The Daily Reveille - October 31, 2014

Reveille

football LaBorde’s hard work earns him scholarship page 5

The Daily

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014

lsureveille.com/daily

thedailyreveille

opinion Politcal parties find common ground in music page 12 @lsureveille

Ghosts of

illustrations by ANNE LIPSCOMB

thedailyreveille

Volume 119 · No. 46

Halloweens

Past

compiled by the daily reveille sports staff

briana holman LSU volleyball middle blocker

keith hornsby LSU men’s basketball guard

jordan mickey LSU men’s basketball forward

aaron epps LSU men’s basketball forward

Though most LSU studentathletes won’t be able to partake in this year’s Halloween festivities, here are some of the best costumes they wore as kids.

environment

Phase one for Water Campus approved by CPPC

BY Kaci Cazenave kcazenave@lsureveille.com

Beginning in 2016, some coastal and environmental science and engineering students will have the opportunity to experiment outside the classroom and inside the recently approved Water Campus on Oklahoma Street.

The Water Campus was designed to be a 35-acre, riverfront coastal education and research center. The Baton Rouge City-Parish Planning Commission approved phase one of the campus project, a headquarters for the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority on Oct. 27.

Mukul Verma, director of communications for the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, said

the foundation is working in conjunction with the University on the project to replicate a large-scale model of the lower Mississippi River Delta, which the University Modeling Lab — one of the Water Campus’ buildings — will house.

The lab is one of three buildings, alongside the CPRA Headquarters and an office for the nonprofit organization The Water Institute, where scientists and researchers can test the effectiveness of current river management strategies, Verma said. In addition, the lab will serve as an educational tool to students.

“The goal of this project is to bring together scientists and engineers who are working on the double peril of rising seas and vanishing wetlands that

are threatening coasts in Louisiana and around the world,” Verma said.

Clinton Willson, University civil and environmental engineering professor and director of engineering design and innovation at The Water Institute, said this project is allowing the University to turn its talk into action. It is evidence of the University’s efforts to reach out to the nontraditional student who learns more through interactivity, he said.

“This is an opportunity for our students to experiment with hydraulics and sediment transportation without actually having to go to the river,” Willson said. “It is also one that allows conduction of miracle

see water campus, page 15

courtesy of city parish planning commission

Renderings display the new Water Campus on Oklahoma Street, which will be built by 2016.

Nation & World

page 2 nation

Plane crashes at Kansas airport, at least 4 dead THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WICHITA, Kan. — A small plane lost power after takeoff and crashed into a flight-training building while trying to return to a Kansas airport Thursday, killing at least four people, injuring at least five others and igniting a fire that sent up towering plumes of black smoke that could be seen for miles around Wichita, officials and witnesses said.

Only the pilot was on the plane, but it wasn’t immediately clear how many people were inside the building at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport where at least four people found dead, authorities said. Four more people remained unaccounted for hours after the crash.

Two sweeps of the building found no more victims, though officials cautioned that a small portion containing a simulator room had not been checked because of structural dangers from the crash. Special equipment was being brought to the site that would allow access to the remaining space.

The plane, identified as a twin-engine Beechcraft King Air, crashed into a building that FlightSafety International uses to

train pilots to fly Cessna planes, company spokesman Steve Phillips said.

It appeared to strike the top of the building and ignite what Wichita Fire Chief Ronald D. Blackwell described as a “horrific” fire.

Jeff Papacek, 39, of Wichita, said he saw a “giant fireball” as he was heading to his engineering job at Learjet, which has a testing facility at the airport. He said he didn’t see the crash because there were too many buildings in the way, but he said the plane caught his attention beforehand.

“We are used to planes flying straight with the runway and this plane just didn’t look like it was lined up and was way too low for the direction it was going,” Papacek said, adding that he drove to the crash site to see what was happening and saw the building fire raging.

The crash did not appear to be significantly disrupting passenger traffic at the airport as planes could be seen taking off from other runways.

Located several miles west of downtown Wichita, a longtime aircraft manufacturing hub, Wichita Mid-Continent is used by private aircraft and served by

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Firefighters try to put out a fire at Mid-Continent Airport in Wichita, Kan., on Thursday. several airlines and their regional affiliates, including American, Southwest, Delta, United and Allegiant. It saw more than 13,000 departures and about 1.4 million passengers last year, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The crash is the latest in a string of incidents at the airport.

In December, an avionics technician was arrested after a months-

long undercover sting when he allegedly tried to drive a van filled with inert explosives onto the tarmac in a plot prosecutors say was intended to kill as many people as possible. Then in January, an Oklahoma man rammed his pickup truck through a security gate at the airport. In September, the airport conducted a large-scale disaster exercise featuring the mock crash of a 737 aircraft.

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nation

Terminally ill woman may postpone taking her life THE ASSOCIATED PRESS PORTLAND, Ore. — A terminally ill woman who expects to take her own life under Oregon’s assisted-suicide law says she is feeling well enough to possibly postpone the day she had planned to die.

Brittany Maynard said in early October she expected to kill herself Nov. 1, less than three weeks before her 30th birthday. She emphasized that she wasn’t suicidal, but wanted to die on her own terms and reserved the right to move the date forward or push it back.

While she hasn’t completely ruled Saturday out, Maynard says in a new video she feels she has some more of her life to live.

“I still feel good enough, and I still have enough joy — and I still laugh and smile with my friends and my family enough — that it doesn’t seem like the right time right now,” she says in the video.

“But it will come because I feel myself getting sicker. It’s happening each week.”

Maynard said she was diagnosed with incurable brain cancer earlier this year. Because her home state of California does not have an aid-in-dying law, she moved to Portland and has become an advocate for

getting such laws passed in other states.

Maynard’s story, accompanied by photos from her pre-illness wedding day, broke hearts across the globe while igniting a national debate on the issue of physician-assisted suicide.

One opponent is Philip Johnson, a 30-year-old Catholic seminarian from the Diocese of Raleigh, North Carolina. He, like Maynard, has inoperable brain cancer and is plagued by headaches and seizures.

After learning of learning of Maynard’s choice, he wrote an article explaining his view that “suffering is not worthless,” and it’s up to God to take life.

“There is a card on Brittany’s website asking for signatures ‘to support her bravery in this very tough time,’” Johnson wrote on the diocese website. “I agree that her time is tough, but her decision is anything but brave.

I do feel for her and understand her difficult situation, but no diagnosis warrants suicide.”

Oregon was the first U.S. state to make it legal for a doctor to prescribe a life-ending drug to a terminally ill patient of sound mind who makes the request. The patient must swallow the drug without help; it is illegal for a doctor to administer it.

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The Daily Reveille

Friday, October 31, 2014 student government

page 3

New bill funds computers for Student Senate office

BY Jayce Genco jgenco@lsureveille.com

The Student Government Senate office will soon acquire 10 brand new computers.

SG passed a finance bill at its Oct. 22 meeting to allocate funds for replacing outdated desktop computers. The original bill called for 12 computers at a total of $9,456.12, but after some debate the bill was amended, and the Student Senate settled on 10 computers at a cost around $7,880.

Speaker of the Senate Tyler Loga, the bill’s sponsor, said the computers are essential to SG’s operations. Loga affirmed that the outdated computers have not affected SG’s productivity.

“I think that one thing that could’ve made a difference and made, I think, everyone’s lives easier, would’ve been the computers,” Loga said. “Who knows what we could’ve accomplished with those.”

Loga said seven computers were supposed to be replaced last fiscal year to prevent large finance bills such as this one, but because of changes in the Information Technology Services, no action was taken.

Some students agree with SG’s use of student fees to

purchase new computers.

Mechanical engineering freshman Chad Babin said he doesn’t see a problem with the purchase of new computers, as long as SG continues serving the students.

“They have to have efficient computers while they work for the Student Government,” Babin said.

Babin added that he would like to see more of SG’s money go toward initiatives like “Groovin’ on the Grounds” and events made available to the whole student body.

SG Senator Andrew Mahtook called the purchase of new computers a “necessary operating cost” SG has to spend to better serve the students.

“I think it’s mutually beneficial, because those are also computers that are open for public access,” Mahtook said.

“It gives Student Government that opportunity to work together to create change for the students.”

Mahtook urged students to go into the Senate office and utilize the computers while interacting with senators.

Food science junior Cassie Gautreau said it would be useful for SG to upgrade its technology, and that she would

Sam Karlin / The Daily Reveille

Student Government chief of staff George Bevan works in the Student Senate office in the Student Union on Thursday. take advantage of the accessible computers in the Senate office.

“Sometimes the library is completely full, so if I knew about that, I would probably utilize that,” Gautreau said.

Senator Wesley Gore, who spoke against the bill, said he had an issue with its timing.

