Issue 88, Volume 75 by The Cougar

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Issue 88, Volume 75

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UH turns more to technology Blackboard Vista, Wii Fit and book scanners now used in classrooms

By Abby Lee THE DAILY COUGAR Though it may take time getting used to for some, technology has revolutionized college student’s educational experiences by making learning easier, more interactive and sometimes more entertaining. Some UH professors are embracing the advances in technology to reach out to students in unprecedented ways. It is no longer uncommon for professors to tape their lectures and place them on iTunes, so students may upload them on their digital players and listen to them at their leisure. English professor Karen Fang has been teaching Text and Politics

for five years and has incorporated multimedia into every class. In her course, students study films and apply them to various texts. Fang has recently begun to use a film projector to show clips in class and allowing students to find movies on e-reserves in the library. “Using clips in class facilitates the ability to examine cinema,” Fang said. “Students now are a visualoriented audience, and this gives them a dynamic edge.” Fang said she believes that using this technology enhances the experience over a traditional classroom simply because it allows the content to be visual. Fang also said she hopes to use more technology in the future, as well as having more time to develop them. “I’d love to give the students live downloads of clips I use, maybe on YouTube,” Fang said. “I’d also put film clips on actual electronic

exams.” The M.D. Anderson Memorial Library recently purchased a program that allows students to scan their books and e-mail it to themselves or store them on their USB. The Bookeye is environmentally friendly and is free to all UH students. Education senior and library assistant Tariq Malik said he is pleased with UH’s latest technical additions that are helping to do away with bulky books. “It’s amazing” Tariq said. “I use it every day.” With hopes of transforming into a paperless campus, many instructors at UH are also digitizing their course material by using Blackboard vista. However, not all students are responding positively to the idea of online classes. Political science senior Janae Williams has faced some problems with the online class system.

“I had a big issue the first week of school, because I’m taking a hybrid course, and I’m taking 18 hours. I don’t have time for things not to be ready for me to go. It took them a full week to get my Blackboard going,” Williams said. “I like to have my syllabus read. I like to know what books I need before school starts, so I can have all of that laid out, so that when I get to school, I can ask whatever questions I need for clarification and get right to work,” Williams said. While some technology is used to fulfill educational purposes, some are used to make courses more entertaining. Making classes more interactive is the key. Wellness and fitness senior Patricia Miller said one of the things she has enjoyed the most about technology being incorporated in the classroom is that she gets to use the Wii Fit in one of her classes. “We now have a PEB (Physical

Education Basic) class that incorporates technology with fitness by using the Wii,” Miller said. “In this class, they use Wii Fit and other active games to help them keep track of their fitness goals and help students achieve these goals.” Political science junior Anne Pace said she is skeptical about the technology changes in the classroom over the past few years. “Maybe in a couple of years they’ll have it down but not yet. Every class is hooked up to a projector. It never works,” Pace said. “A lot of times, (class) gets started late or the professor doesn’t get to cover some things. When I first started (at UH), only math classes had things online. Now every class is on Blackboard (Vista),” she said. Additional reporting done by Michael Berryhill’s Advance Reporting Class news@thedailycougar.com

Religions ponder Haiti earthquake Natural disaster makes some ask if a higher power was involved J

By Safiya Ravat THE DAILY COUGAR

HOUSTONIAN YEARBOOK ARCHIVES

Cougar pride

aculty, staff, students and alumni will be able to relive UH’s history from today through Thursday during the Legacy of the Pride exhibition that will be showcased at the Elizabeth Rockwell Pavilion in the second floor of the M. D. Anderson Memorial Library. The exhibition, which is free, will show how the University has changed through the years and the legacy that has been left by outstanding alumni.

The Jan. 12 earthquake in Haiti, that killed over 170,000 people, left some religious and non-religious, people asking questions. One of these was whether or not the earthquake was an act of God. “It is not an act of God to punish the Haitians,” clinical professor Lynn Mitchell said. “That’s just a hangover from medieval superstition. In fact, there’s not much even in the Bible that talks about God punishing people through volcanoes and earthquakes.” Mitchell said there are two Christian opinions on natural disasters. “There’s this tension in the Bible between disasters being kind of accepted by people as punishment from God that should bring about repentance, but there’s also the side that says you cannot make those kinds of calculations,” he said. Though most Christians believe the latter, Mitchell said some are strong in their belief of the former. “There are some ultra fundamentalist Christians in America … who think that this is

a punishment from God for the religious primitivism of Haiti,” he said. “But these are the same people who called Katrina a punishment from God for homosexuals and witches and voodoo.” Mitchell said people couldn’t interpret why God does what he does. “People need to understand that they don’t know much about God’s ways as they think they do. The Bible says that we don’t know much about it either way, so we can’t make those kinds of judgments,” he said. Some believers of Islam also attributed the earthquake to God. “There’s no capital ‘N’ in nature,” political science junior Hasan Khan said. “Nature, lower ‘N,’ is just a vehicle of God doing what he wills. There’s nothing which is random.” Khan, who manages the Islamic Information table for the Muslim Students Association, said God doesn’t send natural disasters only for destruction; they can bring benefits, as well. “There is no such thing as pure evil,” Khan said. “There is always good and bad; there are benefits in calamities. People come together; people turn to God. It makes people thankful that this could have been worse. I could have lost my family, I could have lost all my wealth, but I’m see RELIGION, page 3

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Monday, February 8, 2010

The Daily Cougar

STUDENT FEES ADVISORY COMMITTEE UNIT PRESENTATION SCHEDULE

CAMPUS BEAT

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2010 BLUEBONNET ROOM, UC 8:45 a.m.

Committee Business

9:15 a.m.

Dean of Students Office

9:45 a.m.

University Center

10:15 a.m.

Break

10:30 a.m.

Commuter Services

10:50 a.m.

Child Care Center

11:10 a.m.

Student Program Board

11:30 a.m.

Blaffer Gallery

11:50 a.m.

Public Comment

Noon

Lunch

1:00 p.m.

Marching Band/Spirit Squad

1:30 p.m.

Intercollegiate Athletics

2:00 p.m.

Health Center

2:30 p.m.

Break

2:45 p.m.

Academic Achievers

3:05 p.m.

Department of Campus Recreation

3:35 p.m.

Break

3:55 p.m.

UC Transformation Project Update

4:25 p.m.

