10-18-2010

MURDER MYSTERY

SPORTS SPENDING

Experience a good, old-fashioned “whodunit” over dinner.

SDSU’s sports programs leave deficits and its coaches with inflated salaries. page 3

dailyaztec page 2

the

Monday, October 18, 2010

Vol. 96, Issue 29

w w w. T h e D a i l y A z t e c . c o m

San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper since 1913

INDEX:

food & drink ... 2

TODAY @ STATE Last day to register to vote in the Nov. 2 statewide election SDSU Fights Hunger Food Drive

Tw i t t e r : T h e D a i l y A z t e c

opinion ... 3

sports ... 5

classifieds ... 7

backpage ... 8

Hidden camera suspect charged ROBERT MORENO S TA F F W R I T E R

UPSET ALERT: SDSU 27, AIR FORCE 25 PHOTO EDITOR DAVID J. OLENDER captured freshman running back Ronnie Hillman celebrating his first quarter touchdown run with teammates. Read about the Aztecs’ victory over the No. 23 Falcons on page 5.

Engineers place third in national competition ASHLEY MORGAN S TA F F W R I T E R

A design made by San Diego State students aimed at creating a spacecraft that allows astronauts to land on an asteroid won national recognition last month.

SDSU’s chapter of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics placed third and received $1000 for its 2009-10 proposal in the national organization’s Space Transportation Design Competition.

It was a “very satisfying and proud moment,” the project’s faculty adviser Dr. Nagy Nosseir said.

SDSU’s proposal, dubbed Human Exploration and Reconnaissance of a Massive Extraterrestrial Space-born object, was third to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, which placed first, and Arizona State, which placed second.

“It was frustrating to still be beaten out, but one day we’ll do better than them,” team member and aerospace engineering senior Samantha

Stoneman said. “But it felt pretty good because SDSU isn’t generally known as a top engineering school throughout the nation.”

According to a press release, requirements of the competition included a report in which students design a human asteroid exploration system that would send astronauts to a nearby Earth asteroid and return them safely to Earth with emphasis on technical content, originality and feasibility.

The team was comprised of Daniel Nelson as team leader, Andres Cedano, Jesse Cuevas, Tuan Luong, Eric Miller, Benjamin Pochop and Stoneman.

“For a school as the whole, at least the hope is, it might attract more students or maybe better students to our program, seeing that the students who are here currently can actually get national recognition,” Nelson said.

This year’s design was unique in the fact that the reentry vehicle intended to bring astronauts back to Earth was designed as a lifting body shaped similar to an airplane, as opposed to traditional vehicles shaped like capsules, Nelson said.

Nelson also attributes this year’s win to not procrastinating, a problem the team had in their first competition in 2008-2009 when they did not place, he said.

“This next year we have a new design contract and we are supposed to be designing a propellant depot, which is essentially a structure in space that holds different kinds of propellants for service such as satellites, unknown vehicles or even vehicles like the space shuttle,” Stoneman said. “This has been a historically small group of students who participate in this project, and it’s really unfortunate because it’s a great experience and it’s one of the better design projects available for engineers at SDSU.” “This (win) gives me a lot of confidence … I learned a lot during this competition and I can continue doing it,” Cuevas said.

Some of the winning team members have elected to donate their portion of this year’s prize money back to the SDSU’s AIAA chapter, in hopes of supporting future endeavors and competitions in aerospace and aeronautics, Nelson said.

After a nearly three month long investigation, the San Diego State Police Department has identified and charged a suspect who had allegedly placed a hidden camera in a Starbucks restroom near campus.

James Burkhart, a 25-year-old Colorado resident, has been charged with a misdemeanor for attempting to secretly videotape people in a public restroom, SDSU Police Capt. Lamine Secka said.

Secka said once charges were filed the SDSU Police Department turned the case over to the San Diego Office of the City Attorney.

Greg Block, director of media relations and new media, said Burkhart has no connection to the university.

The camera was reportedly found on July 17 tucked behind a trashcan in the Starbucks restroom located on the corner of Lindo Paseo and College Avenue. The Starbucks is owned and operated by Aztec Shops, according to Block.

It is still unclear if the camera had recorded footage of victims.

Since the incident, Starbucks has made changes to its bathroom policy. Customers who wish to use the restroom must now ask a Starbucks employee for a coin to enter the bathroom.

Block told 10 News that Burkhart had initially been questioned as a prime suspect.

“When police arrived, the employees pointed an individual out to them and our police were able to interview that individual as a suspect,” Block said.

According to a press release provided by SDSU, Burkhart was notified by the Office of the City Attorney to appear for a scheduled arraignment on Nov. 9 at the downtown courthouse.

... a 25-year-old Colorado resident has been charged with a misdemeanor for attempting to secretly video tape people in a public restroom.

The San Diego Office of the City Attorney declined to comment on the case because any case that comes out of its office is not public record.

The case number is M117258 / 638659.

Courtney Jackson / Staff Photographer

A suspect has been charged for hiding a camera in a campus Starbucks bathroom.

FOR THE RECORD In the article “Community college students struggle,” published on Oct. 13, San Diego State’s service area was stated as including all community colleges south of Highway 76. SDSU’s service area actually only extends south of State Route 56. In the article “Associated Students executive pay does not depend on hours worked,” published on Oct. 14, Dan Cornthwaite was listed only as “an A.S. adviser.” Dan Cornthwaite is actually the executive director of Associated Students, within which he also serves as the adviser for A.S. Council and two committees.

