t h e o f f i c i a l s t u d e n t n e w s pa pe r o f t h e u n i v e r s i t y o f h o u s to n s i n c e 1 9 3 4
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Was NBC’s coverage of the Georgian luge competitor’s death tactless? Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Issue 95, Volume 75
thedailycougar.com
Rhoades takes first step in stadium project
Regents approve tuition increase
Company will examine plans to rebuild Robertson and Pavilion
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By Gordon Furneaux THE DAILY COUGAR Athletic Director Mack Rhoades announced Feb. 10 that the University hired AECOM, a Fortune 500 company, to study the possibilities of renovating Robertson Stadium and Hofheinz Pavillion, or building new facilities. Representatives from the design firm are now on campus looking for solutions, which should be found within the next few months. “Hopefully within 90 to 120 days we can get some clear sense of direction in terms of sensibility of both,” Rhoades said. “What makes the most sense, not only from a structural standpoint and a design
standpoint, but also an economic standpoint.” Rhoades said depending on AECOM reports, the University will be able to decide the best option for the school. “That will provide clarity into each of those options, and we will be able to choose which option is more feasible and makes the most sense, in not only the short term but the long term as well,” Rhoades said. As Athletic Director of the University of Akron, Rhoades helped the school build a 30,000seat football stadium, which opened in September 2009. From his experience, he said, he is confident in his choice of
By Sarah Raslan THE DAILY COUGAR
Stansell’s franchise opened its doors in Aug. 2009 and business has been flourishing since. He said after only six months of success, his friends and family have become much more supportive. “Business has been very good,” he said. “January and February are typically the slowest months for the company, and we have yet to see any of the busy months (in the spring and summer), and we’re still doing really well.”
The UH System Board of Regents almost unanimously approved a tuition increase during a meeting Tuesday. Nandita Berry was the only regent who voted against the increase. The main campus will experience a 3.95 percent ($138) increase per twelve credit hour semester. UH-Clear Lake, UHDowntown and UH-Victoria will be looking at increases of 4.5 percent, 5.1 percent and 3.8 percent, respectively. “The tuition increase covers a number of different items,” Vice Chairman Jim Wise said. “It’s no more complicated than your personal checkbook. What goes out has to be covered by what comes in.” State funding for the University has been declining throughout the last three decades, which leads to an increase in the amount that students and their families pay. Since 1990, state funding to the University has dropped from 54 percent to 32 percent. Tuition has increased from 17 percent to 38 percent during this period. “We know it is a burden on the students and their families, but we had to do that to maintain our programs,” Provost John Antel said. “So our tuition fee increases have been mainly to offset losses of funding from the state. We’re going to have to face up to the reality that this trend is probably going to continue.” Regardless of these increases, UH remains in the lower half of the spectrum compared to other universities in Texas. “I want to make sure that the rate is within the rate of our Texas peers,” UH President Renu Khator said. “The rate must be a provision for students to graduate.” But tuition may not rise for students who come from lowerincome backgrounds. As part of the Cougar Promise Program, any incoming freshman who applies for Fall 2010 and comes from a family with an income of $45,000 or less will not pay tuition, Khator said. The Cougar Promise threshold
see ENTREPRENEUR, page 3
see REGENTS, page 3
JUSTIN FLORES THE DAILY COUGAR
Athletic Director Mack Rhoades hired a Fortune 500 company to assess plans to renovate Robertson Stadium and Hofheinz Pavilion. AECOM to spearhead the project. “They have tremendous experience in terms of mass planning for athletic facilities, and we just felt, in terms of art and uniqueness, they were a great fit,” he said. “They also have a strong local presence in the
city of Houston; we felt that was important.” Rhoades said the studies are preliminary measures for a massive project, and depending on those, he will know approximately how see STADIUM, page 3
Cleric speaks of racial struggle By Safiya Ravat THE DAILY COUGAR Imam Siraj Wahhaj said during a speech Monday that though blacks have come out of slavery, they are still struggling to get ahead The UH Muslim Students Association hosted the event, titled “The Black American Struggle: The Past, the Present and the Future.” Wahhaj, a spiritual leader from New York, said blacks have been making great strides since the 1960s. “Now over 80 percent of the NBA basketball players are black, and 69 percent in the NFL,” Wahhaj said. “I mentioned about 42 AfricanAmericans in Congress. We have a black President. ... Everywhere in every part of the system of this country, we have African-American experts.” Wahhaj said though there are black leaders, they are still a minority. “On the one hand, we have the Kobe Bryants and the LeBron Jameses, politicians and all those successful people,” he said. “But the masses of black people haven’t enjoyed that success.” Wahhaj said the lack of success is due to the decreased value of family and marriage these days. He also said 59 percent of black children lived see HISTORY, page 3
COURTESY OF COREY STANSELL
Alumni Corey Stansell began his own company in Aug. 2009, College Hunks Hauling Junk, after realizing he wanted to have more control over his life.