“I just didn’t think it was appropriate at the time that we did replace them, because, even though it wasn’t Student Government that did it, a lot of students thought that Student Government was responsible for removing the third floor Union computer lab,” Gore said.

Gore said with some students still thinking SG removed the computers in the Union, it wasn’t the best thing to fund computers for SG at the time.

“It wasn’t SG that did it, it was tech fee, but students perceived it as SG doing it,” Gore said.

event

OCTOBER

Comedy star ready for local cuisine

BY carrie grace henderson chenderson@lsureveille.com Comedian Jordan Carlos will get his meal ticket in more ways than one when MTV’s Guy Code + Girl Code Comedy tour makes its stop in southern Louisiana.

No stranger to the state, Carlos has enjoyed muffalettas and beignets from Shreveport to New Orleans, but he is now on the hunt for the best “crawdads” in Baton Rouge. His motivation is different from fellow comedians Jon Gabrus, Damien Lemon and Nessa, who will join Carlos on stage this Saturday in the Union Theatre.

“I travel on my stomach,” Carlos said. “This trip is some about stand-up for me, but mostly it’s about food.”

“Guy Code” and “Girl Code” are MTV and MTV2 reality comedy television shows featuring various pop culture icons. On the shows, they discuss and critique the social codes between genders.

The tour brings together comedians from both shows and hits several college campuses, which provides a different atmosphere than other venues, Carlos said.

“Comedy clubs teach you how to deliver and respect what the audience wants,” Carlos said. “But college students are a little more open and willing

to experiment.” to stand-up.

Students can expect plenty Carlos said the energy is of audience interaction during different in a larger crowd, the Q-and-A segment following but he enjoys performthe show, as Carlos enjoys tak- ing in studios as well as live ing risks and playing with the theatres. audience.

“Its like apples and orRecently nominated as Best anges,” he said, “and Male Comic of the Year by I like an apple orange Emerging Comedians of New smoothie.”

York, Carlos said he wanted His favorite comedian is to imitate the funny people he Richard Pryor. He currently grew up around. is into Dave AtWatching his fa- ‘I travel on my stomach. tell, Nikki Glather and uncles and stars This trip is some about ser at family barof Broad City, stand up for me, but beques became his Ilana Glazer mostly it’s about food.’ and Abbi Jainspiration.

“I stole all their cobson, who Jordan carlos, jokes, basically,” he said are Carlos said. “hilars.” comedian But Carlos did Like many not always intend comedians, on working the comedy circuit. Carlos said his journey has The Brown University been a long one, but he tries graduate worked at a New to stay positive on and off the York advertising firm be- stage. fore plunging head-first into In a Washington Post arcomedy. ticle, Carlos wrote that his “I had no job skills,” Carlos niche was being the “preppiest said. “But I have a big mouth.” black guy in the free world,” After working 9 to 5 did not but said the biggest difference provide the satisfaction Carlos between himself and other wanted, he began performing comedians was his “goofy at comedy clubs as a second job glasses.” until he got an agent and a manCarlos said he expects a good ager. show Saturday, as long as the auA regular on television dience upholds the guy and girl shows including “Mayne codes.

Street,” “I Just Want My “When we come, I exPants Back” and “The Col- pect beignets, and I exbert Report,” Carlos knows pect the tigers to show out,” the transition from television Carlos said.

EVENT CALENDAR

31

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014 5:00 PM

Funny F'n Friday's - George's Place Greater Baton Rouge State Fair - Jefferson Highway Park Boo on the Bayou - Grosse Tete Welcome Center

6:00 PM

The Myrtles Plantation Halloween Experience - The Myrtles Plantation Harvest Fest "Trunk or Treat" - The Breaux Bridge Pentecostals BREC-A-Boo - Gus Young Park Fall Festival - First Pentecostal Church of Baton Rouge Critical Mass Bike Ride - LSU Memorial Tower Southdowns Halloween Bash - The Station Sports Bar and Grill October Fest 2014 - NEW LIFE CHRISTIAN CENTER

7:00 PM

Louisiana State Volleyball - Pete Maravich Assembly Center-LSU

7:30 PM

Spring Awakening - Baton Rouge Little Theater Eurydice - Studio Theatre - LSU Music and Dramatic Arts Building Evening Sky Viewing - Highland Road Park Observatory

8:00 PM

Werewolf - Boudreaux & Thibodeaux's Zombie Prom 6 - Varsity Theatre - Baton Rouge

ALL DAY

Krewe of Hermes: The Diamond Jubilee - Louisiana State Museum/Capitol Museum Accalia and the Swamp Monster - LSU Museum of Art LeRoy Neiman: Action! - LSU Museum of Art Revolution! The Atlantic World Reborn - Louisiana State Museum/Capitol Museum Associated Women in the Arts - Louisiana State Archives LSU Leisure Classes - LSU Student Union

For more information on LSU events or to place your own event you can visit www.lsureveille.com/calendar

The Daily Reveille

page 4 student life

Friday, October 31, 2014

Organization offers support to LGBT students of color

BY jazmine foxworth jfoxworth@lsureveille.com

LGBT people of color are often double- or triple-minorities and suffer from higher rates of discrimination and homophobia, and new student organization Qroma is seeking to improve the quality of life and offer support for LGBT students of color on campus.

LGBT organization One Colorado reported that about 43 percent of LGBT people of color reported anti-LGBT employment discrimination compared to 38 percent of white LGBT people.

It also said about 26 percent of LGBT people of color reported doctors and health care workers refusing to provide services to them, compared to 20 percent of white LGBT people.

These are only some of the disparities that inspired kinesiology junior Erefaka Derefaka, psychology senior Courtland Douglas, biochemistry junior Megan Gilliam and sociology junior Asia Cleggett to form Qroma.

“For minority students who also identify as queer, you have an increased suicide rate, drug use and homelessness. We want to address those things that are a true concern so people understand that after college there is a way to not get into that,” Gilliam said.

Next spring will be Qroma’s first semester as an official organization on campus. First, Qroma would like to have panels and open forums addressing the

concerns it has for LGBT students of color on campus.

“It’s not often that you find someone who is gay and they are black, Middle Eastern or Hispanic,” Douglas said. “So definitely offering a circle of support where people can talk to one another about the kinds of issues that they may face.”

Several organizations on campus have been supportive of Qroma, including Spectrum.

Courtney Murr, Secretary of Spectrum, said she sees the need for an LGBT organization specifically for minority students.

“I think it sometimes can be hard for queer students of color to feel accepted in environments where it’s predominately white queer students. Diversity is important in any environment and I understand their need for that space,” Murr said.

Douglas attended a Spectrum event for the first time last year and was alarmed by the underrepresentation of nonwhite members and leaders within the group. He said he initially thought a branch specifically for people of color within Spectrum would solve this problem, but he came to realize this wouldn’t solve the issue.

“It in itself is a different struggle,” Douglas said. “It should be something that deserves a separate entity. You begin to think maybe a branch would be just a side thing and maybe you still wouldn’t be listening to the issues.”

Derefaka said Qroma is

Karen Welsh / The Daily Reveille

Qroma members [from left to right] biochemistry junior Megan Gilliam, psychology senior Courtland Douglas, and kinesiology junior Erefaka Derefaka. about giving queer students of color a better outlet, because as a student, it was something she didn’t have.

“We wanted to do something geared toward getting queer people of color involved in something they can have,” Derefaka said.

The organization also will have a non profit sector, headed

by Cleggett, who is currently a student at Loyola University.

Cleggett said having never gone to a public school and being in religious spaces as a queer person of color, it was hard to find her place.

VOODOO 2014 A sample of the playlist for this weekend’s Voodoo Experience

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Nov. 1

Nov. 2

Oct. 31

Outkast

Arctic Monkeys

Hey Ya!

Do I Wanna Know?

Everlong

Roses

Arabella

Something From Nothing

Rise Against

Thirty Seconds to Mars

Foo Fighters

AWOLNATION

Savior

The Kill

Sail

Swing Life Away

100 Suns

Not Your Fault

Twenty One Pilots

Flow Tribe

Griz

Migraine

Gon Gitcha

Hard Times

Holding On To You

Won’t Be Long

Smash the Funk

Royal Teeth

City and Colour

The Tontons

We Can Glow

Grand Optimist

So Young

Heartbeats

The Girl

Magic Hour

One Colorado also reported about 30 percent of people of color and 17 percent of white LGBT people reported harassment and discrimination in their place of worship last year.

“As a overarching non profit, we would be able to branch out to different universities, both secular and religious, and target queer people of color there,” Cleggett said.

Qroma has already reached out to other universities, including Southern University, about starting organizations for LGBT students of color.

Derefaka said students at

Southern University currently are at a standstill and unable to start an LGBT student organization there.

Qroma hopes its presence will offer minorities at the University a safe place and a resource for support.

“There’s so many queer people of color out there who haven’t found that sense of home where they can connect to, but I want Qroma to be that place for them,” Derefaka said.

