find them funny and that’s what matters,” Swift said. “For every one person who complains about a meme not being used correctly or says we are idiots, there are a hundred people who think the memes are funny and get something positive out of it.” A campus-oriented meme page is not unique to the University. According to Dolensky, in the past five months, college meme pages have been popping up at schools across the country. In fact,
Auburn University’s page inspired the creation of Bama Memes. “We decided to create the page after seeing the Auburn Memes page,” said Swift. “There wasn’t a Bama Memes page yet, so we just thought we’d start it.” Swift is unsure of how long Bama Memes can maintain its rocket-powered ascent, but he feels the page is starting from a solid base from which to grow. “Facebook is a great platform because almost all college students have an account, and ideas spread very swiftly,” he said. “Hopefully, [Bama Memes] will grow on its own as people share it with their friends. We invite anyone who loves the University of Alabama to join in on the fun.”
USES THEM ALL CORRECTLY
2012 SEASON PREVIEW
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Dugas passes up Cubs for senior year Despite unimposing size, outfielder looks to lead off successful season By Brett Hudson Senior Sports Reporter bbhudson@crimson.ua.edu @Brett_Hudson
Dugas keeps his bat at a 45° angle to avoid unnecessary movement in his swing.
on’t judge him by his size. Standing in at 5-foot-7 and 175 pounds, Crimson Tide centerfielder Taylor Dugas is one of the most imposing players in the batting box. The gritty dirt-dog hustles in the field and fights for every inch at the plate. Coming back for his senior season, Dugas represents everything Alabama baseball is about. Dugas receives praise from everyone around him for being the hardest worker on the team and being the perfect leader for a team that has the potential to break through to the Super Regionals, a goal that narrowly slipped through the Tide’s grasp last season. “He’s the heartbeat of this baseball team,” junior second baseman Kenny Roberts said. “Everyone knows when Taylor’s on the field. He brings so much energy, and his work ethic is insane.” Dugas is the “first guy in, last guy out” player coaches love to have. “Day by day, I’ll get here an hour or an hour and a half early before practice,” Dugas said. “I always go down to the cage and hit. Then, I come out and make the best of each practice. Sometimes, I work on things after practice: bunting, hitting and taking fly balls.” Alabama almost missed out on having one more season of Dugas’ services after the conclusion of the 2011 season. Dugas was selected in the eighth round of the Major League Baseball Amateur Draft by the Chicago Cubs. Dugas eventually decided to skip the MLB and return for his senior season at the Capstone. “Coming back, I knew we were going to have a great team this year,” Dugas said. “I also had the opportunity to finish school and graduate in May, which I am going
D
45°
Dugas keeps his back straight, creating a level swing.
Dugas bends his knees at a comfortable level, allowing him to step into swings and generate power.
Dugas aligns his knuckles on the bat to increase power and bat speed.
Dugas squares himself up, placing his feet at shoulder length apart. This gives him balance at the plate and generates power in his swing.
“He’s the heartbeat of this baseball team. Everyone knows when Taylor’s on the field. He brings so much energy, and his work ethic is insane.” — Kenny Roberts, junior second baseman
to do. I had said that if the money was right, I was going to go. But, it didn’t work out, and I’m glad I am here for my senior year.” Head coach Mitch Gaspard added, “That was so critical for us getting him back, being that guy that leads by example and the way he goes about his work each day.” Dugas is also the prototypical senior leader, especially for Roberts. Roberts is in his first year with the Crimson Tide baseball program after transferring from Meridian Community College in Meridian, Miss. “I would say he’s the only one that’s taken me under his wing,” Roberts said. “Him being the leader, he has to bring in the new guy. He’s shown me a lot in this program, and he’s helped me out a lot.” Gaspard said, “The good thing about Taylor is, not only does he lead by example, he’s not afraid to vocalize and let the guys know how to do things and what the work ethic here is all about.” Now, Roberts gets the honor of hitting behind Dugas on opening day when the duo open up the season in the 1-2 slots in the lineup. “Not only do I have opportunities to drive him in, but I have opportunities to hit pitchers’ mistakes because pitchers focus a lot on him as a base runner,” Roberts said. “He steals a lot of bags because he always gets on base.” Dugas has had some national success in the leadoff position for the Tide, but his personal success is not his main priority. “I always set goals at the beginning of the season,” Dugas said. “The main thing is, the results will take care of themselves. There are things I want to get to by playing day by day, one pitch at a time, and the results will take care of themselves.” Even with Dugas’ mindset of winning overtaking his personal goals, one of those goals still reigns supreme. “Leading this team to Omaha [is my goal],” Dugas said.