Degree takes backseat to ambition J
59 LO 36
After years at a desk, a UH alumnus took his business to the outdoors
By Matthew Keever THE DAILY COUGAR Corey Stansell graduated from UH with a finance degree in 2007, but after working for Merrill Lynch and Edward Jones, he decided that he wanted to create his own wealth and bought a College Hunks Hauling Junk (junk-removal service) franchise. “I wanted to be in charge of how much I did or did not make, my schedule, my relationships with other people, and I decided to take the risk, raised the money to do it and found
something that I thought I could do that with,” Stansell said. A lot of Stansell’s clients who had wealth and happiness weren’t CEOs or attorneys but business owners, so he bought his own junk-removal franchise. Because it’s such a new company, his friends and family were wary at first. “They thought I was crazy,” he said. “We’re taught to go to school, get that education and get that good job. I don’t think any of us stop to think about what we want to do or what will make us the most satisfied.”
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Wednesday, February 17, 2010
The Daily Cougar
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TODAY
THURSDAY
Official Class Ring Ordering Event: 10 a.m.-3 p.m., UC Satellite Lobby. Visit the University Center Bookstore during the Graduation Fair to meet with representatives from Balfour. Students will be able to see graduation rings up close, have their fingers sized, order their rings and ask questions about the program. For more information, contact UHAA at jeubanks@central.uh.edu
Official Class Ring Ordering Event: 10 a.m.-3 p.m., UC Satellite Lobby. Visit the University Center Bookstore during the Graduation Fair to meet with representatives from Balfour. Students will be able to see graduation rings up close, have their fingers sized, order their rings and ask questions about the program. For more information, contact UHAA at jeubanks@central.uh.edu
Marijuana Myths: 1-2 p.m., Campus Recreation and Wellness Center rm. 1038. These are workshops offered through UH Wellness, a department of Learning and Assessment Services in the Division of Student Affairs. The mission of UH Wellness, a campus-wide education and prevention program, is to promote healthy choices and create a healthier, safer learning environment across all dimensions of wellness, including social, spiritual, intellectual, occupational, physical and emotional wellness. For more information, contact Gaylyn Maurer at gmaurer@uh.edu
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Discussion on race: 2-4:30 p.m., Bluebonnet Room, University Center. Ashanti Alston Omowali, an anarchist activist, speaker, writer and former member of the Black Panther Party, will be speaking on the topic of race. Omowali was also a member of the Black Liberation Army, and spent more than a decade in prison as a political prisoner. He will be speaking on his experiences, theory and also reading from “The War Before,� writings and speeches of Safiya Bukhari. For more information, contact Alvaro ChavesteFernandez at avo157@hotmail.com
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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.
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NEWS
The Daily Cougar
REGENTS continued from page 1
was raised to $45,000 from $40,000. Last summer, the amount was lifted to $40,000. Any student who starts this fall and takes the Cougar Graduation Pledge of completing 30 credit hours per year will be protected from any future tuition increase. Vice Chancellor Carl Carlucci said 20 percent of tuition increases must be invested in financial aid, student success initiatives, hiring faculty and scholarships. Graduate tuition and fees will increase at an average of 7.7 percent for the University. The UH Law school tuition increase was amended by Provost John Antel to 16.5 percent from 20 percent. Although the Law School is experiencing the highest increase in tuition, students appear understanding of the change. “We all (at the UH Law Center) made the decision to make an investment in our legal education,� third year law student Erin Ferris said. “We fully support the tuition increase.� Regent Nelda Blair said with the tuition increase for the Law School,
HISTORY continued from page 1
with both parents in 1970, but only 39 percent in 2007. Now, 69 percent of black children are born out of wedlock. Wahhaj believes the plight of African-Americans today is largely self-inflicted. “Which is worse,� he said, “Imposed slavery ... or self-inflicted slavery?� He said blacks paid a price for their freedom, but they are presently shackled by their inactivity.