“That place where they feel comfortable enough to talk about the things that they’re struggling with.”

Sports

page 5 volleyball JAVIER FERNández / The Daily Reveille

Friday, October 31, 2014

Tigers ride winning streak against Gamecocks

BY Brian pellerin bpellerin@lsureveille.com

kind of player he could be.

He knew he wanted to play football at the collegiate level, but he was late to the recruiting scene, and the offers were few and far between.

“Tulane kind of talked to me, but nothing really serious,” LaBorde said. “I tried to walk on at LSU in the summer before my freshman year, but it didn’t work out. I tried again during the fall of my freshman year, but again, nothing.”

While many in Baton Rouge will be trick-or-treating or dressing up as ghosts and vampires tonight, the LSU volleyball team will battle against South Carolina at 7 p.m. in the PMAC. Though the Tigers can’t partake in the Halloween festivities, they have already taken care of their own vampires — not the vampires that come on television every night, but the ones that feed on positive energy.

This theme stems from the book “The Energy Bus.” LSU coach Fran Flory had her team read the book a few weeks ago, and the Tigers haven’t lost since.

Senior setter Malorie Pardo said though it’s a little quirky, it also helped the Tigers get on their current seven-game win streak.

“It’s about staying positive no matter what the situation,” Pardo said. “If we win or lose or if you get frustrated, you always need to pool the positive energy and hold that in and just forget about the negative stuff.”

Pardo and Flory each have a bus keychain on their key ring as a reminder, but Flory took it a step further. She has a miniature bus on her desk, put signs all over the team’s locker room with the “10 Rules to Fuel Your Life, Work, and Team with Positive Energy” and

see laborde, page 6

see vb, page 11

walking his own path Walk-on receiver earns scholarship through hard work, perseverence BY michael haarala mhaarala@lsureveille.com Chances are, fans will never hear the name Chris LaBorde echoing over the PA system in Tiger Stadium.

In fact, the senior wide receiver for LSU has stepped on the field for only a handful of games.

But regardless of playing time, nothing can dash LaBorde’s dream of being a member of the LSU Tigers football team.

“When I first got here, I was happy

to just be here and be around everyone,” LaBorde said. “But as a walk-on, to survive around here, you have to be a little crazy. You have to have aspirations to play even if it never happens.”

The Lafayette, Louisiana, native didn’t start playing football until his sophomore year at Westminster Christian Academy.

After he broke his femur playing soccer, LaBorde decided he wanted to play football — a sport he always loved. But it wasn’t until his senior year that LaBorde fully developed his skillset and saw the

soccer

Piña sees decreased playing time as season concludes

BY DAVID GRAY dgray@lsureveille.com Entering the 2014 season, the LSU soccer team featured five players who earned AllSoutheastern Conference honors at some point in their Tiger careers.

One of those five All-SEC selections was junior forward Fernanda Piña, whose first two seasons in Baton Rouge seemed like the start of a stellar career. The Tigers’ Mexico native earned Second-Team, All-SEC honors in 2013 after she started 15 games and poured in four goals, which was second on the team.

Piña’s debut was nearly as impressive. She scored a team-leading four goals during her freshman season and also dished out four assists, which

gave her 12 total points to lead the Tigers.

But Piña’s third season at LSU has gone differently than her first two. Her playing time has steadily dipped with each passing contest, and her impact for the Tigers has slowly diminished.

Piña can’t explain why she hasn’t been able to get on the field lately.

“I’m very confused honestly, but whatever helps the team, I’m good with that,” Piña said.

“I don’t understand it, but I accept it. If it’s for the best, I will always accept it.”

Though Piña’s been stationed mostly on the bench in recent weeks, her junior season began on the field. She started in 10 of the Tigers’ first 12 games this season, and she scored two goals during that span.

But things quickly changed when LSU visited then-No. 20 South Carolina on Oct. 5. After averaging nearly 47 minutes per contest up to that point, Piña’s playing time was slashed to only 19 minutes.

Piña’s time on the pitch plummeted to eight minutes in the Tigers’ next game against Alabama on Oct. 9, leading to a five-game span in which Piña averaged a mere 19 minutes per contest.

“I just started playing less and less every time,” Piña said.

“It’s been really tough for me, but it’s out of my hands.”

LSU soccer coach Brian Lee said the emergence of other players and a changing of the Tigers’ formation led to the decreased playing time for Piña.

see piña, page 11

JAVIER FERNández / The Daily Reveille

LSU junior forward Fernanda Piña runs downfield Thursday during the LSU soccer team’s 2-0 loss to Auburn in the LSU Soccer Stadium.

The Daily Reveille

page 6 soccer

Inconsistent offense leads to up-and-down season

BY Morgan prewitt mprewitt@lsureveille.com The LSU soccer team’s season was one of almost-goals, nearlymissed chances and sparks of clever passing not translating into scores.

Despite starting the season with the fastest goal in a season opener in program history, the Tigers could not consistently play at the level they showed glimpses of against top teams.

“At times, we were a really exciting, flowing, attacking team, and at times, Player A doesn’t know Player B is going,” said LSU coach Brian Lee. From the first game of the season, LSU’s success on offense depended on the play of sophomore forward Summer Clarke and freshman forward Jorian Baucom.

The pair alternated as the team’s leading scorer all season.

Baucom finished the season in the lead with eight goals, marking the second consecutive season a freshman tallied the Tigers’ most goals.

In games when Clarke or Baucom scored, the Tigers were 5-4-1, compared with an 0-9-1 record in games neither scored.

When the Tigers needed a spark offensively, Clarke and Baucom answered.

On the road against BYU on Sept. 11, Clarke scored the Tigers’ first goal, and Baucom’s penalty kick in the 64th minute put LSU back in the lead after the Cougars scored an equalizer just a minute before.

Baucom’s goal in LSU’s Southeastern Conference opener kept the Tigers in the game until the last minute despite their lack of offensive chances, as the young players adjusted to the physical nature of conference play.

Against Arkansas on Sept.

28, Baucom’s goal in the 22nd minute put LSU ahead going into halftime, but the Tigers needed a spark after the Razorbacks tied the game with less than 20 minutes remaining.

Clarke answered 24 seconds later with a breakaway goal to put the Tigers ahead until Arkansas stole the win with an equalizer off a free kick with seven seconds left.

Despite the leadership of

Clarke and Baucom, the Tigers struggled in conference play to create chances against the wellorganized and physical SEC teams.

LSU ranked 13th in the conference in shots with 94 but was last in the conference, averaging only 3.5 shots on goal per game.

“We’re not being as clinical as we would like in the final third,” Lee said. “We’re taking chances a little too early, and we’re still creating some good ones, but we aren’t really attacking the end line.”

Most of LSU’s chances are aimed directly to goal, which limits an offense to one opportunity per possession. This strategy reflects the Tigers’ youth offensively. A more veteran team will focus attacks toward the end line to create opportunities through crosses.

“We still need to work on getting end line,” said junior keeper Catalina Rubiano. “That’s something coach [Lee] has really emphasized. It’s just a matter of getting it stuck in their heads that even though it’s not directly to goal by getting to end line you are going to get many more opportunities.”

Against the top two teams in the conference, Texas A&M and Florida, the Tigers managed 13 shots and only six shots on goal.

The statistics do not entirely reflect LSU’s offensive performance in these games. The Tigers created offensive chances they weren’t able to convert into shots.

“I think we were 10 maybe 12 times, against [Florida] one of the top 10 teams in the country, threeversus-three around the box,” Lee said. “The numbers were great, and we weren’t even getting shots off. We just weren’t sharp in that final little area.”

The Tigers’ development of offensive chemistry this season will act as a building block for a team that will return almost all of its starters for next season.

“I think everyone has gotten to know each other better as players,” said sophomore midfielder Emma Fletcher. “Everyone has learned how to work off each other better.”

You can reach Morgan Prewitt on Twitter @kmprewitt_TDR.

LSU sophomore forward Summer Clarke (4) runs toward the ball Thursday during the Tigers’ 2-0 loss against Auburn in the LSU Soccer Stadium.

Javier Fernández /

The Daily Reveille

Friday, October 31, 2014

laborde, from page 5 After trying and being let down multiple times, LaBorde was ready to shelve the dream he’d had since he was a child. As a pre-med student, his workload was heavy and there wasn’t time for much else.

But LaBorde received an email in January 2012 that changed everything.

“I remember when I got the news. I was watching Oklahoma State in a bowl game, and the guys on TV were talking about a receiver who was a walk-on, and I thought it was so cool,” LaBorde said. “Then, I picked up my iPad and was messing around and saw an email from [Assistant Athletics Director Sam] Nader.”

In the email, Nader invited LaBorde to a team meeting for prospective scout team players.

Soon after, LaBorde made the scout team and was officially a member of the LSU Tigers football program.

