03-12-2012

MONDAY March 12, 2012 Volume 97, Issue 88

CHAMPIONS

ALL PHOTOS BY PHOTO EDITOR ANTONIO ZARAGOZA

ASSOCIATED STUDENTS ELECTIONS

Voting begins for Associated Students representatives today and continues until Thursday. Read the candidates’ statements inside and use WebPortal to submit your vote. Want to share your thoughts? Join the conversation using #ASelections.

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AZTEC Monday, March 12, 2012

SPORTS

WO M E N ’S B AS K E T B A L L

SDSU guarantees itself tournament bid Ryan Schuler staff writer

SDSU 57 | UNM 43 LAS VEGAS — During San Diego State’s first open practice of the season in November, fans and media members witnessed the team dancing in a circle to conclude practice.

After the Aztecs celebrated the Mountain West Conference regularseason title after the final home game of the season on Feb. 29 at Viejas Arena, there was more dancing.

Now after winning the MWC Tournament championship, SDSU is dancing again – literally and figuratively.

The Aztecs are headed to the NCAAs for the third time in the last four years and the ninth time in program history after defeating the New Mexico Lobos, 57-43, in the MWC Tournament title game. In 2010, the last time SDSU made the NCAA Tournament, it made the Sweet 16 round.

ESPN bracketology currently has the Aztecs as a No. 14 seed, but head coach Beth Burns doesn’t care.

“The key phrase is they have us as ‘a seed,’” Burns said. “You see San Diego State. That’s the first step.”

Chelsea Hopkins Tournament MVP

named

Back in her hometown of Las Vegas, Hopkins did not disappoint in her first MW Tournament.

After scoring 19 points and pulling down eight rebounds against Air Force in the opening game of the tournament, Hopkins followed up with a 16point, 10-assist performance against Wyoming in the semifinals. In the title game, she finished with 14 points and four steals to earn Tournament Most Valuable Player and a spot on the AllTournament team. Also named to the All-Tournament team was junior guard Courtney Clements and junior center Malia Nahinu.

“Honestly, I attribute everything to my teammates,” Hopkins said. “I’m doing whatever it takes to win. I know having my teammates back me, counting on me to lead, help this team rally, is really what was my motivation for the tournament and the success that we had.”

First half struggles Most basketball coaches and players would prefer to get off to a fast start.

Not only does a fast start build a team’s confidence for the rest of the game, but it also puts the opposing team into an early hole that is often difficult to overcome.

The way the first half played out was not how either team would have preferred it. After shooting almost 58 percent in the first half in their win against Wyoming on Friday, the Aztecs came out and shot 24 percent (7-for-29) against the Lobos in the finals. The Lobos did not do much better, only shooting 5-for-19, good enough for 26 percent.

“I think we came out so strong, all the adrenaline went away, and we weren’t as focused as we usually are,” junior guard Courtney Clements said.

“It was a little bit frustrating. We knew we were going to bounce back. (At) halftime we kind of refocused and we came out strong in the second half.”

Defense and turnovers translate to points for Aztecs It’s no secret SDSU can play defense.

By all accounts it led the Mountain West Conference in overall defense during the regular season, only allowing opponents to score an average of 54.5 points per game.

The Aztecs will learn their NCAA Tournament fate today. | ANTONIO ZARAGOZA, PHOTO EDITOR

When it came time to determine whether the Aztecs’ season could be finished or if they earn an automatic berth to the NCAA Tournament by way of a MWC Tournament title, SDSU did what it does best: lock down opponents and force turnovers.

After holding the Lobos to only 43 points total, including just 15 in the first

half, the Aztecs forced 16 turnovers leading to 15 points. This is compared to the two points the Lobos scored from SDSU turnovers.

“San Diego State is a very good defensive team,” New Mexico head coach Yvonne Sanchez said. “You got to give them credit. They do a nice job.

We tried to execute what we could.”

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Franklin lets his emotions fly in loss Antonio Morales sports editor LAS VEGAS — When watching sophomore guard Jamaal Franklin on the court, it’s easy to see he’s an emotional player. It helps make him the player he is.

He was upset with the call and appeared to give the middle finger to a referee.

On Sunday afternoon, Franklin denied he gave the middle finger to the referee, but said he flipped off a Lobo fan who was heckling him throughout the game.

Franklin apologized for the incident the day after.

“I did give a finger out. I can’t deny that. A Lobo fan was bugging me the whole time calling me the N-word ...”

Jamaal Franklin, SDSU sophomore guard

SDSU sophomore Jamaal Franklin flipped off a Lobo fan. | ANTONIO ZARAGOZA, PHOTO EDITOR

On Saturday, he let those emotions get the best of him. Franklin was called for a charging foul in the final minute of the first half against New Mexico and wasn’t too happy about it.

“I want to say I apologize to my teammates once again,” Franklin said. “I want to apologize to the community. I feel like I let the community down, I let the program down and I let the school down. I let my emo-

BEHIND THE NUMBERS

tions get the best of me. I didn’t give a finger to the ref. I would never give a finger to the ref.”