Adjournment

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC If you require disability accomodations, please call the Dean of Students Office at 713.743.5470 to make arrangements.

FORECAST Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

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CALENDAR

» Send event information to calendar@thedailycougar.com

TODAY Legacy of the Pride: 10-4 p.m., Elizabeth Rockwell Pavilion (on the second floor of M.D. Anderson Memorial Library). See displays of how Cougars have shown their pride over the years; history of colleges and campus organizations; the campus master plan, showing current and future construction; a special video presentation and more. The event is free. For more information, contact glforwar@central.uh.edu Brass Faculty Recital: 7:30 p.m., Moores Opera House. Come see Heavy Metal at the Moores School of Music. Mark Barton on tuba, Phillip Freeman, Brad White and Thomas Hulten on trombone, and Beatriz Pimentel on piano. The show includes works by Bach, Bozza, Stevens and Leidzén. Tickets are $10 for the public and $5 for students and seniors. For more information, contact the Moores School of Music Box Office at 713-743-3388 or visit the Web site at www.music.uh.edu

TUESDAY Legacy of the Pride: 10-4 p.m., Eliza-

CO R R E C T I O N S J

beth Rockwell Pavilion. See displays of how Cougars have shown their pride over the years; history of colleges and campus organizations; the campus master plan, showing current and future construction; a special video presentation and more. The event is free. For more information, contact glforwar@central.uh.edu Healthy Relationships: 11 a.m., Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Room 1038. Are you in a healthy relationship? Do you think your relationship could be healthier if you had a little help from a professional? Then this workshop is right for you. Admission is free. For more information, contact Gaylyn Maurer at gmaurer@ uh.edu

WEDNESDAY Legacy of the Pride: 10-4 p.m., Elizabeth Rockwell Pavilion. See displays of how Cougars have shown their pride over the years; history of colleges and campus organizations; the campus master plan; a special video presentation and more. The event is free.

» Report errors to editor@thedailycougar.com

Corrections will appear in this space as needed.

CO N TAC T U S

Newsroom (713) 743-5360 ■

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ABOUT ABOUT THE COUGAR The Daily Cougar is published Monday through Friday during the fall and spring semesters, and Tuesday and Thursday during the summer, at the University of Houston Printing Plant and online at http://www. thedailycougar.com. The University seeks to provide equal educational opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability or veteran status, or sexual orientation. The Daily Cougar is supported in part by Student Service Fees. the first copy of the Cougar is free; each additional copy is 25 cents. SUBSCRIPTIONS Rates are $70 per year or $40 per semester. Mail subscription requests to: Mail Subscriptions, The Daily Cougar, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204-4015. NEWS TIPS Direct news tips and story ideas to the News Desk. Call (713) 743-5314, e-mail news@thedailycougar. com or fax (713) 743-5384. A “Submit news item” form is also available online at thedailycougar.com. COPYRIGHT No part of the newspaper in print or online may be reproduced without the written consent of the director of the Student Publications Department.

I S S U E S TA F F ■

Copy editing

Moniqua Sexton, Travis Hensley

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Production

Alan Dennis

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Closing editor

Ronnie Turner

NEWS

The Daily Cougar

Monday, February 8, 2010

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Student receives design award By Wyshanda Sennett THE DAILY COUGAR Architecture senior Nick Jackson received the Merit Award at the Excellence in Architecture Design Awards 2009 student competition. This competition was in the Texas chapter of the American Institute of Architects, where Jackson was awarded for his outstanding achievements in the field. There were 22 entrants, including students from the University of TexasArlington and Texas A&M University. There was one Honor Award winner and two Merit Award winners, which were won by Houston students. “I was the only entrant from UH, there were two entrants from Rice, and we basically swept the floor,” Jackson said. “Houston just completely represented in that competition.” Jackson said the event is based on

RELIGION continued from page 1

still alive.” Khan also said that with any sort of suffering, God always opens a door of forgiveness. “It’s an expiation for some of their sins,” he said. “It’s not something that they necessarily earned; they’re innocent. But because it’s something bad that befalls them, it takes care of their sins.” Some believers of Hinduism also saw the earthquake as a divine act. “Hinduism works in a cycle,” electrical engineering senior Sreejith

design and is an architecture student competition that is part of the awards that they give to professional architects as well. He said that AIA was trying to recognize some of the Texas students that excel in pursuing architecture. For the Honor Award, AIA offers a scholarship. Jackson said that though he did not receive a scholarship, on a personal level, winning gave him a lot of references, and he was able to meet a lot of professionals at the awards center. He said that it is beneficial to his career, looks great on a resume and brings recognition to the college. “One of my professors recommended that I enter one of my projects that I did. So, I cleaned it up, got it ready and submitted it,” Jackson said. It took him a whole semester to work on the project, but prepping it for the actual affair did not take more

than a couple of days to add the finishing touches, format it and write an essay. The essay was a one-page explanation of the project coupled with a 20-page PDF. It contained images and drawings of the project. Jackson said his interest in architecture started during high school through drafting and photography, and he fell in love with it at UH. He is pursuing a Bachelor of Architecture and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Design at the Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture. He is in his final year of the program and will be graduating in the fall. Jackson’s affiliations include The Honors College, American Institute of Architecture Students, Student Government Association, Phi Sigma Theta National Honor Society and The National Scholars Honors

Menon said. “Brahma creates, Vishnu sustains and Shiva, the god of destruction, maintains the balance by destroying those who deserve punishment.” “It relies more on karma,” Menon said. “That whatever you do, you have to pay for it.” In Hindu mythology, the clan of Vishnu was destroyed by a flood because of the injustices they committed. Some Hindus may relate this to Haiti, he said. “My take would be a bit different,” Menon said. “I was always confused. How can a whole set of people have the same amount of karma so that they can be destroyed at the same

time? I don’t know. Maybe there is justice.” Though each religious group had a different perspective of why the earthquake happened, the believers agreed that spending time passing judgment and speculating over the reasons is not the most important task at hand. “Most Christians assume that their first duty is to help people like this, not to just judge them as worthy of enduring all this suffering,” Mitchell said. “Even if it were a punishment from God, we would be punished by God if we didn’t help.” news@thedailycougar.com

COURTESY OF NICK JACKSON

Architecture senior Nick Jackson was honored as the 2009 recipient of the Merit Award from the American Institute of Architects. Society. He plans to either start working right out of college and become a licensed architect or attend graduate school to obtain a master’s degree and teach on the side. Jackson is currently working on his spring semester project, which will

include a series of research institutes for the Fort Worth Botanical Garden. AIA, a professional membership organization for licensed architects since 1857, consists of 300 component chapters around the world. news@thedailycougar.com

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Monday, February 8, 2010

The Daily Cougar

OPINION EDITOR Alan Dennis

E-MAIL opinion@thedailycougar.com

COMING TUESDAY: Why do modern women place so many expectations on themselves?

ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/opinion

THE DAILY COUGAR

EDITORIAL CARTOON

EDITORIAL BOARD Ronnie Turner, Editor in Chief Matthew Keever, Managing editor Patricia Estrada, News editor Hiba Adi, News editor Phillipe Craig, Sports editor Robert Higgs, Sports editor Travis Hensley, Life & Arts editor Jarrod Klawinsky, Life & Arts editor Alan Dennis, Opinion editor

STAFF EDITORIAL

Chavez denying right to speech indicative of future

V JASON POLAND THE DAILY COUGAR

Sin City comes under fire from Prez Speaking to a group in Nashua, N.H. on Tuesday, President Barack Obama made a statement that has come under heavy fire from members of his own political party. “You don’t blow a bunch of cash in Vegas Casey when you’re trying Goodwin to save for college,” Obama said. At first glance, it might not seem as though there’s anything wrong with that statement. After all, it makes sense. During this recession, there’s no reason for anyone to unnecessarily spend money instead of saving it. But to residents of Nevada, the comment was yet another strike against a president who has done little to help a state crippled by the recession. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, more than 1.8 million of Nevada’s estimated 2.6 million residents live in Clark County, which encompasses Las Vegas and its suburbs. Tourism is by far Nevada’s largest industry. But fewer people are vacationing in Las Vegas (the state’s most prominent city), and the tourists who do go are spending less money.

In December, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that Nevada’s unemployment rate stood at 12.8 percent — the second highest in the country, trailing only Michigan. Nevada also leads the country in foreclosure rates, according to RealtyTrac. com. These days, signs that say “for sale” are easier to find in Las Vegas than ones made out of neon. There is no reason for the president to kick an entire city while it is already down. Just because Las Vegas is nicknamed “Sin City” does not mean it should be America’s scapegoat. While it is true that people should refrain from spending their money unwisely, Obama’s decision to single out Las Vegas was uncalled for. As a politician, the president is well aware of the power of words; he could have chosen better ones. This was not the first time Obama used Las Vegas as a cautionary example, having previously made comments that drew the ire of residents of the Silver State. “You can’t take a trip to Las Vegas or down to the Super Bowl on the taxpayers’ dime,” Obama said last February in regards

to bankers who had used federal bailout money for vacations. According to an article in the Las Vegas Review-Journal, that statement scared at least one large company out of holding a conference in the city. Instead of holding an event in Las Vegas, Goldman Sachs sent its employees to San Francisco — a more expensive destination — in hopes of avoiding the perception of wasting money. Obama’s statement clearly failed to stop corporations from wasting taxpayers’ money. If the president had said, “You don’t blow a bunch of cash on a new car from Detroit when you’re trying to save for college,” the reaction would have been much different. In fact, had Obama pointed a judgmental finger at any other American city, the entire country would have been outraged. But since Las Vegas is Las Vegas, the politically incorrect gambling capital of the world, it’s apparently OK for the president to threaten its economy and the livelihoods of its people. Casey Goodwin is an engineering freshman and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

Music companies need to back off Federal Judge Michael Davis presided over a case earlier this year where peerto-peer user Jammie Thomas-Rasset was ordered to pay $1.92 million in damages for sharing 24 songs on the Internet. Michael Davis made no Padon comment on the amount of the award and showed no discernable emotion as the judgment was read out. Thomas-Rasset appealed the $1.92 million amount on the grounds that it was arbitrary and unconstitutional, and Davis agreed with her. On Jan. 22, Davis reduced the amount of the damages, stating that the jury’s decision led to a “monstrous and shocking” damage award that veered into “the realm of gross injustice.”

Davis used his power of remittitur to slash the damage award by 97.2 percent, from $1.92 million to $54,000, and he suggested that even this lower amount was too much. The difference between the two amounts shows that the initial number must have been pulled out of thin air. In his decision to reduce the award, Davis did not oppose the guilty verdict or fail to point out the inconsistencies Thomas-Rasset had shown during the trials. “Despite never implicating others during her depositions or testimony in the previous trial, in this second trial, she suddenly leveled new accusations against her children and ex-boyfriend, asserting that they might have committed the infringement,” Davis wrote in the

decision. “Thomas-Rasset’s refusal to accept responsibility for her actions and her decision to concoct a new theory of the infringement, casting possible blame on her children and ex-boyfriend for her actions, demonstrate a refusal to accept responsibility and raise the need for strong deterrence.” Statutory damage laws were originally written with the intent of stopping commercial infringement. “In the case of individuals who infringe by using peer-to-peer networks, the potential gain from infringement is access to free music, not the possibility of hundreds of thousands — or even millions — of dollars in profits,” Davis see DAMAGES, page 5

enezuelan President Hugo Chavez recently closed down a cable news station in his native country for not complying with a new law that requires all stations to broadcast “mandatory programming,” which includes all of his speeches. Several people took to the streets in protest, including college and high school students, many saying that the station was closed simply because it was anti-Chavez. Several people, including members of the media and one high school student, died during the protest or were injured by the Venezuelan police. The United States government and the Organization of American States recognize Venezuela and their government as a democratic one, despite the fact that Venezuelans are constantly being denied their basic rights and that their constitution is repeatedly violated. Since when does a president of a democratic country dictate what a news channel, especially one on cable, broadcasts? Freedom of the press is a right all democratic nations enjoy, something that helps differentiate between nations that support democracy and those that do not. Many leaders in Latin America are beginning to follow in Chavez’s footsteps, joining organizations like the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA), a doctrine that would integrate all countries in Latin America and would basically put an end to free trade in this region. Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, Bolivia’s Evo Morales, ousted Honduras President Manuel Zelaya, Argentinean’s Cristina Fernandez and Ecuador’s Rafael Correas are the major “puppets” in Chavez’s show that is attempting to turn Latin America to communism. When will the U.S., the U.N. and the OAS open their eyes and do something about it? When it is too late? The people in these countries are begging to have their voices heard; they are trying to put an end to this madness, to let their constitutions rule the land and not that which is imposed by Chavez, America’s new Fidel, in the form of the ALBA. If America is truly a democratic nation and wants to spread democracy worldwide, it needs to do something about these individuals before the only freedom Latin Americans enjoy is that of breathing.

