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SERVING THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA SINCE 1894 Opera
7 Cravings
Instead of the usual Italian lore that operas focus on, the UA Opera Theatre’s “One Night Only” will feature opera singers performing pop, jazz and other modern standards from singers such as Elton John and John Legend.
Cravings, a new specialty grocery store located in downtown Tuscaloosa, provides hands-on service by offering to place orders for products not in stock and catering to customer needs.
SPORTS | BASKETBALL
NBA champ hired for UA basketball
THE HUNT IS ON
Avery Johnson officially named basketball coach By Sean Landry | Production Editor
Former NBA champion and NBA coach of the year Avery Johnson signed on as Alabama’s next men’s basketball coach, athletic director Bill Battle announced Monday night. “I am very pleased to announce that I have reached an agreement with Avery Johnson to become the new head men’s basketball coach at The University of Alabama,” Battle said in a statement. “Coach Johnson has an impressive record from the professional ranks, as both a player and Coach Johnson a head coach. personal has an impressive His history is a tesrecord from the tament to what professional ranks. ce nhtahruas ci atsemr ,, perseverance, — Bill Battle — talent and intelligence can do. He has shown fortitude and skill in every opportunity.” Johnson last coached in 2012, when he was fired from the Brooklyn Nets after 28 games with a 14-14 record after leading the then-New Jersey Nets beginning in 2010. Prior to his time with the Nets, he led the Dallas Mavericks to their first ever NBA Finals, falling to the Miami Heat in six games. During his time with the Mavericks, Johnson became the fastest coach in NBA history to reach 50, SEE JOHNSON PAGE 7
A group for the protection of Bigfoot is gaining members, despite experts who say it doesn’t exist. CW / Layton Dudley
ONLINE EDITION
TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 2015 VOLUME 121 | ISSUE 113
Conference More than 700 individuals will present their research findings in the Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Conference all day.
Tuscaloosa woman founds Bigfoot group By Matthew Wilson | Staff Reporter
Tuscaloosa native Mary Katherine Scruggs said her first encounter with the creature she calls Bigfoot occurred on a warm spring night in 2013. Scruggs’ family lived in a secluded area in northwest Tuscaloosa, where her nearest neighbors are miles away. Sitting in a swing underneath a grove of oak trees, Scruggs said she and her son, Victor, became alarmed when a long guttural growl penetrated the air from behind their house. Scruggs, who lived in the country all her life, said it sounded like a man being ripped to shreds. A few minutes later, the growl grew closer, coming from behind her house. Scruggs’ five German Shepherds fell silent, she said. Frightened, she and Victor Scruggs fled inside their home. “We knew nothing about Bigfoot,” Scruggs said. I wasn’t a believer. I wasn’t a skeptic. I didn’t know anything about it, but then I started watching ‘MonsterQuest’ and ‘Finding Bigfoot.’ I started playing with it in my head.” Bigfoot sightings have been reported all across North America. Dana Ehret, a paleontologist at The University of Alabama, grew up with stories like the Jersey Devil ingrained into his childhood. Ehret said he finds sightings of Bigfoot fascinating on a social aspect, but he doesn’t believe they are real. “A giant seven-foot primate living in the United States going undetected is just impossible,” he said. “We would have found evidence of it by now. The world is shrinking smaller SEE BIGFOOT PAGE 7
Alpha Gamma Delta Trunk Show Tonight from 3-6 PM 1657 McFarland Blvd N Tuscaloosa, AL 35406 - www.shopexpeditions.com
INSIDE briefs 2 news 3 opinions 4 culture 8 sports 12
CONTACT email editor@cw.ua.edu website cw.ua.edu twitter @TheCrimsonWhite
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TUESDAY April 7, 2015
SCENE ON CAMPUS Payton Brown, a senior majoring in advertising from Flower Mound, Texas, interviews Molly Martin, a sophomore majoring in advertising from Fairhope, Alabama, regarding the Capstone Advertising Federation for one of Brown’s honors seminar classes. CW / Amy Sullivan
P.O. Box 870170 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487 Newsroom: 348-6144 | Fax: 348-8036 Advertising: 348-7845
EDITORIAL editor-in-chief Andy McWhorter editor@cw.ua.edu
TODAY’S EVENTS
CAMPUS BRIEFS
Research presentations
University Libraries to host research paper workshops
WHAT: Undergraduate Research & Creative Activity Conference WHEN: 7:30 a.m. – 5: 30 p.m. WHERE: Bryant Conference Center
managing editor Tara Massouleh production editor Sean Landry visuals editor Sloane Arogeti online editor Beth Lindly opinions editor Patrick Crowley chief copy editor Peyton Shepard news editor Rachel Brown
War exhibit WHAT: North and South: The Gorgas Family, The University of Alabama and the Divisions of the Civil War WHEN: 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. WHERE: Gorgas House Museum
photo editor Pete Pajor video editor Patrick Maddox lead designer Ashley Atkinson community manager Alessia Grijalva
ADVERTISING advertising manager Keenan Madden 251.408.2033 cwadmanager@gmail.com
territory manager Taylor Shutt
904.504.3306 territorymanager@gmail.com
special projects manager Dee Griffin
Lecture series WHAT: Justice, Privilege and Selective Higher Education WHEN: Noon-1:30 p.m. WHERE: 229 Graves Hall
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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 in room 1014, Student Media Building, 414 Campus Drive East. The advertising mailing address is P.O. Box 870170, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. 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 870170, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. The Crimson White is entered as periodical postage at Tuscaloosa, AL 35401. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Crimson White, P.O. Box 870170, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487. All material contained herein, except advertising or where indicated otherwise, is Copyright © 2014 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.
Compiled by Heather Buchanan
WHAT: Degeneration: Ali Jackson WHEN: Noon-5 p.m. WHERE: Dinah Washington Cultural Arts Center
Dance performance WHAT: Dance Alabama! WHEN: 7p.m. WHERE: Morgan Auditorium
CORRECTION In an article published on Monday, The Crimson White identified a UA Department of Theatre and Dance show as “Student One Acts.” The correct title of this show is “UA Writes: Student-Written One Acts.” Additionally, the photo published with this article identified students in rehearsal for “42nd Street,” not “UA Writes.” The Crimson White regrets these errors and is happy to set the record straight. In an article published on March 31, The Crimson White identified “Argyle” as the “longest standing sculpture” on Woods Quad. However, this is inaccurate, as other sculptures have been there longer. The Crimson White regrets this error and is happy to set the record straight.
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The Honors College is offering free honors cords to graduating seniors who have submitted an Honors College graduation application (available on mybama.ua.edu) and have filled out the Honors College Senior Exit Evaluation. This survey will be sent to graduating seniors the week of April 13, and the
cords will be available for pick beginning on Monday, April 27. Honorary society and Latin Honors cords are available through the Honorary organization and the student’s primary college, respectively. Compiled Heather Buchanan
Capstone Inspiring Educator applications due
BFA exhibition
334.349.2473 osmspecialprojects@gmail.com
creative services manager Hillary McDaniel
soft Word. The References feature of Microsoft Word includes adding and editing footnotes, endnotes, citations and bibliographies for a variety of citation styles. Both workshops are free, but attendees are asked to register for one or both workshops on the Academic Technologies blog at bit.ly/acadtech. Seating is limited, so the best way to guarantee a seat is to register in advance. For more information, visit the Academic Technologies blog or contact Melissa Green at mfgreen1@ua.edu.