TAYLOR DUGAS STATS • Avg: .349 • Runs: 60 • Doubles: 20 • Triples: 4 • HR: 8 • RBI: 33 • On Base: .455
CW | Mackenzie Brown and Taylor Stec
BASEBALL
Tide aims for Omaha
4B
SOFTBALL Braud sets pace for softball team
6B
2B Thursday, February 16, 2012
SEASON PREVIEW
After a four-year major league career with the New York Yankees, Andy Phillips returns to UA as hitting coach.
The Crimson White
WikiCommons
MCTCampus
Former Yankee a hit as newest Tide coach Players praise philosophy and approach of new hitting coach and Bama alum Andy Phillips By Brett Hudson Senior Sports Reporter bbhudson@crimson.ua.edu @Brett_Hudson
his alma mater. “I love this place,” Phillips said. “I deeply care about this university, and I deeply care about our kids.” Head coach Mitch Gaspard Alabama hitting coach Andy Phillips could not hide his is reaping the rewards of an excitement entering his second Alabama baseball program season as the hitting coach at that is rich in tradition and
that is now producing assistant coaches for him. “He and [assistant coach] Dax [Norris] are two guys that were All-Americans here at the University of Alabama,” Gaspard said. “That doesn’t happen very often.” After his career at the
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University, where he posted a .356 career batting average and set the career home run record, Phillips went on to have a successful Major League Baseball career, including a four-year stint with the New York Yankees, which included a 2006 season in which Phillips played in 110 games. Phillips’ MLB experience is benefitting the Tide off the field, in recruiting and national recognition, just as much as it is with on-the-field production.
“I love this place. I deeply care about this university, and I deeply care about our kids.” — Andy Phillips
Close to campus, close to EVERYTHING!
“That’s the one thing we feel good about here,” Phillips said. “Having experience at the major league level, we feel good about getting guys here and developing them to be able to have success at the highest level.” Gaspard added, “Most of the guys [Alabama recruits],
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they know that. They’re going to get on the website and see it. If they don’t know already, and they are from Alabama, their dad knows it. It’s really not something we have to promote a lot because they typically know that already.” Phillips’ players are enjoying the experience of being coached by him. “It’s the best thing ever,” junior second baseman Kenny Roberts said. “Not only did he play here, he’s played with the Yankees at the highest level. For me, to have a guy of that
caliber coach me, it’s the best thing ever. I’ve learned a lot since I’ve been here.” Roberts’s learning experience stems from a dedication Phillips has to installing a specific ideology about hitting. “We put a lot of emphasis on our lower half,” Phillips said. “I believe the swing
starts from the ground up, so we focus a lot of how the lower half of the swing functions properly.” Now that Phillips has had the entire fall and the spring preseason to establish his philosophy, he hopes to see improvements in specific areas. “I think our consistency, hopefully,” Phillips said. “I think, top to bottom, we have improved. Our guys that are back have improved, and we’ve added some pieces that are going to enhance our lineup. I think consistency and run scoring will certainly be something that hopefully improves from last season.” Phillips is enthusiastic about smaller aspects of the game, such as consistency, thanks to another large part of his philosophy as a coach. “I’m not much on concerning myself with results,” Phillips said. “I’m not going to look up at how many runs and how many hits we are getting, but the quality of the atbats. That’s what the focus is on, that we’re getting quality at-bats and we’re not giving anything away.”