“I get chills just thinking about it,” LaBorde said. “I didn’t know if I wanted to go — I was kind of over football. But my brother said he would kill me if I didn’t, so I decided to give it a shot. It changed my life.”

He joined the Tigers for their spring practices, but with his course load on top of a Division I sport, it was difficult for LaBorde to manage his time and fully commit himself to both school and football.

But he wouldn’t let himself quit. LaBorde made a promise to himself that he would run out of the tunnel with the Tigers when they took the field against North Texas in their home opener on Sept. 1, 2012.

LaBorde got into a rhythm and became more comfortable each day. By the time the North Texas game came around, he’d found ways to balance his obligations and was finally able to live out a dream he’d had since he was 4 years old.

“I remember sitting there in the tunnel thinking, ‘I cannot believe this,’” LaBorde said. “You run out, and there’s no feeling like that in the world. Thousands of people wish they could experience that, and you’re one of 120 guys that gets to. I remember that I just sat there and soaked it in.”

LaBorde began to click with the system and the players and quickly made close friendships.

He became good friends with wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry, who affectionately gave LaBorde the nickname “Snowflake.”

“When I first walked on, I was the only white receiver,” LaBorde said. “They said, ‘We need a little snowflake in the bunch,’ so it just kind of stuck.”

Although Beckham and Landry have since moved on to the NFL, the nickname has carried on. Now, even young players know LaBorde by this moniker.

“He’s embraced that nickname,” said freshman wide receiver John Diarse. “He’ll always be Snowflake to us.”

Not only has he embraced his nickname, but LaBorde has fully taken on his role with the team.

In practice, LaBorde regularly matches up against players like

Emily Brauner / The Daily Reveille

LSU senior wide receiver Chris LaBorde (13) celebrates with fans Saturday after the Tigers’ 10-7 victory against Ole Miss in Tiger Stadium. junior cornerback Jalen Collins and junior safety Jalen Mills. Although going against some of the best defensive backs in the country could be intimidating, LaBorde enjoys the challenge and makes the most of every play in practice.

“We talk trash to each other.

We have fun with it,” LaBorde said. “It’s the best feeling in the world just knowing that if I school one of these guys, I’m schooling a world-class athlete. At the end of the day, it doesn’t mean anything, but I love being competitive.”

Though he likes to have fun with practice, he takes it seriously.

Collins said LaBorde is unlike any squad player he’s seen before.

“He’s definitely a workhorse.

He’s not your typical scout team guy,” Collins said. “I feel like he could go to any other school and be a part of their offense and contribute and help out. It’s always a challenge going up against him.”

LaBorde’s combination of lightheartedness and work ethic has made him one of the most respected members on the practice field and in the Tigers’ locker room.

Players on both the offensive and

defensive sides of the ball said they look up to him as a role model and as someone who can be considered the ultimate teammate.

Whenever he has a question about football or something off the field, Diarse said he can look to LaBorde for an answer.

“Ever since my first day coming in here, I’ve always seen Chris working,” Diarse said. “You never, never, never see him quit. He’s one of those guys you can turn to about anything. He’s been there for a while and he knows the system better than anyone. I really appreciate Chris.”

His work and dedication recently paid off with something he had dreamed of getting since he was a child but never imagined he would receive: a scholarship.

“When I walked into that room with coach Miles and got a scholarship from him, I lost it. I started crying,” LaBorde said. “That was probably one of the best moments of my life. It’s a big deal to be on scholarship at this university, especially as a walk-on. It kind of capped a lot of things for me over my college career and answered a lot of questions I had.”

LaBorde has his scholarship hanging on a wall in his bedroom as a symbol of where his hard work has brought him and where it can lead him in the future. Though his aspirations are of medical school and not the NFL, LaBorde said the support and encouragement he’s received from his family and friends throughout his football career is something he’ll never forget.

It has been nearly four years since LaBorde got the email from Nader asking him to try out for the practice squad. Even though three seasons of late nights, early mornings and hard work resulted in sitting on the bench, he said he wouldn’t trade it for anything.

“I’ve learned that it’s not always going to be fair,” LaBorde said. “Things aren’t always going to work you like they’re supposed to. I’m so thankful for this sport.

It sucks sometimes, but that’s life.

You learn to love it and embrace the struggle. I have no doubt in my mind I’ll be a better man for it.”

You can reach Michael Haarala on Twitter @haarala_TDR.

The Daily Reveille

Friday, October 31, 2014 men’s tennis

page 7

Swedish freshman adjusts to difficulty of collegiate tennis BY james bewers jbewers@lsureveille.com The last Swedish tennis player to play at LSU was a star on and off the court.

In 2008, Sebastian Carlsson, a native of Upssala, Sweden, was named First-Team AllLouisiana and an Intercollegiate Tennis Association ScholarAthlete — all in his freshman year.

By the end of his time at LSU, the former Louisiana Freshman of the Year had become an ITA Doubles All-American and had received academic honors from either the ITA or the Southeastern Conference every season.

In 2014, LSU has another talented Swede, but the road to success in his freshman year has been a long one.

Simon Freund, No. 110 in the International Tennis Federation juniors division, was highly recruited out of Stockholm, but he struggled on the outset of his college career. “[The tennis in college] is so different from Sweden,” Freund said. “The competition and level of all the players is so much harder here. I kind of came off and thought it was going to be easier to start off.”

Freund lost five of his first seven singles matches to start the fall season, including dropping his first three matches at the SEC Fall Classic in Gainesville, Florida.

“Even the so called ‘bad players’ are really good in the U.S.,” Freund said. “The level of competition is so much harder here. In

Sweden, most of the tournaments I can kind of float through the first two or three rounds until it gets really tough.”

It wasn’t until the ITA Southern Regional in Auburn that Freund began to settle down.

After dropping his opening match against Evan Karatzas of Nicholls State, the freshman achieved two straight wins in the consolation bracket, including one over his junior teammate Harrison Kennedy, before falling in the semifinals to eventual champion Chi-Shan Jao of Tulane.

“I loosened up a bit in my second match and played much better. Then, I got a nice win against my teammate, Harrison,” Freund said. “In the match that I lost, I was looking over the tape with [assistant coach] Danny [Bryan], and we saw a lot of stuff that I can improve, but it feels really good that I’m starting to loosen up.”

Bryan said Freund isn’t the only European who needed to adapt to playing at an American university. Most European players, he said, must transition from competing on red clay in their home countries to a hard surface. “[European players] will have, sometimes, games with longer points [on clay court],” Bryan said. “A lot of the American kids will have bigger games, and they can play shorter points.”

Clay courts cause the ball to bounce slower and higher off the surface than hard courts. It allows an easier return after a

serve or volley, which extends the length of each individual point within a match.

Junior Boris Arias, a native of La Paz, Bolivia, also was accustomed to the clay courts in South America, but he said his biggest transition was playing with a team.

“You pretty much play on your own [in international play], so when you come here, you play as a team,” Arias said. “At least for me, it really helped a lot. It’s more fun to actually play as a team.”

Cultural differences also are a factor Kennedy has noticed playing with international players.

“I know the guys coming from the international circuit have to make some major adjustments, not just on tennis court but also culturally,” Kennedy said. “It takes a while to get used to playing around a bunch of Americans and kind of being away from home.”

Freund, though, has taken all the physical and cultural changes in stride, Bryan said.

“Simon is a really, really good kid. He really has embraced everything we have put in front of him,” Bryan said.

“When he goes home for Christmas and is able to kind of absorb everything that has happened this fall, he’ll come back and be even more prepared for the spring.”

Freund already has shown his potential for the spring season. In the Tigers’ most recent competition, the Texas A&M Conference Challenge, Freund went 2-2 in singles play and 2-1

Javier Fernández / The Daily Reveille

LSU freshman tennis player Simon Freund adjusts to collegiate play from his prior experiences abroad. in doubles with Arias as his partner.

“He’s really kept his nose to the grindstone and has really

worked hard,” Kennedy said.

“He’s looking like he can be a good contributing factor to our success this year.”

women’s basketball

Transfer Bethel ready to contribute after sitting out BY brian pellerin bpellerin@lsureveille.com

LSU junior guard Akilah Bethel is expected to get her first minutes for the Lady Tigers this season, but it won’t be her first experience on the floor with LSU. In November 2012, the LSU women’s basketball team squared off against No. 12 West Virginia, Bethel’s original team.

Then-freshman guard Danielle Ballard carried the Lady Tigers to a 7163 victory with a 25-point performance.

Bethel played 23 minutes as a Mountaineer in the game, contributing seven points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals.

Bethel suffered a seasonending knee injury in January 2013, in what would be her last game in a West Virginia uniform. In May 2013, LSU coach Nikki Caldwell announced that Bethel would transfer to LSU and play for the Lady Tigers.