Free Honors College cords available to eligible graduates
culture editor Francie Johnson sports editor Kelly Ward
The University Libraries will host two back-toback workshops to teach attendees tips and tricks for formatting research papers and citations today in Gorgas Library Instruction Room 104. The first hourlong workshop at 5 p.m. will focus on formatting an academic paper in Microsoft Word. This tutorial will show attendees how to best use the software, including shortcuts for styles and templates, so they can format their papers quickly and have plenty of time to work on the actual content of their paper. The second workshop at 6 p.m. is a more in-depth look at how to format citations and notes using Micro-
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Applications are currently being accepted for the Capstone Inspiring Educator Award, which is designed to honor high school teachers who have influenced or inspired current University of Alabama students in some way. The award was created in 2010 by the Office for Academic Affairs to recognize teachers who have served as outstanding mentors and encouraged students in their academic and career pursuits. The winner will be recognized
during spring commencement as a special guest of the University. The teacher and nominating student will also be recognized by President Judy Bonner. All graduating seniors are eligible to nominate a teacher for the Capstone Inspiring Educator Award. Applications are due April 10, 2015 and can be submitted online at inspiringteacher.ua.edu. Compiled by Rachel Brown
Apparel design students make Birmingham Fashion Week Ten apparel design students from the college of human and environmental sciences were chosen as finalists for the Birmingham Fashion Week Top 16 Emerging Designer Competition. The finalists include Paige Denton, Liza Rogers, Seline Meisler, Valerie King, Chelsea Rae, Megan Mitton, Kenya Buchanan, Leslie Beattie, Kerstin Marie and Shannon
Warren, along with six other finalists from throughout the region. The finalists will will compete against each other for the title of BFW Emerging Designer 2015 during the annual Birmingham Fashion Week fashion show, which will take place May 7-9. Compiled by Rachel Brown
New “Retrospective” website collecting student stories Creative Campus launched a new website last week called Retrospective, which is designed to be an aggregate of student, faculty and community voices and stories across the UA campus. Students are able to submit their stories to the website at specific locations. The goal is to create a place where students can preserve their special campus memories with fellow
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students. The website is designed as a forum where students can share any story on any topic. The web administrators promise not to edit, censor or curate any of the submissions. Submissions can be made online at uaretrospective.com/submit.
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Compiled by Rachel Brown
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3 Spicer leads AIRC to success in 2015 Editor | Rachel Brown Newsdesk@cw.ua.edu Tuesday, April 7, 2015
By Mackenzie Ross | Staff Reporter
Brett Spicer, a senior majoring in economics and history from Statesville, North Carolina, currently serves as president of the Alabama International Relations Club. Spicer joined the AIRC during his freshman year. How did you get involved in the Alabama International Relations Club?
What are you most excited about for the future of AIRC?
I participated in Model United Nations in high school and wanted to continue that involvement in college. I heard that AIRC housed the Model UN team at Alabama, and so I sought them out at Get on Board Day. Not only was I able to continue my involvement with Model UN on the collegiate level, but I got involved with many other activities as well.
I am most excited to see what AIRC is able to accomplish next. Each year I’ve been involved with the club, it has grown in size and accomplishments. Even after I leave, I look forward to the club continuing to excel by taking more members to new Model UN conferences, expanding upon community service opportunities both in Tuscaloosa and in surrounding areas and making UA students more globally minded and aware of international affairs.
What are of the highlights of the past year?
Brett Spicer CW / Danielle Parker
AIRC has enjoyed a tremendous amount of success this year, and I’m extremely proud of what we have been able to accomplish. Some highlights include hosting our largest ever high school Model UN conference with schools from around the Southeast, teaching foreign languages in Tuscaloosa middle schools, starting and facilitating Model UN teams at high schools in the Black Belt and promoting international affairs on campus. In my opinion, our biggest accomplishment was winning the Most Outstanding Large Delegation Award at a conference hosted by Harvard University in Lima, Peru. This award represents the highest honor of any North American university at the entire conference. Additionally, it is the most prestigious award the AIRC has ever received in our decorated and successful past.
What have you learned from being president?
Serving as president of AIRC has been a great learning experience. One major thing I have learned is how to balance my personal and professional life. I have made many good friends through the club, and it can be difficult to have differing opinions over important club matters. However, it is critical to remember that everyone has the best interest of AIRC in mind, and I do not let differences in opinions affect the mission and goals of AIRC or my personal friendships. Additionally, the lessons in effective leadership I have learned from leading a club with as much success as AIRC will aid me throughout my career and life. When are the AIRC meetings?
The Alabama International Relations Club meetings are on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. in Bidgood 340. For more information about our club and its activities, like us on Facebook at Alabama International Relations Club or follow our Twitter account @AlabamaIRC
University Recreation Center available during summer By Alessandra Delrose | Contributing Writer
The University of Alabama Recreation Center is one of the few university wellness centers that allows students taking classes to utilize their facilities over the summer. “The SRC (including Outdoor Pool Complex) and AC [exercise classes] will be open all summer. Unfortunately, though, the new Student Activity Center located in Presidential Village will be closed beginning on May 2 for the entire summer,” said Kristen Durham, the director of The University of Alabama Recreation Services. Students will have the ability to use the indoor facilities, tennis courts, racquetball courts, basketball courts, indoor pool, indoor track, rock climbing wall, exercise classes and the outdoor pool complex. Over the summer, the Rec Center will offer different activities and classes that aren’t offered during the school year. “My personal favorite I would recommend to students is the water group exercise class,” Durham said. “This class meets at the OPC twice a week. It’s a great way to be outdoors, enjoy the summer, stay cool and get a
great workout.” Stephen Smith, a senior majoring in journalism, said he enjoys having access to the Rec Center over the summer. “The fact that it opens in the summer means more people get to access it,” he said. “People get excited about staying in shape, and summer time is a good time to start good workout habits.” Smith said he has been a fan of the Rec facilities since he was a freshman, and will definitely miss it a lot after graduation. “I believe it really helps our students develop physically and socially,” he said. The UA Aquatic Center also recently reopened their outdoor pool complex to the public. The complex includes a pool with a lazy river, a water basketball goal and a water slide. “I love the outdoor pool and slide. It’s the main place to go over the summer to either relax for the day or get over all the stress of a summer class,” Smith said. While some students find the summer facilities useful, others like Patrick Weaver, a junior majoring in public relations and event planning, said they are disappointed.
The University’s Rec Center is available to students who are taking classes over the summer. CW / Amy Sullivan
“Last summer, I planned on going to the Rec Center while I was in Tuscaloosa, but when I was walking through, my card wouldn’t let me in,” Weaver said. “So this year I got a Planet Fitness membership for the summer because it is ridiculous.” In order to use the Rec facilities during the summer, University of Alabama students need to be taking a class during the summer sessions.
Celeste Siggers, coordinator of membership services at the Recreation Center, said main campus students enrolled in at least one credit hour will have access to the Rec and the Aquatic Center. “University students not enrolled during the summer have the option to join the Student Recreation Center for $28 per month or the Aquatic Center for $10 per month,” she said.