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The Crimson White
3B
SEASON PREVIEW
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Baseball Coach Gaspard aims for Omaha bid By Marquavius Burnett Sports Editor @Marq_Burnett
MG: The biggest thing for us is a lot of teaching. Our preparation has to be consistent. Next step for us is in game experience. They’re going to see all of that stuff we’ve been teaching come to fruiAlabama baseball head coach Mitch Gaspard tion on the mound this season. We have to learn is entering his third season with the Crimson and get better from outing to outing. The SEC is Tide. In his first two seasons, the Tide made a tough league to pitch in for a veteran guy, but trips to the NCAA tournament. During our talk, we’re talking about six or seven young guys. Gaspard said having experienced position players will help carry a young pitching staff, and CW: The team was picked to finish third in his main goal is to have the team compete hard the SEC West this season. When you see those rankings, do you think it’s a fair assessment every night. of your team’s talent? The Crimson White: What did you like about last season, and what were some things you think MG: All preseason rankings are all based on what you have coming back. Where we’re picked the team can improve on going into this year? right now is a very fair assessment. When you Mitch Gaspard: We knew last year was going look at the SEC and particularly the western to be a transitioning year because we lost the bulk of our position players. Last year’s team was built around our pitching staff. Our starting pitching held up well and had a good year. They carried us because we had an inexperienced offense. Our position players gained valuable experience last year, and we are flipping the script this year. We are much more experienced from a position standpoint, but we are extremely young on the pitching mound.
division, Arkansas returns nearly its entire team. LSU returns its entire pitching staff. You can really juggle up and see how it falls between ourselves, Ole Miss, Auburn and Mississippi State. It is what it is.
MG: We have the nucleus for a terrific staff, not only now, but as we move into the future. I would like to see six or seven of those guys establish themselves this year as SEC-ready so we can put a staple on our pitching staff over the next two or three years. The biggest thing for me is having a CW: Every coach wants to win a champion- team play hard every night and play as a group. ship, and you obviously want to win the SEC. Every time you go onto the field, you feel like For you personally, what would make this you have a chance to win. All I ask is that you do a successful season, outside of winning a the right things on the field and play your tails championship? off every night.
“Our goal at Alabama, every year, is to contend and have an opportunity to get to Omaha for the College World Series.” — Mitch Gaspard
CW: Your first two seasons here, you’ve made the NCAA tournament. Talk about that postseason experience and how it will help the team moving forward. MG: Our goal at Alabama, every year, is to contend and have an opportunity to get to Omaha for the College World Series. To do that, you do have to have guys with experience in that arena. We have six guys who have played in Super Regionals. That experience helps most in your daily work in what you do in your fall preparation and early spring. Those guys are able to help the new guys and show them the way. That experience helps build confidence. CW: Speaking of experience, you have Taylor Dugas and Jared Reaves returning this season. What’s it like having your two best players back for their senior year? MG: As a coach, it’s comforting. Taylor Dugas could be the best leadoff hitter and centerfielder in the country. He’s a two-time All-American and has played in nearly every game since he’s been on campus. Also, it’s comforting to have Jared. He’s our three-hole hitter. That’s two great places to start. Those guys have been in a lot of different situations, and that gives you a lot of comfort heading into the season. CW: You talked about the youth of the pitching staff. What are you and your staff doing to get these young guys ready for the SEC run?
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Coach Mitch Gaspard works with players during a game.