The Daily Aztec regrets these errors.

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The Daily Aztec

FOOD & DRINK

Monday, October 18, 2010

Murder mystery dinner makes a killing Dinner show gives diners law and order with hors d'oeuvres A M Y DE V I T O

became the largest mystery dinner in the country.”

Learned described the performances with having “L.A. quality” actors and scripts, which makes sense given the troupe originated in Los Angeles.

“Surveys are given to the guests after the performance, and on and scale of 1 to 10, people always mark 8s, 9s and 10s,” Learned said.

“When people leave the show I always hear that it wasn’t what they expected it to be, but that it was so

much better than they thought.”

Diners are completely immersed in this CSI dining room from amuse-bouche to the discovery of the sleuth. Performances are held at the Embassy Suites every Saturday until December, when

the show will move to Fridays.

Tickets start at $59.95, and packages are available for groups of 12 or more people. It doesn’t take a ace investigator to realize The Dinner Detective show is a case worth taking.

CONTRIBUTOR

Experience a good ol’ fashioned whodunit mystery — dinner included. To move into the Halloween mindset, plan a night that satisfies an appetite for mazelike mystery and fine dining.

The Dinner Detective Interactive Murder Mystery Dinner Show in downtown San Diego is a marriage of cuisine and crime scene and capers. Named “2007 and 2008 Best Dinner Show in Los Angeles” by Fox 11 News, this chain production, which plays in 11 cities across the U.S., is sure to leave audiences amazed.

An interrogatory reception begins the show. The actors are secretly scattered among regular diners, and it is the diners’ job to ask questions of everyone to hopefully find clues to identify the culprit.

After the reception, the dining begins, but the veil is never lifted.

“The major difference between our production and others is the actors remain incognito throughout the entire time,” Kasey Learned, franchise owner and executive producer, said. “We are all about entertainment here. Our focus is both improvisation and comedy. Just this month we

Courtesy of The Dinner Detective Interactive Murder Mystery Dinner Show

Every Saturday night in downtown, participants of The Dinner Detective Interactive Murder Mystery Dinner Show are witnesses to a homicide mystery in the midst of their meal.

Stock up on local produce and a good mood SYDNEE BROOKER S TA F F W R I T E R

Julie Romig / Staff Photographer

More than 30 local farmers come to the Ocean Beach Farmers Market every Wednesday evening to sell items such as produce.

One misty Wednesday evening, a man with more hair on his chin than his skull sat at the corner of Newport Avenue and Cable Street in Ocean Beach as he played a guitar made out of a suitcase. This was no ordinary man and no ordinary corner, but it was an ordinary Wednesday. Every week from 4 to 7 p.m. (8 p.m. during the summer), eclectic artists, farmers and people such as suitcase guitar man gather for the Ocean Beach Farmers Market.

According to market manager David Klaman, this street fair has something for everyone and only a small, healthy beach town such as Ocean Beach can host it so well. The market has been owned and operat-

Julie Romig / Staff Photographer

The weekly event, which was named one of the top farmers markets by Sunset Magazine, is a gathering group for food stands, fashion booths and people from all walks of life.

ed by the Ocean Beach Mainstreet Association for more than 15 years, and because it is a nonprofit operation, much of the revenue is recycled into the community.

With more than 30 local farmers, a variety of bakers, fresh fish and international food, it is understandable why this market was ranked as one of the top five farmers markets in the state by Sunset Magazine. A cornucopia of premade food is also available from small, local companies.

A perfect example is H&B Guac Shack, owned and operated by geography senior Hayden Prante and UC Santa Cruz student Bryce Mayer. The two friends created an innovative guacamole concoction one afternoon and decided it would be a fun way to pay the bills. Prante feels the O.B. market is a fantastic opportunity to do business while meeting unique people.

A few tents away, Jackie’s Jams, Inc. sells items such as tomato jelly and mission fig jelly. Klaman says he often sees the owner actually buying fruit from the market to use in her products. Of course, the various types of foods are not the only reason to visit. Paisleys handmade jewelry is also a popular artisan booth.

Art is drawn and blown onto small pieces of plastic to create durable glass-like necklace charms.

Between the crowds, vegetable stands and fashion booths, children can ride llamas down Newport Street and teenagers barrel through on skateboards. Music echoes from multiple locations and people from all walks of life enjoy themselves.

“At 2:30 p.m. I come here to set up. By 4 p.m. the market begins, and by 9 p.m. everything is cleaned up,” Klaman said. “We’re like gypsies.

You wouldn’t even know we’re here, and we do this every Wednesday.”

OPINION

Monday, October 18, 2010

The Daily Aztec

3

Football budget runs neck-deep in the red

T

he motto “never graduate” sounds more like a rule Van Wilder told Taj than the worldwide leader in sports’ taglines. The intention of ESPNU’s slogan is to enjoy collegiate sports 24/7, but it has a negative, anti-academic, all-we-do-isparty connotation that helps perpetuate the great schism between athletics and the classroom.

In a recent conference call with university journalism students, President Barack Obama took a pro-education jab at collegiate athletic programs and facilities stating, “When I go to some … public colleges and universities, and I look at the athletic facilities … it’s sure a lot nicer than it was when I was going to college. Somebody has to pay for that.”

Obama continued to say education should be the university’s

number one focus and amenities shouldn’t increase the cost of tuition.

