The Daily Reveille - September 5, 2012

CRIME BRIEFS: Student arrested for lying to officers as a practical joke, p. 3

SPORTS: Canadian gymnast shines despite injury, p. 5

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Daily Reveille Special Exclusive

Wednesday, September 5, 2012 • Volume 117, Issue 9

Honey Badger speaks for first time since dismissal Chandler Rome Sports Writer

Three weeks after being dismissed from the LSU football program, embattled cornerback Tyrann Mathieu was back on campus Tuesday, enrolled in classes for the fall semester.

Speaking for the first time since his untimely exit, Mathieu said his focus has shifted from football to his personal journey as a man.

“I’m just focusing on academics right now and really myself,” Mathieu said. “I’m not worried too much about football.”

The St. Augustine product anchored the vaunted Tiger defense last season, leading the Southeastern Conference with six forced fumbles and five recoveries, all the while igniting the struggling

CHANDLER ROME / The Daily Reveille

Tyrann Mathieu, back on campus, enrolled in classes Tuesday.

Tigers with punt returns for touchdowns in late-season wins over Arkansas and Georgia.

While never confirmed by the LSU Athletics Department, Mathieu’s recent decision to enter drug rehabilitation points to a failed drug test as the impetus to his Aug. 10 dismissal.

LSU coach Les Miles, who has firmly stated Mathieu will not play for the Tigers this season, acknowledged Mathieu’s return in his weekly press luncheon Tuesday.

“I believe that he has really made some difficult decisions for himself that will better him as he goes forward,” Miles said. “We certainly wish him the very best.”

LSU Senior Associate Athletics Director Herb Vincent said in a text message that “LSU is not speculating on Tyrann’s football future at this time.”

Miles, who has repeatedly wished Mathieu luck in his future

endeavors but deflected any oth- teammates were also happy to be er questions about his dismissal reunited with their friend and maintained the same demeanor former teammate.

Tuesday.

Sophomore wide receiver “My focus is about my team Odell Beckham Jr. said he’s been and preparing game week,” Miles texting Mathieu “every other day” said. and lauded his friend’s decisionRebutting, swirling rumors making in the recent weeks. that he would “Overcoming transfer to Mcadversity is some‘I’m just focusing on thing you have to Neese State, Mathieu, the 2011 academics right now deal with all your Heisman Trophy life,” Beckham and really myself.’ finalist and Bedsaid. “I think he’s narik Award windoing a good job Tyrann Mathieu ner said he’s simwith that.” former LSU cornerback ply enjoying being Fresh off a back under the stint at the Right stately oaks.

Step recovery center in Houston, “It feels great [to be back],” where he was mentored by former Mathieu said. “I’m just enjoying NBA star and recovered drug adthe weather and it feels great to be dict John Lucas, Mathieu credited back.”

Mathieu’s former Tiger MATHIEU, see page 4

Hidden Treasure Concealed murals uncovered in Allen Hall

Ben Wallace

Senior Contributing Writer

Hidden behind layers of plain white paint for decades, Allen Hall’s best-kept secret is finally coming to light.

MORGAN SEARLES / The Daily Reveille

Elise Grenier, conservation artist, works to restore murals Friday on the stairs in Allen Hall.

Former University art student and Louisiana native Cheryl Elise Grenier, who has decades of experience restoring true fresco paintings in the heart of Italy’s Renaissance culture, uncovered a small portion of the shrouded treasure about 10 years ago while running some tests as she worked to restore other Allen Hall murals.

Finally, everyone is getting a peak at the previously veiled jewels.

The product of graduate art student Roy Henderson’s thesis in 1939, a pair of twostory fresco paintings, drape the walls of the western stairwell in the former Arts and Sciences Building, with each painting’s subject matter mirroring that of the building’s former label.

Colorful images of students distilling sugar, mixing chemicals and staring out of the University’s astronomical observatory flank one wall, representing the sciences.

The arts-heavy side shows painting students encircling a nearly nude male, a rendering of an abstract sculpture, and figures of Henderson and his teacher, the University’s first art professor and renowned fresco painter Conrad Albrizio, painting a fresco within the fresco.

“It’s a pun,” Grenier said matter-offactly. “That’s him literally producing graduates of the art school.”

Albrizio has his back turned to the viewer, with his brush painting the faces of what looks to be multi-ethnic art students

MORGAN SEARLES / The Daily Reveille

Murals on the walls of Allen Hall were once plastered over, but have now been revealed through restoration efforts.

— an oddity in itself since the University did not admit its first black student until A.P. Tureaud in 1953, about 15 years later.

A thin waterfall flows from his brush down to a depiction of Henderson himself, which fades into silhouettes of

people and a seemingly unfinished black and white painting near the bottom. But it’s all part of an elaborate tribute to Albrizio, Grenier said.

Grenier earned two degrees from MURALS, see page 11

The Daily Reveille

page 2

INTERNATIONAL Portugal gets help from Spain and France battling spread of wildfires LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Water-dumping aircraft from Spain and France on Tuesday joined Portugal’s battle to halt the spread of wildfires through thick woodlands in the country’s north left tinder-dry by months of drought.

Spain and France sent two aircraft each, Portugal’s Civil Protection Service said, a day after authorities appealed for help for fire crews struggling to contain blazes amid high temperatures and strong winds.

More than 350 vehicles and 19 aircraft were on duty.

Colombia’s ‘Queen of Cocaine’ shot to death Tuesday, killer unidentified BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Griselda Blanco, a convicted drug trafficker who was once known as the “Godmother” and the “Queen of Cocaine,” has been shot to death by an unidentified gunman, police in Colombia said Tuesday.

Col. Mauricio Cartagena of Medellin’s metropolitan police said Tuesday that the 69-year-old was killed at a butcher shop in the city on Monday.

Cartagena said a man approached Blanco at the shop and fired before escaping on a motorcycle driven by another man.