The sophomore said the fan was saying things about his family and called him the N-word.

“I did give a finger out, I can’t deny that” Franklin said. “A Lobo fan was bugging me the whole time calling me the N-word and talking about my family, trying to get under my skin. I shouldn’t have let him get under my skin. I’m going to work real hard to not let this happen again.”

Franklin had originally declined to comment on the gesture after the game. “No, not at all,” Franklin said when the media member asked him if he had anything to say about it.

It was a good move for Franklin after he painted himself, the team and the university in a negative light by giving the middle finger.

Head coach Steve Fisher thought Franklin was thankful for the apology, but didn’t appreciate the incident.

“It was the appropriate thing (to apologize). It was an inappropriate act,” Fisher said. “That one was not a good decision. I appreciate what he said, but I wish we didn’t have to say it.”

SPONSORED BY

FOR SDSU MEN’S BASKETBALL 1 37.1

Advanced Test Preparation

Middle finger given by Jamaal Franklin Percent shooting for SDSU against New Mexico

12

NCAA Tournament appearances for head coach Steve Fisher

26

Wins this season for the Aztecs

3

Straight trips to the NCAA Tournament for the team

6

Seed for SDSU

11

Seed for NC State, which the Aztecs play on Friday

6

Wins needed for a national championship

Advanced Test Preparation

Score Higher, Aztecs!

D A I LY A Z T E C Monday, March 12, 2012

SPORTS

3

MEN’S BASKETBALL

SDSU earns the sixth seed in Midwest

The sixth-seeded Aztecs will take on the 11th-seeded NC State Wolfpack on Friday. It’s SDSU’s third straight trip to the NCAA Tournament, eighth appearance overall and fifth with Coach Fisher. | ANTONIO ZARAGOZA, PHOTO EDITOR

The Aztecs earned their first-ever atlarge bid Antonio Morales sports editor In the past, a loss in the Mountain West Conference Tournament final may have cost the San Diego State men’s basketball team a spot in the NCAA Tournament.

Thankfully, that is no longer the case.

On Sunday, SDSU was one of the 68 teams to be selected to the tournament.

The Aztecs earned a six seed in the Midwest region and will play the 11th seeded NC State Wolfpack on Friday in Columbus, Ohio.

It may not be the same favorable location and seeding that it received last season, but the team is happy.

“Obviously you want to be in New Mexico or something like that,” senior forward Tim Shelton said. “But we’re just happy to be playing and anywhere we play, we’re going to be ready to go.”

Making the NCAA Tournament is becoming an expectation for the Aztecs. Last season was the first time SDSU had ever made back-to-back appearances. Now this is the first time the school has made three in a row.

It’s the third time Shelton has been on an NCAA Tournament team and junior guard Chase Tapley has been to the tournament every year he’s been an Aztec.

“We’re getting to the point where we’re making San Diego State into one of the elite programs in the country,” Tapley said. “It’s all because of the hard work and dedication we have put in and the coaching staff for believing in us. We’ve just kept building off the success of the past teams.”

“We’re getting to the point where we’re making San Diego State into one of the elite programs in the country ...”

Chase Tapley, SDSU junior guard While players such as Shelton and Tapley have an abundance of experience playing in tournament games, one SDSU player doesn’t.

Sophomore point guard Xavier Thames had to sit out last season and missed out on the Sweet-16 appearance. “I’m really excited. It was a blessing in disguise,” Thames said. “This is what you dream of, so I’m glad I’m get-

ting the opportunity to play in the NCAA Tournament.”

Thames will be leading his team against the Wolfpack, who hail from the ACC. NC State went 22-12 this season and took North Carolina to the wire in the ACC Tournament semifinals before losing. This is the first time the two schools have ever played each other.

It’s an unfamiliar opponent, as almost every team is in March, but the Aztecs know the Wolfpack will provide quality competition.

“I don’t know a lot. I know they’re a good team,” Tapley said. “They held their own in the conference tournament, with the likes of Duke and North Carolina. They’re going to be a good team.”

NC State is led in scoring by C.J. Leslie, who averages 14.6 points per game and Lorenzo Brown, who averages 12.7 points.

The winner of the AztecsWolfpack contest will play the winner of the Georgetown-Belmont game on Sunday.

This is the eighth tournament appearance for SDSU, the 12th overall for head coach Steve Fisher and his fifth with the Aztecs.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Lobos’ hot start ends Aztecs’ run to title New Mexico took home the MWC Tournament title Antonio Morales sports editor

UNM 68 | SDSU 59

Junior guard Chase Tapley scored 25 points on Saturday. | ANTONIO ZARAGOZA, PHOTO EDITOR

LAS VEGAS — Having won eight straight games in the Mountain West Conference Tournament spanning the last three seasons, Saturday was an unfamiliar feeling for the San Diego State men’s basketball team.

New Mexico defeated SDSU 68-59 to claim the MW Tournament title. It was the Aztecs’ first loss in the tournament since the 2009 championship game.

The Lobos led from wire-to-wire.