The tension surrounding collegiate resources and attention isn’t new on San Diego State’s campus.

Two years ago, SDSU President Stephen L. Weber approved an $80 increase to instructional-related activities fee, which Weber said was needed to “meet CSU-mandated gender equity goals for our women’s NCAA sports programs.”

The fee is now $175 per student.

According to a 2008 San Diego Union-Tribune article, SDSU English professor Peter Herman was one of the anti-fee increase advocates, who said it rewarded an underachieving athletics program when it could have been used to help curb the university’s education sector plagued by larger class sizes and fewer staff.

Herman continues to have a point, but while SDSU’s athletic program has its faults, let’s not forget how the whole university

ANDREW SLUTZKY CONTRIBUTOR

would reap monetary and social dividends if SDSU could consistently put a winning football team on the field.

I say football because according to the 2008-2009 Office of Postsecondary Education reported by assistant athletic director for business administration, Chuck Lang, football and men’s basketball were the only two sports in which revenues outpaced expenses. All of SDSU’s other sports lost money. That screams Title IX to me and SDSU, like other schools, is contractually bound to it.

Lang responded by saying the OPE report requires a balanced budget by loan, athletic reserve or institu-

Illustration courtesy of Matt Powers

tional support, unless it generates revenue. The latter didn’t happen.

According to SDSU’s 2009-2010 Athletics Combined Sources and Uses report, the entire athletics department finished the 20082009 season more than $2 million in debt. During 2009-2010, there was a jaw-dropping $913,733 gap between the revised and projected year-end budget for the Aztec Athletic Foundation, essentially boosters. That tells me one thing: People aren’t giving money because SDSU football hasn’t been up to par.

While the team is showing incredible progress in the current Brady Hoke era, we still can’t avoid the simple truth: Coaches make too much money. The San Diego Union-Tribune reports in 2005 former SDSU football head coach Chuck Long’s $700,000 salary was the second highest in the Mountain West. Hoke’s already hefty $675,000 salary as Long’s replacement is now seventh in the division.

Like a legal precedent, if your league raises the bar for head coaches, assis-

tants will follow.

According to USA Today, “nearly a dozen schools in the NCAA’s 120school Football Bowl Subdivision … will be spending at least 38 percent more on their offensive or defensive coordinator in 2010 than they did in 2009.” Ridiculous.

SDSU’s defensive coordinator Rocky Long and Al Borges make $205,008 annually as SDSU’s defensive and offensive coordinators respectively.

Don’t get me started on the student-athlete argument either. Have you heard some of these NCAA football athletes trying to string a few sentences together on TV? You know the academic cheating found at Florida State wasn’t an isolated

incident. Scandals such as bribery from agents, as seen in the Reggie Bush fiasco, and rampant arrests at sports powerhouses like Florida, show how much of a priority education is for many athletic loyalists.

While it is easy to fault sports programs for improper resource allocation and prioritization, we cannot forget why having a winning football team matters.

A school gains national prestige. Even in Obama’s conference call to student journalists, he ironically greeted every student with a reference to his or her college football program’s performance the previous week. If the president notices a successful football school, there is an employer out there who will too. Watercooler talk happens for a reason.

A successful football program helps increase enrollment rates and overall school morale, which

should translate into more sales of tickets and merchandise and an increase in the likelihood of concession consumption simultaneously. Plus, boosters and alumni will open up their checkbooks.

This is a problem academia protests.

There are several reasons why our culture promotes athletics before academics. It is more exciting and interactive. Alumni connect with their school by joining boosters, clubs, promoting raffles and attending games. Why do you think on Garnet Avenue in Pacific Beach has alumni sports bars everywhere? The extracurricular GPA programs of academia lack this post-graduate connection.

There isn’t real-world connectivity, and you no longer need that résumé boost, which was the reason you joined anyway.

When you walk away from this diatribe, take this with you: A winning football team does have the ability to do social and monetary wonders for our school.

However, as our programs stand, football and basketball will continue to execute their game strategies with running deficits and our academia will remain out of touch with our student and alumni communities.

Go support the football program and your honors society. I’m not advocating one before the other, just realize both play a role in this budgetary mess. If anyone tells you differently, retort with College GameDay analyst Lee Corso’s famous one-liner, “Not so fast my friend!”

—Andrew Slutzky is a media studies senior.

—The views expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec.

SDSU research tackles social anxiety disorder

I

n the grim world of social anxiety disorders, successful treatment options are slim to none. A chance at rehabilitation ultimately narrows down to choosing between the lesser of the two evils: time-consuming therapy, or quick fix prescription drugs. San Diego State’s own Professor Nader Amir has revolutionized the treatment of this disabling illness, and now the non-medicated answers lie within a simple video game. In hopes of combating this commonly mistreated mental illness, Amir has shaken the established treatment norms with his idea of using an interactive video game to reduce a patient’s anxiety, while helping them regain full control of their life.

Social anxiety disorder creates severe fears for its victims, producing painful mental impairments in situations where they could be judged or placed in the center of

ALYSSA CLARK S TA F F C O L U M N I S T

attention. This phobia produces an uncontrollable amount of anxi-

ety for the victim of the disorder, making many daily routines difficult, if not impossible. Not only are the mental symptoms painful, but the physical reactions can be as basic as intensified blushing, and become as serious as heart palpitations or chronic nausea.