Nation & World

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

NATIONAL

STATE/LOCAL

Federal judge rules Mass. must pay for killer’s gender reassignment

Pollution washed ashore from Gulf of Mexico in wake of Hurricane Isaac

Youth unemployment rate will rise to 12.9 percent by 2017, says U.N.

BOSTON (AP) — State prison officials must provide taxpayerfunded sex-reassignment surgery to a transgender inmate serving life in prison for murder, because it is the only way to treat her “serious medical need,” a federal judge ruled Tuesday.

Michelle Kosilek was born male but has received hormone treatments and now lives as a woman in an all-male prison.

Kosilek was named Robert when married to Cheryl Kosilek and was convicted of murdering her in 1990.

Corn harvest continues to speed ahead of schedule, according to USDA

GENEVA, Switzerland (AP) — The U.N.’s labor office says youth unemployment is likely to rise globally to 12.9 percent by 2017 as more young people leave the work force and the euro crisis spreads to emerging economies.

The current rate of unemployment among youths aged 15 to 24 is 12.7 percent globally.

An International Labor Office report Tuesday said the highest regional rate — above 25 percent — is expected to remain in North Africa and the Middle East.

DES MOINES (AP) — The U.S. corn harvest continues ahead of schedule with some states nearly half-finished at a time when they usually are just getting started.

The USDA said Tuesday in its weekly crop update that little has changed in the condition of drought-damaged corn and soybeans. That’s because the plants are too far along for recent rain to make a difference.

Tennessee has 49 percent of its corn in, compared to the usual 21 percent. Missouri is at 44 percent, ahead of the average 8 percent.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Weathered oil in the form of tar balls has washed ashore on some Louisiana beaches from Gulf waters churned by Hurricane Isaac and a state coastal official says it is likely from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Disaster.

Garret Graves, a coastal adviser to Gov. Bobby Jindal, said the tar washed ashore in an area that was heavily oiled after the BP well accident.

Officials Tuesday evening restricted fishing in waters extending a mile off a roughly 13mile stretch of coastline from Port Fourchon eastward to just west of Caminada Pass.

FRANCISCO SECO / The Associated Press

A firefighter steps back while working to douse a fire in Alvaiazere, Portugal on Tuesday.

Trial for Alabama fan delayed in post-BCS Championship video case NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A trial in New Orleans has been delayed for an Alabama football fan arrested after a video was posted on the Internet that showed what prosecutors say was sexual battery committed on an unconscious LSU fan.

Hurricane Isaac last week left defense attorneys unable to prepare for the trial of 33-yearold Brian Downing of Smith’s Station, Ala.

GERALD HERBERT / The Associated Press

Neighbors bring their boat ashore after checking their homes after Hurricane Isaac came through the region, in Braithwaite on Friday.

Hurricane Isaac may spark swarms of mosquitoes in South Louisiana HOUMA (AP) — South Louisiana residents may be dealing with swarms of mosquitoes breeding in the waters left behind by Hurricane Isaac.

And with Louisiana experiencing the highest rate of West Nile virus infections in several years, state officials are warning residents to take precautions against mosquitoes.

The Courier reports that at least 145 West Nile cases and nine deaths were reported in Louisiana from the disease.

Weather

PHOTO OF THE DAY

TODAY Partly Cloudy

93 75 THURSDAY

95 75 SATURDAY CONNOR TARTER / The Daily Reveille

An LSU student’s Miniature Australian Shepard plays on the Parade Ground Tuesday. Submit your photo of the day to photo@lsureveille.com.

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The Daily Reveille

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

LSU MUSEUM OF ART

page 3

Director looks to build connections with University Juliann Allen Contributing Writer

Jordana Pomeroy’s third-floor office sits still and quiet on a Friday afternoon, yet the feeling of freshness and originality lingers as the museum director finishes her work for the day.

Pomeroy began work as the new executive director of the LSU Museum of Art at the Shaw Center for the Arts in July— 50 years after the museum opened its doors.

While she has played the role of a chief curator before, Pomeroy said her new position involves management and setting a vision for the institution.

“I like to think of myself as a good backboard for [the chief

Crime Briefs Following struggle, man arrested in Quad on outstanding warrants charge After fleeing to the Quad, LSUPD arrested 19-year-old Darren G. Gonsoulin for outstanding warrants Tuesday.

Around 12:50 p.m., a woman said she saw Gonsoulin, her exboyfriend, in a car near Lockett Hall, according to LSUPD spokesman Capt. Corey Lalonde.

Consoulin, of 21106 Brighton Cove in Ponchatoula, had an outstanding warrant with Baton Rouge Parish Sherriff’s Office.

When officers approached the vehicle, Gonsoulin ran toward the Quad. Officers caught up and arrested him after a short struggle.

On the way to the LSUPD office, Gonsoulin banged his head against the window of the police car.

He was arrested for having an outstanding warrant, resisting a police officer and simple criminal damage to property and booked in EBR Parish Prison.

Student jokes about armed robbery, arrested for criminal mischief Sociology student Ryan J. Bailey was arrested Tuesday and issued a summons for criminal mischief after he admitted to lying to LSUPD officers, Lalonde said.

On Aug. 28, Bailey reported to LSUPD he was robbed at knife point near the Enchanted Forest.

During further investigation, officers noticed discrepancies in his story, Lalonde said.

Bailey admitted Tuesday he lied to officers and was trying to play a prank on friends.

curator’s] ideas,” she said.

Pomeroy was born in San Antonio, Texas, but grew up in New York City. She said her mother, a classicist, and her father, an architect, took her to many museums.

“Our trips were focused on buildings and ruins,” she said.

Pomeroy said the LSU Museum of Art attracted her because she wanted to direct a University museum, and LSU had a good reputation.

“My sense was that if they spent so much time creating a venue for the museum, there was enough people who cared about its future,” she said.