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Editor | Patrick Crowley Letters@cw.ua.edu Tuesday, April 7, 2015
COLUMN | STUDY ABROAD
Credit equivalency hinders study abroad ANNA SCOTT
Lovejoy Staff Columnist
Tribune News Service
COLUMN | TUITION
Students need Spirit of Alabama Act TJ
Parks Staff Columnist
According to a survey conducted at The University of California at Santa Barbara, 17.3 percent of college students skip a meal every week in an effort to save money. This phenomenon is not unique to UCSB. According to a study conducted at Western Oregon University, 59 percent of college students at the university were food insecure at some point in 2013. Rising tuition rates are forcing some students to choose between paying for education and eating. The University of Alabama Student Government Association, UA Parents Association and Bama Dining created the “Got Meals?” program to help alleviate food insecurity, but the “Got Meals?” program provides for a meager number of students, and some semesters it does not even have enough meals for the small number of students it serves. In the spring of 2013, the “Got Meals?” program fell 70 meals short of the amount needed to care for the 22 students enrolled in the program. In spring of 2014, the program had meals in excess, but it only
provided meals for 17 students. The “Got Meals?” program’s banner semester, fall of 2013, was marked by a surplus of 423 unused meals and 503 meals disbursed, but only 52 students were enrolled in the program. The “Got Meals?” program is a good start, but the University needs more. For comparison, between the UCSB food bank opening in April 2011 and winter 2013, the food bank provided over 10,000 meals to 1,500 students. The UCSB food bank was not only effective, but it was economically feasible as well. According to the UCSB Associated Students, the food bank was operated on a student fee of $1.81 per undergraduate student and 80 cents per graduate student. The University of Alabama has the resources to create a program like the food bank at UCSB. The Spirit of Alabama Act, introduced by Patrick Fitzgerald during the last senate session, would have raised $900,000, in part to feed food insecure students. The act would have required only $12.50 from each student per semester, a small sum compared to the $500 out of state tuition increase imposed by the Board of Trustees last year. The previous SGA executive branch disagreed with the Spirit of Alabama Act, calling it a “tax” by the SGA that would be bad for the student body. On the
contrary, it would be good for the student body. The University can only charge students so much money before enrollment drops and students start seeking other schools. Since the Board of Trustees will likely raise tuition anyway, an SGA tax would let students decide where some of that money goes. If, for instance, students were only willing to pay $500 more than the tuition this semester, and the SGA were to make a $40 student tax, then the Board of Trustees could only raise the tuition by $460 before the University began to lose students and thus, lose profit. As it is, the fee proposed is only $12.50 per semester. A fee of $12.50 to feed hungry students should be non-controversial, especially compared to some of the ways the University spends students’ money, including the $141,000 paid to President Judy Bonner this semester alone. Fitzgerald is reintroducing the Spirit of Alabama Act this session, and a student group will display its proposal for a food bank on April 13 in the Ferguson Center. Perhaps through efforts such as these, students can take control of the money they spend on school and feed some of the University’s starving students. TJ Parks is a freshman majoring anthropology, history and journalism. His column runs biweekly.
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Andy McWhorter editor-in-chief Sloane Arogeti visuals editor Tara Massouleh managing editor Beth Lindly online editor Sean Landry production editor Peyton Shepard chief copy editor Patrick Crowley opinions editor
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number. Phone numbers are for verification and will not be published. Students should also include their year in school and major. The Crimson White reserves the right to edit all guest columns and letters to the editor.
Students at The University of Alabama are constantly bombarded with emails, and a fair share of these emails are plastered with capitalized and flashy subject lines saying things such “Study abroad reminders.” I find these emails slightly obnoxious yet informative and necessary for those of us who plan on partaking in one of college’s most enriching opportunities: studying abroad. My traveler’s nostalgia from my previous trips may tend to drag out and bore people, but I believe my passion for exploring and my past experiences with studying abroad gives me some credibility to critique one major aspect of the Capstone International Academic Programs: international credit evaluation. I realize that, with a school as large as The University of Alabama, there are bound to be systematic flaws in tedious processes such as applying to study abroad programs. Programs that are not run by the University but are recommended by its Capstone International Academic Program website are called UA affiliates. On the CIAP website there is a database filled with incredible UA affiliate programs, which is one of the many helpful aspects of our study abroad tools. But once a student begins to apply to an affiliate program and is ready to register for classes at the overseas university, problems arise. The current process for determining credit equivalency requires students to make a list of courses they need here at The University of Alabama, which can be done with a student’s advisor by appointment. The troubles come when the students are then asked to compare their UA course descriptions with the course descriptions that are published by the affiliate program. Without the help of an advisor or person in the department of the area of study, students make a fairly blind guess at which classes they should be taking. The students then choose up to only eight of the program’s offered classes to have evaluated on the course equivalency form. The results of the selections might conflict with classes taken previously at the University. I have a proposition for The University of Alabama that I believe would eliminate this one extremely important step in the study abroad process. I propose that the College of Arts and Sciences can remain owners of the credit equivalency database, but that they appoint heads in each department with access to their database. These heads in other colleges and areas of study here on campus could serve as advisors for students like me who have no efficient or timely way to figure out exactly what classes I should be taking in Madrid this summer. If having these multiple advisors across campus is a possible modification to the University’s study abroad application process, no one person in the College of Arts and Sciences would be blasted with advising appointments or forms, and students would no longer feel in the dark about such a critical part of studying abroad. Anna Scott Lovejoy is a freshman majoring in Spanish and general business. Her column runs biweekly. Last Week’s Poll: Should Jonathan Taylor have been given a second chance? (Yes: 31%) (No: 69%) This Week’s Poll: Do you feel secure in your dorm or apartment? cw.ua.edu
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OPINIONS Tuesday, April 7, 2015 COLUMN | DISCUSSION
Students have duty to engage in healthy debate, not police speech LEIGH
Terry Staff Columnist
Colleges are the intellectual hubs of America. College students have elected presidents, trained for the Civil Rights Movement and spawned the anti-Vietnam War movement, while their professors pushed at the frontiers of knowledge. These institutions have generally been the fastest, most effective, most efficient and most liberated marketplace for the ideas that could change the world. So why are we, as students, putting limits on it? For once, I’m not writing about grounds use policies or protest rights that get handed to us (or not) from on high. This is about the limits we are placing on each other. As a left-leaning student who grew up in a deeply red Alabama town, I know how it feels to have your ideas figuratively (and possibly literally) bodychecked into the boards, which is why it hurts my heart to see this trend often happen at the University from both ends of the ideological spectrum. On many, if not most, American
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campuses today, the “social justice” drown out opposing speech, hosted movement is a popular line of thought “panel forums” where all panelists among students, including this col- held close to identical views and creumnist. The movement aims to eradi- ated ideological ivory towers to stay cate sexism, racism, ableism, trans above the enlightening engagement. and homophobia and classism, which We are not called to police each othare all worthy and relevant goals. It er’s speech. Rather, all members of the meets its counter force in many social- UA community have a duty to engage ly conservative trends on campus, with each other in healthy, producsome of whose students have created tive and sometimes spirited discusideological silos so large sion. These discussions and broad that they can develop critical thinking, avoid ever encountering diverse perspectives and opposing views. The purrhetorical analysis skills veyance and protection that are part and parcel ... students with of these conflicting idewith The University of ologies often leads both mission to political leanings of all Alabama’s sides to regulate and develop better citizens. stripes must compete limit the marketplace Instead of attemptof ideas. ing to drown each other equally and fairly ... out, we should look for By labeling fellow students with deeply hurtful opportunities to build monikers such as racist bridges of empathy and or a race-baiter for their understanding of each own young and malleable other’s backgrounds in set of ideals and by preorder to possibly gensuming that all students’ views should tly persuade or inform each other’s be held to the standard of what we beliefs. As tiring as it may be, stubelieve or purport to know, politically dents with political leanings of all active students have lately had a chill- stripes must compete equally and ing effect on their campus’ speech. fairly in the marketplace of ideas, American students have forced the which includes allowing unpopucancelation of commencement speak- lar ideas to compete and possibly ers, scheduled competing events to to die out naturally. If we wish to
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WHAT TO KNOW • Many ideas that changed the world came out of college campuses. • Conflicting ideas lead to a broader, more useful marketplace of ideas. • All members of the UA community have a duty to engage with each other in healthy, productive discussion. persuade others, we must be educators and friends, not enemies. We must make spaces safe for all viewpoints and participants and then vigorously debate the validity of our causes on even footing. I do not believe the lines are so simple between racially enlightened and racist, feminist and misogynist, LGBT ally and homophobe. We are fallible humans from Alabama, New York, California and Texas with inconsistent and evolving belief systems colored by our own life experiences, so despite our differences and our university’s checkered history, we must engage and not police. Leigh Terry is a junior majoring in economics. Her column runs weekly.