E D I TO R I A L P O L I C Y STAFF EDITORIAL The Staff Editorial reflects the opinions of The Daily Cougar Editorial Board (the members of which are listed above the editorial). All other opinions, commentaries and cartoons reflect only the opinion of the author. Opinions expressed in The Daily Cougar do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Houston or the students as a whole. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR The Daily Cougar welcomes letters to the editor from any member of the UH community. Letters should be no more than 250 words and signed, including the author’s full name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Anonymous letters will not be published. Deliver letters to Room 7, University Center Satellite; e-mail them to letters@ thedailycougar.com; send them via campus mail to STP 4015; or fax them to (713) 7435384. Letters are subject to editing. ADVERTISEMENTS Advertisements published in The Daily Cougar do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the University or the students as a whole. GUEST COMMENTARY Submissions are accepted from any member of the UH community and must be signed with the author’s name, phone number or e-mail address and affiliation with the University, including classification and major. Commentary should be kept to less than 500 words. Guest commentaries should not be written as replies to material already printed in the Cougar, but rather should present independent points of view. Rebuttals should be sent as letters. Deliver submissions to Room 7, University Center Satellite; e-mail them to letters@thedailycougar.com; or fax them to (713) 743-5384. All submissions are subject to editing.

OPINION

The Daily Cougar

Monday, February 8, 2010

Accelerated Culinary Arts Certificate Program

Spot in Big 12 would benefit UH In a Jan. 29 New York Times article, reporter Jere Longman said that the Big Ten was thinking about expanding its conference to allow another team Harold to join. The Arnold rationale for doing so, Longman said, is simple — adding another team would likely allow the conference to have a football championship game. This would add revenue to both the conference and the individual teams that play in the championship game. NCAA football is first and foremost about big business. This year, the Bowl Championship Series paid conferences $17 million for each team they had represented in a BCS game. Every conference divides the money amongst all of its schools, meaning that each school in the Southeastern Conference and the Big Ten (both conferences had two schools in BCS games) that didn’t play in a BCS game received part of a $34 million payday to sit at home

and watch. That kind of money can provide a lot of help for any school. As a member of Conference USA, the best bowl game UH can attend in any year is usually the Liberty Bowl, assuming the Cougars win the conference championship. The Liberty Bowl paid each participant a total of $1.35 million this year — nowhere near what Indiana University was paid to go 4-8 and miss a bowl game completely. The decision to add another team to the Big Ten could drastically improve UH’s fortunes. While the Cougars would probably not be asked to join the Big Ten, the University of Missouri seems to be a candidate if it wants to leave the Big 12. If this were to happen, UH might have a real shot at joining the Big 12. Some people may remember that at one time UH was a contender to join the Big 12, but the theory is that politics shut that door. However, this possible opportunity for the Cougars has

dollar signs written all over it. By leaving C-USA, the Cougars would have a multitude of opportunities presented to them. If UH were able to win the Big 12, then the team would be eligible to play in a BCS game. Not having a shot to automatically qualify for a BCS game doesn’t just affect how much money the team receives, but also the quality of athletes it can recruit. But more importantly, UH would be able to raise more funds to aid it in its quest to be a premier program. So far, the University is doing all the right things. Head coach Kevin Sumlin was signed to a long-term contract in January, and athletic director Mark Rhoades is working on a plan to upgrade the football stadium. Hopefully, with all the steps that the administration is taking, UH won’t be left out in the cold this time.

DAMAGES

determined to make an example of Thomas-Rasset because it is fighting a losing battle when it comes to prosecuting every individual who illegally downloads music. Now, when record labels find someone stealing music, they try to take them for everything they are worth based on action and not intent. In this case, there was no malicious intent or any way

Thomas-Rasset was reaping any kind of monetary reward other than not having to pay for the songs. Record labels need to stop prosecuting peer-to-peer users and punishing people for the industry’s faulty business model, and work out a way to succeed in the digital age.

continued from page 4

wrote. “The need for deterrence cannot justify a $2 million verdict for stealing and illegally distributing 24 songs for the sole purpose of obtaining free music.” The Recording Industry Association of America was

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Michael Padon is an engineering sophomore and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com

Grand Re-Opening for the

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Women’s Resource Center in our new location

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Wednesday, February 10 11am - 3pm and

Grand Opening for the new campus

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LGBT* Center University Center, Second Floor, Room 279A (part of the space formerly occupied by the Cougar Card). Cupcakes, cookies, and punch served. Come visit us in our new space. See who we are, what we do, and where we are!

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Send letters to the editor to letters@thedailycougar.com Send guest columns to opinion@thedailycougar.com

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Monday, February 8, 2010

The Daily Cougar

SPORTS EDITORS Phillipe Craig, Robert Higgs

COMING TUESDAY: Men’s basketball hits the road to face Western Kentucky

E-MAIL sports@thedailycougar.com

ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/sports

MEN’S BASKETBALL

UH gets stiffed by So. Miss tip Cougars unable to overcome untimely dry spell, missed free throws in latest C-USA home loss