rebuilding the Law Center should be a priority. “Even though this tuition increase, I realize, has nothing to do with building a Law School addition, I think that in order to make our Law School top notch, it has to have both the facility and the quality,� Blair said. “If we just concentrate on the quality and say we will worry about the facility later, that is not the approach we need.�
Tuition increases by college Students will be paying more for the education at UH beginning this fall. Here’s a quick glance at the rise in each college’s rate. ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ ƒ
Architecture: 4.1 percent Business Administration: 2.1 percent Education: 5.8 percent Engineering: 8.3 percent Hotel and Restaurant Management: 5.8 percent Law: 16.5 percent CLASS: 3.7 percent Natural Science and Math: 3.2 percent Optometry: 3.9 percent Pharmacy: 2.5 percent College of Social Work: 3.3 percent Technology: 2.9 percent.
news@thedailycougar.com
“Martin Luther King Jr. gave his life for the cause. Malcolm X gave his life for the cause,� he said. “You want to talk about all those heroes amongst the African-Americans, but we don’t want to advocate our own responsibility.� He said the future of blacks lies solely in their hands. “What price do we pay to save the African Americans from this self inflicted pain?� Wahhaj said. “What will be the future of AfricanAmericans in America? What are you going to do about it?� news@thedailycougar.com
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
ENTREPRENEUR STADIUM continued from page 1
continued from page 1
Stansell, a lover of the outdoors, said these days manual labor is an aspect of hard work that’s often overlooked when compared to salary. “Everything is defined as the dollar amount, the salary that you’re going to earn,� he said. “That’s the measuring stick that we all get held up against.� Stansell and his employees drive to residences and businesses in a bright orange and green truck, wearing green polo shirts and khaki pants, and they haul junk. They clean out garages and attics, remove unwanted furniture and try to make their customers’ lives junkfree. The company donates as much as possible to the Salvation Army and Goodwill, recycles everything it can and safely disposes of all waste in designated junkyards. According to the company’s Web site, it donates a portion of revenue from each job to local college scholarship programs. Right now, Stansell is working on a partnership with Habitat for Humanity, Goodwill and the Salvation Army. Stansell hopes students learn from him and focus on what interests them, rather than what pays them the most. “Do what you love to do, have fun with it and you’ll be successful in your own definition, which is the only one that matters in the first place,� he said. Stansell said he is still searching for college students looking for some part-time work and extra cash.
much each option will cost. “They will give us some conceptual costs and estimates, which are certainly, from my past experience, very accurate,� he said. “It takes into account the current economic climate, and they also predict for future economic climate (because we won’t begin building immediately).� The UH System Board of Regents must approve funding for
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the project before construction can begin. This is only one of the many difficult steps Rhoades will be faced with during the process. “Certainly we have to have a clear sight of direction based upon some very good, factual information,� Rhoades said. “But then we have to create a sound financial plan in terms of funding in order to build any of these projects. “We will have to go out and raise a substantial amount of money.�
news@thedailycougar.com
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Wednesday, February 17, 2010
The Daily Cougar
OPINION EDITOR Alan Dennis
E-MAIL opinion@thedailycougar.com
COMING THURSDAY: Does the government need to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell?”
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
UH needs to re-think which holidays to celebrate
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MISHELE LAMSHING THE DAILY COUGAR
Words not as important as meaning There are many things to watch on television these days — from celebrities endorsing political candidates to ladies on The View discussing their favorite sexual positions — even if we don’t want to hear Liz Price about it. The Federal Communications Commision lessens its restrictions on what networks can and cannot broadcast every year, and editors of print publications become increasingly liberal with what they’re willing to publish. It’s a little ironic that in a world where everything is so open, political correctness is at an all-time high. The public is not concerned with what a person says so much as the context in which it is expressed. Any comment that can be construed as racist, sexist, homophobic or prejudicial is considered unacceptable. If a public figure says something that is not politically correct, they’re called out.