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NEWS
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Cravings, a new grocery store, will be located in downtown Tuscaloosa and will offer specialty groceries, around 140 different craft beers and various wines. CW / Hanna Curlette
Specialty grocery store to open downtown By Alana Norris | Staff Reporter
didn’t have a place to grab a drink and a candy bar before. Those in need of a place to fill their The counter is on the left with the daily snack cravings, look no fur- snack shelves located on the right. ther. Cravings, a local specialty gro- Pastas, grits, peppers, bar mixers, cery store, is coming to downtown chips and pickles are already on Tuscaloosa on Tuesday. hand. Older brand and regional canThe long, narrow stoire with high dies fill the shelves like giant Tootsie ceilings and wooden floors is located Rolls, candy buttons, chocolate bars, a few doors down from DePalma’s fudge, taffy, candy cigarettes, candy and just across from Glory Bound necklaces and Razzles to name a Gyro Company. Walking into 2320 few. Many of these candies were University Blvd. feels like enter- once widely distributed but are now ing an old-fashioned grocery store manufactured on a smaller scale. decked out with “The candy is so modern finishes. cool, I love that,” Dan Robinson, Gosney said. “It who owns makes me feel like Tuscaloosa Burger I’m home.” and New Orleans Just a bit furWe want to get to know you, ther Fry House, is openback into the ing the store with we want to become part of the store, past the the help of employcounter, there are community. ee Eden Gosney 12 chairs at three and manager tables on the left DJ Writesman. for customers to — Dan Robinson — “Honestly, we’ll enjoy their snacks have a little bit of and watch the flat everything in this screen television. store,” Robinson Past the seating said. “A lot of it’s area on the left are organic, some of it’s large shelves waiting to be filled with gluten-free, most of it’s all-natural, dry goods, dog treats and anything not all of it, but these are all small else customers request. A book will manufacturers who produce in be kept to record what brands people small batches.” want to see on the shelves. Gosney, a junior majoring in resGosney said they will offer more taurant, hotel and meetings manage- hands-on customer service than men, lives downtown and said she most grocery stores. understands the need for this type of “What the community wants is store in the area. Writesman agreed, what we’re going to do,” she said. and said people who work downtown Gosney and Writesman are
dedicated to the store and said they will stay late if there are customers around after hours. They both are looking forward to trying new foods, learning about the inventory and making recommendations. They said they are happy to get out of the student bubble and get to know locals. “I find this place interesting so I know I’ll be able to help people,” Gosney said. Robinson said he put some thought into the limited parking downtown. They are willing to bring the customer’s bags out to his or car as he or she pull up to the front of the store. They may even offer delivery services in the future. “We are going to cater to the customers,” Writesman said. Robinson said the store has about 140 different craft beers, most of which are domestic, and can be ordered multiple cases for parties. “Don’t be worried about what we have,” Robinson said. “If you don’t see something that you want, ask us, because most likely we can get it and most likely it will be cheaper than where you’re getting it from.” One feature is the option to create a mix and match six pack. Customers can choose any single beer, in any quantity. Robinson said this way people who want to try a new beer, but aren’t sure if they will enjoy it, aren’t out $15 and stuck with five beers they don’t like. The freezer at the end has small batch gelatos, ice creams by the pint and ice cream sandwiches. At the very back of the store is the wine
room. They plan to have 50 or 60 different types of wine on opening day and will expand to 140 wines. The store will be filled with products within the next month but won’t be fully stocked until September. Robinson said in the future, he would like to start making baskets of food, wine, beer or any combination to be purchased for gifts. He wants to have cold sandwiches, pasta salad, quiche, po’boys, chicken and tuna salad that will be prepared at one of his other restaurants. In the future, the freezer will also be full of local beef and pork and Cajun items like smoked sausage among others. Seafood will be divided in small packages for singleperson meals as well as portions for families. A number of breads, like the New Orleans po’boy bread, will also be sold. Dressings, sauces and marinades, that they make themselves, will be available too. “The first six months our stock is going to be constantly rotating, constantly adding to and taking away,” Writesman said. Robinson said he enjoys the local flavor of downtown and appreciates the small town feel. He said he plans to stay here forever. “We want to get to know you, we want to become part of the community,” he said. Exact hours of operation will change regularly. As of now, they plan to be open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. with the intent to extend those hours to 6 a.m. to midnight. They will be closed on Mondays for restocking.