By Matt Miller THE DAILY COUGAR Not too many basketball teams can win a game if they miss nine free throws and fail to make a field goal for more than seven consecutive minutes. The UH Cougars were no exception Saturday, as they suffered a gut-wrenching 57-55 loss to Southern Miss at Hofheinz Pavilion. Forward Torye Pelham (2-of9 shooting) tipped in his own missed layup as time expired to lift the Golden Eagles to their fourth consecutive victory. UH forward Maurice McNeil said he tripped on the play. A pass to Pelham deflected off McNeil and Aubrey Coleman’s fingers, landing right into Pelham’s hands. Pelham couldn’t get the layup to go, but the game-winner left his hands just before the final buzzer sounded. McNeil doesn’t think the final play was the only one that decided Saturday’s game. “The little things we didn’t do caught up,” McNeil said. “They were rebounding and getting second shots … and we didn’t make enough free throws.” Head coach Tom Penders agreed with McNeil’s assessment. He said UH’s 13-of-22 performance from the free-throw line played a huge role in the defeat. “Those kinds of things, they bite you,” Penders said. “In the

second half, we missed six free throws, and three or four of them came during the final minute or minute and a half.” The Cougars (11-11, 4-5 Conference USA) saw a 29-21 halftime advantage evaporate after they missed 12 consecutive shots over a seven-minute, 25-second stretch in the second half. They finished the contest 20of-62 overall after shooting only 25 percent in the final 20 minutes. UH could have built a house with all the bricks it was throwing up during the first 13 minutes of the second half. Coleman (9-of-24 shooting, game-high 22 points), the nation’s leading scorer, was the only Cougar to make a field goal during this period. “We needed somebody else to step up and knock down shots,” Penders said. “It didn’t happen.” Southern Miss (14-8, 4-4) went on a 29-16 run to take a 50-45 lead with 4:18 remaining in the game. Coleman scored five of the game’s next seven points to cut UH’s deficit to 52-50 with 2:37 left. Sai’Quon Stone, who constantly attacked the basket in the second half, converted on a layup and free throw to push the Golden Eagles’ lead to 55-50 with 2:19 remaining. The Cougars were trailing 55-52 when guard Adam Brown air-balled a 3-pointer, but McNeil bailed him out later in the possession by nailing two free throws. Guard Desmond Wade had a

ZUHAIR SIDDIQUI THE DAILY COUGAR

The Cougars let another early lead slip away and were ultimately done in by a last-second tip in by Southern Miss’ Torye Pelham in a 57-55 loss Saturday at Hofheinz Pavilion. chance to give UH a one-point lead with 30 second left, but made only one of two free-throw attempts to even the score at 55. Southern Miss entered the second half trailing by eight, but it had a solution for its offensive problems in the first half (30 percent shooting). The Golden Eagles’ took the ball straight to the basket on its first four possessions of the second half, which resulted in three free throws, a layup and two short jumpers. Before the Cougars

knew it, their lead was only 31-30 with 17:25 remaining. “We wanted them to drive (to the basket),” Coleman said. “We just let them get to the middle too much.” In the first half, Southern Miss missed its first 10 shots, allowing UH to build an early lead. The Cougars began the game on an 11-0 run; not allowing the Golden Eagles to score until Pelham sank a short jumper with 13:19 left in the first half. Pelham, who pulled down nine

boards before halftime, swatted a Brown layup attempt as the first half expired to keep Southern Miss’ deficit at eight points. UH will take a break from conference action when it travels to Bowling Green, Ky. to take on Western Kentucky at 7 p.m. Tuesday. “The most important thing (right now) is to point toward March,” Penders said. “(The close losses) are tough … but it tells you see BASKETBALL, page 7

TRACK AND FIELD

Cougars see progress in NY By John Brannen THE DAILY COUGAR

DAILY COUGAR FILE PHOTO

Junior Kiara Pulliam and her UH teammates continued their preparation for the Conference USA Championships by participating in last weekend’s New Balance Invitational in New York.

In a meet that featured more than 100 schools and 2,000 athletes, the Cougars made strides at the talent-rich New Balance Invitational held at the historic Armory over the weekend in New York. Head coach Leroy Burrell saw positive signs, but wishes to see more out of both the men’s and women’s teams. “All in all, I think we did some good things, (but) I’d like to see more all-around effort on the women’s side,” Burrell said. “We had a really nice performance from Kalyn Floyd, but all-around performance was a bit lacking. I was a bit disappointed in the women’s 200; I thought we would be better there.” Floyd qualified for the 400-meter finals and finished ninth in 55.58 seconds. Burrell is eager to get back to

work this week. “We’ve got to go back and get to practice, get a little faster and get a little more technically proficient and prepare ourselves to compete,” Burrell said. Kiera Pulliam placed fifth in the shot put, throwing for 47 feet, 5 ¾ inches. Burrell stressed the significance of Pulliam’s role on the team. “Ultimately, our first goal is to win the conference,” Burrell said. “I think both teams are set up pretty nicely. We’ll need every point we can get, so the more she prepares herself for the conference meet, the better off we are.” Because of the number of teams and athletes, meet officials had to divide many of the events into separate heats. The men’s 4x400-meter relay team placed second in its heat in 3 minutes, 16.36 seconds, and the women’s squad finished its heat 11th in

3:45.48. “We have a really good women’s 4x400. But we just can’t seem to get all four on the track ready to run,” Burrell said. “We’re going to have get that done next weekend.” D’Korian Ford and Jason Perez replaced Tyron Carrier and Errol Nolan on the mile relay so Carrier and Nolan could focus on individual events. Carrier placed fifth in the 200-meter dash finals with a personal-best of 21.33 seconds. Nolan came in third in the 400-meter dash finals in of 46.79 seconds, also a personalbest. “He hasn’t run that fast outdoors,” Burrell said. “He’s a good shot to qualify for nationals and make All-American.” The Cougars will travel to College Station this weekend to compete in the Texas A&M Challenge on Friday and Saturday. sports@thedailycougar.com

SPORTS

The Daily Cougar

Monday, February 8, 2010

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

CONVENIENT TRUTHS

Cougars tame Tigers

QB of the future needs to grow up

Taylor sets UH career double-doubles record

By Maurice Bobb THE DAILY COUGAR Most people spend their birthdays blowing out candleladen cakes and opening presents with family and friends who sing the birthday song embarrassingly off-key. UH’s Brittney Scott celebrated her 21st birthday and “Hoops for the Cure” by scoring a game-high 19 points to lead the Cougars to a 68-62 win over Memphis on Sunday at Hofheinz Pavilion. Scott shot 8-of-15 from the field to help the Cougars improve to 12-10 overall and 6-3 in Conference USA. The Orange native also added five rebounds and three assists while running the point in place of the injured Porsche Landry. “I didn’t play well just because it was my birthday,” Scott said. “With Porsche hurt, I knew I had to step it up.” Junior forward Courtney Taylor got the same memo, finishing with 12 points and 10 rebounds, which enabled her to move ahead of Sancho Lyttle for the school record for career double-doubles with 36. “Her breaking the record is one of the biggest achievements as a college player,” UH head coach Joe Curl said. “And the admiration I have for the player she passed, Sancho Lyttle, who was a WNBA draft pick, says a lot about how I feel about Courtney getting that record.” Lesslee Mason added 15 points and nine rebounds for UH, which moved into a tie atop the C-USA standings with Memphis (13-8, 6-3) and Tulane. Brittany Carter led Memphis with 17 points, and LaToya Bullard had 14.