Pomeroy earned a bachelor’s degree from Bryn Mawr College and graduated from Columbia University with a master’s degree and Ph.D. in history of art.

Having attended a women’s college and published a book, “Intrepid Women,” containing essays about Victorian artists who were travelers, Pomeroy said her consciousness has been shaped to feature and focus on women.

Pomeroy said she wants to continue this trend at the LSU MOA, but she wants the exhibits to be part of a larger vision of ethnic diversity, as well.

She said the curatorial profession has changed over the years, and she developed and taught the first curatorial practice class at Georgetown University.

Pomeroy said the class covered the history of the profession and the role of museum curators. She said when she teaches at the University

Faculty member arrested for DWI, two outstanding felony warrants

and released.

Man arrested after grabbing officer escorting woman out of stadium

Derrick D. Gray was arrested Aug. 26 for hit and run, DWI, reckless operation and two outstanding felony warrants.

Gray, 29, of 4554 Alvin Dark Ave. Apt. 9, rear-ended a vehicle near the French House on Highland Road and fled, Lalonde said. Officers observed Gray’s vehicle on Cypress Street, and Gray fled near Take 5. Officers located Gray and arrested him.

He submitted to a breath alcohol test and blew .148 BAC. He was booked in EBR Parish Prison.

University High students arrested for hijacking beer on gameday Two 17-year-old LSU Laboratory School students were arrested Sept.

1 for stealing beer out of the back of a truck.

Officers working in the Hart Lot observed Luke Wagner of 1979 Safford Blvd. in Port Allen and Jacob Carruth of 14726 Villa Court in Baton Rouge taking beer out of an ice chest in the back of a truck, Lalonde said.

Wagner was arrested for theft and resisting an officer and was released. Carruth was arrested for theft

in spring 2014, there will be a class offered involving curatorial practice and museum ethics.

Pomeroy came to the LSU MOA from her 16-year position as chief curator at the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C. She said she wants students and faculty to see the museum as a destination.

“Overall, I would love to raise the numbers,” Pomeroy said.

Pomeroy added that people in Baton Rouge are starting to think of downtown as a place to go to have fun and spend time.

She said the museum can attract more traffic with increased advertising, public awareness and by offering diverse exhibits to appeal to

different audiences.

Pomeroy said she would like to see more students come to the museum and she plans to build more bridges to campus with the museum.

“My vision for the museum is to become closer to LSU and work with different departments,” she said.

Pomeroy said her other vision is to polish the profile of the museum with more members and visitors. She said she wants the University and the community to get to know the museum better.

“I want LSU to be really proud of this museum,” Pomeroy said.

Contact Juliann Allen at jallen@lsureveille.com

Police arrested 23-year-old Derek Alexander O’Reilly on Sept. 1 after he grabbed the arm of an officer trying to escort a woman out of Tiger Stadium near the student gates.

O’Reilly, of 3319 Greystone Court, was arrested for battery of a police officer and booked into EBR Parish Prison, Lalonde said.

Man blows four times legal alcohol limit, arrested for DWI Delton J. Joseph, 38, of 7463 Glen Oaks Drive, was arrested Aug. 18 for DWI and flight from a police officer.

Officers attempted to pull Joseph over around 8:45 a.m. on Nicholson Drive near Ben Hur Road for swerving across the centerline, eventually getting him to pull over at Nicholson Drive and South Stadium Road.

He submitted to a breath alcohol test and blew .319 BAC. Contact The Daily Reveille’s news staff at news@lsureveille.com; Twitter: @TDR_news

Tonight on Tiger TV Newsbeat 6PM Sports Showtime 6:15PM The Ramen 6:30 PM Campus Channel 75 SENIORS Time to take portraits for the LSU Gumbo Yearbook!

Sign up today at www.ouryear.com School code: 497 DEADLINE: September 27 Sign up for your LSU Gumbo Yearbook!

Free Speech Plaza 10:30-2:30 TODAY Spruce Up Your Résumé!

LSU Career Services Résumé Walk-In Hours September 4-7, 2012 8:30 am – 4:30 pm, B-4 Coates Hall careercenter.lsu.edu DO YOU HAVE AN OCCURRENCE? Call Joe at the Student Media Office 578-6090, 9AM- 5PM or E-mail: oncampus@lsureveille.com

The Daily Reveille

page 4 MATHIEU, from page 1

his stay with steering his life in the right direction.

“I’m finished with that treatment phase and it went well,” Mathieu said. “A lot of issues that I was dealing with, I felt like I got those things handled.”

Beckham said Mathieu is the same person he was before his dismissal, but added he is simply “trying to get his head on right.”

The decision made by both Mathieu and his family to return to school and not seek other football opportunities was something Beckham expected from the start. “[His decision] doesn’t surprise me,” Beckham said. “It was a decision that him and his family had to make and they made the right one.”

Junior defensive end Barkevious Mingo had high hopes for Mathieu beyond the classroom, claiming he “should be all right” and he’d welcome Mathieu back with open arms.

“He’s a guy that’s going to come around,” Mingo said.

“Hopefully he’ll be on the team, we’ll see how that goes.”

While he’s come to the realization that football is not in store for the upcoming season, Mathieu said he will continue to train for whatever his future may hold.

First up, according to Mathieu: graduation.

Visit lsureveille.com to read exclusive stories.

New furniture and tables added to Patrick F. Taylor as part of the renovation.

BENJAMIN HICKS / The Daily Reveille

Learn more about the recent letter concerning opinions about how journalism should be taught in American universities.

Check out today’s LMFAO entertainment blogs at lsureveille.com:

“Bound for Books” reviews “Perks of Being a Wallflower.”

THE DAILY REVEILLE ARCHIVES

Former LSU cornerback Tyrann Mathieu (7) tackles a ball-carrier Nov. 25, 2011, during a game between LSU and Arkansas.