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TUESDAY April 7, 2015 hind legs. They actually leave footprints that are very similar when they slide through mud. I imagine if you saw a black bear on its’ hind legs at dusk, your BIGFOOT FROM PAGE 1 mind would play tricks on you, too.” Scruggs insisted it wasn’t like any aniand smaller. I think a seven-foot-tall pri- mal she had ever seen. For the next year, mate running around Alabama would be she said she was a prisoner within her seen pretty quickly.” own home. She refused to go outside by Scruggs said the growls continued for herself, and she made sure she kept a the next few weeks, coming from the loaded pistol with her at all times. wood line near her house. She and her “I know what I saw,” she said. “Before husband turned the occurrences into a that, I was always outgoing. Growing up, joke. Every evening she would mimic the woods was my playground.” the yells, and every evening, she said it Deciding to spread the word, Scruggs would yell back at her. started an activist group, Bigfooting But Scruggs said the growls soon in Alabama, which has almost 700 turned aggressive and frightened her. members. The group tracks sightDuring a bad thunderstorm, Scruggs ings of Bigfoot in Northern Alabama. and her husband were watering their She also volunteers at the Alabama cattle when they were surrounded by Bigfoot Society, where she works as a screaming so loud, Scruggs said she a field investigator, gathering evidence could feel it vibrating her chest. and reports. Jeffery Lozier, a biologist at the Scruggs said she found trees stripped University, said scientists never say of bark, wood structures, fence posts anything is impossible, but he, too, is pulled up and large footprints around skeptical of the existence of a creature her property. She said she believes like Bigfoot. He said Scruggs might Bigfoot forms territorial markers out of have encountered a mountain lion. Most trees. There are many natural animals, people probably could have gone their Lozier said, that could have stripped entire lives in the area, Lozier said, and bark from trees, including beavers never have seen one. Every time Lozier building dams and deer filing down goes into the forest, he said, he encoun- their antlers. ters something he’s never Victor Scruggs said his seen before. mother started the group One of the reasons Ehret to promote the protection believes people jump to It’s very easy to mistake of Bigfoot. Bigfoot when they hear a “The reason she started a bear for something Bigfooting in Alabama is strange noise versus an animal like a bobcat is their fasbecause a lot of Facebook like a Bigfoot. cination with the unknown. pages want to kill them, He said it’s fun to consider and her biggest thing is — Jeffery Lozier — these creatures being no kill,” he said. “They real, but people should want to let them live a recognize they don’t exist. free life like we do.” A few days later, Scruggs Victor Scruggs said he’s said she saw Bigfoot for the first time. experienced strange occurrences on the She said she could see the silhouette property when he was younger, recallof the creature squatting in the woods ing an incident when he was 15. Playing before standing up eight feet in height. a prank on his mother, Victor Scruggs Based on analysis, Lozier suggested said he popped out from behind a car Scruggs might have seen a black bear and growled. in the woods. Based on sightings and “Something yelled back at us. It records, the places where Bigfoot would scared the crap out of me,” he said. “We live are the same areas populated by took off running in the house.” black bears. Many creatures like Bigfoot were cre“It’s very easy to mistake a bear for ated for a variety of different reasons something like a Bigfoot,” he said. “A based in reality, Ehret said. The Griffin, lot of times they will stand up on their a winged animal in the Middle East,
Experts say larger bears often mistaken for Bigfoot
Former Mavs, Nets coach holds NCAA assist records JOHNSON FROM PAGE 1
Avery Johnson Tribune News Service
100 and 150 wins. He left the NBA with a record of 440-254 “I am confident that Avery will provide our student-athletes with the best qualities of leadership: commitment, hard work, enthusiasm, poise, confidence and pride,” Battle said. “I am very excited about having Avery join the Crimson Tide family. Not only do I believe that he will be an excellent head coach, but I am also convinced that he will be a tremendous example to our student-athletes in all areas on and off the court.” Johnson’s hire comes after Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall turned down the Alabama job to remain with
Mary Katherine Scruggs started an activist group, Bigfooting in Alabama, which has almost 700 members. The group tracks sightings of Bigfoot in Northern Alabama. CW / Layton Dudley
was inspired by dinosaur skeletons, and the cyclops was based on the skulls of elephants. Ehret said he thinks Bigfoot could have its origins in Native American lore, which used mythological creatures as part of its belief system, and was passed down from generation to generation. He said creatures like Bigfoot were used to scare people. Since starting the group, Scruggs said there have been many different sightings from as far away as Pale City and Irondale. People are scared to come forward, Scruggs said, because they’re scared of being ridiculed. “I stepped out, and my biggest critics were my family,” Scruggs said. “They mocked me. They teased me, but when I got that first recording, their jaws dropped.” In 2009, Lozier wrote an academic paper using Sasquatch as an example to show how convincing species models could be based on questionable inaccurate public data. The paper used eyewitness accounts and footprint recordings to show species distribution for Bigfoot and how many of the sightings could be a case of mistaken identity. Both Lozier and Ehret said it was possible that a creature like Bigfoot existed billions of years ago. At one time, giant apes and seven-foot grass sloths roamed the earth, but both professors said they don’t believe Bigfoot is going to be found.
Lozier said there’s not enough credible evidence to support Bigfoot. He said there would have to be many Bigfoot creatures running around in the woods to have a sustainable population. The odds of not coming across one, he said, would be unlikely. “It boggles the mind there wouldn’t be pictures or a dead body or a skeleton,” Lozier said. “We find skeletons of things that have been extinct for millions of years, so why wouldn’t we find a skeleton of a creature that died weeks ago?” The reason for the recent activity in Tuscaloosa, Scruggs said, is due to deforestation in northern Tuscaloosa. Forests were stripped to nothing but bare land. She believes the creatures lost their homes and had nowhere else to go. “I’m not trying to stop the timber cutting,” she said. “They’re welcome to stay there as long as they don’t hurt my dogs. I would love to see some type of law to protect them, so they won’t be harassed.” Citing several hoaxes involving fake Bigfoot corpses, Ehret said some opportunists use people’s belief in Bigfoot to gain notoriety and fame, but Scruggs, an ordained minister, insisted she isn’t lying. “Why would I want to destroy my reputation?” Scruggs said. “My words will not change when I stand before the Lord.”
the Shockers. As a player, Johnson led the NCAA in assists twice during his time with Southern University, from 1986-88. Johnson still holds the top two spots in the record book for total assists in a season and assists per game. In his senior season, Johnson totaled 399 assists for 13.3 per game. He holds the record for most assists in a single game at 22, and he was the first Division I player to average a double-double. Alabama did not release details of the contract, but AL.com and The Tuscaloosa News reported a contract for six years and just under $18 million, including incentives. That figure would likely place Johnson within the top three or four highest paid coaches in the SEC, depending on his true base salary figure. Kentucky coach John Calipari is guaranteed $6.5 million a year, while Florida’s
Billy Donovan makes around $4.4 million and Auburn’s Bruce Pearl makes $2.7 million. Johnson and strength and conditioning coach Lou DeNeen, are the only coaches listed on Alabama’s official website, RollTide.com. Whether Johnson adds 2014-15 assistant coach and Alabama alumnus Antoine Pettway to his staff remains to be seen. Pettway led the recruitment for Alabama’s top commit, Theodore High School shooting guard Dazon Ingram, who de-committed from Alabama following Anthony Grant’s firing. The New Orleans native will likely be introduced in a press conference on Wednesday, according to AL.com. His contract must be approved by The University of Alabama Board of Trustees. Johnson becomes the 20th coach in Alabama basketball history.