Treatments for these difficult mental issues typically begin with a diagnosed type of psychotherapy, but all too quickly, patients are administered antidepressant drugs, demonstrating once again our society is far too dependent on medical prescriptions. Amir and his team have tested this newfound science for, “the past six years here at SDSU, in England and Australia,” and are nothing but pleased with their results.

In comparison to the traditional ways of using psychotherapy and medication, the mental health doctors have seen that the “research results indicate the approach works as well as medica-

tion or talk therapy.” A reawakened hope is what sufferers of social anxiety disorders need, and it encourages doctors and patients alike to withstand expensive medical prescriptions in order to function in daily life.

... all too quickly, patients are administered antidepressant drugs, demonstrating once again that our society is far too dependent on medical prescriptions.

The goal of the video game is to break a patient’s pattern of “negative thinking,” which directly correlates with their anxiety levels. Simply put, the more positive a patient becomes, the less anxiety he or she will experience.

Basic treatment consists of playing the video game for “10-15 minutes twice a week for four weeks,” and the program is downloadable, making it accessible and affordable to the public. Amir’s company, Cognitive Retraining Technologies, is partnering with SDSU’s Technology Transfer Office in hopes of commencing public sale later this year.

—Alyssa Clark is an English sophomore.

—The views expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec.

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OPINION

The Daily Aztec

Monday, October 18, 2010

Cutthroat competition defeats purpose of education

P

rofessional sports are the epitome of competition. Teams will do anything to defeat their opponents, sometimes even stooping to morally ambiguous tactics. But for their victories they’re rewarded with money, prestige and the ability to recruit better quality players, ultimately helping the team garner further victories.

In this way, dynasties such as the New York Yankees and the New England Patriots are born, while the gap between the top and bottom of the league becomes a gaping chasm. Startlingly, education has adopted this brutal form of competition. The problem with competition, however, is that it always involves losers — something unacceptable in education.

Locally, Sweetwater Union High School District has been in some hot water regarding its special “learning centers,” which have been separated from the traditional comprehensive high schools. This system is intended to assist students falling behind in their coursework.

Think of these centers as teams at the bottom of the league struggling to climb up the standings. The district website states, “Learning Center education can help students … get back on track to join traditional school environments or meet

RANDY WILDE S TA F F C O L U M N I S T

graduation requirements early.”

But these “learning centers” could be a symptom of a hidden illness in our education system: too much competition. Outraged observers protest that students requiring the most attention have been cast aside to boost test scores for schools in the high-stakes competition created by “zero-sum” mentality education programs. Higher

test scores can mean avoiding sanctions, increased funding for the purpose of making the district more attractive to incoming students. John Brickley, a recently retired teacher at one of these alternative education centers, told The San Diego Union-Tribune, “These students, who are the neediest students, have been used as pawns by a district that is getting greedy about raising test scores as high as it can.” It appears they are being fast-tracked on a program designed to pump them out as quickly and cheaply as possible.

The district claims pure intentions, explaining that, “Learning Center students work independently on course packets, than meet with instructors once or twice a week to review progress and course work,” and gives them the chance to “meet graduation requirements early.”

To be fair, some students do not learn as well in the traditional classroom environment; in some cases, working independently at their own pace with limited teacher interaction can improve performance. But competition should not be a necessary impetus to institute this kind of program on a small scale for those students who will really benefit from it. It loses its effectiveness when applied as a

blanket program for all students falling behind.

For the majority of students, simple yet proven reforms such as those suggested by the California Teachers Association President — “smaller class sizes, more counselors and quality professional development for all educators” — backed by consistent, reliable funding might yield the quickest results.

... students requiring the most attention have been cast aside to boost test scores for schools in ... high-stakes competition.

The CTA shares my skeptical view of overdriving competition.

CTA President David Sanchez pointed out, “There is too much focus on states competing for dollars rather than laying a solid foun-

dation of resources on which states and local districts can count. A system that rewards winners and punishes losers based on test scores does not achieve the goal of helping struggling schools improve.”

In small doses, competition may improve a few mid-level schools, but it may also be triggering some schools to disregard the neediest students to maximize their potential gains. The most disadvantaged are being left behind, exacerbating existing inequalities. Is it more important to reward schools that are already making great strides, or to allocate resources where they are most needed; at schools where progress may be slow in coming?

We cannot institute a policy of “Only the Neediest Child Left Behind.” Unlike professional sports, the goal of education is to give as many schools a winning record as possible. We mu--st come to the aid of young people stuck at the bottom of the league.

—Randy Wilde is an international security and conflict resolution junior.

—The views expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec.

Divert water conservation into hands of the people

W

hether you believe climate change is natural, nonexistent or the product of humankind’s irresponsible resource consumption, one thing is for sure: Drinkable water becomes less available every year. We’re struggling to plan for the future and come up with new ways to provide sustainable water sources that are safe and reliable.

One of these new innovations is human wastewater recycling. The thought of drinking water that came from your neighbor’s toilet bowl is pretty unsettling, but this may be the future of sustainable drinking water.

Advocating water recycling in individual homes would raise awareness of water wastefulness and encourage more responsible practices.

In January, a water purification plant will be built to test the viability of converting San Diego wastewater into clean drinking water. The plant will filter household water from toilets and sinks and purify it until it’s safe to drink. The plant operates by sending water through many long tubes thinner than a strand of human hair, through semipermeable membranes that only allow for water molecules to pass through and under lights meant to kill any remaining bacteria. In addition, safe levels of peroxide are added to the water just in case there are any lingering contaminants. The technology is relatively new, but it has been used in Orange County, El Paso, Texas and Fairfax, Va. to produce clean drinking water.