“I’m just kind of working on the self more than the athlete,” Mathieu said. “As of right now,

Contact Chandler Rome at crome@lsureveille.com; Twitter: @Rome_TDR

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Sports

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

page 5

London Calling Baton Rouge

FOOTBALL

SEC to allow frequent replays New rules in effect for next game Tyler Nunez

Sports Contributor

The Southeastern Conference is seeking to improve the experience of fans attending live football games by allowing more action to be shown on the video boards.

The SEC announced Aug. 27 that, beginning this season, stadiums within the conference are much less limited in their use of replays. This will replace their previous policy, which allowed only one real-time replay for each play in a game.

With the exception of stoppages occurring for an official review, institutions are now allowed to show as many replays as they want in the time between the end of a play and the beginning of the next play.

Though the video boards cannot display regular replays during official reviews, they are able to show a live video feed from the television network broadcasting the game, allowing fans to view the play in question.

This is allowed in the time between the referee’s announcement to stop play for the review and his communication of the review’s outcome.

The change in policy was

Tiger gymnast attends Olympics as alternate

Alex Cassara Sports Writer

The Olympic Games are the Holy Grail of gymnastics.

There is no national gymnastics league. Serious gymnasts strive their whole adolescent lives, breaking their bodies and wearing their wills for that quadrennial championship.

Despite two knee surgeries before age 18, new LSU gymnast Jessica Savona is one of few who can say they’ve been to the highest level of their sport.

“Being able to say I overcame [my injury] has made me a better gymnast,” Savona said. “It made me realize I’m capable of doing what I really want to do.”

As an alternate for the Canadian artistic gymnastics squad in this summer’s London Olympics, Savona did not compete. But the experience was OLYMPICS, see page 7 CATHERINE THRELKELD / The Daily Reveille

REPLAYS, see page 7

SOCCER

Piña’s late goal clinches 2-1 win for the Tigers LSU holds off SFA at home Chris Abshire Sports Writer

For the second time in as many matches, freshmen paced the LSU women’s soccer team as a weary Tiger squad squeaked out a 2-1 home victory Tuesday evening against Stephen F. Austin.

Freshman midfielder Fernanda Piña buried a 78-minute game winner off an assist from fellow freshmen Heather Magee and Victoria Sample, and the Tigers (31-1) overcame an early deficit in

a match postponed by Hurricane Isaac.

“I thought we were happy to get the result,” said LSU coach Brian Lee. “Stephen F. Austin came in with a good gameplan and their kids were dedicated enough to stick to it. We were in trouble.”

That trouble began in the ninth minute, as Ladyjacks forward Chelsea Raymond struck from 11 yards out for her fifth goal in six matches.

SFA forward Zuri Prince collected a towering free kick just inside the penalty box, drawing three Tiger defenders to her.

Prince nimbly deflected the ball to Raymond, who sent a lofted strike to the far left post past LSU

goalkeeper Megan Kinneman.

“It was another soft goal we allowed on a set kick,” Lee said.

“It was just like one we gave up to N.C. State last week. Our back line is young but they have to grow up fast.”

The Tigers controlled the run of play for the remainder of the half, finally evening the sheet on sophomore forward Kaley Blades’ cross-turned-goal in the 33rd minute.

Running up the right flank, Blades played a lofty cross toward senior forward Carlie Banks, who was in position just nine yards from the net.

WIN, see page 6

RICHARD REDMANN / The Daily Reveille

LSU senior forward Carlie Banks (27) splits the SFA freshman defender Chantal Curry (5) and junior goalkeeper Lacey Leem (1) for a goal in Tuesday’s match at LSU’s Soccer Complex.

The Daily Reveille

page 6

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

AP Poll Leader looking to emerge in Yi’s absence released MEN’S GOLF

Lawrence Barreca Sports Contributor

The LSU men’s golf program needs a new captain.

Former Tiger Sang Yi’s talent and positive approach was invaluable for the LSU golf team starting from his arrival in 2008.

“Sang and I were really close,” said junior Andrew Presley. “He had a huge influence on me. He had a really good attitude and he was a huge deal for us. He was always positive, he was a really good player with a great short game and he had a positive influence on all of us.”

Yi was the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Freshman of the Year and a two-time LSWA First-Team All-Louisiana member and a one-time LSWA Second-Team All-Louisiana member.

Yi capped off his career at LSU by being named the LSWA Louisiana Player of the Year and by being named to the 2012 First-Team AllSoutheastern conference squad before graduating in May. “Sang was part of the

WIN, from page 5

Banks and two Ladyjacks defenders each whiffed on the ball, but the commotion was enough to distract SFA goalkeeper Lacey Lee and earn Blades her second goal this season.

“I was just crossing it into Carlie, who was making a great run,” Blades said. “She just kind of dummied it. That fooled the keeper

winningest class since I’ve been a coach here,” said head coach Chuck Winstead . “It was something like 13 tournament titles that we won while [he] was here.”

The time is now for a new leader on the 2012-2013 squad YI to emerge.

Winstead said his team is filled with talent, but he was sure to mention one name in particular.

“If I had to pick one, I’d have to pick Presley,” Winstead said. “He’s been our most competitive golfer, and he has played the most this year. He’s an All-Conference, AllSEC performer, and he’s someone we expect to do very well this year.”

During his freshman campaign, Presley posted a 74.1 scoring average in 24 rounds and earned a top-10 finish and three top-20 finishes.

He also shined during his sophomore year.

“When you look at his scoring average from his freshman year to

his sophomore year, he made a huge jump,” Winstead said. “He was an All-Conference player in the strongest conference in the country last year. His production last year was terrific.”

Presley lowered his averPRESLEY age to 72.5 in 34 rounds, and he claimed his first collegiate victory at the Louisiana Classics. He was named a Second-Team All-SEC member and a 2012 LSWA First-Team All-Louisiana player.