John Mayer shocked America Wednesday with his colorful choice of words in a Playboy interview. He described his sexual preference of white women over African-American women, going so far as to compare his penis to David Duke, a former grand wizard of the Ku Klux Klan. Mayer also used racial and gay slurs, effectively managing to offend homosexuals, women and minorities all in one interview. Mayer later apologized for his comments, saying the interview got out of hand. But the interview was indicative of a bigger problem in America, shedding light on the effect words have on society. In reading the transcript of the interview, it becomes clear that Mayer is not really a racist. He’s just a jerk with too many opportunities to run his mouth. Political correctness was created in the U.S. as a means to be appropriate and avoid offending others. Over the last few years, however, this has changed.
The emphasis placed on words has made them stronger weapons. People such as Mayer who want to defy political correctness do so to make a statement, with no concern or regard for moral correctness. Our fear and anger over words has given them too much power. Our society has become so sensitive that we often let words get the better of us. We have stopped listening to the message someone is trying to get across and instead pay attention solely to the words they use. Some words are so emotionally charged that they are inappropriate, but it is important to remember that they are just words. They have become as powerful as they are because we have allowed it to happen. We created them, and we have control over their impact. Liz Price is a communication junior and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com
Medina slip-up could prove costly Many people do not trust the government, and rightly so. Aside from having mistrust for the government over basic things such as health care, there are some Americans who Patrick Levy still assert that the government played a hidden role in the Sept. 11 attacks. In a Feb. 11 article in the Christian Science Monitor, Jimmy Orr reported that in an interview on his radio show, Glenn Beck asked Texas gubernatorial candidate Debra Medina, “Do you believe the government was in any way involved in the bringing down of the World Trade Centers on 9/11?” Medina replied, “There are some very good arguments, and I think the American people have not seen all of the evidence there, so I have not taken a position on that.” After Medina’s comments made headlines, her campaign issued a statement through her Web site to clarify
them. Her explanation, however, directly contradicts what she said in the interview. “I have not seen any evidence, nor have I ever believed that our government was involved or directed those individuals in any way,” Medina said in the statement. In a short amount of time, Medina went from saying she hadn’t seen enough evidence to exclude government involvement in Sept. 11 to performing serious damage control in an attempt to salvage her campaign by contradicting herself. Many of Medina’s supporters are tired of big government, but she failed to take a definitive stance on the issue when she was put on the spot. Perhaps Medina was attempting to appease two completely different sides of the issue, which in this case is virtually impossible. Of course, Medina should not
be written off for questioning the government. In the months leading up to the election, she has gained ground on rival candidates Kay Bailey Hutchison and Rick Perry. This is because she seems to genuinely have her constituents’ best interests at heart. Negligence on the part of the government likely did contribute — no matter how slightly — to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. But the notion that the government played a malicious role in the attacks is absurd. Medina’s comments will force voters to decide whether they want to elect a governor who is willing to support her beliefs robustly, no matter how radical her contentions may be considered by the public. Patrick Levy is a communication freshman and may be reached at opinion@thedailycougar.com
he spring semester at UH started on a Tuesday this year so the University could observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which always falls on the third Monday of January. On Monday of this week, government buildings and schools across the country were closed in recognition of another federal holiday — Presidents Day. UH, however, was open for class as usual. Presidents Day is a celebration of the birthdays of A holiday Presidents George Washington honoring and Abraham Lincoln, two Washington iconic figures deeply woven into the fabric of U.S. history. and Lincoln Washington was the commander of the Continental ... deserves Army in the American some Revolutionary War, one of the recognition. founding fathers of the U.S. and was the country’s first president. Lincoln went to war to preserve the Union and emancipated the slaves, despite the fact that he suspected he might be martyred for doing so. We at The Daily Cougar are not trying to belittle King’s accomplishments, but rather would like to understand why the University doesn’t feel a day honoring the achievements of Washington and Lincoln is worth observing. It is absurd to think that the two former presidents don’t deserve at least the same measure of respect that Dr. King does. All three men dedicated their lives to the betterment of the U.S. and its people. They should be acknowledged accordingly. The University does, however, feel that Labor Day is an important enough holiday to warrant a day off for students and employees. Not only would it be safe to assume few people know that Labor Day’s origins are actually rooted in Canadian history, it’s likely that most people don’t even know what the day is celebrating. UH needs to realize that a holiday honoring Washington and Lincoln, who are important enough to be minted on U.S. currency, deserves some recognition. Not doing so is tantamount to ignoring the lives and contributions of two great Americans.