The game was essentially a 40minute coronation for New Mexico, which beat the Aztecs for the second time this season.

“Our congratulations to New Mexico,” SDSU head coach Steve Fisher said after the game. “We know what it feels like to be where they are right now: still on that court celebrating. That’s where we expected to be, which is why it hurts when you’re

not. And yet the reality of it is we’re not and they are.” The loss drops SDSU’s record to 26-7 this season.

1-for-6 from 3-point range, which led to its 23 first-half points.

Offensive struggles Behind the eight ball The first half of the championship game played out more like an ambush. The Aztecs were down 5-0 early, then 18-6, 29-15 and eventually were only down by 11 points at the break.

The opening half set the tone for the game; the Lobos punched SDSU in the mouth and the Aztecs never seemed to recover.

New Mexico’s Tony Snell was the one who led the onslaught as he played lights out to start the game.

Snell scored 14 points and made five of his six shots.

The performance didn’t come as a surprise to Fisher, who tried to get Snell to come to SDSU. “We recruited Tony Snell. I thought we had Tony Snell. He played with Kawhi Leonard,” Fisher said. “I knew how good he was. He’s good.

Everybody’s goal is you got to smother him and don’t let him get an open look. Sometimes he makes baskets when he’s smothered. He set the tenor for them with those early hard shots. He was very good.”

The Aztecs’ bad start on offense didn’t help either. SDSU went 9-for23 shooting in the first half and only

The poor shooting on offense didn’t stop in the first half. Apart from a short stretch of hot shooting from junior guard Chase Tapley in the second half, the Aztecs were cold the whole game.

Three games in three days seemed to take a toll on the team’s legs. SDSU shot 37.1 percent from the floor. Junior guard James Rahon finished the game with no made shots and sophomore point guard Xavier Thames went 1-for-6.

It’s not like the Aztecs were missing open shots, though. New Mexico was playing stifling defense just like it did the rest of the tournament.

News and notes Tapley led the Aztecs with 25 points; helping to bring SDSU to within five in the final minutes, but it was not enough.

Sophomore guard Jamaal Franklin scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds; it was his 12th doubledouble of the season.

SDSU now falls to 2-2 in its last four MW Tournament championship games. It was only the second loss in the last 11 games for the Aztecs at the Thomas & Mack Center.

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NEWS

Program globalizes major Ana Ceballos staff writer An initial plan to globalize citizenship will be emerging this summer in the form of a four-week study abroad program in Robins Bay, Jamaica.

Program coordinator and associate professor of recreation and tourism management, Vinod Sasidharan, was also responsible for the Dominican Republic service-learning program last summer. The program’s goal was to help achieve the eight UN Millennium Development Goals, thus allowing the community sustainable development experience with help from students.

“It gave me the opportunity to do hands-on work that specifically related to my field of study,” San Diego State graduate student Tucker Ballister said. “It gives students the chance to practice real-world skills while fostering new relationships, because, most likely you will be working with people you have never met.”

Ballister, a former attendee of the Dominican Republic service-learning program, said he considers the adjustment to third-world accommodations the biggest obstacle when working on rural community sustainability projects and, expecting to “live in American (accomodations)” is not an option.

By strengthening the educational system and helping the community develop jobs that are not necessarily fishing, which is the main drive for a village’s business, sustainable agriculture would be the main goal of the project.

“I like to give students a break from working to experience the culture,” Sasidharan said. “Relaxing is an important factor for creativity and we need creativity to come up with valuable plans that will benefit the Jamaican community.”

“It gave me the opportunity to do hands-on work that specifically related to my field of study ... while fostering new relationships.”

Tucker Ballister, SDSU graduate student “The community is a complete blank,” Sasidharan said. “Which is great for us because we have a wider field to work in.”

With six hours of hands-on work every day for four weeks, students will engage in experiential activities in the remote area, two hours from Kingston. They will focus on multidisciplinary approaches to sustainability with five suggested plans that can be put into action to improve the community in the long run.

Yet the four weeks will “not be enough” to finish the project, Sasidharan said.

Once the five plans are proposed to the community, the Jamaican government, which has already agreed to fund the plan once it’s been established, will aid the community by providing it with the money needed to put the students’ work into motion.

“My area of interest is to help people live sustainable lives,” Sasidharan said. “It is a selfish motif of mine.”

The program’s cost will be $3,886, which includes the six units of tuition, lodging, all meals, VIP-airport transfer and field trips to surrounding areas.

Program coordinator Vinod Sasidharan lectures within the recreation and tourism management department. | COURTESY OF VINOD SASIDHARAN

CONSTRUCTION As vertical construction on the Aztec Student Union continues to make progress, the Associated Students Facilities Board is mapping out details of the interior design. The board met Monday to take a final vote on what the room names will be and discuss plans for a time capsule that will be buried once construction is completed.

Each floor of the student union will have a theme. The bottom floor’s room names will represent Aztec history, the second floors will represent San Diego State history and the top floors will represent the history of AS. SDSU professors specializing in Aztec tribal history were consulted to verify the cultural significance of the names selected.