“I definitely want to be an AllAmerican this year,” Presley said. “I had a really good chance last year, but I didn’t quite get it done. I’m the oldest guy on the team, so I have some pretty big shoes to fill. I’m looking forward to it.”

Although Presley is the primary candidate to slide into the role as captain of the program, a new star could emerge from any of the nine golfers on the roster.

No one on the team appears to

be worried by the plethora of youth in 2012-2013.

“We don’t have a senior, but we do have three juniors who have played and have had success for us,” Winstead said. “We have very strong sophomores. We’re confident with the group of guys we have moving forward.”

The loss of Yi’s veteran presence could put a dent into any team, but LSU feels confident with the talent taking the course this season.

Accompanied by fellow juniors Smylie Kaufman and Landon Lyons, Presley will be looking to bring a squad overwhelmed by youth into a new era in LSU men’s golf. A core group of talented players has been set by the organization.

“If you’ve got the firepower, then you can accomplish whatever you want,” Winstead said, “We believe we have the firepower.”

and it was lucky to roll in.”

Stephen F. Austin came out firing in the second half, though, as LSU — playing its second match in three days — struggled to fend off the feisty Ladyjacks’ offensive push.

On a sweltering night, Lee attempted to counteract his team’s tired legs by rotating 16 different Tigers on and off the pitch.

“It was a conscious effort to

switch them out like that, especially how much we were chasing them,” Lee said. “We have a lot of different kids who could be effective. Our bench goes deep without losing quality.”

The strategy paid off, as LSU kept SFA off the board and eventually cashed in on its first scoring chance in nearly 30 minutes.

Magee earned possession near midfield before maneuvering down

to the goal line, where she sent a curling cross inside the keeper’s six-yard box.

Sample headed it down to Piña, who found the net with a two-yard, left-footed finish for her first career goal.

Contact Lawrence Barreca at lbarreca@lsureveille.com

Contact Chris Abshire at cabshire@lsureveille.com; Twitter: @AbshireTDR

Rank Record (Last Week) 1. Alabama 1-0 (2) 2. USC 1-0 (1) 3. LSU 1-0 (3) 4. Oregon 1-0 (5) 5. Oklahoma 1-0 (4) 6. Florida St. 1-0 (7) 7. Georgia 1-0 (6) 8. Arkansas 1-0 (10) 9. South Carolina 1-0 (9) 10. West Virginia 1-0 (11) 11. Michigan St. 1-0 (13) 12. Clemson 1-0 (14) 13. Wisconsin 1-0 (12) 14. Ohio State 1-0 (18) 15. Virginia Tech 1-0 (16) 16. Nebraska 1-0 (17) 17. Texas 1-0 (15) 18. Oklahoma St. 1-0 (19) 19. Michigan 0-1 (8) 20. TCU 0-0 (20) 21. Kansas St. 1-0 (22) 22. Not re Dame 1-0 (NR) 23. Louisville 1-0 (25) 24. Florida 1-0 (23) 25. Stanford 1-0 (21)

Wednesday, September 5, 2012 at the 2011 Canadian Championships. She then began competing still invaluable as she prepares to internationally for her country.

But gymnastics is not kind to transition from the rigors of elite gymnastics to the team dynamic of the body.

Savona’s left ACL gave out in collegiate competition.

“She’s in the one percentile,” July of last year at a practice meet. said LSU coach D-D Breaux. It made her once-realistic Olympic “Very, very few kids in any sport hopes distant. Phone calls from collegiate programs that had been get to enjoy it.”

As a child, Savona loved to recruiting her quit coming.

She didn’t. Savona said it took run and jump, climbing on and over family members. Her parents around nine months to fully reput her in gymnastics, swimming cover after surgeons grafted a cadaver’s ligament and soccer so she could expend her ‘Even as the alternate, into her knee. She quickly excessive energy. we were still part of it recovered enough to make She excelled at both gymnastics and they made sure that an Olympic push, one that proved and soccer, and was clear.’ fruitful. by age 10, when Through sevboth were becomJessica Savona eral trial events, ing serious, she LSU freshman gymnast Savona placed had to choose. Her love for the gym, where she spent sixth among Canadian Olympic enough time to qualify for a part- hopefuls. That was good enough for first alternate — had a team time job, won out.

“By that time, we were doing member gone down leading up to 20 to 25 hours in the gym,” Savo- the Games, Savona would have na said. “We really had to put a lot been the first in line to step in.

Making the team as an alof effort into it.”

She moved on to the provin- ternate was bittersweet, but she cial level, then national. Then, in was still excited. And she doesn’t February 2008, she tore her right blame her knee surgery.

“Maybe if that second knee ACL. She had surgery, then puberty threw whatever gracefulness didn’t go, I wouldn’t be as detershe retained through her injuries mined,” Savona said.

She and the other alternate into distress.

It took nearly two years to get flew into Basildon to meet with the team and train. From there, they back into the swing of things.

“Once I did have the ability went to London, taking in sights, to come back ... that’s when I was riding trains and soaking up the placing top in Canada and realiz- festivities. Just going to the city itself had always been a dream for ing my potential,” Savona said.

She was one of the best senior Savona.

No, she didn’t get to stay in elite gymnasts Canada had to offer. She placed second in the all- the famed Athlete’s Village. Yes, around and first on beam and floor she sat in the stands while her

OLYMPICS, from page 5

The Daily Reveille teammates competed. But when Canada finished fifth, its highest place ever in team competition, she felt every bit a part of the celebration.

“Even as the alternate, we were still part of it and they made sure that was clear,” Savona said.

“I definitely felt it.”

As she transitions to LSU, Savona is in uncharted territory once again. It didn’t take long for her to realize how different Baton Rouge and Mississauga were.

She said LSU was an easy choice when they showed faith and kept with her after the injuries.

“Everyone just loves hearing about gymnastics and LSU and athletics,” Savona said.