BASKETBALL continued from page 6

you’re close. “You just hope (the players) hang in there and say, ‘We’re close.’”

JULIA KUTSENKOVA THE DAILY COUGAR

Courtney Taylor scored 12 points and pulled down 10 rebounds to break Sancho Lyttle’s school record for career double-doubles with her 36th in a 68-62 win over Memphis on Sunday at Hofheinz Pavilion. Led by Scott, the Lady Cougars capped a 26-11 run with back-toback 3-pointers from sophomore Roxana Button in the first half. The high-scoring Tigers then closed the gap to six on an array of jumpers with five minutes remaining in the half. Both teams scored nine points the rest of the way, before heading to the locker rooms with UH up 35-29. The Cougars were on fire to start the second half, jumping out to a 61-43 lead after Scott made an eye-popping entry pass to Brittany Mason for the easy layup with 6:28 remaining. UH started to show cracks in its armor, allowing the Tigers to come roaring back down the stretch. Memphis rode the play of Bullard, who scored 10 of the Tigers’ next

13 points. With one minute to play, Memphis had reduced the Cougars’ lead to 64-60. Alex Winchell missed a 3-pointer from the wing that would have cemented the Tigers’ comeback with 20 seconds remaining, but Brittany Mason got the rebound and was immediately fouled. She iced two high-pressure free throws on the other end to push the Cougars’ lead to four six with 15 seconds left. Fittingly, it was Scott who came up with a loose ball in the waning moments and scored on a layup to seal the win. Next up for UH is a matchup against Tulsa at 7 p.m. Friday in Tulsa, Okla. sports@thedailycougar.com

USC head football coach Lane Kiffin expects David Sills to be the next in a long line of great quarterbacks for the Trojans, and it’s easy to see why. Search for his name on YouTube, and it’ll bring Alan DDennis Al i up enough highlight tape to fill an entire episode of Sports Center. Of course, you might also notice that Sills looks a bit young to start for a Division I college football team — five years too young, to be exact. At 13 years old, Sills is easily the most prized seventh-grade recruit in the country. He’s already been profiled by the likes of Sports Illustrated, ESPN and CBS Sports. Despite his young age, Sills verbally committed Thursday to play for the Trojans in 2015. Sills began working with private quarterback coach Steve Clarkson — tutor to Ben Roethlisberger, Jimmy Clausen, Matt Barkley and Terrelle Pryor, to name a few — when he was only 9 years old. “I know he’s young but there’s always an exception; he’s the exception,” Clarkson said of Sills in 2007. “This kid is on his way to being the greatest high school recruited quarterback ever.” According to his father, Sills began receiving recruiting information from major Division I programs when he was 11. Although he is the most highprofiled recruit in his age range, Sills is not the only junior high school player receiving scholarship offers. Since NCAA recruiting laws say players don’t become prospective student athletes until the ninth grade, meaning they don’t have to adhere to the same rules as high school players, recruiting out of middle schools seems to be

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the next step in building football programs for college coaches. Youth football, it seems, is now as much of a business as it is at the professional level. But in the quest to find the next great player, coaches, media and various athletic organizations are destroying everything that is great and pure about the sport. The problem isn’t that a 13-yearold committed to play for USC; the issue was that it was national news when it happened. Parents trying to live out their failed sports dreams vicariously through their children push them to be better, faster and stronger at younger ages. Groups such as the Amateur Athletic Union are working to evolve youth sports by setting up leagues where the cream-of-thecrop players compete against each other. With all of these forces pushing young athletes to be the best they can, it’s impossible for youth sports to be fun. Kids are no longer learning about teamwork and sportsmanship, but rather to selfishly put themselves before the needs of their teams to assure they’ll get the most exposure. Amateur sports are officially all about “me,” instead of the joys of playing a game. The NCAA would be wise to step in and amend its rules to make any non-collegiate athlete off-limits to recruiters before things really get out of hand. Being that this is not the first time a college coach has recruited a middle school player, it’s unclear whether the NCAA views this as a serious problem. And maybe it really is no big deal; perhaps all of this attention early in their careers is good for young players. If he works hard enough, Sills just might turn out to be the next Todd Marinovich.

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SPREADING THE GREEN AROUND By Christina Yanascavage THE DAILY COUGAR Dozens of students gathered at the UH Environmental Club’s January meeting to plan for an active, environmentally friendly, spring semester. The meeting began with a discussion about clean energy jobs. The students commented on a quote about clean energy jobs presented in President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address. After discussing upcoming activities on campus, the meeting was called to action. Students planned for the upcoming Environmental Protection Agency hearing in Houston and began calling members of the community to increase turnout. “The EPA held three public hearings on the agency’s proposal to strengthen the nation’s air quality standards for ground-level ozone, also called smog,” according to its Web site. “About 15 UH students attended (the hearing),” Alejandro Savransky, field organizer of Environment Texas, said. “Their testimony was moving and powerful.” UH atmospheric scientist Barry Lefer said he thought it was good that UH students attended because there were only three meetings being held across the country in Sacramento, Arlington and Houston. “I’m sure there were some other students that wished they could attend,” Lefer said. “It was good that so many UH students got a chance

to give their opinion to the EPA panel.” Lefer recently served on the EPA advisory committee and teaches Introduction to Air Pollution at UH. Some midday speakers, including government officials, citizens, industry representatives and independent business owners, gathered to share opinions about raising standards. Some testimonies were complex while others were personal. Several individuals offered supportive testimonies, highlighting concerns over health issues and exposure to children. “I welcome the standards with open arms because I know, ultimately, it is the right thing to do,” State Senator Rodney Ellis said. Others offered opposing views explaining lengthy compliance processes, difficulties and challenges. Accounting senior Alfonso Colombano believes that increasing standards eventually results in diminishing returns. Colombano is the Energy Association’s student advisor and recently co-taught the “What is energy?” workshop series for EA members. “Reducing that additional molecule of smog might cost more than the entire reduction from 400 to 75,” Colombano said. “We have to analyze benefits and costs and compare.” Colombano suggests that industry specific concerns of health care and illnesses might be “better through, say, a pollution tax … (Then) industries have an incentive

CHRISTINA YANASCAVAGE THE DAILY COUGAR

University students gather to express and discuss their views about Environmental Protection Agency standards at the Environmental Club’s meeting in January. to reduce it because it increases profitability of the firm while at the same time reducing pollution.” Savransky sees an environmental and economic opportunity in increasing the EPA standard. “We have the potential to power the entire state with clean energy

such as wind and solar,” Savransky said. “The EPA’s actions to strengthen the (standards) are critical to transforming Texas into the clean energy capital of the world.” EPA standards aside, Houston’s air has become much cleaner in recent years.