A.S. Executive Vice President Darin Ruiz said it’s important to pair historic names with contemporary room themes.

“When students call buildings like Chapultepec ‘Chappie’ its not paying tribute to the culture like it should be,” Ruiz said. “We wanted to find significant names that we could also put a fun spin on to make it stick.”

—Compiled by Senior Staff Writer Edward Henderson.

Skateboard ban re-evaluated Skateboarder illegally using the Campanile bike lane. | DUSTIN MICHELSON, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Edward Henderson senior staff writer The Associated Students’ University Affairs Board met with San Diego State’s Environment and Safety Committee to propose a marketing campaign that would advocate the use of alternative methods of transportation on campus. The campaign proposes a trial period this fall that would determine the feasibility and safety of allowing additional wheeled transportation devices to share SDSU’s bicycle lanes. These additional devices would include skateboards, longboards, rollerblades, scooters and other similar vehicles. Use of these vehicles is currently not allowed on campus. A.S. Vice President of University Affairs Mina Azim led Tuesday’s presentation.

“Students were almost set up for failure during the original trial period, because they weren’t aware of what the rules were,” Azim said.

“This campaign aims to create a culture shift toward safety within students who use alternative methods of transportation.”

The proposal also calls for the creation of an Alternative

CRIME BEAT

PETER KLUTCH, SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

CORRECTIONS: Last Wednesday’s article “Kennedy preaches renewability” included a photo that incorrectly identified mayoral candidate Bob Filner as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Also, in last Thursday’s article “AS candidates intensify debates,” it was said Joe Stewart ran for Associated Students president last year; he actually ran for executive vice president. The Daily Aztec regrets these errors.

Mistakes found in The Daily Aztec can be reported to tips@thedailyaztec.com.

Protesting through vandalism As a result of the walkout last Thursday afternoon, an additional manifestation of the anger of protesters was communicated by vandalism. The words “no cut” were spraypainted in Parking Structure 4 near the elevators. According to San Diego State Police Department Capt. Lamine Secka, this is very unusual during protests, mainly because of SDSU’s lack of involvement during past years.

Transportation Advisory Committee within the Green Love Sustainability Advisory Board. This committee would be responsible for informing the campus community about rules and regulations regarding alternative transportation, as well as advising campus police about bicycle lane enforcement issues. Students on the committee would aid in enforcing new campus safety regulations to supplement current staffing issues within campus police.

Dr. Jenny Quintana, associate professor of environmental health in SDSU’s Graduate School of Public Health, chairs the Environment and Safety Committee.

“Our main concern is pedestrian safety and protecting the learning environment,” Quintana said. “We’re really pleased on the students’ focus on trying to do peer outreach and education on transportation safety.”

The committee reconvenes next month to reach a decision on the proposal. If passed, the proposal would move to the University Senate and a recommendation could be made to SDSU President Elliot Hirshman to legalize skateboarding and other modes of alternative transportation on campus.

Minor flees from justice An 18-year-old non-student was arrested for obstructing an officer and possession of alcohol at 10:45 p.m. last Friday. The subject was seen walking near 55th Street and Dorothy Drive. Once he saw police officers approaching him, he fled the premise by jumping over fences and through multiple backyards. Later, officers found the subject hiding behind a house and took him to jail.

Robbery at Albert’s Apartments At 3:42 a.m. on Sunday, a nonstudent was standing in the courtyard of Albert’s College Apartments when two suspects walked up to him. One of the suspects punched the victim in the face who then fell to the ground as the suspect took his wallet. The other suspect stole the victim’s cell phone. Then both suspects fled the scene.

The victim sustained minor injuries. The suspects have not been found.

—Compiled by Staff Writer Ana Ceballos

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D A I LY

AZTEC Friday, December 12, 2012

P H OTO The women’s basketball team celebrates its Mountain West Conference championship.

ALL PHOTOS TAKEN BY PHOTO EDITOR ANTONIO ZARAGOZA

D A I LY A Z T E C Monday, March 12, 2012

E N T E R TA I N M E N T

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UNDER THE SCOPE

Actor & director talk ‘John Carter’ making Andrew Younger senior staff writer Actor Taylor Kitsch Taylor Kitsch carved out a niche for himself in “Friday Night Lights” and “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.” In “John Carter,” he stars as the title character in a fantasy world. Kitsch spoke to The Daily Aztec about the boredom associated with fitness, the problems with talking at clouds and why jet lag is no joke.

The Daily Aztec: What does it mean to you to portray a character that has existed for a century?

Taylor Kitsch: I don’t know, I don’t think you’re going to put more pressure on it because it’s existed. I think that’s a lot of the outside pressure trying to come in. But no one is going to put more pressure on it more than I will. You know, I think the most pressure I’ve truly had was probably playing a guy that’s lived and has passed on in Kevin Carter. But I’m not going to prep more because it’s Edgar Rice Burroughs’ vision or anything like that. But, I mean, it’s very flattering to be a part of it. And I think that scope of it all is quite cool to be a part

of it as well. And I think to breathe life into — (Andrew) Stanton, who directed it — his childhood dream. I think that’s a pretty amazing thing to do and be a part of.