Savona said she’s excited to compete for a team, rather than just trying to advance herself through the ranks of national competition, which is physically and emotionally taxing.

“Hopefully, it’ll relieve a little stress, make me a happier gymnast like I was,” Savona said.

Breaux has coached two other Canadian Olympians in her 35 years at LSU and said the confidence and experience gained in just the qualifying process elevates a gymnast’s skills. She expects Savona to have an immediate impact.

“She’s a very good student and of course, she’s an outstanding athlete,” Breaux said. “I think she’s going to truly embrace the LSU experience.”

page 7 REPLAYS, from page 5 recommended to the SEC Athletics Directors by the conference’s Working Group on Fan Experience, chaired by Mississippi State University Athletics Director Scott Stricklin. Based on this recommendation, the new policy was approved by the athletics directors in August.

This policy change is an effort to encourage fan attendance in venues across the conference by attempting to simulate the action seen in television broadcasts.

“The change in policy will allow our fans to see more of the action, including great plays and close calls,” said SEC Commissioner Mike Slive in a statement regarding the policy change.

“Fans in the stadium now can see many of the same views of a play seen by fans watching on television. This should add to the overall game experience for fans inside our stadiums.”

Due to the speed of the game and some technical issues, the new policy was not implemented in Tiger Stadium in LSU’s game against North Texas.

“We show as many replays as were are capable of,” said LSU Director of Television and Media Kevin Wagner. “When you run an offense as fast-paced as [LSU’s], we don’t have enough time to show more than one replay.”

Wagner cited the ability to show a live feed of the television broadcast as the biggest and most noticeable change to come out of the announcement.

“Unfortunately we were unable to do that last week because the equipment we need to install to do so was held up by Hurricane Isaac and lost somewhere in New Orleans,” Wagner said.

Hurricane Isaac also caused problems with the video board on the south end of the stadium, putting it out of commission Saturday.

Wagner said he is not sure when technical issues in the stadium will be fixed, but he hopes to have everything up and running by this Saturday for LSU’s bout against Washington.

Contact Tyler Nunez at tnunez@lsureveille.com

Contact Alex Cassara at acassara@lsureveille.com; Twitter: @cassaraTDR

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The Daily Reveille

Opinion

The

page 8

Peanut

Gallery

What do you think about Tyrann Mathieu coming back to school?

Compiled by MORGAN SEARLES

Chelsea Oliver photography senior

‘He’s made mistakes but everybody’s made mistakes.’

‘I don’t care if he’s on campus as long as he doesn’t play football.’

Fall Break needed for students’ sanity SCUM OF THE GIRTH PARKER CRAMER Chief Columnist Hurricanes are not holidays.

Holidays consist of planned vacations, hotels and maybe a flight. People plan to leave home during holidays.

Hurricanes, on the contrary, force people out of their homes — or perhaps even worse, trap them inside.

The main difference between hurricanes and holidays is that one reduces stress and the other creates it. With stress comes anxiety, depression and in extreme cases, suicide.

The recent cancellation of Fall Break and addition of Saturday school has, quite frankly, pissed a lot of people off.

According to a study by American Medical News, 11 percent of medical students reported considering suicide in the past year due to burnout and stress from

their studies.

Undergraduates at LSU are not under the same stress as medical students, but it would naive to assume undergraduates are stress-free.

According to a study by the Education Resource Information Center, breaks are essential to healthy cognitive development and can reduce or eliminate stress which can lead to depression, obesity, suicide and overall poor mental health.

Hurricanes are not planned ahead of time, like holidays. They thrust themselves onto the stage and demand we play ball.

On holidays, we treat ourselves by eating a little bit better than normal. Going out to eat for most meals.

During hurricanes, everything is closed and curfews are imposed, making an evening out impossible.

Meals consist of cold Vienna Sausage and vodka, and life begins to feel a bit gray and Soviet.

In fact, the only thing hurricanes and holidays have in

environmental engineering freshman

Taylor Leverett

mass communication junior

Editorial Board

Andrea Gallo Emily Herrington Bryan Stewart Brian Sibille Clayton Crockett

Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Managing Editor, External Media News Editor Opinion Editor

WEB COMMENTS

somehow be better than Obama is absurd. First off, Mitt has all of the banking elite giving him more money this year than they all gave Obama last year (bailout). Not to mention reports that the Koch brothers and ALEC have pledged to raise as much as $400M. Why Americans think for one minute that both sides are not corrupted by big banks and big corporations is beyond me. H.R. 459 is a great first step by Ron Paul.

Dimensioning the Fed is another. I think Ron Paul is the uber conservative, and the scares the heck out of the big money funding both Dems and Republicans.”

- Anonymous

“You don’t have to cut your ties.

We need to get limited government candidates elected through the GOP party now. That doesn’t mean you can’t consider voting Libertarian for a year top of ticket.”

- Anonymous “If the libertarians don’t jump ship and abandon Romney, then there is zero reason why the Rs would not treat them every year the way they were treated this year. And, that has zero to do with what libertarian Rs do in the primary next year.

Sure, vote for a Ron Paul in the primary, but if he can’t win, you have to stick with principles. “If not now, when; if now us, who?” Wasn’t it a famous Republican who said that?”

- Anonymous

Paris LaMotte

The Daily Reveille

to the mental health of college students, and should not be taken lightly.

Think about the timing of Fall Break. Is it a coincidence that it’s immediately following midterms?

Of course not, because midterms week creates significant amounts of stress among the student body. Fall Break alleviates that stress.

We need Fall Break. Stress is a killer, and planned drunken beach vacations are our weapon.

Without it, we’ll all become fat, depressed and suicidal. And what did we do to deserve this?

We sat in dark, powerless apartments and lived off beer and Cheetos for three days.

Hell of a vacation.

In response to David Scheuermann’s column, “Libertarians, liberals should vote Gary Johnson,” readers had this to say:

biochemistry junior

‘He’s still an LSU Tiger, no matter what, even if he can’t play football.’

common is excessive substance abuse.