Since her arrival in Baton

Rouge, Bethel said she has instilled an aggressive edge to practice.

“I definitely think [my playing style] brought a different aspect to everyone,” Bethel said. “[They’d say,] ‘Hey, she’s a little physical.’ It brought a whole new aspect to practice.”

Because of NCAA transfer rules, Bethel had to keep her physical style on the bench for the entire 20132014 season with LSU, including the Lady Tigers 76-67 win against her former team in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Now that Bethel is free from the NCAA transfer rule, she said she can’t wait to get back on the court and put her physical attitude into real gameplay.

“It was painful [to sit out a year],” Bethel said. “I loved playing with them and playing against them. It’s just now exciting to actually be with them through the journey.”

Bethel is expected to play a major role for the Lady Tigers

during this season, but that role will be different than what she is used to.

At the team’s media day event two weeks ago, Caldwell hinted at using Bethel like a forward to improve the Lady Tigers’ press defense and give LSU a speed advantage.

“Akilah Bethel is one of the quickest, if you will, [fours] in the game,” Caldwell said. “She will be a mismatch for a lot of people because of her quickness.”

Bethel said she expects her ballhandling skills to give other teams’ fours fits throughout the season because of her backcourt experience.

“I think I bring toughness,” Bethel said. “I think I bring speed. I think I bring versatility as far as I’m not a stand-still four. I can dribble. I’ve played guard before so I know how to use my quickness.”

In her one and a half seasons with the Mountaineers, Bethel averaged 2.1 rebounds per game in her freshman season and 1.8 in her sopho-

more season. But Bethel isn’t worried about her ability grab boards because her toughness will help her beat opposing bigs.

“I love to win,” Bethel said.

“Whatever the team needs me to do, I’m going to do it. I have that we-will-win-by-anymeans-necessary [attitude].”

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The Daily Reveille

page 8

Friday, October 31, 2014

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The Daily Reveille

Friday, October 31, 2014

page 9

ESPN has become reliant Tigers to compete against Alabama on mediocre programs swimming and diving

THE CUBAN CANNON TOMMY ROMANACH Sports Columnist Turn off your televisions and wake up for a minute. The sports programming being watched is garbage, and it’s time people recognized that.

ESPN, the channel every sports fan watches religiously and the network that changed the way society views sports, is losing its ability to produce quality content.

The process began with laziness, and it ends with a mindset more focused on sports than dollar signs.

ESPN calls itself “The Worldwide Leader in Sports,” but the title is a bit misleading. For ESPN to be a leader, it would need competition to lead. Nobody challenges ESPN in terms of ratings and revenue brought in.

In business, when you lack any competition for what you sell, you become a monopoly, and that is exactly where ESPN is at this point.

You cannot blame the network for its success leading to this point.

The problems arose once ESPN attempted to handle the power.

The thing about a company that’s a monopoly is that at some point, it becomes lazy. When you don’t have anyone to outdo, you begin to lose interest in trying. ESPN has fallen hard into this trap, and it starts with its trademark show.

“SportsCenter” is still a quality program, but I wouldn’t exactly call the content hard-hitting analysis. Whether it’s bringing celebrities on as guest hosts or refusing to talk about sports ESPN does not televise, the show no longer gives you the full story and focuses far more on entertainment.

Entertainment is actually what the “E” stands for in ESPN, and the network is really taking that to heart with its shows.

ESPN is no longer a network, it’s a corporation. And as a corporation, ESPN will air any program that can bring in revenue, no matter how mindless the premise.

A classic example is “First

Take,” a show where two personalities — usually Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith — jabber about the daily sports cycle.

You can’t learn anything about sports by watching “First Take,” but you can learn how to win a conversation by being obnoxious.

The show has gotten in trouble for discussing race and domestic abuse multiple times, but it doesn’t matter to the worldwide leader in sports. Some people will always be dumb enough to watch those morons yell at each other, and that is the only thing concerning ESPN. The network has made critically acclaimed content like its “30 for 30” documentary series, but the network only kept the series going for the ratings. If the Bassmaster Classic suddenly gained more popularity, it would have the event in prime time slots, too.

The only way ESPN will change its ways is if upstart sports networks like Fox Sports 1 rise up.

FS1 is only in its infant stages, but if it can get even close to ESPN, viewers may see a little more creativity in the programing.

However, it will be a long time until something like FS1 is as culturally ingrained as ESPN is currently. People wear T-shirts with “ESPN” and “SportsCenter” written on them, as if they support the corporation and its inane decisions.

What I fear most is that sports fans will begin to forget the difference between quality and trash.

I’m afraid people will become so used to whatever crap ESPN spits out, they won’t notice any reason to be displeased.

For now, all you can do is go home and watch a little bit of “SportsCenter” before going to sleep. Some of the highlights may intrigue you, and you might enjoy the top-10 plays at the end of the show.

Just remember the reasons you’re watching in the first place.

You should be a fan of the sports being shown, not the corporation providing them.

Tommy Romanach is a 22-yearold mass communication senior from Dallas, Texas. You can reach him on Twitter @troman_92.

screenshot courtesy of espn

Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless spend their two hours on ‘First Take’ arguing and trading jabs with each other.

and Auburn in Tuscaloosa

BY Will Cotchery II wcotchery@lsureveille.com

After a weekend away from the pool, the LSU swimming and diving teams will travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, to compete against Alabama and Auburn on Saturday.

The event begins at 11 a.m. in the Alabama Aquatic Center.

The women (1-1, 0-1 Southeastern Conference) are coming off an impressive outing at the SMU Classic in Dallas, Texas, on Oct. 17-18. Fast starts over the two-day event were key in the Lady Tigers’ top-overall placing, as they posted first-place finishes in both the 400-medley relay and a meet-record time in the 200-medley relay.

The men (0-1, 0-1 SEC) will return to action for the first time since Oct. 10, when they lost to Florida, 162.5-122.5, in Gainesville.

Swimming coach Dave Geyer said that with the existing rivalry between Auburn and Alabama, he expects fierce competition at this weekend’s meet.

“I already told the kids we’re going to see some fast times,” Geyer said. “Both programs are going to be prepared to race, [and] we’re going to be prepared to race. For us and them too, it’s about that process of getting ready for [the SEC and NCAA Championships].”

Geyer said he is looking for the seniors on both sides to mentor the younger swimmers who have yet to compete in a hostile environment. He said he wants his seniors

to stress to the underclassmen that they can’t be intimidated by the intensity of SEC competition.

Senior swimmers Amber Carter and Frank Greef said both sides spent time working on the small details in their swimming techniques to have sharper showings in the future.

Greef said the women’s performance at the SMU Classic gives the men’s side motivation because it indicates LSU’s swimming and diving program is on the rise.

“Winning the SMU Classic is good motivation for showing the guys that no matter who we are, we are capable of winning meets, and we can compete at the national level,” Greef said. “The girls are setting the tone at the moment, so the guys have to follow in their footsteps.”

Diving coach Doug Shaffer

said both Alabama and Auburn have great teams, great coaching staffs and great athletes. He said he feels good about his team’s opportunity to compete head-to-head against two perennial SEC powers.

Shaffer said senior divers Cassie Weil and Alex Bettridge each put forth good performances in the Florida meet and SMU Classic, respectively. With the entire team back together, he said he wants each member to have a good outing to build on moving forward.

“I’m looking for each and every one of our divers to improve on their current level of performance as we prepare, train and develop toward the goals that we have at the end of the season,” Shaffer said. “I want the whole team to dive well, and individually, I want each of them to make progress.”

the daily reveille archives

LSU then-freshman Eric Klein swims the butterfly leg of the men’s 400 yard medley relay Jan. 18, 2013, during the Tigers’ meet against Texas A&M in the LSU Natatorium.

page 10 club sports

cross country

The Daily Reveille

Friday, October 31, 2014

Ultimate Team returns to Ala. for SEC Championships Tigers struggled Frisbee previously in Tuscaloosa hosts tournament BY jacob hamilton jhamilton@lsureveille.com

BY Jacob Hamilton jhamilton@lsureveille.com The LSU Ultimate Frisbee club team is hosting the first annual Aster Memorial Tournament this weekend at the University Recreation Field Complex on River Road.

The event begins at 10:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, ending at 4:30 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday.

Saturday pool play will determine seeding for the championship bracket on Sunday, which will consist of a single elimination tournament to determine an outright winner.

LSU is facing competition from other colleges and teams, including Louisiana Tech University, the University of Southern Alabama, the University of Louisiana-Lafayette and LSU Alumni.

“I want fans to come enjoy the beautiful weather and watch some [ultimate frisbee],” said LSU team member Daniel Nan.

After a disappointing performance at the Crimson Classic on Oct. 17, the LSU men’s and women’s cross country teams will travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Friday for the Southeastern Conference Championships at Harry Pritchett Running Park.