PATRICK GLENDENING S TA F F C O L U M N I S T

Water reclamation plants are admirable innovations geared toward providing a sustainable water supply, but I’m still skeptical.

Forget the idea that you’ll be drinking recycled toilet water; the San Diego plant will test recycled water until summer 2012 and use it strictly for irrigation and industrial use before it reaches the tap. What bothers me is that building these plants seems like a way to avoid a real factor in water shortage: our own carelessness. How desperate does a society need to be to even consider drinking its own waste, purified or not, to cut down on water consumption?

There are a variety of methods to collect rainwater and reuse wastewater in people’s own homes that should be practiced before large wastewater plants are implemented as a means to save water. There is little need to focus on big, expensive projects when there are plenty of small, financially feasible water systems that homeowners can incorporate on their own. Advocating water recycling in individual homes would raise awareness of water wastefulness and encourage more responsible practices.

There are water purification systems that filter excess water from a shower or bathroom sink and sys-

tems that collect rainwater from rooftops or driveway runoff. This water can be stored above or below ground or used immediately to water lawns or flush toilets. These techniques keep water bills low for consumers and aren’t excessively complicated to install.

Rather than invest in large projects, more attention should be aimed toward small neighborhood developments such as these.

While current water conservation processes aren’t able to recycle and purify water for drinking, they lower the

amount of clean water wasted on tasks that don’t require it.

This allows more drinking water to be used as it should be rather than for watering lawns and washing cars.

Building water recycling plants is a good way for us to prepare for the future, but I’m surprised they’re being built before smaller scale innovations have been pushed. If something goes wrong during the purifying process at one of these recycling plants, there’s a risk of tarnishing the name of the whole green movement in the eyes of the public. If developers were to build a strong foundation with the consumer, one built of personal home innovations, any mistakes made by larger projects in the future could be more easily disregarded.

Any news about sustainable resources is good news. I’m just worried that jumping to large

scale innovations will distract people from changing their own lifestyles. Relying only on water recycling plants could prevent the public from recognizing why we need these plants in the first place.

Without addressing our own wasteful habits, we may just be delaying the looming threat of water scarcity.

—Patrick Glendening is a philosophy and political science senior.

— The views expressed in this column do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec.

Illustration courtesy of Opinion Editor Tom Hammel

SPORTS

Monday, October 18, 2010

The Daily Aztec

5

FOOTBALL

Hillman runs over, around No. 23 Air Force AZTECS

FALCONS

27

25 The freshman leads SDSU to a win against a top-25 team for the first time in 14 years AGUSTIN GONZALEZ A S S I S TA N T S P O R T S E D I T O R

David J. Olender / Photo Editor

BEHIND THE NUMBERS

SPONSORED BY

FOR LAST SATURDAY’S FOOTBALL GAME 29

First downs for Air Force against SDSU

16

First downs for the Aztecs against the Falcons

312

Rushing yards for Air Force

205

Rushing yards for SDSU

175

Passing yards for the Falcons against the Aztecs

247

Passing yards for SDSU against Air Force

487

Total yards for Air Force

452

Total yards for the Aztecs

Advanced Test Preparation

Advanced Test Preparation

Score Higher, Aztecs!

San Diego State senior defensive back Andrew Preston was convinced that the most important play in Saturday’s 27-25 upset victory against No. 23 Air Force would result in another heart-breaking call.

The Falcons (5-2, 3-1 Mountain West Conference) attempted a two-point conversion with 2:08 left, which would tie the game. Air Force tailback Asher Clark caught the pass and was immediately wrapped up

by Preston, but he appeared to stretch the ball over the goal line to make the score 2020. The officials initially called the play good, but after a review it was overturned.

“I thought he scored,” Preston said. “But when I watched the replay, I saw that he really was down. When they stopped the replay with his knee down, it was an unbelievable feeling.”

Unlike the games against Missouri and BYU, there were no game-changing blown calls in SDSU’s (4-2, 1-1 MWC) victory Saturday at Qualcomm. Instead, the game was all about freshman running back Ronnie Hillman and the Aztecs’ defense.

Hillman ran for 191 yards and two touchdowns, and SDSU employed a bend-butdon’t-break philosophy on defense to earn its first victory against a top-25 team since 1996.

Although Air Force, which came into the game boasting the top-ranked rushing attack in the country, ran for 312 yards and two scores, the Aztecs stopped the Falcons’ triple-option offense exactly when they needed to.

“All week the coaches preached not to give up the big play,” Preston, who finished with 10 tackles, said. “We did a good job of not doing that. It’s Air Force, so you expect them to run the ball. As a defense as a whole, we did not allow that big play for the most part.”

Junior quarterback Ryan Lindley, who leads SDSU’s prolific passing attack, had a terrible first half. Lindley had only four completions and an interception before intermis-

sion, but turned it on in the second half, finishing 14-26 for 247 yards and a touchdown.

After a 0-0 first quarter, Hillman opened up the scoring with a bang. The freshman took a handoff and scampered 65 yards to the end zone, breaking several tackles and showing off the blazing speed that has him leading the MWC in rushing.