Apparently, it only takes one similarity to make two things identical.

Why? Because hurricanes are not vacations. Nowhere in the South is there a vacation without air conditioning.

According to CBS, more than 600,000 Louisiana homes and businesses lost power for some duration of the storm.

That’s more than 600,000 people who were not on vacation. The 90-degree heat and 100 percent humidity sounds a lot like Haiti postearthquake.

Hurricanes are hard work.

Without power, everything takes for-goddamn-ever. Heating up a can of ravioli over a charcoal fire pit is a task.

Hurricanes make men feel like men. All beards grow a little thicker and our voices drop an octave until power is restored. Then we all go back to watching “How I Met Your Mother.”

Regular breaks are necessary

The Daily Reveille wants to hear your reactions to our content. Go to lsureveille.com, our Facebook page and our Twitter account to let us know what you think. Check out what other readers had to say in our comments section:

Seth Scioneaux

‘I guess he deserves a second chance if he’s willing to do Katherine Jackson it right.’ business sophomore ‘It’s one of the best things he could do is get back in the classroom.’

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

TIM MORGAN / The Daily Reveille

“Speaking on behalf of a mid 40’s former Perot Supporter, I think this whole ideal that Romney will

Editorial Policies & Procedures

The Daily Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University.

The Daily Reveille is an independent entity within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, paper or University. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to opinion@lsureveille.com or delivered to B-26 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must have a contact phone number so the opinion editor can verify the author. The phone number won’t be printed. The Daily Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration without changing the original intent. The Daily Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Daily Reveille’s editor-in-chief, hired every semester by the Louisiana State University Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.

Parker Cramer is a 21-yearold political science senior from Houston.

Contact Parker Cramer at pcramer@lsureveille.com; Twitter: @TDR_pcramer

The Daily Reveille’s Opinion section is hiring We’re in need of new voices.

If you are interested in expressing your opinion by writing columns for The Daily Reveille, contact Opinion Editor Clayton Crockett at opinion@lsureveille.com.

The Daily Reveille does not discriminate based on race, gender, age, major, sexual orientation, religion or political views.

Quote of the Day

“I have sworn to only live free.

Even if I find bitter the taste of death, I don’t want to die humiliated or deceived.”

Osama bin Laden founder of al-Qaida March 10, 1957 - May 2, 2011

The Daily Reveille

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Opinion

page 9

HEAD to HEAD Should ‘Mark Owen’ be punished for book on bin Laden raid?

No. The author should be rewarded for his heroism. Yes. The author’s recklessness warrants punishment.

BUT HE MEANS WELL GORDON BRILLON Columnist Over the past 10 years, our government has used national security concerns to justify a series of transgressions of civil liberties.

Wiretaps, warrantless searches and even torture have all been justified by our leaders, so long as they were carried out on targets that put the national security at risk.

Against these faceless enemies, it was easy enough to wave our hands and plug our ears, but the Pentagon has decided that the newest threat to our precious security is someone who, by all rights, should be a national hero.

Mark Owen, the pseudonym of the exNavy SEAL who wrote a book about the raid on Osama bin Laden’s hideout, was told that he violated secrecy agreements, and that the Pentagon will pursue “all remedies legally available” in his prosecution, according to Defense Department General Counsel Jeh Charles Johnson.

What ever happened to supporting the troops?

The mantra “Support Our Troops” has been heard in political speeches and brandished on bumper stickers for so long it has become little more than a slogan signifying a proper patriotic attitude.

Saying you “support the troops” is now just another catchphrase that can mean you support the Bush administration, a certain political party or the United States’ general policy of military intervention.

But too often we forget the human faces behind the buzzword, and it’s in these cases that the words of support ring hollow.

After his military retirement, what would Owen have to look forward to? A fat pension, to be sure, some medals to hang on his dress uniform and war stories to tell his grandchildren.

But, if the Pentagon had its way, he’d never get the recognition he deserves as a man who took part in one of our nation’s most significant single military operations.

For too long, the Pentagon has followed this fence-riding party line, paying lip service to the troops while consistently ignoring their best interests.

Support the troops, but don’t recognize them. Buy a yellow ribbon, but not body armor or ammunition.

This Machiavellian attitude of politicians and military higher-ups undermines the interests of soldiers, and has been steadily growing since the attacks on 9/11 — fittingly, the date Owen’s book is to be published.

Of course, Sept. 11 is a day that brings patriotic stirrings to the hearts of every American. It reminds us of our tragic losses and the brave sacrifices of thousands of men and women.

But 9/11 was also a turning point. It marked the beginning of a new age in the American character, an age of fear and unchecked military power.

Before we had a concrete threat of

terrorism from which to cower, the American people would never submit to strip searches at the airport or monitoring citizens based on religious and ethnic profiling.

We certainly would never accept a military threat to freedom of the press.

Sure, government has always been stereotypically bureaucratic and gummed up with red tape. But there was a time, before 9/11, when we weren’t content to stick our fingers in our ears and actually wanted to know what was going on.

With the wars in the Middle East scaling back and preparations being made to bring troops home, it’s time to turn off our wartime tunnel vision. That means demanding more transparency in government and especially in the military.

National security is no longer at risk.

There are no more justifications for infringing on civil liberties, and it’s safe to let one of our bravest soldiers reap the benefits of his work.

Gordon Brillon is a 19-year-old mass communication sophomore from Lincoln, R.I.

Contact Gordon Brillon at gbrillon@lsureveille.com; Twitter: @TDR_GBrillon

THE NEW FRONTIERSMAN CLAYTON CROCKETT Opinion Editor As reads the motto of the United States Navy SEALs, the only easy day was yesterday — especially if your name is not Mark Owen.

Matt Bissonnette’s name is not Mark Owen.