The women will begin at 9 a.m., and the men will begin at 10 a.m.

The teams will have to return to the same place they struggled before, as the SEC Championships are held on the same course. The men finished in 15th place and the women placed ninth at the Crimson Classic.

Senior Philip Primeaux led the Tigers with a 28th-place finish, while junior Travis Pope finished 30th and freshman DC Lipani came in at No. 100 to round out the Tigers’ top finishes.

Five runners finished inside the top-100 for the Lady Tigers, led by junior Morgan Schuetz’s No. 31 finish.

Senior runner Andria Aguilar said the big take away

from the Crimson Classic was running the course at Harry Pritchett Running Park, so the runners know what to expect when they return for the Conference Championships.

“I’m definitely glad we got to see the course last week,” Aguilar said. “That course is hard.

If you look at the results, there were a lot of people that ran slower than they have all year.

But we have been training for courses like this all year. We are ready for it now.”

The Tigers are running with the results from last season’s SEC Championships in mind, where Arkansas accounted for the first-place finishes in both races, while the LSU men’s team finished in 12th place and the women’s team finished in 14th place.

Freshman DC Lipani said he hopes familiarizing himself with the course will give him an advantage in his first appearance at the SEC Championships and will lead to top finishes — and vengeance against the Razorbacks — for the Tigers and Lady Tigers.

“We know the fourth mile is going to be the hardest because that’s when it tacks on both hills up the race, but we will just have to keep pushing,” Lipani said.

“It’s tough, but we are up for it.”

walter radam / The Daily Reveille

Bryan Mutell (left), Daniel Tanner (522) DC Lipani (516 middle), and Bryan Stamey (521) race in the LSU Cross Country Invitational on Sept. 20 at Highland Park.

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Friday, October 31, 2014 piĂąa, from page 5 But Lee added that he understands her frustration with the lack of game time. “For any player, playing time is always a motivator one way or another,â€? Lee said. “It’s an issue they’ve all got to deal with. At some point in everybody’s career, you’re confronted with it. It’ll test who you are as a player and a person, and it’s all about how you react.â€?

However, Piùa’s lack of time on the field didn’t result in improvement for LSU. The Tigers dropped seven of their eight games since Lee removed Piùa from the starting lineup and were outscored 15-5 during that span.

PiĂąa, whose 10 career goals trail only LSU sophomore Summer Clarke’s 17, said it was painful watching the team struggle because she felt she could make a difference. “It was a shock for me because I wasn’t playing, and we were losing and I felt like I could help the team,â€? PiĂąa said. “If you’re not playing and the team’s winning, you understand that the girls that are playing are helping the team and your role is on the bench, and that’s fine. “But whenever you’re losing and losing and you’re on the bench and you feel like you can help the team, that’s when it gets frustrating.â€?

LSU junior midfielder

vb, from page 5 keeps a sign on her door that reads “No Energy Vampires Allowed.�

Flory said the bus’ influence on LSU has been vital to the team’s success. “Negativity breeds negativity, and positivity breeds positivity,�

Flory said. “When people get negative, they tend to underachieve, and when people get positive, they tend to overachieve.�

The Tigers aren’t overachieving, Flory said. They’re just playing like they’re capable because they believe they are. “The people that tend to dwell in the negative, we grab and bring them up to the top,� Flory said. “And before we know it, they’re making plays they never knew they could make.

The positive energy will be needed on Friday against a strong defensive team in South Carolina. “They’re going to stop you,�

Flory said. “You can’t get frustrated. You’ve got to stay the course and understand that they’re going to dig a lot of balls and touch a lot of balls blocking. We’ve got to do the same thing to them.�

After Friday’s tough defensive matchup, LSU’s weekend schedule doesn’t get any easier as the Tigers travel to Arkansas on Sunday. But neither Flory nor the players are concerned with their energy level, having to travel immediately after a competitive home game.

In the next three weeks, the Tigers will twice have a home game on Friday and a road game on Sunday. Pardo said she loves the way these games line up

Natalia Gomez-Junco, PiĂąa’s closest friend on the team, said she’s tried to encourage PiĂąa because she’s experienced a similar situation in her career and understands how standing on the sidelines can affect a player’s confidence. “As a player, it’s always hard because everyone wants to play,â€? Gomez-Junco said. “It’s hard sometimes to keep your head up, but it’s soccer. It’s good to have that inner competition on the team, and it’ll make her that much better of a player.â€?

With the 2014 campaign now in the books, all that remains for PiĂąa is her senior season.

All but one player from LSU’s team will return next season, which means Piùa likely will be pitted against the same obstacles she faced this season.

But PiĂąa said she’s learned from her experiences this year and believes she’ll become a better player for it. “The tough thing about not playing is losing your confidence,â€? PiĂąa said. “People will tell you to stay confident, but when you’re living that, it’s not very easy to stay positive. It’s tough, but it’s part of being a soccer player. Sometimes you have to go through this, but it’ll make me grow. It’s been tough for me, but there’s a reason behind it.â€?

You can reach David Gray on Twitter @dgray_TDR. because it allows the Tigers to bring the home crowd’s energy from Friday night’s game with them on the road. “Having that [home match on a Friday gets] us going for the weekend,� Pardo said. “It’s that jump start that’s really going to help on Sunday when we’re away.�

But Arkansas’ Barnhill Arena might be filled with more energy than LSU’s positivity. The Tigers’ current seven-game win streak started with a comeback, five-set victory against the Razorbacks.

Flory said she expects a bit of a revenge factor from Arkansas because the Tigers stole the win from the Razorbacks, but she wants to remind everyone both of these teams are different now.

The Razorbacks need quality wins to get into the NCAA tournament, and beating RPI No. 25 LSU would be one. Though her team is in the top 25 of the RPI, Flory said the Tigers are focused on improving their own resume. “They are hungry to get to the next step,� Flory said. “They’re mad that there are 24 teams ahead of them.�

Flory said while the bus and the vampires are getting the Tigers prepared mentally, the team continues to grow into an unstoppable force. “We’re not just being positive,� Flory said. “We’re finding solutions to problems. When you find solutions, you feel like you’ve earned something. And when you do that, it just gets better and bigger. Then you get rolling and it’s awfully hard to stop a team that gets rolling like that.�

The Daily Reveille

page 11

Prescott headlines SEC awards THE DAILY LABATOMY TREY LABAT Sports Editor The Southeastern Conference proved once again to be the premier football conference in the nation. With teams chock-full of talent across both sides of the conference, choosing the best of the best was quite difficult.

But with half of the season already gone, it is time to hand out awards to the star performers this season.

than he accumulated in the Tide’s romp over Tennessee.

If LSU can slow down Cooper in its upcoming matchup with the Crimson Tide, it has a chance at its second straight upset.

A&M when he took an interception to the house for a 75-yard touchdown.

In the Rebel’s biggest win this season — the 23-17, last-second victory against Alabama — Prewitt had perhaps his best game of the season. He produced seven solo tackles, eight total tackles and a pass breakup.

Barring injury, Prewitt should be selected in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft and the first safety taken off the board.

Defensive MVP: Cody Prewitt, S Prewitt has been the emotional and statistical leader of a defense that has been arguably the best in the nation so far this season.

The senior safety is averaging five tackles per game and has proven his ball-hawking ability on several occasions — most notably against Texas

You can reach Trey Labat on Twitter @treylabat_TDR.

Overall MVP: Dak Prescott, QB Probably the easiest choice of the bunch, Prescott is performing like the best player in the nation, not just the SEC. He’s currently the front-runner to win the Heisman Trophy. At SEC Media Days in July, many writers picked Prescott to have a breakout season, but I doubt any of them saw this coming.

The Louisiana-native has led the No. 1 team in the nation to an undefeated season so far, beating LSU in Baton Rouge in the process.

Prescott has passed for 1694 yards at a 60 percent completion rate, while throwing for three times as many touchdowns as interceptions. He’s combined an improved throwing arm with his already impressive running talent. The junior quarterback looks like a power running back and has rushed for 10 touchdowns — tied for the team lead.

If Georgia running back Todd Gurley hadn’t been suspended for signing autographs for money — how dare he use his name to make money — it might be a closer decision.

But with the NCAA keeping Gurley suspended for an additional two games, this decision was easy.

Offensive MVP: Amari Cooper, WR The junior wide receiver reminds me of a blend of current NFL receiver A.J. Green and and former Alabama great Julio Jones.

He doesn’t have quite the height of the aforementioned studs, but Cooper makes up for it with explosive speed and leaping ability. Couple those traits with top-notch hands, crisp route running and a lanky frame, and you have the prototypical NFL receiver. Cooper will be dominating Sundays soon.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Cooper’s season so far is that teams know what’s coming. Alabama’s opponents know Cooper is a stud, but for the most part, just haven’t been able to stop him. In Alabama’s two worst games this season — the loss to Ole Miss and the narrow win against Arkansas — Cooper tallied 11 catches and 113 yards. Or two more catches and 111 fewer yards

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Opinion

page 12 Greg allen / The Associated Press

Finding Common Ground Pop culture can unite political parties no way jose jose bastidas Columnist It seems Facebook has finally found something that unifies the yin and yang of American politics.