DA: What were the physical challenges of the role? It seems as though there were a lot of scenes that you were pushed to your physical limits.

How did you prepare?

TK: I think I battled exhaustion throughout, just because you’re in so much of it and you’re working sixday weeks and all that kind of stuff.

But the diet is everything. It’s the most boring diet you can think of ever. Really. And just like surrounding all the meals with protein and I was on it for around 11 months. And then just the aesthetic part of John. You wake up at 4:30 in the morning every day and you train and it goes back to boxing, to a lot of the core stuff of the wire work, and then the sword training. And man, I can bore you guys all day with what I ate. But I‘ll just leave it at it was incredibly boring.

DA: After your work on “Friday Night Lights” and “The Bang Bang Club,” was it strange to be reacting to creatures and objects that weren’t really there?

Actor Taylor Kitsch gazes at something forthcoming in his newest movie “John Carter,” released Friday. | COURTESY OF WALT DISNEY STUDIOS

TK: Yes. Next question. (Laughs) Uh, no. I mean, yeah. It’s a good question, just because it’s tough, man. What was tough, I think why I was so exhausted too, is if it was a scene with me and him.

Once we get the scene on John Carter, we have to do it another 10 takes plus. For the effects people, for them to get it right to make sure we can get through all that. That’s just so exhausting. And I think when you’re acting to nothing, it’s tough, man. I’ve

means you can afford to do anything, and you can’t. Everything has a budget and a schedule. So it’s just a different kind of restriction.

DA: What is the relevance of “John Carter” to a modern audience? And what message would you hope the film sends to the audience?

Director Andrew Stanton works with his “John Carter” team. | COURTESY OF WALT DISNEY STUDIOS

Director Andrew Stanton Pixar director Andrew Stanton helmed two of the most successful films of the last decade with “Finding Nemo” and “Wall-E.” Stanton recently made the jump to live-action adventure filmmaking with an adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ sprawling fantasy series “John Carter.” Stanton spoke to The Daily Aztec about the challenges of live-action filmmaking, the relevance of “John Carter” to modern audiences, and why he hates cliff-hangers.

The Daily Aztec: How is directing a live-action film different from directing an animated film?

Andrew Stanton: It’s actually not that different. People think that when you work on an animated film, it’s as if I’m talking to a bunch of computers my whole life. I actually talk to 200 people every day, 200 people that have different jobs, like how to do the lighting, the camera, the costume work. So it’s very similar actually in live action. I’m talking to people that do the camera, the costumes, you know, the actors and it’s just that you’re doing it outside instead of inside. And you’re doing it under a very, very tight schedule whereas you have a lot more sort of bankers’ hours when you’re doing animation. So, the big difference is just physical stamina. I know that’s not sexy, but that’s the truth of it.

DA: Did your experience at Pixar help with the CGI on the film?

AS: My experience at Pixar was tremendously helpful. I don’t think I could have done this had I not. I mean making “John Carter” was basically making two movies. Almost literally two different film productions. One was the live-action side that took almost a year to do and then the computer graphic side. Because half my main characters are completely CG

and half the world is CG. And that was another year and a half of work and that happened after I shot the live action. So I kind of was in this liveaction world with all the sort of production rules and pipelines. And then I moved onto animation and I worked in the same kind of pipeline that I would work and production flow that I would work on for a Pixar movie. And I knew that half of it really well and I was working with people I hadn’t worked with before but it was fun. I think they really enjoyed working with a director who actually knew and cared about animation.

DA: Did you approach the film and the story differently than you would if it were an animated film?

AS: I didn’t approach the story any differently. I mean to be honest, I think that’s the misconception about animation is that we don’t approach our stories any differently … we just treat every character like an actor is going to play it.

And that we’re going to have a real set.

And we’re going to have real locations, and we’re going to do all this stuff. We have since day one on “Toy Story.” So to me there is no difference. It’s only when you get into the practical aspect of how you’re going to execute it that you have to think differently. But everything else is for dramatic reasons.

And we have, you know, I do have the luxury in animation that if I decide that we should suddenly go to a whole new city, maybe we have much more options of being able to actually build that city and do it, whereas it might be too costly in live action to go there. But to be honest, there’s a budget in animation just as much as there is in live action. And everything has a cost to it.

So we get sort of our hands slapped and told we can’t do things with animation all the time. People have this myth that just because you can do anything,

AS: I don’t really consider those things.

I’ve had a lot of those kind of questions when I was doing “Wall-E,” because it seemed to be so appropriate to the times of concern about the environment and things. But they’re all just ingredients for me for what’s the drama of the story. My interest was what’s the timeless human aspect about the character and the story that will always speak to me, no matter what’s going on in the world. And having a person that discovers that they think their purpose in life is over and was misguided to begin with, suddenly find where they really do fit in, I think that’s what all of us are searching to do. Heck, that’s why you’re all in college, right? You’re all trying to figure out where do I fit in and what’s my true calling. And that’s what this person is dealing with. And I think I used anything I could, even if it was subject matter that might compare to the day of if, you know, if it didn’t. That would help tell that dramatic drive. And that was it.