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4B Thursday, February 16, 2012
SEASON PREVIEW
The Crimson White
Talented Tide anticipate successful season By Zac Al-Khateeb Assistant Sports Editor zialkhateeb@crimson.ua.edu @ZacAlKhateeb For the seniors on the Alabama baseball team, this is it. Thankfully for those seniors, the Tide is also fielding what is perhaps its deepest team in recent memory. Head coach Mitch Gaspard, in his third year with Alabama, has brought in a talented recruiting class. He’s brought back the core of a team that went 35-28 last season. This, coupled with a productive fall and spring, should help the Tide have one of its most successful seasons in years. “What’s comforting is our position players, they got experience there,” Gaspard said. “Certainly led by [Taylor Dugas] and some other guys. So, there’s a lot of excitement with our team, with our coaching staff right now to take that first step of getting better as we move throughout the season.” One of Alabama’s key returning players this season is senior Taylor Dugas, who led Alabama with a .349 batting average, 60 runs, 84 hits and eight home runs. A certain amount of luck was involved in bringing in the right personnel for Alabama. Dugas had to make the decision between entering the draft or returning to school for his senior season. Dugas was drafted in the eighth round of the MLB Draft, following an All-American season. Despite the offer, Dugas elected to return for his final season with the Tide. “The main reason I decided to come back to school was I knew I’d be graduating in May,” Dugas said. “Also, coming back to this team, I knew this team was going to be really good this year. We had our ups and downs last year, but guys got better throughout the season, and I was excited to come back.” Gaspard was also able to bring in a group of young pitchers. Indeed, Gaspard said he has confidence in his pitchers, many of whom are freshmen. One of these freshmen, Taylor Guilbeau, will start the Tide’s first game of the season Friday against the Florida Atlantic Owls. “Really, our anticipation of this group is with our young pitching staff,” Gaspard said. “[We] have to see how those guys can go out and how they
CW | Margo Smith
Infielder Austen Smith swings at a pitch last year against Northwestern State. perform for their first time. First collegiate start, first collegiate time to take the mound.” Fifth-year senior Jon Kelton said the youth on the team would be one of his team’s biggest strengths throughout the season. Kelton said the younger players on the team have a good mindset and a good group of seniors to lead them. Another benefit is that many of the young players will get some early-season experience, which could prove beneficial as the season wears on. “It always helps to get ‘em in early,” Kelton said. “Even when you’re an older guy, when you get those games in early – get some playing time under your belt, get those preseason jitters out of the way – it always helps. So, I know
that we got a lot of guys really ready to play.” Despite the team’s youth, Kelton said he’s never seen a deeper team during his time playing at UA. “This is without a doubt, in the five years that I’ve been here, one of the deepest teams as far as the young talent we’ve brought in and the older guys we’ve got on the mound and position-player wise,” Kelton said. “So, it’s going to be exciting this year just to see it all pan out.” Dugas echoed his teammate’s thoughts. “I really think this team’s going to be better,” Dugas said. “We got a lot of guys back with a lot of experience. Even though we’re young on the mound, I really feel like this team’s got a lot of potential and a lot of big things
coming our way.” The Tide will need that depth this year, as it will have to traverse the always-difficult SEC schedule, as well as a tough nonconference slate. Last season, the Tide suffered through the SEC portion of its schedule, going 7-14 in-conference, despite a 35-28 overall record. “When you look at the league, you look at the rankings now, there are six teams ranked in the top 25 [from the SEC],” Gaspard said. “Obviously, it’s the elite talent that’s in this league hat. Also, from playing one another, you’re so battle-tested throughout the league when you get to postseason play, you’re so prepared to go into regional.” Another issue from last season Alabama will need to
address is its batting. The Tide seemed to have to scrounge for runs last year, and success on the plate this year could determine the overall success of this team. Dugas said he believes the offense will play a much larger factor in the team’s success this year, however. “Last year, we played a lot of small ball, bunted a lot,” Dugas said. “We didn’t hit as well as we should have at times. This year, after what I’ve seen this whole fall and spring, we can really swing the bat. And I really think this offense is going to carry us far this year.” Still, the prevailing thought on this team is not to look ahead into the season, but to take the season one pitch, one inning, one game at a time. “It’s one game at a time,”
Kelton said. “That’s the way we’ve always been the most successful, just focusing on one game, one inning.” But despite all the big talk, all the expectations and progress made during the preseason, one thing stands above all else for this team: finally getting the season started. “We had a great fall,” Dugas said. “It’s going to be exciting to get started and playing some new faces…Overall, expectations are always we want to win the SEC. We feel like we got a good shot at competing for that this year, and going into the postseason, the goal is always Omaha. But we know we’ve got to take that one day at a time, and we understand that it’s a process of getting there, and we just got to get better every day.”