“Air quality improved dramatically over the last five years because point source polluters, such as electric power plants and refineries, have reduced their nitrogen oxide,” Lefer said. “People see EPA, page 9

Bayonetta worth the money By Jack Wehman THE DAILY COUGAR

SEGA

Despite its over-the-top storyline, Bayonetta’s playability and action make the game a worthy experience for any player.

Before anything else about Bayonetta is explained, just know this: the game’s main character is a 500-year-old witch that uses her magic hair (which, somehow, is also her clothing), to destroy God’s minions. She also has amnesia. There is nothing in this game that resembles anything moderately close to sanity. That being said, Bayonetta is also one of the most brilliant action games I’ve ever played. The combat flows well, the graphics are exceptionally done, and it is constant fun to play. The game eases players into becoming a master of pulling off Witch Time, where Bayonetta dodges an attack right before it lands, stopping time and allowing you to smash in combinations on whatever you’re fighting at the moment. Most of your time is spent fighting various combinations of chicken-looking creatures the game calls angels. They all have sharp, pointy things to kill you with, and they excel at it. Players will die to groups of these things over and over again. Bayonetta is difficult, but it rewards effort each battle is intense and every

checkpoint feels earned. The main character alone makes the game a worthy play. Bayonetta is a cross between a dominatrix and a porn star — she drips sex when she walks. When you taunt enemies in the game, she literally caresses her body and asks people if they want to touch her. When you use her magic hair to kill people, her clothes fall off and turn into huge magic animals that eat everything around you. She uses not one, not two, but four guns at all times; two in her hands, of course, and then one on each foot. And she can slow time down to a crawl pretty much at will. She is a ridiculous character, one that is perpetually two steps ahead of her enemies and is fun to play at all times. The story to Bayonetta is, unfortunately, quite bad. There are two opposing witch clans in the world, the Umbra witches and the Lumen sages. The Umbra witches are the dark side to the Lumen’s light, and they keep the universe in order with the two Eyes of the World. Then everyone starts killing each other and things went downhill. Because Bayonetta has amnesia, most of the game’s cut scenes involve different people

saying Bayonetta is more powerful than she knows and that she needs to “rise to her true potential.” From there, the game is a train wreck of clichés, ranging from Bayonetta not knowing her parents to trying to figure out a giant conspiracy. Most of the voice acting is way too overdone, but it lends the game a certain charm, keeps the mood light and tries to explain what is going on. Besides, expecting a well-constructed narrative from a game that allows you to drop kick angels into medieval torture devices is a bit much. The game was directed by Hideki Kamiya, who also directed Devil May Cry, Viewtiful Joe and Okami. It is the best action game he has made so far. It definitely exceeds Devil May Cry 4 and sets a high mark for action games that only titles like God of War or Ninja Gaiden can reach. Overall, Bayonetta is definitely worth the purchase price. It’s a great action game, and it’s already sold 1.1 million copies in the U.S., so other people seem to agree as well. If you like games that take “over the top” to the next level, Bayonetta is your best bet. arts@thedailycougar.com

LIFE & ARTS

The Daily Cougar

Monday, February 8, 2010

OUT & ABOUT

Transgender community still needs help from UH UH is not only diverse racially, but it is also diverse in the sexuality of its students. Thanks to the tireless efforts of a few and the growing confidence of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community as a whole, our Thadd Th school has seen progress in Sweigart areas that last year looked unrealistic. First and foremost, campus activists, both student and faculty, have pursued the refinement of the University’s longstanding nondiscrimination policy for years. While gays and lesbians have been protected for well over a decade, the policy had, until recently, no provisions whatsoever protecting transgender individuals. As a minority within a minority, these men and women are often marginalized even within the gay community. Thanks to Dona Cornell, the vice chancellor of UH System Affairs and the system’s general counsel, that is no longer the case. Citing precedence from the 2008 case of Lopez v. River Oaks Imaging and Diagnostic Group, Cornell has implemented a new interpretation of existing language within UH’s current non-discrimination policy. In the case, Izza Lopez filed suit

after experiencing discrimination because of her transgender status. Lopez won the case on the basis that discrimination based on sex was unlawful, thereby folding transgender into a broad interpretation of the word sex. While there are other court rulings such as Price Waterhouse v. Hopkings that could be used against this claim, Cornell assures transgender individuals that so long as she holds her position, the Lopez ruling will be observed. In that vein, campus officials have already begun to make subtle alterations to bathrooms and locker rooms across UH campuses for transgender individuals. Another step UH has taken recently to meet the needs and concerns of the GLBT community is the actualization of a specially tailored resource center within the new Women’s Resource Center on the top floor of the University Center. Stocked with magazines, pamphlets and other educational materials, all free to the public, the room is brightly decorated and inviting to visitors. While it may not have been fought for as strongly as the nondiscrimination language change, the new resource center is a definite boom. A budding adult’s college experience is, after all, a time of growth and self-reflection, and such

EPA

find opportunities and meet likeminded students,” Lefer said. Students can also get involved in community efforts such as the Free Activist Workshop that took place Saturday at Texas Southern University. According to Savransky, these trainings are held “throughout the year to give people some basic organizing skills, such as building coalitions, working with the media and recruiting volunteers.” “This is what Texas wants,” Savransky said. “We want clean air.”

continued from page 8

of Houston are breathing cleaner air because of it.” “What’s the value of health, fewer ailment (and) better quality of life? Electric companies are not going to go out of business because of that,” Lefer said about higher standards raising costs for businesses. Those wanting to learn more about these and related issues can begin on campus, Lefer said. “I think the Environmental Club is a great place to start because you

arts@thedailycougar.com

acceptance on the school’s part will undoubtedly make it easier for students questioning their sexual orientation. Accompanying these two changes on behalf of the administration is the blossoming of the University’s GLBT community. Within the last two years GLOBAL, UH’s primary GLBT student organization, has seen an enormous upward spike in membership. Weekly meetings that were a dozen or so students are now up to 40 or 50, and their newfound strength has even earned them a new office in the UC Underground. In addition, a new lesbian sorority has already been established, and there is talk of a possible gay fraternity as well. For many students who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, these recent developments may be both pleasant and unexpected. Let us not forget though that they are the results of great effort on the part of a few who continue to fight even now. The University has really carried the ball recently, but we can’t let these victories breed idleness. We should take these triumphs to heart and use them to inspire further action. As Maine and California have proven, victories are fleeting, and even battles won must be defended.