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.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
The Daily Cougar
SPORTS EDITORS Phillipe Craig, Robert Higgs
E-MAIL sports@thedailycougar.com
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ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: The People’s Game previews the Champions League tournament ONLINE www.thedailycougar.com/sports
MEN’S BASKETBALL
GOLF RECAP
Cougars fall flat at UCF
UH’s short game fails on last day of tourney By Keith Cordero Jr. THE DAILY COUGAR
Cougar Sports Services After getting offensive contributions from a cast of supporting characters during their two-game win streak, the Cougars reverted to their old ways Tuesday. That meant a heavy dose of Aubrey Coleman’s scoring and not a whole lot of anything else. It also meant an end to the streak, as UH fell 68-65 to Central Florida at UCF Arena in Orlando. Coleman, the nation’s leading scorer at 25.6 points per game entering Tuesday, finished with a game-high 26 points, but shot only 8-of-24 from the field. The rest of the team shot 15-of-39, but the Cougars (13-12, 5-6 Conference USA) were unable to neutralize the Knights’ backcourt combo of Marcus Jordan and A.J. Rompza. Jordan, who lit up the Cougars for a career-high 23 points in UCF’s 78-71 win at Hofheinz Pavilion on Jan. 20, scored a team-high 18 points Tuesday, and Rompza handed out 10 assists to go with eight points and four steals. UH still had a chance to tie the game in the closing seconds. Kelvin Lewis missed a pair of free throws, but UH was awarded possession after the rebound deflected off a
JUSTIN FLORES THE DAILY COUGAR
Aubrey Coleman did his usual scoring damage against UCF on Tuesday, putting up 26 points to lead all scorers. But the senior guard didn’t get much help from his teammates, as the Cougars fell to the Knights, 68-65. Knights player. With less than a second remaining, head coach Tom Penders called for a 3-pointer from Adam Brown on the inbounds, but Brown’s jumper was off the mark. UH held its own early in the second half, turning a one-point halftime deficit into a five-point lead behind an 8-2 run to open the period. UCF (13-12, 5-6) answered with a 12-4 run to take a 47-44 lead with 14:26 remaining. After trading buckets and several leads over the next 10 minutes, the two teams were tied at 62 with 4:15 left. UCF’s A.J. Tyler gave the Knights a two-point lead with a driving
Fighting Words
Talking smack and sports
At issue: Will the Rockets have enough to make a playoff push this season?
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» Tristan Tippet: Look at their competition I think there are too many reasons why the Rockets won’t make the playoffs. Recently, the Rockets Roc have played like l many people thought they would. The Rockets lack a go-to scorer, and even sc with their up-tempo style, they struggle to score. That’s an issue because the Rockets have more problems on defense. They can’t stop penetration, and they don’t have a defensive presence inside. These problems explain their inconsistency during the last month and a half, and it’s shown with some bad losses. If you play inconsistently at this point in the season, with so many good teams in contention, you won’t make the playoffs.
I have little confidence in them. Nine teams (and possibly more) in the West are constructed better than the Rockets. Their schedule isn’t all that favorable either. They play the Celtics twice, the Jazz three times, the Spurs twice and the Grizzlies twice. They also play the Raptors, Thunder, Lakers, Suns, Nuggets and Magic again.