8 UA Opera Theatre to take on jazz, pop songs Editor | Francie Johnson Culture@cw.ua.edu Tuesday, April 7, 2015
By Ellen Johnson | Contributing Writer
While opera students at The University of Alabama spend most of their time performing traditional music, for one night a year they get to let loose and display their talents through modern tunes. The UA Opera Theatre will perform “One Night Only: An Annual Evening of Broadway, Pop and Jazz Favorites” on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. Paul Houghtaling, director of Opera Theatre and associate professor of voice, first introduced “One Night Only” in April of 2008 as an additional performance opportunity for students. He said this show gives students the chance to use their training in other areas outside of opera and classical music. “The young artists in the opera program get to show their versatility in music outside of opera,” Houghtaling said. “They get to spread their wings and sing pop and jazz and musical theater, letting their classical training serve a lot of styles.” One such student is Ibukun Babalola, a junior majoring in vocal performance. This is Babalola’s third year performing in the show, and she
Christopher Jordan is a part of the UA Opera Theatre performance program. Photo Courtesy of Paul Houghtaling
said she is looking forward to the experience again this year. “My favorite part of this performance is sitting on stage with all my colleagues and watching each other perform,” she said. “It’s so intimate. It feels as if we’re just hanging out, sitting around a parlor, singing for and with each other.” Babalola said she is especially
COLUMN | FOOD
excited for audience members to hear the pop selections in this year’s performance. “Our audience is used to seeing a lot of musical theatre and a bit of jazz in this show, but I think there will be quite a bit more pop this year than there has been before, and I think the audience will love that,” she said. While the performance provides
opportunity for students, it also provides entertainment for audience members and a gateway into appreciating the world of opera. “I think this show introduces opera to a lot of our audience who might not be too familiar with it,” Babalola said. “It shows how versatile and accessible opera can be. A lot of my friends who now love opera started coming to opera performances after first coming to a ‘One Night Only.’“ The show isn’t scripted, but simply will feature 25 songs performed back-to-back. The diverse set of music will include songs by big names such as Elton John and John Legend, along with traditional musical theatre pieces by Leonard Bernstein, Lerner and Loewe and new cabaret selections. “It’s just an endless flow of beautiful sounds and great songs, from the funny to the poignant, from the sublime to the ridiculous,” Houghtaling said. “It’s fun and personal and full of joy, and it’s how we end our season every year.” The performance will take place in Bryant-Jordan Hall on the Bryce Campus, Tuesday at 7:30p.m. While admission is free, seating is limited, so an early arrival is suggested.
COLUMN | FASHION
Fashion can, will be sustainable By Amber Phillips
Chocolate-covered strawberries are one of many options available at Peterbrooke Chocolatier, located in Northport. Wikimedia Commons
Confections offered in Northport By Matt Lund
Easter has passed, and the chocolate you gave up for Lent can return to your life. It’s come a long way since the days of bitter roasted brews consumed with reverence by various Mesoamerican subcultures. Today, chocolate is everywhere, ubiquitous in grocery stores, gas stations and even the vending machine outside your class. So when you decide to indulge, and indulge you should, in smooth chocolate bliss, make sure it’s good enough to be worth it. Peterbrooke Chocolatier has been operating out of a small storefront in Northport since 2007. Producing a large variety of confections, the fine chocolate makers at Peterbrooke should be able to provide whatever your sweet tooth
is craving. House-made gelato, caramel apples and the recent addition of chocolate pizzas highlight some of the more complex features. And of course various bags, bins and baskets of chocolatedipped strawberries, popcorn, Oreos, pretzels and peanut butter crackers are strewn around the store. A veritable carousel of chocolatecovered morsels inevitably grabs the attention, and cellophane bags will fill themselves while somehow using your hands. Dark chocolate pecans, milk chocolate cranberries and blueberries and house-made dark chocolate malted milk balls are my favorites. Whatever you choose, you can be sure it will be better than a Snickers bar. Buy just for yourself or use gift bags as an excuse to go. Either way, enjoy Peterbrooke Chocolatier.
Success in business is all about the bottom-line. At the end of that day, fashion designers have to ask if they are making a worthwhile profit or just breaking even. Often, designers and retailers have to make adjustments to their original designs to increase profits. This could mean using a cheaper fabric such as a synthetic or using a smaller seam allowance to spare material. Cotton and polyester blend fabrics can be comfortable and affordable, but the demand for these materials is almost twice the amount currently in production. Millions of tons of material are made each year, but the truth is that people are throwing away clothes. Trends change rapidly and valuable material is tossed into landfills. A few companies are working to reverse this wasteful pattern. Kering (owners of Puma) and H&M recently announced they will be working with the textile up-cycling company Worn Again. The goal is to meet the growing demand for cotton and polyester production worldwide by recycling garments. Worn Again separates and extracts the materials from used clothing so that it can be re-spun into new yarns. This conversion back to yarn, the basic twisted fibers present in all fabrics, solves the problem of separating the materials of blended fiber clothes and removing dyes from polyester and cellulose. In other words, a T-shirt’s previously linear lifespan can now become
Clothing companies have teamed up with Worn Again to recycle old clothing fibers. Amazon.com
circular. What was once worn, thrown away and left in landfills is now seen as reusable, proving fashion’s ability to become sustainable. Anna Gedda, the head of sustainability at H&M, said she believes this will change the way fashion is created and massively reduce the need for extracting virgin resources from our planet. Worn Again’s technology is still in development and the two companies only plan to adopt the technology once it is deemed commercially viable - it is about the bottom-line after all. Just announcing the technology and showing its intentions has sparked conversation about textile waste. Even if it cannot become commercially viable within the H&M or Kering business models, other companies are ready to introduce textile recycling technology.
9
CULTURE Tuesday, April 7, 2015
Vintage boutique opens in downtown Northport By Becca Murdoch | Staff Reporter
Off Main Avenue in historic downtown Northport, a treasure trove of vintage finds awaits those looking to stand out in a crowd. This Ol’ Thing Vintage is a boutique specializing in pre-1975 clothing and accessories. Lori Watts, owner of This Ol’ Thing Vintage, has been collecting vintage finds for 25 years and opened up shop this past Valentine’s Day. Her expertise definitely shows, Jamie Cicatiello, friend and business associate of Watts, said. Cicatiello owns and operates the vintage store Grace Aberdean Habitat Alchemy. “[Watts] has a great eye. [Watts] understands the clothing and the era it came from,” Cicatiello said. “She has a wealth of knowledge on the history of the clothing.” Bebe Lloyd is a vendor at 5th Street Vintage Market, which Watts has helped sustain for three years. Lloyd said she had the opportunity to see Watts’ merchandise elicit excitement from even the most seasoned and discerning clients at the New Orleans Vintage and Lifestyle Expo last year. “[Watts] is so knowledgeable, and she has a real passion for what she does,” Lloyd said. “I’m just so glad that she is staying in the Tuscaloosa/ Northport area. She would be successful anywhere, and would probably have a much larger customer base in a big city, but she chooses to stay here and we are all lucky because of that.” This Ol’ Thing Vintage boasts a wide selection of clothing and accessories that one can’t just pick up from a mall or department store, Watts said. Along with funky pieces from the early seventies, shoppers have the opportunity to buy signet rings from 1900 or a tapestry bag from the turn of the century. Watts also carries classic vintage pieces from designers such as Christian Dior and Elsa Schiaparelli. Cicatiello said that many people are surprised when they look at vintage clothing, because oftentimes the styles are very similar to what we wear today. “I think because her clothes are pre-1975, they’re usually very classic styles,” Cicatiello said. “Maybe the patterns are different, but Chanel is always Chanel; Yves Saint Laurent is always Yves Saint Laurent.” Lloyd said she thinks vintage finds appeal to different people for different reasons. For Lloyd, buying vintage
‘This Ol’ Thing Vintage,’ located in downtown Northport, specializes in clothing and accessories from before 1975. Photo Courtesy of Lori Watts
goods is more than just following the growing vintage trend. “I like the idea of buying things that have histories and stories behind them,” she said. “Many people, myself included, appreciate the intricate workmanship in vintage clothing. You just don’t find that anymore, except maybe with haute couture, which is not affordable for most of us.” Condition and appeal are everything in this kind of vintage boutique, Watts said. When shopping for her store, Watts asks herself if this appeals to her, if it will appeal to others, and if the piece is timeless. The condition of her pieces is what sets her vintage boutique apart from thrift stores and consignment stores, she said. “The item has to be perfect or almost perfect,” Watts said. “Some things are going to have a little bit of character, but it’s all about condition.” Watts said she is happy with her boutique at its current location in downtown historic Northport and hopes to expand her operation further into her current building this fall. With years of experience in finding and selling vintage clothing and accessories, Watts has found her niche in the Tuscaloosa/Northport area and is bringing rare vintage pieces to the public. “People should shop at This Ol’ Thing Vintage because they are going to find things they won’t be able to find elsewhere,” Watts said. “They’ll find memories.” This Ol’ Thing Vintage is located on 902 Main Avenue in Northport, AL. It is open most weeks, Tuesday through Saturday from 12 to 4 p.m., and by appointment. To set up an appointment, call 345-4763.