What might that be, you ask?

Pop culture, of course.

The social media site released a study Monday examining what

cultural tastes Democrats and Republicans have in common, and the results are as hilarious as you might think.

Inspired by the proximity to Election Day, the geniuses over at Facebook Data Science checked users who “liked” pages for any Democratic or Republican candidates running for governor, U.S. Senate or the U.S. House of Representatives.

Then, they looked at other pages these users liked, measuring which ones members of both

The Daily Reveille Editorial Board

Chandler Rome Erin Hebert Marylee Williams Fernanda Zamudio-Suarez Gordon Brillon

Editor in Chief Co-Managing Editor Co-Managing Editor News Editor Opinion Editor

parties liked equally and which ones were more skewed.

When visualizing the relationship between Republicans and Democrats, the popular 1998 animated series “CatDog” comes to mind.

The show follows the antics of conjoined brothers — one a cat, the other a dog — who, despite the fact they have completely different personalities, are forced to coexist. Even with all the fighting, one could never survive without the other.

Rather than being joined at the waist, representatives of both political parties are bound by the need to control the political environment.

The study concluded that, while donkeys and elephants may not see eye to eye when it comes to the majority of policy decisions, they have similar tastes in music and television.

Artists like Aerosmith, Metallica and Taylor Swift made the cut for musical tastes the political nemeses share. Michael

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-39 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 Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.

Friday, October 31, 2014 Jackson, Katy Perry and Bob Marley stood firmly in the Democratic side, and most of the popular country artists like Miranda Lambert and Jason Aldean stood closer to the Republican side.

When addressing television, Americans of all political backgrounds were reported to be fans of prime time television shows like “The Walking Dead” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” while latenight news commentary shows (i.e. The Colbert Report) are mostly enjoyed by Democrats.

The study also looked at books, authors and landmarks.

While this may seem trivial in the wake of the 2014 midterm elections, the study’s findings could open up a previously-unknown negotiating method for American politics: appealing to common interests.

Now that political staffs across Washington D.C. and the rest of the country have this information at their disposal, they can use cultural references to appeal, not only to their political coworkers, but also to the public, particularly with young voters.

Louisiana political candidates like U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu and U.S. Rep. Bill Cassidy could show each another dancing to Swift’s “Shake It Off” rather than attacking each other’s policies in campaign advertising.

U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann can release public statements condemning President Barack Obama for spoiling the latest episode of “Two and a Half Men,” and members of Congress can start the legislative session by sharing one fun fact about their trips to the Jersey Shore.

This study also shows — in its own unique and not-at-all serious manner — that even though political parties’ beliefs and principles may differ, the members who comprise the parties are not as different as they may think.

Democrats may be liberal screech-apes who want to increase the minimum wage, favor government regulation and believe in the rights of the community.

Republicans may be conservative howler monkeys who want less government regulation, believe in rights of the individual and want a free market.

But now — thanks to Facebook — we know we share Taylor Swift.

Jose Bastidas is a mass communication senior from Caracas, Venezuela. You can reach him on Twitter @jabastidas.

Quote of the Day ‘Don’t hate the media, become the media.’

Jello Biafra American musician June 17, 1958 — present

Friday, October 31, 2014

Opinion

page 13

Political election monsters are scariest villains this Halloween off with her head jana king Columnist They have minions who watch the public for them and analyze our movements. They creep in the shadows until they’ve determined the right moment to make their move.

They are powerful and can change the way we go about our daily lives with just one strike. They’re one of the most terrifying forces at play in our nation, planning ways to lure in the red-blooded American.

This Halloween, it isn’t the goblins or ghosts that I’m afraid of. What’s really scaring me is Louisiana facing off against a bunch of monsters, villains and good-for-nothings next week.

That’s right, Louisiana. Next week, we decide which politicians we want to battle with for the next term. The worst part is, they don’t have fangs or claws, or even that freaky laugh to distinguish them from the good guys. They just have large amounts of money and often a rather large political backing. In some cases, there may not even be a good guy.

On Tuesday, Texas voters will have to make the hard choice between one candidate who used her opponent’s physical handicap in an attack ad and an opponent who implied to a reporter that he doesn’t support interracial marriage.

These are the sorts of petty tactics that make the political

Javier Fernández / The Daily Reveille

The recent senatorial debates highlighted the real monsters this Halloween season — ­ the politicians we vote for. game one that doesn’t seem fun for the voters. In our own Senate race, the Louisiana candidates participated in a debate hosted by the Manship School for Mass Communication, but it seemed they couldn’t answer a question without lashing out at their opponents.

It almost seems like a dog show where each political party parades their candidate in front of the voters.

The candidates have been trained to complete tricks and bark on cue to satisfy the viewers.

But when I was watching

the debate with University students in the Lawton Auditorium Wednesday night, I noticed a lot of eye rolling and ironic laughter. It seems students have an apathetic mindset toward politicians, and I don’t blame them. I’ve seen “House of Cards,” and while Kevin Spacey is equal parts terrifying and inspiring, it’s apparent that politicians aren’t very concerned with their voters.

Politics isn’t a game for just the radicals to play, but that’s how the Senate elections are perceived. It’s an endless tug-

of-war, started before we were born, and we’ve all been signed up for a round this year. Unless we show up for the game, it’s going to be an easy win for the bad guys.

If you aren’t registered to vote, sadly it is too late to do so for this upcoming midterm election. But there’s another one next year, and you’ll probably forget about this column before then.

So go ahead and register to vote. I registered to vote the summer before my freshman year of college at Baton Rouge Pride Fest. There are so many

places you can register, and no excuse not to.

The politically apathetic have told me time and time again they don’t like politics, don’t see their vote counting, don’t have any hope in the government and ask why they should even bother.

The first time I voted was in the 2012 presidential election.

I voted knowing the majority of my state wasn’t going to vote with me. But I also voted for state offices. I can proudly say that I voted Kip Holden into his second term as Baton Rouge mayor. And every victory of the Holden administration has been a victory of mine.

National politics are daunting, and we are far too disconnected to feel its immediate rewards. If anything, we should be more excited for midterm elections. Change happens on the local level. That’s where we introduce third-party candidates, where money is rarely exchanged behind closed doors. That’s where the least amount of political corruption takes place.

We have senators, state executives, courts and school boards to decide. We have to set up a committee that is strong and reflective of our community’s values. And that decision starts when we eliminate the monsters at the polling booth on Tuesday.

Jana King is a 20-year-old communication studies major from Ponchatoula, Louisiana.

You can reach her on Twitter @jking_TDR.

People are more than the stereotypes inevitably given Taming of the Shirin Shirin Chowdhury Columnist College. It’s a time where students work toward getting a degree and figuring out their futures through a blur of sleep deprivation and overwhelming stress.

But college is about much more than getting an education and handling busy schedules.

For a lot of us, it’s a time when we start becoming the people we want to be for the rest of our lives.

In high school, our worlds were condensed in small groups of friends. College is a whole new world, where suddenly you realize you can be anybody you want to be. You start making more serious decisions, ones based less on “fitting in” and more on your

personal preferences.

But as soon as you start living your life the way you want, your peers will be waiting on the sidelines, judging where you belong in the world of stereotypes.

When I was a freshman, some of my coworkers were talking about the possibility of going on a camping trip. I was enthusiastic about the idea, and one girl gave me a confused look and said, “I didn’t think you’d want to go. You’re a girly girl!”

I assume she had seen me around wearing dresses, and putting two and two together, she labeled me a “girly girl.”

I’d never even had a genuine conversation with her.

Not only was she reducing who I am to one phrase — “girly girl” — but she was also making a generalization about me based on just one part of who I am: my physical appearance.

The way I dress doesn’t have anything to do with whether I like to go camping, but it made me realize how easily people jump to conclusions.

Am I a female? Yes. Am I a girly girl? No, because there’s no such thing.

Even if the term “girly girl” made sense, would that simple label define who I am as a person? Absolutely not.

I wear dresses because I love wearing dresses. I wear makeup because I think it’s fun. Yes, I use Pinterest, and I’ve spent more time than I’m willing to admit looking at pictures of cute animals on the Internet.

But I don’t do any of these things because I’m trying to identify with a certain category or stereotype, and I certainly don’t do anything to please others. Quite simply, I do what I want and I do it for me.

Show me a list of reasons

why you think I’m a girly girl, and I’ll show you a list of boys I’ve beaten at Super Smash Bros. Stereotypes are meaningless.