Air Force kicked a couple of field goals to make it a one-point game, and the Aztecs threatened to score another touchdown with 44 seconds left in the first half. Lindley fired passes to wideout Dominique Sandifer and running back Brandon Sullivan to set up a first and goal at the Falcons’ 1-yard line. But after a false start penalty and a couple of incompletions, SDSU had to settle for an Abel Perez field goal and a 10-6 halftime lead.

Neither team scored until the 7:49 mark in the third quarter, when freshman tight end Gavin Escobar had a nifty one-handed touchdown catch to make the score 17-6.

The Falcons followed up with a drive that exemplified the nature of their triple-option offense, rushing 10 times in 10 plays and capping the series off with a Clark 20-yard touchdown run. Air Force, however, failed to convert the two-point conversion so the score stayed at 17-12.

The Aztecs kicked a field goal to open up the fourth quarter, and the Falcons countered with a touchdown to set up the critical two-point conversion that was overturned.

SDSU retrieved the ensuing onside kick, and Hillman added some insurance points with a 44-yard scoring run, again breaking several tackles and hurdling a defender on the way to the end zone.

But the Falcons wouldn’t give up. They promptly marched down the field and scored on a touchdown reception by tight end Chaz Demerath to again make it a twopoint game with 18 seconds left.

The Aztecs recovered the onside kick again and Lindley kneeled his way to the upset victory, breaking a 0-25 streak against ranked opponents.

“We made it exciting,” head coach Brady Hoke said. “Probably a little more exciting than we should have at the end with that last (Air Force) drive. I’m proud of the kids and how they kept fighting and played 60 minutes of football.”

SDSU has a week to enjoy the win before the team travels to Albuquerque on Saturday to take on New Mexico.

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SPORTS

The Daily Aztec

Monday, October 18, 2010

FOOTBALL NOTEBOOK

Ronnie continues to run; defense stuffs Falcons EDWARD LEWIS SPORTS EDITOR

A little more than 28,000 people saw history on Saturday night at Qualcomm Stadium. The San Diego State football team beat a ranked opponent for the first time in 14 years. Take a look at some of the news and notes from the 27-25 win.

Run Ronnie run Soon-to-be Hall of Fame running back Marshall Faulk stopped by SDSU’s weekly press conference last Tuesday. A media member asked him about Aztec freshman tailback Ronnie Hillman, and Faulk responded with high praise.

“As he matures as a runner and his body develops in the weight room, you’ll see a guy who’s playing on Sunday,” Faulk said. “It’s easy to see, he has that kind of talent.”

On Saturday against Air Force, Hillman lived up to the hype — and he may have even exceeded it.

The Falcons would have had trouble tackling Hillman in an office cubicle on Saturday night. He juked, cut, jived, knifed, jumped and ran his way to a ridiculous 191 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries.

He had a 65-yard touchdown run in the middle of the second quarter that gave SDSU a lead it would never give back. The run was Faulk-esque.

“He’s great,” junior quarterback Ryan Lindley said. “The kid has wheels. He gets out there and breaks through the hole. He’s a powerful back considering how little he is. He breaks out into that second level and they can’t catch him.”

Because of his insane statline against the Falcons, Hillman now has 785 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in just six games played. If he continues at that pace, he’ll finish the season with 1,570 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Hillman did tweak an ankle late in the first half, but finished the game. Afterward he said he was “fine,” adding that he just needed to “walk it off.”

David J. Olender / Photo Editor

would try to audible or make a call at the line of scrimmage, the Aztecs would motion their defensive linemen into a completely different position. Senior defensive end Ernie Lawson said they did it to try to confuse Air Force.

Apparently it worked.

“We wanted to give them different sets and different looks,” Hoke said. “And then take it away from them to see where they were going to check and where they were going to run the ball.”

Air Force finished the game with a staggering 312 rushing yards on 62 carries, but it was never able to consistently break off the big play. All of the Falcons’ scoring drives took at least nine plays to culminate in points.

“It was a good gameplan by coach Long and coach Hoke,” Lawson said.

The game within the game Head coach Brady Hoke couldn’t take the credit for Saturday’s gameplan to stop the Falcons’ triple option attack. He shoveled all the praise onto defensive coordinator Rocky Long.

The plan was brilliant. Every time Air Force

Lindley’s big half Lindley looked pretty bad in the first half. He completed just four of his 11 passes for 63 yards and even threw one interception.

In the second half, though, Lindley was a monster. He was 10-for-15 for 184 yards and threw for one touchdown with no picks. He said Air Force didn’t do anything differently in the two halves — he just simply played better.

“I knew what I needed to do,” Lindley said.

“It was just a matter of getting it done and executing. So we got in a rhythm and did a great job in the second half.”

Lindley has now thrown for 1,641 yards and 10 touchdowns this season with just four picks.

late in the fourth quarter, there were some white knuckles on SDSU’s sideline.

But luckily for the Aztecs, the referees saw the replay and ruled in favor of SDSU. Clark was called down by contact before crossing the goal line, giving the Aztecs a two-point lead.

“I thought he scored,” senior defensive back Andrew Preston said. “Where I tackled him, I saw the ball cross the plane. But when I watched the replay, I was like, ‘Oh he really is down.’ It was an unbelievable feeling when they called that not a two-point conversion.”