» Salomon Fuentes: No surprises here Tristan, actually the Rockets indeed are what we thought. I see no n real difference be between this year’s ssquad and the team that played tough against tthe Lakers in that se seven-game series last season. Back then they played with energy and, on nights when their shots were dropping, they won.
layup, but Sean Coleman answered by tipping in his own miss to tie the game at 64. After Brown made one of two free throws, Tyler came back with another layup to give UCF a 6665 lead with 2:51 remaining. Jordan and Rompza each made one of two free throws to extend the lead to 68-65 with 1:09 left. After Aubrey Coleman, Lewis and Brown each missed consecutive 3-pointers, UH still found itself with one last chance. Unfortunately for UH, that last opportunity came too little, too late. sports@thedailycougar.com
Sometimes it was ugly, as they showed in the decisive Game 7, but all in all it was a likable team that showed it could play. The issue right now is that they’re running on fumes and don’t have enough talent to compensate. The only way the Rockets make it is if some unlikely things occur. For starters, they need Tracy McGrady to somehow reconcile with management and come back into the fold at a high level. Another option involves general manager Daryl Morey finding a way to trade him for someone useful such as Andre Iguodala. Neither scenario seems likely. Realistically, the Rockets need teams ahead of them to fade in the second half. San Antonio, with its age and injury issues, could collapse or Oklahoma City, with its lack of experience, might fall in the standings. If the Rockets play .500-plus basketball they have a shot, but it really depends on how other teams play. Ultimately, that will make or break their season.
» Jason Ovalle: Have some faith, people First, let me st start with Tristan. You are correct in your observation that the Rockets lack a go-to guy. However, Aaron Brooks is having a career year, and
After battling stiff competition and cold weather, UH posted a 10th-place finish Tuesday at the 10th Annual Rice Intercollegiate at Westwood Golf Club. First-year head coach Jonathan Dismuke said he was most displeased with the team’s short game. “The big thing we did not do a very good job of was chip or pitch the ball,” Dismuke said. “That’s just something were going to have to get better at over the course of the year.” The Cougars were in fourth place after Monday’s competition, but shot 296 Tuesday to drop to seventh at 927. Rice, which hosted the tournament, won with an impressive team score of 886. Auburn finished second with a score of 905. Pacific (909), Kansas (921) and Nebraska (923) rounded out the top five. “I think we didn’t take advantage of many opportunities today,” Dismuke said. “We shot some pretty decent rounds, and the conditions were a lot better today. We had a few good opportunities, but we kind of let things get away from us.” For the third time this season, junior Matt Eschenburg led the
he is the closest thing the Rockets have to a true scorer. OK, now to Salomon. Your point that the Rockets are the same team they were last year in Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals is incorrect. They lack two key offensive players on the wing in Von Wafer and Ron Artest. Their current wing players cannot put up the same numbers. Finally, there is no doubt in my mind that the Rockets will be in the playoffs. Multiple media sources say that the Rockets will make a deal with the Knicks in exchange for 2009 lottery pick Jordan Hill, Al Harrington and draft choices. This will only improve a team that is missing almost $40 million of salary, in T-Mac and Yao. The Rockets are only three games out of the West’s final playoff spot. With this injection of talent they so desperately need, they should make the playoffs and possibly advance to the second round again.
» Judge Phillipe: Still a 50-50 proposition As much as the fan in me wants to see the Rockets miss the playoffs, I have to agree with Jason. With the teams ahead of them having such a weak hold of their current spots, the Rockets have just as good a chance to make it as any of them. Now what they do when they
Cougars with a three-round final score of 229. Freshman Jordan Rumora also had a successful two-day run, especially in the final round when he shot a 1-over-par 73. That score marked the Cougars’ lowest round of the tournament. “Matt’s been real solid for us all year … (Tuesday’s round) wasn’t his best ball this week,” Dismuke said. “He didn’t have his best ball striking, chipping or putting, but he just kind of grinded it out for another top-20 finish.” Rumora, a Cy-Fair product, lowered his score after every round to finish with a 234 total. “I can tell every time (Rumora) goes out, he gets better and better,” Dismuke said. “He finished great today. He’s a tough kid.” Other Cougars in action include junior Clark Mitzner (235, tied for 43rd), redshirt freshman Joseph Reynolds (239, t-52nd) and senior Jackie Lindsey (240, t-54th). Rice’s Christopher Brown shot a 69 in the final round to finish at even-par 216 and capture individual medalist honors. UH will next take the course Monday when it travels to Lost Pines to take part in the J.L. Lewis Intercollegiate, hosted by Texas State at Wolfdancer Golf Club. sports@thedailycougar.com
get there is another matter. That’s what makes me hope they miss the playoffs altogether. I’m not too sold on them making it, though. But they still have to like their chances as it stands. Tristan hit the nail on the head with his assessment of the Rocke lack of a goRockets’ to scorer. In the playoffs, when the game slows down and teams run a more halfc court oriented ff offense, this spunky, run-and-gun approach won’t work. Teams will force the ball into the hands of guys like Shane Battier, who, for all his hustle and defense, couldn’t score 25 points if you spotted him 20. In a more likely scenario, the Rockets’ lack of offensive firepower could be exposed before the playoffs begin. As the pressure heats up and teams get desperate, look for players such as Trevor Ariza and Battier to be relied upon more frequently. In a directly related development, don’t be surprised if they don’t make the postseason.