Yet yesterday was the release date of the book “No Easy Day,” which was written

by Bissonnette under the pseudonym Mark Owen and detailed the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. Surely the publicity Bissonnette’s book garnered made the first day of sales an easy one, even though the Pentagon has threatened to file suit — as it should — because the narrative was not submitted to them for review beforehand.

Bissonnette has stated in interviews with CBS that the book is not meant to be political, but from the contradictions with the official reports to the initially planned release date of Sept. 11, all signs point in the opposite direction.

Simply put, either the man is a fool or he actively crossed his orders for gain or out of resentment.

While at first a pseudonym may appear to be a sincere effort to maintain secrecy, Bissonnette was ignorant to suspect it would help whatsoever. He wrote about the most

crucial military act in recent history before his sworn secrecy would allow him to. For this reason, a pseudonym more closely resembles a tail between the legs, an admission of guilt and an empty gesture to prove that he at least tried.

It must be noted that it took only a day for Fox News to uncover the author’s identity.

Even the charge that the book is not political has been contradicted by Bissonnette himself, and from the get-go at that.

Bissonnette has repeatedly voiced contempt for his Commander in Chief and even expressed jealousy for President Obama because “he would take all the political credit for this,” as he told the Huffington Post.

Sad as it may seem, fame and glory are not exactly in Bissonnette’s job description.

Orders, however, are in the job description — orders that change the course of history and protect the lives of millions.

It’s saddening to hear one of these men is so embittered and unsatisfied with his life’s work that he would disobey orders with the intent of belittling the leader of the United States he swore to protect.

And this brings us to another case: All members of the SEAL Team 6 were ordered to lay low to avoid attention. Given one’s disposition, this could either be interpreted as a safety measure to keep these men off of international hit lists or an attempt to make sure they don’t get credit for their work.

Use your head on this one.

Then, look into the Malaysian jihadist forum al-Fidaa, who recently put out a hit on Bissonnette.

The recently published e-book “No Easy Op,” written by other Special Operations veterans, bolsters the case that Bissonnette’s account was driven by dishonest motives.

According to “No Easy Op,” Bissonnette had been pushed out of SEAL Team 6 after voicing his intentions to leave and start a business, leaving him estranged from his former crew.

Brandon Webb, the founder of the site publishing the e-book, mentioned in an interview with the New York Times that he also had published books without prior Pentagon review. The difference, however, was that the material he previously wrote had already been made public.

There is no nonpolitical reason Bissonnette needed to publish this book so soon. There’s no reason he could not follow Webb’s example.

Every action reeks of political motivation and contempt, and Bissonnette deserves to be punished because, at the end of the day, he disobeyed the orders he swore to uphold.

Clayton Crockett is a 20-year-old international studies junior from Lafayette.

Contact Clayton Crockett at ccrockett@lsureveille.com; Twitter: @TDR_ccrockett

photo courtesy of THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Which columnist echoes your beliefs? Vote at lsureveille.com/opinion.

The Daily Reveille

page 10

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Wednesday, September 5, 2012 MURALS, from page 1

LSU — a bachelor’s in fine arts and a master of fine arts in art history, but she didn’t want to grow up to teach art history.

“She was always artistic, always drawing,” said her mother, Virginia Grenier, who speaks nine languages and works at the University’s International Hospitality Foundation. “We always encouraged anything she was interested in.”

Some of Grenier’s local work includes a restoration of the historic Whitney Plantation about 40 miles west of New Orleans, in addition to the Allen Hall projects.

“We’re just very proud of her work and what she’s been able to contribute here in Louisiana,” her mother said.

A specialist in fresco mural conservation, Grenier originally worked to uncover and restore some of Allen Hall’s other murals in 2001. But in her research, she uncovered clues to other paintings around LSU. Some had vanished. But others, like Henderson’s stairwell thesis, had only been buried. It took 10 years to gather funding for the project, which involved first tearing apart the wall-to-wall staircase before carefully exposing the 70 year-old murals.

“Fresco” means “fresh” in Italian, and the millennia-old technique involves painting directly onto wet plaster, so that the painting actually dries into the wall.

Grenier uncovers, touches up and restores mostly century-old murals using uniquely blended chemicals to beautify the works without damaging them.

“All these frescos in Allen Hall represent a time when we paid more attention to public art,” said Interim Art and Design Dean Ken Carpenter, who has helped keep the project moving since former Dean David Conrath left the school several years ago.

“We kept pushing to make sure it didn’t slip through the cracks,” Carpenter said.

Grenier lives in the rural town of Vinci, named after Leonardo da Vinci, who was born there about 650 years before the now well-established conservationist helped to restore Florence’s most iconic cathedral — the marble gilded Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, otherwise known as Il Duomo, or The Dome.

“Her livelihood is in conservation and she’s in the right place of the world,” said Michael Robinson, senior development director of LSU’s College of Art and Design, who helped organize and recruit funds for the project.

“She’s very ‘simpatico,’” Robinson said, using the Italian word for “nice” to allude to her generous work helping both people and animals in need in Italy.

After moving to Italy, Grenier earned several additional degrees in the field of conservation and began working as a conservation specialist.

Today, she owns her own company, which allows her to travel from Italy to Louisiana about once a year to restore homegrown art. But her

passion lies in Italy, where she also teaches conservation and does some fresco painting of her own.

“I really like that the young people bring enthusiasm with them,” Grenier said. “They even

The Daily Reveille teach me.”

She speaks fluent Italian and has permanent residency in the fresco capital of the world.

“The art, the architecture, the food, and the wine of course ... are superior to anything else,”

page 11 she said, with a small Buddha pendant dangling around her neck that she wears for safe travels during her many trans-Atlantic flights.

And although her family’s purple and gold connections run

deep, her heart has melted into the rolling Tuscany hills, like a fresco into a wall.

Contact Ben Wallace at bwallace@lsureveille.com

page 12

The Daily Reveille

Wednesday, September 5, 2012