Install silt fences and other sediment/ erosion controls. Minimize disturbed areas during construction. Seed and mulch bare areas as soon as possible. Direct stormwater away from the construction site.
Both dance and non-dance majors, with assistance from dance faculty, are in charge of all aspects of the Dance Alabama! show. CW / Layton Dudley
Student dance show to premiere Tuesday By Luisa Sanchez | Contributing Writer
PLAN TO GO
The student-produced showcase Dance Alabama! will return to the WHAT: Dance Alabama! stage from April 7-11, featuring a wide WHEN: April 7-11 variety of genres from hip-hop to WHERE: Morgan Auditorium classical ballet. Students, both dance and non-dance majors, are in charge of all aspects of the show, from choreography, dancing, provide scholarships for dancers and lights and production, with assistance to aid our philanthropy ‘The Alabama from faculty. Dance Festival,’” she said. “We also “This concert is a wonderful example host dance jams throughout the year of student research and creative activity to allow students – both majors and on our campus,” said Sarah M. Barry, non-dance majors – to come to our associate professor of dance in the the- studios and take class with us.” atre and dance department. “Student Planning for the event starts at the choreographers craft their ideas, move- beginning of every year, with new ment choices, select music and cos- boards elected in the spring semester tumes and light their final projects, in order to prepare for the upcoming all under the guidance of school year. faculty mentors.” “I would encourage “The audience will be everyone Auditions for the conto come and cert are held at the begin- taken on a rollercoaster see this show because ning of each semester, and there really aren’t many selected acts have until of emotions from anger chances to see this high the show to rehearse their quality of dancing in to sadness to works during the evenings the Tuscaloosa area,” happiness and and weekends. Higginbotham said. “The “This show is a great everything in between.” audience will be taken on chance for the community a roller coaster of emoto come see the vision of tions from anger to sad— Sarah M. Barry — many young artists and for ness to happiness and students to support their everything in-between.” peers pursuing their pasShe said the people sions,” Barry said. participating in the showcase will The showcase varies in length but someday be professionals on TV, usually features around 24 dances, Broadway, music videos and compaeach around three minutes at most. nies. She compared the experience to An average 75-100 students participat- going to an Alabama football game ing as choreographers, dancers and and then later seeing the players in staff members. the NFL. Emily Higginbotham, a senior majorTickets will be $14 for students, $20 ing in dance and president of Dance for adults and $17 for faculty, staff Alabama!, will perform three pieces, and seniors. showcasing her jazz and contemporary There will be shows from Tuesday ballet choreography. through Thursday at 7:30 p.m., Friday “As a student organization, we par- at 5:30 p.m. and Saturday at 2:00 p.m. ticipate in fundraisers in order to at Morgan Auditorium.
10 UA women’s rugby undefeated
SPORTS
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
COLUMN | GOLF
By Tyler Waldrep | Contributing Writer
The fifth-year senior did not expect things to play out this way. Her rugby career was supposed to end how it started – in frustration and disappointment. Caitlin Robinson was supposed to graduate last year, but she ended up spending one more year at Alabama. That gave her one more season on the women’s rugby team. The women’s rugby team has never made it to the Division II Sweet Sixteen before, but the club will continue its undefeated season against Florida International at Furman University on Saturday. The team actually received a bid to play in last year’s Sweet Sixteen, but insufficient funds kept the team from participating. “I’m really thankful that I got to be a part of it, that I got to witness it,” Robinson said. Club president Tiffani McGronan said the club recently received $1,000 for winning their division as the No. 1 seed. She said earning the money to go one year later has made the trip even sweeter. “Even if we win one game, I would still be really proud of how far we’ve come,” McGronan said. Two years ago, the team could not even roster the required minimum of 15 girls. That forced the club to field smaller teams than their opponents, which led to plenty of losses. The team is bigger now, but size is still an issue. McGronan said the
Tiger Woods didn’t play in the Masters last year, which lead to the lowest television ratings the tournament has had since 1993. Tribune News Service
The women’s rugby team relied heavily on its conditioning to advance to the Sweet Sixteen. Photo Courtesy of Dave Crutchfield
Even if we win one game, I would still be really proud of how far we’ve come. — Tiffani McGronan — team cannot substitute as much as others, but the team is used to playing more minutes than other teams. She said her teammates tend to play with more energy than their opponents do in the second half.
Senior Darian Woods said the team has fought for recognition in the past. She said the support teachers and students have given the team recently has motivated her. “To see us get this far means a lot,” Woods said. “[It also means] a lot because club sports don’t get as much respect.” Robinson said competing for a national title after the way last year ended is special. She said she is confident the team will pick up where it left off. “We beat them all,” she said. “I feel like the same kind of thing is going to happen in South Carolina.”
COLUMN | BASEBALL
Rebuilding entire Braves lineup helpful for team By Nolan Imsande | Staff Reporter
As painful as it may be for Atlanta Braves fans to watch their team trade away most of their star players (and players that weren’t stars), it was what needed to be done. The Braves needed to rebuild the team and get rid of some of their recent mistakes, and let’s face it, if a team is going to rebuild, it should be done completely. While Sunday afternoon’s trade of all-star closer Craig Kimbrel and disappointing outfielder Melvin Upton, Jr., to the San Diego Padres sent shockwaves through the baseball world, especially Braves fans, it best for the future. The Braves likely weren’t going to contend with the Nationals, Marlins or even the Mets this year, so what is the point of having the best closer in the league if you’re going to lose more games then you win? Getting rid of Upton is something the Braves tried to do before but were unsuccessful because of his massive contract and poor performance since he came to Atlanta in 2013. Basically, the only way someone would take him and his contract is if they paired him with a productive player. Sure, the
... what is the point of having the best closer in the league if you’re going to lose more games then you win?