Verdict Jason wins, barely.
Facetime I am looking forward to getting a new Rockets jersey of my favorite player – Kyle Lowry.
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Wednesday, February 17, 2010
LIFE & ARTS
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For R&B music aficionados, there are two types of recording artists: the chart-topping provocateurs teetering on the brink of overexposure and the serious-minded musicians who navigate their own lane just outside of the mainstream. Maryland-native and selfproclaimed ‘R&B hippie neo-soul rock star,’ Raheem DeVaughn, champions the latter on his third studio album on the Jive imprint, The Love & War MasterPeace, set for release on March 2. Known for cooking up salacious odes of love and empowerment spiced with sociopolitical revelation like a master chef, the two-time Grammy-nominated singersongwriter delivers songs like “The Greatness,� “B.O.B.� and “Black and Blue,� which overwhelmingly display his improved grasp of song structure, musical growth and, of course, his signature falsetto. “This is my rawest album yet, on both sides of the fence,� said DeVaughn, who cites Prince, Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye as his biggest musical influences. “This album is about trying to
master your own peace and seek truth in these trying times. Life has made me more militant and more conscious about the state of the world, which is why half of the songs are socially conscious and half of them are about love. “I’m about to restore the balance with this album.� Despite not reaching platinum or gold status on either of his previous releases, DeVaughn has a devoted fan base that continues to be the arbiters of his rising profile among other revered soul icons such as Erykah Badu, Musiq Soulchild and Maxwell. “At the end of the day, I can’t bear anybody’s cross but my own musically,� DeVaughn said. “I’m in my own lane, and I’m always focused on staying true to myself and my art. But people will find that this work is consistent throughout, as far as quality. This is my best music to date.� “Bulletproof,� the Ludacrisassisted leadoff single from MasterPeace, sets the tone for the sensual yet politically charged opus, which is narrated by wellknown civil rights activist and Princeton professor Cornel West. “There’s a spiritual war going on,� DeVaughn said. “So my music is symbolically reflecting on the times we are living in. I
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want people to take heed to the message.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nobody Wins a War,â&#x20AC;? perhaps the most ambitious track on the album, reads like the playbill for a neo-soul concert series: Jill Scott, Black Gypsy, Dwele, Chrisette Michele, Citizen Cope, Chico DeBarge, Ledesi, Bilal and Anthony Hamilton. The song provides a stark opinion on the wars that have become the focus of this nation in recent years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was a huge undertaking,â&#x20AC;? DeVaughn said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was hard to get everybody in the studio to record this song, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a powerful song and really is one of the best songs on the album. â&#x20AC;&#x153;And when I say â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;album,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; I mean that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m into making albums that have a concept. This album has 20 songs that all fall within that concept.â&#x20AC;? Armed with fresh material, DeVaughn hopes to tour as soon as late March or April. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A lot of my live shows have been mostly improv,â&#x20AC;? DeVaughn said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m getting more structure to my shows, and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m getting better as a performer, so when fans leave one of my performances, theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll leave feeling good, empowered and loved.â&#x20AC;?