Brett Booth, Andrew Miller and Jon Kelton run the bases during last yearʼs 9-0 victory over Northwestern State.
CW | Margo Smith
For questions, concerns, or to report potential stormwater violations contact the Office of Environmental Health & Safety at 348-5905 and ehs@bama.ua.edu This is our water.
Let’s all protect it.
The Crimson White
5B
SEASON PREVIEW
Thursday, February 16, 2012
UA Athletics | Amelia J. Brackin
Head softball coach Patrick Murphy looking to make it over the hump and win a championship this year.
Up close and personal with Coach Murphy By Brett Hudson Senior Sports Reporter bbhudson@crimson.ua.edu Alabama head softball coach Patrick Murphy has been one of the most dominant forces in collegiate softball for years, leading his team to three Women’s College World Series appearances in the last four years. Murphy took the time to talk with The Crimson White and answer questions on the 2012 season. The Crimson White: Do you ever feel the pressure to finally get over the hump and win a national championship? Patrick Murphy: I’m lucky to be at a place like Alabama that
returning that are terrific. They’ve been through two Southeastern Conference championships and two World Series. Every situation you could be in, they’ve been in it. Number two, we’ve got a very good pitching staff that I think will take us a long way. They all said, “No way. That’s what you want: competition.� They’ve been very good in practice. They realize the depth on the team is probably the best we’ve ever had, and the talent is probably the best we’ve ever had as a whole, with CW: Make the case that 20 kids that can play. Alabama will be the 2012 CW: When you were promotnational champions. ed to head coach in 1999 after PM: We have great senior lead- only two seasons in Alabama ership. We have six seniors softball history, did you ever has the resources, the facilities, the players and the support staff to make that possible. But I think the pressure I put on myself is a lot more than the outside pressures. I want our team to be the best prepared and the healthiest they can be. I don’t want to make the mistake that screws it up for everybody else. I want to be at my best at all the games, be ready to play and have them ready to play. There’s a lot that goes on behind the scenes that no one sees.
expect to have the titan pro- enal. Does that make you feel more stable when it comes to gram you have now? future success of your proPM: I probably have to say no. gram? I never dreamt of this. The fans from the football capital of the PM: Two years ago, I called world, the college football capi- my mom and said, “Mom, I’ll tal of the world, they come out have a job until 2014.� She
“I’m lucky to be at a place like Alabama that has the resources, the facilities, the players and the support staff ...� — Coach Patrick Murphy
to watch women’s softball. It’s huge. We have the best fans in college softball. CW: Your recruiting classes of late have been phenom-
said, “Oh, good. You got a new contract?� I said, “No, we’re getting a pitcher.� It’s called fast pitch for a reason. When you’re able to get good pitchers, you’re able to stay in the
game. One of our sayings is tradition never graduates. If we lose a Kelsi Dunne, Jackie Traina is right there. We lose Whitney Larsen at shortstop, Kaila Hunt is right there.
CW: A big sign of good team chemistry is when teams have a lot of nicknames amongst each other‌ Is that the case for Alabama softball?
PM: I always tell them that if they get a nickname, it’s a sign that I like them. If I call them by their real name, their last name, they’ve got something to worry about. But if they have a nickname, it’s a good sign, and pretty much everybody has a nickname.
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6B Thursday, February 16, 2012
SEASON PREVIEW
The Crimson White
Kayla Braud makes a catch at the wall in a game last season.
CW | Margo Smith Brett Booth, Andrew Miller, and Jon Kelton run the bases during Sunday afternoon’s 9-0 victory over Northwestern State.