There’s no single characteristic that defines who I am, because who I am is a complex intersection of all the different aspects of my personality.

Anyone who makes generalizations about others based off of race, gender, physical appearance or any one facet of a personality ignores the complexity of what it means to be human.

As we all trudge through life and learn more about ourselves, there are always going to be people who think they know you better than you do.

Whether you want to dye your hair pink, change your major or try a whole new lifestyle, the most important goal should be your personal happiness. There will always be

people out there who criticize you, but in the end, any energy spent judging others is wasted.

So don’t worry about being perceived as a “girly girl,” or a “hipster” or “nerdy.” Categories like those mean nothing in the grand scheme of things.

No matter where you go, people will try to place you into meaningless stereotypes.

College should be a time when we step out of our comfort zones and leave behind our insecurities.

Judgment is inevitable, especially in a college setting.

But it’s important to keep an open mind and ignore the criticism thrown your way.

You do you. After all, no one can do you better than you do.

Shirin Chowdhury is a 20-yearold English junior from Manhattan, Kansas. You can reach her on Twitter @TDR_schowd.

The Daily Reveille

page 14

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Friday, October 31, 2014 water campus, from page 1 modeling and related research collaborations.”

Willson said through the implementation of the Modeling Lab, students will interact with state scientists, engineers, government officials and creative teams. Some studio design students, he said, are already doing this to create a large outreach exhibit educational facility, which is one of the three missions of the Modeling Lab. “The goal is for undergraduate and graduate students to participate in model making and conduct experiments that are less ‘run-of-the-mill’ according to discipline — like your standard engineering

labs,” Willson said. “What we will be able to offer here is an education that is highly relevant, applicable and high profile — one that cannot be experienced from behind a desk.”

Verma said the project will comprise more than 1.8 million square feet. Offices, parking structures, retail and more than 4,000 people will take up the space within the next decade.

Gilles Morin, planning project coordinator for the CPPC, said the Water Campus will serve as a collaborative, interdisciplinary campus that is “on par” with world-class research facilities.

However, many preliminary steps

The Daily Reveille lie ahead for 550 Oklahoma, LLC, the listed developer of the Water Campus, before construction can begin.

“At first, with the way the property was zoned, the building would not have been allowed office use,” Morin said. “[550 Oklahoma, LLC] was asking for a hybrid residential zone, and they had to resubmit their zoning application Oct. 20, which is what we just approved.”

Morin said the developer will go before the Baton Rouge City Council on Nov. 19. The council will assess the planning and engineering standpoints presented.

“If these plans are approved, the developer will be able to submit the building

page 15 construction plan and begin,” Morin said.

According to the Commercial Properties Realty Trust website, completion of the Water Campus is part of the state’s $50 billion Coastal Protection and Restoration Plan. It will cost nearly $45 million to build.

Coastal and environmental science and research freshman Harrison Smith said a facility such as the Water Campus was necessary and something the University was bound to create.

“There are so many issues in the environment, specifically coastal environments, that are a great threat to our world, and a lot of other universities do not recognize that — they lack this kind of study,” Smith said. “The

Water Campus, I think, will provide the perfect approach to tackling these issues and raising awareness about them.”

Smith said he hopes the Water Campus will not only strengthen the coast, but provide job opportunities for students graduating in the coastal environment field.

Willson said students, scientists and the surrounding community will only benefit from the presence of the facility.

“What we have ahead of us is a wonderful opportunity,” Willson said. “It’s important that people realize this opportunity is not just for the researchers and engineers behind all this, and that it’s all here at LSU.”

academics

University class uses bird banding to gain experience

BY Deanna Narveson dnarveson@lsureveille.com

Early Saturday morning while the dew was still on the grass and many University students slept, renewable natural resources students captured and banded songbirds.

The group of wildlife management technique students trekked into the woods where mist nets, fine nylon nets resembling hair nets, were set up to capture songbirds and tag them with small, metal identification bands.

Michael Seymour, a non-game ornithologist for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, said bird banding serves several causes and allows for the Department to learn more about the life expectancy, productivity, survivorship and population sizes of different types of birds in the state.

Seymour set four nets up for the group Friday. They were strung across poles to catch birds who fly into the net. He said one of the drawbacks of mist nets is their 8-foot height, meaning some species of birds will simply fly over the nets.

On the class’ first trip to check the nets, one net caught a hermit thrush, a songbird with a reddish tail and a brown body that lives close to the ground. Seymour demonstrated the procedure for taking the bird out of the net and bringing it to the banding station.

For each bird captured, the person banding it must record everything from its weight to the condition of its feathers and sex.

A bird’s sex is hard to tell outside of mating season when most birds sexual organs swell much larger than their normal size, Seymour said.

Seymour measured the birds feathers and used them as a reference for the thrush’s age. He also checks bird for fat, visible through a bird’s skin. Some ornithologists examine a bird’s skull for ossification, or how much the skull has thickened over time, as an indicator for age, but Seymour said skull checks should only be a tool.

“The fat on a bird gives a

rough idea of how they are doing healthwise,” Seymour said.

“I used to work for the museum stuffing dead birds at LSU. Even when you’re scraping brains out, it’s hard to tell ossification.”

Holding the bird in both hands, Seymour blew on the bird’s chest to move the feathers and make the birds skin visible to check for fat under its skin as well as for sex organs, which were not visible because it was not mating season. Seymour then secured a band onto the 30-gram bird’s leg and recorded the number on the band.

Conservation biology senior Jessica Waller, who had gone on other bird banding trips, said she was worried at first that she would hurt the birds while bird banding.

“I was afraid I was going to hurt them more than afraid that they would bite me,” Waller said.

“They just kind of look at you and just relax. It’s not too bad.”

However, Waller didn’t have to band a bird Saturday because the class’ mist nets only caught one more bird after the first.

The bird got its tongue stuck in the net, and so after it was untangled, it was released without banding.

Instructor Luke Laborde said the hands-on activities are a given because the goal is to give them a taste of what it’s like to work as a biologist in the field.

“We’re trying to get students as much exposure as we can as to how to properly handle the different types of animals,” Laborde said. “We’ve got an ongoing class project where we are banding mourning doves and white wing doves.”

Students in Laborde’s class said they liked working in nature and with animals.

“I did a few different things before this and I love this,” Waller said. “I feel like everyone

in this loves it. It makes it that much more exciting to go to class and there’s so much more enthusiasm.”

Conservation biology junior Alexis Burress said she likes her choice of study because of the options she will have in research.

“I realized I wanted to study wildlife. There’s so many tracks here that are really research-oriented, but at the same time, if you

want to work in a lab you can,” Burress said.

Laborde said part of working with wildlife is patience.

“You hope that you get your birds, but this really is not a bad lesson because you spend a lot of time in the field on these things,” Laborde said when the group checked the nets again only to find them empty.

“Field work takes patience. It’s good training.”

FOR RELEASE OCTOBER 31, 2014

THE Daily Commuter Puzzle ACROSS 1 Eat one’s soup noisily 6 Not up yet 10 Group of actors 14 Frolic 15 Elephant color 16 Sore 17 Make amends 18 Merit; deserve 19 __-alikes; twins 20 Threatening 22 Accumulate, as bank interest 24 Suffix for enjoy or amuse 25 Quantities 26 Take; receive 29 Overindulge a child 30 Word of disgust 31 Male singer 33 Hot __ sundae; ice cream treat 37 Dishonest one 39 AM/FM device 41 In just a bit 42 Pass into 44 Sprinkles at the table 46 JKL followers 47 Verse writers 49 Throws 51 School subject 54 __ at; bawl out 55 Arouse; stir up 56 Continuance of life, despite difficulties 60 Reiner or Jung 61 Gator’s cousin 63 Steer clear of 64 Patella’s place 65 Wood often used for boats 66 Socially inept people 67 Stitches 68 Agile; lively 69 Lovers’ meeting DOWN 1 Fraudulent way to make money 2 Overdue 3 Come __; find 4 Give a new moniker to

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 21 23 25 26 27 28 29 32 34 35 36 38 40 43

Rule Representative Boast Corncob Person who’s a bundle of energy Math class Oak tree nut Holler Little kids Bury Hairdo Spring month Qualified Abel’s brother Informal talk Creamy drinks Disgusting DeLuise and others “__ with the Wind” Baseball’s __ Slaughter Asps & lizards Furry swimmer Underground plant part

by Jacqueline E. Mathews

Thursday’s Puzzle Solved

©2014 Tribune Content Agency, LLC All Rights Reserved.

45 Able to pay one’s debts 48 Builds 50 Dieter’s piece of pie 51 Rubes 52 Foolish 53 Threaded fastener

54 Unpleasant 56 Fly high 57 Fluctuate from time to time 58 __ in; inserts 59 In case 62 Title for Pelosi or Boehner: abbr.

The Daily Reveille

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