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RENTALS 1 BR TOWN HOME $480 pm. $195 move in. 843 sq ft. Call Brad at (713) 392-3248. APT FOR RENT. $550/mon. Few blocks from UH. 713-892-9199 4615 Woodside. LARGE 1 BR Apt in nice nghbrhd near UH. Like a small house. Grad stud preferred. $495 (713) 743-2734 NEW 4-PLEX. 5 mins from UH. A/H center, appl, big kitchen, balcony; 1-11/2 $575 + util; 2-11/2 Frame how $725; W/D Conn; 1 Large studio $300 + util. Avail now! No pet. 713834-4209. FIND YOUR NEXT ROOMMATE. Read The Daily Cougar Classifieds. Try us online at thedailycougar.com/classifieds
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A.D.D Circus by Chris Jacobs
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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
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Determination Home furnishing Trail mix Peek- — - — Avocation Europe-Asia range Mountain lake Ragtime’s — Blake Part of MHz Set off “Hedda Gabler” author — choy Day, to Jose Split Saucepans Declares frankly Fix apples — Hubbard of sci-fi Paleo opp. It repels moths Bird, in combos Prefix for while Honey wine Stock or bond Quad antecedents Coy smiles Subject for Keats Ms. Peeples of TV Wake up Swimming stroke “— It Romantic?” Cranny Rival of Bjorn Botanist’s wings Acrylic fiber First-quarter tide Window-rattling Mild Sparklers
DOWN 1 Light bulb measure 2 Steel beam (hyph.) 3 Loughlin or Petty 4 Robin Hood’s weapon 5 Chipmunk pouches 6 Clock hand 7 Xavier’s ex
Clean Plate Week MOODY TOWERS TODAY Y from 11am - 1pm Help us reduce the amount of food waste going to the landfill by clearing everything on your plate.
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Help us make fertilizer by contributing to the compost bucket at the end of your meal. Compostable Food Wastes: Vegetable peelings, fruit peelings and cores, tea leaves, coffee grounds, egg shells and stale bread.
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TODAY’S CROSSWORD ACROSS
Robbie and Bobby by Jason Poland
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Before Mean to 100 dinars Fjord city Two-toed sloth Engage in logrolling West Coast sch. Fund-raising suffix Skip town — Neeson of the movies Nope opposites San Francisco hill
2009 UNITED FEATURE SYNDICATE INC.
Previous puzzle solved C R A F T D E GR E S T RON WE A V A N T ME L S A GO U T A O N I N F E R N E C L I ME R E C A L I R I S MO E S P Y R E
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Wednesday, February 17, 2010
LIFE & ARTS
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Group caters to young art lovers By Sara Nichols THE DAILY COUGAR Houston Young People for the Arts is raising awareness of the vibrant Houston arts scene and hopes to cultivate a richer understanding of the arts in a city that is proud of its diversity. HYPA is a committee of the Houston Downtown Alliance that focuses on finding ways to make the arts more accessible to Houstonians. “HYPA really has been a journey for me,” co-founder Heather Pray said. “I started it when I knew nothing about the Houston arts scene and very little about art, for that matter.” Pray and her friend Kathleen Galvan formed HYPA in 2005 after graduating from the University of Texas and moving back to Houston. “We noticed that our friends were going to the bars instead of the theater,” Pray said, “and that would not bode well for the future of the arts scene.” HYPA’s first event took two days to put together and Pray hosted it at her parents’ house. The evening consisted of friends, snacks, wine and a promotional video about a dance company; all for a suggested donation of $5. “We survived that night, and decided it was something we wanted to continue to do,” Pray said. And so they did. Since that night, HYPA has worked with a number of organizations to put on events such as Culture Collision, the Dec. Culinary Arts Event and the organization’s annual party. This year’s party, “I Dream of Maharani”, was held on Feb. 6 and spotlighted artists from Houston’s Indian community. “We create events for all levels of art lovers,” Pray said. HYPA sends out a newsletter twice a week highlighting upcoming events that are inexpensive or unique to Houston. “I would like HYPA to ultimately be a reputable source for young art patrons,” Pray said. “We have also started supporting community outreach programs that reach Houston school children.” Pray said HYPA is continuing to grow and solidify its legacy in Houston. “I cannot express the importance of supporting those that support us, and they have been amazing partners,” Pray said. “I think any art experience is a good experience. I just want to see Houston keep creating.” arts@thedailycougar.com
Point. Click. Promote your event. Use the Campus Calendar at thedailycougar.com