Offensive changes, experience Experienced Braud key to Tide’s success in 2012 looks to build on previous successes Photo by Jeri A. Gulsby
New additions and veteran hitters give Tide a potent offense By Tony Tsoukalas
By Morgan Upton Sports Reporter smupton@crimson.ua.edu @Morgan_U For junior outfielder Kayla Braud, softball isn’t just a sport. It’s a way of life. Growing up in a family filled with softball and baseball players, it didn’t take long for Braud to become involved in the sport. “My mom went to Louisiana-Monroe, pitched there and met my dad who played baseball there,” Braud said. “Growing up, they were really big into softball. My cousin was my biggest role model ever. She’s seven years older than me, and I started being her bat girl for her team when I was four.” Braud grew up in Oregon and said leaving her tightknit family to play at Alabama wasn’t easy. “The biggest thing about coming to Alabama was the family aspect,” Braud said. “I was used to family being around all the time, and now, I have a whole new family.” Braud impacted the team
upon arrival. She became the leadoff hitter, hitting .500 as a freshman. After an entire career in the infield, Braud joined the outfield her sophomore year. “When you go in the outfield, it’s like a little unit,” Braud said. “Our outfield coach [Alyson Habetz] does a really great job of making you feel like you’re part of something really special, and I think that’s really cool. We‘re like a little family out there. A little family that’s part of a bigger family.” As a natural competitor and player, the switch was seamless for Braud. She had only one error the entire season. Assistant coach Alyson Habetz said she was excited to have Braud in the outfield. “I think Braud was born to play in the grass,” Habetz said. “She didn’t need a whole lot of practice to get good at it, but she works real hard though. She’s a competitor. She’s going to go for the ball. She’s not afraid to dive, and she has great game sense.” Habetz wasn’t the only one to rave about Braud’s position
switch. Head coach Patrick Murphy also said Braud is a special player. “She’s a great athlete,” Murphy said. “Anywhere you put her she’s probably going to be good, but I think left field fits her very well. She’s got good range. She’s got the arm of a left fielder, but she does great for us out there. She’s just one of those kids that she’s fine wherever you put her.” Braud works hard off the field to better herself. Not only does that motivation come from within, but also from her teammates’ efforts. “I’m really driven by being there and playing my best for my teammates,” Braud said. “I’m motivated every day. I see people on my team every single day pushing themselves and getting better, and I’m inspired to do better. People say all the time ‘I want to win for my team,’ but with this team, there’s nobody else I’d rather play for and work my butt off for and push myself for because when we collectively win and do things together, it’s the greatest feeling in the world.”
The spring season brings with it new styles. This season, the Crimson Tide’s baseball team will fashion a lineup based more on power than last season’s small-ball approach. The Tide only hit 23 home runs all season, but with six returning starters and an influx of new talent, the team figures to drive the ball more this season. The new 2011 NCAA standard placed on bats has made it more difficult to hit the ball out of the park. In its first season with the new bats, the Tide also dealt the departure of power hitters Jake Smith, Ross Wilson and Clay Jones. This resulted in an efficient, yet boring, lineup based on sacrifice bunts and well-timed base running. This year, I expect a little more sizzle in the Tide’s line up. Leadoff hitter Taylor Dugas will return to the lineup for his senior season. Dugas defied logic last year, leading the team with eight home runs, despite the dulled bats. This year Dugas will be playing to improve his draft status from last season and should be the key to the Alabama lineup. Dugas is an ideal leadoff hitter for any lineup. At 5-foot-7, the speedy centerfielder is always in the top of the league in on-base percentage and poses a treat to steal anytime he reaches base. If Dugas continues the power he demonstrated last season, he will prove deadly for opposing pitchers this season. The Tide also returns its No. 3 hitter from last year, Jared Reaves. The senior shortstop hit an impressive .340 last season, while driving in a team-high 47 RBI. Reaves will be the key for the Tide this season, as the team will rely on him to knock in Dugas. Though he only hit four home runs last season, Reaves is in his second season after transferring form Southern Union Community College and should now be more confortable with SEC pitching.
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The switch in offensive philosophy should bring an exciting team to Sewell-Thomas Stadium this spring as the Crimson Tide looks to achieve something that never goes out of style – winning.