DA: Burroughs’s original novel was the first part in an enormous series. Can we expect sequels or other content beyond “John Carter”?

AS: That’s me knocking on wood. I sure hope so. We actually got the rights to the first three books, and we planned all three movies together so that we knew where they were all going. But I also hated movies that had these unnecessary cliff-hangers that suddenly just leave you hanging, as there is this sort of vain assumption that there is going to be another movie. I didn’t want to jinx that either, so we made sure each movie finished in a very satisfying way when we wrote them. Even though there might be these meta-issues that could keep going. It’s like having a good conclusion to a television season.

And maybe you’ll get picked up for the next year, maybe you won’t, but at least you know there’s closure in the small for what you were dealing with for that season. So we did that with this movie and we planned it that way for the others.

got big speeches in this film where you’re looking at clouds, and it’s tough to really connect to anything.

So it just kind of demands that much more of you.

DA: How hectic is the promotional period before a movie is released?

TK: Oh man, I can go on a tangent right now, where the studio would probably just hang up. (Laughs) This is cool what we’re doing here … but it’s beyond exhausting, man.

I mean just put it this way. I spent the last 20 hours in my home in Austin, Texas. That was the first time in a month that I’ve had that. And I won’t get to go back for another month plus. And jet lag is no joke, by the way. It is no joke. You lose a job here or there because of lack of availability and that’s the last thing you want to lose a job for.

But I’ll put the violin away. You just stay focused, you get through it and helps when you love the movie and you love the work that you put into it.

Want more entertainment news?

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DA I LY

A Z T E C .C O M

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D A I LY

AZTEC Monday, March 12, 2012

OPINION

Franklin gives integrity the middle finger

I

’m a competitive guy. I can understand the mentality of a highly driven, focused athlete like Jamaal Franklin who obviously desires tobe a dominant force on the court. Franklin has had an exceptional season and was named Mountain West Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Year. Nobody can deny the guy has serious skills, coupled with enviable athletic talent, making him a potentially valuable part of San Diego State men’s basketball program.

Yeah, I said “potentially” valuable.

I’m still figuring out if SDSU basketball fans should rally behind Franklin and give him our full support. His on and off-court decision-making has been questionable and it’s fair to suspend adulation until Franklin has made it clear what type of student athlete he intends to be.

Take, for example, the apparent gesture made toward a referee in the Aztecs’ recent loss to New Mexico. Unless Franklin was trying to stretch out his middle finger to improve his shooting, it looked like he flipped off the ref. Franklin denied this after the game. Did he have reasons to be frustrated? Sure.

Is it really that big of a deal if a collegiate athlete not-so-subtly tells a ref he can go you-know-what himself? Yeah, unfortunately, it is.

What if, as Franklin has recently asserted, he was actually flipping off an obnoxious fan in the stands? Does this make the scenario any better?

Either way, an athlete from SDSU was making offensive gestures out of frustration on national television.

Kenneth Leonard staff columnist Sportsmanship matters. If our student athletes do not have the emotional maturity and integrity to be gracious in defeat, they do not deserve to play. Being an athlete at SDSU should be about more than athletic performance and gametime statistics.

We do not have a professional basketball team. If Franklin wants to go be in the NBA, and he probably will end up there, he can be as unsportsmanlike as he wants.

Professional sports teams have one goal and one goal only: winning.

Collegiate athletic programs have to be about more than just that.

Collegiate athletics are about school spirit. College sports bring communities together. Universities are supposed to be designed to give young people enriching experiences that guide and shape them into more educated, wellrounded adults. Athletic programs are not an exception to this ideal. Coaches and professors have similar responsibilities. We should all hope SDSU men’s basketball head coach Steve Fisher is reaching out to Franklin, mentoring him in more than just how to be an effective shooting guard.

SDSU doesn’t want to be the team with talented players who are gifted but disrespectful. Winning games is important, but it shouldn’t be the most important thing for any of our teams. In order for our basketball team to reach its fullest potential, the cultivation of character in our athletes has to be the top priority.

Franklin doesn’t exactly brings class to the court. |PETER KLUCH, SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Sports fans have always celebrated the competitive spirit, and praised athletes who have fought hard and lost with grace. I’m certainly not alone in my idealistic belief that our team would be more admirable if our star player hadn’t lost his composure in a losing situation.

This isn’t the first time Franklin has demonstrated questionable

character on the court. Remember when Franklin hit University of Connecticut’s Kemba Walker with his shoulder? I know, Walker totally flopped, but if Franklin hadn’t slammed into him with his shoulder, there would have been nothing to flop to. It was an early demonstration of Franklin’s misguided competitive nature. Franklin really wants to win.