Replay works at SDSU

Short shots

By now, anybody who cares about Aztec football knows about the call in Provo, Utah. A fumble that was clearly a fumble was ruled otherwise despite visual replay evidence, and BYU went on to beat SDSU. So when the Aztecs needed a replay to show Air Force running back Asher Clark didn’t cross the goal line on a two-point conversion that would have tied the game at 20-20

-SDSU snapped a 25-game losing streak to teams ranked in the top 25.

-The Aztecs beat Air Force for the first time since 2006.

-SDSU is 3-0 at home this season for the first time since 1996.

-The Aztecs (4-2) have as many victories now as they had all of last season.

-The last time SDSU won on Homecoming was in 2002.

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Leonard, SDSU have big expectations for this year With so much hype around Montezuma Mesa, this team could be one for the ages AGUSTIN GONZALEZ A S S I S TA N T S P O R T S E D I T O R

David J. Olender / Photo Editor

After an improbable run to the Mountain West Conference Championship and an NCAA Tournament berth last season, the San Diego State men’s basketball team is expected to be among the best teams in the country this year.

SDSU, which returns all five starters from last year’s 25-9 team, was ranked No. 22 in both ESPN senior college basketball writer Andy Katz’s and foxsports.com’s preseason top-25 polls. The Aztecs were also tabbed by several other media outlets to win the Mountain West and make it back to the NCAA Tournament one year after almost knocking off Bruce Pearl’s Tennessee team in the first round of the Big Dance.

But head coach Steve Fisher isn’t letting all the hype get to his head just yet.

“I get nervous when I hear the other coaches talk,” Fisher said. “There are teams in the conference that will be significantly better, even the teams that finished ahead of us last year. I probably would pick us first, but I’m biased. I think we have the best team, so I’m hoping that’s true as we finish.”

Forwards Kawhi Leonard and Malcolm Thomas were also selected to the preseason MWC first team.

Last year, Leonard led the conference in rebounding, finished seventh in scoring and is expected to greatly elevate his game in his second season with Fisher. Thomas, a senior who finished second on the team last year with 10.9 points per game, will also be counted on to lead SDSU to the top of the Mountain West.

With all of the excitement surrounding the team, senior forward Billy White is ready to go.

“I think we’re ready,” White said. “It’s a big year for us. The spotlight is on, and I think we can take that. We are prepared and ready to go.”

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Monday, October 18, 2010

DAILY HOROSCOPE

7 2 OFF SUIT

Lollipops cure anything

W

hen I was a kid, the doctor’s office was awesome.

There was a plastic playhouse in the waiting room and, if you were homeschooled your whole life like I was, that is pretty much on par with a trip to Disneyland. Or Bible study.

However, I recently had to go to the doctor’s office for an occupational physical, and it was not as much fun as a going to my pediatrician.

First I had to call and schedule the appointment. The nurse lady asked me: “When was the last time you had your annual physical?” and I had to mutter, “Like five years ago?” She gave me a condescending reminder the word “annual” means “every year.” I responded with “Really?

And all this time I thought annual was Hebrew for God. Or is that Emmanuel? Hmm. Anyway, let’s schedule this physical and see if I’m dying, huh? I don’t want to have to ask God that question in person!”

She didn’t think it was as funny as I did.

I scheduled my appointment in the middle of my Tuesday morning class. (What’s the point of a doctor’s note if it doesn’t get you excused from upper division general education?) There was a long wait once I arrived because my doctor was running behind.

This meant I was forced to read an outdated issue of Us Magazine theorizing about whether Brad and Angelina cheated on Jennifer (2010, still relevant) and listen to the man next to me who wanted nothing more than to tell me

KRISTEN ACE NEVAREZ S E N I O R S TA F F C O L U M N I S T

about the bullet he has had in his thigh since the Vietnam War. His story was made even more depressing by the decorations in the lobby. Tissue paper ghosts and surgical gauze spiderwebs were intended to cheerfully signify Halloween’s approach, but in context only made the place feel like even more of a graveyard.

When the nurse called my name, I was so excited to get out of the plastic chair I practically yelled “Bingo!” But my joy was short-lived as the first thing I had to do was the doctor’s sobriety test, which meant walk in a straight line while touching my nose and other self-deprecating acts for the nurse’s personal entertainment. I still assert jumping on one foot while holding one hand in the air holds no medical significance other than assessing the funny bone.

They took me to the sterile little room. This room always has dusty, faded decor that was put up by an optimistic soul when they still believed they were working to heal the world. When the nurse leaves so you can change in to your gown, I always move them. I adjusted the Styrofoam butterfly about a foot up the wall or the silk roses just across the shelf. I think it freaks the doctors out because they’ve been looking at the same thing in the same place for the last five years. (Five years being the last time I was there to move it.)

I had to wait 15 minutes in the room for the doctor. I just sat on the squishy chaise half naked feeling incredibly vulnerable.

After I moved the Styrofoam butterfly up the wall I got really bored. I felt like I was in solitary confinement. Part of me was curious if this was part of the physical appointment; the nurse seemed to think I needed a psych consult when I told her I my age was “21 and a half.”

The doctor entered the room and started asking me a bunch of questions I didn’t want to answer. I felt like I should be much more injured or diseased than I am. I know that my health deserves attention, but I still felt like I should be more hurt to justify their time. Especially when I was just sitting next to geriatric G.I. Joe in the waiting room.

When I told the doctor what’s wrong, they gave me this “I went to medical school for eight years to tell this chick she has a cold?” look. Plus, based on everything prime time television has taught me, I’m probably keeping my doctor from dramatic romantic entanglements with the rest of the coworkers.