The Tide player with the most upside is sophomore Austen Smith, who displayed his raw power last season, hitting five home runs and knocking in 44 RBI. At 6-foot-4, 240 pounds, Smith is built like a power hitter. I not only expect Smith to increase his power numbers in his second year, but also to improve his average as well. If Smith, who batted a respectable .297 last season, is able to make more contact, he could be one of the premier hitters in the SEC. Perhaps one of the biggest pieces to the Tide’s lineup will be Meridian (Miss.) Community College transfer Kenny Roberts. The talented second baseman batted .399 with 12 home runs, 48 RBI and 96 runs scored this season – Roberts also posses good speed on the base paths, stealing 21 bases in 26 attempts while at Meridian. Head coach Mitch Gaspard said he plans to use Roberts in the two-hole of the lineup. “I think he’s going to be a terrific offensive player,” Gaspard said in an interview with The Birmingham News. “He’s a guy that has power, kind of a Kirby Puckett-type guy.” The switch in offensive philosophy should bring an exciting team to Sewell-Thomas Stadium this spring as the Crimson Tide looks to achieve something that never goes out of style – winning.
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SEASON PREVIEW
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8B Thursday, February 16, 2012
SEASON PREVIEW
The Crimson White
Traina leads softball with deadly arm, strong swing By Miranda Murphy Sports Reporter Sophomore pitcher Jackie Traina brings a rare two-way dynamic to the Crimson Tide softball team. “She’s so valuable,” head coach Patrick Murphy said. “Even when she doesn’t pitch, she’ll be hitting, and even when she does pitch, she’ll still be on the lineup.” Traina has already made her presence known this season, striking out a career-high 15 batters against Jacksonville State and only allowing one hit during the game. The 3-0 win against Jacksonville State took her record to 3-0. In the batter’s box, Traina put together a 28-game hitting streak last season, which was the second longest in school history. “When she gets on a hot streak hitting, nobody can get her out,” Murphy said. Last season, she had a 19-5 season with a 1.70 ERA on the mound last season. She also averaged over one strikeout an inning, sitting down 190 batters in 156 1/3 innings of work. Murphy said he believes
Traina is capable of breaking all of the pitching records at the school. “I told my friend that I have a kid that’s our version of Trent Richardson and Mark Ingram,” Murphy said. “She’s that good in our sport. If she played football, she would be up for the Heisman trophy.” Traina was recently named to the USA Softball Player of the Year Watch List and earned the MVP at the Mardi Gras Invitational. Traina showed her patience and power at the plate last year when she drew 29 walks, while also hitting 15 home runs. “She’s a great teammate, but she’s also very level-headed,” Murphy said. Traina said her goal as a pitcher this year is to just help out her team any way she can. “We always say that if the other team never scores, then we’re going to win,” Traina said. “My job is to keep the team in the game.” Traina said the competitiveness of the game gives her the passion for the sport. “I like being in tough situations, especially on the mound,” Traina said. “I like being able
Jackie Traina celebrates with her teammates after hitting a home run.
to compete in life and on the softball field. When things get tough, that’s when I have the most fun.” Murphy said he first saw Traina as an eighth-and ninthgrader, after her coach at the time mentioned he should keep up with her. “He was right,” Murphy said. “We started following her, and you could tell she was going to be good.” When the pressure gets to Traina, she said her team is always there to help her. “I lean on my team,” Traina said. “I always tell them what’s on my mind, like if I’m not having a good day. Having such a great team behind me relieves the pressure on me.” Traina said she is constantly growing as a player during her time on the team. “I had to catch on quickly to how fast the game goes,” Traina said. “I’m having a lot more confidence in myself as a pitcher and as a hitter here.” Though focused on the diamond, Traina still knows how to relax. A native of Naples, Fla., she said she can be found on the beach almost every day during offseason.
“I try to stay away from softball as much as possible, so I can relax and try not to think about it,” Traina said. “That way, when I get back, I feel rejuvenated.” Murphy said one of her best qualities is that she’s a great teammate. “I’d love to play behind her if I was a defender because she gives it everything she’s got all the time,” Murphy said. Traina and the Tide will play next at the SEC/ACC/Big XII Challenge in Auburn, Ala., Friday through Sunday.
CW | Mitchell Hughes Pitcher Jackie Traina earned the title of MVP at the Mardi Gras Invitational and made the USA Softball Player of the Year Watch List.
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