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COUGAR COMICS

Monday, February 8, 2010

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TODAY’S CROSSWORD

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At the Hot Dog Stand by Mishele Lamshing

ACROSS

1 Spring fragrance 6 Furniture cover 10 Comet — -Bopp 14 “The Republic” author 15 Layered cookie 16 Online ‘zine 17 He played Phileas Fogg 18 “I kid you not” comic 19 Twinge 20 Rap session? 22 Goes blonde 24 City, informally 26 Quagmire 27 Blockade 31 Farm doc 32 Dorm dwellers 33 Cathedral parts 36 Refrain syllable 39 Circle dance 40 Monk 41 Catches on 42 URL suffix 43 More sensible 44 Galas 45 — Bernardino 46 K2’s higher-up 48 Vacillate 51 RV haven 52 Vampire’s undoing 54 Finish (2 wds.) 59 Elec. or water 60 Demand, as for electricity 62 Sketch 63 Dice throw 64 Serf 65 Dusk to dawn 66 MIT grad 67 Nintendo rival, once 68 Vee makers

Robby & Bobby by Jason Poland

TODAY’S SUDOKU How to play Each row must contain the numbers 1 to 9; each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9; and each set of 3-by-3 boxes must also contain the numbers 1 to 9.

Previous puzzle solved

DOWN 1 Med. staffers 2 Rival of Bjorn 3 Pumice source 4 — — -foot pole 5 Agrees 6 Outshine 7 Haik wearer 8 Domain 9 Study intently (2 wds.)

21 24

22 25

26 31

54 61

10 Jazz fan 11 Mumbai nannies 12 Country roads 13 Breakfast fare 21 Joule fraction 23 “Iliad” deity 25 Male guinea pigs 27 Radar blip 28 Boggy wasteland 29 “Titanic” sinker 30 Java alternative 34 Diner staple 35 Mr. Spock’s father 36 Monsieur’s pate 37 Tpks. 38 Helper, briefly 40 Wheedles 41 Fritz’s lang. 43 Now where — —? 44 Suspecting 45 Merchant 47 Promise solemnly 48 Soft fabric

49 Watching 50 Possessive pronoun 52 Desert feature 53 Zip 55 Marie’s companion 56 Leaf through 57 Disgusted grunts 58 Football’s — Rozelle 61 Gov’t narcs

2009 UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE INC.

Previous puzzle solved S L A B B I L K S R E D D

C O R A

A P A L

N E W E D S E U T T R NO N C D S U DO S T Y L E I R E S T E L L A E E R EWY

D R A G A RGO P ROM G E E A Z E S S O P A L C I D E C A D T O MA N A S Y C H U T A E R I ON I O

S H N A O L RM F E A L R I A F R E E T L E R Y S E S T E I E N N A

G N A R

T O B E

S A S E

G I L D A

B R I A N

Y E A S T

A P I S

R O C S

E D E N

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Monday, February 8, 2010

SPORTS

The Daily Cougar

SWIMMING AND DIVING

UH experiments in C-USA tuneup The Cougars swam against the sixth-ranked Texas A&M Aggies in a dual meet Friday at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Natatorium and did so with a noticeably smaller team. The meet consisted of 35 swimmers for Texas A&M going against 20 swimmers for UH. The Cougars, therefore, were faced with the difficult task of not only winning but also placing. Unfortunately for UH, the final tally had Texas A&M scoring 177 points compared to 110 for the Cougars. While the Aggies are loaded with talented swimmers and divers, UH head coach Mark Taylor said depth was a significant factor. “Texas A&M is probably one of the top three teams in the country,” Taylor said. “They’re just incredible,

are so talented (and) have so much depth, and the one thing we don’t have this year is the depth.” Despite the results, Taylor said he was proud of the way the team swam. “We had a lot of positive results, (and) the girls’ attitudes were excellent,” Taylor said. “We actually had some girls do best times tonight, and they shouldn’t physically be able to do best times as hard as they’re working right now. That only comes when you rest for the big championship meets. “That’s what we want right now. If they do best times now, they’re going to swim even faster in the conference championships.” Among the winners for the Cougars were Beccy Hillis in the 100-yard breaststroke with a mark of 1 minute, 5.23 seconds and diver Anastasia Pozdniakova, who’s making a habit of sweeping diving events.

DAILY COUGAR FILE PHOTO

Diver Anastasia Pozdniakova continued her dominance by winning the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events at last weekend’s dual meet against Texas A&M in College Station. Pozdniakova finished first in the 1-meter with a 355.28 score and the 3-meter with 401.63. And despite winning only three events, the Cougars still placed in 12 of the 16 events that featured at least three participants. The Cougars also used the meet to experiment with racing swimmers in events different than what they’re accustomed to. Reka Kovacs normally does the breaststroke and individual medley, but she did the butterfly. Natalie

Newcomb also did the butterfly, but normally swims breaststroke and freestyle. Rachel Holcomb does freestyle, but did the butterfly, and Andrea Kells swims fly or breast, but she swam freestyle. Kim Eeson and Haley Weathers are both freestyle, but they also did the butterfly. “We wanted to try some out,” Taylor said. “People swim different in practice then they do in meets and, by racing in a meet, we can see better what the potential for that

athlete is in the future. If it’s not there, we just have to go on and try a different event.” The Cougars will finish the regular season against Texas at 6 p.m. Wednesday at the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center for the Second Annual Sprint for the Cure meet, which raises awareness for breast cancer research, before resting for the Conference USA Championships. sports@thedailycougar.com

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By Tristan Tippet THE DAILY COUGAR