Actually, he wants to do more than simply win. He wants to dominate and crush his opponents, and I love that about him. I even appreciate the showboating, high-flying dunks in a way that some basketball fans do not. The problem is, sometimes this competitive spirit has to be reigned in (coaches, are you listening?) and balanced out with some self-control and integrity.

College basketball players are thrust into the national spotlight every March. It’s called March Madness for a reason, dear readers.

These players are subject to an unfair level of scrutiny, but that’s just the way it is. Every year that we have an elite basketball program, SDSU has an opportunity to show the nation what kind of school we are. When they make it to the tournament, basketball players suddenly transcend the role of student athlete and become ambassadors for their communities on the national stage.

Against New Mexico, Franklin missed the opportunity to show off a little composure in a stressful situation and it was a poor reflection of our student body.

Our community should embrace athletes such as Franklin and encourage them to showcase more than their skills as basketball players. We should care about these players, and they should matter to all students, faculty and alumni enough for us to want them to be more than just good athletes.

—Kenneth Leonard is an English junior.

D A I LY A Z T E C Monday, March 12, 2012

P H OTO S

11

The women’s basketball team plays its way to victory in the Mountain West Conference championship.

ALL PHOTOS TAKEN BY PHOTO EDITOR ANTONIO ZARAGOZA

Want to take pictures of the next MWC games? Apply to the photo section of The Daily Aztec at photo@thedailyaztec@gmail.com.

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D A I LY

AZTEC Monday, March 12, 2012

B AC K PAG E

FICTION

HOROSCOPE

A new dance to old days nd so I find myself in the middle of our reunion wondering what it is about her beauty that convinces me to avert my eyes, as if something about her threatens me.

Perhaps the sharp light captured within her own eyes reminds me of singing knives — she notices every movement, so when she spots the fly trapped between the window screen and the glass, I believe I can

A

Mason Schoen fiction writer surface, but strangely enough it wasn’t hers, and none of the other passengers involved lost anything.

I imagine the flashbulbs of countless cameras, how those instant hammers of light forged and sharpened the swords of her vision. If anything, being in front of a camera didn’t steal anything

I imagine the flashbulbs of countless cameras, how those instant hammers of light forged and sharpened the swords of her vision. hear the air split as though it were a vegetable being chopped.

With Ashley here, I wonder why the music disappeared so many years ago, and I try to persuade myself it is something easy enough to forget. I want to ask her to dance again, like we used to, but she’s married now, and while never explicitly stated, one knows her dancing with strange men, even men from her past, is strictly prohibited.

So many years ago Ashley dropped out of journalism school to model. She quickly landed high-fashion magazine spreads and became one of Europe’s most intriguing women. That is, until she lost her left arm in a terrible high-speed boating accident in the Red Sea. She tells me they found an arm floating on the

from her soul, instead it attracted her closer to the surface.

“Now when people stare at me,” she touches her shoulder at the point of it’s severance, with two fingers, the way a person holds a cigarette, “I wonder if it’s because I’m missing an arm, or because — as even you yourself have admitted — I’m beautiful.”

There’s a strange feeling of disgust that washes over me. I hide it by bringing my coffee cup to my lips.

Before I wonder if she’s seen me she asks, “What’s bothering you?”

And I answer with the only response I can, the only answer she expects from familiarity: “Nothing,” and here we are again, trapped beneath the weight of old thoughts hidden by clear glass, watching them

form and take shape but never break through and touch each other.

She’s wearing a sundress, the first one of the season. The strap above her good arm slinks down. She doesn’t adjust it. “You know,” she says and looks away from me as if in deep thought, “They say after a near-death experience, you come away realizing what’s important, as if you never knew to begin with, as if ‘what’s important’ is some sort of revelation.

But I’ve always known, just never had the courage to take action.” She catches me staring at the dark folds between her dress and skin. She waits until I return my gaze to her eyes.

She continues: “And floating there, in that cold water, believing I came away unscathed from that accident, I understood I’ve grown close to apathy. There’s a strange sensuality to it, losing all motivation. It doesn’t make you disappointed — you come to expect it, like a long, dear relationship.

I was hoping it’d make me sad to know this, but it didn’t. It doesn’t.”

I can hear the fly shiver against the window screen.

“Care to dance?” I ask her, because what else can I say?

Ashley stands without the help of her arm. I can smell traces of childhood olive groves on her skin as she takes my hand and pulls me from my seat. There’s no music playing, but she holds me near and so we dance to the rhythm of requited distances.

Here we are, dancing, like I’ve always wanted. The strap of her dress falls to her elbow. She holds my hand and straightens her arm as if to say, “Spin me.” I watch her turn, the fabric drops farther, and in the descent we are young again.

—Mason Schoen is a creative writing graduate student.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (3/12/12) Family and friends are there for you, no matter what.

New opportunities open in the career and education arenas. Get detailed about finances for increased power. Insurance, inheritance, taxes and loans could figure in. Make time for yourself amidst all the hustle. Light candles.

To get the advantage, check the day's rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

ARIES (March 21 - April 19) - Today is an 8 Mercury goes retrograde today (until April 4) in your sign. Don't take it personally.