Braves starting pitcher Julio Teheran is one of the few members of the team returning from last season. Tribune News Service
Padres got Kimbrel, who was also an expensive player for the Braves, to add to an already pretty good bullpen, but they are now saddled with one of the worst contracts in the MLB. With the offseason trades of outfielders Evan Gattis, Jason Heyward and Justin Upton, Atlanta added young,
good talent to strengthen a farm system that was ranked near the bottom of the MLB. They currently have five players, two were added in offseason trades, that are ranked by MLB.com in the top 100 prospects in the MLB. The players they got in return for those trades also won’t cost near as much as the players they sent out and will be ready to contribute in a couple of years when the Braves move into their new stadium in Cobb County. The Braves now have plenty of cap space to spend on free agents in the future and have young stars like Freddie Freeman, Julio Teheran and Andrelton Simmons, which they can build around. It may be a long season for the Braves and their fans, but they have made moves that will help them contend for many years to come.
Woods raises TV ratings for Masters By Ben Boynton
The Masters is perhaps the most prestigious tournament in all of golf. Sure, there are four total majors and the Player’s Championship, but the four rounds in Augusta National are truly special. One of the goals of every golfer is to play brilliant golf and go home with the famous green jacket presented to the winner of the Masters. And luckily for golf, Tiger Woods will be playing in the tournament this year. It has been nine weeks since Woods has played golf competitively. The world’s most popular golfer has only played in two tournaments this year. Part of the problem has been nagging injuries and surgeries, which have plagued Woods in the last few years. In addition to his body betraying him, his game has also hit a rough patch recently. The combination of the two led Woods to declare he was taking time off to work on his game Feb. 11 of this year. Woods did not play in the Masters last year, which devastated fans and the tournament. The television ratings for last year’s competition were the lowest they had been since 199 – before Woods’s time. Fellow fan favorite Phil Mickelson failing to make the cut also hurt ratings, as did a final round where champion Bubba Watson was never really challenged in his three-stroke victory. Even if Mickelson had made the cut and the final round had been full of drama, it is likely ratings would still have been low. Such is the star power of Woods. While he is easily the most popular golfer, Woods has his fair share of detractors. His infidelity scandal and subsequent divorce from wife Elin Nordegren in 2009 and 2010 certainly hurt his stock, and his inability to win a major tournament since 2008 have caused many to question whether he still has greatness in him. The rise of popular challengers such as Rory McIlroy and the success of stars like Mickelson and Watson have thrown Woods’s dominance of his sport into question. Whether people like Woods or not, his impact on the sport is vital. Without Woods, ratings plummet. While many golf fans may not like the circus that surrounds Woods, the attention he brings to the game is extremely valuable. In an era where the NFL and NBA seem to dominate headlines, golf can use all the help it can get to stay popular and relevant. With Woods returning to play in the biggest tournament there is, golf will be prominent at least for the near future.
TUESDAY April 7, 2015
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11
12 Position depth uncertain for upcoming A-Day game
Editor | Kelly Ward Sports@cw.ua.edu Tuesday, April 7, 2015
By Elliott Propes | Staff Reporter
The rain forced the Alabama football team to practice indoors Monday afternoon. CW / Shelby Akin
Rain pushed the Alabama football team indoors Monday afternoon. It is Alabama’s first practice since the scrimmage on Saturday. After practice Monday, linebacker Reggie Ragland strutted in with a gold wrestling belt with the words “Ball Out Champion” on it. “I felt like a champ all day at practice,” he said. Ragland said the belt is for the most turnover attempts by a defensive player. He said it is something the coaches created to get the defensive players more active in getting turnovers. The defense, he said, was the winner in Friday’s scrimmage. “[Ragland is] kind of right. The defense came out on fire. We had some turnovers, and we have got to fix that,” tight end O.J. Howard said. “For the first time as a whole unit together, I think we kind of did pretty well as an offense.” The offense at one position has taken a hit. Freshman running back Bo Scarbrough was not on the field after the news came last Friday that he injured his knee. Scarbrough tweeted that he was having surgery Monday morning. With the absence of Scarbrough and the dismissal of Tyren Jones, only a few scholarship running backs remain. To fill the void, 6-3 redshirt freshman Ronnie Clark, moved from the defensive backs to third team running back reps behind Kenyan Drake and Derrick Henry Monday. Clark had been practicing with the defense most of the spring, even though he is listed as defensive back and running back on the roster. In high school, Clark played as a dual threat quarterback at Calera High School. Clark rushed 43 times for 651 yards and five
WHAT TO KNOW • Safety Geno Smith was back in practice following his arrest last week, but practiced with the second-team defensive backs. • Kenyan Drake split reps between the running backs and wide receivers. • Cooper Bateman was wearing a contact jersey, though he was only seen throwing passes during the media availability. Bateman was spotted last week during media availability taking some reps with the wide receivers. • Saban and assistant coaches appeared to be running situational drills with some of the linebackers and secondary. It was a nickel formation without the lineman. Tony Brown and Bradley Sylve were the corners. Ronnie Harrison, Laurence Hootie Jones and Maurice Smith were the safeties. Reggie Ragland and Reuben Foster were at linebacker. • The Tuscaloosa News reported A’Shawn Robinson was carted off during practice. The extent of his injury is not known. • Cyrus Jones and Denzel Devall were both sidelined again with black jerseys on the training bikes.
touchdowns his senior season, which is an average of 15.1 yards per carry. With A-Day a week and a half away, many questions surround lineups and depth at several positions.
Softball heads up to Birmingham for midweek game By Kelly Ward | Sports Editor
If No. 6 Alabama softball needed confidence, it got some last week. Its offense struggled to keep up with Texas A&M in the final game of the home series but powered to 29 runs over a little more than 24 hours in its midweek games. Then at No. 14 Kentucky, the Crimson Tide took the series courtesy of shutdown pitching and timely hits. This was the same Kentucky who took two of three against then-No. 1 LSU. That LSU team took two of three at Florida who took two of three at Alabama. The transitive property doesn’t always work in sports. What has worked for Alabama is its pitching. Midweek games have helped the team improve and get ready for the weekend series. After Alabama beat Mississippi Valley State 17-0 Tuesday, Alabama coach Patrick Murphy said senior right-hander Leslie Jury found her velocity again. “For the batters to improve what they need to improve on, they need
PLAN TO GO WHAT: Softball vs. UAB WHEN: Tuesday, 6 p.m. WHERE: UAB Softball Field, Birmingham
No. 6 Alabama softball hasn’t lost to UAB in 16 meetings. CW / Shelby Akin
to see the live pitching and same with [sophomore right-hander] Sydney [Littlejohn],” Murphy said Wednesday. “She probably threw one right down the middle. The kid took advantage of it, but she’ll learn from that. In practice she’s sitting over here in the bullpen throwing to
a catcher.” Littlejohn gave up a solo home run Wednesday in the 12-1 win over Southern Miss, but she was the pitcher of record in the 7-3 win over Kentucky on Saturday. Freshman Alexis Osorio pitched 14 innings against Kentucky,
allowing one earned run. She pitched six innings in the 2-1 loss on Saturday. On Sunday, she shut out the Wildcats in the 2-0 win. Sunday was her fifth SEC start where she allowed no earned runs. In conference play, she leads the SEC with six wins and 69 strikeouts. On Tuesday night, Alabama (299) faces UAB (24-10) at 6 p.m. in Birmingham. The Crimson Tide has played the Blazers 16 times and has never lost. The two teams will face each other again April 14 in Tuscaloosa. If Alabama wins, it will be Murphy’s 900th career win. He went 28-20 as the interim head coach at Northwest Missouri State in 1995. At Alabama, Murphy is 871-235.