So the results of the appointment were that I am probably going to die someday and that I should exercise and drink more water. But I did convince my doctor to give me a lollipop.

—Kristen Ace Nevarez is a theater arts senior with a crush on her boss.

BY LINDA C. BLACK, TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (10/18/10) Let this be the year when you accept romance into your life.This does not have to involve heavy spending. Romance thrives when you take the time to include your partner in your adventures and follow lucky impulses.Travel may figure in your plans.

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 a 7 New ideas stimulate imagination and produce intelligent activity.Your partner naturally fits into a social group and acts as host.

TAURUS (April 20 - May 20) - Today is a 6 - Others seem happy enough to handle their own quests at work. Accept guidance from an elder whose logic is impeccable.

Celebrate with someone tonight.

GEMINI (May 21 - June 21) - Today is a 5 This is no time to try to achieve total organization. In fact, if you allow things to come apart, you see where more work is needed.

CANCER (June 22 - July 22) - Today is a 6 Problems at work occupy you and distract from dealing with family matters. Express your doubts out loud, so others understand.Then you can focus.

LEO (July 23 - Aug. 22) - Today is a 6 Establish a reservoir of ideas for future use. Not every day is filled with great inspirations like today. Don't bother to seek agreement. Just write it all down.

VIRGO (Aug. 23 - Sept. 22) - Today is a 6 Apply your imagination and give your selfesteem a boost at the same time. Let others fret about how the details come together. Make a payment.

LIBRA (Sept. 23 - Oct. 22) - Today is a 7 Don't jump to conclusions. What first looks like a massive change resolves into workable alternatives. A nearby clown lightens the atmosphere.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23 - Nov. 21) - Today is a 7 - Someone you know falls in love head over heels.This has been a long time coming. Keep an appropriate distance as you congratulate them both.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22 - Dec. 21) - Today is a 5 - Your best bet today is to act as though everything's proceeding exactly as planned. Roll with any punches and reserve comments for later (or never).

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22 - Jan. 19) - Today is a 6 - Create your own agenda early in the day and pursue it diligently. Others fret about details. Stay out of that discussion, if possible.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20 - Feb. 18) - Today is a 6 - Business matters cause circular thinking when you don't immediately perceive a solution.Take a break for a phone call and come back to it.

PISCES (Feb. 19 - March 20) - Today is a 6 Most of your efforts flow smoothly today to produce desired outcomes early.Try to contact an absent team member to get their approval. © 2010,TRIBUNE MEDIA SERVICES INC.

SUDOKU

BY THE MEPHAM GROUP

Level:

—This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Daily Aztec.

1 2

3 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.sudoku.org.uk.

SDS-VIEW Solution available online at www.TheDailyAztec.com © 2010 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Media Services. All rights reserved.

CROSSWORD

SDSU’S HOMECOMING COUPLE Photo Editor David J. Olender captured this year’s Homecoming King and Queen as they merrily paraded around in the back of a convertible. The Queen has the royal wave down, which is sure to bring a tear to Queen Elizabeth’s eye.

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ACROSS 1 White whale chaser 5 Cannes clergymen 10 Foam ball maker 14 Island nation near Tonga 15 Wild animal 16 Leaf-to-branch angle 17 Difficult youngster 18 Jolly holiday visitor 19 Underground missile launch site 20 Was disappointed, as with a performance 23 Shrinking Asian sea 24 GPA booster 25 Out-of-the-ordinary brews 31 Lewd material 32 Compassion from the judge 36 DDE opponent 37 Attorney general under Ronald Reagan 40 Big Band __ 41 Smudges in a psychological test 43 Lascivious look 44 Calm by nature 48 __ Arabia 51 Not worth debating 52 She replaced Paula Abdul as an “American Idol” judge 58 1999 Ron Howard film 59 __ Mountains: south-central U.S. range 60 Term referring to a prev. citation 62 Actress Hatcher 63 Mournful music 64 Stun 65 Spoken

EDITED BY RICH NORRIS AND JOYCE LEWIS

Solution available online at www.TheDailyAztec.com 66 Seven Dwarfs’ only beardless member 67 Spud’s buds

12 Lead the life of ___ 13 Plant life 21 Bard’s “before” 22 Spooky DOWN 25 Actor Morales 1 Ohio’s Wright26 Mutant superPatterson, e.g.: heroes co-creatAbbr. ed by Stan Lee 2 Give the job to 27 Mammoth fea3 Sink-cleaning ture brand 28 Hallowed 4 Very small role 29 Third shoe width 5 1970s-’80s FBI beyond D bribery sting 30 Naval Acad. grad 6 Fab Four member 33 __-do-well 7 Ruination 34 Canadian tribe 8 Cornerstone 35 Lawn party site abbr.

37 NBA Hall of 9 Attack à la Famer Hayes Brutus 38 John or Jane 10 ’70s tennis star 39 Map feature with Ilie an elev.

11 They’re marked 42 Torment diaboliwith lit signs cally

43 Left on the table, as a bet 45 Come out 46 Organ grinder’s pet 47 “Annabel Lee” poet 48 Tend 49 Birch family tree 50 Prefix with violet 53 Connecticut senator Chris 54 Basso Pinza 55 “The World According to __” 56 “Buy It Now” online site (and where vowels were bought for 20-, 25-, 37-, 44and 52-Across?)

57 Magnitude 61 __ Moines