This chaotic frequency that's broadcasting confusion; it's not about you at all. Stick to your deadlines.

TAURUS (April 20 - May 20) - Today is an 8 - Take care of your well-being with plenty of rest and fluids. Patience pays, and slowing the pace forestalls accidents.

Watch where you're going. Hidden talents get revealed.

GEMINI (May 21 - June 21) - Today is a 7 The next 24 days of Mercury in retrograde throw static into communications, especially in groups. Say it twice. Put it (and get it) in writing.

CANCER (June 22 - July 22) - Today is a 7 Your professional status could take a tumble. Pick yourself up, dust off and get back to the great service you're known for.

If there's a mess, clean it up. It works out.

LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22) - Today is an 8 Focus your attention on the things that work, the breakthroughs. Confusion could arise around education, philosophy or writing. Take it in stride. No need to decide.

BY NANCY BLACK, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) - Today is an 8 You feel balanced and assured, as the rest of the story swirls. Even with breakdowns, things get worked out. Organize at home for greater power. Take it easy.

LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) - Today is a 7 Mercury in Aries goes retrograde for you, Libra, in your seventh house of partnership.

Sync schedules and reconfirm reservations.

Have backup communication plans.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) - Today is a 7 There could be disruption in service and health today, and over the next month.

Prepare and back up what you can, and go lightly. Loving support is close by.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) - Today is an 8 - Beef up communication and travel infrastructure to avoid breakdown in the fun zone. Artistic expression, romance, kids and pets could get a bit hectic. Play it loose.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) - Today is a 7 - Mercury affects you in your fourth house of home and roots, muddling family communications or adding travel delays.

Persistence and humor carry the day.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) - Today is an 8 - For around the next month, expect delays and miscommunications, in general.

For Aquarius, communications are even more affected. Double-check important ones.

PISCES (Feb. 19 - March 20) - Today is a 6 Go ahead and seek funding (it may take time for it to come in). Expect wacky interruptions, with some energy and chaos involved. Back up hard drives. Check tires and fluids. ©2012, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.

BY THE MEPHAM GROUP, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES

SUDOKU

Difficulty Level: 1 out of 4 Instructions: Complete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudokudragon.com

S DS -V I E W

Solutions available online at www.thedailyaztec.com ©2012, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.

CROSSWORD

GETTING THE GAME FACES ON Photo Editor Antonio Zaragoza captured this photo of SDSU cheerleaders readying up for a big game in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, the deafening chants of “I believe that we will win” could not be captured.

C O N TA C T : GENERAL INFORMATION

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PLEASE NOTE: The views expressed in the written works of this issue do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec.

Letters to the editor can be sent to letters@thedailyaztec.com. Story ideas can be sent to tips@thedailyaztec.com.

ACROSS 1 Professional org.

6 Like bachelor parties 10 Slightly open 14 Gift from an oyster 15 Old El Paso product 16 General principle 17 Motto of 50Across 19 Whodunit hint 20 Org. for mature audiences only?

21 "Small" allegations 23 Climbs 27 Common takeout cuisine 28 Seats at the bar 29 Hot-platter stand 30 State flower of Indiana 31 Argentina neighbor 32 Sunbather's goal 35 Invisible or indelible fluids 36 Practiced, as a trade 37 Video game giant 38 Show with regional spinoffs 39 Epic 40 Pastrami peddlers 41 Donkey of kiddie lit 43 Giant among Giants 44 Actor Armand 46 Clean up, as one's toys 47 Pure as the driven snow 48 Capitol topper 49 Easter bloom 50 Organization that held its first troop meeting 3/12/1912 56 Vicinity

BY RICH NORRIS & JOYCE LEWIS, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES

Solutions available online at www.thedailyaztec.com 57 Airline that serves only kosher meals 58 Patty Hearst's nom de guerre 59 Pigsty, so to speak 60 Hardwood trees 61 Enjoyed Aspen DOWN 1 Police dept.'s "Be on the lookout!" alert 2 Observe 3 Sticky trunk stuff 4 Bobby of hockey 5 With no mistakes 6 Red carpet interviewees 7 Rain delay rollout 8 Expert 9 Baby sponsored at a baptism

10 Mysterious 11 Founder of 50Across 12 Reunion attendees, for short 13 Witherspoon of "Walk the Line" 18 Walks on little cat feet 22 In real time 23 Fancy-shmancy jelly 24 British submachine guns 25 Popular funding source for 50-Across 26 Eternities, seemingly 27 Shed some tears 29 Yours of yore 31 Saint of Assisi 33 High anxiety 34 Objectionable, as a habit

36 Eliza Doolittle, to Henry Higgins 37 "The Fugitive" actress Ward 39 Ibsen's "Peer __" 40 Picks up on 42 Courses taken to boost one's GPA 43 Many-petaled flowers, familiarly 44 Happy as __ 45 British county 46 Surveys 48 Wee bit o' Scotch, say 51 Under the weather 52 Tree on the Connecticut quarter 53 Prefix with verse 54 Deadlock 55 Unhappy